Spiritual and Personal Growth with Alisa Gracheva

Alisa Gracheva has transformed her life into a mission of helping others as a spiritual and life coach. She utilizes her education, experience and skills to support others holistically to achieve their goals in all areas of life including career, health, relationships, personal happiness and overall wellness. She guides people to become the master of their life and destiny.

Explain the role of coaching in one’s journey.

Coaching is a means to help you identify and fulfill your ideals in all areas of your life, step by step. Just like having a personal trainer you’re the one who shows up, puts in the effort and gets the results. We help facilitate the process through our range of tools, skills and insights that help you reach your goals. A coach will help overcome the limiting beliefs that tend to stop people from taking action. A coach helps put you on track and helps you stay there. We support people we coach or counsel and guide them to discover the answers they already have. No one is broken. We all need a little love and understanding from time to time. To see people become independent and strong after our productive time together is the best reward there is.  

What is your unique approach to coaching?

I use a collective of different programs to provide a comprehensive and personalized approach that brings spiritual and personal development together. All of us need some support from time to time and one size never fits all. I talk to people about their journey, their past, their future, things they’ve tried before, what worked and what didn’t in order to provide them with what we can do in order to achieve the desired result.  Then we alter the plan as we go along.

What modalities and practices do you use in your spiritual coaching?

I help people to tune into their spirit through EFT (emotional freedom technique with tapping), meditation, concepts of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, Reiki, chanting, essential oils therapy, breathing exercises and energy healing.

Do you collaborate with other coaches?

Yes, I always acknowledge other inspiring professionals in my field and gladly provide a referral if I feel like my clients can benefit from another modality which is not offered by me. We are all in this together and I love to collaborate. 

How would you describe the spiritual self and the human self?

One cannot be without the other. When we look at life, we usually see how people differ in the way they live. It’s either people who dedicate their life solely to the human experience or those who only believe that our human body is a temporary vehicle. So it’s either the soul or the human body. But in reality, there must be a balance between the two. Yes, we are spirits living a human life, but even in that statement there is a spirit and there is a human. Both are important. 

How is both spiritual and personal development vital to us living to our fullest potential?

There is something bigger than us out there, there is no doubt about that.  I believe our life has meaning and it doesn’t end after death. Those who only see life as human existence will tremendously suffer when their life comes to a perceived end.  Those who decide to spend their life only in spirit may not be able to successfully deal with the hardships of life and, therefore, may end up in a serious psychological crisis. Our spiritual development helps us to find the meaning in life, while personal development helps us to successfully attain that meaning and enjoy the human existence in the meantime.  

Through coaching do you in turn get to learn more about yourself and your self beliefs?

Every person has their own struggles, perception, culture, values, thoughts and beliefs. Seeing their situation from their perspective allows me to broaden my own views.  It’s amazing to see how people so different can work together to bring a long-lasting change. I believe that we all learn from each other; clients from coaches, coaches from clients.

Do you believe that everything we experience in life always helps us grow?

Yes, there is meaning and something to be learned even in the worst experiences, no matter how hard or painful they may be. My journey wasn’t easy, but no one’s journey is. All of us have those moments in life, where we are at our lowest point; it can be devastating and horrifying. We can’t control how we may end up there. The question is how are we going to get out? That’s the art of being human. We may not see it at first, but everything happens for our highest good. It’s there for us to become a better person. There are so many aspects and factors that may be involved and we need to know how to address those. Everything in life is connected, and we just have to take one step at a time where the new level unfolds.   

How would you coach someone who wants to become centered again?

If I was working on a person’s thought patterns and understanding those cognitive distortions that prevent them from living a happy life, I would use the basics of cognitive behavioral therapy. Some people need to be re-centered; meditation or chanting can help with that. We would then find the best meditation practice and actually learn some specific techniques in meditation, there are so many of them.

What about someone that isn’t sleeping well?

Scents have a strong influence on how we feel. When we smell something, our olfactory nerve sends signals directly to our limbic system and amygdala, the parts of our brain responsible for our memory or mood. That’s why certain scents can instantly make us feel brighter, or recall a favorite memory. The best essential oils for sleep include lavender oil, valerian oil, clary sage, sweet marjoram and chamomile. Plants have so much to offer.

What can people do if they feel they are not moving forward?

We often feel unhappy if we are not moving forward. No matter of the expected outcome, it’s important to keep going.  So if you feel like something has to change, something has to change. Research what do you find interesting, or what you’ve always wanted to try.  The secret is in consistent practice. Even the best techniques will not bring a positive result if they are not done regularly. It’s all about discipline. Keep trying new things.  If something doesn’t click, it’s ok. There is something else that will. In order for us to live our best life we have to make different choices and make progress. 

Do you believe in destiny?

I would say that I do believe we plan our journey before we are even born. I believe in karma, and that we have to balance out the energies that we carry between our lifetimes.  I know it may not be a very scientific view of life, but it makes sense when we look at our life closely. That’s why it is so important for us to take responsibility for our life.  We are responsible for our actions and reactions to certain things.

Explain why self-care so vital.

When it comes to self-care, this is an absolute must. No matter how busy you are, it will be even more difficult to handle kids, a business, the household and life in general when we are bedridden due to a breakdown. Self-care is not something we do once a year, or once a month. It’s an everyday practice. At least thirty minutes a day. I would suggest an hour. And it doesn’t include watching TV, social media or gaming. It’s something that we can do to unplug; meditation, reading books, spending time in nature, yoga, going to the gym, taking a long hot bath/shower, etc.  Having quality time with one’s self will help us go a long way.

To learn more about Alisa and her techniques visit her website.