Pillar 1: Spiritual Alignment
- Kharissa Parker
- Aug 3
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 3
Although The 7 Pillars of Self-Care is an organized system in which one pillar flows right into the next, it's important to note that any pillar can impact or overlap with other pillars at any given time. Your mental health can affect how you maintain your physical health. Self-awareness can play a role in whether or not you have healthy relationships. It just depends on your history, influences, and life experiences.
That said, one thing I came to learn relatively quickly is that working on realigning any pillars was a waste of time if Spiritual Alignment wasn't intact. That's why it's first on the list.
I know alignment is one of those spiritual trendy buzzwords making its rounds on Beyoncé's internet right along with abundance, vibes, and — my new favorite courtesy of Gen Z — aura. Trend or not, these words carry weight and I believe we're drawn to them for a reason.
By definition, alignment means "to arrange things based on their relationship to one another on a specific course in a position of agreement."
That's a three-fold statement right there:
to arrange things based on their relationship to one another
on a specific course
in a position of agreement.
So, when we talk about spiritual alignment, what we're really talking about is tuning our energy in a way that brings our emotions, thoughts, individual needs, body, the spaces we occupy, and relationships with other people together to support our growth and empower us to thrive.
If you're thinking that this may be a little woo-woo, it is — but that doesn't mean it's not true!
And the science backs it up.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT
I believe science is the physical manifestation of the spiritual world and that couldn’t be more true than with this first pillar.
Spiritual alignment is a vibe — and I don't mean in a trendy way.
A vibe — short for vibration (duh) — is energy. And that means everything you feel, say, or do is happening at a certain frequency.
The laws of physics define a vibration as both:
movement that causes sound, and
sound that causes movement.
Let’s break that down.
Think about how your voice and your ears work together.
When you speak, your voice box vibrates and produces a sound wave that travels invisibly through the air until it reaches your ear and hits your eardrum.
And when sound hits your eardrum, what does your eardrum do?
It vibrates — and only then can you actually hear the words being spoken.
Vibration is literally both sound caused by movement and movement caused by sound.
This is why the biblical story of creation has always fascinated me.
In Genesis 1, God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.
God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation.” And it did.
God said, “Let us make human beings in our image.” And here we are.
From the very beginning, things move into existence because they were spoken into existence.
And you know what that sounds like to me? A key piece to manifestation. Your vibe is everything.
Whether you believe the creation story literally or metaphorically, there’s something powerful and magical here! The idea that vibes quite literally bring life into form aligns beautifully with what science has already taught us.
So, when it comes to manifesting what you want in life, I don’t believe in faking it until you make. I believe in speaking it until you see it.
Spiritual alignment is a vibe.
It’s both how we manifest and why we manifest. And I don’t just mean big picture goals coming to life. I’m talking about it on a day-to-day basis.
Consciously and subconsciously, your vibe determines what kind of day you’re going to have.
We’ve all been there.
You wake up and something feels off. Maybe your morning doesn’t go smoothly. You spill your coffee. You get a passive-aggressive text. Suddenly, you’re bracing for the whole day to just suck.
That, my friend, is also spiritual alignment — but it’s alignment on a lower frequency.
Now, of course life happens, but your perspective influences your energy and your vibe shapes your experience.
SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION ARE NOT THE SAME THING
Spiritual alignment doesn’t require religious affiliation. It can include religious beliefs — but it doesn’t have to.
Religion is a set of practices or beliefs. Spiritual alignment is a way of being. And those two don’t always go hand-in-hand. Should they? I'd argue they should, yes. But there are a lot of religious people in the world who don't have a spiritual bone in their body.
The Bible even points this out. The Pharisees were devout religious leaders, but Jesus often called them out for being more focused on appearances than actual love. They followed the rules, but missed the heart of the matter.
Unfortunately, that mindset still exists today. I call it the Institute of American Church Culture — or the IACC. It’s not a real institution per se, but the term represents a real mindset: people who use God’s name to uphold outdated traditions, political ideologies, and cultural rules disguised as righteousness.
That, my friends, is the true definition of using God's name in vain.
To be clear, of course I don't believe every pastor or church is like this. There are amazing people of all faiths — be it Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or something else — who truly embody compassion, justice, and grace.
But what separates spiritual alignment from rigid religion is this:
It invites people to grow.
It encourages healing.
It empowers positive change.
It brings people together.
And that’s the kind of alignment that can transform not only your life — but your relationships, your community, and the world.
4 MODES OF CONSCIOUSNESS BY OREN HARRIS
The question that I get pretty often from people when they're first learning about Spiritual Alignment is, "How do I do it? How do I get into alignment?"
As much as you may hate to hear this, the simple truth is that you just do it. You literally just choose to step into a higher frequency of spiritual alignment.
But, for those who need more of a step-by-step approach, I get it. I'm also that person.
The best method I've heard is from mastery coach and spiritual guide Oren Harris. First of all, anyone who calls himself "the king of flow" is someone I want to be friends with. He and his fiancée Chelsey Jo Huntsman are kisses from God — but I digress.
I once heard Oren Harris teach on what he calls the 4 Modes of Consciousness. As I listened to him speak, I realized this is exactly how we move into Spiritual Alignment. It happens one shift at a time.
1. Victim Mode
“Life is happening to me.”
In Victim Mode, it feels like life is out of your hands. Your circumstances call the shots. You feel stuck, powerless, reactive. You believe everything that happens — the job loss, the heartbreak, the setbacks — is being done to you.
This is the lowest state of consciousness, but the moment you realize you’re in it is a breakthrough in itself because awareness is what gives you the power to choose something new.
2. Hustle Mode
“Life is happening by me.”
Once you step into Hustle Mode, you begin to reclaim your power. You realize you are responsible for your life. Your mindset changes. You start taking bold steps, setting goals, working hard, and going after what you want.
And let’s be real — that’s an important phase. It’s a sign of growth.
But here’s the catch! If you stay in Hustle Mode too long, it becomes all about control. You start obsessing over the how, micromanaging your journey, and missing the magic that comes from trust and ease. Hustle can get you moving, but it won’t get you aligned.
3. Flow Mode
“Life is happening through me.”
Flow Mode is where things start to shift in a deeper way.
You stop trying to force everything and you start following your inspiration. You listen to your inner voice. You get quiet long enough to receive divine downloads — those nudges, insights, and moments of clarity that seem to come out of nowhere (but really don’t).
Flow Mode feels lighter. More connected. You move with intention, but without the need to control every step. You're not waiting for perfect conditions. You trust the process — and yourself — more than ever before.
4. God Mode
“Life is happening as me.”
This is the highest level of Spiritual Alignment.
In God Mode, you recognize that you’re not separate from the divine — you’re a co-creator with it. You’re in sync with the higher intelligence and your choices reflect that unity. Life becomes less about striving and more about aligning, thriving, and being.
You don’t just believe in the power of your words, energy, and intention. You embody it.
I think it's important to note that these four modes aren’t a one-way ladder you climb once and never revisit. They’re more like states of being we move through depending on where we are in our growth, healing, and awareness. Some days, you might catch yourself slipping into Victim Mode — and that’s okay. What matters is that you recognize it and remember you have a choice to change.
Spiritual alignment is about choosing again and again to return to your power.
To flow with life.
To live in unity with something greater.
To show up with purpose.
SELF CHECK
When you’re in spiritual alignment, you’re able to trust in divine timing and you make wise decisions.
When you’re out of alignment, you may feel like you lack direction or as if you’re moving aimlessly throughout the world. You could even feel confused, depressed, or unable to learn.
At the same time, being too dreamy can also be a sign that you’re out of alignment. It’s one thing to visualize and go into a deep meditative state. It’s another thing to get so lost in the clouds that you lose sense of your purpose or how to use your spirituality in practical way.
Some signs your body will show when you’re not spiritually aligned can include headaches or sensitivity to light or sound.
To get into alignment:
see which mode of consciousness you're in and do whatever work you feel called to to elevate into God Mode
hike to high places or enjoy a rooftop view
look at mountains
read or journal on mindfulness or how to be more present and aware
write and speak affirmations that begin with, “I understand.”
meditate to sounds or tones with 963 Hz frequencies
study Proverbs 3:6
Tools to incorporate into your practice can include:
Crystals: fluorite or quartz
Flowers: tulips, lotus, angelica
Incense, herbs, and oils: sage, lavender, basil, or gotu kola, lotus flower, allspice, cedarwood, frankincense, jasmine, myrrh, rose
Foods and drinks: anything that supports cleansing or detoxing
Colors: purple and white
