Creating alignment within the mind, body and home takes practice. Alignment is in constant movement, wherever your focus is, everything else in your environment shifts in that direction.

Alignment in the mind happens during meditation or when you stop a negative thought with a pivoting counter thought. Alignment in a literal sense for the body affects posture and organs while also reflecting your state of mind. If you’re depressed and slouched then your spine is curved and your organs are compressed. Standing straight with an imaginary string pulling from the top of your head, chin parallel to the floor, pelvis slightly tucked and weight evenly distributed on the feet will create automatic shifts in mood and joint pressure. Alignment in the home is effected by the placement of furniture and the arrangement of your favorite items that bring a sense of comfort mixed with safety. Now would be an appropriate time to take a deep breath, say your favorite mantra (use Sat Nam if you if your mind just went blank) correct your posture and walk around your home tidying up and adjusting items until they feel refreshed. Doing these three things are the mental and physical acts of creating alignment. Anytime you feel off, repeat these steps…oh and drink water too.

Here is a meditation for alignment

Photo by Sarah Arista @sarawh13

Chromatherapy

The benefits of chromatherapy or color therapy correlates to the chakras in the body. Color has a larger impact on emotional health than most people realize. Think about a time when you felt noticeably happy or angered in someone’s home. Colors are a backdrop or an accent yet they create the essence of a room or space. Here are two extreme examples of how red and green affect mood and behavior. Red evokes anger and tension even though it’s the color of “love.” It’s best to avoid using reds in a bedroom especially if the room is shared with a partner. All values of green are safe for any room in a home. Green is found in nature so it is grounding and calms the nervous system, it nourishes through vegetables, it’s connected to the heart chakra and is the color that represents prosperity. Now go paint your kitchen, bathroom, office and bedroom your favorite shades of green. Also, if you’re in the process of healing a broken or sad heart, try wearing an emerald on your left hand.

Another way to add chromatherapy into your life is to “eat the rainbow.” Add foods such as; eggplant, grapes, blueberries, spinach, bananas, oranges, red berries or tomatoes into your daily routine.

Understanding the chakras helps when focusing on an ailment in a certain part of the body. If you’re experiencing imbalances in the body, there may be underlying emotional or traumatic issues from your past that could be blocking the flow of balanced energy.

Acupuncture and psychotherapy are healing modalities that effectively unblock stuck energy through meridians (nerve highways) along the chakras. If you’ve read this far, then you’re open to it or you’re at least curious and should research how acupuncture and psychotherapy can help you in your healing process. We all have healing to do and there’s no “one size fits all” wellness path. You did it, you got through a “woo woo,” “hippy dippy,” post and please note that I didn’t use the word “journey.” (That one doesn't count since I didn't use it in a woo woo sentence.) Ha!

Quick Guide to Chakras

Purple/Violet = Crown chakra
Indigo/Purple = Third-eye chakra
Blue = Throat chakra
Green = Heart chakra
Yellow = Solar plexus chakra
Orange = Sacral chakra
Red = Root chakra

I am not a medical professional so please consult a licensed physician before receiving acupuncture. Psychotherapy is a form of talk therapy that can bring up a lot of past trauma so be sure you are ready for this step mentally before making an appointment. Psychotherapists are not required to have a PhD in psychology. Be sure to research each method carefully and listen to your instincts when it comes to your health. Natural remedies and alternative healing procedures are effective when they are used along with western practices.