Portland

The medicine you need most might surprise you

Yesterday during a healing session, I offered my client a Shamanic journey to connect with one of their animal guides.

The journey was very beautiful, and the animal guide came through very strongly. It told me about some of the medicine that it wanted to share with my client, and *wow.*

After the journey, I told my client which animal guide had emerged. “Huh, that’s surprising,” they said. “I never in a million years would have guessed that.”

The guide who stepped forward was an ocean animal, and my client shared that they didn’t really resonate with the ocean. “I’m more of a desert and forest person.”

“Let’s see how this guide wants to support you,” I told my client. I guided my client through a journey to connect with their guide, and I journeyed simultaneously to receive more information and transmissions about the medicine this guide was offering.

My client surfaced from the journey with new appreciation for this guide. They told me what the guide had shared with them, and how it perfectly related to their current life circumstances.

Then I shared with my client what the guide had shown me regarding its medicine, and my client ended up in tears. “That’s exactly what I feel like! Yes, I definitely need that. That is f***in rad.”

All of this to say —

The medicine we need most might surprise us.

Some of the deepest, most powerful lessons and support can come from areas of our lives where we feel less familiar or comfortable.

Are you ready for your medicine to surprise you?

Are you open to powerful lessons and support from unexpected sources?

Are you called to work with powerful spiritual forces for the purpose of guidance, illumination and healing?


>>>Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you!

The Best Tools and How to Use Them

If you’re like me, you don’t just want tools in your tool belt.

You want the best tools, and you want to know how to use them masterfully.

And I have to tell you —

Alchemy has the best tools for powerful transformation.

And when we apply them skillfully —

Transformation becomes not only possible, but inevitable.

Alchemy has become one of the most valuable tools in my very extensive tool kit. (Remember, I’ve been walking this path for 22 years so I have lots of tools.)

And my Alchemy apprentices inevitably find the same thing to be true — Alchemy becomes one of their most valuable tools for personal healing and transformation.

One past apprentice shared:

“The I AM Alchemy course was not just a way to deepen my own magical mastery through all of the different teachings, tools, and practices, but it was a container for deep transformation.”

If you want the best tools and the skills to use them masterfully, you want the 5 Transformational Keys of I AM Alchemy.

Key 1: Alchemy Fundamentals

  • Master the Cycle of Transformation and practical application of spiritual technology.

  • Study Alchemy teachings on body, mind, heart and spirit transformation.

  • Learn practices and ancient wisdom foundationed in Universal Law.

  • Explore Alchemical teachings and practice for your personal constitution, and learn how to offer Alchemical healing to others.

Key 2: Alchemy of Self

  • Walk the 12 Pathways of Initiation to Mastery.

  • Use Alchemy to liberate trauma, dis-ease and stagnation.

  • Bring Alchemy mystery school teachings to your health, relationships, home, career and creative expression to transform on every level.

  • Come home to yourself and your sacred purpose with Alchemy wisdom teachings.

Key 3: Embody Alchemy

  • Fully ground high-vibration Alchemical transformation practice into the physical plane.

  • Bring Alchemy into your body and Earthly experience through movement practice, intuitive embodiment, qigong, breathwork and somatic cultivation.

  • Gain a complete somatic toolkit to create healing for yourself and your clients.

  • Use these techniques with energy work and consciousness practices to provide transformational experiences in 1:1 and group healing settings.

Key 4: Spiritual Collaboration

  • Cultivate powerful, working relationships with Divine beings of Alchemical wisdom.

  • Receive direct initiations and transmissions from spirit-side guides and teachers of the Alchemy wisdom tradition, and the I AM Alchemy mystery school.

  • Work directly with Spirit to translate cosmic and etheric forces into the material plane.

  • Develop your intuitive practice to channel forces of Alchemical creation and transformation into your life and practice.

Key 5: Practical Magic

  • Master the process of ritual and sacred ceremony. Prepare and design meaningful ritual experiences according to Alchemical correspondences.

  • Use your Alchemical knowledge to assess transformational and healing needs. Master the practical application of spiritual technology for healing and transformation on every level.

  • Cultivate your facilitation skills to create powerful transformational portals for yourself and your clients, in 1:1 or group settings.

Are you ready for the best transformational healing tools?

Are you ready to skillfully apply them in your life and in the world?

Are you ready for the inevitable transformation that will occur when you do?

The course begins soon. If you are called to join us in the crucible —


>>>Book a call with me to discuss Alchemy and see if you qualify.

Here's What Your Spiritual Practice Is Missing

Have you studied different spiritual or healing modalities, but still feel like there’s something missing?

Have you read the books, taken the courses and listened to the podcasts, but you don’t know how to organize your knowledge and training into a synergistic transformational practice?

Have you gotten the certifications and feel like you “should” be working with your tools, but you’re not sure how your unique magic and personal medicine fits within the systems you’ve studied?

If so, you need I AM Alchemy.

I AM Alchemy Mystery School will teach you to confidently transform yourself and others through the power of ancient spiritual wisdom and practical skill development.

Alchemy is the spiritual science of transformation — the logical, predictable map for how transformation actually works.

This system of ancient wisdom is the missing piece that will help all of your other modalities, tools and practices synergize and work together most effectively.

But don’t just take my word for it. Past students have reported:

“I recommend I AM Alchemy to anyone who has taken many courses and programs but still feel like they're not fully integrating. For me, this was like the graduate study in practical magic that helped pull everything together and allowed me to lead my own transformation.”

“Through I AM Alchemy, I have learned so much about how creation, transformation, and magic works on both a practical and spiritual level. This course helped me to incorporate all of the different teachings and modalities that I had learned before into a strong foundation that I can continue to use over and over again.”

“I feel so much more confident in my own practices, magic, and ability to lead.”

“I joined I AM Alchemy because I had been on a spiritual and magical journey for several years, but I desired something deeper to truly integrate all that I was learning. I knew I needed something with structure that was not just about completing modules or participating in calls, but something that I was able to immerse myself in while still living my day to day life.”

If you’re reading this and feeling, “YES, that’s me!” —

The I AM Alchemy course begins March 17!

This course is especially crafted for healers, practitioners and guides who desire an in-depth study and practical application of transformational spiritual skill development.

Are you ready to learn tools and practices that will immediately and noticeably enhance your vitality, health, energy and well-being?

Are you called to use these powerful tools to support your loved ones, community and clients in their journey of transformation and actualization?


>>>Book your I AM Alchemy interview call now!

Alchemy for Healing and Transformation: The Physics of Soulcraft

Did you see the article I posted the other day about Alchemy for Chaotic Times? (In case you missed it, circle back. Today we’re continuing the conversation.)

Let’s talk about the Physics of Soulcraft.

Is anyone else looking around at the coup-in-progress political nightmare and thinking any of the following:

  • I cannot believe how many people are going around “business as usual” and not acknowledging what is happening.

  • How the heck am I qualified to support this revolution? How can I help?

  • What is going to happen?

  • And lots of other things, including how f*ing selfish it is of Trusk and the broligarchs to be staging a very expensive and awful hissy fit power grab when we should collectively be focusing on the environmental crisis and basic human rights.

This might seem like a weird time to talk about Alchemy, but I promise it is actually extremely relevant. Here’s why:

Alchemy is like spiritual physics: it is the universal laws of creation and transformation that are constantly at work in our lives and in the world.

Most people go through their lives and have an intuitive understanding of basic physics. When you drop your keys, they will fall on the ground. When the roads are slippery, you drive slower. You can use a wrench to tighten a bolt more than you can with your fingers. These are all examples of the forces of physics at work.

Most of the time, these forces go unnoticed. We take for granted the effect they have on our lives and we usually don’t consciously think about them or engage with them on purpose.

But when we study physics and work with them intentionally, it opens the door for all kinds of possibilities: [a very long list of scientific discoveries and technological inventions goes here]. Like, basically everything we now take completely for granted. Light. Matter. Navigation. Telecommunications. Machines.

The same is true of Alchemy: its forces are constantly at work in our lives and in the world, and most of the time they go completely unnoticed.

But imagine what doors might open for us if we studied Alchemy and worked consciously with these principles.

Alchemy gives us a very logical, predictable blueprint for how transformation works. Once you know the pattern, you see it everywhere. (In that last article I shared how this political crapstorm is a textbook example of the first stage of Alchemy, called Calcination.)

But it’s more than a pattern. It’s also a very logical, organized set of tools and practices to help you navigate the pattern.

This is the way I teach Alchemy: you learn the theory of how and why it works so you can understand what’s going on in your life, and you learn the practices to engage with it and create transformation.

And it works on every level: it applies to our physical health and well-being. It applies to our thoughts and emotions. It applies to our relationships and interpersonal dynamics. It applies to our careers and sense of meaning and purpose. It applies to our homes, finances, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

So let’s circle back to that list up above.

I cannot believe that people are going around with “business as usual,” especially anyone in the spirituality/coaching/personal development field. This coup-in-progress is the result of long-term, systemic festering and collective trauma. The political crapstorm, MAGA zealotry and outrageous selfishness does not exist in a gross little bubble. We cannot ignore it, because the very fact of its existence lives in all of our collective pain, so it is our collective responsibility to address it. Spirituality is not meant to be convenient. It is not passive. It is not “God has a plan.” It is active, participatory, and deeply confronting. True spirituality and personal development work means we are consistently committed to wholeness and healing, which means there will be times when we are present with parts of ourselves and the world that are not whole and healed. This is a very obvious one of those times.

How can I help? How am I qualified to support the revolution? I am by no means an expert in government or public policy, but I am an expert in transformation, healing and spiritual physics. I see the pattern of Alchemy at work so plainly in everything that’s unfolding. It makes sense to me in a way that allows me to stay grounded, present and feeling empowered. Because I understand the principles of Alchemy and the energetic dynamics at play, I can use the practice of Alchemy to skillfully navigate the process and help other people do the same. If you’re like me and you know that you’re here to help with the mysteries of soulcraft, let’s talk about if working with Alchemy is right for you.

What is going to happen? I may not know the specifics of how it will play out or how long it will take, but because I know how Alchemy works, here’s what’s going to happen:

  1. We’ll be in the crapstorm for a while. Trusk and the broligarchs will keep crashing things as long as they can. People will get more upset. There will be a tipping point where the wave crests and the seemingly inevitable swell of fascism starts to crumble.

  2. We’ll be in the soup of heightened emotion, disorientation, crumbling illusions of trust in power, dissolving of ideologies. It will feel like no one knows what’s happening.

  3. We’ll start to analyze and sort it out: What was working that we want to keep? What was definitely not working that needs to be shut down forever? What new things can we try? Where do we go from here?

  4. We’ll start to rebuild, and put new systems and structures into place. It might be clumsy at first, and parts of it definitely will need adjusting, but it’s a start.

  5. At some point, those systems will take effect and start helping people. People will feel better about where we’re going. We’ll see positive change and new energy.

  6. That new energy starts to crystalize into a new national and generational identity that solidifies and stabilizes from there.

  7. And the cycle repeats, to varying degrees.

I know this because I know how Alchemy works. It is a logical, predicable pattern that explains how transformation works. Want a historical example of this to prove it? Look at WWII and the aftermath, or the Civil War. Same process. Because, Alchemy.

But remember that the real gem is more than knowing how it works: it’s knowing what to do with it. Knowing the theory and practical application of physics enables us to harness electricity, invent machines and instantly communicate with people on the other side of the world.

Knowing the theory and practical application of Alchemy enables us to achieve deep personal healing, completely rewrite old patterns, and feel empowered creating transformation in our lives and in the world.

Alchemy reminds us that Death is necessary before Rebirth can take place. This is true for us personally in our lives, and collectively as a society. This collective upheaval may be unpleasant, scary and unfortunately a lot of people are probably going to get hurt in the process. I am not dismissing any of that, and it makes me very sad. But remember, the fires of destruction that sweep through create fertile ground for new, healthy growth from the ashes. This is the promise of Alchemy.

And in case you’re feeling the call to work more deeply with Alchemy —

The I AM Alchemy course begins in March!

Are you called to collaborate with powerful spiritual forces of Universal Law?

Do you want to go from feeling like you’re living at the whims of change, to intentionally choosing your own path of transformation and creation?

Wouldn’t it be great to have a roadmap to guide you through the hardest transformational moments of your life?

Are you ready to learn tools and practices that will immediately and noticeably enhance your vitality, health, energy and well-being?

Do you want to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are living your life “on purpose?”

Are you called to use these powerful tools to support your loved ones, community and clients in their journey of transformation and actualization?

>>>Book your I AM Alchemy interview call now!

Alchemy for Chaotic Times: from Theory to Practice

I am feeling super fired up right now, for all the reasons you might imagine.

(Coup-in-progress. Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago today. Data breaches. Cutting social services. Etc.)

This might seem like a weird time to talk about Alchemy, but I promise it is actually extremely relevant.

And I know it can feel a bit esoteric or theoretical, but I’m going to help you break it down into something very concrete that will help you make sense of the spiritual forces and patterns behind the upheaval we’re seeing in the world right now.

Let’s talk about Alchemy and translating the theory of spiritual concepts into practice.

Can we collectively agree that the situation in the US right now feels kind of like a smoldering powder keg? There are lots of destructive forces moving very quickly, and people are getting really worked up. (Myself included, at times.) Let’s use this as a case study.

We are living through a textbook example of the first stage of Alchemy, called Calcination: the loss and death of physical structures. Energies of Calcination include:

  • Element of fire.

  • Emotion of anger/rage.

  • Connected with root chakra.

Calcination is the stage where we enter the fires of transformation, not knowing what will burn to ash and what will be left on the other side. It is a huge leap of faith, a stage of profound trust in the sacred pattern of Universal Law.

I’ll share some components with you about the theory of Calcination, and then about how we turn this into practice:

Fire Element

We know that fire can be both a destructive and a regenerative force. In areas that are well-adjusted to regular fires, they burn quickly and not too hot, they clear away small brush and detritus, and they create space for new growth.

In areas where fires are suppressed, they cause much more damage when they finally explode. They burn much hotter, they jump to the crowns of trees and decimate vast tracts of land, forests and homes. (This is the energy that’s building in the country/world now and why it feels so uncomfortable.)

Anger and Rage

The message of Anger is: “A physical, emotional or energetic boundary has been crossed.” In Alchemy, we work with Anger to understand our relationship to the perceived threat of destruction.

Since Calcination burns away all of our false ego structures and unhealthy attachments, it can feel very confronting and destabilizing. People experience greater tendencies towards reactivity, fear, resistance and overwhelm. Nervous system dysregulation runs rampant, tempers flare, fingers point, and trauma responses abound.

Anger and Rage are neither inherently “good” or “bad.” They merely tell us where we perceive a threat and therefore help us understand our own inner architecture and identity structures.

For example, right now in the US, there are people who are feeling very angry about DOGE infiltrating private data, stripping away social services and firing people left and right. In this case, there are huge boundary violations of privacy, safety and material security.

There are also people (MAGA) who are feeling angry that people are calling them out, disagreeing with them or saying things they don’t like. In this case, they’re perceiving boundary violations of their ego structures and ideology.

Root Chakra

Each of the stages of Alchemy is connected with a different energy center. Calcination works with the Root Chakra because it largely concerns aspects of the material plane, and our sense of stability. During Calcination, the physical structures of our lives can be shaken: our homes, our relationships, our health, our jobs, our finances, our safety.

Right now, with a coup-in-progress, we are feeling the foundations of safety shaking across all of society.

That’s the theory behind the first stage of Alchemy. What do we do with that? How do we translate this into an informed practice?

Fire as a Regenerative Force

Since we know that Fire can be sacred, powerful force for cleansing and regeneration, we work with practices to invite in the healthy aspects of fire and stabilization/regulation practices to make sure we don’t burn out. This can include:

  • Fire meditation and prayer (with a candle flame or a bonfire, size doesn’t matter). Connect with the spirit of Fire and invite it to burn away false and unhealthy structures to create space for new, vital growth. Communicate and collaborate with this element.

  • Clearing and heating practices in the body: shaking, tapping, explosive movements, sauna. Invite in the energy of fire to cleanse and purify.

  • Regulating, stabilizing and nourishing practices: make sure you don’t burn out. Take lots of electrolytes, prioritize rest and nourishment. Squats, lunges and lower body activation to create a solid foundation for the inner fire.

Work with Anger

Invite your Anger to teach and guide you. If anger arises, ask yourself:

  • Where am I perceiving boundary violations? What is being threatened? What does that mean about me / what am I making that mean about me?

  • Are those threats actual violations to my safety and well-being, or are they threats to false identity and ego structures?

  • If they are threats to my healthy self, what needs to be protected? What boundaries need to be created or enforced?

  • If they are threats to my false ego structures, what needs to be released or let go? (Then hold a personal ritual with Fire to help burn it away.)

Stabilize Your Root

Since we know that the fires of transformation serve to burn away unhealthy, false structures, we can nourish and stabilize our roots with healthy, vital practices. This will help make sure you don’t burn out or get overwhelmed in the process, help you stay out of a trauma response and also help you trust through the letting go.

Practices to stabilize your root include:

  • Lots of rest, nourishment, wellness care: Sleep, electrolytes, hydration, root vegetables and meat/healthy proteins and fats, immune supplements, fresh air.

  • Grounding and stabilization: Go outside, touch the earth. Lower body movements (lunges, squats, foot massages, open lower body channels for receiving Earth energy).

  • Community and connection: meaningful time with loved ones, play music and make food together, gather in like-hearted groups and practice co-regulation.

  • Identify and clear dissociation or trauma responses: many methods for this.

The sacred pattern of Alchemy is definitely at work in the crapstorm unfolding right now.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • The Alchemist enters the fires of transformation not knowing what will be left on the other side. There is inherently an element of trust and surrender involved here. But trust and surrender doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing — it is a very collaborative and involved process. The Alchemist feeds the fire, pumps the bellows and holds a state of fierce prayer and devotion.

  • Things get uncomfortable when they are dying/being released or on the way out. I have seen this over and over again with my Alchemy students, Shamanic clients, doing entity extractions or energy clearings. It can be uncomfortable to the point of excruciating. But lean in to the discomfort and keep going. Food poisoning sucks but you feel better after you vomit.

  • Death is necessary before Rebirth can take place. This collective upheaval may be unpleasant, scary and unfortunately a lot of people are probably going to get hurt in the process. I am not dismissing any of that, and it makes me very sad. But remember, the fires of destruction that sweep through create fertile ground for new, healthy growth from the ashes. This is the promise of Alchemy.

And in case you’re feeling the call to work more deeply with Alchemy —

I AM Alchemy course begins in March!

Are you called to collaborate with powerful spiritual forces of Universal Law?

Do you want to go from feeling like you’re living at the whims of change, to intentionally choosing your own path of transformation and creation?

Wouldn’t it be great to have a roadmap to guide you through the hardest transformational moments of your life?

Are you ready to learn tools and practices that will immediately and noticeably enhance your vitality, health, energy and well-being?

Do you want to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are living your life “on purpose?”

Are you called to use these powerful tools to support your loved ones, community and clients in their journey of transformation and actualization?


>>>Book your I AM Alchemy interview call now!

Are You Stuck in the Cycle of Transformation?

Are you feeling stuck or blocked in your life?

Are you trying to make shifts and changes, but feel like you’re slogging through molasses?

Are you looking around at your life, knowing that something has to change, but you’re not even sure where to start?

I’ve got you covered.

Let’s talk about:

The most common places people get stuck in the Cycle of Transformation

Here are the most common ways people get stuck in the process of transformation:

  1. Resistance and fear of surrender: not being willing to enter into the process in the first place.

  2. Cleansing, releasing and grief: becoming so immersed in loss that they are unable to evaluate or take action.

  3. Over-analysis: disconnected from body and heart wisdom, unable to move beyond thinking/planning into action steps.

  4. “Good enough:” taking initial action steps and stopping there, mistaking the middle for the end, not following through.

  5. Rejecting or resisting new energy: not allowing yourself to actually receive and experience your new self, feeling unworthy, avoiding new energy.

  6. Recreating patterns: trying to do something different without actually inviting your new self to emerge, end up recreating old, unhealthy patterns and choices.

  7. Over-attachment: holding so tightly to comfort and familiarity, unwilling to enter the cycle again, resisting transformation as a cyclical, inevitable force.

Do any of those sound familiar?

If so, Alchemy is the answer.

With Alchemy, you can confidently transform yourself and others with the power of ancient spiritual wisdom and practical skill development.

If you want to master the mystery school teachings and practical spiritual skills that empower you to heal your own body, mind and spirit…

If you want to awaken your deepest gifts and confidently facilitate transformation for others…

You need the I AM Alchemy 200 hour practitioner training.

In the I AM Alchemy course, you’ll master the 5 Transformational Keys that will help you truly transform yourself and others:

  1. Alchemy Fundamentals: Master the Cycle of Transformation and practical application of spiritual technology.

  2. Alchemy of Self: Use Alchemy to liberate trauma, dis-ease and stagnation. Come home to yourself and your sacred purpose with Alchemy wisdom teachings.

  3. Embody Alchemy: Bring Alchemy into your body and Earthly experience through movement practice, embodiment, qigong, breathwork and somatic cultivation.

  4. Spiritual Collaboration: Cultivate powerful, working relationships with Divine beings of Alchemical wisdom.

  5. Practical Magic: Master the process of ritual and sacred ceremony. Cultivate your facilitation skills to create powerful transformational portals for yourself and your clients, in 1:1 or group settings.

On top of that, you’ll get personal support from me, plus a cohort of like-hearted seekers also in the crucible of transformation and creation.

The course begins in March, and applications are open now!

If you’re one of the 12 people who is finally ready for big transformation and wants my help to make it happen in 2025…

>>>Click here if you’re ready to get unstuck.

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

The Cutest Transformational Love Story

I am heading to a friend’s wedding this weekend, and their love story is both super cute and an awesome lesson in transformation and alignment.

(Shared with their enthusiastic permission. Yay love!)

The Cutest Transformational Love Story

She and He met in kindergarten. (Awwwww!)

They remained friends even when She moved away at age 8. There was always a connection and feeling like they’d end up together.

And then He got engaged to someone else.

But it didn’t work out.

They had a, “Will they? Won’t they?” moment, but He wasn’t ready.

Their friendship cooled off and they fell out of touch. She was living in Colorado, He was in Portland.

Then She got engaged to someone else who lived in Portland, and moved back for that relationship.

And that REALLY didn’t work out.

She and He reconnected as friends because they’ve known each other since they were 5. He helped her move out of her ex’s house.

And no surprise --

They fell in love and are getting married this weekend!

I have been so happy to have a front seat to their romance. And it’s also been a fascinating study of the process of transformation. She and I have had many long discussions about this wild ride.

Here are some of the key lessons that I know She would want me to share with you:

  • She got engaged to someone who was definitely the wrong person for her because she was settling. Even though she knew the kind of love she wanted to create, she doubted if it would happen. And she was super unhappy. But when she let go of the thing she knew wasn’t right, it made space for the thing that was definitely right. It was just a matter of timing and alignment.

  • Throughout the breakup and transition process, she experienced a lot of self-judgement because she was feeling depleted, unmotivated and not like her best self. But she recognized that she was going through a deep death and releasing cycle, and needed to give herself more grace, space and rest to support that process.

  • While She was still in the throes of ending the old relationship, she stayed aligned with her intuition. She told me repeatedly, “This feels really important and I don’t know what’s happening but I know I’m supposed to be here.” Even though she was very uncomfortable and couldn’t see what was coming next, she trusted that everything was moving as it should.

I am so happy for my wonderful friends! And I am so happy to support them in their journey of transformation, actualization and love.

Do you need help coming into alignment?

Are you going through a challenging transformation cycle right now?

Do you want some help with that?

If so, I’ve got you covered. The answer is ALCHEMY.

With Alchemy, you can confidently transform yourself and others with the power of ancient spiritual wisdom and practical skill development.

If you want to master the mystery school teachings and practical spiritual skills that empower you to heal your own body, mind and spirit…

If you want to awaken your deepest gifts and confidently facilitate transformation for others…

You need I AM Alchemy Mystery School.

If you’re one of the 12 people who is finally ready for big transformation and wants my help to make it happen in 2025…

>>>Click here if you’re ready for your own transformational story!

These Practices Will Save Your Butt (when you need them most)

Simple practices will save your butt when you need them most.

I am finally emerging from two solid weeks of a very severe respiratory infection. It has been brutal. I haven’t been that sick in over a decade.

During that time, the things I was doing to take care of myself got pared down to the simplest, most effective and most necessary. I didn’t have energy for anything else.

But here’s the important part: My version of “simple practices” is actually a pretty solid baseline of physical and energetic health tools, because I have spent years making them second nature.

Here’s some of what that included:

  • All the immune supplements and potions (mineral detox, 12+ different kinds of mushrooms, nano silver, superfood hot chocolate, electrolytes, vitamin C drink I made from Douglas fir twigs from my land, plus six types of tea and all the nourishing soups and broths).

  • Medicinal aromatherapy (immune booster capsules I made from six types of essential oils, Raindrop protocol blend made from seven essential oils applied twice a day, diffuser and steam inhalation of respiratory and immune support oils).

  • Qigong and movement practice as I was able (dredging the lung channels, Ringing the Heavenly Bell and other lung channel practices, shaking and clearing, short walks outside every day).

  • Energy healing (clearing and purging, microcosmic orbit meditation, I even tried a Shamanic journey during one of my feverish episodes but I wouldn’t say that one was terribly effective).

  • Of course, lots of rest and snuggling with my dog and cat.

For someone else who doesn’t have the tool kit that I do, my care routine may seem overwhelming or out of reach, especially during a time of crisis.

At some point between states of feverish listlessness, I thought about this in terms of the challenges people are facing all the time: grief and loss, depression/anxiety/mental health, physical illness, spiritual psychosis, mediumship awakening and more.

When you are in challenge or crisis, it will not be the fancy or complicated practices that save your butt. It will be the simple, effective practices you can do without thinking.

When we’re in crisis (whether it’s an activated nervous system state, a trauma response, or a depressive or dissociative state), higher cognitive function shuts down.

In those moments where you are in the thick of challenge and you need your practices to help you stabilize and regulate, you will not remember the complicated meditations or invocations, or the order of the steps of a long practice.

In the moments where you are sick, afraid, tired, in pain, dissociating or all of the above, the simple practices that you have done thousands of times will help you discharge and clear energy, stabilize enough to bring some cognitive function back online, and resource yourself sufficiently to take steps towards care and relief.

Here’s the other very important part:

Doing the simple practices over and over when you have capacity to learn them will ensure that they’re second nature to you when your cognitive function is impaired.

I guarantee you the only reason I remembered the ingredients to all those complicated recipes when I was sick and feverish is because I made them hundreds of times when I felt well and healthy.

The only reason I was able to dredge the lung channels and do other qigong practices was because I’ve done them over and over for years and I didn’t have to think about it.

The fundamentals of energetic fluency are very simple practices. And they are often overlooked or glossed over in favor of shinier, more exciting practices.

But the shiny practices will not help you when you need it most. In fact, the more complicated they are, the less likely you are to remember how to do them when you’re in crisis.

It will be the simple, fundamental practices that save your butt when you need it most.

Do you want to develop your energetic fundamentals to make sure you have effective tools when you really need them?

I hate to bring up the scary state of the world/country/politics, but it is indeed scary and probably only going to get worse.

If you’re reading the news right now and dissociating —

If you feel powerless, afraid and like you’re struggling to put one foot in front of the other —

If you are called to spiritual practice as an effective tool to support your personal empowerment, well-being and fortitude (viva la resistance!) —

>>>Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you!

Direct Contact with the Mysteries Will Change You

Direct contact with the Mysteries will fundamentally change you.

Ironically, the more easily accessible spiritual teachings become, the more we have to go out of our way to experience that direct contact.

Yesterday in our I AM Alchemy group call, we talked about the two main ways we are learning and transforming through this course:

  1. Materials (modules, textbook, practices)

  2. Direct transmission (actually being in the Crucible of Alchemy)

It’s easy for us to focus on the tangible (materials). We can watch the training videos, read the book, do the practices, show up to class and session.

But the tangible materials aren’t the thing. The tangible materials are the way in which we learn how to access the intangible thing.

The materials are the tools we use to regulate our nervous systems, open our awareness, focus our consciousness and get out of our own way enough so we can actually feel and participate in the Mysteries.

This direct contact with the Mysteries is where we transform.

Not from watching the videos. Not from reading the book.

In Alchemy, the practitioner seeks to create the Philosopher’s Stone: the most perfected, illuminated state of being. (In pop culture, this is usually associated with creating gold and the Elixir of Life, aka Immortality Juice.)

But the Alchemist cannot create this perfected state of being separate from herself. She must enter the Crucible of transformation as well. She must surrender her body, heartmind, and soul to the forces that govern all of life.

In I AM Alchemy, we use teachings and practical tools to open ourselves to directly experiencing the Mysteries of transformation.

But the teachings are only the beginning.

Are you ready to be changed by the Mysteries?

I’m inviting 12 fully committed soul seekers that want to enter the crucible of Alchemy in 2025.

12 people who are ready to master ancient mystery school teachings and practical spiritual skills in the next year so they can heal their own body, mind and spirit.

12 people who are ready to awaken their deepest gifts and confidently facilitate transformation for others.

The course begins in March, and applications are open now.

If you’re one of the 12 people who is finally ready for big transformation and wants my help to make it happen…

>>>Click here if you’re ready to be changed by the Mysteries.

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

Devotion Begins Where Inspiration Ends

Both of my wrists and my right shoulder were really sore when I woke up this morning.

At first I had no idea why I had this mystery soreness. I couldn’t think of anything I had done that would have caused it.

And then I realized that it was because I just picked up a guitar again 5 days ago (after barely playing for a very long time), got super excited about learning 2 new ceremonial songs, and overdid it on my wrists and shoulder.

I took today off from playing guitar to give my wrists and shoulder some rest, but I was disappointed to take a day off because I was *so* close to figuring out this one chord progression. Playing consistently for 3 days in a row gave me a taste of real progress and I was chomping at the bit for more! More music! More growth! More better sounds!

Why did I pick the guitar back up and play so much after a long period of no music practice?

Because I was really lit up about these 2 new ceremonial songs, and inspiration is like rocket fuel.

But here’s the thing: inspiration is inconsistent. It is fickle. I can’t always count on it to be around. That’s why I hadn’t practiced music for a few months.

I know that if I want to truly develop my musical skills (and not make myself sore when I play guitar), I need to treat my practice as a devotion. Finding a way I can engage with my music practice even when I don’t feel inspired will be the key to me continuing to grow as a musician.

Why am I telling you this story?

Because I have seen the same trajectory play out with my clients and their spiritual practice, over and over.

My clients get inspired and excited, which is awesome. They want to cultivate their mediumship! They want to be a healer! They had a visitation from a Dragon and they want to know everything about Dragons! They want to grow their Shamanic practice!

I love the inspiration phase. It feels so fun and alive and sparkly. It’s easy to make time for a practice when we feel inspired. It’s also a much faster learning curve at the beginning of a trajectory—when we go from zero to working on something, it’s exciting to feel like we’re making leaps and bounds of progress.

But inspiration is inconsistent. Every single one of my students and clients eventually hits a point where they lose touch with the inspiration. The initial fast growth starts to stabilize as they get into more subtle skill development, and it might feel like they’re not moving fast enough or making progress. And I get it—I’ve been there, too.

Devotion begins where inspiration ends.

Devotion—loving dedication—is where we root into our commitment. It’s where we come back to our core “why.”

When we make our practice a devotion, we keep showing up, whether we’re inspired or not. This is where we grow consistently. This is where we prove to ourselves that we are trustworthy and capable. This is where refined skill comes from. This is where we develop nuance and mastery.

Have you been running on the rocket fuel of inspiration, but you’re ready for more consistent growth and devotion in your spiritual practice?

I support my students and clients with their consistent devotional spiritual practice through Shamanic mentorship and Alchemy training.

Get Support:

Are you ready for practical support for your spiritual journey?

Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you.

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

PS — I host ceremonial song circles once a month or so just outside of Portland! Do you want to attend? Invitations go out to my email list. Sign up here to make sure you get the invites.

I almost stepped on this feather.

Spirit is always communicating with us.

Are you consistently receiving the messages? Can you hear the whispers, or only the shouts?

Yesterday morning, I was out walking and going down a negative thought spiral when I almost stepped on this feather. I think it was a primary wing feather of a Barred Owl.

Shaman Michelle Hawk in Portland, Oregon. Animal guide intuitive messages from barred owl feather.

In an extra dose of magic, the same thing happened a month ago: I was out walking, spiraling down a negative thought pathway when I almost stepped on a primary wing feather of a Bald Eagle.

Both times, I stopped, took a deep breath, and received the message: zoom out to see the bird's eye view. What does this situation look like from an elevated perspective?

Both times, I was able to relax, shift out of the doom spiral and into compassion, patience and peace. I made gratitude offerings, meditated with the messengers and went on my way feeling supported and inspired.

I am so grateful to the nature spirit messengers who help me come back to Truth, Love and Joy!

Do you want to cultivate your intuition and connect more deeply with your spirit guides?

Are you ready to fully open to the messages that are already coming to you, whether you can hear them or not?

Are you ready for practical support for your spiritual journey?

Get Support:

Book a call with me to talk about what type of support is right for you:

BOOK A CALL

Discounted Shamanic Healing Sessions Ends January 31

I am very pleased to offer three options for discounted 3-session Shamanic Healing packages, available through January 31!

(Beep beep, tooting my own horn for a minute): I am a very intuitive and skilled practitioner, with over 20 years of training and experience in Shamanic healing and journey work. I have helped a *lot* of people with work like this. Do you need this, too?

Here are the three options for the session packages:

Discover Your Animal Guide

Animal Guides are powerful Shamanic allies that offer deep wisdom, healing and protection.

With these 3 sessions, you will:

  • Discover the identity of your Animal Guide.

  • Receive teachings, transmissions and healing directly from your Animal Guide.

  • Build a powerful magical relationship with your Animal Guide.

  • Open the door for your animal guide to share powerful Shamanic visions with you.

  • Work with your Animal Guide to help you understand and express your core essence and unique magic.

  • Invoke your Animal Guides to support you in your meditation, energy work or healing practice.

Book this package with 1 payment of 750

OR 2 payments of 397.

Past Life Healing and Integration

Do you have pains, fears or patterns that seem to have no logical explanation? Have you tried everything to address it, but it feels like there’s something subconscious you can’t quite access?

This is often the case when people experience wounds or traumas in past lives. The echo of that trauma is etched on the blueprint of your soul, and you carry that wound or pattern with you into other incarnations.

Past Life Healing can help you:

  • Completely heal inexplicable pains, fears or patterns.

  • Release trauma blueprints from past lives that are impacting your current incarnation.

  • Resolve and close karmic patterns and cycles for relationship healing.

  • Clear past life trauma echoes that manifest as physical pain.

  • Release phobias, addiction or unhealthy behavior patterns.

Book this package with 1 payment of 850

OR 2 payments of 447.

Soul Retrieval Shamanic Healing

Soul fragmentation and soul loss can occur when people experience traumatic events, injuries or abuse. Soul loss can also come from prolonged stress or emotional strain, fear or grief. Societal distortions and oppression, ancestral wounding and collective pain can also cause soul fragmentation. Soul loss from past lives can also impact us in this incarnation if it goes unresolved.

The effects of soul loss often cause people to feel like “something is missing.” It can manifest as anxiety, depression, feeling distracted or disconnected from their lives. Physically, people can experience symptoms of soul loss as tiredness or fatigue, chronic illness, dissociation and addiction. People often feel disconnected from their passions and purpose, have difficulty taking concrete actions to do anything differently, and struggle with worthiness and belonging.

Soul Retrieval is a very powerful form of Shamanic healing work. I have supported many people with this, and clients have reported results such as:

  • Immediate relief from chronic pain

  • Sleeping well after years of insomnia

  • Reconnecting with inspiration and creativity

  • Feeling excited and awakened, on-purpose

  • Feeling peace and forgiveness with challenging family relationships

  • Being able to eat foods that had previously caused reactions

  • Being able to take concrete action steps for basic life care (cleaning, grocery shopping, exercise, establishing a healthy 3D life routine)

  • Influx of money from various sources

  • Feeling empowered to set healthy boundaries

  • Releasing old fears and limiting beliefs

  • Ending substance dependencies

Book this package with 1 payment of 950

OR 2 payments of 497.

Of course, if you want support with something else, you can always book a call with me to talk about your unique journey and what kind of support is right for you, or learn more about my work here.

Embrace Your Transformation: A Journey Beyond the Ordinary

Dear Seeker,

Have you ever encountered something in nature that stopped you in your tracks, making you question your perceptions and beliefs? Recently, I had such an experience with a beautiful snake on a hiking trail. (If you missed my last article, go check it out!) This encounter reminded me of the transformative power that lies within each of us, often hidden beneath layers of fear and societal conditioning.

Just as many people fear snakes, we often shy away from our own potential for transformation. But what if, instead of retreating, we chose to embrace the unknown? What if we saw our fears not as barriers, but as gateways to profound personal growth?

You might be:

  • An energy healer seeking to unlock your authentic gifts

  • Someone committed to personal growth, looking for practical spiritual tools

  • Going through a major life transformation or deep healing journey

  • Seeking to reconcile ancestral and karmic wounds

  • A new or aspiring intuitive practitioner, channel, or medium

  • An experienced spiritual seeker feeling stuck or plateaued

  • A medical or therapeutic professional wanting to integrate spiritual gifts into your practice

  • Someone with a "normal" career yearning for a meaningful spiritual practice

  • Involved in sacred plant medicine work

  • Feeling isolated on your spiritual path and seeking community

  • Called to embody a new way of being and contribute to global consciousness shift

If any of these resonate with you, I invite you to consider transformational mentorship with me. Like the snake shedding its skin, this journey offers you the opportunity to release old patterns and step into your true potential.

Through our work together, you'll receive:

  • Personalized guidance to anchor your unique spiritual gifts

  • Practical support for processing life transitions

  • Tools for trauma healing and energetic block removal

  • Assistance with soul retrieval and past life integration

  • Safe exploration of your intuitive and channeling abilities

  • Support in receiving and integrating spiritual initiations

  • Fresh perspectives to renew your growth

  • Help aligning your practice or business with your authentic self

  • Guidance in integrating spirituality into your career

  • Activation of your natural gifts and intuitive channel

  • Assistance in making sense of your various trainings

  • Support in rewriting energetic codes and healing ancestral trauma

  • Empowerment to embody your mastery and creative potential

  • Guidance in awakening to your Sovereign Self and Personal Power

  • Support in discovering and living your unique Sacred Purpose

Like the too-often misunderstood and vilified snake, your path to transformation might seem mysterious or even frightening at first. But I assure you, it's filled with beauty, strength, and wisdom waiting to be uncovered.

Are you ready to shed your old skin and embrace your true potential? I am opening a limited number of spaces for 1:1 clients to come do deep work with me. Details here.

Book a call with me today, and let's explore the transformative journey that awaits you. Together, we'll navigate the shadows and emerge into the light of your authentic self.

Click here to schedule your initial session with me. Your transformation begins now.

BOOK A CALL WITH MICHELLE

Many blessings,

Michelle Hawk

P.S. Remember, just as the snake lives in intimate contact with the Earth, your transformation will ground you deeper in your true nature. Don't let fear hold you back—reach out today and take the first step on your transformative path.

Integrity and Multi-Lineage Practice

Good medicine travels. It always has.

The proliferation, adaptation and syncretization of spiritual practices, belief systems, therapeutic and medicinal practices has occurred throughout human history. Taoism was strongly influenced by Buddhism. Mystics and spiritual practitioners traveled across the Himalayas and shared practices and ideas. Western Alchemy, which began in Ancient Egypt, spread throughout Alexandria, impacted and majorly influenced Greek philosophy, spread through the Arabic world and experienced its heyday in Europe. Eastern Alchemy arose out of Taoism, and spread throughout Asia to join with the Alchemical texts in the library of Alexandria. The spread of spiritual practice and philosophy is not a new phenomenon, despite the recent surge in globalization of spiritual practice through ease of travel and the internet.

There are many paths to the top of the mountain, and all different traditions that abide by universal truth ultimately work with the same archetypal frequencies under the same set of universal laws. Of course there are differences in how these truths manifest according to the geographic/climatic/ecosystemic and cultural context, but the core archetypal frequencies are the same.

For example, the same deities appear in different cultures under different names: Athena in the Greek tradition is syncretized with Brigid in Celtic tradition, Iansã in Afro-Brazilian traditions such as Umbanda and Santería, and Oyá in Yoruba. Each of her faces is represented differently. She is honored in different ways according to the cultural context of different groups of people, on different feast days, with different offerings and songs. But the core archetypal frequency of her medicine is the same across traditions, and she appears to people all over the world to deliver her medicine, no matter what name they call her.

I’ve been reflecting on spiritual globalization more than usual lately in relation both to my own mixed lineages, and those of my students and clients. As a modern, western Shaman living in the United States, supporting people all over the world, the question of integrity in holding multiple lineages is vitally important and has always been part of my awareness. But recently, there seems to have been another surge in cries of cultural appropriation. I welcome the opportunity to reflect on integrity in my practice, how to support my students and clients in the most ethical, aligned way that honors and respects the lineages I hold, the traditions they come from, and support my clients in their aligned, integrous, multi-lineage practices.

I am a person of mixed, but mostly white, European heritage. My ancestry includes indigenous people from the Celtic nations, nomadic horse tribes from the Eurasian steppe, as well as colonizing people from England and France who came to North America. I am a Shaman and spiritual practitioner who holds multiple lineages. My primary Shamanic lineage comes from the Shaman Clan Baksa of what is now Hungary, but those people migrated from Siberia thousands of years ago, following the reindeer across the continent as the ice receded after the most recent glacial era. Additionally, I hold lineages from the Celtic tradition, Western and Eastern Alchemy, and Dragon lineages. These are the lineages I hold and have been initiated into, but I have learned from and studied many others. I have lived in the US most of my life and studied with Turtle Island indigenous teachers from different tribes. I have worked with teachers and lineages from South America, including the Huni Kuin people of the Brazilian Amazon, practitioners trained in Umbandaime and Santo Daime, Templo Ampiri and Shipibo lineages, to name a few.

My clients and students are also usually multi-heritage, multi-lineage people who have either already studied from several different traditions, or they have come into their spiritual or Shamanic awakening and want to do so with integrity. My clients sometimes feel trepidation because they don’t want to unintentionally hurt anyone’s feelings or be accused of cultural appropriation. As one recent consultation told me, “I don’t want to be that middle-aged white person saying, ‘I’m a Shaman.’”

Here’s the thing: Spiritual practice is universal. Animism is universal. Shamanism is universal (despite the seemingly common, erroneous belief that it’s only Native American or Siberian people who can practice Shamanism). And the vast majority of spiritual practices that we see expressed in the modern world are not “pure,” meaning that they most likely have been influenced by other practices, or even adopted traditions or ideas from other lineages sometime in the last several thousand years.

I take ethics and integrity in my practice very seriously, and I think there’s a fine line between honoring the traditions of a given spiritual practice, and perhaps misplaced dogmatic purism.

The reality of spiritual practice in the modern world is that the vast majority of practitioners will work with multiple lineages, or hold practices that have integrated influences from other traditions. This is especially true in countries with high populations of people from mixed cultural backgrounds, such as the US, but also true even in remote areas of the world. The person who studies yoga (originally from India) also studies Reiki (originally from Japan) also works with sound healing (from many different traditions) also has an altar to Mother Mary (Christian mysticism) and Sekhmet (ancient Egypt) and a medicine wheel (many different indigenous cultures all over the world) in their backyard. The Sweden-born practitioner raised in Germany studies TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). The Mexican-born healer will not only study curanderismo from their grandmother, but come to the US and get their massage license. The indigenous paje (medicine person) in the Brazilian Amazon serves indigenous medicine, plays African rhythms on African style drums, plays European guitars, sings medicine songs in multiple languages, and makes their beautiful beadwork from Italian glass beads purchased with US dollars.

Yes, spiritual globalization and the travel of good medicine is as old as humanity itself. I believe wholeheartedly that when done with care and devotion, it is appropriate and beautiful to study and hold multiple lineages of practice from different traditions. I believe that our study, appreciation and honoring of spiritual practices from around the world supports greater empathy, respect, and global community between different cultures and groups of people. I believe that people grow, mature and become more loving and compassionate through exposure to ideas, traditions and beliefs from many traditions. I believe that it is possible to approach more than one spiritual tradition with deep devotion, reverence and to receive initiations responsibly.

I also have seen firsthand that there are people in the world who do not do this responsibly, who have created a business under the guise of spiritual service, and profit off of their misrepresentation of lineages that they have not properly studied. There are people who are “spiritual tourists,” who take a weekend workshop and immediately turn around to regurgitate these teachings for a profit. There are people who consume spiritual teachings and then present them as their own, with no acknowledgment to their teachers or to the lineages from which they came.

I understand why people get upset when they see (or think they see) instances of cultural appropriation. There are definitely examples of this in the world, and plenty of people who are out of integrity with this. I occasionally hear from internet trolls who call me a “plastic shaman” because I’m white and I charge money for my Shamanic work, or they say I can’t be a Shaman because I’m not Native American, or all sorts of other things. Even though it’s annoying, I offer the benefit of the doubt that people are saying something because they’re concerned about potential harm caused, or that I might be taking advantage of indigenous people, and I’m able to come back to my compassion and care and remember that they don’t know anything about me, and they just see another white person calling themselves a Shaman.

I understand when people cry cultural appropriation because of their care and concern, particularly for historically marginalized populations (usually BIPOC people). When possible, I try to engage with these people in a conversation about my Shamanic practice, and address their concerns respectfully. Sadly, most of the time, people are not actually open to any discussion about this. They don’t want to hear that I’ve been studying and practicing Shamanism since 2003, and have apprenticed with my current teacher since 2009. They’re not interested in considering the possibility of healthy and responsible spiritual globalization.

I’m not saying this in any kind of “oh poor me” way. I really don’t care what these people think of me. But what I do care about deeply is how this close-mindedness potentially inhibits the healthy and positive sharing and collective appreciation of different traditions and cultures. I am concerned because of all of the people who might be going through a spiritual or shamanic awakening, but might be too intimidated to pursue training and study because they’re afraid of getting called out. I worry that the shadow side of this attitude is another form of rigid, dogmatic purism that says these spiritual teachings are only for a select group of people, and criticizes anyone who might simply be looking for help through a challenging time, or discourages someone who wants to step into service to their community.

As a multi-heritage, multi-lineage Shaman and spiritual practitioner, I know that there are many paths that all work with the same universal truths. I have walked several of these paths for many years and become very masterful in these realms. Some paths I will never walk in this lifetime, but I respect and appreciate their wisdom. I trust that all people will find the paths that are right for them, and I am committed to guiding those who come to me in the most aligned, respectful and integrous way as they explore how the truth of universal law comes alive through them.

Are you a multi-lineage practitioner?

Are you going through a Shamanic awakening?

Do you want to receive healing, training and support from a master healer and teacher who gets it?

Hi! I’m Michelle Hawk— Shaman, Alchemist, master healer and spiritual mentor. I’ve been studying and practicing Shamanism and other forms of healing work and spiritual practice since 2003.

I am opening spaces for new clients to come into 1:1 work with me!

***There are no prerequisites for working 1:1 with me. I work with advanced practitioners who have years of training and study and want personal support for themselves and their work. I work with new and aspiring healers and practitioners who want support in foundational skill development and processing their awakening. I work with spiritual seekers who are not practitioners and want powerful tools for their own healing and transformation.***

This work is for you if:

  • You’ve been studying energy healing or various modalities for a long time but it feels like something’s missing. You want to go beyond the certifications and modalities to anchor into your personal gifts and authentic magic.

  • You are committed to your personal growth and development. You want practical spiritual tools in your personal tool kit that are more than guided meditations.

  • You are going through a big life transformation and you want practical support to help you process, stay grounded and feel present/connected to your inner wisdom through the transition.

  • You are a practitioner, healer, therapist, coach or medical provider. You have been “in the closet” about your Shamanic, intuitive or magical self, and you are ready to stop hiding and start sharing this aspect of your practice.

  • You feel alone on your path, you don’t have any spiritual community and you want to be able to talk and process with someone who doesn’t think you’re bonkers.

  • You want support from a grounded spiritual mentor who has been on this path for a long time, who can help you see what you might be missing and give you specific tools, teachings and guidance that is aligned for you as you grow and transform.

If any of this sounds like you, I invite you to step into 1:1 work with me.

Our sessions together may include some combination of the following:

  • Shamanic and energy healing work.

  • Teaching and instruction about specific principles and tools of spiritual practice from Shamanism, Alchemy, and other lineages.

  • Shamanic journeying, intuitive and mediumship practice to connect with the spirits for guidance and healing.

  • Personal ritual or ceremony.

  • Learning and practicing embodiment and movement work, consciousness practices, energetic techniques.

  • Personal guidance, processing, support and reflection.

  • Working with your spiritual business or soul-aligned practice (designing your new program, making a retreat budget, updating your website and your intake forms).

With Transformational Mentorship, you get me in your corner for 6 months of personal support. Check out all the details here, and when you’re ready, book a call with me to discuss if this work is the right fit for you!

You can also book an in-person 1:1 retreat with me at my temple home on sacred forested land just outside of Portland, OR! Book a call with me to discuss your personal retreat.

If you’re ready to take inspired action on your healing and transformation journey…

If you’re reading this email and thinking “Yes, that’s me”…

If you want me in your corner for personal support and guidance…

Use this link to put yourself on my calendar.

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Freedom Through Commitment

What are you committed to this year?


Those of us who follow the path of Spirit know what it feels like to commit to something that defies logical explanation.

Even if it's terrifying. Even if it goes against everything we thought we knew.

When I AM Alchemy was asking to be born in 2017, I was apprehensive. At that time, offering a year-long course tied to a syllabus sounded constricting and limiting. One of my core values of practice is freedom, flexibility and immediacy, so I can follow the emergent currents of energy and the illuminated path in my personal and professional practice. Sometimes that can change from year to year, or season to season.

Fellow Seeker, I'm sure you understand. When Spirit is calling, we heed the call.

But the thing about this course is that it has a life force of its own, and as such, it has a process of evolution and growth within the body of knowledge itself. I AM Alchemy is not a dry, scripted teaching from a dusty book. It is a vital, living entity that has its own energy flow and plan. Someone asked me during the early years of I AM Alchemy how I organized and offered my teachings, and the most honest response was simply, "I listen to what wants to be shared."

This is the difference between teaching and stewardship. Yes, I have a plan. Yes, I have a course outline and recorded videos and documents and structure. But more important than this is the capacity to listen and to transmit what wants to come through, and knowing that it will be exactly the right thing for my students.

Even now, as I have shifted from teaching the classes live to sharing the teachings over video recordings, there is flexibility and freedom for real-time transmissions, and I am always listening.

Ultimately, my role in this process is to simply pass along the messages. As a steward of this mystery school, part of my job is to be quiet and allow myself to be guided, so that I can guide my students in turn. This is my commitment to Spirit and to Alchemy itself, and as long as I practice this work, I honor this commitment. As long as I honor this commitment, I have the freedom I desire in my practice.

My commitments to this body of knowledge allow me to be an active participant in the mystery, which always feels like the most illuminated path.

In preparation for one of the I AM Alchemy course retreats, I ask my students to write their own commitments. This practice is our way of making a contract of sorts with ourselves and with the work. We witness each other in our commitments during ceremony, and the power that comes from this practice always blows everyone away.

What happens when we make these commitments? What happens when we spell out in writing what we are signing up for as an Alchemist on this planet?
 
Seeker, what are your commitments?

Here are some of mine. Check out below for the prompts I offer my students if you would like to write your own.

As an Alchemist, I commit...


As an Alchemist, I commit to holding myself in trust and compassion through change as I discover and know fully all parts of my Self. I commit to bringing magic to every facet of my life.

As an Alchemist, I commit to bringing more subtlety, intentionality, precision and grace to my work. I commit to redefining my personal practice to align more supportively and harmoniously with my well-being.

As an Alchemist, I commit to carrying out the operations of the Sun, Moon and Earth here on this planet for the Highest and Greatest Good of all beings.

As an Alchemist, I commit to being an instrument and steward of this body of knowledge, to ensuring its path in the modern world, and to honoring and participating in this cycle, always. I commit to holding the torch so that those who are ready may find the path. I commit to listening always to this work, and offering teachings in alignment with the instruction I receive.

 
If you are ready to step into your own commitments to the path, then I AM Alchemy is right for you. If you are ready to answer your deep soul calling to live your purpose... If you are ready to step into fulfillment of your Soul Contract and commitments... If you are ready to remember who you truly are, claim your I AM and inspire others to do the same... If you are ready to walk the Earth as a Divine Embodied Being...
 
...submit your application for I AM Alchemy now.

I AM Alchemy begins March 17. Are you ready to commit?

Journal prompts:


What are my commitments to my Self?
What are my commitments to my practice?
What are my commitments to Spirit?
What do I need in order to honor those commitments?

I AM Alchemy:
Study the Mystery
Practice Transformation
Actualize your Radiance

Your Spiritual Growth and Education in 2024

Happy Gregorian new year, friends and like-hearted seekers!

If you're taking the opportunity to vision, set goals and orient yourself for the year ahead, good for you! (If not, that's fine, too.)

If you're like me, you probably have a few courses or retreats on your radar that you would love to do, but need to plan, schedule and budget for.

Now is a great time to set goals and intentions for spiritual growth and skill development in conjunction with year planning.
 

Here are some helpful things to consider. Ask yourself:

  1. What are my priorities for my spiritual path this year? (For example: skill development and certification in a particular modality, personalized 1:1 mentorship with a teacher, sample from a buffet of different modalities, get your personal practice really dialed in, etc.)

  2. What training, education, support and/or mentorship would be most supportive for me to address those priorities? (For example: go on that retreat, work with that teacher you've been following for years, take lots of mini courses, etc.)

  3. What prerequisites and preparation do I need to pursue those priorities? (For example: are there certain courses that require prerequisites? Is there advance preparation required for a retreat?)

  4. What commitment of time and energy am I willing to allocate to my spiritual priorities this year? (This can be flexible as necessary, but it's helpful to realistically assess your availability and be honest with yourself about your capacity. For example: take a year-long course and devote up to 5 hours per week to study and practice, take a 7-week course in the fall when kids go back to school, go on a 10-day retreat once a year, 10 minutes of daily personal practice, etc.)

  5. What is my budget for my spiritual priorities this year? (This can be flexible as necessary, but I have found it to be helpful especially when planning for higher-investment training, retreats, mentorship and tuition. I have a continuing education budget in my business and consistently spend 5-10% of my gross income on courses, skill development and healing work for my own spiritual practice and so that I can grow as a practitioner and serve my clients more effectively. For example: you want to take a course that costs $15k but offers monthly payments that work for your budget, you can comfortably spend $200 per month attending local events and circles, you set aside $50 per month in your budget to take that $400 course, etc.)

  6. What deadlines, prices and scheduling/3D logistical information do I need to track this year? (For example: the course you want to take begins in September and costs $X, so you need to look for early bird registration starting in July and allocate $Y in your monthly budget so you're ready to pay in full, and block the October retreat dates off in your calendar and request time off from work for that long weekend.)

I regularly consider and review these questions when deciding how to plan and where to invest in my spiritual path and skill development. I hope this helps you!
 

Is working with me on your radar for 2024?


Here are some of the ways you can work with me this year for your path, spiritual mentorship, continuing education and skill development:
 

1:1 Transformational Mentorship

  • Topics and skills: Personalized mentorship and healing work for your spiritual path. Includes energy healing work, developing your unique spiritual and intuitive gifts, personal practice, movement and sound, support for your spiritual and/or healing business practice. Includes training as needed from my many bodies of knowledge, including energetic mastery, shamanic practice, mediumship, Alchemy and more.

  • Prerequisites and preparation: None required.

  • Time commitment: 2 sessions per month for 6 months, plus personal practice, homework and integration between sessions (average 3-7 hours per week).

  • Budget: Pay in full $4500 or six monthly payments of $797.

  • 3D considerations: Rolling enrollment according to vacancies in my calendar (apply anytime). Consultation and application required. Sessions are virtual or in-person near Portland, OR.

 

I AM Alchemy

  • Topics and skills: Shamanic Alchemy apprenticeship. "Spiritual grad school." Includes online curriculum, live group classes, 1:1 mentorship sessions* and four 4-day, in-person retreats* (*with Apprentice Path).

  • Prerequisites and preparation: For people of intermediate to advanced spiritual background. Recommended that candidates have foundations of energy healing and personal practice.

  • Time commitment: 3-6 hours per week for one year, plus four 4-day, in-person retreats*.

  • Budget: Student path (classes only) $3197. Apprentice path (classes, 1:1 sessions and retreats) $9497 plus retreat lodging and travel to and from retreats. Payment plans available.

  • 3D considerations: begins March 17, 2024. Closed cohort (enrolls once a year), accepting applications now. Year-long apprenticeship. In-person retreats held near Portland, OR. Fly into PDX. Consultation and application required.

 

Dragon Initiation

  • Topics and skills: Initiation into the Sapphire Dragon Line. Includes supplementary training and transmissions from the Dragons.

  • Prerequisites and preparation: The Dragons have been calling you and guiding you to this initiation.

  • Time commitment: 3-day in-person retreat plus three 1:1 sessions, to be completed within 6 weeks.

  • Budget: $4500 plus lodging for retreat, travel to and from retreat. Payment plan available.

  • 3D considerations: Rolling enrollment (apply anytime). Consultation and application required. Retreats held near Portland, OR. Fly into PDX.

 

Sacred Ecology

  • Topics and skills: How to work with land and nature spirits, Shamanic practice, geomancy, foundations of ecology.

  • Prerequisites and preparation: None required.

  • Time commitment: Seven weekly 90 minute classes, plus optional 1:1 sessions.

  • Budget: $777 (classes only) or $1697 (classes plus 1:1 sessions). Payment plans available.

  • 3D considerations: Closed cohort (enrolls once a year). Begins May 2024, Early Bird enrollment and discount begins April 2024. Online course, optional 1:1 sessions held virtually.

Personal Retreat

  • Topics and skills: Add an in-person 1:1 retreat to our work together. Includes energy healing work, qigong and movement practice, shamanic journey, nature time, support for your spiritual and/or healing business practice. Includes training as needed from my many bodies of knowledge, including energetic mastery, shamanic practice, mediumship, Alchemy and more.

  • Prerequisites and preparation: 1:1 mentorship with me.

  • Time commitment: 3 or 4-day in-person retreat.

  • Budget: $3600-$4500 plus lodging for retreat, travel to and from retreat. Payment plan available.

  • 3D considerations: Rolling enrollment, add personal retreats to other work with me for personal healing and mentorship work. Retreats held near Portland, OR. Fly into PDX.


Best wishes for your spiritual growth and skill development in 2024!

My #1 Piece of Advice to Healers, Coaches, Practitioners and Fellow Seekers...

My #1 Piece of Advice to Healers, Coaches, Practitioners and Fellow Seekers on the Path

Nobody ever told me this.

In my 15+ years practicing Shamanic work, 12 years practicing Reiki and 9 years owning and operating my own business, not one single person ever gave me this piece of advice.

Which I find hilarious, because it's one of the most common pieces of advice that I'm offering to my Spiritual Mentorship clients.

As I continue to work with more and more people in a mentorship capacity (healers, coaches, practitioners, both those who are new to their practice and those who are well-established but wanting to serve more), one glaring commonality keeps coming up:

"I can't ____________________ until/because _______________________."

I can't start taking clients until I make a website.
I can't start offering sessions because I'm not totally clear on my niche yet.
I can't do healing work for other people until I've healed myself.
I can't take clients until I've practiced more and am really good at ______ first.
I can't _________ because I don't have a certification.
I can't quit my job because my healing practice isn't where I want it to be yet.
I can't shift the focus of my work because I'm known for __________.
I can't introduce this new practice I'm really excited about because it means I will lose clients who are used to me serving in a certain way.
I can't ___________ because the market is saturated and a bajillion people do that.

Do any of those sound familiar?

We humans are really, really good at coming up with reasons why we shouldn't do something that will stretch us, challenge us and move us in a direction of growth and expansion. I'm not sure if healer/coach/service-types are more prone to this (or if maybe that's just who I hang out with), but I can't tell you how many people over the years I have heard give all sorts of reasons why they can't offer their work.

Believe me, I do this, too! I have been through all sorts of my own versions of these statements over the years. They still come up, but I've learned to recognize them and move through them with a smile.

How?

Okay, so this #1 piece of advice actually comes in four parts. Here they are:

1. There is no "arrival."

Many of these "I can't" statements are conditional upon some sort of "arrival" or achievement--the idea that we must reach some sort of arbitrary finish line in order to finally offer our work or service.  Here's the kicker: the finish line keeps moving.

The more we know, the more we realize we don't know. (Or maybe that's just me.) We think that getting that certification will finally enable us to do this work, and then once we have it, we think we need another training on top of that, and then  we need to go study this supplementary practice, and then go train with XYZ expert in the field...

Guess what: we are never "done." There is no "arrival." There is no "I am finally qualified because I have all the certifications and know every little thing so now I can officially open my practice and start helping people!!"

Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying, or has stopped growing, themselves.

You don't have to have all the answers to be a good healer/coach/practitioner/whatever. And while there might be some fields where certification or licensure is required by law, for the most part, you probably don't actually need to cross whatever arbitrary finish line you created for yourself in order to serve the people you want to help.

In fact, by waiting to offer your work until you've "arrived," you are making yourself unavailable to the people who need you.

Which leads me to...

2. Just do the thing!

Yup. It's that simple. Just start offering your work. Don't wait until you figure out exactly what you're offering, don't wait until you have a website, don't wait until you quit your corporate job, don't wait until you've healed yourself completely (see #1).

...because the best way for you to figure out what you're offering is to get immediate, direct feedback from doing the work.
...because the best way to make your website is once you already have a clear vision of how you are supporting people.
...because the best driver and inspiration for you to leave your corporate job to do the thing you love is doing the thing you love.
...because we are never done our healing journey. It is possible to be a phenomenal healer and still be on the path ourselves. In fact, it is impossible to be a phenomenal healer and NOT be on the path.

By simply doing the thing, eventually you will...

3. Master your craft.

Mastery comes from practice. There is no shortcut. There is no other way around it. Stop looking for a magic quick fix.

...and enjoy the journey of discovery! What happens when we treat the process and practice as the goal itself, instead of any imagined end result?

  • We allow ourselves to be fully present within the process.

  • We treat ourselves with more compassion, patience and generosity.

  • We treat others with more compassion, patience and generosity.

  • We are able to practice our craft with curiosity and awareness, as opposed to judgement and comparison.

  • We release attachment to outcome and take pressure off ourselves.

  • We usually enjoy ourselves more.

  • We get really freaking good at the thing we are practicing.

When we treat Mastery as a journey of practice, rather than any sort of state of enlightenment, it becomes more accessible to us and to our potential clients. I can guarantee you that anyone would rather work with you, the human who is practicing and mastering their craft all the time, than the all-enlightened-super-perfect-master-on-the-mountaintop. You've got this.

Which leads me to (most important part!!!)...

4. Let your I AM be your Medicine.

In other words, let your most authentic, fully expressed Self be your service. Yes. It's that simple. YOU, yourself, are the best Medicine you could offer.

As long as I'm making guarantees, I guarantee that there is someone out there who needs you, exactly as you are, to support them on their path. Not the version of you who looks cool on Instagram. Not the version of you who seems to have their whole life together. Not the version of you who has finally "arrived." (See #1.)

You, in your I AM, as your fully expressed Self, are ready to offer your Original Medicine to the world. Let that be enough.

Because it is enough.

Because you are enough.

This is one of the biggest challenges I have faced, personally and professionally: the idea that my Self, my I AM, exactly as I AM, is the perfect Medicine for me to offer. That it can really be that simple.

And the more that I have embraced my I AM and allowed my Original Medicine to come through in my work:

  • I trust myself more than I ever though possible.

  • I AM supporting myself and my clients through even bigger life challenges and changes with ease.

  • I have dramatically upleveled my practice and my business to greater degrees of alignment, effectiveness and grace.

  • My work is even more subtle, even more powerful and more enjoyable for me and my clients.

  • I AM experiencing more freedom of choice, time, resources and abundance.

  • I feel more authentically embodied in my life and my practice than ever before.

What would that version of your life be like? What would that version of your practice feel like?

Can you let your Self be enough?

If this advice resonates with you, I would like to offer you an invitation:

Next week, on Monday, August 13, I will open applications for I AM Medicine: the fall iteration of my Spiritual Mentorship work that begins September 4th. There is space in this work for you to explore your own I AM and claim your Original Medicine.

Are you ready to release any sense of "arrival?" Are you ready to just do the thing you have been waiting on? Are you ready to master your craft? Are you ready to let your most authentic Self be enough?

Any good mentor is walking the path with you, and I promise that I AM right here on this journey, too.

Peek Behind the Veil: What happens at I AM Alchemy Retreat?

I just got back from our second four day retreat with my I AM Alchemy 2018 students, and I feel...

...full of energy, enjoyment, grace, and amazing food.

...inspired by my amazing students, by my personal takeaways, and by the body of knowledge itself.

...supported by my wonderful Shaman Sister, Katherine Bird, and by Ruthanne and Heaven and Earth Retreats.

...eager to share the magic with you!

Here's a sneak peek inside what goes on during a magical I AM Alchemy retreat:

Every morning, we began our day with Qi Gong practice lead by guest instructor Katherine Bird. Kat brought us practices from her Medical Qi Gong studies to support the energetic work. During this retreat, part of our focus included working with the Three Essentials (Salt, Mercury and Sulfur) and our personal Planetary Constitution. Here, Kat introduces us to the philosophy behind our movement practice:

We learned how to calculate the personal planetary constitution of everyone in the class, based on the Alchemical doctrine of Planetary Rulership. This includes primary archetypal influences, personal "power hours," and supporting the energies with corresponding metals, herbs, colors, foods and embodiment practices...

I AM Alchemy Retreat Teachings Planetary Correspondence
I AM Alchemy Retreat Planetary Constitution Moon Mars

 

...Then we studied  the necessary correspondences to support our personal Salt, Mercury and Sulfur Level Planetary Forces. I'm a double Moon plus Mars, which explains a lot.

I AM Alchemy Retreat Class Lightworker Portland Alchemist

We played games and found out who among us is competitive (hint: 2/3 of Team Mars, big surprise). We ate incredible food, we did intuitive readings and healing work for each other, we took a stargazing stroll and saw Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mars. We laughed a lot and witnessed each other through our joy and our tears. We examined our personal and professional practices in light of this mystery school and renewed our commitments to Self and Spirit as wayshowers for a New Earth.

I AM Alchemy Retreat Altar Ceremony Oracle Magic Eclipse Vision Quest

We all took an afternoon of solo ritual space to Vision Quest and practice journey work to step into this next initiation phase of our course. Everyone worked some pretty powerful magic and came back with epiphanies, commitments, messages from Guides and new, powerful energies to supercharge the next stage of the journey.

 

I AM Alchemy Retreat Personal Practice Journaling Alchemist Teaching Portland

 

 

The weekend included plenty of time for journaling and personal reflection. In such a beautiful setting, you can't help but breathe a little deeper, tune in to a more subtle awareness and just let yourself simply be.

 

 

I AM Alchemy Retreat Portland Alchemist Magic Spirit Synchronicity

 

 

There were signs and synchronicities everywhere! We received plenty of visits from animal guides, whispers from Spirit, and massive inputs of eclipse energy. Every sign felt like a message from Source, saying "you're on the right track. Enjoy the journey."

 

 

I AM Alchemy Retreat Heaven and Earth Portland Alchemist Training Teaching Magic

 

 

Plus, we got to wake up with this right outside every morning. Check out the view from my bed:

 

 

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful, nourishing, inspiring retreat experience! This work is so much FUN, and I get to share it with a cohort of passionate, powerful students who are changing their lives and changing the world. It is truly an honor and a joy to dive deeper and deeper into this work. I AM Alchemy is stretching me, pushing me and inspiring me to uplevel my practice and my craft in ways I never imagined. What a journey.

If you're interested in I AM Alchemy 2019, get on the wait list here!

I'll be taking the next few days to rest and integrate! Catch you in August.

The Magic of YES and No

I love YES!

There's so much possibility and opportunity that comes from Yes. Going on cool trips, receiving gifts, trying new things... there are so many great things that can come from Yes.

But where does our YES start to feel like a burden?

We receive a lot of training on the correctness of Yes. "It's rude to refuse." "This person said Yes to me, so I have to say Yes to them." "If I don't say Yes, I will look bad." Even in games and practices, we are encouraged to say Yes to keep the conversation dynamic flowing.

A few years ago, I started embracing NO. I said No to invitations, offers, dates and gifts. I said No to people who didn't feel aligned with my values. I learned to love NO.

Recently, I've been playing with my YES and NO even more, when it comes to my work. As I am shifting the focus of my offerings and my practice, it means that I am moving away from serving certain types of clients, for whom I still hold a great deal of love and compassion.

These have been some of my most challenging NOs to date. As a healer, when someone comes to me in need, it pulls so fiercely at my heart.

Yet, when I say YES to these clients, I feel the burden of turning away from my own, authentic service.

I sat with this over the weekend during an intensive training. As I journaled about my business values and practices, one of the fears that arose was, "I cannot fulfill my most authentic service and still be available to the people who need help."

I contemplated this belief from a place of compassion... for myself, and for those who reach out for a kind of support I am not prepared to deliver. I asked myself, "What is possible if I let this old story go?"

The answer that flowed from my pen said, "It is possible that I can serve from a place of freedom, enoughness, trust, from knowing that I am still serving those who need me, trusting that I am working for change, and that those who are suffering will still receive from my work... that my practice holds the vibration of Joy and Freedom."

In other words, I could offer my NO with love. I could offer a referral, or another type of help that would be more supportive for the person in need. I could hold my NO as a sacred ally to support me in my authentic service.

And when those people come to me who are completely aligned with my work, who light me up to support them, I can offer my deepest heart YES. My fierce YES comes from a sense of freedom, excitement, conviction and inspiration...

...and that is the only kind of YES I want to offer.

Speaking of YES...

I would love to invite you to join me at Camp Yes this summer!

Camp Yes

 

Imagine lying in a hammock under huge cedar trees and remembering what it is like to actually relax and be present. Imagine stepping away from all the noise to tune in to your inner voice and wisdom, while floating on a unicorn (I'm not kidding) down the river. This is a place to reconnect with yourself and your purpose through the power of Play!

What would be possible if you said YES to yourself? To your heart's mission?

I will be facilitating a playshop at Camp Yes about working with the magic of YES and NO! Come join me and a group of other amazing women as we say YES to ourselves and our most authentic way of being!

As a member of my inner circle, you get a special insider offer. Use the code ALCHEMY for a $50 discount off your ticket price!

Early Bird registration ends May 31! Register now to reserve your bunk.

See you at camp!

I AM an Alchemist

I have been working on developing an I AM Alchemy year-long training and certification program.

It's amazing how the core essence of who we are and what we're doing in the world can be right in front of our faces, and yet it sometimes takes years of practice, learning, falling down and peeling back the layers to see it properly.

I AM an Alchemist, and I have been one for not only this entire life, but definitely many lifetimes. Mentors and friends have reflected this to me over the years:

"Michelle, you're addicted to personal growth."

"Transformation is your THING."

"You work with the process of change better than anyone I know."

And yet, for most of my life, I was blind to the bigger vision of what I was doing.

I feared change because I didn't understand it. I submitted to transformation with gritted teeth because it felt beyond me, bigger than me and outside of me. I felt subject to the whims of the Universe and awash in a sea of energetic currents, and it felt as though every ounce of ground I gained took colossal effort.

Over the years, I softened my relationship with change. I learned to align with the Universal energy currents--the Cycles of Power--and to ride the waves rather than try to steer against them. I developed tools to bring ease and grace to my life. I learned to enjoy and look forward to the process of transformation with excitement, because I finally understood it. I had the tangible skills and embodied practice to become the magical creator of my life.

Alchemy is the art and science of transformation. For thousands of years and and for many devotees, the process of Alchemy provided the keys to undergo initiations of the spirit, burning away all that was heavy and impure in order to reveal the gleaming gold of an awakened soul.

In the year of I AM Alchemy, we'll be applying the magic of Alchemical principles and practices to master the process of transformation and create an easy relationship with change. We'll play with the Universal currents of energy and learn how to channel them into grounded manifestation of our intentions.

We'll explore our powers of self-transformation and actualization in order to come into the fullest expression of our I AM, bringing our God selves into existence on the Earth plane.

If you are interested in joining me on this journey, contact me and I will send you the information for the next steps.

Many blessings!