by Marco Nunez

From one vantage point, the Alignment Process is nearly entirely comprised of dealing with the Ego. While I am sure the Ego has always been a challenge and potential trap for humans, it seems like our current culture exacerbates things enormously.

Ego is not inherently bad - it is actually an integral part of our ability to have the human experience.
Imagine for a moment what the experience would be like if the Egoic/dualistic distinctions that are present at the physical, psychological, psychic/astral planes of existence weren't there. It seems to me it would just be a big chaotic, simultaneous cacophony of thought and experience without any way to differentiate if it came from you, me, the angelic being next to us or the squirrel outside our window.
The problem occurs when we don't subjugate the Ego to its proper place and even worse, identify its voice as the Essential "I."

When we refer to the Ego (I believe) we are referring to a complex and interconnected web of interactions between our humans and what I will term the "lower" aspect of our Souls (referred to as the Animal Soul in some traditions - neither "lower" or "animal soul" carry with them any value judgments) - when we are "Unconscious" we unwittingly allow Ego to take control of our thinking and emotional bodies and because we are listening to the Ego voice (identifying with it as "I" instead of simply a powerful aspect of our human machine/suit) we are excited/energized by the things it is concerned with.

The Ego Body is constantly looking for things that affirm its understanding of who we "are." Its fingerprints are very recognizable because it always wants to do something for a reason OTHER THAN the simple enjoyment of that action. Your Higher Self is content with doing a thing for the sake of doing it. Your Higher Self knows exactly what and who you are and knows the plan you designed and requested before incarnating so it has no need of acknowledgement or reinforcement.

The objective, as I have experienced it, is not to destroy the Ego but to put it in its proper place in the hierarchy of your Inner World. This balance is what the Alignment Process creates within us as we are taught by undeniable experience that only those things aligned with our Higher Self and its desires will truly satisfy.
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PS Put in its proper place, the Ego can actually be used to help you achieve and manifest desired outcomes. For example: If surfing the energy created by your Ego's desire to look a certain way helps you eat in a way that is more supportive for your Body and Soul and you can do it while remaining aware of what you are doing and why, then go for it!

​- Marco

By Julie Day

I was going to title this, "Grateful out the wazoo." That's how Abundance feels to me. It's bubbling and overflowing. It's infinite good. It is rich, ripe and ever-present.

So many of us touch upon that feeling regularly. 

So, why do so many of us struggle with abundance showing up as financial flow? Why, when we're the ones committed to seeing and expressing gratitude, to looking at our patterns of lack and limitation, why are we the ones who so often fail to prosper with our finances? 

First, let's strip off the shame layer. If there's any present in your system, let it go right now. You are right where you are supposed to be. Ain't no room for shame in the abundance game.

Second, allow me to share some of my personal journey here. You might recognize pieces of your own within this. 

Up until a few years ago, this was a HUGE source of anxiety and struggle for me. It made no sense~ I had committed my life to doing good, to looking within, to healing and wellness.... for myself and others. On top of that, I was focused on creating an abundant life from the inside out. Why was I the one flailing when other, more self-focused friends of mine (who couldn't give a rat's ass about "manifesting") prospered? I didn't get it. What was I getting wrong? 

Seek and ye shall find ;) As I looked inside for all that which was not in alignment with prosperity consciousness, I found aplenty: 

There was the "I'm not good enough" pattern deeply embedded in my subconscious. As I limited myself, that was reflected back to me as lack and limitation in my financial affairs. 

There was the co-dependent pattern of prioritizing other's needs over my own. That showed up as caring too much for my client's wallet and not enough for mine.

There was the fear of rejection. The fear of failure. The fear of my own power. 

Eventually, it was all so easy to see: Life was not punishing me, life was REFLECTING me... to a tee. 

It didn't matter how much I practiced gratitude, or knew about the abundant nature of God, or prayed to know more financial flow. "God" couldn't hack the system and by-pass the laws of creation. As within, so without. My own internal patterns/beliefs, by law, created my experience. My prayers and my gratitude were not magic pills to make disappear an entire incarnation of stuff in order to bring about instant abundance. They had no chance of getting past my own BS! But, they weren't ineffective either. They worked to shift my vibration into the abundance frequency I was calling forth. In doing so, they acted as the grease to get those unconscious beliefs up and out~ they worked to out that which did not align with what I was calling in. 

After YEARS of conscious, intentional work to experience financial flow.... I actually gave up. That was my next step. There's no miraculous demonstration to share with you here. I simply gave up trying. I gave up focusing on my bank account. I gave up being fixated on "fixing" my worth or my value. 

A funny thing happened in that giving up phase... I gave up working so hard to achieve something, or to get something. Instead, I enjoyed life. I let myself be me, without judgment or compromise. I gave up financial shame and I just freaking embraced being where I was. 

Gratitude became easier, joy flowed, ease and grace took over. And the means would always appear. I was always, always, always taken care of. I would donate a freebie to a client, and I'd be surprised with dinner out on a friend. I said yes to moving across country, and friends donated dishes to fill my kitchen, while Spirit led me to goodwill as soon as the most amazing mid-century dresser came in for a whopping $10. A friend gave up her gently worn Dansko clogs, just as Fall was approaching and my LA flip-flops were due for retirement. I was ALWAYS taken care of... even with shoes for heaven's sake! 

And so I trusted that, leaned into that, and let the river carry me. This was my set-point for about 4 years, and it never failed. 

And then, out of seemingly nowhere... financial flow started to happen... and abundantly! One client would buy a package, then two more would sign up, then another would sign up. It was like a dam had been unstuck, and all of life gushed to show me a whole new experience of abundance. 

I was finally a vibrational match for all those Julie prayers for prosperity.... and apparently, I had prayed ABUNDANTLY (or at least it felt like it :)).

It took me ten years to line up my inside world with prosperity consciousness, enough so that I began to experience a sense of overflow and abundance in the outer world of effect. TEN YEARS PEOPLE!! Worth it, yes. But you know what was the most valuable part of it all ... those 4 years of trust and surrender. Living in the mystery and trusting that I was cared for is a ninja skill I am beyond grateful to have. That is now unshakeable within me. All this outer stuff can come and go as it pleases, there is a rock of "all needs met" consciousness that has formed within my being and it is immovable, it is unafraid, and it is grateful out the wazoo. 

Ironically, those Dansko clogs died about a year ago, and I just received my new pair today :)Whether I bought them, or God brought them to me... same thing, different flavor of abundance. 

So, here's what I know to be true for us all, but particularly if you struggle with the money game, too: 

1.) You are right where you're supposed to be. 
2.) Your prayers, your intentions, your visions for prosperity are working!! They will land as your outer reality... eventually. Be patient as they uproot everything internally that stands against your prosperity. 
3.) All your needs ARE ALREADY MET. Always and in all ways. 
4.) Life is working FOR you, not against you. 
5.) What you are currently experiencing is not a punishment, it's a reflection. Don't use this to shame yourself, use it to empower yourself. Catch the reflection. Rewire your abundance matrix. 

Want a helping hand with your prosperity consciousness? Get this book and work through it diligently: The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price. It will teach you everything you need to remember about your true abundant nature. 

Over on The Playground, we changed plans for Nov and decided to move through a 40-day abundance journey together, as outlined in the book just mentioned. There will be a few posts from the trail, as we move through this journey together. Stay tuned!

Grateful out the wazoo :)))))
Julie ​

By Julie Day
 
The Secret came out in 2006, just as I was entering classes at Agape that would lead me to becoming a Licensed Practitioner in 2010. You guys, I was so spiritual!! (said in my best valley girl voice ;). 

I remember digesting The Secret with equal parts inspiration and self-flagellation. 

Ohhhhhh... so that's how you get what you want! Amazing, I now have the keys to creation!! 

Followed very quickly by....

Shit, I'm doing this all wrong. Why can't I get this right? Why can't I manifest a decent paying day-job/loving partnership/or even money for rent for crying out loud please Universe why am I having to go through this again?!??! I'm a good person, I'm meditating, I'm vision-boarding... why am I the most terrible manifestor ever??! 

"Manifesting" drove me crazy (clearly). Any time I invested energy into manifesting, beyond a parking spot, I would inevitably "fail." 

Eventually I gave it up. Too much energy invested in trying to get something or reach an outward goal. And, too much energy invested in something that created self-judgment in my system. 

Instead, I surrendered. I enjoyed life. I focused on giving over getting. I focused on the magic of creating instead of the goal of the creation. 

And then one day, manifestation just happened. Not the moment I surrendered, or the moment I "got out of the way." It happened years later... YEARS of surrendering, people. But, it happened. Things just started to appear with the most effortless grace and ease. I asked, it was given. Ohhhhhhh, I get it now. No wonder I couldn't "manifest" way back when. 

Here's what I discovered about the process that I believe to be essential...and why we should all give up focusing on this freaking manifestation thing (imho): 

There's an alignment process that we're all going through. It's perfect, it's part of the beautiful and perfect order of The Universe, of which YOU are a holographic re-presentation. You are aligning with your soul's highest Self and path. 

Great, how can I do that faster, more effectively? 

Easy there, most amazing Spiritual Warrior! Cool your Ninja jets.

Life is already supporting you in reaching your alignment. It is doing so right now, in the best way possible for you. You are being escorted to your perfect curriculum each step of the way... to see the junk in your trunk, to release that which is not supportive to your intentions, and to align with that which is. 

Life is already supporting you in this. Life is carrying you. You are held. Right now!

You are not getting it wrong. You are not behind. You are not failing at manifesting the life of your dreams. 

You are right on track! (RIGHT NOW!)

The reason you're not manifesting "that job" or "that relationship" is because you're not yet at the stage of alignment where you vibrationally match the amazingness of what you are calling in. BUT... BUTBUTBUT... it's not because you're somehow getting it wrong, nor is it time to whip out your shame hat over not being that vibrational match yet. It's because you're cooking up something ridiculously amazing that takes a minute to work up to. AND THAT'S PERFECT AND WHAT WE ALL GO THROUGH! 

You're alignment has it's own perfect cooking time. 

Canned soup takes a few minutes to warm up. Homemade soup of the highest order, takes all day. 

Burgers take a few minutes to cook. Beef bourguignon takes all day. 

You get my vegan/carnivorous drift. I'm willing to bet all my gold dabloons that you are not here to have a canned soup career, or a fast-food burger relationship. 

You are right where you are supposed to be for this amazingly precious, high-vibing creation that you are calling forth and aligning with. 

Once you reach a divinely appointed marker in your alignment, manifestation just happens. Why? Because Life is ALWAYS supporting you. It's supporting you in seeing your gunk in the trunk in order to align, and then it supports you in expanding and amplifying once you've aligned. Wherever you are is perfect, and you are supported. 

When aligned, there's no need to vision board it, other than to have fun and clarify your focus. There's no need to pray for it, other than to feel supported and activated. There's no need to vision on it, other than to crystalize the steps you're being asked to take. And there's no need to freaking "manifest."

Alignment = grace and flow.  

Trust the timing. Keep cooking. Let Life take care of the details. 

How can I support myself in aligning? 

Great question, Ninja. You just don't stop, do you? I totally get you ;)))

 Three answers come to mind... 

1.) Trust. Get out of the way. Surrender. There's a Divine timing to all this that sometimes has little to do with your individual path and everything to do with the web of life that you are co-creating alongside. Yay! That means you can toss aside self-flagellation, self-loathing, and self-judgment. 

2.) Follow your highest resonance. Don't follow what the world tells you will create happiness or success, don't follow what your shoulds tell you, nor what your inner critic tells you... Follow your Highest Resonance. Get in your home-frequency, your high vibe (and yes, this ebbs and flows on purpose. Awesome, keep at it).

3.) Stay vigilant to all limiting thoughts/beliefs that stand against that which you desire to create/experience. (I don't know enough yet, I have to have 10,000 instagram followers before I submit my book proposal, etc...) Bust them as the lies and limitations that they are. Forgive yourself for believing them as true, and then annihilate them. Replace them with higher and higher truths. 

The above is a great recipe for soul-support throughout your aligning process.


Keep Cookin'!
Julie