Alignment

Are you fully aligned with your inner values?

What exactly do I mean by this, and why is it so important?

When two things are aligned they are going in the same direction.  This can create a very powerful force.  An alignment of two countries, for example, is usually far more powerful than each country acting on its own.  The alignment of the movement of electrons in a piece of iron creates a powerful magnetic force.

When they are misaligned, the power is greatly reduced or even disappears altogether.  For example, if a piece of material has "paired" electrons which counter each other by moving in opposite directions it is simply impossible to create any magnetic force at all.

Many people, perhaps even the vast majority of people, are not properly aligned with their inner values. When they are not properly aligned, everything will be a real struggle.  Not because the universe is opposing them (even though it may seem that way to them) but because they are opposing themselves!

This very often applies when someone tries to use the Law of Attraction.  They begin affirming and visualising.  Nothing happens.  They become disillusioned and complain that the Law of Attraction doesn't work.  The reality is that it does work, but the Universe is getting conflicting messages from them about what they want to achieve.  Outwardly they are saying "I want this!" but inwardly they are saying "No I don't!".

There are many keys to using the Law of Attraction properly, and if you are a regular reader of my blog you will already have read a number of them, but this is probably the most important key.  If you do not align yourself properly with your inner values you are most unlikely to succeed.

The first step is to find out what those inner values are.  Unless you know what they are, how can you possibly expect your day to day life and your affirmations and visualisations to be in alignment with them?

Don't make the mistake of assuming you already know what those values are!  Many of us have superficial values that are not in alignment with our inner values.  These superficial values may be the values you have "inherited" from your parents, values drummed into you at school, or values you have picked up from your church, mosque, yeshiva, temple etc.  Don't get me wrong when I say "superficial" here.  I am not denigrating the teachings of any religion or institution or your parents.  By "superficial" I mean "on the surface" rather than "deep inside".  It may well be the case that what you believe superficially is the same as what you believe in the depths of your soul, but start with an open mind ready to accept that may not be the case.

There are many ways of determining your inner values.

One way is to start with something you have decided you want to achieve and then sit quietly thinking about it and see how both your body and emotional state react.  Do you feel a tightening around your chest for example?  A kind of heaviness in your body?  If so, this suggests what you are thinking about is not aligned with your inner values.  You may be surprised by this and feel it cannot be true, but this kind of bodily reaction is rarely wrong.  If you feel a lightness and a sense of freedom, this suggests what you are thinking about is aligned with your inner values.  If you feel a sense of foreboding or unhappiness, you are probably not aligned.  If there is a sense of happiness, or even joy, and completeness, you probably are aligned.

This method doesn't specifically identify your inner values as such, but it does at least determine whether what you think you want is aligned with them.

Another way is to go into a meditative state with the specific purpose of determining your inner values.  Each of us is likely to have a slightly different way of doing this, but the key is to begin your meditation with that as your clear purpose.  One method I find quite helpful is to imagine you are walking down a path into a beautiful garden.  See what is planted there and how it is growing.  You may find some plants are withering; these are probably desires you have which are not properly aligned.  Others are flourishing, and these will be desires that are properly aligned.  Ask each plant what it represents.  Don't struggle to get an answer.  Simply ask the question and then let it rest and move on to the next one.  All will eventually be revealed, but probably not all at once and not necessarily in this initial session.  Make repeated visits to your "Inner Values Garden" and gradually you will begin to get the answers, either during the meditation itself or through a sudden realization afterwards.

What should you do if you begin to find your inner values are in conflict with your stated beliefs?  This is a tricky one.  I cannot dictate what you should do but only point you in a direction.  I hesitate to say this, but you may need to consider whether the beliefs you thought you had really are the beliefs you should have.  If you don't wish to pursue that, then I suggest you speak to your spiritual adviser, your priest, vicar, immam, rabbi or whoever and ask them for their help.  It may simply be that you have misunderstood the signals.  But whatever you do, if there is misalignment something must change.  Either a spiritual awakening that changes your inner values, or a change in the superficial values you hold.  Without this you will be unable to have a settled life and will certainly find applying the Law of Attraction very difficult if not impossible.

As you build up a better picture of your true inner values, make absolutely sure that not only your future dreams but also your daily life is in alignment with them.  This will impact on everything you say and do.  It could mean you need to change your job and what you do in your spare time - so treat this process with great respect and make sure you do it well.