Finding Closure, Embracing Impermanence

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Everything dies.

Nothing lasts forever.

I am in my final week here in Washington DC.  I never thought four years ago that I’d be saying goodbye.  This has not been an easy process, but I’ve learned that pain is teacher.  Everything that enters into our lives does so for a reason.  In reality, nothing on this plane of existence lasts forever.  Our bodies are in a constant state of decay.  Relationships end.  Jobs end.  Life ends.  We are constantly faced with closure.  One of the things I’ve allowed myself to do over the past few days is to soften into the awareness of impermanence.  Many of us try to stop the shifting that is happening around us and we cling to what no longer is, and in turn this causes us to suffer.  It also causes many to harden to life.  “I’m refusing to let myself be hurt again”, “Love sucks”, “Better this than nothing” and we feed ourselves a plethora of excuses to get us out of just being present with the death current.

When we soften to what is right in front of us we get to be with all of it.  When we allow our hearts to soften, we can love all of it.   Yesterday as I was walking around DC I was noticing things with a different clarity.  I allowed myself to love all of what I was seeing, experiencing and noticing.  Now that I am leaving this area and will no longer be a resident, my time here is in the death current.  Rather than clinging to what no longer is, and not projecting into some imagined future, I let myself be with all of it.  I got on the an escalator that I’ve taken many times over the past four years, and for a moment I loved that escalator (sound silly, I know), but I was noticing something that I have taken for granted over the past four years.  Something as simple as an escalator, when fully noticed, can crack you open to the “now”.

One of the things I am trying to do more of is to invite a gentle awareness of impermanence into all that I do.  It has allowed me to deepen my friendships, to taste life a little differently, and to not take for granted what is right in front of me.  I am learning to love all of it.  Even the pain.  Pain reminds us what it is like to feel, and like impermanence it is also part of life.   I am not saying that we need to go around and fear that at any moment everything can be taken away from us (but in reality it can).  When we soften to this reality, we get to really appreciate where we are, now.  What is right in front of you, in this moment is all that really exists.  The past no longer is here, the future is just a figment of your imagination, what is here and now is all that is.  The eternal now.  Shifting our awareness to being with all of it is a powerful tool for transformation.

Many of us spend a lot of time looking for closure.  We need validation that things are in the final throes.  Closure is not something we get from an external source.  In a relationship that is ending, looking for closure is just keeping necessary doors open.  I find that true closure is just being able to say “thank you” to the entirety of the experience.  Thank you to the joy, thank you to the pain, thank you to all of it.  Thanking our pain is not easy, thanking the experience might be even tougher, but hating it doesn’t change it either.  This is not something that we just rush into, but this also comes from the space of softening our hearts and opening to love.

So, I’ve rambled on enough.  I promise to post with more frequency now that the move is happening.

I am also posting videos on my youtube channel so head over and subscribe:  www.youtube.com/soulinteraction

you can also follow me on twitter:  www.twitter.com/mikebrazell

oh, cant forget facebook:  www.facebook.com/mbrazell      www.facebook.com/soulintuitive

As always,

You are Loved.

You are Beautiful

You are Divine.

Michael Brazell

Embracing 2014, and Bringing Back Soul Interaction Radio

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2014 is up and running and for many of us, we are feeling the sweeping flow this year is bringing.  Each day I am grateful and blessed to be able to do the work that I do.  Working in the spiritual realm also allows me to have a front row seat to the many ups and down that my clients face as the year begins.  There tend to be themes that run through the sessions I give at the beginning of the year.  The theme going into 2014 is transition.  I am going through my own personal transition, and have seen that echoed in many of my clients and friends.  We are getting the test of uncertainty, and this is not an easy thing.  When we embrace uncertainty with trust something magical happens.  We begin to open up to possibility.  The constricting energy of limitation begins to wind its way out of our experience and we are then able to find foundation. 

My path moving forward is in that deep realm of not knowing, and I am okay with that. In a few weeks I’ll be making a move to South Carolina.  This is a chance to reconnect with my roots, be with family, and find stability as I let the universe open up the next phase of my life.  One of the things I promised I would do this year is to create a Soul Community.  This blog is one tool in that effort, and the Soul Interaction Radio Show is another.  I put the show on hiatus for a few months, and my intuition has been pinging me to bring it back to life.  We’ll be kicking off our first episode Thursday January 9th at 11pm EST.  I’ll be discussing the 2014 transition energy, how to gain firm foundation in trust, and embracing your soul journey.  I will also be taking your calls for live on air Soul Sessions. 

Here is a link to the show!

Soul Interaction Radio: Welcome Back Episode Live 11pm EST, January 9th, 2014

Also, if you haven’t check out my new Facebook Fan Page, please do so!  I’ll be doing giveaways, insights, soul guidance, and more!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Brazell/570870039656296

You are Loved.  You are Beautiful.  You are Divine.

Coming into 2014 alignment

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We made it through another year.

2013 has brought a lot of opportunity, and also a lot of change.   Stepping into the new year has brought me a chance to align with deeper parts of my own journey.  This is going to be a year of exploration, growth, and movement.

One thing that I have always wanted to do, but have for one reason or another have not gone all the way is shifting to eating raw.  So, this is the year I plan on going all the way with it.  Making the shift gives me better connection to the foods that are entering my body, my health, and my spiritual practice.  I do feel that what we eat should be part of our spiritual practice.

I’m spending more time writing poetry this year.  I got away from it for a while.  Poetry brings us face to face with the raw elements of our life.  Poetry is alive, it moves, it lasts mere moments–but echos deeply.   So, my goal is going to be to write a poem a day.  I’ll post some of them here.  I am also going to work a bit harder to get some of my work published.  I’ve wanted to do a chapbook for sometime, and now is the perfect year to make that a reality.  So, stay tuned for that.  I am also going to start attending open mics/slams again.  There is something beautiful and sacred about sharing your work in the public space.

I am spending more time with sacred texts, writing my own commentaries, and will be posting some of that here as to open deeper dialogue.  Too often we trust only the templates of others.  It is important for us to explore our personal relationship with spirituality.  2013 was a year of exploration for me.  I had the opportunity to dive into the study of paganism and witchcraft.  I learned a lot about myself, got to attend and meet some wonderful teachers, and saw how the dynamics of magick play a role in the ever-changing landscape of life, but as with all things that change, those are no longer my avenues of study.  I still practice personal forms of ritual, but I am moving those to the deeply personal, and no longer engaging the public sphere in that way.  I closed up the Yogawitch.com blog site, but will leave it up as an archive of my journey into intersecting Magick and Yoga practice.

2014 is going to be my year of placing spirituality in action.  I am diving deeper into soul specific work, working with intuition, and going back to my core spiritual work.  Journaling daily helps to connect to my soul journey.  My core practice has always been rooted in Christianity and the Eastern traditions.  I have a wonderful bible journal that I use to do study, soul dialogue, and daily tune ins.  Each day I take a moment to dialogue with my soul.  Intuition always has a lot to say if we pause and listen deeply.  The next step is capturing this dialogue, referring back to it, and trusting what is coming through.

I am going to start blogging with greater frequency.  Last night at the New Years Eve Psychic Fair at Sacred Circle Books, I kept hearing that I need to finish my book (from other psychics, and a few of my clients).  I am going to bring that through this year as well.

Diving deeper into my yoga practice (both professional and personal) is also on my list. I am going to be posting flow videos, technique study, and taking yoga on the road (big project in the works, stay tuned).

Travel is also on my agenda this year.  I plan to take my life to the road a bit, to do a spiritual adventure of sorts.  I am looking for places to visit, people to engage, and communities to share space with (place your suggestions below, or send them to me via email soulinteraction@gmail.com)

So, this is going to be a very engaging year.   This is the year of action, but also closure.  My mantra is: I am READY.

What are you shifting into this year?

You are loved.   You are Beautiful.  You are Divine.

Goodbye to Yogawitch.com (for now anyway)

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Image

The journey of life takes us in a multitude of directions.  When I decided to start this site, I wanted to dive deeper into magick and paganism, to test the intersections with yoga.  This journey was wonderful, and opened me up to a lot of ideas, it allowed me to venture deeper into a path that I previously had not explored.  Yoga is still a very magical path, but for now my personal spiritual journey is taking me away from the study of witchcraft and paganism.  I am diving deeper into my core spiritual practices, my writing, poetry, spiritual/healing consultations, travel and who I am in this moment.  My world has changed a lot over the past month.  My intuition is guiding me, and I’m learning to listen more deeply, and my life is coming full circle in a lot of ways. 

My work is, and has always been on Soul Evolution and Growth.  As I move forward I will be posting at www.soulinteraction.com

Soulnteraction.com is where I’ll be posting updates about my journey, my poetry, and my insights into the sacred soul journey.  So, be sure to follow along. 

I also have a new facebook page:  Soul Intuitive Michael Brazell

I am also going to be bringing my radio show back online in January: www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

I am continuing my journey into the sacred.  My focus is not on diving deeper into my personal sacred journey, engaging my community, and getting out into the world.  I plan on doing a lot of traveling this next year, and also have a move on the horizon.  I am going to leave this blog up, as I believe everything that we do is part of the sacred journey.  I may revist from time to time, and if anyone would like to contact me you can email me at: soulinteraction@gmail.com

I want to thank all of you for following me here, for sharing this part of my journey, and hope that you will continue to walk this road with me as the new year unfolds itself. 

Namaste

Michael Brazell

www.soulinteraction.com

www.michaelbrazell.com

Tap Dancer

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Quick Stream  of Consciousness Poem:  Most of these I get down as my fingers hit the keyboard, then I go back and hand write them, give them life, and see where they go….

 

Sometimes I let the pain write the poems, She has a soft hand and vicious ear… You can hear her in the silence behind my smile, she wraps her arms around me like the broken promises we folded into paper airplanes, wishes scream louder in the free fall.  Her fingers are tap dancer on keyboard, she avoids the truth like its the only cheese dish at a vegan dinner, but eventually we run out of things to feed ourselves… She and I dance pretty ballerina jewel box dances when the lid is shut, you took the jewels, but you cant take the dance… 

Sometimes I let the pain write the poems, She has a soft hand and a vicious ear…

Finding the flow, when you are caught in the waves

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oceanI haven’t been on the blog in a while.  Like many, I am feeling the upheaval of this time of year.  Life changes in an instant, and sometimes the entirety of our experience can shift.  When the waves are rolling in, it is important to start using all of those spiritual tools that we have been collecting over the years.  One of the questions I get asked a lot is,

“How do I stay centered in all of this upheaval?”

Now, what I am about to say is going to sound counter intuitive, but it is something that holds a lot of truth…Don’t try to stay centered in all of it.  Let yourself feel the entirety of the ocean.  Feel the waves of emotion that come through life experience, and acknowledge all of them.  Let yourself be present in your presence.  Staying in the moment is not an easy thing to do.  Holding steady, and just allowing the rain to fall on us when we have forgotten our umbrella is not easy.. but will running really get us less wet?

Many of us are taught to either push away the emotions that upheaval bring, or to pull them close to us.  The other option is to do nothing except give what arises within you your gentle observation.  In upheaval we can cling to that which is moving away from us, and this keeps us in a pity puddle.  Some of us get use to being the victims of our experience.  We get use to false refuges, and we stay in situations that feel safe.   Pushing things away can be equally harmful to our experience.  When we suppress emotions, when we do not acknowledge that grieving is a necessary part of any transition, we allow ourselves to move through anger, hurt, or heavier emotions with grace.  We allow tears to flow, because “being strong” means being vulnerable.  We we move into this type of grace with ourselves, we do not resist, but allow.

Another important part of finding our flow is allowing detox to happen.  Whenever we go through the currents of life, when we feel the loss, we have to allow a period of detoxification.  Part of suppression is moving too quickly into the next experience.  If we do not take time to process our lessons, we will have to go through them again, and they only get closer too us.

In the end, it is not about staying centered, but staying with the flow. YOU are the center, and where you are is where you are supposed to be. It might not be pretty, but it is the reality of any given moment.  This acceptance allows you to be in the flow, and in a place of balance with the forces around you.  So, don’t look for the center, be the center.  Be all that you are.

So, getting back into the blogging flow.  I’ll have more to post soon, new things are coming, new projects, a move, and new experiences.   I am not sure what comes next, but the flow is wonderful.

You are Loved.  You are Beautiful.  You are Divine.

Michael Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

Poem, Stream of Consciousness

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Last night I had a dream…

It was about the time I fell into your forever beneath a street light.  It was supernova in the rain, and the drops chased us like stardust. .We ran for cover, jumping puddles like hurdles to infinity… the kiss of rain on window panes as gentle as ear on heartbeat…

I’m still searching for the moment when heartbeats became war drums.. My ears became deaf to the instruments, maybe if I would’ve listened just a little more closely…

My eyes have learned the language of waterfalls..

My fingers stained with poems searching for safety like umbrellas on rainy nights

Poems are not road maps around the hurdles…

My mind grabs memories like puddles grab rain drops…

My hands puddle tear drops into poems…

My poems, stardust caught in street lights…

Dreams fade into sunshine… then we wake up..

 

Changes

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Just like many others, I too am facing a lot of changes in my own life, and how I am choosing to engage my spiritual path.

I’ve really been taking time to take a step back and ask myself what “I” want from this experience, who do “I” want to be… and I am letting go of somethings which in turn is creating space for new things to come into my life.  I am simplifying, streamlining, and allowing myself to be more present in my life.  I’ve worn a lot of labels over the years.  I’ve also carried my own expectations and the ones of those around me.  As I become more present with who I am, and where I am going, everything else is also changing.

So, here is a brief rundown of some of the changes, since I’ve been asked by a few, thought I’d just address them here:

  • The blogtalk channel is on hiatus for a while.  I need some time to figure out what message I want to bring to the audience.   I am hoping to get it back online by December/January.
  • Readings/and Healing: Readings is really now the word for what I do anymore.  I am no longer just sitting and talking for the entire time that a client is with me.  My job is to hold space, to help you connect to YOUR intuition and to take you deeper into your soul journey.  Sessions are more like discourses.  You are an active participant, and all that comes through is coming through the soul/intuitive space.  I reflect back to you what I am hearing you say, we pull back the layers to engage emotion, we look at your complexes, dance with your shadow, and dialogue so that we can create an action plan to move forward.  I always give homework.  I might make recommendations for mantra, yoga, body movement, or hands-on healing to facilitate taking you deeper into your process.   My job is to get you out of the “past/future” paradigm and bring you into the hear and now.  I want you to live a fully embodied experience, and that is the goal of our sessions.  Healing sessions are not going to change as much.  I will be offering Soma Pi and Reiki (in person or distance).   We will use these tools to help you discover your personal power, to engage your personal truth, and to encourage presence in all areas of your life.
  • Yoga:  I am offering one-on-one yoga sessions at Sacred Circle books at at my place in Silver Spring.  I combine QiGong, Vinyasa Flow, and Energy Healing to take you deep into your practice.  At the start of our session we will set an intention, and then work to carry that intention deep into the body.  The power of movement will help you give energy to your intention.  We close each session in a guided meditation focused on anchoring your intention into the body.  You are also welcomed to video/audio record your personalized yoga session so that you can mimic the flow at home.

I feel that I am moving more towards being a teacher/mentor/coach rather than a “psychic”.  I feel that a lot of times in the past clients come in with the expectation that I am going to fix it all for them or give them all the answers.  Informational sessions can be great, but only if you DO something with the information you are receiving.  Taking my practice more towards healing, offering space without expectation is going to be new.  This also keeps me from feeling as if I have to have all the answers or fix everything for everyone.  It lets you be you, and me be me.

I am also focusing more on writing, creating community (dedicating more time to my meetup groups), and have a few big projects that I am going to bring to the table soon…. (so be sure you subscribe).

I’m sure that I’ll be adding to this in the days to come.  This is just a quick update from the world of me.  🙂

You are Loved.  Your are Beautiful.  You are Divine.

Michael Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

 

Finding inspiration, moving deeper into practice

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There has been a LOT going on over the past few months.  It seems that life is shifting us in a multitude of directions.  We are learning to swim the hard way.  When we go through the struggles, we get a chance to see where we need to place extra plaster, we get to test the seams of our experience.

I’m personally feeling the call to dive deeper into my own spirituality.  Recently a good friend of mine Pheonyx Roldan Smith passed away.  I believe when a soul like his leaves the body a sonic boom of energy occurs.  He lived his life in the deep spiritual planes, but also reached out to many of us to dive deeper into our own experience.  I have found myself sifting through things on his blog www.thocgproject.com.  I felt inspired by what I was reading, his journey, the trusting, and the opening of experience, and moving through the fear.  I see a lot of my own path in his work.  I am also aware of where I am holding back, where I need to trust more, and there is a lot of new energy that I will be bringing through in the next couple of weeks.

“If not now, when?”

That becomes the mantra that plays in the back of our minds when we place that “thing” spirit is giving us, that “thing” that is begging to come in and shift the world.  We have to start trusting our intuition.  We have to start asking the deeper questions.  We have to start honoring our bodies by giving them proper nutrition and exercise.  We have to get away from our technology and BE part of the world around us.

I am starting a fast.  When I start I tend to go deep into the experience of fasting.  I go for an all water fast for a few days as a reset.  Starting next week, I am going to do a chakra specific cleanse.  Engaging and dedicating a charka per day.  This will be a week-long ritual of clearing the energy so that soul conversation and guidance can be more clear.  Journaling is becoming more direct.  I usually keep two journals.  One that I capture my personal moments throughout the day, my personal insights, growth points, moments of reflection/contemplation and planning.  In the second journal I focus my intuition into the space around me.  I am making it a point to pay closer attention to the news (alternative and mainstream), predictions that intuition is giving me/ and those I am seeing others present, engaging discernment and tuning into the TRUE narrative.

I am also going to be doing a better job of capturing and dialogue my experience here.  Videos are coming (yoga, QiGong, meditations and teaching).  I need to do deeper, more specific meditations as well.  I’m feeling the call to connect to others doing this work.  I am also going to be doing a few community projects as well.

The journey is more than just what we as individuals are going through.  When we as individuals show up to the work, dig deep, work through the process of ascension we elevate all those around us.  We elevate humanity.

You are Loved.  You are Beautiful.  You are Divine.

 

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT