I started an instagram account about two-three months ago, and I must admit I get a lot of inspiration from people I follow. Looking through what was showing up on the last days of December, there were several posts being published regarding deciding on “your word” for 2018. Apparently, if you have set intentions for a new year, deciding on a word for yourself makes it easier for you to stay with these intentions. Ps. no need to take this too seriously, I thought it sounded fun, like a game, and so decided to find a word I could relate to for this year. During meditation on the morning of January 1st, the word Alignment popped up. I immediately knew it was the right one for me as it felt very true to what I believe in.
In the sense I see alignment, it has mostly to do about aligning myself with Life right now, i.e. being present, being in tune with things as they are, instead of creating resistance to what comes up in my life. Much better described by the spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle’s: When you align yourself with life, it means you become “one with life”, “one with now”. I see it as cooperating with Life! So this is how I view the word alignment on a spiritual level.
And then there’s the physical level, which I didn’t intend to play a part when I chose my 2018 word! However, the other morning while taking my dog for a longer walk in Wimbledon Common, I noticed I was walking unnecessarily fast. I suddenly realised the word alignment could be very helpful to me on a physical level too – by helping me to anchor myself more often in the present moment, and not rushing around so much. I teach yoga and often present yoga postures as a great way to improve the body’s alignment, by working with how the body is built, while having gravity in mind as yoga postures are practised on the mat. And now I was out walking with my head in front of my hips… What’s the point in rushing around on a dog walk? If you visualise it right now, if you’d seen me you would easily have assumed that I was in a hurry, looking as if I couldn’t get to the next moment quickly enough. It might have looked as if my mind was already in the future and that my body couldn’t quite keep up. So I slooooowed down. And decided to enjoy each step, feeling the ground under the soles of my boots, tuning in to the sounds of nature around me, feeling grateful that I was wearing warm clothes so even though I was slowing down I would not get cold. My head got back in line with my hips. Becoming present, and aligned, both spiritually and physically. And then I smiled at the fact that there is so much to learn – always!
I found deciding on a word really fun. I am unsure of how long I will keep it in mind, however it has definitely contributed to me staying in this moment! That’s my intention for 2018 – being aligned, at one with life. Ps. I don’t believe you need a new year or a special date to set intentions, or decide on “your word”, you can do it any time you want to. The only moment there is is now anyway! X
