Alignment or Agreement?
Recently I was introduced to a very powerful distinction by a friend and highly respected colleague, John Wittry. It is a distinction that instantly expanded my awareness about Love. I don't recall the context of what led to his use of the distinction. What I recall is that the moment he explained it through a metaphor, I felt the significance of it in every cell of my body. I couldn't wait to share it with others!
The distinction is the difference between coming into agreement versus coming into alignment. I will use the same analogy he used.
Imagine you are on a 4 lane highway and the speed limit is 70 miles an hour. Suddenly a sign appears announcing that the speed limit has dropped to 55 miles an hour without any obvious reason for the change in speed. In that moment, you have to make a choice to either ignore the speed limit or honor it, even though the highway ahead is clear and straight for miles.
Of course you can make the decision to ignore it which then creates a potential risk of getting a speeding ticket. If that risk is not one you wish to take, then you must comply with the speed limit. It is here that the distinction becomes prominent in terms of your experience for the rest of your trip.
You can come into agreement with the posted speed limit meaning you agree to comply with the regulation even though you don't come to full peace with it. Your agreement truthfully comes from the fear of getting a ticket or the resistance to being told what to do. In other words you comply with some level of resentment present and we all know that resentment is a negative energy that robs you of the ability to feel and experience Love.
The other choice you have is to come into alignment with the speed limit. What this means is that you find unconditional acceptance and allowance about the regulation. In other words, you find a way to look at the positive aspects of slowing down so that there is no resentment, anger, or malice towards it. You actually feel your way into an alignment that is so clear and positive that you appreciate the request!
Through alignment you step into the energy of Love which allows you to fully enjoy all the moments to follow. Who knows, you may see something incredibly beautiful on this stretch of highway that you've never seen before!
I suggest to you that Love engages the world through alignment. Fear must rely on agreements that often fuel resentment unless alignment eventually emerges. As you move about your world today I hope you will test out this distinction in a situation in your life. The moment I did, everything shifted for me...and my ability Make my Love Visible vastly expanded.
With Love ~ Tom
