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?

WARNING: Calling major bullshit on marketing and the path of Self-Actualization

THIS  COMMON  PSYCHOLOGICAL  PRINCIPLE  YOU  HAVE  PROBABLY  NEVER  HEARD  OF  IS  KILLING  YOU.

Just kidding! But you've probably seen headlines and marketing like that, right? That's because most marketing uses aforementioned common psychological principle to attack base-level human needs. This principle is known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and today, I'm going to share with you:

1. My utter disdain for traditional marketing (barf)

2. How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and its implications are actually a huge detriment to our individual and collective human experience (actually, it may even be killing us)

3. How you can re-interpret this principle to help you make more money, have more free time, have better sex and get your dream job (but not in the way you think, haha)

Let's have a look at this silly principle. Maybe you’ve heard of the Hierarchy of Needs before, or seen a graphic like this one:

I see this concept tossed around most commonly in the context of marketing. If you also hang around with entrepreneurs, I’m guessing you’ve encountered this, too. The advice I hear from business and marketing coaches always seems to be the same: “Find the universal need that your service provides for people and speak to that.” Usually, this means, “Tell potential clients how your service can help them make more money, have more free time, have better sex and get their dream job.” Ever notice how much coach-y and personal development programs focus on this in their marketing? If you haven’t yet, just keep an eye out and you’ll see what I mean.

This is where I take huge issue not only with “spiritual business coaches” (BARF) and marketing to these base-level needs, but also with the Hierarchy of Needs itself (and the way in which this plays out in social norms and expectations of the collective consciousness). How are we supposed to evolve as a global community if this is our psychological conditioning?

Let’s examine this graphic. This food-pyramid-esque image would lead one to believe that the most vital needs are physiological (I’m on board so far), but as we move up the pyramid, we notice that Self-Actualization occupies the little tiny triangle on top. In between are Safety (health, money, home), Love and Belonging (family, connection, community), and Esteem (respect, status, recognition). That’s where I take issue.

Based on the organization of this hierarchy, we can assume that the need of Self-Actualization can only be fulfilled once all tiers below it are fulfilled, and that needs should be addressed in ascending order.

This is total bullshit.

What happens if we treat Self-Actualization as conditional upon all these other things? What are we costing ourselves by saving it for last?

What people don’t understand is that Self-Actualization will help you satisfy all those other needs, and in a more authentic and fulfilling way. Maslow has it backwards.

Let’s look at a re-interpretation of the Hierarchy of Needs. Here, I re-imagined it from two perspectives: Shadow (unactualized) and Light (actualized). What do you notice about the Shadow and Light manifestations of these needs?

Let's look at an example "Shadow" life trajectory of someone who pursues these needs in a linear fashion, as indicated by Maslow's hierarchy.

Imagine this: someone spends the first thirty years of their life working their butt off to get a good job (Safety), gets married and has two kids before age 35 (Love and Belonging) and finally succeeds in getting promoted to the C-suite (Esteem). They then look around at their life for meaning, have an existential crisis because they don’t know who they are as a person, quit their job, divorce their spouse and go on a quest to “find themselves.” (Think I’m exaggerating? I can name a dozen personal acquaintances and clients off the top of my head who have lived some version of this story. I bet you know at least one person who has had this experience.)

Now you might be thinking, “Michelle, this perspective applies to a fairly privileged subset of society. What about other types of people?” Let’s look at this play out for someone else:

Imagine that our second person grew up in an unstable home environment. They live in an underserved community but they do their best to try to make sure their family has somewhere to live (Safety). Maybe they find community in the form of a gang or an abusive partner (Love and Belonging). They have a child before the age of 20, they struggle with substance abuse but they manage to hold it together enough to make ends meet and eventually secure a decent job (Esteem). …until it all comes crashing down around their ears, they think, “I can’t keep living like this,” have an existential crisis and lose everything. (Yes, I have had some of these people as my clients as well.)

Regardless of the path they took to get there, by the time these people find me, they are often in some state of desperation or dire straits in regards to their personal life path and purpose. They desire depth, meaning and fulfillment. They want their lives to be an authentic, positive contribution to the world. Above all, they want to come into the full expression of who they are as a whole person. And they know that any of these other external factors (home, relationship, career, reputation) won’t ever be fully whole, healthy and stable until they access the full potential of who they are.

Let's examine a "Light" life trajectory through the hierarchy of needs. Imagine now that both of our example people had had access to the idea of Self-Actualization as the primary question that informed the pursuit of these other needs. (Maybe they learned about it from family, or in school, or through other early influences.) Once the physiological needs are met, the next quests are a simultaneous investigation of Who am I?” (Self-Actualization) and “As I learn who I am, how does that version of myself live in the world?” (Safety). The pursuit of self-knowledge informs the journey to achieve safety, and vice-versa. This self-aware person may then pursue the needs of Love and Belonging as this emerging, whole Self. Then, when they achieve Esteem, it comes not from the place of ego-inflated-self-aggrandizement, but instead from genuine self-respect and integrity. This person has more authentic and healthy relationships, more fulfilling career, more genuine self-image and more potential for continued growth and harmonious existence. (In other words, they probably make more money, have more free time, have better sex and work their dream job.)

Maybe you recognize some part of your own path in these examples. What would have been different for you if you had given Self-Actualization just as much priority as these other needs? What could be different for you moving forward if you made Self-Actualization a true priority?

The problem is, most of us are spoon-fed so much social conditioning that tells us that Self-Actualization is a luxury, when in reality, it is the fundamental question of humanity: to know oneself. Instead of encouraging this investigation, our current social structures try to sell us the illusion of safety, love and status. But anyone who markets to the levels of Safety, Love and Belonging, and Esteem is preying on base-level human psychology. And if I told you that by participating in my I AM Alchemy course you would obtain these things, I would be blowing smoke up your ass. I can’t guarantee that for you, and I wouldn’t want to. No one can promise you that. Anyone who does is lying.

Instead, I can invite you to consider your true needs and motivation. Do you just want to make more money, or do you actually want to make more money by helping people with the true medicine of your own enlivened soul? Do you just want better sex, or do you actually want more authentic intimacy and respect with your partner that comes from knowing yourself deeply as a person, and being able to connect on that level? Do you just want more free time, or do you actually want more intentional space in your life for creating meaningful experiences that will nourish and uplift you and your family? Do you just want the “dream job” that looks good on paper, or do you actually want a career that challenges you to grow as a person, fulfill your life purpose and contribute positively to the planet?

Embody Wild won’t help you make more money, have better sex, have more free time or get your dream job.

But it will help you find out who you really are. It will teach you tools of self-inquiry, mastery and power. It will give you the space and freedom to discover the magic of your own soul and create your life according to the blueprint of your fully actualized Self.

Embody Wild is not a course for results-oriented people who want instant gratification. Embody Wild is instead a course for those who understand that there are no shortcuts to self-actualization, but that once you embark on this path, the world opens up before you and anything is possible. Embody Wild is for those who are ready to prioritize their own journey of meaning. Embody Wild won’t give you the answer to those other levels of need, but it will show you how to create it for yourself.

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

Are you ready for self-actualization, which will give you the keys to everything else?

Many blessings,

Practice prompt:

Let's look again at this re-interpretation of the Hierarchy of Needs. Take a moment to consider your own life path and trajectory.

Without judgement, what do you notice about yourself and your patterns? How are you engaging with the Shadow and Light interpretations of these needs? What does that mean for your process of Self Actualization? Where do you see yourself in each of these areas?

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.

When I was sick on retreat, and it was the best thing that could have happened.

I AM Alchemy retreat #3 took place October 31-November 3, right during the peak of a nasty cold that left me feeling drained and hoarse. As I left for retreat on Thursday, I felt some anxiety about how I was going to be able to deliver a powerful, transformational experience and show up fully for my students. But looking back, me being sick was the best possible thing that could have happened.

Because I was sick on retreat, a different type of magic happened that otherwise would not have taken place. I was literally forced by my body into a place of more rest, more listening and allowing space for magic to happen, rather than making magic happen. Because I was sick on retreat, I got to learn more about the lineage of I AM Alchemy, and how it wants to move through the world. Keep reading on for a look at the big change coming to I AM Alchemy 2020!

But first, the most awesome thing that took place because I was sick was that my students stepped up to share their mastery.

In addition to this year’s cohort, we were joined by two I AM Alchemy Apprentices from last year who chose to attend this retreat to further their own knowledge and practice. I asked them both to teach a unit during the retreat according to their personal investigation, and they ran with it! We agreed on the topic and they did the rest. The result was a deep-dive journey into the different facets of Scorpio medicine (taught in a way I hadn’t thought of, but immediately loved), and a collective ceremony oriented around harmonic planetary frequencies, with music, mantra and healing calibrated specifically to the planetary constitutions of the students. If you’re not sure what all of that means, just know that it was all amazing and totally revolutionary. Talk about being blown away.

As a result of my apprentice students stepping up in such a big way (combined with my heightened sensitivity of listening and allowing), I felt the lineage of this course asking for things to be a bit different for 2020. Over this past week, I’ve been in a deep dive of meditation, asking questions, checking in with my (human and spirit) mentors and dreamstorming the vision of how this work wants to evolve. Care to check out some of the ways in which I AM Alchemy is growing up?

Here are some of the biggest changes coming to I AM Alchemy:

• Instead of only having one option for students to engage with I AM Alchemy, incoming students now have the choice between two tracks: Auditing or Apprenticeship.

  • The Auditing path is ideal for those who are interested in learning powerful tools for their own process, but may not want (or have time for) the deep-dive experience. Auditing students may or may not be practitioners.

  • The Apprentice path is ideal for those who are all-in on their journey and want deep support, and/or those who wish to add Alchemy to their practitioner skills. Apprentices take this course for certification.

• Retreats are no longer included in the tuition, but students in both tracks may attend the retreats by paying for their own lodging and other costs. Retreat attendance is required for Apprentices to receive certification. Auditing students may attend as many or as few of the retreats as they like.

• Auditing students receive full access to live online classes, community and virtual materials.

• Apprentices also receive monthly one-on-one sessions with me, practicum sessions, peer mentorship and additional training.

Want to see what’s included in each track? Check out all the details here.

The main motivation behind this shift was to create an opportunity for you to engage with I AM Alchemy in the way that is best for YOU. All of my students so far have been all-in, but this style of training isn't compatible with someone who simply doesn't have the time to go deep. This way, I still get to support my Apprentice students on their path of in-depth study and mastery. And instead of turning people away who aren't ready for a big commitment, you now have the option to audit the course and participate in the group without the bigger investment of time, energy and money.

And of course, if you want to go all-in, that's still an option! Apprentices, get ready to go deep into your process of personal Alchemy.

I hope you're as excited as I am! Stay tuned for more about what this means for you, how you know which track is right for your journey, and your next steps for studying this lineage.

Applications are open for I AM Alchemy Want to apply right away? I AM Alchemy 2020

Many blessings,

Inspiration

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,

Did you choose Transformation, or did it choose you?

Oh my dear,

I feel you. I hear your voice of confusion, asking to be held and witnessed. I hear your heartfelt prayers for clarity, for healing, for understanding, for love. I recognize your face in every person I meet who feels alone, misunderstood, rejected, or like they're not enough.

Right now, you're at a turning point. Maybe you chose this transformation, or maybe it chose you... but either way, you and your world are changing.

I get that it can feel scary. Even if you consciously know that this transformation is a good thing, it can still feel fucking terrifying.

But your life is asking you to be bigger. Your soul is asking you to be more of who you are. Your heart is hammering to be seen, to be felt, to be loved. The fullness of your own spirit is asking you to lean in closer, to be uncomfortable, and to trust yourself to go through this messy, epic, painful, beautiful journey.

...but you know that you have a choice, right?

You know that you don't HAVE to say yes to this transformation. You don't HAVE to show up for yourself and the fullness of your heart. You can stay exactly where you are, as you are. No one is going to make you show up and be powerful. No one is going to force you to be extraordinary.

If you want to stay where you are, that's perfectly okay.

If you want to stay where you are, you can stop reading now, because the rest of this letter isn't for you.

If you're still reading...

It means that you're saying YES to your heart.

It means that you're willing to be uncomfortable in order to grow.

It means that you are willing to let the old version of your Self and your life burn away to create space for something else.

And if you are ready to step into that, know that you don't have to do it alone.

I am here to stand in the flames with you, as the fires of transformation turn your old Self to ash. I am here to help you feel safe to fall apart, to cry, and to let go of who you used to be. I am here to teach you, and give you tools for healing, healthy perspective and guidance. I am here to help you rise like the phoenix you are, to celebrate your rebirth as your authentic and powerful Self. I am here to walk beside you on this path of transformation.

My dear, I've been exactly where you are right now. I see your uncertainty, I see your pain, I see your fear. But more importantly, I see your sincere heart. I see the brilliant light at your core. I see your desire to move through this process and prove to yourself that you are capable, you are worthy and you have something powerful to offer this Earth.

And if you want a guide who is willing to stand in the fire with you, I am here.

Are you ready to say YES to receiving that kind of support?
 

If so, apply now to i AM Alchemy!

In the words of a recent client:
  "In the time I worked with Michelle, my lived experience has completely shifted for the positive. Michelle’s vision was pivotal in assisting my overcoming outdated and lingering traumas. She supported me in removing the broken armour, revisioning my personal independence and reclaiming my vitality. She was my collaborator, my mirror and my teacher. Michelle called me up to move through grief and become more of myself with every step. I am deeply soul-level grateful for her in my life."
What would be possible if you received support like that?

Take the first step now. Submit your application here.

Many 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

How to Deal with Energy Vampires

Energy vampires are everywhere. Sometimes they're obvious (that friend who seems to suck the life out of a room and whom you care about but feel really tired after talking to them), and sometimes they're super sneaky. Sometimes they seem like awesome people on paper. Sometimes they are so good at hiding in plain sight that they successfully attract lots of juicy, vibrant people to feed on.

Guess what: the "spiritual" community is not exempt from energy vampires. In fact, there are probably more of these "hiding in plain sight" vampires in the spiritual community than almost anywhere else. They're practitioners, they're "spiritual" business coaches, they're shamans, they're speakers. They have a foothold in a community of heart-centered people. They are sneaky, and they are gross.

I don't mean to sound dramatic about this (it's all very deal-with-able), but I recently encountered one such energy vampire. It's been a while since I've dealt with an energy suck of this level, so I wanted to share with you the process I went through in dealing with this vampire so you can apply it to your own experiences.

Here are some of my favorite tools and practices for when you inevitably encounter one, yourself!

How to Deal with Energy Vampires

1. Trust your intuition. You are not crazy.

If you feel like something is off, something is probably off. Even if this person is saying all the right things and it seems like there's something wrong with you for not wanting to be around them, I guarantee you will eventually find out why. Better to trust yourself from the start.
 

2. Step away.

Once you've identified the energy vampire, do what you can to create some space (energetic and physical) between you. It will be easier for you to maintain your field if you're not in immediate contact with this person. If for some reason you can't take physical space from this person, create space with your energy and your body (avoiding eye contact, turning your body away, placing others between you and the vampire).

2. *****Alternative step for confident and advanced practitioners only!!!!!

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless you are extremely confident in your energetic boundaries, you feel well-resourced and are ready to be extremely uncomfortable (and probably make other people uncomfortable, too). Instead of stepping away and creating space, lean in and "poke the bear" to see what kind of energy you're dealing with. The vampire will either back off or come at you harder. In this particular circumstance, I threw some darts to see what would happen and the results were downright nasty. The process was incredibly unpleasant and has made my energetic cleanup a little more challenging, but it confirmed for me exactly what I was dealing with. Totally worth it. And totally disgusting.
 

3. Assess your energy.

After you're no longer in contact with the vampire, do a scan and assess your energy body. What do you notice? Is your energy relatively intact, depleted, raw, reactive, etc? Are there cords or attachments? (Answer: probably.) If so, where? Are there energetic implants or traces from the vampire? If so, where and of what kind? Make sure you assess all the layers (physical body, emotional body, mental body, etheric body.)
 

4. Take appropriate action.

This is where your different tools come in. Depending on what you notice in your assessment, the tools and the order in which you use them may vary. Some of the tools you might use include:

• Grounding

• Movement practice

• Rest and replenishment

• Cord cutting

• Energy clearing

• Emotional Alchemy

• Reviewing and altering energy signatures

• Energy/entity removal

• Soul retrieval

• Re-upping your protection practices

For more information on tools for dealing with energy vampires, check out this episode of Shaman Sister Sessions:

Again, these people are everywhere. Some of them don't know what they're doing and are using vampirism to take energy from others because they are deeply wounded and don't know how to support themselves. And unfortunately, there are plenty of vampires like the one I faced off with who know exactly what they are doing and are really good at getting away with it.

I hope you find this helpful. It is my deepest hope that what I share with you (today and always) is useful to you and helps all of us step forward into more empowerment, confidence and integrity. When I encounter people like this vampire, I get really angry. I feel incredibly protective of my community (that's you), and I want to take a stand for ethical energetic practices.

A Shaman is responsible for the health and well-being of their Tribe. A Priestess is a temple keeper and guardian of the Sacred Work. As a Shaman and a Priestess, when I come across a manipulative narcissist masquerading as a loving leader, my inner Sacred Warrior rises up, sword in hand, to declare:

Not in my house. Not in my temple. Not in my Tribe. I commit to always taking a stand for you, my community. I commit to always advocating for love, integrity and Truth. I commit to holding a fierce boundary when necessary. I commit to doing this Sacred Work for the benefit of All Beings, and for the Earth herself.

Want to know more about other ways to protect and cultivate your vital life force energy?

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.

I see you. I love you.

Many blessings,

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.

STOP reading books about healing, coaching, personal development... and do this instead!

Have you ever noticed that I rarely (actually, pretty much NEVER) offer book recommendations? I have a really good reason for that.

One of my biggest pet peeves in this community of healing/personal development/coaching is the idea that reading leads to some sort of expertise. Hate to break it to you: reading leads to knowing facts, which is different from expertise. Reading, when we're engaging with it actively, can even prompt inquiry, thought, and new ideas. But that's not expertise, either.

Reading leads to knowledge. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts and information. Wisdom, expertise and mastery come from experience: when we practice a skill and directly apply knowledge, we land that knowledge in the body and the energy field, instead of just keeping it in the mind.

Let's face it: the only way to master something is by actually practicing it. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

To be perfectly honest with you, I took a huge break from reading for the first several years of my practice, and have only just re-opened that door within the last couple of years. At the time I didn't know exactly why reading didn't really feel right, but now I'm able to look back at the trajectory of my practice and say that I intuitively navigated away from learning facts through the lenses of others in order to cultivate expertise through my own experiences.

Instead of reading...

• I have spent countless thousands of hours practicing my personal awareness, meditating, developing my intuition and mastering my own energy field

• I have offered thousands of sessions over the past 15+ years

• I have taught hundreds of workshops, classes and trainings

• I have worked continuously with various teachers and mentors

• I have attended many trainings, events and workshops

At this point, you might be saying, "that's nice, Michelle. But I learn best through reading," or, "I don't have time to do a practice but I can fit in reading here and there," or "I just started my practice and want to learn all the things!"

Stop. Just, stop.

Reading does not make you a more effective practitioner. Practicing your craft makes you a more effective practitioner.
 

Here's a list of 7 ways you can practice your craft that will give you MORE expertise than reading:

1. Take notes/journal. Start recording your process, meditations, dreams, epiphanies, etc. As you build a record of your process, go back and look for patterns and see what you notice!

2. Do your personal practice, even if it's only 5 minutes per day! In stead of reading before bed, meditate before bed. Practicing your craft on yourself is actually MORE important than practice it with others.

3. Actually do your craft. Do you want to master healing work? Do healing sessions. Want to master leading meditations? Lead meditations. Want to master teaching workshops? Teach workshops. Just do the thing!

4. Attend other people's events and trainings, and pay attention not only to what you get out of the training, but the way in which they deliver the experience. Are they effective and masterful in their craft? What can you learn from them that they're not actually making explicit?

5. Spend time with people who have mastered or are mastering their craft, especially if it's in a similar vein as yours. Mastery and expertise are inspiring, and motivate us to step more fully into our power!

6. Work with someone who is a master at the craft you're cultivating. Whether you work with them one on one, or take some of their classes, or mentor with them as an apprentice, having this person in your field will support your own growth and mastery by leaps and bounds!

7. Trust yourself. Knowledge comes from outside of ourselves, and wisdom comes from our inner knowing. The less you clutter your internal environment with other people's ideas, the more space you will have to access your inner knowing and true wisdom.

Do yourself a favor: put the book down and walk away.

...and come do something like this instead!

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!

Inspiration

Energetic Regulation is Not Just for Empaths

...it's for anyone who wants to understand their own energy and cultivate an empowered personal practice. Do you know anyone who needs that?

We might think our personal practice supports us fully, but in my 15+ years of training and work, I've found that one key area is missing from most people's practice, and that essential component is Energetic Regulation. Being able to regulate our energies directly affects our health and well-being on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels, and is usually overlooked in most forms of personal practice.

What is Energetic Regulation?

Even if you have some idea of how energy works or have even studied healing work, Energetic Regulation may not be a part of your practice. Energetic Regulation is both the practice of long-term energetic maintenance, and identifying specific imbalances in your personal energy field and making appropriate adjustments using the 4 Keys of Energetic Regulation.

When your energy is regulated, your energy body is fully online and empowered.

What would be possible for you if your energy were fully Empowered? Do you know what that feels like?

We live in a world where, for the most part, our energies are out of balance and not fully empowered. We walk on concrete, drive around in cars, talk on phones, stare at screens and eat processed food. We may interface with people who are angry, frustrated, unhealthy and out of balance. The more unbalanced we are, the more support we need to regulate and empower our energies!

Needing to regulate your energy doesn't mean that you're doing anything wrong. Regulating your energy is a necessary maintenance that supports your health and well-being on the physical, mental, emotional and Spiritual levels.

If you need to regulate your energy, you might:

• Feel depleted, tired, fatigued or drained

• Feel anxious, scattered, having trouble focusing or making decisions

• Be more likely to take on other people’s energy, feel angry or depressed

• Feel like you’re “stuck in your head,” disconnected from your body and your heart

• Have trouble connecting with others, not able to access your intuition

• Feel overwhelmed, insecure, or want to “check out”

• Have a strong personal practice and generally feel good, but like there's something "off" and you're not sure what

Your Energy Body, Empowered!

Good news! If you’re feeling any of those things above, that’s totally normal because of the world we live in. Even better news: there’s a simple solution, and that’s what this training is all about! Using regulation practices to maintain a healthy energy body is a life-long practice that requires awareness and commitment. Just like any other skill, the more you practice, the easier and more effortless it becomes. When you clear, ground, cultivate and protect your energies, you might:

• Feel energized, rested, resourced and comfortable

• Feel more confident, secure, focused and stable

• Feel more physical health and vitality

• Experience better sleep and relaxation

• Have healthy boundaries, feel happier and connect more easily with others

• Have a healthy connection with your body and your emotions

• Develop a healthy connection with your intuition

• Feel capable, alert and engaged in your life

• Have greater capacity to support your clients and people in your life

How would it feel if you had the tools and resources to build an Empowered foundation for your personal energy and your practice? What difference would it make for you if you understood how to regulate your energy field? How would it help you feel more empowered in your life, and enable you to show up more fully?

What would be possible for you if your energy were fully Empowered?

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!

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?

Reclaim the Shadow

I know I write a lot about Lightworkers and "light-oriented" topics, but don't get me wrong: I LOVE the Shadow. For my path, Shadow work has been a huge component of my learning. Underworld Initiation cycles, while ass-kicking, were some of my most powerful teachings in claiming my personal magic. When you walk the Shaman path, you agree to walk through the Shadow. My initiations through the Underworld revealed to me some of the most empowering lessons on sovereignty, personal power, boundaries, and embodiment of my own Divine Directive that I could have ever hoped for.

Human history is rife with tales about Underworld Initiations: rites of passage through the darkness that bring us into our fullest, most empowered potential. Part of the Shamanic path includes something commonly known as Dark Night of the Soul: an initiation cycle through our own Shadow. In order to master the Self and come into right relation with the Light, we need to come into right relation with our Shadow.

Shadow work is not for the feint of heart, but there is magic and power there that can't be found anywhere else. Without Shadow, there is no Light. Embracing the full spectrum of energy is the key to claiming our full power. "Light=good and Shadow=bad" is overly simplistic and simply untrue: Shadow is full of richness, nuance, subtlety, power and life force. Limiting ourselves to one end of the spectrum is the energetic equivalent of only ever eating dessert. Light and Shadow are part of the same whole. They're not even two sides of a coin (again, overly simplistic): they're vitally necessary polarities that offer us an entire spectrum of energy for the in-between.

Dear Lightworker, your Shadow holds the key to your illumination.

The Shadow is the realm of that which is unseen and unintegrated--the parts of our Selves that we are ultimately here to process, heal and claim in this lifetime. Ignoring your Shadow is ignoring your own greatest potential.

Your Shadow holds wisdom that you can't find anywhere else. Your Shadow is the key to your wholeness. Your Shadow is here to support you in your glorious unfolding.

Humans have demonized the Shadow for eons because we don't understand it. We create fear and stigma about the darkness, call it evil and punish people for working with unseen forces.

Well, that time is long past over. In order to move forward as a global community, we need to embrace the Shadow. And for our part, in order to be effective as Lightworkers, we must embrace the Shadow as a valued teacher and Sacred Ally. This is the path of true Alchemy: bringing the unseen into the known realm, moving the unintegrated parts of Self through healing and transformation and into full illumination.

Let's tune in to the frequencies and reclaim the Shadow.

What is your Shadow asking of you?

What initiation into your Shadow are you facing at this time? What medicine waits for you there? How can you reclaim and love your Shadow, and in doing so, pave the way for others to heal?

Are you ready to step into your own cycles of initiation and claim your personal magic?

If so, 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.

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

Though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil...
...because there is no evil in the Shadow, only the unseen.
...because the Shadow, just like the Light, works in service to Love.
...because Death and the Shadow are our Sacred Allies, to be honored and respected, not feared and demonized.
...because the Shadow is our birthright and the key to our Illumination.

#ReclaimTheShadow

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?
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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?