I remember there being a (very long) time of my life when I was convinced that I would never not battle depression. In many ways it was something that I accepted as a truth, regardless of how happy I could be, I always had to be on guard because it would come around again, sooner or later. I didn't think of it as submission, more as a realistic understanding, as if I was bound to it in some capacity. Me and Depression, we made a pact that we would keep each other company forever. This isn't to say that I didn't work really REALLY hard to avoid it, and get out of it when I was there, it's more that after many years of constantly going through it, I started to wonder if there would be a time of my life without it.

Then I had a Soul Realignment reading...

In my reading she told me so many wonderful things about who I am: I am a very positive person, I hate fighting in any capacity, I enjoy doing ten things at once, I am independent, and the list goes on...

She never said "you are depressed and anxious," or anything that could resemble that. Something that I had taken on as identity was not once mentioned. It threw me off at first, especially when she mentioned how happy I am and I don't like to stay sad long. At first I thought "you got that one wrong." Then, after the reading I thought on it some more. I realized that I had gotten that one wrong! It occurred to me that I had taken depression on as my identity, but it was NOT my identity.  This realization changed my life.  Never again has depression been a part of my life. I didn't even think about it and the fact that it wasn't there, I only thought about all that was there: the joy, love, enthusiasm, strength. 

Today when I share these positive tools and qualities with each beautiful Soul I work with, I think of this. I tell them that the Soul is pure and perfect, as humans we add on many different layers, dressing the Soul to make it look the way we believe it should. We allow these layers to define us, but truly they are only intended to enhance us. 

Part of me sincerely dislikes the title "Soul Realignment" because it implies that you are not aligned to your Soul, which creates a general assumption that you are wrong. This gripe has come up several times and it has taken me some time to come to terms with how to best answer it. My work is to empower you, so what would I start with telling someone that they are wrong?? 

Then there is the other part of me acknowledging that the general reality of life is that you are not always in alignment with your Soul. That's not to say that you are wrong, that's to say that you are human. Soul Realignment isn't saying that you are a "lost Soul," instead it's saying "here is your map, now don't get lost." 

This whole life is a magnificent journey of getting to know yourself better, who you are, what/who you like, your strengths and weaknesses. In giving you a map it's like making you aware of the roadsigns, the kind of vehicle you are driving, the tools needed to maintain the vehicle and all the roads you took to get you where you are now. Once you become aware of all that you are and all that you have, you can then look at the map and better understand which routes will best serve you. But you still get lost, right? That's ok, just another experience that helps us learn and evaluate before making future decisions. Besides, as a hiker I can tell you from experience that getting lost with a map is empowering, getting lost without a map is terrifying. 

You are not lost, you never have been, you are right where you should be- always. Re-aligning to your Soul is an act that is consciously, subconsciously and super consciously done on a daily basis. It is like balance, it isn't necessarily a state of being, more an action. It is hard to maintain balance for too long with ease, it requires constant work and adjustment to maintain balance. It is in that state of alignment that life happens in the most perfect, magical way, but as you know that requires constant adjustments and (if I may say) re-alignment to maintain that state of perfection. Thus, a Soul Realignment reading connects you with your map, but Soul Re-alignment itself can only come from the actions you take once you obtain that map.

...Happy travels my friends.

So many people are great supporters. You love telling others how fabulous they are, how far they will go and all they are capable of. Where you often suck, is in telling yourself how fabulous you are, how far you will go and all that you are capable of. We live in a society that has successfully made you believe that this idea is self-centered and egotistical. In a world where the ego is on a rampage, many are lacking the right kind of ego. Ego reminds you that you are YOU and that is powerful, it gives you a sense of self, the ability to make goals and have enough strength in self to push forward and make things happen. So while it is wonderful to support and believe in others, take a minute to support and believe in yourself! Remember that when you are capable of making your dreams come true you are that much stronger and more benevolent to the world around you.

In my Soul Realignment work I often discuss that you are the creator of your own reality. Free will and free choice are two laws of the universe that are innately there, you do not have to EARN them! It's a beautiful pill that can be difficult to swallow, because on the other side is the idea that you are NEVER the victim. Being the victim is a wonderful crutch to rest all of your pain upon, all those awful things happened to you. The sad reality of it is that nothing happens to you, it happens with you. Any negativity you are experiencing you are either engaging with it or allowing it to negatively affect you. Once you recognize this and start to embrace this theory you suddenly gain all the power in the world. If you hit a period of life that is not working for you, there are two options

1. Change your situation
   
2. Change your perspective of the situation
   

YES it really is that simple! 

BUT, as simple as it is, it doesn't mean it is easy. You go through a horrible break-up, you lose your job, your friend is sick, these things are hard and they can be painful. Life isn't this glorious Eden, there is a lot of sh*t. Negatively is all around us, but the difference with this idea is that you don't let it penetrate you to the core! You get into arguments, you experience pain, sadness, anxiety, but you remember that you are not all of those negative sensations. Those sensations are like layers that have been added to you and at any point you can undress those layers and return to the positive person you truly are. It takes work, lots of mindfulness, practice and patience but the more aware you are of this idea the more you can nip these negative situations in the bud before they turn into a week, month, year or your whole life experience. Always remember, you are powerful, abundant, loving and above all magnificent.

So often people tell me that they can't "do" yoga because they are not flexible enough. It makes me sad that yoga has evolved into a place of discrimination, magazine covers with people contorted into crazy positions that scream "look at what you can't do". Yes, those poses are yoga, but such a small percentage of it. Yoga is a practice of life, incorporating physical, mental, emotional and spiritual exercises to create a stronger, healthier, more connected life. We partake in the yoga asana practice, i.e. the physical practice of yoga, the yoga what we have come to recognize, with the intention of calming and focusing our minds while gaining control over our bodies. Flexibility helps, and so does strengths, but they are not prerequisites! What is a prerequisite? An open mind with the intention of building a practice that best serves your body and mind. If you go into your practice with the judgement of how inflexible you are, or how weak you are, then you are sabotaging your practice before you start. When you come into a forward fold, it doesn't matter if you touch your toes, it matters if you stretch your legs and back without injury. Similarly, if you come into a challenging balance pose, it doesn't matter if you physically fall out of the pose, because if you stay mentally calm and focused you will jump back into the position. If you fall out both physically and mentally then you'll be jumping and staggering trying to work back into it. 

So next time you practice, remember to allow your mind to be relaxed and open, always loving and accepting and just let your body do it's thing!