Flux Happens! Now What?

By Jill Marie

Holy smokes has this been an intense several weeks for me!  How is it going for you?

You may be experiencing feelings of overwhelm and disconnection in your life right now.  Little things that seemed insignificant or manageable now seem bigger and you may be feeling depleted, irritable, scattered and foggy minded.

What has worked in the past to help you feel centered, peaceful and calm isn't working as good or not at all and the frustration can be overwhelming.  Know that you aren't alone and this is a Cosmic Cycle.  The good news is this Chaos is leading you into your Mastery and you are releasing old energies, ideas, beliefs and patterns to make room for more of your True Nature to integrate into your Physical body. This flux represents the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one.

And while that's all good the question remains "What, if anything, can I be doing to ease the chaos and discomfort?"

You probably already know what I'm going to suggest right?  Surrender To What Is.  Yup that's right...this is a wave that you need to ride out and let it run its course.

To make the ride more tolerable and get the most out of it though there are a few things that you can implement if you chose too.

If your 2nd and 3rd Chakras are blocked right now it will make this time even more challenging, so you may want to consider giving them some extra love and attention right now.

3rd Chakra

Your 3rd Chakra carries the energy of I Can and represents Power, Vitality, Will Power, Self-Esteem and Confidence. It's color is Yellow.  Ways to open and harmonize this chakra are: Yoga, Dance, Movement and Breath work to name a few.

2nd Chakra

Your 2nd Chakra carries the energy of I want and relates to Emotions, Desires, Creativity, and Sexuality.  Its color is Orange.  Moving your hips and lower abdomen will help keep this chakra balanced.  Also engaging your creativity in a fun and enjoyable way such as journaling, paining, gardening, etc.  is very beneficial.

And while doing that will help,  you are still being called to face your worst fears and look into the dark shadows of your life.  You will benefit greatly when you learn to confront what you've avoided and instead walk courageously through it.

Take a look at what each Chakra represents and see what may be out of balance in your life and causing you some dis-ease.  How is your Self-Esteem and Confidence?  Is there anything there that is surfacing now that needs to be looked at?  Where do you feel like "I can't" instead of "I can"?

How about what you want?  Are you clear about what you want in your life?  Our job is to know what we want and it is the Universe's job to provide the how, then the ball gets passed back to us as we take the inspired action steps we receive.  This is how we ebb and flow in the co-creative process of life.

Know that there is Light at the end of the tunnel and as stated in the beginning of this post...you are making way for more of your True Essence to come into your physical body.  You are birthing a new you.  It might not always be comfortable, but what emerges is well worth the discomfort.

To help you integrate this Light and open your Chakra system I will be facilitating a group Anchoring The Light energy session on August 31, 2013 at 12 Noon Central Daylight Savings Time.

All you need to do is say Yes and intend to receive these energy frequencies in a way that is most beneficial to you at this time.  If you would like you can leave a comment below so I can write your name down or like the FB post I will be sending out so I can add your name.  Even if you chose not to include your name here...just give your Intention to the Universe and you will be sure to receive these wonderful frequencies.

This is my gift to you and to all of humanity because as each individual awakens, activates, integrates and amplifies their Light Body it benefits everyone ;)  Thank you for being part of the Inner Alignment Community ;)

What ways do you find beneficial to confront your fears and do your  Shadow work?  I invite you to share so others can benefit from your wisdom.

With Heart,

Jill Marie

Take a Vacation in Everlasting Joy and Love

I was sitting out in my screen room today working away on my computer. In a split second I caught a glimpse of my reflection in my laptop screen and I was taken aback. Who the heck was that looking back at me? I did not recognize that person.

When did my eyes change so much? How old am I? How on earth did my face gain that double chin?

All good questions.

But then I looked a little closer. I looked deeper into my eyes and I recognized that inner spark, the part of me that isn't attached to this body and I felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief. I felt myself relax and my whole being felt like it settled in to a sense of peace and contentment.

I'm a mystery to myself. Some days I'm content exactly where I am, others I'm wishing for more. There are times when I'm smiling ear to ear, acting goofy, and laughing with the greatest of ease and then there are times when I'm crabby, stand offish and just want to be left alone. Some days I look in the mirror and hate what is being reflected back to me and others I'm pleasantly surprised at the person looking back.

But when I am able to strip all of that away and go deep...really deep, I find myself to be vast and expansive, connected to everything, pulsing with love and light and from this place, none of the other stuff matters.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't live my life from this place of everlasting joy and love...I wish that I did or that I could, but I have not figured out how to do that just yet. BUT...I am able to vacation there from time to time. It's a miraculous journey and the few moments I have the pleasure of spending there is enough to bring everything into perspective and to make everything feel alright.

It's enough to release my self judgement, to be gentle with myself and to not take life so seriously. It's enough fill up my well, to smile just a bit easier and love just a bit deeper. And it's enough to realize that no matter what I look like on the outside, I'm still the same person on the inside.

5 Fun Activities To Enjoy Mother Nature

What is it about nature that lightens the mood and lifts the soul?

It is the connection to the Divine.

It is the miracle of life that surrounds you.

It is the full on sensory feast for your heart.

There is life all around you, life where you cannot see it. There is a part of you that can sense it and without you even knowing it you are able to connect to that life force and charge your battery.

Plug into nature and unplug from technology, stress, “shoulds” and “have to’s”. Spending time in nature is like a reboot for your soul.

Here are 5 fun activities you can try that will get you out and enjoying Mother Nature.

 

1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Get small. Look around for little bits you can collect and bring back to a sacred place in your home. Small pebbles that can be displayed together in a dish, sticks can be taken home and painted or used in your garden, and dried pods, seeds, or leaves can be collected and displayed. Swap out your mini collection each time you venture out into the wilderness.

2. Go on a photo safari. Take your camera or your cell phone out and see your surroundings with different eyes. Try to capture the mystery and beauty through the lens of your camera. Look for interesting angles, different shapes, or new worlds you may have missed if you walked through without your camera.

3. Explore during different parts of the day. You may live in an area that doesn’t’ have a wealth of natural areas to visit and going to the same place all the time may begin to feel monotonous but taking your excursions at different times of the day will create a different experience. Try dawn, early morning, midday, dusk and evening for unique experiences.

4. Take a sensory vacation. Sit in silence for as little as a minute or as long as an hour and allow your senses to be filled. Start with what you can see. Look at colors, textures, and pattern. Move onto what you can hear, what you can smell, what you can feel, and what you can sense? Soak it all in and take a moment to write down your feelings and experiences as inspiration at a later date if you wish.

5. Play! Remember when you were a kid and being outside was enough? You could create whole worlds and experiences for yourself. Go out into nature thinking like a child and see if it changes the experience for you. Run, jump, climb, wade in the water, stack rocks, play catch with another person. Be young and carefree and see how that changes the experience for you.

No matter how you interact with nature this summer, just go out and do it. Fill yourself up with the goodness and the magic of Earth’s energy and see what a difference it makes for you.


xo
Michelle

These are some Intense times aren't they?

By Jill Marie

Warning...if you are in a super good place right now you may want to skip this post.  This is about going deep and asking some serious questions.  If you are going through an intense time and feeling like you are clearing out some sludge then read on.

What do you think of when you think of Abundance?  It's an interesting word and the truth around it is you are abundant in whatever your dominate thoughts are, which then create what your dominant vibration is,..you can be very abundant in debt and other forms of lack and limitation.  If you feel nobody respects you or that you aren't good enough, then you can bet that you will have a great abundance of people or a particular person or situation that shows up and "proves" that to you.

Thoughts can be clear and illuminating to serve you in resolving and overcoming any problems or obstacles that your mind creates, or they can be clouded and self-defeating, even destructive at times.  The tricky part is...not all thoughts are conscious and sometimes what is deep within the subconscious is what is running the show.  

So what can we do about that?  You don't know what you don't know...or do you?  What's showing up in your life?  That is a pretty good indicator.  Paying attention to how you are feeling during the day is a key to what lies beneath the surface of your conscious mind. 

 There is a lot of subconscious fears and beliefs that are coming to the surface to be observed and released.  When these old ideas and energies are released it opens up the way for new perceptions, and a new way of looking at things comes into focus.  A spectrum of possibilities that are unlimited in their range are now available.

For so many of us we are now feeling defeated...we have done SO much inner and outer work how could there possibly be any more left to do?  The answer for you may very well be ~ at this point there is really nothing left to do but surrender.  Yet that is not a bad thing...it is actually liberating and allows for the potential of starting new and healing at a deep cellular level.

You are being called at this time to reflect on your emotional ups and downs.  There are cycles and patterns throughout all of life.  Observe without judgement and surrender to the truth that this is part of what you came here to experience.  There is nothing wrong with you, you aren't being punished, but you do need to deeply understand that there are Laws of the Universe and there is no getting around them, at least not at the level most of us are operating at.  You can't want one thing yet offer a vibration that just does not match it.  

You want freedom of time and money, good relationships, awesome health and to be aligned with your purpose doing what you love and serving others in that process.  That is what you are being called to be, do and have...yet that isn't your experience or if it is then it's usually only for brief period of time.

It's time to ask yourself some deeper questions:  

Who am I really? 

How am I being moody and emotionally unsettled?

What has me feeling out of balance?

What triggers my huge swings of emotion?

What keeps me distracted from achieving higher joy and higher states of consciousness?

Why do I show only one face to the world and hide the other?

 How can I expect to be my Authentic Self yet still wear so many masks?  

What am I concealing?

You are worthy by Divine Design and you are being called to confidently allow the blossoming of your Authentic Self,  so know that whatever you are going through is clearing the way for the higher vibrational Light that you are, to anchor into your physical body and onto this Earth.  

We are all deeply supported on this journey and I have been guided to create a Mandala Crystal Grid to energetically support all of us who are going through this clearing process.  It won't do the work for you, but it will help support you along the way.

My Heart Is Open Mandala Crystal Support Grid with Chrysocolla, Clear Quartz and Rose Quartz

With Heart,

Jill Marie

Awareness + Simple Tools = Balanced Living

By Jill Marie

We've talked before about some of the amazing "Tools" that are available to help us process life events and it's so important that I want to talk about it a bit more.  When we allow the energy of life to pass through our body systems, we are able to process it and move forward in our lives without getting knocked out of balance, or if we do lose our balance we can quickly regain it without too much disruption.

Of course there are varying degrees to life events with some of them feeling much more devastating than others, but even that is an individual experience.  There are some people that can experience some really big stuff in their life and they move through the natural process of the experience and keep moving forward in their lives.  Then there are others that even something simple seems to throw them over the edge and they never seem to recover from it.

Why is that?

There isn't one simple answer really,  but in a sense there is...

The people that can process life's events easily have released the energy blocks in their energy system and have an open heart (or they came into this life with a really clear system to begin with.)  It is their nature to be open and experience life as it is, without much judgement and drama.

And then there is the rest of us ~  and this is the category I'm in.  When I look at my Archetypes, Life Path Number, Energy Profile and the other energy patterns I came into this life with, I get a better understanding of how and why I do things the way I do.  I came here to release a lot of old ideas and energy patterns and it is has been a big part of my journey.  Life IS meant to be joyful and as soon as I step into that with an open clear energy system the greater I am able to have that experience.

With this awareness I can combine the knowledge I have gained with the tools I have learned over the years, and I can move through life much easier and in balance, or quickly regain my balance when I'm knocked off center.  If I don't take the time to clear, balance, integrate and expand my energy field then life keeps going on in a much less enjoyable way until I take some kind of action to get re-balanced.

How about you?

Do you  take the time to clear your energy field when you feel out of balance? Or do you stay stuck for far longer than you need to?

What are some of the things that yo have found helpful?

If you are diligent you can do this yourself, especially with tools like Meditation, EFT,  and Radical Forgiveness.  Or you can seek outside assistance, when needed, through intuitive energy work, doctors, therapists, chiropractors, hypnotists, coaches and mentors.

For those that need more help...It is part of my purpose to help you clear, balance, integrate, and expand your energy field, reconnect with your True Nature, and align with a life you love living.  Over the past month it has been mine and Michelle's great joy to work with several amazing women in our Inner Alignment Mastery Coaching/Healing program to do just that, and we look forward to sharing more about that with you in the coming weeks!

Here's to Joy Filled Balanced Living :)

Embracing Blue ~ A Peek Inside My Intuitive Process

By Jill Marie Chesrow

I just loved our first online workshop Emerge, not only as a co-creator of it but also going through it with such wonderful participants.  There is something about the Group Energy that brings life to a whole new level ;)

Michelle and I had gone through the process prior to the group class and I got some wonderful insight and many shifts started taking place in my life.  My original plan for the group class was to go through the class like a participant and create a new mandala along with everybody else,  but instead I was guided to create a Mandala Crystal Grid for the class, do daily energy work on behalf of all those that were aligned with that,  and share the messages coming through.  I LOVED doing that even though it wasn't part of the original plan.  Being open and flexible to guidance coming through is essential to living a more Intuitive based life.

After one of the group energy sessions, I was then guided to go through the process again and I created another Emerge Mandala.  Just like the first time I went through it, I got a lot of insight from the process,  and  from the symbolic images and phrases that were chosen.

Days after I still felt like there was a message I was missing and I kept seeing the mandala in my mind's eye and the blue was jumping out at me...almost as if it was calling my name.

Hmmmm what message did Blue have for me I wondered?  Then I began to hear "Embracing Blue".  So off I went on a journey to Embrace Blue and see what my Higher Self was telling me beyond the initial insight I received 

 To help me Embrace Blue I actually went and got a pedicure and chose blue nail polish that matched the blue in my mandala!  I like to have fun in life and I wanted to be a detective when I was younger so what better way to make this a fun adventure, and honestly I needed that daily reminder to Embrace Blue and I knew every time I looked at my toes it would remind me ;)

Embracing Blue Reminder,  Blue Toenail Polish :)

I started with the obvious...what meaning does the color blue have? For that I love the site http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

  Blue

Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability (side note....Stability is huge for me this year as I am in my 4th year of my 9 year cycle) It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism (I wasn't happy to read that part...lol) and produces a calming effect (that part I liked :) Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.

Blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. 

Blue suppresses appetite (thank God!)

Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.

That gave me a good base and also confirmed some of the insight I had already received.  I also felt very called to explore the Water Element.  I do Elemental Healing so perhaps I was being called to do some healing in that element???  So I did a quick check in and sure enough I was ready to do some "healing" and releasing in this element.  This was getting better than I imagined ;)

Healing and releasing in the Water Element is associated with Flow, movement, transformation, adaptation and acceptance   There are 53 trapped emotions that I work with in the Water Element and aspects of all 53 were cleared via one of the healing modalities that I have been trained in.  I felt so much lighter!

Then I did a quick check in again...was there more information to be revealed?  Yup it was time to look at the 5th Chakra.  I ended up clearing the excesses and deficiencies in my Throat Chakra and balancing it (The color is Light Blue in case you didn't know)  Once I was done doing that I knew what I was being guided to do next.

If you know me well  you can probably guess what I was guided to do...

Did you guess create a Mandala Crystal Grid?

Embracing Blue Mandala Crystal Grid

Center Stone:  Celestite
Outer Stones:  Blue Lace Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli, Angelite, Lapis Lazuli, Blue Chalcedony, Lapis Lazuli

There is still more information coming through as well as inspired action steps that I will want to take but you get the idea.

Our Intuition speaks to us all the time.  You just need to learn the symbolic language of your Soul.

How does your Intuition communicate with you?

What are you being guided to embrace in your life?


With Heart,

Jill Marie

Forgiveness Work Amplified

By Jill Marie

                                                        Forgiveness Mandala Crystal Grid

For the past few weeks I have been dealing with the need to enter into a new level of Forgiveness in my life.  It is something I thought I had come much further along with and I am a bit shocked that so much anger, resentment and bitterness is still within me.

I knew I needed extra help processing these emotions so earlier this week I made a Forgiveness Mandala Crystal Grid using the I AM The Violet Flame Mandala for the base, and the Crystals:  Celestite, Apache Tear, Amethyst, Rose Quartz,  Amber, Hematite, Blue Lace Agate, Kunzite,  Rhodochrosite, and Chrysocolla to help me.  I use the Forgiveness Prayer by Colin Tipping to enter a deep level of Forgiveness and the Grid amplifies that  frequency, plus adds the individual frequencies of the Gemstones themselves to support me.  Add to that the Violet Flame Mandala and you have one INCREDIBLE healing vibrational alignment tool!

I sit in that energy for about 15 minutes and it feels so good, peaceful and centering for me.  If I'm having a particularly "bad" day I will sit on and off for 5 to 10 minutes throughout the day as needed.  Today I had the opportunity to speak with a Spiritual Counselor to help me process this difficult time and between the two I feel so much better and at ease.

If you have any Forgiveness work to do to help you heal and move forward in your life I highly recommend making a Mandala Crystal Grid to help you make a shift.  

Here is the Prayer I use from Collin Tipping:

“If there is anyone or anything that has hurt me in the past, knowingly or unknowingly, I

forgive and release it. If I have hurt anyone or anything in the past, knowingly or

unknowingly I forgive and release it. I ask for the highest good for everyone and for myself,

and I forgive myself.”

Wishing you all much love, health and happiness along your journey.  If you have any helpful hints for others on how you work through your Forgiveness issues please share so we can add it to our Toolboxes.

Love Shower Week Four

Jill

A whole month of showering myself with Love! How cool is that :) Thanks Michelle for bringing this forward and helping us really give more conscious thought to this beautiful and essential practice of Self-Love.

I never got my massage but I got something even better. I now have a deeper appreciation for how easy it is to get so caught up in all the things our busy lives have us doing, and as a result let Self-Care slip by the wayside. 

Whether it is family, work, running your own business or any combination of the above, it can be really easy to think "Oh I'll spend some time tending to my own needs later." Only later never comes and before you know it your are exhausted, not feeling well and everything in your life seems to be falling apart.

In my healing practice I generally see three types of people as clients. Ones that are SO ready to move to their next level of expression, they are full of excitement and joy, and they are looking for some extra help to assist them in their Quantum Leap. They have far more longing in their lives and little to no discontent.  

Next I work with clients that do have a self-care program in place, they aren't always good at keeping up with it though and now are feeling a bit overwhelmed and they would like to get back to feeling better. They have an equal amount of longing and discontent in their lives.

Finally I work with clients who have, for many years, neglected their own needs and put everybody else before them. They are empty and usually have more serious signs and symptoms of dis-ease in their physical, mental and emotional bodies. This group of people have much discontent and little longing.

For all of them I highly recommend they work with Inner Alignment Mandalas and the loving Quantum level frequencies that they carry. Each Mandala is created not only with our Love and support but with the amazing energy of this Universe and they each carry specific frequencies to aid you on your journey.

Please, please, please keep yourself filled up with the Life Force Energy that you get from Showering Yourself with Love. Never go below half a tank and hopefully you won't even get that low.

What did I do this week to Shower Myself with Love? I did some much needed reflection on what was working in my life and what wasn't. I sat in silence as much as possible and asked myself what do I need to Let Go Of and What Do I Need to Grow to be the person I know I am on the inside.

This week didn't always look pretty and I was a wee bit on the crabby side. That in and of itself is a sign to me that something is out of balance or I am integrating new energy into my system. Luckily I was able to course correct and begin to reexamine where I am putting my energy, attention and focus. Sometimes the answer is to Do something and sometimes it is to just Be, but I wouldn't know that if I didn't take the time to keep myself filled up in the first place ;)

And important to note...I totally loved and accepted myself every step of the way... Crabbiness and all!

May you continue to Shower Yourself with Love for the rest of the year!

With Heart,
Jill Marie

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Michelle

This month of focusing on showering myself with love has been so interesting. I don't think I've ever spent this long of a period of time thinking about loving myself and what that looks like and how it affects me.

I've been up and down, inspired and lackluster, full of energy and completely lacking throughout the month and yet this challenge allowed me to focus on doing something each week that brought me joy no matter how I was feeling. I consider this to be a complete gift that I am grateful to have experienced because let's be honest, it's so much easier to love yourself and to shower yourself with love when you feel good. It's a whole other thing to do it when you are feeling challenged and that is exactly what I was introduced to over the month of February.

So this week I was feeling great and I started thinking, what could I do that would just be fun and bring me joy? There are two places I love to go in the winter. One is the craft store and you all know I've been going there a lot to stock up on my embroidery supplies. Hee hee. This week I decided to head over to the bookstore. I could spend hours and hours walking around and soaking in all of the delicious books with their colorful covers, beautiful pictures and a wealth of knowledge.

Most times I go to the bookstore I don't end up buying anything. I just read the magazines, pull a bunch of books off the shelves and bring them over to a table to peruse. It's pure joy for me. This week I did make a few purchases that I just couldn't resist and that made it even better!

I hope this experiment brought the idea of showering yourself with love home for all of you. It is my hope that you got an idea from one of us or it sparked an idea and that you will continue to bring this practice into your life throughout the year. Thank you for being witness to our journey and for sharing it with us.

xo
Michelle

Love Shower Week Three

Michelle

 

This week was a little different for me in terms of self care. Yes, I spent lots and lots of time embroidering which I have become addicted to but there has been something else going on with me for a bit. I've been in a strange place...feeling a bit out of sorts, disconnected and a little lost.

I've done all kinds of things to help me move through this tough time and this week was a big turning point for me.

Jill has been by my side as I've been going through this phase, asking questions, offering help, and giving me space. I'm the kind of person (or I guess I should say my ego) who tends to want to handle my own stuff. I like to be in control, to be strong, to figure it out for myself. I'm not so good with vulnerable.

This week I did my best to let that wall down and I finally accepted Jill's offer to help and as always, Jill was amazing. She did some energy work and card readings and helped me release some heavy stuff. I feel lighter. I caught myself bopping and singing in the car and feeling more energy.there has definitely been a shift.

So for me this week's Love Shower was about letting someone else in and allowing myself to be helped and taken care of and it was the gift that I needed.

So thank you Jill! You are amazing!

Jill
This week Jill made a video showing you how to make a crystal grid using our mandalas. She made a grid to go along with our Love Shower Challenge. How cool is that?!

There is a ton of great info in this video so check it out and be sure to leave any comments or questions below. We love to hear from all of you!



Shower Yourself With Love Mandala Crystal Grid from Inner Alignment Mandalas on Vimeo.

An Easy Technique to Change Your Thoughts

by Michelle

On Valentine's Day my hubby told me a story about running into a woman he used to work with years ago. The woman is as sweet as can be. She remembered all of our kids names and asked how they were doing and then asked, "And what is Michelle into these days?" My husband's reply was, "Funny you should mention that, she just started doing something new again, this time with yarn."

We had a good laugh about it because it is true. I am the kind of person who always wants to try to do new things. I have explored so many different things and I get excited each time.

I will say, there was a part of me that felt a little hurt. I felt a little tinge of failure at being the flighty person who is known for always doing something new. Of course my response to my husband was, "Aren't you lucky you are married to such an interesting woman?" and yet internally I thought, 'Why am I like this?'

It all goes back to learning to love and accept ourselves just as we are. Not feeling like we have to fix anything, just accepting our gifts, talents, idiosyncrasies, "faults". It can be difficult and yet when we recognize ourselves going there we can choose to wallow in our own self depreciating self talk or we can STOP it!

I have a technique for stopping it head on. Whenever I catch myself going there I see picture a big "don't sign" in my head and stop those negative thoughts in their tracks and then I replace them with something positive.

It is amazingly effective but it does take some time. You are basically rewiring the neural network in your brain away from the negative and into the positive. I like to think of it like water etching the earth into streams and rivers. It's easiest for the water to follow the path of least resistance making deeper and wider crevices. If you want the water to go a different way you have to build yourself a dam and redirect that water where you want it to go. It's as simple as that.

There are many different techniques for changing your thought patterns, this just happens to be my favorite. How do you do it? What works for you? We would love to hear it.

Love Shower Week Two

Jill

Hello Beautiful Ladies...and Handsome Men!

This week I wanted to be sure that I showered myself with Love in a way that didn't cost money. I did this intentionally because even though there are so many things I can treat myself to or pamper myself with that cost money, it is definitely not the only way!

So this week I went to not one, but two book club meetings! I haven't been to them in awhile and I just love spending time with like minded people and engaging in deep meaningful conversation face to face.

Both groups are reading The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer and I'm loving it. 

I also did some volunteer work for somebody that really needed a helping hand. Just a little over a year ago my family was facing a very difficult time and people who I did not know offered me and my family loving support. This week I was able to do that for somebody else and it felt amazing. While it was done for another person...it was also for me and I am grateful that I had that opportunity.

What did you do this week?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Michelle

I am having a wonderful week of extra special loving care for myself. It's amazing how good it can feel.

I bought this beautiful rock as a special treat from Kim at Queen of Arts.  I put it on my window sill in front of my kitchen sink and every time I turn on the water I look up and I can't help but smile at it. It's like my little secret.

 

I spent a good part of my day today browsing the craft store. There are two stores I could spend hours in...the craft/art store and the book store and this week it looks like the craft store was the big winner. I picked up an Art Journal magazine and some embroidery thread, yarn, and some beads.

 

Speaking of embroidery, I am addicted! I am having so much fun. I want to do it all the time.

 

I finished this little mandala

and then started this face

 

I have absolutely no idea what I am doing and I don't care. It is so meditative and I am enjoying it whole heartedly!

 

I am really enjoying this challenge. It has changed the way I think about my free time. I hope you are trying it out too. Let us know how it's working out for you!

 

 

Love Shower Week One

Week one of our Love Shower Challenge is off to a great start. Here is what we did this week to bring the love.

JIll

I hope your Love Shower Challenge is going as good as mine!  The Love is pouring in so much I'm having a hard time limiting it to one day... so I"m not going to ;)  

 This week:

I went to my wonderful Chiropractor and signed up for a Wellness plan to take my Well-Being to a whole new level!

I got the best Pedicure EVER and splurged on the Sea Salt scrub which was an add on service (didn't that used to be included?) Then gave the Nail Lady an extra big tip which just filled my heart with joy!

Stayed in bed for an extra half an hour enjoying that half awake, half asleep stage where I feel extra connected to my Source.

Made Kale chips which I LOVE to me from me!

Looking forward to hear how you Showered Yourself with Love this week.

With Heart,

Jill Marie

 

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Michelle

This week I started a new craft, well new again. Years ago I tried embroidery and it just wasn't all that exciting for me so I put it away. But in the last week or so something has been stirring inside me and getting me excited to try it again.

I decided to go with some big chunky yarn in multiple colors and OMG I love it. I went to the store and splurged on some yarn, hoops, needles, and beads and then came home and lost myself in my new project.

I checked out Pinterest for some inspiration and tutorials on the stitches and I just started playing around. The excitement of learning a new stitch and seeing it it yummy yarn made me feel like a kid again.

The Love Shower Challenge

 

February is the month of love.

 

Let's make it a month of self-love!

Each week during the month of February set aside one day to do something special just for you.

• Get a massage
• Take a bath
• Read a book
• Go see a movie
• Take a hike in nature
• Get a facial
• Paint, draw, dance, or journal
• Go on a photography safari
• Write a love letter to yourself
• Get creative and dream up something divine

It can be long or short, fun or deep, alone or with a group. Whatever brings you joy, makes you feel special and showers you with love!

Come back here on Friday to see what Jill Marie & Michelle have come up with and share your adventures. You can also share the juicy details on our Facebook page anytime.

We will post on the following Fridays:

• Feb 8
• Feb 15
• Feb 22
• March 1 (We are sneaking an extra one in March. Woo hoo!)

Enjoy your weekly love showers!

Is It Time To Bedazzle Your Toolbox?

By Jill:

 

My Bedazzled Toolbox

Saturday I was on a coaching call with one of my clients and she asked what tools she could use, if needed, for her upcoming trip to visit her family.  I kind of laughed out loud because her Guides showed me a toolbox that had been Bedazzled!  They wanted me to remind her that she already has so many tools and all she needs to do is look in her toolbox, pick one, and then  implement it.  We talked about what she felt would work best for her and she left prepared with her tools should she need them.

 

That got me thinking not only about my own toolbox but yours too.  I'm guessing that you already have your own and it might even be pretty darn full at this point on your journey.  You have probably invested a lot of time, energy and money to get it so full...  I know I have!

 

Here's the million dollar question though...How often do you actually use those tools?  Do you even know what is in there?  

 

Some people believe that doing their inner clearing work is done and I am so happy for them.  Maybe a wee bit jealous too because I'm just not there yet.  In order for me to be at the level of Inner Alignment that I am most comfortable at, and then continue to evolve and expand, I still have stuff that gets in the way that needs to be let go of and healed.  Remember that the word healing means ~  to return to wholeness.

 

Whether it is old mindsets, habits that no longer serve me, fear of lack and limitation, feeling vulnerable or self-conscious, anxious or depressed or plain old not feeling good enough ~ I know that something is ready to be released and transmuted if it doesn't move through me easily.  That's when I reach into my toolbox and pick something that will help me re-align ASAP.  If stuff begins to cause disharmony and dis-ease in my life then I know I waited  a bit too long and I better go for the power tools!

 

Thanks to my client's Guides I decided to have some fun with this and Bedazzle my own toolbox and take inventory of what is in there.  I couldn't wait to share it with you! 

 

I invite you to have some fun with this and create your own symbolic toolbox and of course...Bedazzle it.  You can go out and pick up some fun items to make your toolbox or you can probably find something in your house that will work wonderfully.  You can even draw one and decorate it with colored pencils, crayons or markers if you want.  

 

Once you have the items to create your toolbox be sure to make a list of all the tools you already have and put them in it ~  You might be surprised to see how many there are.  This is a good exercise to see and acknowledge all the tools you do have, and it also opens up your second chakra and gets the energy flowing.

 

I'm keeping my symbolic Bedazzled toolbox in my workshop with my "tools" in it and when needed I will set my intention to pick the most helpful tool, close my eyes and pick one up and then USE it.  

Who said "healing" can't be fun?

 

Here are some tools in my box:

• Inner Alignment Mandalas
• Soul Art
• Radical Forgiveness
• EFT
• Sedona Method
• Energy Work
• Meditation
• Affirmative Prayer
• Journaling
• Paining/Artwork
• Dance/Movement
• Calling a Like Minded Friend
• Crystals
• Oracle Decks/Tarot/Runes
• Akashic Records
• Affirmations
• Read an Inspiring Book
• Listen to Inspiring Music
• Mantras
• Ho'oponopono
• Essential Oils
• Conscious Breathing 

If you accept the invitation to create your own symbolic toolbox and Bedazzle it,  we would love to see pictures of  it and hear some of your favorite tools that you use.  Be sure to leave a comment when you're done and/or post a picture on our FB page at:

 

  http://www.facebook.com/InnerAlignmentMandalas

With Heart,

Jill Marie

 

How Often Do You Smile at Yourself in the Mirror?

By Michelle

When I was young I had this thing about not liking myself very much. I only saw the imperfections and couldn't see to good things about me. I knew my nose was too big, my chin was recessed, I had an ugly profile, I had a moustache, and my waist was thick. I didn't like having my picture taken because I didn't want others to see what I saw when I looked in the mirror.

Looking back at pictures of myself when I was younger amazes me. I see a thin and beautiful girl. The thoughts in my head didn't match the reality at all.

As I got older, I started gaining weight and I'm sure you can guess that the weight was mostly in my stomach area. It's the old chicken or the egg question...were my negative thoughts creating my body?

As I gained the weight I started hating what I saw in the mirror even more.  Suddenly I could see what I couldn't see before and I wanted the younger me to come back. I didn't recognize this woman in the mirror.

I tried all kinds of diets. I did Weight Watchers, South Beach, went raw for a year, did a 92 day juice feast, and then spent a year on the Paleo Diet. Every time I lost weight and felt better but still I never liked what I saw in the mirror. It was never good enough.

It's strange because it was almost like I had a distorted reality. I couldn't see that I was as thin as I was. I remember looking through my closet and seeing the small sizes from the last diet and I was shocked. I literally said to myself, "OMG, was I really that thin?" Reality distortion at its finest.

Currently I have gained back the weight I lost on my last foray into the diet world. I realize I am on the higher end of my weight spectrum and in addition to this I can see that I am beginning to have wrinkles and gray hair. And yet a funny thing has started to happen. I catch myself walking by a mirror, catching a glimpse of myself and smiling.

Whoa! When did that happen and how on earth did I get here right?

I said to a friend the other day that I know I am not at my ideal weight and yet this is the happiest I've ever been in my life. I am not as focused on that aspect of myself. I've spent years clearing out the emotional pain I had been holding onto all of these years and in the process I've learned to see myself in a new light.

I see myself for who I am on the inside, who I am in the depths of my heart, even beneath the ego persona that I still show to the world at times. I see into my eyes and I see a spark there that has nothing to do with my physical appearance and over time that has changed the filter I see myself through.

Now, that doesn't mean I don't want to try to be the best I can be for my body but the thoughts that are leading me to want to make changes are shifting and morphing. I am focusing on being kind to myself, making choices that make me feel good and that nurture me. This is a whole lot different from depriving myself to get rid of the fat on my stomach that I hate.

Can you see the difference?

This week I am on a detox. I am eating clean. No sugar, no dairy, no processed foods, no caffeine, I struggled with the decision to do this because I'm good at diets. I can deprive myself like no one else. It's the moderation AFTER the diet I have struggled with in the past. I was afraid I would get swept away in this mentality again.

So on day 3 I am being present. I am eating in silence when I can. I am focusing on my thoughts and observing the way my mind likes to play tricks on me. I am watching carefully and by watching I am learning and growing.

I don't know what will happen after this week but I know for sure that no matter what it is I will like what I see in the mirror!

So, how often do you smile at yourself in the mirror?