Safety and Protection in Home and Temple Space

If you don’t have active, working relationships with local land and nature spirits, you are missing a big component of safety and protection in your home, temple, and ceremonial space.

You know that energetic safety and psychic protection are important in healing and ceremonial work. You probably have some great tools for clearing energy, invoking angels and casting a circle of light. Maybe you have some nice altars set up with salt and tourmaline.

But did you know that your biggest, most immediate allies in safety and protection are the local land and nature spirits?

There are plenty of yucky entities and energies that can be drawn to your home or temple space, particularly if you’re doing deep healing or shadow work, hosting medicine ceremonies or practicing channeling and mediumship. Mocking spirits, parasitic entities, vicious spirits, walk-ins, hungry ghosts, soul fragments, vampiric energies, distortion fields, egregores, unprocessed trauma, or even psychic attacks from another person: we know these entities exist in the world and practicing energy work carries the inherent risk of inviting more of them into our lives. But if your protection practices aren’t 100% solid, these entities will hang out in your space and your energy field. Best case scenario, they feel sludgy and make you tired. Worst case scenario, they will f* you up, and f* up your life.

Why are land and nature spirits the best allies for protection?

• Most of the energies I listed above originate from or feed on warped human ego projections. Land and nature spirits don’t have human ego projections, so they are simply immune to these entities. Their immunity comes from innocence. Nature spirits connect us with our own, primal nature and innocence. They help us become immune.

• Even though land and nature spirits are immune, they still don’t like the harmful distortions the entities cause, so land and natures spirits may intervene to either get rid of the entities or compost them. Gaia is great at composting old, decaying or discarded energy and turning it into something fertile and healthy.

• Land and nature spirits can be more effective than angels or etheric guides for safety and protection because they are actually embodied on the physical plane. Angels and etheric guides are great, but they have no material correspondence on Earth. Land and nature spirits are anchored into bioforms, and on Earth, matter matters.

• Having active, working relationships with land and nature spirits and anchoring your home or temple space into the Earth grid means that you are less likely to attract harmful entities in the first place. Gaia is a living temple planet, and when your sacred space is integrated with hers, you are under her protection.

But here’s the thing: in order to receive the safety and protection of the land and nature spirits, you have to ask for help. They won’t just automatically protect you. You must have an active, working relationship with the land and nature spirits, and you must invoke them as allies.

Do you want to collaborate with the living temple of Gaia to create sacred space in your home and ceremonial circles?

Do you want to communicate with powerful allies so you can learn from their wisdom and receive their support and protection?

Do you want to learn how to work with land and nature spirits?

Sacred Ecology begins July 26.

This course includes:

• 7 live online classes, each including training, hands-on exercises and integration prompts.

• Ceremonial initiation with your new nature spirit ally.

• Private online community for resources and connection.

• Upgrade option: Add three discounted 1:1 sessions with Michelle for personalized support and mentorship.

Early Bird pricing ends July 1. Use this code at checkout for $100 off: EB100SE

Are you sabotaging your energy work?

If you don’t have an active, working relationship with local land and nature spirits, you might be sabotaging your healing and ceremonial work.

Imagine for a moment that you are setting up a healing studio or ceremonial circle in an existing temple space. This temple already has its own altars, temple keepers and guardians who protect and regulate the energy of the space. There are plenty of people who already live and work and pray at the temple. The temple was humming along just fine, doing its own thing before you got there.

When you arrived at the temple, you didn’t ask anyone’s permission if you could be there and do your work. You didn’t introduce yourself to anyone, or take the time to get to know the existing temple structure. You simply waltzed in and set up your healing studio right in the middle of the temple. You built your own altars on top of the ones that were already there. You never considered whether you, your clients and your type of energy work were welcome and compatible with the existing structure of the temple. You wanted to move into that space to do your work, so you did.

The temple is a sacred space and the guardians there are generally kind, so they may or may not ask you to leave directly. But they’re probably not going to go out of their way to help you or accommodate you, especially if you never bothered to introduce yourself, learn their names, or ask them if you could set up your healing work. The temple and temple keepers are going to keep doing what they were already doing, regardless of how it may disrupt your healing work. They are going to maintain their altars and the currents of energy already in the temple, even if it disturbs the ceremony current. Best case scenario, they will ignore you. Worst case scenario, they will interfere with your healing work to make you leave.

Now imagine that this temple space is the land herself, and the guardians and temple keepers are the nature spirits that already exist on the land. The altars are the sacred spaces on the land where energy converges and regulates the ecosystem. The currents of prayer in the temple are the ley lines and Earth grid of aliveness on Gaia.

You would never move into a human-built temple space without asking permission. You would never assume you were invited. In order to do delicate and powerful work for healing and ceremony, you would have a conversation to make sure your work is welcome and aligned. To move in with entitlement would be rude and the temple keepers would be totally justified in kicking you out.

Active, working relationships with land and nature spirits are not just nice to have for healing and ceremonial work. They are functionally purposeful, and necessary.

Here’s what becomes possible when you have active, working relationships with local land and nature spirits:

• Instead of imposing your presence and work on the land without asking permission, you will be a welcome collaborator with a powerful, existing temple. Your healing and ceremonial work will be allowed to utilize the temple resources and harmonize with existing currents of energy.

• Instead of being sustained and generated by you and your spirit council, your healing and ceremonial work will be grounded and anchored into the energy grid of Gaia. Your work will be more powerful, sustainable and resourced.

• Instead of being an uninvited guest, you will form close relationships with the guardians and temple keepers (local nature spirits) and may call upon them to support you in your healing and ceremonial work. The more you nurture these allyships, the more they will collaborate with you.

• Instead of having to work really hard to ground your energy and make sure there are no interferences, you will be clear and supported by the local nature spirits and they won’t interfere with you and your clients. Moreover, they will intercede against unwelcome influences on your behalf for the purpose of protection and regulation in ceremony.

As one student recently shared: “I’ve always felt confident and stable in energy work, but when I started making offerings and actively working with the land and nature spirits, it completely upleveled my healing work. I felt more resourced, grounded and supported. I was able to invoke the energy grid of the land where I live, and my clients since then are blown away by the power of the work. They say, ‘Your work was great already but something is different!’ So it’s not just me, they notice it, too.”

Do you want to learn how to work with land and nature spirits?

Sacred Ecology begins July 26.

This course includes:

• 7 live online classes, each including training, hands-on exercises and integration prompts.

• Ceremonial initiation with your new nature spirit ally.

• Private online community for resources and connection.

• Upgrade option: Add three discounted 1:1 sessions with Michelle for personalized support and mentorship.

Early Bird pricing ends July 1. Use this code at checkout for $100 off: EB100SE

Healing Through the Timeline: Trauma, Ancestors and a New Earth

You may have heard me mention a “shitty breakup” that took place last fall. In fact, the nightmare of those four days took place exactly six months ago this past weekend.

To give you a little bit of context, my ex and I were together for two years. There was a lot about our relationship that was really good and loving, but we simply weren’t right for each other. We “officially” broke up last summer, but continued for all intents and purposes to be in each other’s lives as partners because we loved each other so much. So of course, I was fully invested in supporting her with her big annual event: a four-day in-residence retreat in September.

The specifics of what happened at that event are not important for this story. All you need to know is that my partner of two years broke my trust more hurtfully than I ever thought possible, in a way that was completely out of integrity at every turn. Even worse, this betrayal took place during a time when I put everything else aside to help her and support her vision. Even worse still, I was stuck at this event for four days in a leadership role. I couldn’t leave, as I was responsible for her event attendees. My only option for external support was two other staffers who knew what was going on and helped me hold it together in front of 60+ people. During that time, I called deeply upon my own reserves of resilience and self-love. All you need to know is that those were four of the most challenging days of my life, and I’ve been healing and processing the resulting lessons and trauma in waves for the last six months.

Please understand, I’m in a good place now. In fact, I’m super impressed with myself and the amazing healing work I’ve done. (Self-hug. Good job, Michelle!) Overall, I have grown into a much healthier, more vibrant and alive place than I’ve been in a long time. And even though that challenging experience gave rise to so much growth and goodness, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard as f***. Even six months later, I still have the occasional wave of trauma echoes rolling through, and I get to roll up my sleeves and practice grace and compassion.

One such wave came through in a big way last week, and it's directly related to that powerful Full Moon. (Did you see it coming up huge and orange the other night???)

I felt “off” all day Thursday and Friday. I felt tender, reactive, volatile and like my energy was blocked. I did my practices, canceled everything that wasn’t important and took care of myself because I could tell something big was ready to shift.

On Friday night, I woke up promptly a few minutes before 3am. (The time period of 3-5am is when a lot of energy healing and psychic activity takes place. Usually I’ll wake up at that time if there’s deep healing work to be done, or Spirit really wants my attention.) Instead of feeling exasperated or resentful as I sometimes do when nudged awake at this hour, I asked with calm curiosity, “What do you want me to know?”

Immediately, I knew that I was being haunted. I rarely use that term, but the word “haunted” popped unmistakably into my mind, and I felt a lingering energy present with me. I asked if I was being haunted by my ex. “Not exactly.” I felt some of her energy but it didn’t feel like her, specifically. I asked if I was being haunted by anyone or anything else. “No.”

Then I saw a vision of myself from six months ago, and I realized that I was being haunted by this past version of myself. I looked awful. The energy around me was sharp, hot and fragmented, like shattered glass. I also felt a lot of wetness (grief is a very “wet” emotional energy). This version of me from the past looked enraged, on the verge of tears, and ready to explode. In other words, I saw myself as I felt during those four days.

I maintained the feeling of calm curiosity as I surrounded this vision of myself with love and compassion. As I soothed this Self, I was transported back to the event. I saw my Current Self standing next to my Past Self. I saw my Current Self at times literally with my hands on my shoulders from behind, offering love and support to my Past Self. I literally had my own back. I watched myself walk by my own side through every trauma of those four days. My Current Self held my Past Self as I sobbed in rage and grief. I got to relive one of the most hurtful experiences of my life from the perspective of six months down the road, knowing that I am whole and illuminated on the other side of this challenge. I got to support my Past Self from a place of empowerment, grace and feeling secure in my own health, well-being and aliveness. Instead of simply remembering the event as my Past Self, I got to re-experience it with my Past Self, with all the perspective and grace of my current reality. And it felt completely different.

Take a moment and let this sink in: I got to retroactively go back and offer myself healing through the timeline (Energetic Principle #1, above). Read on.

When I think about my lived experience of the event, I remember how supported I felt, even in the midst of four of the worst days of my life. Despite the devastating feeling of betrayal and horrible disillusionment, despite feeling bitter, trapped and alone, I remember feeling almost surprised at how much loving energy I felt around me. I remember several moments when I looked around and almost laughed at the astonishing juxtaposition: on one hand, a key area of my life was actively falling apart in irreparable damage. On the other, I felt more connected, supported and loved than I had any logical reason to feel.

I know now that, during the event, the support I felt was coming not only from my Guides and Teachers (as I thought at the time), but also from my Current Self offering healing that positively impacted my past experience (Energetic Principle #2, above). Read on.

Two of these moments in particular stand out:

On Saturday night after the main event of the evening, I made my way back to the staff house I shared with my partner. I didn’t even know if she would come back that night, or if she would find somewhere else to stay. Regardless, I felt sickened, physically nauseated and shaking from head to toe. Then the weirdest sensation came over me, and I watched as my hands started packing up all my things. Literally, that’s what it felt like. I didn’t consciously make the decision, but somehow my body was moving as if someone else had taken control and was telling it what to do. I watched my body move calmly around the space and was fascinated at the precise care and assuredness my hands exhibited, while my heart and mind felt anything but calm. At the time, I simply marveled at the feeling and let it happen.

The other night as I lay in bed and watched this vision, I saw my Current Self packing up my things at the event. I watched myself calmly and firmly guide my Past Self to take the necessary steps to remove myself from further harm, just as I would guide a friend or client in the middle of a traumatic situation. What I experienced in the moment at the event was my Current Self directing my movements, during a time when I was incapable of making grounded decisions and taking empowered action. Just like my friend describing the car accident, I experienced the visceral feeling of receiving my own, retroactive healing during the traumatic moment itself.

The other big moment of healing I experienced directly while at the event took place that night as I lay awake in a fiery rage. After wandering around and finding absolutely no available beds (short of dragging a mattress into the van), I had decided to sleep on a narrow cot in the next room, rather than stay one more second in a bed I had shared with my partner. I lay seething, wracked with grief and rage in equal measure, and used my breath to open my channels and allow the energy to flow. Suddenly, I was overcome with bliss. I didn’t consciously understand it, but I knew somehow that I had shifted out of the raw pain and into the pure life force at its core. I didn’t question it, I simply let myself dissolve in that bliss and be revitalized by it.

The other night as I watched this vision, I saw my Current Self kneeling beside the cot, placing my hands on my Past Self and offering all the healing love and compassion in my heart. And I saw the practices and intention I had at the time combine with and respond to this healing through the timeline. In the past, I experienced it as an inexplicable gratitude and euphoria. But now I know that I was able to retroactively heal and alter my lived experience of an incredibly traumatic circumstance. I felt healing take place the other night as I offered love to myself in the past, and I felt healing even while at the event, as I received love and blessings from myself in the future.

When I eventually did go back to sleep the other night, I knew that some profound healing work had taken place. Indeed, the next several days have felt much lighter and clearer.
 

TAKEAWAYS:

(If you decided to skip ahead, resume reading here.)

• I was guided by Spirit to offer healing energy to a past situation, and it worked.

• I experienced a profound and immediate relief by offering healing energy through the timeline. I feel the effects of this healing not only in my current reality, but I also experienced the benefits during the traumatic incident itself.

• As citizens of Earth and Lightworkers on this planet, we all received a powerful Priest/ess activation from the Virgo Full Moon. We are all being prompted and activated to offer healing energy throughout the timeline for the benefit of All Beings.

• As we are empowered Creators building a New Earth, we have the opportunity to offer healing to our ancestors, to our own past lives, to our descendants and to the future of Earth.

• It is vitally important that we use this Sacred Work to offer healing through the timeline, not only to clear and heal trauma from the past, but also to set the course for our future, personally and collectively.

• At a time of tremendous uncertainty and fear, a lot of people are asking, “What’s going to happen?” Friends, we answer that question every day with our choices, our prayers, our words and our actions. Instead of asking what the future holds, part of the Priest/ess path is the Sacred Work of anchoring in the frequency of harmonious alignment, joy, peace and right relation that spans throughout the timeline. The Sacred Work is to lovingly guide our planet and all beings to live in alignment with frequency, and create a New Earth in that vision.

  Get Support:

  Are you ready to step fully into your Embodied, Wild Self and offer powerful healing throughout the timeline, for the benefit of All Beings?
  
  Apply now for Embody Wild™ 1:1! Check out the details and submit your application here.

Practice Prompts For You:

(This is a new style so I'm open to feedback on this variation of Practice Prompt--let me know how you like it! One prompt each for ceremony, journaling, movement, discussion and inspired action.)

Ceremony: Hold a Full Moon ritual for yourself (if you haven’t already)

Journal: What is my Sacred Work?

Move: Ask your body how it wants to feel, move and express your Sacred Work. Dance, roll, stretch, walk it out.

Discuss: With a friend/family/community member, talk about the concept of healing through the timeline. What past challenges and traumas would you like to heal for yourself and for the planet? What future healing would you like to see for yourself and for everyone?

Act: What ONE inspired action step can you take TODAY to move in this direction?

Get Support: Are you ready to step fully into your Embodied, Wild Self and offer powerful healing throughout the timeline, for the benefit of All Beings?

Apply now for Embody Wild™ 1:1!

Eagle Creek and the Waters of Renewal

Eagle Creek was one of my favorite hikes before the Gorge fire in 2017.

I know other people loved it, too. Of all the beautiful hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, Eagle Creek was one of the most popular, with good reason. Not only was it a comfortable hike through gorgeous forest, but it took you along the creek to a spectacular waterfall and swimming hole. I traversed that trail many times and have enjoyed several epic picnics at the waterfall.

When the Gorge burned for months in 2017, I was devastated. Everyone was devastated.

In an interesting twist of timing, I had hiked that very trail not long before the fire, and had collected some water for ceremony from the creek. I had no idea that would be the last time I visited that sacred place for years to come (the trail is still closed), and that this rejuvenating spring of life and flow would soon be engulfed in flames and choked with ash.

When the fire began, I used some of my collection right away as part of a water blessing ceremony. But after that, the jar of Eagle Creek water stayed closed for over a year. It felt as though the water itself was in shock, and needed to rest and be still.

Sometime last year, the Eagle Creek water started calling to me. It was ready to work again, slowly and gently. I started using it on my altar, and noticed the energy it brought to the container held a profound mastery of Death and Rebirth. The Eagle Creek water held the burning fires of transformation.

At the end of last year, as I was going through my own major Death process, the Eagle Creek water made its presence known even more powerfully, and brought to my healing work a deep sense of surrender, trust and allowing. The Eagle Creek water held the wisdom of letting go, of releasing the unnecessary, of purification.

This morning as I redid my altar and was replacing the water, Eagle Creek water shouted at me with its strength and power. I felt it bursting with life, renewal and creative potential. Eagle Creek is alive and thriving. The burn scars are still there, but aliveness is exploding forth from the purified Earth. This morning, the Eagle Creek water showed me that it held the sacred rage and grief of all those who loved this place. It held the death and sacred destruction of the fires. It held the burning, the release, the purification. But the Eagle Creek water also holds life, renewal, vitality, and resurrection. It holds the aliveness of growing things, of new form, of building new structures. Eagle Creek water offered to support me in cultivating these energies, in my life and in the world.

This was the last of the water that I collected 2 1/2 years ago at one of my favorite places on Earth. As I meditated this morning with my revitalized altar, the powerful energies of Eagle Creek and its rebirth were undeniable.

I am so grateful to this sacred place and to the elements of this place for holding space not only for my own healing and transformation, but for so many people. This place was beloved by many. So many people walked the trail, swam in the pool, enjoyed its magic. So many people grieved as Eagle Creek burned.

I can only hope that as many people are receiving the powerful aliveness and renewal that is emanating from Eagle Creek now. As I embody the wild, untamed, pure life-ness of Eagle Creek and let this rejuvenating force express through me, may it benefit all beings.

If you've been to Eagle Creek, I invite you to tune in to your embodied, wild awareness of that sacred space. What energy do you notice there?

If you've never been to Eagle Creek, I still invite you to tune in to this sacred space. What do you notice in your embodied awareness of this powerful place?

What would be possible for you if you had full, uninhibited access to expressing the most wild, free, untamed, powerful parts of yourself? What would be different in your life, in the lives of your loved ones, and in the world if you were to embody your own, wild nature?

Are you ready to join me in the Embody Wild™ movement? Apply here

Many blessings,

Eagle Creek before the fire (image from Oregon Wild)

You don't actually want exercise, you want this instead

Have you ever thought, "I need to exercise more," or set a workout goal for yourself, that you never seem to get around to? Or maybe you start strong and go to the gym a few times, then something comes up and you never go again. Or perhaps you keep working out because you' know you should," but it feels unfulfilling. Or maybe you have a very dedicated physical practice that you enjoy, but it seems like something's missing.

What if I told you that the thing you needed and truly desired wasn't exercise at all? What if I told you that there's a reason your workouts feel unfulfilling, you find it hard to stay consistent, and moving your body feels like an obligation? What, then, do you actually desire?

The thing you're actually craving is true embodiment: a deeper sense of connection to the wild animal of your body, and your own cellular intelligence.

To embody: to express, to inhabit, to make tangible, to live, to anchor.

Unfortunately, most people on the planet aren't actually fully embodied. Many people live in some state of disassociation pretty much all of the time. Not being fully embodied can mean that someone's higher self isn't fully grounded into the Earth plane and their energy bodies aren't fully engaged with the physical body.

Not being fully embodied can look like being in your head all the time, feeling unsafe and anxious, greater tendency towards overwhelm and depression, difficulty making decisions, heightened emotional reactivity, easily influenced by outside energy and opinions, chronic health challenges, self doubt, lack of confidence, difficulty interfacing with other people, challenges with money, feeling "checked out" or disconnected, easily exhausted/depleted, addictive tendencies... the list goes on. All of these to varying degrees, of course. I invite you to take a look at this list and notice what areas you experience, and to what extent. If any (or many) of these resonate with you, you're not alone. And there is a very simple solution!

There are so, so many reasons why someone may not be fully embodied, I'm not even going to go there for now. That's a topic for another time.

No matter the reason, we live in a world where most people are not fully embodied, and this is not common knowledge. In general, people don't even know that this is a thing. They just know (consciously or subconsciously) that it feels like something is missing from their lives, and their solution usually comes either in the form of numbing out and avoiding it, or trying to address it with some attempt at landing more fully in the body: exercise, sex, food, etc. (Since we're at the beginning of the year, let's look at exercise, as this is a big resolution theme.)

There's a big difference between "exercise" and "embodiment." One moves your body through some activities, and the other one gives you the kind of power, vitality and confidence you're actually looking for. One treats the body like a machine, and the other recognizes that the body is a sentient, powerful being with unique cellular intelligence and innate wisdom. One is a "should," and the other is a "must."

Don't get me wrong--there is absolutely some intersection between the two! True embodiment practices can include intense training, but an embodiment practice might also be snuggling with an animal.

An embodiment practice is something that helps you consciously connect more fully to the physical body and ground the Higher Self and energy bodies into the Earth plane for their full expression through form.

When you are fully embodied, an entirely different way of being becomes available to you. Instead of being in your head all the time,  anxious and unsafe, you'll feel grounded, calm and resourced. Instead of being reactive, easily swayed and challenged making decisions, you'll feel attuned, confident and centered in your Self. Instead of difficulty with money, people and other Earth-plane realities, you'll feel more trusting, more supportive, open to connection and flow. Instead of feeling depleted and needing to check out, you'll discover new strength and vitality, and abundant capacity for connection.

Embodiment is the key to freedom: the missing piece that will help you fully inhabit and express your own, untamed, original nature. Being fully embodied will help you show up more than ever for your wild and precious life.

Are you ready?

There are so many ways to practice embodiment, and I would love to invite you to experience one such practice with me!

Embody Wild: to fully live and express your original, pure, untamed nature.

Are you tired of being in your head all the time? Do you have an energetic/spiritual practice, but feel like it's not translating into your 3D experience? Do you feel stuck, stagnant, unsure, ungrounded, fed up and bored?

Are you ready to have full access to your Wild, powerful self?

Join me for Embody Wild!

Many blessings,

"You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves."

~Mary Oliver

Why you probably don't have an entity (and no one is attacking you)

I have learned to never be surprised by the shit people tell me, or by people contacting me out of the blue with some truly wild stories. Seriously—my email is a fascinating read. I regularly receive messages from random people that range from two sentences to a few pages long, and most of these emails include the person’s assumption that they have picked up a harmful entity, and/or someone or something is attacking them. Occasionally, people request an exorcism.

My response to these people varies, depending on the level of wackadoo in the email. I will usually offer support in the form of resources and practices to ground and strengthen the field. (I tell them, “go watch this podcast episode, do these practices for a week and then let me know how you’re doing.”) If the person seems relatively grounded and stable, I may invite them to do some sessions with me.

Interestingly, the people that I give practices to never circle back around with me. Seriously. Not once. This astonishes me, because in my mind, if I thought I had an entity and a Shaman told me to do something to support my system, I would do exactly what they told me.

Of the people I have worked with who came in thinking they had entities, attachments or were being attacked by someone or something, care to guess how many actually did?

Answer: a small handful.

In other words, over the 15+ years that I’ve been studying and practicing Shamanism and healing work, the percentage of people who think they have an entity or are being attacked, who ACTUALLY have an entity or are being attacked, is tiny. Like, maybe 5%.

So, what’s going on with the other 95%?

Without fail, the other 95% of people do not actually have entities or attachments, and are not being attacked by anyone or anything. Instead, they are feeling their own Shadow, and ascribing their discomfort to something outside of themselves.

Here are a few notable examples:

1. Several years ago, a woman contacted me about getting an exorcism for her 8-year-old granddaughter. She described the situation and I tuned into the field. Did the granddaughter have an entity? Answer: no. She was just being an 8-year-old and processing a lot of trauma in the only way she knew how—by screaming, acting out and going from zero to tantrum at the drop of a hat. I offered healing work (not an exorcism) and the woman said no. I believe she went on to have her granddaughter exorcised by a priest. (Cringe.)

2. Last year, a client came to me who thought he had entities that were making him tired and depressed. Did he? Answer: no. He was processing his own Shadow and metabolizing energy on behalf of his lineage. We did some very powerful healing sessions that released ancestral trauma, rewrote some unhealthy soul contracts and supported him in stepping into his empowered soul work and purpose.

3. Recently, my ex asked me if I was “sending her bad juju.” When I asked for clarification, she said she felt a lot of bad energy coming from me and was physically afraid for her safety. She thought I was attacking her. Was I? Answer: of course not. The fact that she thought I would further illustrated the wisdom of that separation. What was actually happening? She was most likely processing her Shadow and pain body magnified by our breakup.

4. A while ago, a woman reached out about her son. She was concerned for his health, and thought that he might have an entity or attachment. It turns out that the boy’s father had died in a bad way and that the boy had been the one to find him. Did he have an attachment? Answer: in this case, yes. The father’s spirit had attached to the boy.

These are only a few examples, but my god, people! The level of story-making blows my mind. Why do people so quickly jump to the conclusion that they have an entity, or that someone or something is attacking them? How did this become a thing?

I have a few thoughts on this:

1. Generally speaking, most people don’t understand the principle of Shadow or Shadow Work. For our purposes in Shamanic and Alchemical philosophy, the Shadow is “that which is unseen or unintegrated.” If people are confronted with their Shadow, it’s probably something they’ve been avoiding and it makes them uncomfortable.

2. If people aren’t used to being uncomfortable, they will try to explain their discomfort by assuming something is wrong, rather than “I’m processing trauma” or “I feel really bad about my decisions” or “I’m learning some really hard lessons right now,” and letting that be okay.

3. Projecting the discomfort to an external source means that people don’t have to take responsibility for it. If they’re not ready to own the energy and actually move through it, it’s a lot easier to blame their off-ness on an entity or an attack.

4. If people think there is an external source to blame, it means they get to be a victim, and they don’t actually have to change themselves or their behavior. Instead of looking at how they are creating or contributing to this experience, people think that the problem to be fixed is simply getting rid of the entity or stopping the attack.

5. Pop culture has glorified and misrepresented possession, entities, psychic attacks and all sorts of other bullshit. Yes, all of these things do exist. Yes, it is possible to be possessed, to have an entity or attachment, and energetic attack is totally a thing. However, it is not the most LIKELY explanation. Far more likely is the Shadow Work explanation. Occam’s razor, people: the simplest solution is probably the correct one.

The next time you’re moving through some uncomfortable energy and wondering if you have an entity or are being attacked… stop. It’s probably just your own Shadow. Here’s what to do:

1. Regulate your energy. Use energetic and physical practices to clear, ground, cultivate and protect your field. If you don’t know any of these techniques, tune in to my podcast, Shaman Sister Sessions. Katherine Bird and I offer lots of tools and practices.

2. Once you’ve regulated your field, assess how you’re doing. Ask yourself some guiding questions to learn more about your experience. Examples include:

   • What energy is moving through me?

   • What part of me is asking to be seen?

   • What am I getting out of this experience?

   • What part of me is asking to change or transform?

3. If you still need help, contact me! Yes, I know how to do exorcisms, but you probably don’t need one. Instead, we would most likely work on supporting your field, metabolizing unprocessed energy, healing trauma, actualizing your purpose and bringing you into your fullest, most empowered expression in the world. Isn’t that more fun than an exorcism?

When these people who contact me choose to show up and work with the Shadow, the results are incredibly powerful. Imagine consciously and lovingly working with the unseen and unintegrated parts of yourself to bring them into a harmonious state. Wouldn’t you love to give yourself that gift? Instead of keeping it surface level and assuming that someone or something else is to blame for your experience, imagine taking empowered agency for your process and transmuting your own Shadow.

Special sneak peek: new Shaman Sister Sessions episode comes out on Thursday! Episodes #92 and #93 are both about Entities, Attachments and Psychic Attacks. Episode #92 continues this conversation about why you probably don’t have an entity. Episode #93 talks about what to do if you do have an energetic attachment. Want access to the episodes? Join Lightworker Portal—the FREE community I created just for you! Get instant access to all the content archives.

Whether you have an entity or not (let’s face it: probably not) the opportunity for you is the same: to transmute your Shadow, to master your energy and to embody your fully empowered sovereignty. Regardless of how you choose to learn this lesson, your own Soul is inviting you to be more powerful and compassionate, and live with more grace than ever before.

This is true Alchemy.

If you find yourself in a situation like this, it's because your Soul is giving you the keys to your own actualization. Even though the energy may feel dense, heavy, insurmountable and incredibly painful, it is this same energy that will liberate you. This is your own personal lead--the heavy base metal that you get to transform into Gold. Your Soul is calling you to step up and alchemize your Shadow into your greatest Light. Your Soul is asking you to alchemize your pain into joy. Your Soul is inviting you to alchemize your grief, your anger, your suffering into grace, compassion and peace.

If you’re ready to say YES to your Soul, I’m here to help.

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?

• …have a roadmap to guide you through the hardest transformational moments of your life?

• …learn tools and practices that will immediately and noticeably enhance your vitality, health, energy and well-being?

• …know without a shadow of a doubt that you are living your life “on purpose?”

• …feel connected to something bigger than yourself? Do you want to commune with Spirit through this ancient and powerful lineage?

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

Applications are now open for Embody-Wild that will help you heal your Shadow.



Check out all the details here.

Many Blessings,

Practice prompt:

Get comfortable sitting with your Shadow body. Rather than dismissing or avoiding it, practice asking questions like:

• What energy is moving through me?

• What part of me is asking to be seen?

• What am I getting out of this experience?

• What part of me is asking to change or transform?

Part of me was afraid to go to Avalon, and now I know why (plus pictures!)

I returned 90 days ago from a priestess pilgrimage to Avalon. Since then, in addition to massive growth and activation, my life has been completely upended in a few key areas. For these past three months, I’ve been sitting with rage, grief, betrayal, catharsis, purification, power and resilience.

…which is exactly what I was afraid of.

My first morning in Avalon--I awoke before sunrise with a sense of urgency to go up the Tor (the hill). I practically ran to the top and did qi gong as the sun rose orange and burned off the surrounding mist.

In case you’re not familiar with Avalon, it’s an ancient and sacred site in England, most well known in mythology relating to King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake. The Isle of Avalon corresponds to the contemporary town of Glastonbury, where there are many cherished sacred sites. I had been feeling the Soul Calling to travel to Avalon for well over a year. The circumstances of my trip were about as divinely aligned as one could imagine, and for months preceding my trip, I felt the energy building with power and possibility.

And yet, along with that sense of power and potential came fear. As I journaled in preparation for the pilgrimage, I found myself expressing trepidation and anxiety. The fear I felt wasn’t attached to any particular concern—I knew from my meditations and my guidance that this pilgrimage was part of a series of powerful initiations, and that I would receive incredible activations as part of my journey. But along with the knowledge of the activations that awaited me, a very human survival-level fear lurked in the background.

It’s a lot easier for me to look back now and understand what I felt at the time. As I was preparing to head into this powerful initiation portal, the part of me that felt afraid was the part of me that has been dying since that trip—the part of me that was burned to ash in my rage, dissolved in a pool of grief and slashed by the sharp blade of betrayal. That part has ultimately surrendered to catharsis.

Friend, have you ever experienced a Soul Calling that simultaneously thrilled and terrified you? Have you felt the raw power and potential that awaits you, but known that it comes at the cost of the life you used to lead? Have you known that, as you were choosing your own liberation, you were also choosing your own death?

I spent more time on the Tor than pretty much anywhere else in Avalon. Here I am after another sunrise practice. I also watched a couple of sunsets, went up a handful of times during the day, and twice after sunset to look at the stars.

I also spent a lot of time in the Chalice Well Gardens. This is the Chalice Well itself, which is connected to the Red Spring (one of the sacred springs of Avalon). I did several mornings of qi gong practice by the Lion's Head fountain in the gardens.

This is exactly the nature of the fear that I felt leading up to my trip. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my pilgrimage to Avalon was rooted in pure soul calling and resonance, but that by taking the trip, I would have to finally let go of one of the most significant aspects of my life. I knew that the initiations I received on this journey would offer me more power and freedom than I could consciously understand, but that I would also be choosing the death of my old self.

Friend, it has been a bumpy ride. This particular death cycle has primarily taken the form of an incredibly challenging breakup. The exact details aren’t important for this story, but suffice it to say that I have been witnessing with dumbfounded amazement the perfect shitstorm that is continuing to unfold even as we speak. Every time I think the situation has bottomed out, the bottom drops again.

It. Fucking. Sucks.

…but in addition to the massive suck-age and heartache, I am also present to the cosmic perfection of it all. My former partner and I were together for two years, despite knowing that we weren’t each other’s people. We figured out very early on in our relationship that we wanted different things and had different visions for our lives, but decided to journey together anyway out of our mutual love and appreciation, and the growth that was available to us even as not-forever-partners. We each became the go-to person for the other. We built a life together that was rich, beautiful and fun. We were in love, and it was good.
But it wasn’t right, and we both knew it. In fact, we both knew it for more than a year before we finally separated in September.

Looking back now, I can easily see that the fear I felt before going to Avalon came from the part of me that knew it would not survive the journey. The version of me in the not-right partnership, the life I had built with someone I loved and was unwilling to leave: that was the part that felt afraid and resistant. That part of me knew that the initiations I would receive on the pilgrimage would shift me out of alignment with staying in that relationship. I knew that going to Avalon and walking through that portal would mean the end of that chapter of my life.

And just three short weeks after arriving back from Avalon, it all came crashing down in a non-negotiable, can’t-possibly-ignore, what-the-fuck-is-happening, shitstorm that I have been processing and integrating since the beginning of September.

Even though the aftermath of my Avalon trip looks for all intents and purposes like total destruction, entering that initiation portal was one of the most powerful choices I have ever made, and I have no regrets. Even though it has meant the death of my relationship (along with many other connected parts of my identity and life structure) and the continued processing of uncomfortable feelings and shitty circumstances, I am glad I chose that path. Remember the rage, grief, betrayal and catharsis I mentioned earlier? Even though these energies have challenged me to my core, they have been vitally important to the process, because they gave me the perfect fodder to alchemize into true power and resilience. I am blowing my own mind every day with who I am becoming and what I am capable of.

My group had private access to Stonehenge on the last day of the pilgrimage.

Just as I’m experiencing the 3D “whiplash” in response to massive energetic expansion, this Soul Calling has also paved the way for massive growth in other areas. My energetic mastery, psychic perception and attunement to the subtle levels is off the charts. Aside from the relationship blowup, my return from Avalon has included many creative and fruitful projects. I have also begun to refine my work with Dragons and work with higher-vibration practices. My physical body feels more healthy and vital, my community connections are flourishing and I have been invited to share my work in new and exciting places.

I have shared very little about my Avalon trip (it’s obviously still landing and integrating), but it felt important to share with you about the ripple effects of an activation experience. (Side note: did you catch the episode of Shaman Sister Sessions that went out two weeks ago? It was about Soul Activations, and it is directly related to our topic for today. Check it out here.) In particular, I wanted to share this with you because I know I’m not alone when it comes to feeling fear around a soul calling.

Friend, I bet you can relate. Maybe you’ve had an experience like mine, where you feel the power and potential leading up to an initiation experience, knowing that part of you will die in the process, but you choose it anyway. Or maybe you have felt the power and potential emanating from a soul calling, but you haven’t answered it because the cost seems too great. Maybe you’re afraid to let that part of yourself die, so you have yet to step through the initiation portal that awaits you.

I am here to tell you that you will be okay. I promise. It might not seem like it, and believe me, I’ve heard all the objections. Their Soul Calling will lead them to this lineage and body of knowledge, but when it comes time to commit to their journey, their hidden fears come up. When we dig deeper and finally get to the root of it, they say things like, “I’m afraid my marriage won’t survive,” or, “I’m afraid I’ll lose my friends and family because they won’t understand me,” or, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep putting up with what I have been tolerating,” or, “I’m afraid because I don’t know who I’ll be if I say yes to that level of growth.” Essentially, all of these people fear the same thing: the death of their old Self.

What about you? What Soul Calling is inviting you to step through a powerful initiation portal, and at what cost? What liberation, power and potential awaits you as you surrender your past self to death?

Are you willing to let yourself die in order to grow and be reborn? Are you willing to shift out of alignment with everything that doesn’t serve you anymore, so you can create more of what does?

It may not be comfortable, but I promise, it’s worth it.

And if your Soul Calling is asking you to step into the initiation portal of Embody Wild, I invite you to answer the call. What growth, expansion and rebirth waits for you on the other side?

If you're ready to see what Embody Wild holds for you, begin the process by submitting your application here.

Your Soul Calling is waiting for you. What do you need to do to answer it?

Many blessings,

Inspiration

While at Stonehenge, I had several visions, past life memories and revisited soul agreements. This was one of the places where I passed through a major initiation portal.

Can you see the double rainbow? I took this picture on my last evening in Avalon after a torrential rainstorm. I climbed Wearyall hill to get a look at the Tor and was treated to this powerful sight.

How to Tell Real Alchemy from Total Bullshit

Is it just me, or has "Alchemy" become a real buzzword in the healing/coaching/personal development community?

Nope, not just me. And most of the time, it's total bullshit.

I wrote an impassioned and very polarizing article a couple of months ago, inviting my fellow practitioners, healers, coaches and facilitators to "stop calling your work Alchemy unless you're actually doing Alchemy." Some people loved it and felt inspired to learn more about this amazing work! ...and of course, you would not believe some of the responses I received from people who were offended (mostly in the form of private messages--which is telling in itself).

Anyone who hangs around in my field long enough knows how important integrity is to me, so hopefully it's no surprise that I give zero fucks about ruffling feathers in service to truth, right alignment and drawing a hard line on bullshit.

Would you like to read this polarizing declaration???

Yeah, I thought you might.
 

How to Tell Real Alchemy from Total Bullshit

Dear Practitioners, Healers, Coaches, Facilitators:

STOP CALLING YOUR WORK ALCHEMY UNLESS YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING ALCHEMY.

Being "spiritual" does not mean that you are an Alchemist. Doing coaching does not equal practicing Alchemy. Alchemy is not a metaphor for transformation, or a sexy term you can slap on a mindset coaching program or business coaching process. (Barf. I have seen all of these and more.)

"Alchemy" has become such a buzzword in the personal development community, and I am here to tell you that this is total bullshit. It doesn't mean that the service you're providing isn't valuable, it's just not Alchemy. Start calling your work what it actually is. If you are any good as a practitioner, you won't need a sexy buzzword to sell your work.

Guess what, people who use the word "Alchemy" to describe whatever the heck else it is you do: if you are taking a term that refers to a very specific and ancient body of knowledge (for which countless people have been persecuted and killed) THAT YOU DON'T ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND, which is only just resurfacing in the popular consciousness, and you use this term to describe something that is not in any way an actual reflection of this term, THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF APPROPRIATION.

Brief shout out to a friend of mine, who asked me recently, "Michelle, what is Alchemy? I see a lot of people using this term and it seems like you're really qualified to help me understand more about what it means." Yeah, girl! Thank you for asking. It is always a fantastic idea to ask questions and get more information. I am delighted to provide some insight. For all the rest of you who might be curious, here you go:

Alchemy is NOT:

• A metaphor for transformation.

• Personal development.

• Coaching.

• Mindset.

• A buzzword.

• Energy healing.

• The creative process.

• The Law of Attraction.

• Something you can learn by reading a book, or taking a month-long course.

• 99% of what you see that’s labeled “Alchemy.”

Alchemy IS:

• An ancient body of knowledge with specific teachings, practices and initiations.

• A rich lineage of unique energetic and physical principles that encompass both spiritual and practical transformation.

• The origin of all modern medicine and science.

• A major influence/contributor to other mystical bodies of knowledge such as Taoism, Kabbalah, Hermeticism, Shamanism, Tarot, Egyptian mysticism, Christian mysticism, and many more.

• Actual magic performed through the principles of energetic resonance, layering of like frequencies, the universal laws and active relationship between Above (Spirit) and Below (Earthly) planes of existence.

• A body of knowledge for which many people were persecuted and silenced.

• A tradition that had to go underground in order to survive.

• A mystery school that self-selects those who are meant to steward these wisdoms forward.

For anyone looking to hire an "Alchemist:" If you see a practitioner or coach who calls what they do "Alchemy," they are probably not actually practicing Alchemy. (You can always ask them to describe Alchemy and how the principles of Alchemical philosophy inform their practice, or send them to me and I will tell you if they are full of shit.) It doesn't necessarily mean that all of their work is bullshit, but I invite you to think twice about any service provider who blatantly appropriates an ancient and mystical term to use as a sexy buzzword for their work, and consider what they might be trying to hide or make seem snazzier than it is.

Want to experience more real Alchemy? I have three things for you:

1. Receive my FREE workbook, the 7 Stages of Personal Alchemy, and identify which stage of Alchemy you're in right now. (You may have received this workbook already when you opted in to my list. If not, contact me and I'll send you a link.)

2. Want to receive 7 alchemical healing sessions to help you move fully through the cycle of transformation? Request your sessions here.

3. Are you ready to be initiated into a powerful mystery school? Apply for I AM Alchemy: the year-long apprenticeship in practical magic. Applications now open. I AM Alchemy 2020 here.

Don't be fooled! Alchemy is an ancient and magical lineage that self-selects those who are meant to carry its mysteries. If you feel a soul calling to this work... let's talk.

Many Alchemical blessings,

Are you depressed? No, it's just Alchemy!

Did you know that 1 in 6 people in the US will suffer from depression at some point in their lives?

I've had a really tough month, and a few days of last week were particularly challenging. (Remember last week's article I sent out about the School of Shamanic Underworld Initiation? At one point last week, I Googled "am I depressed?" out of curiosity just to see where I was on the scale. I don't qualify as experiencing clinical depression, but I'm definitely moving through some pretty heavy energy. Oof.

So if I'm not experiencing depression, what's happening?

...why, ALCHEMY, of course!

Did you know that the process of Alchemy is divided into a series of three phases, the first of which is known as the "Death Phase?" That's right: the seven stages of Alchemy are grouped into the Death Phase, the Purification Phase and the Rebirth Phase. The Death Phase comes first, and it is no joke.

The Death Phase is also not a metaphor. True, you may not actually transition out of your physical body, but the version of yourself that goes through this phase actually dies. Structures in your life crumble away. People often enter into the Death Phase through loss of a loved one, ending a relationship, losing a job or a home, health crisis, or other disaster-esque experiences. The Death Phase is characterized not only by loss of the physical structures, but by the release of emotional and energetic charge that accompanies this process (people experience this as grief, fear, sadness, anger, mourning, trauma response, etc).

Side note: are you wondering how "real" this Death is? I received an unmistakably obvious vision about a week ago. In this vision, I saw myself (a future version of me) holding my own body (current self) in my arms and carrying my lifeless corpse into nature. I set down my body and watched (both from inside my future-self and from inside my old body) as my corpse was eaten by vultures, crows and insects. It actually felt quite peaceful and cathartic, and I experienced energy moving while I witnessed my body being eaten.

I am currently in the Death Phase of Alchemy, and it's exciting! The last time I experienced a Death Phase of this magnitude was at least three or four years ago. This time, I am a completely different person with different tools, upleveled wisdom and powerful practices to support me. Bring it on, Death!!! (Applications for I AM Alchemy 2020 are now open)

Here's the thing: even if 1 in 6 people in the US experiences chronic depression at some point in their lives, 100% of people everywhere will experience at least one Death Phase at some point in their lives. Most people will probably experience many Death Phases of varying magnitudes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this--the Death Phase is a natural and necessary part in the cycle of Creation and Transformation.

The problem is that we live in a society that glorifies Rebirth and rejects Death, to the point where most people experiencing this powerful Alchemical phase usually think that something is profoundly wrong.

I am absolutely NOT saying that everyone who experiences depression is "just" going through the Death Phase of Alchemy. However, I do think that our society is so under-educated about the Death part of the death/rebirth cycle that most people never fully process and integrate their Death, and thus never fully experience true Rebirth.

If  Transformation = Death -> Purification -> Rebirth,  is transformation actually possible without fully surrendering to Death? Are we doing ourselves a huge disservice by only focusing on what we're growing into, and not fully processing and releasing what we're leaving behind? Can we honestly say that we have "transformed" if we launch our unintegrated selves into Rebirth?

Unfortunately, this seems to be the case for many. A lot of people gloss right over the Death part and right into something new. Even more unfortunately, there's a lot of this in the "spiritual" community. (Ever see a "spiritual" teacher or coach focus exhaustively on the "positive," to the point that they ignore and gloss over anything that's not "of the light?" This is A: super shaming, and B: unrealistic of how energy actually works.)

Death has a stigma. Depression has a stigma. Experiencing loss and pain and emotional discomfort all have so much stigma. People avoid talking about it, but by avoiding pain, we never fully integrate it. By ignoring Death, we never get to receive its gifts.

Of course it's more fun to think about Rebirth. Of course it's more socially acceptable to focus on chasing the big, awesome version of our lives that we imagine. Of course it's a lot prettier to ask, "What's the best that could happen?" Of course I probably grossed some of you out by describing my vision. (Not sorry. Shamanic truth dilutes itself for no one.)

...but Alchemy is here to teach us that Death is a sacred ally. Alchemy, this ancient mystery school, has so much to teach us in our modern context where everyone experiences Death and no one wants to talk about it. Alchemy is here to call major bullshit on our collective resistance to examining, processing and sitting with things that are profoundly uncomfortable. Alchemy is here to remind us that, if it feels like you're dying, it's because you are... and that Death is necessary in order for Rebirth to occur.

Remember how I said that the last big Death Phase I experienced was 3-4 years ago? Do you want to know what's different this time? This time, I am not freaking out. This time, I feel empowered in this experience, because I know:

• Alchemy has a very logical set of teachings to explain my experience.

• Alchemical philosophy perfectly describes my current state as the Death Phase in the cycle of Transformation.

• I am currently experiencing the first two stages of Alchemy: Calcination (burning) and Dissolution (dissolving), both of which comprise the Death Phase.

• I have specific tools and practices for working with all stages of the Alchemical process, including the Death Phase.

• I have experienced success with these tools and have evidence that the teachings of Alchemy support the cycle of true Transformation.

• I have supported my Alchemy students through their own Death Phases, and they all benefited from these tools.

People, it's not a question of IF you'll go through the Death Phase, it's a question of WHEN. And when you do, do you have the tools you need to feel empowered? Do you have what it takes to be fully present with your own Death? Do you know how to fully process and integrate the destruction of your life so that you can gracefully shift into a true Rebirth?

There are tools for this, and I want you to have them.

If you want to feel empowered the next time a Death Phase shows up in your life, you need Alchemy.

If you want to truly master the process of Transformation and feel confident in your ability to move through great loss, you need Alchemy.

If you are ready to go from overwhelmed and "am I depressed?" to self-confident and "bring it on!!", you need Alchemy.

Applications for I AM Alchemy 2020 are now open!

...and to all my people out there currently going through their own Death Phase, know that there are so many people (myself included) who are right there with you. I see you. I feel you so much. You are not alone. It is okay to feel everything you are feeling. I get it, and I love you.

Blessings,

Inspiration

The School of Shamanic Underworld Initiation

Are you ready for a big announcement???

Drum roll, please...

I am going back to school!!!

Now, I know you might be thinking that this seems sort of unexpected. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are! Let's just say an opportunity fell in my lap that I can't possibly ignore. This special invitation is beckoning me to continue my studies, deepen in my practice and step into my Mastery more than I ever have. How could I say no?

Would you like to know about this school?

Again, drum roll...

I'm happy to announce that I'm attending the school of Shamanic Underworld Initiation!!!

Hahahahaaaa okay, please forgive the joke. But for real, y'all, if you've been through an underworld initiation of your own, you know as well as I do that it can school you harder than pretty much anything else. (Based on my previous studies, looks like I'll be going for my PhD.)

What is Underworld Initiation?

For those of you who might not be familiar with the term, an Underworld Initiation (also known as Dark Night of the Soul) is a Spirit-led initiation through the Shadow mysteries, usually precipitated by a big life change or traumatic event, and characterized by ego death, radical transformation and rebirth in a new, elevated form.

...that is, if you do it right.

See, the thing about underworld initiation is that most people don't seize the opportunity, and instead hang out in their confusion/trauma or never completely go through the necessary catharsis. Some of the most common ways that people avoid fully moving through their Dark Night of the Soul are through distraction (which can take many forms, including relationship, career, shopping, hobbies, internet/TV, food, etc), medication and substance abuse.

But when we're fully present to an underworld initiation cycle, I am here to tell you that it is crazy powerful and you will come into some next-level magic as a result. It will be pretty fucking uncomfortable, but it is totally worth it.

What do you learn in an Underworld Initiation?

What you learn in your underworld initiation(s) will be different from mine and anyone else's. In essence, you will be confronted with opportunities to shift and/or release your personal shadow patterns and wounding, and come into deeper Self Mastery from a place of authentic actualization. If you're successful, the lesson usually either doesn't show up again, or it shows up in a different way that helps you go even deeper in your Mastery. If you don't make the shift, you're very likely to see a repeat of your Shamanic Underworld Initiation school curriculum the next time around.

Here are some examples of what I've "studied" in previous initiatory experiences, and the resulting uplevel of my skills and mastery (in bold):

• Stepping away from my connection to Spirit, to fully claiming and embodying my holy nature as a Divine Embodied Being, before anything else.

• Questioning my belonging in community, to feeling more connected to a tribe of like-hearted people.

• Abandoning my power, to fully stepping into the expansive potential of my personal magic and my gifts, and using my power with ease.

• Feeling abandoned by loved ones and community, to cultivating healthy relationships with a group of supportive humans who I know have my back.

• Home and financial crisis, to internalizing my sense of safety so I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have what I need, and resulting stability and abundance.

• Not trusting myself and my intuition, to always standing by what my inner wisdom tells me, even if other people don't believe me or listen. I trust myself fully, no matter what.

• Embodying the Wounded Healer archetype, to embodying the Empowered Healer archetype and stepping into my authentic service.

• Receiving manipulation and abuse, to loving myself so much that I only accept loving and compassionate treatment from others.

• Feeling like a powerless victim of my circumstances and my emotions, to being able to confidently draw upon the infinite wellspring of my personal power and life force in order to transmute energy for healing.

• Lack of boundaries, to boundaries, boundaries, boundaries! (Okay, I'm still working on that one in certain areas, but I'm much better than I used to be.)

I feel very confident that I have completely shifted many of these, but there are still a couple lessons that keep showing up in the cosmic syllabus, along with new stuff! I'm so excited about this learning opportunity, I could scream!!!!!!!

Do you know the best part? Every time we return to the school of Shamanic Underworld Initiation, we have more tools. We have additional perspective and information from the intervening years, we have more people in our corner to support us, and we have even more capacity to move a massive amount of energy. Best of all in this case, I actually know what underworld initiations are now, and I know how to let myself go into them without completely losing my shit (there are moments where it gets a little dicey, but I'm much better at being uncomfortable than I used to be). Don't worry--if it feels like you're dying, it's because you are!

How do we get into the school of Shamanic Underworld Initiation?

...why? Are you thinking, "that sounds great! I want to go to that kind of school."

If so:

1. You're crazy. You do not want to volunteer for this kind of learning if you can do it in a different way.

2. You don't choose the school of Shamanic Underworld Initiation. It chooses you, whether you like it or not.

You might be thinking, "But, Michelle! You sound kind of excited about this. What gives?"

Well, friend, I wouldn't say I'm "excited." Again, it's super uncomfortable and I definitely would prefer to not be having this experience. But it is fair to say that I'm leaning into it with a certain degree of good humor and "fuck it, let's do this." I can guarantee you that I fought tooth and nail to avoid going into this underworld initiation, and hahahahaaaa of course that didn't work. But now that I'm here, I am going to make the best of it and seize the opportunity for some major lessons in Mastery! (I keep flashing back to May: this is exactly the feeling I had when I didn't make it on the ferry back from Orcas Island and had a 7-hour wait at the ferry dock. I genuinely felt as cool as a cucumber and in good humor, even though I 10000% would rather have been on the ferry. I made the best of it and did fine once I was in the experience.)

What are some tools for a successful Underworld Initiation?

I'm so glad you asked! Based on my experience, here are some of the most important things you can do, regardless of your particular lessons:

• Do not avoid your process. Do not avoid your pain. Whatever it is, be present with your feelings and allow yourself to completely receive their gifts and messages. Even the most painful circumstances hold powerful medicine, and you'll miss it if you're distracted.

• That being said, it's okay to step back from your process every now and then! Go watch a movie. Hang out with friends. (It's a balance. Don't overdo the checking out, but don't be a masochist hero.)

• Reflection is an amazing tool: journaling, meditation, counseling, talking with friends.

• ...but make sure to receive inputs of new information and energy so you're not just spinning around in your own shit! Read articles, get perspectives from different people, tune in to my podcast (link below), get some outside wisdom.

• Move energy on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, Spiritual. Make sure you have practices to support this (movement practice, breathwork, mantra, crying, journaling, energy healing). I AM Alchemy is a great resource for all of these.

• Ask for help. Whether it's from loved ones, community, or a professional, it is vitally important to receive support and remember that you are loved.

• Remember that if it feels like you're dying, it's because you are: the old version of your Self and your life is dying. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it's okay to grieve this. But keep in mind that you're growing into something new and you get to claim it whenever you're ready.

You know what? After writing all of this, I actually am kind of excited. I can look back on previous rounds of "school" and see how they were instrumental in my personal and energetic education. As a result of these Shamanic Underworld Initiations, I received concentrated growth and learning within short periods of time. I have these initiatory experiences to thank for aligning me with the process of Alchemy (applications for I AM Alchemy are now open), cultivating a comfortable relationship with Death and Sacred Destruction, and coming into strong allyship with associated spirit guides and deities. Some of my strongest medicine comes from these experiences.

I know that these periods of my life when I was most uncomfortable were also incredibly valuable training grounds for my gifts, my resilience and my ability to work with big energy. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

(Have you experienced Underworld Initiation and wish you had more tools for next time? Are you experiencing one right now? I recommend applying for I AM Alchemy to give you tools and support to move through these lessons!

Many blessings,

Inspiration

Four Ways You're Probably Leaking Energy and Don't Know It

Do you ever feel like sometimes you might be hemorrhaging life force energy and not know where it all goes? All of a sudden you feel totally exhausted, depleted and have no idea why. You can't imagine what might be taking that much of your energy, and I can guarantee it's probably something you never expected.

I wanted to share this with you because over the years, I have witnessed an appalling number of practitioners fall into these super obvious traps (I have fallen into these as well) and end up feeling totally drained. Yes, all the usual stuff still applies (grounding, protecting your energy, personal practice, etc.). But these four things are so basic that they're not usually on our radar as potential energy leaks.

Sometimes it's helpful to look at the most mundane parts of our lives and see how they're contributing to our overall well-being. If you're one of the people whose first thought when you hear "energy leak" is "do an extraction" or "they must need Soul Retrieval..." start here first.

 

Four Ways You're Probably Leaking Energy and Don't Know It

1. Problem: Maintaining potential timelines.
We often see this in the case of non-commitment, "keeping options open" or replying "Interested" to everything on Facebook. Maybe you're the kind of person who tells your friends "Maybe, I'll get back to you" about plans and waits until the last minute. I'm a huge fan of flexibility, but did you know that it actually costs you energy to maintain that many open currents? As long as you keep the possibility open of "maybe" doing something or spending time with people, you are maintaining an energetic connection to those people and circumstances. Whether you like it or not, if the energetic connection is there, your life force is attached to that potential timeline.
Fix: Be clear in your intentions about what you commit to and where you make energetic connections. If you want to go to an event, buy your ticket. If you're not sure, give yourself a hard deadline to think about it and then make your final decision, yes or no. That way you can focus all your energy on the timelines you want to manifest.

2. Problem: Virtual connections.
This is a similar principle as above. The world we live in exposes us to the energy from more people, circumstances and events than ever before, while simultaneously isolating us into a little virtual bubble. You know all the healthy, positive things that come with spending time with friends and family, such as oxytocin, emotional resonance and heartbeat entrainment? We don't get those from virtual connection. We may be able to communicate through texts, messages and even video, but the benefits pretty much stop there. Instead, we form an energetic link with someone or something that can then tap the precious resource of our own vital life force (read the news lately? Geez. Don't want that connection). In other words, we get all the drawbacks of making an energetic link with someone without actually receiving the benefits.
Fix: Make sure to create space for nourishing in-person connection, and practice regular energy clearing and cord-cutting to sever connections with virtual energies.

3. Problem: Not taking responsibility for your own energy.
This one can be a bit tricky (I am definitely not "Law of Attraction-shaming" here), and we've all been here at some point. But here's a bit of tough love: I can guarantee that you have at least ONE tool in your tool belt that will help you take responsibility for your own energy, even if it feels like things are falling apart around you. Maybe you have lots of tools. Regardless of how many tools we have, they don't work for shit unless we actually use them. When we don't take responsibility for our own energy, we lose so much of our vital life force by placing our process outside of ourselves. (Not taking responsibility for our energy can look like blaming things on Mercury Retrograde/astrology stuff, excusing something with "my healer told me my root chakra is blocked so I'm really ungrounded," etc.) Avoiding responsibility for your energy body is a great way to become super depleted and blow out your system.
This means the next time you're spinning out (again, we all have those moments), instead of making your problem someone else's problem, STOP. Breathe. Go for a walk. Use any of the amazing tools you have to shift your energy.
Fix: Claim your sovereignty and embody your free will in the experience. Take responsibility for your energy body and use your tools. Be honest with yourself and others about how you're feeling, and take empowered, inspired action to shift your energy and/or ask for support.

4. Problem: Divided desire.
Do you feel like you're "stuck?" Do you look back at your life and feel like you're in the same place you were a year ago? Five years ago? Ten years ago? If so, you might be divided in your desires. Maybe part of you wants to connect with high vibration energies and become an Alchemist, but another part of you is afraid of the changes that will mean for your 3D life. Oh no! What if you outgrow your career, shift out of alignment with your partner and feel like you need to move to Portland to study Alchemy and healership with Michelle???
Relax. The Divided Desire trap exists because we believe it's an either/or choice, rather than a both/and option. We often think we need to figure out the details before making transformation happen in order to satisfy the concerns of that part of ourselves that's digging in its heels. But as long as we're divided in our intentions and desires, nothing happens and we get stuck. When we get stuck, we're no longer participating in the flow of Universal energy, and we lose our vital life force. We feel depleted, drained, disconnected and dull.
Fix: Get the conflicting parts of yourself on the same page, even if it's for a small change, just to get some energy moving and regain your connection with flow. You'll feel more vital and the next change will come more easily.

On that note... Applications for I AM Alchemy 2020 are now open. 

Want to know more about other ways to protect and cultivate your vital life force energy? Have I got the training for you!

Whether you are an existing or aspiring practitioner, healer or coach, or whether you want to spend 12 months walking the Alchemist path as part of your personal journey of Self Mastery...

if you want to bring practical application of real-time magic and alignment with Universal forces of creation to your life, I AM Alchemy is for you.

The Empowered Healer Checklist

Over my 15+ years of training and practice, I've found that there are a few key essentials that make all the difference both in my personal practice and in my ability to offer healing to others. These were essential skills that I imparted during my 7 years teaching Reiki, and continue to teach to my private clients and Alchemy students.

...Do you want to know what they are???
 

How do you know if you're an Empowered healer?
Use the Empowered Healer checklist to find out!

The Empowered Healer Checklist

Every Empowered Healer should feel confident in these 5 key areas:

1. Energetic Anatomy: You know how energy naturally moves through the body and energy centers. You can identify different layers of your energy body, direct flow of energy and tell if something is out of alignment.

2. Clearing energy: You can comfortably and confidently use purging, releasing and cleansing techniques to clear the different energy bodies. You know how to clear trapped emotion, old energetic residue, other people's energy and stagnation.

3. Grounding energy: You know how to safely ground into Earthly and embodied energies. You know how to return all parts of your energy back to your body and create a solid container.

4. Cultivating energy: You feel confident building and cultivating your energy field. You know how to increase the vibration and the amount of energy in your field, and safely work with it.

5. Protecting energy: You know how to create a non-defensive protective field. You feel comfortable setting and asserting energetic boundaries, especially in stressful or chaotic surroundings. You know how to keep your energies safe.

If you answered an enthusiastic YES to all of these, congratulations! You're an Empowered Healer!

Were there some points where you didn't feel so confident? Did you see some areas where you would like to grow and feel more comfortable?

Applications for I AM Alchemy are now open. Whether you are an existing or aspiring practitioner, healer or coach, or whether you want to spend 12 months walking the Alchemist path as part of your personal journey of Self Mastery... if you want to bring practical application of real-time magic and alignment with Universal forces of creation to your life, I AM Alchemy is for you.

Are you ready to go from being "just another healer" to a Fully Empowered Master of Transformation?

Apply now for I AM Alchemy 2020!

Journal/Meditation prompts:
 

Who am I as an Empowered Healer?
What dreams do I have for myself in my Healing abilities?
What do I need to learn or be in order for that to happen?

As Long as it Takes

I don't usually use this platform for movie reviews, but... holy cow, y'all! I watched a documentary over the weekend that has me inspired, activated and deeply reconnected with my Inner Warrior.

When I began delving into my study of Shamanic Astrology several years ago, I learned that Aries is activated for me in a few different areas of my chart. Aries is one of these signs that we see portrayed as strong-willed and independent, but one of the ways I like to think about this archetype is through the lens of the Peaceful Warrior. Aries pushes the edges not for the sake of conflict, but because the eternal question burning inside them asks, "What is possible?" Aries is the Pioneer, the Wayshower, the one who climbs the "impossible" mountain to discover within themselves that it can be done, and to pave the way for others.

The film I watched literally portrays two such Peaceful Warriors in their quest to climb an "impossible" mountain.

The Dawn Wall (available on Netflix) follows world-class rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson as they attempt to successfully free climb the notorious 3,000 foot Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite. In the interest of not giving away spoilers (because I really, REALLY encourage you to watch this film), I'll share with you a couple of my takeaways without referencing specifics. If you watch it and want to email me what you got out of the film, I would love to hear from you!!!

One of the repeating themes in The Dawn Wall was the idea of "as long as it takes." This showed up not only during the actual attempt, but in the preparation. Not only had both of these people practiced climbing for pretty much their entire lives, but Tommy Caldwell had climbed El Capitan for years. When he decided to try the Dawn Wall, he spent six years researching and testing possible route sections across the sheer rock face.

When is the last time most of us spent six years devoted to mastering a very specific task where the outcome was so uncertain?

We live in a culture of instant gratification and guaranteed results... which, when you think about it, is inherently antithetical to true Mastery. The state of Mastery is an uncertain outcome with an uncertain timeline--but we do know it's a long-haul journey. As Bruce Lee famously says, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." In other words, the best way to be effective and powerful in a given skill set is to simply practice it over and over, as long as it takes to master it.

Not only did Tommy and Kevin practice the Dawn Wall over and over, but they failed over and over. One thing that drives me crazy is hearing stories about someone who achieves "overnight success," when in fact, they spent years out of the spotlight developing Mastery and cultivating their skills, often failing more than they succeed until they get it right. Tommy and Kevin were in this journey for the long haul, which included years worth of injuries, setbacks, emotional toll and bloody fingers. True Mastery is a journey that tests us on every level, and offers us thousands of opportunities to walk away. Those who are committed to the journey, even with no guaranteed outcome, will show up for as long as it takes.

Back to that burning question, "What is possible?" There was no climbing route on the Dawn Wall when Tommy first considered it. This was uncharted territory in every sense of the word, that would require not only physical strength and endurance, but also creative ingenuity, emotional resilience, fierce commitment and dedication, lots of support from community, and a colossal investment of time and energy.

And yet, Aries is the keeper of the Spark--the catalyst, the tiny explosion of a match that eventually leads to a bonfire. When we ask "what is possible?", we strike a match. It's up to us whether the match goes out, or whether we nurture it into a full, blazing flame.

By nurturing that tiny spark, true Warriors push the edges of what we as a society deem "possible." All of a sudden, the seemingly impossible enters the realm of "doable," and paves the way for others to not only push their own edges but go beyond to become Wayshowers of the next frontier.

We may not all be world-class rock climbers, but I promise you that we each have an opportunity to embody our Inner Warrior in other ways. What is your Dawn Wall? Where is the question, "What is possible?" pointing you? What are you willing to show up for, to practice over and over, to fail at over and over, and to ultimately master?

Whatever your own Dawn Wall may be, know that I'm right there, climbing beside you... as long as it takes.

Are you ready to go from being "just another healer" to a Fully Empowered Master of Transformation?

Apply now for I AM Alchemy 2020!

Inspiration



"I have a very distinct goal all the time that I'm working toward, and I love the way it makes me live."

~Tommy Caldwell

Soul on Fire

What sets your soul on fire?

As creators, we know that participating in the creative process requires a massive amount of energy to get a project, idea or brainchild off the ground. We are quite literally bringing a new entity to the world with a life force and a purpose all its own, and until that brainchild has enough energy and momentum to sustain itself, it survives by borrowing life force from its creator.

What do our creations ask of us in order to fully actualize?

I consulted the Sacred Creators Oracle. The card that came up immediately caught my attention:

"Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire," was one of the messages.

Have you ever read an oracle card description that feels like it's you talking to yourself? That's exactly how this felt: the words, language and messages were the same as my own ponderings and the questions I ask myself.

Right now, the creation that is asking the most of me is I AM Alchemy. This course spent about four years as an evolving and expanding set of ideas and philosophy before it was born last year as an intensive training. As we head into the second iteration of I AM Alchemy, there is definitely more momentum and infrastructure, but the creation process is not without its growing pains.

Every day as I shepherd this project into greater degrees of its unfolding, I have the opportunity to practice being fearless in pursuit of bringing to life that which sets my soul on fire... or rather, showing up even in the face of fear.

Because I AM Alchemy truly does set my soul on fire. This course epitomizes my most deeply heartfelt passion: it provides tools to empower those who are ready to step into their own fully empowered Creatorship to be masters of transformation in the world and bring their own sacred visions to life. Those of you who have joined me for the Taste of I AM Alchemy classes have witnessed my excitement and heard me exclaim how strongly I believe in the teachings and principles of practical magic.

As I participate in this process of Sacred Creatorship, I get to ask myself:

What is this creation asking of me in order to fully actualize?

Right now, I AM Alchemy is asking me to believe enough in myself to know that I can bring this work to life. It is asking me to trust that I have the skills and capacity to deliver this sacred knowledge to the world in an effective way so that it can work its magic. I AM Alchemy is asking me to trust that this work is powerful, accessible and that it makes a difference in people's lives.

Dear Creator, what are your creations asking of you at this time? How can you be fearless in the pursuit of that which sets your soul on fire?

If you want to feel confident, masterful and fully trust yourself as a practitioner...

If you are ready to cultivate a soul-aligned practice that supports your life...

If you are ready to master your intuitive gifts, your training and your craft by mastering your Self...

Apply now for I AM Alchemy.

That which sets your soul on fire is ready to be born.

Journal/meditation prompts:
 

What are my creations asking of me at this time?
How can I be fearless in the pursuit of that which sets my soul on fire?

I'm coming out!

I had a very powerful conversation with a friend of mine. This was no "ordinary" powerful conversation--I went into this conversation with my heart pounding, tears in my eyes and sincerely hoping that I wasn't about to burn a bridge with someone for whom I have a lot of love and respect.

During this conversation, we got really vulnerable. I mean we both dug deeeeep into our hearts to share some tender truths and acknowledge the impact that we've had on each other's lives and processes.

I said something to my friend that struck me as pretty important, and something that I wanted to repeat to you. I told my friend:
 

"I know that, by people being in my sphere, they are challenged and they are changed. I know that, because that's what I am here to do: I am here to help people change, regardless of how that happens."

By people being in my sphere, in my energy field, in my life, they are challenged and they are changed.

I don't think I've ever really articulated it in that way before, but it's true. When people come into my life in an energetically intimate way (as a friend, as a partner, as a client, etc), being around me challenges them and invites them to step into their own transformation.

Why am I sharing that with you?

Because you're in my sphere.

… if you are ready to be challenged, if you want to be prompted, invited and supported to transform in ways you never imagined, if you are ready to step into your own magnificent unfolding... stick around. Maybe even come a little closer.

And let me "come out" and reintroduce myself:
 

Hi, I'm Michelle Hawk.

I'm a Shamanic Alchemist who will help you
Master Your Craft by Mastering Your Self.

If you like hanging out in my energy field, thank you for being here. I'm glad to know that you're ready to be challenged.

In fact, I have a few ways that you can lean into that a little more, if you like!

By the way, that conversation with my friend went great. Yes, I was apprehensive to broach an uncomfortable topic, but I'm so glad I did. The juicy breakthroughs always come after we push our edges. My friend and I closed with a lot of gratitude and respect for each other, and deep acknowledgement of the transformative nature of our connection.

What transformation are you ready for?

Many blessings,

Are you ready to go from being "just another healer" to a Fully Empowered Master of Transformation?

Apply now for I AM Alchemy 2020!
>>>http://joyofenergy.com/i-am-alchemy



Journal/meditation prompts:
 

What transformation am I ready for at this time? What in my life is asking to be changed? How can I gracefully align with those changes?

7 Keys for Mastering Your Craft

What does it mean to Master Your Craft?

How do you know when you have?

Whether or not you're currently a practitioner (healer, bodyworker, yoga teacher, coach, naturopath, etc), we all have a craft. And I know, since you're here, that you have a vision for what is possible by mastering your craft.

One of the biggest fallacies I have seen over and over in my practice (and one that I have been guilty of, myself) is one that continues to plague the Spiritual and self-development community. And it drives me effing bonkers.

Maybe you know someone like this. Maybe you've been in this position, too! Either way, I share this with you because I believe it's one of the most fundamental components for any practitioner. The fallacy is this: many people try to master their craft without the internal process of mastering themselves.

I've shared articles with you before about the path of Self Mastery and its implications on our personal and professional lives. In fact, I designed a year-long intensive training course that helps empowered practitioners master their Craft by mastering themSelves. If you want to trust yourself as a practitioner, feel confident in your intuitive gifts and your service, build a thriving practice that supports your life and create the biggest possible impact for your clients and for the world...

Turn your energies inward.

Come home to yourself.

Master your craft by mastering your Self.
 

How do we do this, exactly? What do Masterful Practitioners have in common?

Funny you should ask! I wrote a guide for you that answers that very question:
7 Keys for Mastering Your Craft. (Don't let the name fool you--it's all about Self-Mastery.) This guide offers 7 things that all Masterful Practitioners incorporate into their practice, as well as journal and meditation prompts for you so you can incorporate them into your own practice!

Scroll down for the guide. Happy integration!

Many blessings,

7 Keys for Mastering Your Craft

Strong and Consistent Personal Practice

In order for them to be effective and powerful in their work, masterful practitioners know that they must cultivate health and vitality in all areas of their life: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Personal practice serves as a microcosm for the rest of our lives, and masterful practitioners prioritize their personal practice so they can successfully support their own energies as well as their clients.

Journal/meditation prompt: What do I do every day that supports my health and vitality? What specifically does this practice do for my body, my mind, my heart and my spirit? What fills me up the most?
 

Radical Self Awareness and Continual Inquiry

Masterful practitioners know themselves from the inside out, and they know that there is no “arrival.” We are never “done” our process of actualization and development—the best way to support our clients and be effective changemakers in the world is to remain in close contact with our own process so we can ensure that we’re showing up authentically, fully and clearly.

Journal/meditation prompt: Tune in with the subtleties of your body and your energy field. What do you notice? Are there any hidden, trapped emotions or beliefs that show up? How can you create space to get to “know yourself” and who you are becoming every day?
 

Self-Trust

This is different from blind faith or confidence: masterful practitioners trust themselves because they know themselves well (see previous point) and have lived experience of their own capability, capacity and resourcefulness. Even if the circumstance is new, masterful practitioners trust themselves to call upon their reservoirs of self-awareness and life experience to effectively navigate the situation.

Journal/meditation prompt: State the affirmation, “I trust myself completely.” As you do so, notice what sensations or emotions arise for you. Ask yourself, in what ways do I trust myself? In what ways do I not trust myself? How do I relate to self-trust? How do I want to embody self-trust?
 

Congruence

The way we do something is the way we do everything. Masterful practitioners embody congruence, meaning that all areas of their life and practice exhibit consistent traits and principles. A non-congruent practitioner might teach nutrition and self-care, but go home every night to binge on sugar and television. A congruent practitioner fully embodies and aligns with their practice in all areas.

Journal/meditation prompt: How am I embodying and aligning with my practice every day? In what areas am I congruent? In what areas am I incongruent? What action steps do I need to take in order to come into congruent alignment?
 

Practice is Fully Grounded and Integrated

Masterful practitioners have a seemingly effortless relationship with their practice. Their work seems to flow through and from them, as an extension of their very being. This “effortlessness” actually comes from having processed and integrated their work so deeply that every cell, every facet of consciousness and every action aligns with their practice. This energy and wisdom live fully in their body, and they draw upon it without having to think about it.

Journal/meditation prompt: How have I integrated and grounded my work? To what extent is my practice fully embodied? What remains to be integrated? What steps do I need to take to ground in my work?
 

Less Is More

Have you ever been around a practitioner who simply seems to help you feel brighter by their mere presence? The energies are subtle, words are few and precise, but incredibly effective. Masterful practitioners know that less is more: they do less and have more impact. By filling a session with doing, there is less room for being. Masterful practitioners know that true healing and growth
happens in the spaces between doing, and create plenty of room for being.

Journal/meditation prompt: What is my relationship to doing? What is my relationship to being? How can I do less in order to be more effective and have more impact?
 

Healthy Relationship with Shadow

All Lightworkers must have a healthy, grounded relationship with Shadow as a sacred ally. Masterful practitioners know that “negative” emotions and energies are neither good nor bad, but merely represent one polarity of the spectrum. Instead of demonizing the Shadow, masterful practitioners welcome it as a valued teacher. They have an active working partnership with Death and the Sacred Destroyer, and know that Shadow may also work in service to love.

Journal/meditation prompt: What is my relationship to Shadow? What does this say about me? How do I want to relate to Shadow? How is Shadow an ally in my life and practice?

Are you ready to go from being "just another healer" to a fully empowered Master of Transformation?
>>>Apply now for I AM Alchemy 2020!

Walking the Path

"Go big, or go home!"

"No pain, no gain!"

We're all familiar with these statements, and others that also glorify intensity, drama and suffering. I definitely used to be a member of the Harder/Better/Faster/Stronger camp. I think it was a combination of my desire for efficiency, my highly competitive nature and the need to receive instant gratification in knowing that my efforts had achieved some immediately measurable result.

It took me an embarrassingly long time (until around 2015 or so), but I finally learned that healing doesn't work that way. (Facepalm.) In many ways, I almost felt exempt from the Universal Laws of subtle energy movements—see aforementioned competitive nature. "If anyone can heal overnight, it's me! I'll just do this one big ritual and I'll be good!" Then Spirit would kick my butt in some form or another and I would be forced to slow down, work on the subtleties and not try to rush anything or create some grand Hail Mary healing gesture.

There were times when I was moving through deep healing crisis, and the only thing I could do to work on myself was some mini personal practice, but I committed to doing it every day. One of the most gratifying examples of this took place in 2015 as I experienced the trials of the Portland housing market and had no idea where I was going to live. During that time, I received a healing session, and the practitioner told me that my Root Chakra was almost entirely shut down. I remember thinking, "That can't be right. I'm very grounded." But as I considered this information, I realized that I hadn't adjusted my personal practices to accommodate the destabilization I felt from losing my home. I silently promised myself in that moment to work on my Root Chakra and my sense of safety every day, even if only for five minutes.

When I saw this healer again a month later, she noted that my Root Chakra was not only fully back online, but huge! Also, all of my other Chakras were more balanced and aligned because of the work I had been doing on my Root Chakra alone. Aside from the measurable difference in my energy field, I felt emotionally safer and I was more secure and confident, despite the upheaval in my living situation. I had worked every day for a few minutes on internalizing my sense of safety, rather than having my safety be dependent on external circumstances, and it had profound effects on my energy body and personal well-being.

I realized, after grasping the enormous value of subtlety and consistency (especially in personal practice), that I was not the only person who believed that healing needed to be a dramatic, grand-gesture experience. In a later conversation with a friend of mine, we got around to talking about energy clearing. I perceived that his field was a bit "dusty" and asked him what he did for a clearing practice. "You mean like a sweat lodge?" He asked. I answered that a sweat lodge was a good way to do some bigger clearing, but asked again what he did every day for himself. "Oh. Nothing," he answered. At this point Spirit started poking me with a very direct message, so I asked him, "Do you believe that subtle daily practices actually work?" He looked a bit taken aback as he thought for a moment, then, almost sheepishly, answered, "I guess not."

We all like magic fixes. We like thinking that there's one golden gem of a ritual or practice that we can bring in to clean up our energies and erase all the wounds. That's why there are so many "Intensives" out there in the healing and coaching world. There are plenty of retreats, ceremonies and other ways to experience a supercharged dose of healing. There is absolutely incredible value in dropping into your process and doing nothing else for one day, three days, five days, a week, or longer, but unless your awareness of the subtleties and your established personal practice is there to back it up, it is not sustainable and the energies won't stick around. While much less sexy, the subtle consistency of your daily personal practice is going to be the thing that saves your butt and creates the solid foundation for all other healing work to take place.

I guarantee you that the subtle work that you do every single day will be one of your greatest tools. This is what will allow you to become intimately acquainted with your energies, your process, your intuition and help you cultivate a strong energetic foundation. It is this foundation that will provide a clear container for whatever intensive healing, magic, coaching or ceremonial work you do, and give you a place to channel that infusion of new energy. One of the things I tell my clients (have you and I had this conversation?) is, "Doing a subtle practice two minutes every day for 30 days is more powerful than doing one hour of practice once a month."

How can you harness your own power of subtlety? Check this out:
 

A Personal Practice Primer
for Lightworkers

Congratulations! You're ready to develop or enhance your subtle personal practice. Here are some things to consider:

• Support: it's a good idea to receive some support in the form of healing work or mentorship to help you determine the best direction for your personal practice. (Want support? Let's talk!)

• Time: how much time can you commit every day to this practice? I tell my clients to choose something in the range of 2 minutes to 1 hour. Choose the amount of time that you confidently feel you can commit to every single day. If there are some days where you do more than that, that's great! But at very least, you are setting aside that minimum amount of time.

• Intention: what is the goal of your practice? What would you like your practice to help you do? If your goal is to use your practice to establish strong boundaries, you will likely need a different practice than if you wanted to cultivate your intuition.

• The practice itself: what are you actually doing during that timeframe? In addition to your intention, part of what dictates your practice is the amount of time you allot. For example, if you give yourself an hour, that's enough time for some journaling, breathing meditation, embodiment practices and affirmations. If you give yourself 10 minutes, maybe a brief visualization and affirmation practice would be more appropriate. If you give yourself two minutes, you can create a brief, but rich practice of silence, gratitude and simply being present in your body.

Here are some suggestions of a few things that you might want to consider weaving into your personal practice:

• Self-healing work (energy healing, Reiki, chakra balance)

• Breathwork

• Meditation (visualization, mindfulness, Shamanic journey)

• Gratitude

• Affirmations

• Journaling

• Embodiment practice (exercise, walking, gentle movement, stretching, yoga)

• Silence

• Gardening

• Artwork or creative process

It's also important to change up your personal practice every now and then so it doesn't become stagnant. But for now, just pick something and stick with it!

Applications for I AM Alchemy are now open. Calling all Lightworkers! Whether you are an existing or aspiring practitioner, healer or coach, or whether you want to spend 12 months walking the Alchemist path as part of your personal journey of Self Mastery... if you want to bring practical application of real-time magic and alignment with Universal forces of creation to your life, I AM Alchemy is for you.

Journal/Meditation Prompts:
 

What is my Personal Practice? How do I feel about it? What does it do for me? What do I want my Personal Practice to do for me? What changes can I make to achieve this?

The Intersection of Spirituality and Science

I AM Alchemy represents something quite phenomenal, and deeply personal. What now exists as a year-long intensive training course in practical magic began as me following my intuitive guidance to work with the natural energies of transformation. From the time I was very young, this way of looking at the world has simply made the most sense to me. When I first began officially studying and practicing Shamanism in 2003, my natural inclinations were confirmed by an Earth-based way of knowing that is older than recorded history itself.

I was always interested in healing, science, magic, personal inquiry and the miracle of nature, and I discovered while I was in high school that these concepts had a very natural intersection. I continued my education and investigation. While earning my undergraduate degree in Animal Physiology and Behavior, I simultaneously completed my Reiki Master training and furthered my Shamanic studies. I walked the paths of magic and of science at the same time, and discovered that they ultimately led to the same place: back to that same world view that I’d had as a child, but with all the benefits of the added wisdom of life experience.

I AM Alchemy is simply a synthesis of this world view. That which I took for granted as a child (the sacredness of life itself, the magic that exists in all beings, the power and utter majesty of the Earth) now takes on new significance through the lens of where the path has taken me through the study of life. As I grew beyond my young innocence, I learned that not everyone experiences the world in this way… but that people are hungry for it again, and the time has come for us to reclaim this Sacred Work.

This course is a revolution not only in of the body of knowledge itself, but also in the way that we relate to knowledge. Science and Spiritual practice have more in common than we might think: both are means of discovering Truth, both emphasize inquiry and research, both honor the contributions of our ancestors (physical, energetic and intellectual) and both, in their purest form, serve to uplift, empower and inspire all beings.

These two paths of Science and Spirituality were once a unified journey. The investigation of Life took place just as much within the heart as within the lab. Modern chemistry, medicine and principles of physics were born from the research of Spiritual practitioners as they sought to identify God in the world around them. Throughout history, Alchemists are noted not only for their philosophical and Spiritual work, but their contributions to the scientific community. Alchemy is one of the few (if not the only) practices that has maintained a foot in both worlds.

However, these paths drifted apart, and the worlds of Science and Spirit grew to vilify each other. History is riddled with examples of the scientific community looking upon Spiritual practitioners with disdain, and just as many examples of the Spiritual community rejecting the findings of Science. The path of Science shifted in the Yang direction of logic, linear thinking, reason and structure, and Spiritual practice as a whole moved in the Yin direction of fluidity, passivity and suppression in the outer world. The Spiritual collective had lost its structure, and Science had lost its soul.

We are at a turning point in the evolution of the planet where we have the opportunity to bring these fields once more into collaboration and support of each other. I firmly believe, having walked both paths, that this is one of the fundamental pieces necessary in order for us to live a life of fully empowered creatorship. In order to truly actualize the world of our hearts and dreams, our relationship to knowing must include both the evidence-based experience, and the power of faith.

The time for knowledge that exists only in the thinking, rational state is over. Now is the time of feeling, embodied wisdom and subtle perception.

The time for retreating into an oblivious bliss state and separating from the physical realm is over. Now is the time of sovereignty, discernment and returning magic to the workings of Earth.

I AM Alchemy operates as a training in practical magic through the paths of both Science and Spirituality. Throughout this course, we’ll be using the principles of scientific inquiry: asking really good questions, tracking data (lots of journaling and opportunities to reflect on trends), moving along a trajectory of investigation and grounding our results into our lived experience. We’ll also be working with principles of Spiritual practice: honoring the immediacy and multifaceted nature of Truth, taking time for reverence and pure connection, inviting Spirit into our lives and living in alignment with the sacredness all around us.

My greatest wish for this work is that it serves to help usher in a new way of being on this planet—one that honors the sacredness of life and also gives us a road map for how to live in this world.

May this work support your own journey of sacred unfolding as you come home to yourself.

May this work support the freedom, sovereignty and health of all beings on Earth.

We do this work for the benefit of ourselves, of all those around us, of all beings on Earth and of the Earth Herself.
 

Ready to apply for the course?

Apply here>>http://joyofenergy.com/i-am-alchemy

Cycles of Power: Winter

Cycles of Power

Many people view time and energy as a linear trajectory: we experience a series of sequential events and threads that make up our lives. In reality, time and energy function much less like a line and more like a spiral. Energy naturally fluctuates, and as the saying goes, what goes up must come down (and go up again, and so on), following the Universal Law of expansion and contraction.

By bringing awareness to the cyclical nature of energetic movement and our own cycles of power, we learn to align our own personal energies in the most effective and efficient way with cycles of power that exist outside of us. Think about it like a current: it is much easier to swim with the current than against it. Swimming against the current is inefficient, tiring and you have little to show for your exertion. Working with Cycles of Power is like learning to swim with the current at all times—less work for you, greater results and you get to enjoy the ride.

In this case, we’re working with the Cycles of Power that we witness in the change of seasons. Shamanic tradition teaches us that each season has its own suite of associated energies. These seasonal signatures offer us clues as to how we can align our own energies to effectively “swim with the current.” Let's take a look at what Winter energy holds:
 

Seasonal Signatures of Winter

• Energy: Yin

• Direction: North

• Signatures: Silence, stillness, rest, hibernation, integration

• Guides: Animals of “structure” (such as Bear and Elk) and strong Tribe (such as Wolf)

Autumn asked us to harvest the seeds we planted and begin the journey inward, and Winter asks us to fully arrive home within ourselves to rest and replenish our energies. Consider the fields in Winter: the crops have been harvested, the soil turned under and left to rest until Spring. This is the season to offer that to ourselves so that we can fully integrate the energies of the year and be ready for the next Spring. Here are some ways you can orient yourself to Winter magic:

Aligning to the Cycle of Power of Winter

• Sleep more than you would any other time of year--how much does your body actually want to sleep? How can you include more rest in your day?

• If you default to listening to music in the background, try turning it off and tuning in to the silence.

• Even if you have an active personal practice (exercise, moving meditation, etc) add in a few moments of stillness. Maybe include an extended Shavasana in your yoga practice, or shift your movement practice in a more Yin direction. Restorative yoga, Yin forms of Qi Gong, stretching and rolling out your body are great for this season.

• Take a moment to review your year. Winter is the time of integration--what needs to be processed from 2018? (Stay tuned for a special Solstice article from me for more tools on this!)

• The guides of Winter orient our energies to hibernation, structure and Tribe. Consider hosting or attending intimate gatherings to share stories and build connection.

I invite you to take some time before the Solstice on Saturday to sit with your intentions for Winter. See below for some helpful journal prompts!

Applications for I AM Alchemy are now open. Calling all Lightworkers! Whether you are an existing or aspiring practitioner, healer or coach, or whether you want to spend 12 months walking the Alchemist path as part of your personal journey of Self Mastery... if you want to bring practical application of real-time magic and alignment with Universal forces of creation to your life, I AM Alchemy is for you.

Many blessings,

Journal Prompts:

• What do I notice as I turn my energy fully inward? How does it feel to fully "arrive" in myself?

• What is my relationship to stillness? Where is my life asking for more stillness? What does that look like?

• What in my life needs rest? What needs to be restored or repaired?

• How am I engaging with my Tribe? How would I like to engage with my Tribe?

I invite you to journal for 3-5 minutes on each prompt, and allow yourself to slow down and tune in. Take some space on Friday to honor this process and allow yourself to fully arrive in your own Winter!

What is the core purpose of your calling?

What is the core purpose of our calling?

For all of us Soul Aligned humans out there, living "on purpose" is a significant component of our awareness. Whether you're a professional Lightworker Soulpreneur, or a Lightworker spreading love through your life path, awareness of our Sacred Purpose is a compass point we all attune to in order to stay true to our inner North.

...and yet, what is the greater purpose that we serve by following our calling? Does that get lost in the shuffle? If we're tuning in to the compass point of our calling, what is the ultimate "destination?"

Last week I had a conversation with a woman who wanted to put on a workshop around compassionate communication. After listening to her ideas and thoughts, I reflected back to her that I didn't hear a very clear idea of the purpose behind her workshop. She replied with confusion that she would have thought the purpose was obvious: we're all human and it's a good thing to communicate with compassion.

As we discussed further, it became apparent that while she felt the calling of offering her Compassionate Communication workshop, she was not clearly connected to the core purpose that this workshop would serve in the greater context... of her work, and of her own Sacred Purpose. I lead her through an exercise called "For what purpose?" so that she could have a clearer view of not only this individual workshop, but of her work as a puzzle piece within the larger whole.

Lightworker, what is the core purpose of your calling? How do you connect not only with the immediate steps in front of you, but with how this calling serves a purpose beyond you? What is your personal contribution as a piece in the cosmic puzzle?

Having access to this awareness provides us not only with the calling immediately in front of us, but with some context around the ultimate, core purpose of why we are orienting ourselves to this particular North.

Would you like to know exactly where your inner compass is leading you? If you would like to practice the "For what purpose?" exercise, here is the formula and an example:

Our "For what purpose?" formula goes as follows:

1. Statement A.

2. Statement A, for what purpose?

3. Statement A, so that Statement B.

4. Statement B, for what purpose?

5. Statement B, so that Statement C.

6. Statement C, for what purpose?

7. Statement C, so that Statement D... until you reach the point where there is no higher purpose.

You get the idea. Let me give you an example:

1. My path is calling me to offer I AM Alchemy: Master Alchemist Training.

2. My path is calling me to offer I AM Alchemy, for what purpose?

3. My path is calling me to offer I AM Alchemy so that my students may fully remember and reclaim who they are and trust their innate gifts.

4. So that my students may fully remember and reclaim who they are and trust their innate gifts, for what purpose?

5. My students may fully remember and reclaim who they are and trust their innate gifts, so that they can come into their full Self Mastery and Creatorship.

6. So that my students can come into their full Self Mastery and Creatorship, for what purpose?

7. My students may come into their full Self Mastery and Creatorship, so that they are empowered to participate in the creation of a New Earth.

8. So that my students are empowered to participate in the creation of a New Earth, for what purpose?

9. My students are empowered to participate in the creation of a New Earth, so that all beings on Earth and the Earth herself may be aligned to the frequency of love.

Your turn to try it!

...and I would love to hear from you! If you feel called, please comment once you have completed the exercise and let me know what you discovered in that exercise!

From one Lightworker living "on purpose" to another, keep it up!

Applications for I AM Alchemy are now open. Calling all Lightworkers! Whether you are an existing or aspiring practitioner, healer or coach, or whether you want to spend 12 months walking the Alchemist path as part of your personal journey of Self Mastery... if you want to bring practical application of real-time magic and alignment with Universal forces of creation to your life, I AM Alchemy is for you.

Many blessings,