How to Live in Alignment

So what is alignment anyway?

In the spiritual world, the term alignment was first popularised by Abraham/Esther Hicks in relation to their teachings on manifestation. From this perspective, to be in alignment is to be of the same vibrational frequency to what you want to call in.

The dictionary definitions of alignment is ‘Two or more things being positioned in a straight line or parallel to each other, and ‘An agreement between groups who want to work together because of shared interests or aims’. From these two definitions we can say that to be aligned is to be going in the same direction, on the same page, in sync with all aspects that are involved.

These days the term alignment goes beyond manifesting. If we go back to the dictionary definition and apply it to ourselves on a holistic level we can use the term alignment to represent being in harmony with our mind, body, emotions, spirit as well as our inner and outer world, including our personal environment and the people around us.

We could say it is about being ‘at one’ with who you are and where you are. To be at one is to be connected. To be connected is to be aware, integrated and intentional. So our level of alignment is about the degree to which we are consciously connecting, tuning in, aware of our thoughts and actions while at the same time accepting what is right now.

The state of being in alignment will look different for everyone and will look different for individuals at different stages of their life/year/month/day/hour. To be in alignment is to be in balance-inner and outer, rest and activity. It’s not a fixed state, it’s a dance and an art form.

Signs of Alignment and non-alignment

“The more aware of your intentions and your experience you become, the more you will be able to connect the two, and the more you will be able to create the experiences of your life consciously. This is the development of mastery. It is the creation of authentic power”

-Gary Zukav

What does it mean to flow with life? To be in alignment? Instead of rigid fixed pathways life becomes a dance, a spiral towards balance, unrestricted by beliefs, norms or old patterns.

There are signs we can notice that indicate we are in alignment with our greatest path. It will look different to everyone. It could be a feeling of bliss and limitlessness, passion or at other times content and calm. It could be feeling motivated to stick to a healthy routine in the morning/evening/whenever. It could be when you laugh often and see the light side of situations. Doing things that are best for your health. When you are getting the type of sleep you need (we are all different). For me I get the urge to write when I am feeling aligned, because I need to capture what I’m experiencing in words.

What is important is knowing what alignment feels like for you.

We can tune into signs of non-alignment which is not a bad thing but take notice of the frequency of ‘aligned behaviours’ in relation to ‘non-aligned behaviours’. For example if I start frequently eating junk food there a high chance that I’m blocking myself from aligning with my best self, but indulging every now and again is fine by me.

Once we get past living out of reactivity and notice that things are triggering us and there are things that feel more aligned or less aligned the next step is get curious of the root of what is feeding this ‘out of alignment’ state of being.

Feeling in or out of alignment is related to the story we have for ourself about what is safe or not or what we allow into our reality or not.

There will be different tools you find you can draw on to get back into the feeling of alignment. Anything that raises your vibration snaps you back into alignment. When I travel or take time to just be (preferably in nature) I start to feel that at home feeling in my body and stillness of the mind. Meditation and journaling are two good tools but it could be anything! Dancing, singing, making art, reading something inspirational or listening to podcasts on topics that light you up.

Re-alignment

Being in alignment doesn't always look or feel like being in alignment. Sometimes things need to be taken apart in order to be put back together in more aligned ways, for something new to emerge. The key here is trust. Trust that we are always supported. That we can hold our intentions while at the same time letting go of control, surrendering to the things that don’t feel aligned with that.

Sometimes things need to slow down to integrate new lessons and experiences. Sometimes we are called to rest, re-set, let go. It’s all part of life. It’s ok if it seems like things aren’t going to plan or are going backwards because we are tapped into the bigger picture.

Sometimes our energy can get stuck by repeated patterns and habitual ways of living and to re-align you can change the rhythm to avoid stagnant energy. You can bring in new energy or circulate the energy that’s already there by making changes to your physical space, your daily habits, your thought patterns. Think of how you feel when you re-arrange a room, it feels fresh, more alive and you feel more present and want to be there.

Your growth is a spiral, not linear. It’s ok to feel stuck or hopeless or flat or frustrated. It’s all just different aspects of our energy. The key is in moving and shifting this energy if it’s hanging around too much. Self-compassion comes first but there is a point where we need to take action and step into our personal power. You can do this through your body, move dance, run, walk, swim, do yoga, go for a bike ride. You can do this through your voice, express yourself, talk to someone you trust.

To re-align we can go back to the art of letting go. We can get into a negative spiral when our reality is not in alignment with our expected reality. If we simple allow this reality to be as it is right now whilst compassionately acknowledging that it is not our highest desire we can more easily step back into alignment.

It really is a beautiful life. It will send you messages when you most need to receive them and divert your path when you start to go off track. You can never stray too far from your source. Like a mother this essence of who you are is ever attentive, always there at the tip of your awareness.