Depression and regrets indicate we are living in the past and anxiety indicates that we are living in the future.  With so many people suffering from these afflictions, the quest for a healthier life is ever more necessary.

This month I spoke with Cherry Tyfield, a Life Alignment Practitioner and Advanced Teacher living in the UK. Cherry knows that the only way to live is NOW.  Worry becomes less when you are focused on the present moment.

Living in the NOW is easier said than done, right?  It is difficult to realise when we are not in the moment. You’re sitting on your couch, watching a movie while eating crisps, scrolling through your phone, and listening to your partner talk while you’re thinking about a task that you need to do tomorrow. Only later do you realise you didn’t quite understand the movie, remember the flavour of the snack, nor hear what your partner said. On top of it you certainly don’t feel relaxed or rejuvenated.

We are constantly surrounded by distractions, making it difficult to focus on just one thing at a time. Multitasking, thinking about the past and worrying about the future can make it difficult to enjoy the good things in your life.  Living in the moment, although difficult, benefits your relationships, productivity, and, most importantly, overall wellness. Learning about being more mindful is about paying attention to the here and now. Instead of letting your mind wander, you’re focused on your current actions, sensations, and surroundings.

Cherry, what made you realize the importance of living in the present?

In South Africa in 2015 we were attending a Life Alignment conference.  I was going to give a presentation and was a nervous wreck.  All I can remember is how nervous I was to get this presentation perfect, and I had prepared like crazy.

Jeff had just downloaded the Presence card and we were all given one.  I put the card on my heart point in my bra and literally as I put the card there, I just felt all the nerves, anxiety, need for perfection just drop as if it was dropping into the earth, into the ground.  My centre of gravity changed at that moment.  I had written notes, I knew what I wanted to say.  I didn’t even need to use my notes. I ended up talking off the cuff from the heart and soul.  A lot of people cried that day, including me!

This is all very interesting – a further question that is asked again and again: 

When living in the present – how does “present me” make any decisions and plans for “future me”?  Where is that fine line between not making plans about the future and living too much in the future? 

We can still be in the present even if we’re making plans for the future.  We have to plan ahead, otherwise nothing will get done. We can consciously do this, and not wait for the Universe to decide our fate. This is making empowered choices for our lives. We make decisions with the knowledge, insight and wisdom we’ve gained from past experience, with the fluidity to adapt to circumstances should they arise. Don’t get stuck in the “when this happens, then that will…”.  Don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in the moment. Dreaming about the future is only productive when combined with action taken today!

We all spend time in the future and the past. That’s natural and healthy. But it should be a visit, not an extended stay. If we are stuck in the past, we can’t enjoy the present moment.

Be present in the planning of the future.  Don’t wish away the present but use the present to plan intelligently for the future.  Time is a precious commodity. Don’t mentally rush through it or wish it away.  In the slower moments of life, being present in the moment will increase your appreciation and relaxation in them, as opposed to anxiety or depression if your mind is focused elsewhere in time.

You don’t have to stop thinking or planning for the future – just don’t live there.

What can you tell us about what benefits there are for living in the present?  And HOW can we implement being mindful of being present?  How can people identify distraction and what can they do to become more present? 

1. Experience Joy and Fulfilment: When we focus on the present, we become fully engaged with our experiences, relationships, and surroundings.   We practice focussing on the present by ensuring that we monotask.   Meditation and breathing techniques are also tools that we can use.
2. Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Much of our stress and anxiety stems from ruminating over the past or worrying about the future. The present moment offers a respite from these concerns. By shifting our attention to the now, we can alleviate stress, calm our minds, and find a sense of inner peace.
3. Enhance Relationships: Being present in our interactions with others allows us to truly connect and listen. It helps us understand others more deeply, respond with empathy, and foster meaningful connections. By giving our full attention to the present moment, we can nurture and strengthen our relationships.
4. Improve Mental Clarity and Focus: When we live in the present, our minds are not clouded by regrets or anxieties. This clarity of mind allows us to make better decisions, improve concentration, and enhance productivity. We can fully immerse ourselves in tasks and activities, leading to greater efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Embrace Change and Adaptability: The present moment is the only place where we have the power to act and make a difference. By focusing on the now, we become more adaptable and responsive to the ever-changing circumstances of life. We can let go of regrets and embrace new opportunities with openness and resilience.
6. And lastly: explore practical techniques to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday routine and experience a more vibrant and fulfilling life.  A  Life Alignment  balance really helps with this.

How can people identify distraction and what can they do to become more present? 

It is a matter of awareness. It is very easy to disappear down the rabbit hole and get stuck down there! With our Life Alignment tools, we can bring an awareness to whatever is happening – the bad, as well as the good. Doing a body scan to see where the stress is caught in the body, and then breathe deeply with intention to bring energy, peace, and calm into that area. Breath and feelings of stillness are very connected. We have to practice presence, like everything else, it gets stronger with practice!

Thank you, Cherry.  Everyone kind of knows the benefits of the present moment, but I don’t think a lot of people always understand the consequences, so, what advice can you give us to be the best possible version of ourselves? 

• Each new day brings with it an important choice: either we fill it with our best or we allow it to slip away. There is no other option—the hours are going to pass anyway. Choosing to work hard (whether in your profession or working hard at relaxation, social engagements or spending time with your loved ones) makes the most of these hours.
• Be aware of how much more productive you are when fully engaged in a task. Compare this with trying to squeeze multiple things into one period of time or dividing your energy on three different projects.
• To be the best possible version of yourself, you need to learn how to be more present; forget about how you think things should be and accept them for what they are.  
• Soak in as much of  today  as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow. These are in our daily lives, but we often forget to take them in and truly appreciate them.

How can a Life Alignment balance promote living in the present moment?  

Being a Life Alignment practitioner means that we learn the necessary tools to assist our clients to be less stuck in the past or future.  The Practitioner will identify body points and relevant emotions that are then worked on.  By clearing the past, we can be more present and by building trust and confidence we can be in harmony with the flow of the future.  this is what LA is all about – clearing the issues or traumas from our childhood, or issues that no longer serve us, so that we can make our present-day decisions and life choices not influenced by the past. This brings us fully into our true nature, in connection with what is right for us now. This, of course, changes constantly, depending on our circumstances and life situations and we know that nothing is permanent, life is fluid and we have to be flexible with what is, and what comes up for us.

If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present. 

Close and intimate relationships represent a very big opportunity to learn our main lessons in life. They trigger us at so many levels and thus provide potential to practise dealing with challenges and becoming the advanced version of ourselves.

In this month’s newsletter I am talking to Limor Abelensi and Tom Hendel, owners of the Lighthouse – Life Alignment’s Integrative centre in Israel.

Both married to supportive partners, the two have an intimate and deep care for one another which is one ingredient for the success of their business cooperation – a cooperation in and with relationships.

Limor and Tom, please share with us your fascination for relationships.

The last decade has brought a lot of changes to the definition of relationships, especially in the couple arena. The numbers of divorces keep rising, while the diversity of the way people decide to live their romantic relationships is rising as well.

Throughout the years, we have realised that we have a deep understanding of connections, relationships, and partnerships. We feel that this is one of the greatest professional gifts we have to give to the world.

A romantic relationship is an intense meeting between two worlds with various potentials of fulfilment. Financial and familial responsibilities are shared and we enrich our lives with love in all its colours. The union of a romantic relationship also holds various challenges, such as considering someone else’s needs and desires, making compromises, and adapting to individual changes. We have to deal with emotions like disappointment, frustration, and jealousy and sometimes we can’t even be around our romantic partner that we love dearly.

We call these opposite forces the ingredients of a “relationship salad”. A salad which some of us choose to eat for the rest of our lives. Helping couples to reach the full potential of their couple hood by helping each of them to grow and transform to a better and happier individual in the relationship, is a huge accomplishment of being therapists.

Every relationship has three separated parts that should work in synchronicity: Each individual and the relationship. When each part of those three is contained, heard, and taken under consideration, then there is an expanded synergy in the field.

In our relationship, every step and progress we make, considers each of these parts and in our opinion this is the most important key to success.

Most of us only know you as a “double pack”. How did you find each other and Life Alignment (LA)?

Tom: I’ve met Life Alignment as a patient. I started going to sessions, and a part of my healing process was to connect to the therapist inside of me.

My therapist back then was Limor. After studying Life Alignment in depth, we decided to work together. We followed our calling to open a LA centre, which resulted with the opening of the Lighthouse 6 years ago.

Limor: About 20 years ago, I had a clinic for developmental and emotional Occupational Therapy, and I felt that I was beginning to reach a sense of fulfilment with a desire to advance my practice. After two years of searching, I came across Life Alignment. I immediately felt at home and found what my soul was yearning for – a deep connection to emotional and physical healing knowledge, the ability to renew one’s strength quickly and magically.

I met Tom as part of my professional journey. When we met, the knowing was immediate. It was clear to me that Tom would be a great therapist, and that the opening of this path in his life would allow him wonderful fulfilment. After he entered the path of becoming a therapist we started to work together and step by step (with energetical support and love from Jeff) downloaded our big mutual dream, from idea to matter. By opening the Lighthouse – a healing home – we followed our mutual vision. Our strong and significant bond between us has lasted since and is a special gift in my life.

Why can you recommend treating clients in cooperation with another practitioner?

Treating clients in cooperation brings more variety to the session. With this it enables the process to be comprehensive, deep and powerful as we know each other’s strengths.  We both feel that healing is enhanced when we work as a couple as we can use our deep connection as a model when needed.

Interesting! What is the feedback of clients? Do you have a best practice example?

For sure. Let’s talk about Anat and Bar. This lovely couple came to us for treatment following a severe crisis they experienced in their relationship.

At the base of the relationship there is immense love and attraction, but they are challenged by a complex family structure. They experience chaos and tremendous overload in their lives. The couple functioned as a complex energetic unit that was not synchronised and did not support its parts. The family functioned as an organisation that struggled to play as one harmonious orchestra.

We chose to work with them with a special therapy model. Alternating individual (Limor with Bar and Tom with Anat) and couple meetings (the four of us together).

Parallel to the work with this couple, The two of us conducted meetings with each other to clarify and understand the situation of each spouse so that we could also include the spouse who was not being treated by us in the personal and couple’s process.

As we progressed, using the modality of LA, we were able to balance all the components of the family, the house, the children, each member of the couple, and the unity itself. The relationship gradually stabilised.

How exactly does the system of Life Alignment help with such couple-work?

Over the years, we have developed a unique working model with couples that incorporates many options that are responsive to the needs of the couple.

As mentioned in the example above, the model includes personal meetings with one of us, as well as meetings where we both sit together with the couple.

The holistic result of this model is that we can address the individual space that affects the relationship, the interpersonal space between them, and the transition between these two spaces.

During the personal and group meetings, we use one of the Life Alignment tools to encounter deep energy work that will follow along with some psychotherapy work.

The system of Life Alignment allows us to treat the couple as a body, as an energetic unit with multiple organs. Personal balance of the individuals in the relationship, the balance of their partnership, the influence and coordination between them, and finally, the balance of the space (Home Alignment) in which the relationship takes place.

We use techniques such as vortex tools (circles and tree of life) involving the couple and personal balancing while one partner is treated and the other observes.

A process that supports couples to become the best version of themselves and of the union. Why is Life Alignment such a useful model of couple counselling?

Life Alignment is an excellent tool for working with couples because it allows neutral, deep and healing of the frequency that needs to be realigned. Couples sometimes tend to pile up anger and tensions which leads to eruption and conflicts that can eventually destroy the relationship.

Exposing these issues and bringing deep energetic healing allows the subconscious to be cleared and enables it to be filled back with the essence of the couple’s connection. The couple can meet and see each other, even in conflict situations, from the perspective of the Higher Self rather than seeing each other through the eyes of the inner child.

Do you have some advice for us on how to increase the quality of our relationships?

Absolutely,  there is so much you can start focusing on. The following aspects are the base of healthy relationships:

Trust:

• Be very attentive to things that will challenge your partner’s trust.

• Trust the power of the relationship to go through challenges and evolve to a better place.

Giving and receiving:

• Pay attention to yourself and the overall giving and receiving dynamics with your partner. The more giving you are, the less conflict (inner and outer) will arise.

• Treat the relationship as a Holistic Entity, give it love, attention, nourishment and open yourself to receive the presents it has to offer you.

Communication:

• Make sure that you are communicating and not holding back.

• Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability and fears, showing them creates a deep understanding and connection.

Togetherness:

• If you realise there is a substantial gap between the two of you, find ways to change that.

• Invest in your togetherness – it’s one of the most profitable investments you can make.

• Try to find the mutual things that interest both of you, be interested in your partner’s life, you will know more, understand him/her more and you might even be drawn to it.

• Do things together that you haven’t done before.

• Share and invite her/him to what interests you.

Intimacy & Love:

• Get to know yourself, it will help you to be able to create intimate relationships.

• Love yourself and love what is around you. Love does not have limited resources, the more you love the more love will come your way.

• Be intimate in all sorts of ways, investigate your intimacy, nourish it and let it grow and expand together.

Growing and transforming:

• Keep evolving in the relationship, as an individual and as a couple. Most substantial growth, and transformation can unfold on the safe ground of a loving and safe relationship.

Being productive and available at all times, even after work or on vacation, is part of everyday life for many people these days. We know that in the long run, these habits have more negative consequences than one might initially assume. Balance is important, that’s what they say. We even call  a Life Alignment session a “Balance”. That’s why in this month’s newsletter I talk to Kristin Norenberg, Life Alignment teacher and advanced practitioner in Norway.

18 years ago Kristin jumped off the carousel and has worked as a coach and therapist since. She has also written a book called “The Balanced Woman”, based on the story of her own journey from the masculine business world to the alternative world: being authentic and whole, listening to our feelings and using our intuition to navigate life’s ups and downs. Her second book is about intuition and living a soul led life: “With your heart as a GPS”.

Maggie: Kristin, why do you think there is an imbalance, especially in the Business world? 

This is a huge topic that relates to our being, who we are and who we want to be; how we decide to live our life. Often we go through life based on our own & other’s expectations, until one day we wake up and start to question: Is this all? Is there something more to life? Do I live the life I want and dream about? Is it possible to live my dream or do I limit myself? Do I listen to my feelings/ my “traffic lights” or do I walk on red, or on autopilot, being buried in old behavioural patterns?

These and several other questions I started to ask myself after 25 years in leadership positions. In a world where left-brain qualities were appreciated and my masculine side was dominant.

When using our masculine qualities we are planning and organising, thinking strategy and future, analysing and being logical. There was no space for my feminine qualities like compassion, love, togetherness, intuition, feelings, being in the here and now. As an executive I was doing rather than being; there was no balance between the two. I was running from meeting to meeting, and did not have the time to listen to my feelings. I knew they did not fit in in a male dominated business world.

My experience is that a lot of people live in this way because it is important to fit in. Basically, as human beings we need to be accepted and included in our group to survive. Unconsciously I knew that to be accepted and promoted in competition with my male colleagues I had to behave and think more or less like a man, and suppress my feelings and feminine side. This was also how I was brought up, by a single mother who told me never to trust a man!

Maggie: Does that mean if we equalise our male and female parts, that we then are in balance?

We all have, men and women, our masculine and feminine sides. Some have more of the masculine, while others have more of the feminine. That is very individual, so to live a balanced life in alignment with who we are differs from person to person. But as mentioned, I believe that our feelings and emotions are important “traffic lights” that tell us about our way forward.

Over the years a lot of my clients and course and program participants are female managers and executives living a very stressful life. They have started to doubt whether they are in the right place, or they are burnt out and have severe health issues. What I have experienced is that many of these women have a lot of feminine personality traits, rather than masculine, they are “helpers” that love being close to people, support others and bring people together. Most of them are or have been in work situations where this is not appreciated or possible because of the type of work or workload. They often end up sick and without energy. So it is less about equalising our feminine and masculine sides, but more about listening to our own feelings and intuition to re-establish a connection to ourselves.

DEEP IN THE SOUL, by Kristin Norenberg

Maggie: How does pressure and highly imbalance affect us and our social and global environment?

Pressure and imbalance affect us all in a very different way. Some people get energy from situations that other people will lose their sleep and get severe stress reactions from. Over time stress is very harmful for the body. We go into fight, flight or freeze, produce excessive adrenaline and cortisol and our whole system becomes out of balance.

In the 80s I worked in New York and to get anywhere when driving a car you had to be very aggressive. This habit I brought home to Norway, until a friend reminded me: “If you slow down, smile and let other cars get into the line in front of you the driver will go home and smile to his wife and be kind to his family. If you drive aggressively he will maybe come home and be angry at his children and abusive to his wife.”

A simple example of how my own stress can affect my environment. Thoughts are energy, well everything is energy, so how I behave and what I think will influence my surroundings. If I am out of balance, stressed and not able to be in the moment, there is “nobody home” and my relationship to colleagues, family, friends and nature will suffer. The same will happen to the relationship to others.

Seeing the big picture, if I am balanced in my inner world this will influence my outer world and the whole community. I will live my life in a conscious way and know what will increase and decrease my energy. I had to become 50 years old before I understood that I need a lot of time to myself, to rest and meditate, to be in nature, to be in balance and live consciously – while my husband gets energy from doing 10.000 things. That does not mean that I am more egocentric. I just need a different kind of fuel for my power generator.

In addition I am more sensitive than him. Many of my clients are highly sensitive which means that our senses pick up more signals every second of the day. This could be very exhausting if you are not aware of how to fill up or don’t take time to prioritise yourself.

Maggie: In your opinion, why did our world become so stressful and out of balance?

Stress, pressure and imbalances come from inside us. How we think about a difficult situation, problem, job, relationship, life … Holding presentations or speeches is an easy example. Some people excel in front of an audience while others lose all their energy and actually feel sick.

Why some people react negatively may have many reasons. Thought patterns and belief systems (I am not good/clever/smart/tall/thin/pretty …. enough), expectations from ourselves or other people around us, the society we live in and our culture – everything will influence the way we react to a situation and create imbalances in ourselves.

Belief systems are often formed by experiences in childhood, the way we were brought up and good and bad experiences at school, with family and friends. The result is that our system recognises the situation and picks up the same feelings every time we enter a similar setting, and negative reactions get stronger and stronger. This happens in a tenth of a second and fully unconsciously.

Maggie: This makes a lot of sense. How do you use the modality of Life Alignment to create more balance for you and your clients?

I fell in love with Life Alignment from the day I met Jeff Levin and Philippa Lubbock’s book about Life Alignment 10 years ago. I felt I had found something precious that embraces what is important to me in life. Not only as a system of energy healing and to balance belief systems, stress and traumas from early life, being able to help others to grow and find balance and purpose in life – but also as a way of living and making the world a better place.

Life Alignment as a tool for the individual will help us to get inner balance; that is balance between our masculine and our feminine energy, between our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual body. We will become whole and authentic. This is actually what many of my clients and female course participants say:” I don’t like who I have become. I want to be genuine and authentic, the real me.”

In the balancing processes of Life Alignment our belief systems and old patterns are cleared. Previously I easily entered stress mode – although there was no reason – because that was my default. Through balancing procedures I have learnt to be conscious when old patterns and negative feelings appear, so instead of losing my energy and getting frustrated and even ill I am able to bring myself into alignment again.

I use the system of Life Alignment on individuals, on groups/departments and organisations as a whole. It is fascinating to see how the work environment and people change and become in tune.

Maggie: Absolutely amazing. Looking at the ripple effect of the symptoms of stress, do you have some ideas for us on how to create more balance in our everyday life?

There are many things that you can do to become more aligned and in balance with yourself and your surroundings. Stress management is a dull word, but if you look up how to stimulate your Vagus Nerve, that is a good beginning.

Become conscious of who you are, what makes your heart sing and how to fill up your well. When radiating energy, positive feelings and inner balance your surroundings will notice and change.

And get a balance from Life Alignment practitioners. We all have old patterns and belief systems that hold us back and make it difficult to live the life we really want to and are meant to live.

Maggie: Thank you Kristin! Alone this interview gave me great inspiration to improve my balance between doing and being. It is fascinating to recognise both in you, left and right brained energies complementary combined.

The small syllable “Co” means together. Co-dependents are partners and companions, allies, co-pilots and accomplices. In other words, in a co-dependent relationship of any kind, there are two people dancing the tango together.

Co-dependency refers to a psychological construct involving an unhealthy relationship that people might share with those closest to them. It was originally thought to involve families of substance abuse but has since grown to include other types of dysfunctional relationships. In this month’s newsletter I am talking to Anna Sandberg, Life Alignment Advanced Practitioner and Teacher from Sweden, about her own, very personal experience of co-dependency.

Anna, it was so nice to meet you in person on Jeff’s incredible Life Alignment Retreat in South Africa this February. Have I understood you correctly that addictions and related co-dependency lead you to Life Alignment?

Yes. It all happened when I met a new friend and she had something I wanted and was intrigued about. I couldn’t put it in words, but something along the lines of inner strength, centeredness, faith. She had been going to Jeff’s workshops in England for many years. At that time I was very ill in my co-dependency. My oldest son who was addicted and I was in despair. As a codependent person I had a deep, unhealthy desire to help, to solve and to fix. It means I take the responsibility for what the other person should do for themselves. I became the facilitator instead of the rescuer. I felt I was being guided to find something important for me, so I joined my friend for my first workshop with Jeff. It was one of the absolute greatest gifts I have experienced. Five months later my oldest son died of an overdose. Without Life Alignment I would never have survived that great loss. During my first workshop I transformed so many old things so that I could deal with life. And it helped me to realise I need to take care of myself and live my own life.

In your words, what can we understand under co-dependency? 

The term codependency cannot be clearly defined in my opinion, as there are numerous different explanations to date. In the 1950s, the term first appeared in connection with addicts and “Alcoholics Anonymous” as well the successful 12 step programme for recovery. The term quickly gained popularity. Individuals labelled as co-dependents do show many similar behaviour traits and thoughts but I believe it is very important to look at the environment and personal circumstances of each individual and not try to label or define all addicts under the general term, co-dependency.

The way I would describe co-dependency is the condition where I lose and give away my own power.

I personally don’t think that co-dependency means that we need to have an addicted person around us. My experience is that many people suffer from codependency because of a lot of other reasons. We have been affected by someone else’s problem, like a depressed mother in our childhood, an absent father or other different traumas such as lack of safety or any sort of a dysfunctional childhood.

Do you have an example for this?

Absolutely. I’ll give you a very current example from my own life. My son is back in his alcoholism and my fears and support mechanism got triggered immediately. A typical pattern of feeling stuck in the situation. But worrying and obsessing about other people keeps us so tangled in our heads and we can’t solve any problem. We feel attached to something or someone and detach from ourselves and we lose the ability to think, feel, act and take care of ourselves in an authentic manner. We lose control and feel stuck, a feeling of powerlessness.

Another example is that codependent people often accuse the addict of being a bad and weak-willed person. They are fixated on the problems of the addict e.g. They think about the other constantly and try to find solutions in a controlling or blaming way. Their own interests are less important to them than to others, because they can’t express their own feelings.

What are typical symptoms of codependency and how can we recognize them in us or others?

Yes, looking at the emotional and behavioural symptoms of co-dependency gives us the real indicator if someone is co-dependent and those are very often unconscious.

You can ask yourself or someone else the following questions:

• Do you constantly seek approval and affirmation?

• Do you fail to recognize your accomplishments?

• Do you fear criticism?

• Do you overextend yourself?

• Have you had problems with your own compulsive behaviour?

• Are you uneasy when your life is going smoothly, continually anticipating problems? Do you feel more alive in the midst of a crisis?

• Do you care for others easily, yet find it difficult to care for yourself?

• Do you isolate yourself from other people?

• Do you feel that individuals and society in general are taking advantage of you?

• Do you confuse pity with love?

• Do you attract and/or seek people who tend to be compulsive and/or abusive?

• Do you cling to relationships because you are afraid of being alone?

• Do you often mistrust your own feelings and the feelings expressed by others?

Very interesting, and why potentially do we or our clients become co-dependent?

I think the core issue and the root cause comes from a need that has not been satisfied, usually from early childhood. So we create and develop different survival strategies and coping mechanisms. We are the most loving, kind and generous people in the world but we don’t know how to love ourselves.

Due to e.g. low self-esteem, we became rescuers and caretakers. We rescue because we don’t feel good enough about ourselves. Although the feelings are transient and superficial, caretakers with co-dependent behaviours receive a temporary hit of good feelings, self-worth and power. We feel compelled to do a particular thing to prove how good we are. We start to take responsibility for others but we don’t know how to take care of ourselves.

In my case I even became a perfectionist because I never felt good enough about myself. I abandoned myself and thought God had abandoned me and didn’t allow myself to feel anything when I got stuck in shame.

You mentioned the 12 step programme earlier. How did Life Alignment support and complement the journey out of addiction and codependency?

Indeed, many addicts and codependent people have been helped by the 12 step programme. It saved my life and it has become a lifestyle. I learned a lot about myself and my behaviour and how to take responsibility for it. It supported me to develop my spirituality and connection to my Higher Self.

Life Alignment complements the programme by helping to uncover the blockages which lie between me and Source/ Higher Self so that I can reconnect to it, my own true power, my truth and self acceptance.

Life Alignment further complements the 12 Step Programme because the system takes everything to a cellular level which means that it reaches the root cause of the problem – in my case the co-dependency behaviour.

When I came to my first workshop with Jeff Levin I got really surprised over my own reaction and process. I thought I had healed and solved a lot of my own things already through the 12 step programme but I realised that the technique of Life Alignment took me on a significantly deeper level of self awareness, healing and transformation.

Please tell us more about that “deeper level” you are describing.

Life Alignment gives the opportunity to rewire old subconscious programs, which manifested in childhood.

I will describe it with my experience during the workshop mentioned with Jeff. We worked with the topics acceptance, surrendering, forgiveness, connection to my authentic Self and to the Source. In further Life Alignment Balances I received and now give and teach, aspects such as guidance, protection, boundaries, receiving love and self responsibility.

In this process I realised that this is like the 12-step programme but in an energetic form which took me to a much deeper transformation. This was a deep healing that included all aspects, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

During the workshop we found core patterns and emotions for the whole group. We were connected to the same energy field and our higher selves told us what we were ready to work with and release. I started my own transformation from the old patterns, the feeling of not feeling good enough, the need to prove myself, to push myself too hard, to feel like a failure, the shame, the lack of security and self love. The workshop allowed me to feel and thus heal my emotions. I felt home in my own body, I felt a connection to why I was here on earth. I felt my purpose for the first time in my life. I was totally present in myself, and at the same time I had the feeling of being interconnected with the bigger consciousness. The knowing that I always have a choice never left me since. My co-dependency doesn’t control me any longer in the same way it did prior to the workshop.

Have we spent enough time contemplating the most important substance in the universe?  A substance so powerful that can dissolve other substances as solid as rock and steel, but yet so gentle and nourishing to the human body?  Our bodies comprise over 70% of this precious substance.   We know that our health depends largely on water, but have we ever really thought about why and thought about the properties of water that give it so much power? 

In this month’s newsletter Elinor Durr, Administration and New Business in Life Alignment’s head Office in South Africa, elaborates on the element of water and how Vortex Technology can influence and harness the power of this element.

Maggie: Everybody knows Water, but do we really? Can you give us some short facts?

Let’s start with biology textbook facts.  

• It is one of the few substances that exists stably in 3 different states – gas, water, and air. 
• It is recognized in all religions and cultures as being a life-giving force.  
• It is also the only substance that takes up more space in its frozen form than in its heated form.  

“Water also receives information and is capable of holding a memory,” I announce to Jeff, when we realize we share enthusiasm and fascination for an interesting documentary about Professor Luc Montagnier, a scientist who firmly believed in the theory of water being able to accept and communicate information.  Prof Montagnier discovered the AIDS virus, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus).  When announcing this discovery, he was lauded with top honours, including a Nobel prize.  Similarly, he was vilified when announcing his belief, including empirical evidence, of water carrying any electromagnetic signal.  Poor Galileo, like Prof Montagnier was also ousted as a scientist and look how wrong his sceptical colleagues were there.

Jeff and I continue to discuss water properties and are led by you, Maggie, to another fascinating documentary on YouTube about a Japanese scientist,  Masaru Emoto.  He published a collection of photographs titled Messages from Water.   These pictures show that like snowflakes, water crystallized into unique individual crystals, but only if the life force of the water has not been compromised energetically.  

Water’s crystalized molecules are shaped depending on what it hears or feels.  It reacts to music, intentions, and words.  Here are some of Dr Emoto’s pictures: 
 

Mozart being played 

The word love is written on paper and placed on top of the water jar.

Water does not seem to enjoy heavy metal music.

Maggie: What does it mean when you say water stores memory?

Even if compromised, water does hold memory, just like we do, in our core. The more I think of it, the more I realize that our trauma responses are manifested and implemented in the memory of the water molecules.  We can soothe ourselves with certain musical vibrations.  Water can heal by playing certain music and these are shown in pictures by Dr Emoto and other German scientists who also happily claim water’s energetic and memory properties and capabilities.  

Sadly, we live under the assumption that water is merely a fluid with no life or energy, so we don’t care how it’s treated.  We ignore water’s natural path, and we push it through water pipes at unnatural angles that one would never find in nature. 
 

Maggie: In Vortex Technology and Life Alignment we are making use of the Water Card. This magnetic card has a huge impact on water and listening to your insight explains the technology and physics behind the “miracle”. Does Life Alignment have any science about the water card to share?

“Jeff,” I ask, “what experiments have you done with the water card, and why would I want to use it?”

“Well,” he replies, with a dead straight face, “for every glass of water I drink, I lose one kilogram.”  I responded with the correct amount of scepticism, knowing that nothing with Jeff is impossible, but did see the glint in his eye before he got serious.  

Jeff had some experiments done using the Vortex technology of the water card in Italy. In Umbria students working at the municipality had to test the various water outlets.  Two tanks supply the area’s water needs.  On one was a pentagon (water card) and one without.  Tests were replicated over the two hundred odd outlets, and it was established that the tank that had been subjected to the water card needed no extra chlorine.  The card dealt effectively with particulate matter such as the bacteria count, thus negating the need for chlorine.  

“The vortex water card is shown to restructure our water to return its life-giving force,” he explains.

The card also boosts our blood frequencies, which makes sense when one realizes that blood comprises water and plasma.  Dark field microscopy tests show the boosted, healthier blood after the pentagon was used in consumed water or placed on the body.  

Maggie: How can we improve our water quality at home? 

We are all best off drinking clean, pure water. It keeps us hydrated, and our body and mind functioning at optimal levels. Knowing that water has a memory, it is best if we all do our share to keep our water clean. This involves not only what we put into the wastewater systems, but also what we put into our bodies! Luckily, nothing is wrong with some tea or coffee in moderation, of course made with healthy water and a water card  will be a great help.  Just by the way, notice how much longer loose-leaf lettuce lasts with a water card on the fridge.  

I can but listen to Jeff’s knowledge and enthusiasm; in awe of the world around us.  I, in turn, am in awe of the life-giving force we take for granted every day; in awe of the fact that without water, this planet, this universe, our world, would not exist. 

We cannot hope to understand all its life-giving properties, but I have made a personal commitment, that every time I get into a body of water, the swimming pool, the sea, or my bath; I say “thank-you” and I take a few seconds to be in awe of a substance so plentiful, but so incomprehensible. 
 

Namaste, Water.  The light in me recognises the light in you.

Energy medicine is based on physics instead of biochemistry and works with the understanding that illness results from disturbances in the energy field known as the human biofield. The idea of energy medicine draws on these beliefs that our bodies are brimming with vibrational energies and frequencies. Sometimes, these frequencies can become unbalanced, blocked, or undergo negative changes. This can lead to poor health or emotional turmoil and feelings of stagnancy. In last month’s newsletter I spoke to Phillipa Lubbock about the beauty of subtle Energy Medicine such as the system of Life Alignment and Vortex Technology. In this month’s Blog-edition we will dive deeper together with Jeff into how Energy Medicine works and how it can be used to bring the frequencies of bodies or spaces back into alignment. Philippa has written articles for prestigious magazines on Energy Medicine and is known for her neutral and holistic view of healing and transformation.

Here is the link to the previous Blog article Part 1: https://mailchi.mp/2649e81d678b/your-alignment-in-december-2022

Maggie: Jeff, can you remind us how the energy field around us and everything that exists works?

The whole universe is a field of consciousness. Imagine it like this: The air around us is in random chaos; it’s just vibrating randomly according to whatever influences it. The moment we put a particular focus or intention on something the molecules become organised. This is also how the principle of Vortex Technology works. Every magnetic Vortex Card has its own wavelength which means the field is organised with a particular purpose. Also, each body point has a unique wavelength because it has a different frequency. Each thought, each feeling… all is organised by the frequency and wavelength of the related energy.

In other words, independently if we work online or offline, we put out the intention to free a blockage in the field of consciousness. Where there is blockage there is low frequency. By raising the frequency we help to release that blockage and restore the field back to its healthy, natural state. That will have an impact on different aspects of our body, life and the planet.

What is important to understand is that it’s not the practitioner that puts out a particular intention. We don’t want to use our mind but the network of the higher consciousness between the client and practitioner. This network is part of the field and works beyond the mind and knows exactly what particular frequency is needed to be established for the client’s best benefit. This differentiates Life Alignment from other mental based concepts. We attune to the higher intention which is embedded in the process of the Life Alignment System.

Maggie: Philippa, Last month we talked about the difference between conventional and energy medicine and how they complement each other. How do symptoms help us to live to our highest potential? 

A symptom is a caring friend. It arrives as a messenger, knocks, waits patiently, and hopes we’ll listen. Do we open the door, and thank the messenger? Or do we put the ‘letter’ aside, and avoid reading it by staying busy?

I love old age because there’s still time to keep learning and over the many years, my teachers have taught me to hunt for the ‘diamond’ hidden deep underground, created out of tough conditions. My symptoms tell me that something is out of balance, channels are blocked, and my body grumbles via the music of pain. However, present within every bleak, dark, even violent experience, there is hidden a bright light – a lesson, guidance, support, an invitation to grow and let our light shine.
For thousands of years, teachers, such as beloved Thich Nhat Hanh, remind us that the exquisitely pure white lotus grows only in dark, ‘messy’ mud. When our suffering feels overwhelming, it’s tempting either to run from it, or cover it up. Life Alignment gives us the courage and strength to stay with the pain and embrace it. As we attend to our messy story we come to appreciate and feel grateful to it for the opportunity to reveal more of our ‘lotus Self.’

What I’ve learned the hard way is if I don’t pay attention to the story, my habitual pattern, and change my view and understanding, I remain stuck, unable to live my life’s purpose – a life of more kindness, compassion, and respect for myself and for all living things – including snow-capped mountains and hot desert sand, alive in every atom!

Maggie: Can I feel the difference between physical and subtle energy?

Oh yes, you can! If we hold our hands, palms facing about 6” apart, we can feel the energy. We might feel tingling, and if we move our hands further away, after a while we may feel like we’re holding a ball!

From childhood we are experts in subtle energy. No one needs to tell a tiny child he’s feeling excitement as he opens a birthday present. The subtle energy sends the message and, intuitively, he feels it in his physical body, though he may not know it’s called ‘excitement’.

Physical energy is electrical in nature, has positive mass, gives us gravity and travels slower than the speed of electromagnetic light. Its wavelengths and frequencies can be measured. Modern medicine uses many forms of physical energy fields for diagnosis and treatment of disease, such as MRI, PET, UV light, pacemakers, and radiation therapy.

Subtle energy cannot be measured. It is magnetic in nature, has negative mass and travels faster than the speed of electromagnetic light. While we (most of us) cannot see subtle energy, our physical body is surrounded by a subtle energy field that extends beyond our physical form. Depending on the state of our health and emotions, our field will extend outwards several feet, or only a few inches.

The subtle energies of love, excitement, anger, fear – are felt in our body as particular physical sensations. Most of us have been in a room, felt the tension so thick you could ‘cut it with a knife’. When I feel anxious (subtle energy), I feel tight in my chest (physical energy) and my energy field shrinks.

During a balance, as we let go of fear in all its forms, our field expands. We are home. Safe.

Maggie: Jeff was talking about how the mind and thoughts influence our wavelength. Philippa, in which way does this influence our health?

• Mind (thoughts) is the boss.
• Feelings give them life
• Body cells are their home

Thoughts, memories, fantasies stimulate emotions, and the body responds through physical sensation. When the mind keeps transmitting stories that arouse fear, anger, grief, the body is asked to carry and store these energies sometimes for years – until the body says, ‘enough!’ A symptom is like an alarm clock, waking us to pay attention to the effect, seek the cause… and thus a solution.                                  

Presence is the beating heart of Life Alignment and training our mind through any method that develops our ability to live more in the here and now, is the best medicine – and it’s free!

Maggie: What impact does self-development and responsibility to take care of a ‘healthy me’ have on our relationships, community and maybe even the planet?

Maggie, I sat for a few days thinking about your excellent and far-reaching question! And, like flies that zoom into a room, words darted in and out of awareness: interconnection, cause & effect, attraction, polarity, yin/yang. And there it was staring me in the face. They are all universal laws. So, I looked up The Twelve Universal Laws, and there it was – Life Alignment is truly law abiding, it lives, breathes, and teaches them!
So, if as often as possible, I were able to live my life more in accordance with these Laws, my mind would be clearer, kinder, and wiser. And that would have a hugely positive effect on me, my relationships, my work, and on the Planet.

Maggie: In which way is Life Alignment applying energy medicine?

I recall that this question needed a book… or two!

My first workshop with Jeff (module 2), is as vivid as if it was yesterday. To demonstrate the first balance, he asked a student from Sweden to lie on the table. Not only was it breathtaking to witness her transformation from anguish to peace, but also Jeff explained that during the balance, we all received healing and… that this positive energy is transmitted across the globe. A balance is never solely for the one receiving it but is always for the benefit of all beings. I’d known this as a concept, but not until that moment did the light flash on! The truth of inter-connectedness (the essence of energy medicine), now became embedded.

We know that healing energy flows from Source, the Universe. As practitioners we are conduits, ‘hose pipes’, that allow energy to flow through our hands and hearts.

The beauty of Life Alignment is that neither practitioner nor client knows, consciously, the cause of their distress or how to process and release it. Only the client’s higher Self (the doctor within) knows.

The essence of this truth accompanied the work of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Prize laureate, who built and ran hospitals in central Africa. One day, I would learn a healing method that echoes his words:

Each patient carries his own doctor inside him.

They come to us not knowing that truth.

We are at our best when we give the doctor,

who resides within each patient,

a chance to go to work. 

And so, our work invites us to ‘step aside’, surrender to this higher authority, and be in service to whatever arises moment by moment.

Like everything in this world, we are surrounded by energy and our own bodies are surrounded by forces of electric, magnetic, subtle, and light energies that keep us connected. The system of Life Alignment and other forms of Energy Medicine is based on this theory, and has been established by scientists such as Einstein, who proved that energy and matter are interchangeable – thus our whole world is made of energy and everything in it too.

Energy Healing is a traditional concept that restores the balance and flow of energy throughout the body, mind, and soul. It addresses the illness caused due to disturbance of the energy flow in the body or environment. More people are turning to Energy Medicine because of its holistic approach that includes not just the physiological, but mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.

In this month’s interview I speak to the Advanced Practitioner and author of the Life Alignment books, Philippa Lubbock, about both her experience with conventional and subtle, vibrational medicine as mentioned above. The interview was so rich in information that you can look forward to its second part in January’s blog content.

Philippa, please tell us your first encounter with the modality of Life Alignment.

In 1987, my heart was in pieces and with the daunting responsibility of becoming a single parent, I found a wonderful psychotherapist and journeyed into the darkness. Sitting with her one day, I heard myself say, ‘I think I want to sit in yourchair!’  She smiled and gave me names of two training institutes. Five years later, I sat in the therapist’s chair and began this new journey learning more from my clients than they ever could from me.

Each day, as I sat listening to stories of abandonment, addiction, rape, and loss, I knew – I could see with my own eyes – that these memories and unbearable feelings were locked into the warm, physical body sitting opposite me.  However, even in the fields of body-oriented psychotherapy, it’s ‘hands off’. All those years, I wondered… I kept thinking that there must be a method that works with the story and with the body that holds the pain and negative self-beliefs.

My thoughts, though not sent up in the form of prayer, must have been heard in the angelic realm, because one winter’s day, in 2000, a friend told me she’d attended a Jeff Levin workshop and was blown away. She advised me to contact ‘a lovely woman called Cherry Tyfield.’ I left my first balance knowing that not only had I found what I’d been dreaming of, but also that I wanted to learn to practise this powerful healing method.

So basically, conventional psychotherapy/ modern medicine and energy healing complement each other?

Absolutely. We live in a world where there is division, comparison, and judgement, with each side claiming to be right.

Back in the Swinging 60’s – the era of no seat belts – the car I was being driven in at high speed swerved and smashed into a lamppost (thereby avoiding a near fatal collision). Modern medicine provided an ambulance, morphine, a surgeon, a hospital bed, and physiotherapists who daily got me walking again.

X-Ray, MRI, Ultrasound, and other methods for seeing inside the body provide invaluable information and therefore give us choice as to which healing method we wish to follow.

Throughout my life, I’ve turned to different forms of holistic medicine, psychotherapy, and spiritual wisdom from which I’ve learned how to take care of mind, body, and soul. When Life Alignment blew into my life, that wealth was contained in this one healing method. And so, I view modern and energy medicines as two sides of the same coin. Not separate. Just different. And that allows me to respect and remain deeply grateful to both.

   The Enso symbol, the Circle of Life, harmony and balance between things

Makes sense! Why do you think subtle energy medicine gets more popular nowadays?

Conventional biomedicine — Energy (biofield) medicine.

For thousands of years, energy, the force that causes things to move and change, was the faithful servant of ‘Medicina’ – the art of healing. When science burst onto the scene, in the 1800s, exciting new scientific disciplines and methods emerged that would radically change the way medicine was practised and the ancient world of energy medicine was pushed aside. Yet life, with its polarities, challenges us to live with them in balance!

Today, due to the valuable fields of modern psychology, conventional medicine concedes that a patient’s mental state (trauma, depression, stress) affects physical body systems and invites disease. Subtle energy medicine is beginning to be looked upon a little more respectfully.

Can you differentiate for us both “energy medicine” and “modern medicine”?

Basically, it’s parts vs. the whole. Modern medicine divides the body into parts within separate departments. Energy medicine embraces the whole – mind, body, and spirit.

Modern medicine works outside in, its focus is on effect rather than root cause (energy). Subtle energy medicine works inside out and is aligned with the universal law of cause and effect: energy precedes form. If you want to change form (your body), first change the vibrational frequencies of the energy (your mind, emotions, your environment).

A major contribution that Life Alignment brings to the field of energy medicine is to include the environment in the healing process: the law of inter-connection means we can’t heal our body-mind separately from our environment.

What does science say about energy medicine? 

We know that these energies affect how our organs and body systems function, but we cannot prove it in a laboratory. So, it is understandable that these invaluable fields of knowledge regard energy medicine with some scepticism.

Some years ago, a client sent her 81 year old father, a scientist, to see me. Since his wife’s death, this atomic physicist had felt lonely and sad. As he looked up at the charts on my wall, I could see him wondering what on earth he was doing here. I said, ‘Professor, thank you for coming to try Life Alignment. No need to know anything about it except that we both work with energy – the atoms in your cells, thoughts, feelings, and the environment!’ He stared at me for a moment and then his shoulders relaxed, and he chuckled. At the end of the balance, he got off the table and said, ‘I’m not sure I understand what’s been happening, but I do feel much lighter. It’s rather magical!’

Okay, science aside, what happens energetically when we are out of balance?

Energy becomes blocked. Blood, fluids, communication between organs and body systems lose momentum. We may feel stuck mentally, emotionally, and thus physically.

Painful emotions such as fear, anger, sorrow vibrate at lower frequencies, leaving us feeling heavy. Our energy field and cells contract, our breathing becomes shallow which reduces the flow of energy, oxygen, and nutrients. We often use the word ‘energy’ as a measure for how we are feeling, ‘I’m full of energy today!’, or ‘I don’t have the energy to do this.’

Whereas thoughts and feelings that are pleasant, enjoyable, like love, joy, kindness, vibrate at higher frequencies and we feel a lightness; our energy field expands, and cellular life is revitalised and nourished.

In your words, how does a Life Alignment balance promote healing and transformation? 

As I continue to learn, grow, and change through working with Life Alignment, I come back to the question that many of us ask: what is it that makes this unique model of energy medicine so effective and profound? The word ‘medicine’ is associated with words like symptom, disease, cure. Indeed, Life Alignment attends to physical illness and treatments, but it is, primarily, a spiritual path. It calls us to come home, to unify our two selves: our eternal true Self and our dear temporary ego-self. And through coming into alignment with our true Being, we live more wisely and peacefully.

More than 2,500 years ago, a wise teacher gave the first of many teachings during his lifetime. He said:

‘Suffering exists. It has a cause. If we know the cause of suffering, then we can end it.’  

We know him as the Buddha.

This profound truth has existed from the beginning of time. And thousands of years later, another wise teacher taught me and countless others:

‘To release pain and suffering, find the root cause.’

We know (and love) him as Jeff Levin.

Maybe you’ve just reached a point where you long for more self-determination and clarity that goes hand in hand with inner security and an authentic power? Manifestation is on everyone’s lips but does it work at all? And how do I know that it works?

Manifestation — the idea of bringing something you want into existence through aspirational-thought practices — is nothing new: It has roots in the 19th-century and included the belief that our thoughts can influence the material world and, essentially, that positive thinking is the answer to most of our earthly problems. It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

In this month I am talking to Francesca Chiarmetta, founder of the Life Alignment Academy, about her understanding of Manifestation and the special procedure of the Manifestation Process offered by the system of Life Alignment.

I know you have a special passion for the Manifestation Process of Life Alignment. Can you tell us more about the general concept of Manifestation?

I love Life Alignment and I especially love the procedure of the Manifestation Process, because it supports people to manifest something real in their lives.

Let me first differentiate what I understand under “Manifestation”. Mastering the Art of Manifestation is different from the Law Of Attraction, which became very popular a number of years ago. The Law Of Attraction certainly helped people to open up to new ways of thinking, but it also induced people to think that if you want something all you need to do is keep thinking about it. This, of course, led to massive disappointments, as things don’t really work this way. We can’t just sit around and wish for things. We have to take responsibility for what we desire.

How can we take responsibility for our reality and what we want to manifest?

All human beings have within themselves this amazing ability to manifest anything. In fact, we are always manifesting, every time we put out a thought, we get some response from the Universe. But most often than not: we are not happy with the results. Why? Because we attract what we are, not what we want! In order to consciously manifest anything in life, we first have to be in alignment with Source.

This means that in order to manifest something in our life, we first need to have within ourselves those qualities, which align us to what we want. So, in order for me to manifest a new house or a new job, I may first need to develop gratitude or trust. And only then, I can manifest my wish.

In other words, I need to take responsibility for my feelings, attitude and the qualities I put out there in the world.

If I simply work with my intent, trying to focus my mind to manifest, I will most probably be disappointed. The ego-mind thinks it knows what it wants and what it needs. And actually, sometimes we do manifest what we ask, only to discover it is not what we needed!

Makes sense, however, it sounds tricky to recognize and live the difference between wanting and being and between soul intention and ego-mind.

Absolutely. This is why I am so passionate about the Manifestation Process of Life Alignment. It helps our clients to align what they want with who they are (or need to become). Based on their intention, we work on what needs to manifest within themselves, clearing layers that help them integrate new positive qualities. As a result, this will open the way to manifest what they asked for. We discern very carefully to find out what is for their highest purpose and with this approach we are able to work beyond the ego mind.

When we try to manifest something in our life, our intent moves through a number of filters into the Universe, filters we generated throughout our life or even in previous lives. They are limiting thoughts and belief systems such as “I’m not worthy”, “I don’t deserve it” or “I’m not good enough”.

There are many stories that we hold that sabotage what we put out to the Universe.

With the Manifestation Process, we open a pathway through the auric field (or subtle bodies), from the outer layers, all the way to the physical body, following the original creation process: from God’s vibrational thought, to our two-dimensional matter. Proceeding this way, we ignite a breakthrough that clears any sabotaging pattern. In other words: As I become a new “me”, the Universe’s response can flow freely bringing abundance my way.

Sounds absolutely fascinating. How exactly does the Manifestation Process open such a pathway through our field?

The Process consists of a number of emotional balances, how many depending on whether it’s an individual or a group process, each aimed at releasing blockages at a specific level of our being. We go from causal bodies all the way to the physical body, across the spiritual, mental and emotional body.  For each body that comes up as a priority, we identify what is blocking the client from manifesting what they want at that specific level, and we help them integrate the qualities they need to “become”.

We also use the Life Alignment’s Vortex technology, specifically a number of small Cards, called Manifestation Essences, each bringing the frequency of an element into the field (air, fire, water, earth, wood, metal and ether). We place one of them on the body during each balance, to anchor that specific frequency and bring the manifestation into the physical reality. Using these Essences actually makes a big difference.

This is a wonderful Priority taught in Module 4, which can be practised both in person and online.

Do you have an example of the Art of Manifestation?

I have many, both of my clients and of myself as I always see concrete results.

My very first experience with Manifestation was in my early days with Life Alignment. Back then, my love life was a total disaster. It was actually the end of a troubled relationship that prompted me to look for something that would get me out of those repetitive patterns; shortly after I found Life Alignment. I started working on my issues with great determination. I absolutely wanted to heal my wounds in this area and attract a healthy, nourishing and fulfilling relationship in my life.

I participated in two different Manifestation Processes (one of them, in group a with Jeff) and understood the meaning of many painful events I had experienced. I chose to free myself from limiting belief patterns and dysfunctional behaviours so that I could become the person I needed to be, to attract the person I wanted.

A few months later, little did I know, I actually manifested exactly THIS man. What initially seemed to be just a casual encounter, turned out to be the relationship I always wanted, a deep love, my safe space and home.

How could have this been possible, exactly? Looking back, I can see things had actually deeply changed within me, my general attitude in a relationship was surprisingly different. Rather than looking for the other to fulfil my own needs and provide me with the sense of security I couldn’t find within me, I was willingly and spontaneously taking charge of my own emotions, courageously allowing him to see me for who I was.

We embarked on a journey of discovery together, making a conscious choice to accept each other the way we are and taking personal responsibility to heal our respective wounds. We decided to get married after 10 years of being together, as a way to celebrate our success and commitment to move to the next level.

There is no magic formula, just a strong desire to nurture what we built, and LOADS of Life Alignment work, of course.

What a beautiful story and so encouraging! Do you have a recommendation on how we can practice our manifestation skills at home?

If I want to manifest something new in my life, I start with an honest “self-enquiry” and ask myself what qualities I need to acquire in order to open up to that specific manifestation. And then: I ask my Practitioner to do the process on me!

As I often say to both my students and clients: if you haven’t got it yet, it means it needs further work! So, never give up and keep peeling the layers, session after session. In my experience, The Universe always rewards our hard (personal and inner) work.

So, if your heart wishes for something new and exciting and you are willing to do your part, the Universe will conspire to give you exactly that and more!

The Manifestation Process is a simple and incredibly effective journey to get the life you want and become the best version of yourself.

The last 2 years, one large and pervasive loss settled over us all like a disorienting fog: the loss of normality, routine, safety, and predictability. This loss was quickly followed by others, including the loss of jobs and financial security; of gatherings and social lives; of important moments like weddings and graduations,and, most heavily, of loved ones. Grief is an intense emotional experience triggered by loss and the intensity of emotional grief is a current global topic – so called cumulative grief.

In this month’s newsletter I am talking to Christine Hardy, Life Alignment Practitioner and Teacher in South Africa, about her professional and personal experience with grief.

Why do we grieve? 

Grief has a purpose — it is how our bodies adapt to a loss and process it enough to move forward. Grieving is important because it allows us to ‘free up energy’ that keeps us bound to the lost person, object, or experience. If we don’t free up the energy, we will remain tied to the past. Our energy will not be reinvested in getting on with our life. Would you want a loved one you left behind to grieve for you for the next 10 years or would you want them to get on with their life?

I remember doing a Home Alignment process for someone living in another country some years back. There was something she needed to take out of the spare bedroom. It turned out to be all her late husband’s clothes that she had kept for 20 years. I was most surprised as she was at the time happily remarried. It took her a Home Alignment balance to finally help her to ‘’let go’’.

Is grief something good or bad?

First of all, it is important to remember grieving is not about forgetting! Grieving is just about our emotions and how we process them. Some are easier than others, it takes courage to process the painful ones, but this doesn’t mean it’s good or bad, it’s just a process.

Grieving helps us value the memories and experiences we’ve had. All experiences shape us. Most people prefer to remember the good memories and learn from the not so good ones. Learning these lessons is what helps us grow and evolve mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

In your opinion, what do we need to know about grief?

It’s helpful to understand that grief has different aspects. If a loved one is sick and being cared for, grieving can start long before the person passes away. This is an aspect of grief called anticipatory grief. Grief becomes more complicated when it’s prolonged or extremely traumatic.

Complicated grief results in intense sorrow and pain as one’s focus remains only on the deep-seated pain. Healing becomes more difficult as the person cannot move away and becomes entrenched in the pain body. If the intensity of grief isn’t processed over time it can become chronic, disabling a person from resuming their normal life.

Delayed grief or masked grief is often internalized. I recommend seeking help when grief has been going on for too long. I really like the approach of Life Alignment because the modality has tools to work with this pain body to identify and release it.

How do I know that grief has been going on for too long? Are there different stages of grief we go through?

The typical stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In 1994 I became a lifeline counsellor, I read as part of my training Elisabeth Kubler- Ross book on death and dying. They are tools to help us frame and identify how we may be feeling. Not everyone will go through the stages in a prescribed order, but they are a good guideline to see where you are in your own grieving. We all grieve differently.

If we get stuck, grieving can cause various effects on the body such as joint pain, digestive issues, headaches, lowered immunity, heart problems, and sleeping difficulties.

On a personal level I have recently suffered immense grief from loss of trust and betrayal, followed by the sudden death of my husband in January 2021, 6 months after my father passed. Anxiety still affects me intermittently. I’m gradually learning to ‘’let go’’ and adjust to envisioning a new life. Grieving comes in waves and it’s a process where you need to be gentle and loving to yourself.

How did you get in touch with Life Alignment?

I became aware of other energy fields when I introduced Indian Head massage into my hair salon in 2000, it was then I realised that I was clairsentient. I could sense my client’s emotions and energy in the form of a vibration or as a wave of emotion that swept through me that I knew wasn’t my own.

My first experience of having a Life Alignment session was mind blowing, especially as prior to understanding energy medicine I was a bit of a skeptic. I experienced my body releasing my parent’s trauma, grief and fear in the way of a primal scream that seemed to come from nowhere with absolutely no control.

At the end of my session the practitioner told me that I needed to see the dentist. At the time it didn’t make any sense but 2 days later my gold inlay came out whilst chewing on a toffee. I knew at this moment I had to learn this healing modality. I haven’t looked back over the past 19 years of practicing Life Alignment. I have witnessed many amazing transformations.

That sounds like a powerful experience indeed. Do you have another example when Life Alignment helped to release grief?

When we learn to trust we move out of fear into love. Our true state of being can only flow when we are back in Alignment with ourselves, it then has a positive healing rippling effect to our loved ones and makes the world a better place to live in.

When I was 6 years old, my 4-year-old brother had been admitted to hospital with severe encephalitis. I knew my brother may not live and if he survived, he would be impaired on a mental level. My brother Paul survived but was taking up to 9 prescribed medications daily for years. As an adult he could read and write with the mental ability of an 8-year-old. When he was visiting me in South Africa in 2004 from the U.K I practiced Life Alignment on him as a case study. He was lying on the coach with his eyes closed. I thought he was asleep, but he got up after I finished and wrote this in 2004. My brother died of a heart attack at age 46 in 2005.

If a friend of mine goes through a grieving process, how can I support?

Here are a few tips on how to support one’s own or a loved one grief:

• Do the work to understand and come to terms with your loss

• Cry don’t hold back

• Don’t worry if you don’t feel the need to cry

• Accept you may feel lonely, reach out for support and company

• Get plenty of rest

• Embrace all your emotions

• Join a Yoga class and breathe (helped me with anxiety)

• Don’t judge yourself

• Eat well and drink lots of water

• Tackle one thing at the time during overwhelm

• Don’t make any major decisions

• Take care of your inner needs

I highly recommend Philippa Lubbock’s book, Life Alignment Heal and discover your soul’s true purpose. It gives in depth understanding of vibrational medicine and how Life Alignment gets to the root cause of any issue like a laser beam. It helps to unveil the purpose of all our life experiences – also the painful ones.

Better still contact a practitioner near you and experience Life Alignment first-hand in person or online with video call. It will connect you to your own wisdom to help you change your thinking, feeling and expand your consciousness. Remember adversity is an opportunity to grow, learn and heal.