The Power of Alignment
Introduction
“The Power of Alignment,” is the first class in a two-part series on the Breath hosted by Abdi Assadi and Pernilla Burke.
For years, I lived in a body that I wasn’t fully aware of. My mind was always ahead of me, rushing into the future, tangled in thoughts and worries. My posture reflected this—shoulders curled forward, jaw tight, breath shallow. I had no idea that the way I carried myself was shaping the way I experienced life. This podcast episode was an exploration of something so fundamental yet so often overlooked: alignment. Not just physical alignment, but the deeper alignment of body, mind, and breath. It’s about how the way we hold ourselves affects our nervous system, how grounding techniques can bring us back to the present, and how breath awareness can be the key to unlocking a sense of peace that is always available to us.
This isn’t just theory—it’s an invitation. To notice. To realign. To step into a way of being that feels more expansive, more connected, more alive.
Posture as a Tool for Awareness and Nervous System Regulation
Our bodies remember everything. They carry the weight of our experiences, the stress of our thoughts, and the stories we tell ourselves without words. For years, I didn’t realize how much my posture reflected my state of being—how the way I held myself mirrored the way I felt inside. Shoulders hunched in self-protection, breath shallow with anxiety, spine curved under the weight of the unseen. Posture isn’t just about looking “put together”—it’s a conversation with the nervous system. When we slump forward, we signal to our bodies that we are under threat. When we stand tall, rooted, and open, we tell ourselves that we are safe. In the podcast, we explored how awareness of posture can shift our internal landscape, transforming unconscious tension into conscious ease. Bringing mindfulness to how we hold ourselves can be a simple but profound tool for nervous system regulation. It begins with noticing: Where do I collapse? Where do I tighten? And then, with intention, we can make micro-adjustments—lengthening the spine, softening the shoulders, allowing the heart space to open. This isn’t just physical; it’s energetic. When we align, we allow energy to flow freely, creating space for presence, breath, and emotional clarity. Posture, in this sense, becomes more than a physical practice. It’s a way to access inner stability. A reminder that we are strong, capable, and supported by the very ground beneath us.
Techniques for Proper Alignment and Grounding
Grounding is an act of coming home. Not to a place, but to the body, to the moment. In this fast-moving world, so many of us are untethered, living in our heads, disconnected from the root of our being. Learning how to align ourselves properly—physically, mentally, energetically—is a return to wholeness.
One of the simplest and most powerful grounding techniques we discussed in the podcast is connection to the feet. Often overlooked, our feet are our foundation, the direct link between us and the earth. Standing with bare feet on the ground, feeling the subtle shift of weight, sensing the textures beneath us—this alone can recalibrate the nervous system. Then there’s the practice of stacking the body in alignment: feet hip-width apart, knees soft, pelvis neutral, spine extending upward as if a golden thread were pulling from the crown of the head. This isn’t rigid posture; it’s dynamic stability. A place where strength meets softness. Beyond the body, grounding is also about intention. It’s in the way we breathe deeply into the belly instead of gripping in the chest. It’s in the way we engage with the present moment rather than scattering our energy in a hundred different directions. When we integrate grounding practices into daily life, we create a center of gravity within ourselves. A place we can always return to, no matter what storms arise.
Breath Awareness and Integration into Daily Life
Breath is life. It is the invisible thread connecting us to the present moment, to our bodies, to the world around us. And yet, how often do we actually breathe with awareness?
I remember the first time I truly noticed my breath. Not in a forced way, but in a way that felt like a homecoming. It was during meditation, when everything else fell away, and all that remained was the simple rhythm of inhale, exhale. It was in that stillness that I realized how breath holds the power to shift our entire state of being. In the podcast, we explored how intentional breathing can be a tool for balance and integration. Simple practices—like diaphragmatic breathing, where we inhale deeply into the belly, or box breathing, where we inhale, hold, exhale, and hold again—have a profound effect on the nervous system. Breath is also a bridge. It connects mind and body, inner and outer worlds. When we bring breath awareness into daily activities—pausing to take a full breath before responding to an email, inhaling deeply while standing in line, sighing out tension after a stressful moment—we begin to anchor ourselves in presence. Breath isn’t something we have to control. It’s something we learn to listen to. It reminds us that we are alive, that we are here. That in this very moment, we have everything we need.
Conclusion
What if alignment isn’t just about standing up straight? What if it’s about coming home to ourselves The beauty of these practices—posture awareness, grounding techniques, breathwork—is that they are always accessible. You don’t need a special setting, a perfect moment, or years of training. You just need a willingness to pause, to notice, to realign. Every step we take in awareness is a step toward presence. And when we are present, we are fully alive.
So today, take a breath. Stand tall. Feel your feet on the ground. This is where it begins.
