I have been exploring dimensions of alignment in yoga, work, and life. When I pay attention to my body, it becomes obvious when I am in or out of physical alignment. I notice how a little shift can reduce the load on my joints and bring more stability. I reflect on all the times I am less than present, and my body contorts in a way that causes strain and imbalance. When I meditate, I have been exploring how to align my awareness to the present moment, how to gather my awareness in the only place I have any agency - the here and now.

Translating to my life, I find there is a way I can be in or out of alignment in myself. This can show up as a feeling of unease if I am adapting to a person or situation that is out of alignment with my core values. I have learned about myself that feeling confused can be a way that my system expresses the experience of cognitive dissonance, like when my instincts run counter to a cultural norm that has been part of my past conditioning. These are powerful times to pause and reflect.

I remind myself to notice the moments of ease and presence where things just feel right. Sometimes the sense of being in alignment is easy to take for granted because it is so natural. I am reminded of the study on negativity bias that showed a negative thought takes under a second to be generated while a positive thought takes over 10 seconds.

How do you feel and find your alignment?