CORE

At the core of the diagram is SPIRIT. This is because this is what is at the core of each of us. This is the DIVINE that is within us all.  It is the truth of who we really are. 

Have you ever experienced a "spiritual" experience or an "enlightenment"?  A moment when your perspective of life was suddenly lifted high and you could see clearly what mattered and what didn't.  Such "peak experiences" can and do happen leaving us speechless, maybe in tears of joy and gratitude.  But they don't last- they quickly fade.  Is that because Spirit comes and goes at it pleases, only occasionally lifting us or enlightening us?  The truth is that Spirit is always present- in surrounds us and interpenetrates us at every moment- it is the very breath we breath and life force within us.  The reason why we don't always feel enlightened is not because Spirit comes and goes, it is because our awareness of it comes and goes.  And our awareness of it is determined by our ATTENTION available to give to it.  For many of us, our attention is so tied up or trapped in lower levels of consciousness, that there is little, if any left to focus on higher levels.  So the process of personal growth or spiritual growth is one of a continual freeing of trapped attention.  This is where the eight spheres come in.

EIGHT SPHERES

Surrounding this divine core are eight spheres or areas of our nature that need to be understood and consciously brought into alignment with our divine core.  They have specifically been ordered in the way they are because they build on each other sequentially.  As we focus our awareness on key issues in each sphere and take actions to resolve issues in each sphere, we begin to release attention that has been trapped there.  As trapped attention is released, it rises like helium to the next "ceiling" that traps it.  As we go through the eight spheres, releasing bits of attention, we accumulate more and more attention available to become more and more aware of the ever presence of Spirit and we become more "enlightened".     

The eight spheres are also inter-related and ultimately connected to the core of SPIRIT so that progress made in one sphere will positively impact all other spheres simultaneously. So I encourage you to start at the top and go around the circle clockwise, but also to listen to your inner coach and delve into any area that pulls at your interest more than others.

Starting at 12 o'clock and going around clockwise:

1- Self-Esteem

2- Self-Leadership

3- Health and Fitness

4- Money & Work

5- Mind & Beliefs

6- Intuition

7- Emotions

8- Fear & Shadow

Understanding and mastering these eight worlds is a life-long process of continually going deeper and constantly aligning with SPIRIT.  So it’s not one time around and you’re there.  It really is an “eternal circle” or “spiral” which can spin upwards or downwards. 

You may have already had lots of experience with the downward, negative spiral.  We’re going to try to reverse that into a positive, upward spiral.  

OUTER RING

The two outer rings of RELATIONSHIPS and CONTRIBUTION represent how all of this manifests itself in our world. 

The end purpose of DIVINE and ALIGN is to go forth and SHINE! 

To serve and lift others, to relieve suffering around us and to contribute to our world that which we are meant to contribute.  As you look honestly at these outward indicators in your own life, you will be able to get a sense of your own internal alignment. 

To the extent that there is stress or strain in your relationships- be they with spouses, ex-spouses, children, parents, friends, bosses, co-workers, relatives or even just fellow “anonymous” human beings you run across on the roads, in shops, standing in line, or even watch on TV or hear about on the radio or read about in the paper, then you know you’ve got some alignment work to do on yourself- not on others. 

To the extent that you feel you are currently not contributing all you are capable of contributing to your world- all you were meant to contribute, then you’ve got some internal alignment work to do.

So, I’ll make the bold leap of faith and assume that you’ve got some aligning work to do on yourself.  Well, then welcome to the club!  This is a group of people that are not perfect, not even close, but are now on the path of the “road less traveled.” 

We are the READY, WILLING and ABLE to really grow spiritually. While we’ve always been able to make this journey, we haven’t always been ready or willing. So if you’re READY and WILLING- let’s get to work.

  John Groberg writes on a wide variety of topics related to personal and spiritual growth.  His slogan is Grow. By Choice™.  His articles draw out principles of personal and spiritual growth common to the world’s ancient wisdom and spiritual texts as well as many of the great philosophers, poets, and writers of ancient and modern times.   These principles are then put to the test in his own life with an emphasis on simple, sustainable practices we can apply in our daily lives to more effectively deal with the stresses and struggles of modern life and to more fully realize the benefits of deliberate growth.   John developed a model called the Divine-Align-Shine model as a way of visually organizing the principles, practices and the overall process of personal and spiritual growth.   His writings are cataloged and organized on his website, www.johngroberg.com where contact information is available.