My Top 5 Alignment Practices…that can be done in 5 minutes or less!
Whether you’ve been part of the spiritual space for a while now or if you’re brand new, the term “alignment” while commonplace is an incredible and powerful part of your journey.
What is alignment?
Per Dictionary.com, alignment in and of itself is the state of being arranged in a line or in a proper position. For the purpose of this post, when I use the term “alignment,” I’m actually referring to “spiritual alignment.” Spiritual alignment is when your thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions are in alignment with your highest truth and wellbeing.
This doesn’t mean that things automatically work out for you, but rather that you’re journeying to reach higher levels of consciousness and acceptance, trusting that no matter what comes your way, you can remain joyful and full of hope that all is as it’s meant to be. You’re in a regular state of growth, while also bringing into your life immense peace and satisfaction. It’s a lifelong journey with many ebbs and flows, ups and downs. You’ll regularly make shifts along the way, so continuing to self-reflect and connect with yourself intuitively is an important part of the process.
What does it feel like to be out of alignment?
It may come to no surprise to you, knowing what spiritual alignment is, that being misaligned is pretty much the opposite. If you’re out of alignment you may feel stuck, frustrated with your life’s circumstances, victimizing yourself, judging yourself or others, in comparison-mode, regularly low-energy, lack of concentration, irritability, etc.
Why is it important to incorporate alignment practices into your regular schedule?
I’m not of the belief that we have to be all love and light all of the time. Spiritual bypassing is not something I’m about, so you won’t find any of that here! I think it’s important for us to have regular self-reflection and assessment of our feelings, emotions, and actions, allowing us to recognize the things we’re holding onto which aren’t for our greatest benefit and to let go of those things to make space for what is.
For example, I’ve been recognizing more and more that some of the things I’m allowing myself to view on social media is not for my highest good. Yes, it’s important for me to be aware of the happenings in this country and within my state, and town. HOWEVER, it’s not beneficial for me to take it a step further and read the comments on these posts and engage with those who are not open to their own self-reflection on the harm they may be causing.
The more grounded and in alignment we are each day, the less personally we take things, the less we allow our triggers to control us…the more personal power we hold! Practicing things which bring us into alignment every now and then is great; however, when we practice them on a daily basis, we strengthen ourselves and continue to step further and further into our personal power and ultimately, create a better life for ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually! I’m all about staying within my power, so this is something I’m passionate about for myself and to share with others.
Before I share…
I don’t have a ton of time. I see people sharing about their HOURS-LONG morning alignment rituals and while I’m happy these folks can begin their day in a slow, intentional way, that’s just not my reality at this moment. I’ve tried and tried and tried for so long to incorporate that and was left feeling so frustrated and angry at my current situation (that I couldn’t change because my kiddos aren’t going anywhere anytime soon!). So if you find yourself in this space, please know you’re not alone! There’s no need to compare your situation to that of someone who’s childless - whether by choice or due to outside circumstances. Having children can be stressful because our time is not totally our own; however, there are many wonderful gifts that come from being a parent that I’m so incredibly grateful for (another post for another day!)
All that to say, what I’m about to share with you are practices which can be done in five minutes or less individually! They can also be lengthened or added together to create a longer ritual if you have additional time and would like to do so. After I share the list, I’ll give you an example of my day and how I incorporate the practices throughout to help keep me in alignment throughout the day.
Okay, let’s dive in!
Here are my top 5 favorite alignment practices…that can be done in 5 minutes or less!
1. MEDITATION
I had a lot of misconceptions about meditation when I first started diving into my spiritual practices. Growing up as an Evangelical Christian, I had a lot of fear and misunderstanding about what it was and its effect upon me. Even after I had a better understanding that wasn’t rooted in fear, I still had a lot of unlearning to do around it.
For me, meditation is a time of getting quiet and being in the present moment. It’s allowing myself to get out of my mind, tuning into my body and what it’s trying to tell me. While I’ve done some meditations that are 20-30 minutes, most of my time meditating is 5-15 minutes max. This best fits my lifestyle and current responsibilities, while still giving me great benefits.
So how do you get started?
There are lots of really great ways to begin. I recommend doing a good ol’ search on YouTube to find one: 5 minute guided meditation for (insert topic here). A few good topic options are: mornings, grounding, inner peace, abundance, etc. Once you’ve found the one you’d like to use, get into a quiet space and begin!
Guided meditations are great for beginners especially because you’re literally taken through each step and guided through with how to tune into your breath, what to think about (or focus on), and when to end. As you become more comfortable, begin exploring meditation without a guided voice and see how that feels for you. This is a wonderful way to begin tapping into your intuitive voice; once I quiet my mind, that’s when I’m best able to hear my intuition speak!
As I mentioned before, I don’t have hours to meditate, and honestly, I’m not sure I could at this point! But taking 5 minutes throughout my day to quiet my mind and meditate with intention helps to keep me grounded and in alignment.
2. BREATHWORK
Do you ever catch yourself holding your breath? Most of us are chronic shallow breathers, so being intentional about breathing is so important and has many positive effects! Breathwork, simply stated, is intentional breathing for a specific purpose which is done for a set amount of time. It can help you improve your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
There are many different types of breathwork. The one I do most regularly is breathing in for 5 seconds, holding for 5 seconds, and breathing out for 5 seconds. To be totally transparent: I’m unsure if there’s any specific health benefits to this timing, but it’s what feels best to me! I repeat this for approximately 5 minutes.
Another that I do is Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. I was introduced to this practice by my dear friend Angela Perger with Simple Ayurveda. It’s not something that I do daily, but one that I try to incorporate at least once a week!
Some of the benefits include: helps to reduce stress and anxiety, calms the nervous system, supports respiratory channels, alleviates allergies, fosters mental clarity and an alert mind, increases the ability to concentrate, and balances hormones. (Episode 151 of The Simple Ayurveda Podcast | Ayurveda as a Science)
If you have any health concerns, please make sure you receive your doctor’s okay before doing any intense breathwork practices!
3. JOURNALING
If you’re someone who struggles with racing and/or spiraling thoughts, journaling is a great way to get those thoughts out of your head in a supportive way. You can take those thoughts and write them down in a place that’s safe and just for your eyes. I also like to use it to expand on my thoughts when I’m setting intentions, writing affirmations, and visualization practices.
One of the things that I love is that journaling doesn’t have to be pretty or neat or organized. It can be whatever feels right for you in the moment. You can scribble or go back through with a sharpie and cross things out. You can use colored pencils. You can do a bullet journal and create some really beautiful things! You don’t even need to have an expensive journal! I often pick up 50 cent, spiral bound notebooks and use those. I was gifted this beautiful journal — not an affiliate link, I just love it!! — for my 35th birthday and then buy refills for it when needed.
I love the simplicity of journaling and how easily I can incorporate it into my daily life. It’s often one that I mix in with after meditating and pulling cards, but also one that I use alone with prompts or just to write down how I’m currently feeling or experiencing.
4. EARTHING
Mmmm, just thinking about earthing (aka grounding) makes me feel calm and peaceful. Earthing is literally connecting your feet with Mother Earth’s surface, allowing her energy to fill you up and bring you peace. Whenever I’m feeling extra tired or in need of a boost of energy, I get outside and place my bare feet into the grass or soil. I close my eyes and allow myself to be filled with Her energy. I often incorporate breathwork with this practice to help ground me further.
Living in Ohio, USA – the stolen land of the Erie, Kaskaskia and Osage Nation Indigenous Peoples – I don’t have access to this practice year round. However, it’s one that I greatly enjoy and practice on a regular basis as often as the weather allows for it – generally April - early November.
Even before I shifted from religion into spirituality, even before I knew what it was, I would practice earthing. As a young child, I loved to run around barefoot most of the time! There’s just something about being in nature and specifically connected to the energy of the Earth that’s grounding and comforting and brings us back into alignment.
5. PULLING CARDS
Okay, so this was probably the one that I waited the longest to incorporate into my rituals as a regular alignment practice, so if this isn’t something you’re yet comfortable with, no problem! I began with Oracle Cards rather than Tarot, as there was a great deal of fear instilled within me from a very young age. Using cards, for me, is a way to strengthen and further validate my intuition and also to receive messages from my guides and Spirit Team. Often when I’m seeking clarity on something or just looking for support, I’ll pull a card, allowing the message(s) to come through. This is where coupling pulling cards with journaling almost always happens because then I’m able to dive more deeply through journaling, allowing any subconscious thoughts or feelings to come through as well to be processed.
Pulling cards is an alignment practice for me because it further allows me to come back to myself and not have my mind and emotions all over the place. It allows me to connect back in with my intuition and my spiritual team, which is especially helpful when I’m feeling alone or like no one understands me.
There are lots of incredible decks out there, so I encourage you to take a peek on Amazon or Etsy and see what you feel most connected to. You can even visit your local metaphysical shop and see what they have (plus support a local business!!). Here are some of the decks I use most often:
Example Day:
Summertime Schedule
Wake Up
Mediate and Journal (10 - 15 minutes total)
Morning Routine with the Kiddos
Walk Luna (15 minutes)
Shower + Get Ready
Work*
Break - hang with kiddos
Pull Cards and Journal (10 minutes total)
Work*
Break - hang with kiddos/lunch
Walk Luna (10 minutes)
Work*
Break - hang with kiddos
Work*
Evening Things - dinner, hang with the family, cleanup, etc.
Breathwork and Journaling
Reading
Bedtime
*breathwork at least 1x throughout the working hour
Disclaimer: as much as I’d like for all of my Summer days to follow this example, they often don’t! It’s a regular part of my own practice to accept this and release the need for perfection. I know that once school starts back up in about a month, this will change and I’ll have more time for a schedule that looks more like what I’d prefer. Until then, it’s all about acceptance, flexibility and releasing expectations!
Additional Options
My 5 suggestions are great for you if you’re looking for something quick and simple to incorporate throughout your day! If you have a bit more time and availability, here are some others to try:
Yoga
Getting Outside (walk, hike, sit in the sun, etc.)
Reiki/Healing Session
Ritual Bath
Join a Sacred Women’s Circle
Reading
Alignment. If you’re on a spiritual journey in this lifetime, it’s something that you’ll have regular connection with. This doesn’t mean you’ll be in a high vibes only state constantly; it means that you’ll feel your feels, shifting and releasing with practice and allow yourself to step further into who you’re becoming as you grow.
I’d love to know your thoughts on all of this! Feel free to connect with me on Instagram or email me.
Sending you lots of love!
