intuition

Upheaval: Cycles of love and chaos

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Chaos seems to be a constant in our time.  We are feeling the energy shifting around us with more frequency.  The earth and the universe that surround us are in constant change.  We are feeling the frequencies of both love and chaos enter into our lives.  We have to be sure that we are preparing ourselves for the cycles ahead.

Welcome to 2012.

I am not going to talk about the doomsday events, nor am I going to talk about the coming wave of light beings, and we will be sure not to talk about the mother ships lovingly circling the earth, but we have to admit this has been an interesting year.

2012 is what I like to call the year of expectation.  It’s a very powerful and spiritual time, and as a global society we have energized it with a vibration of spiritual change.   For better or worse, we are all “expecting” that something or even nothing will happen.  Within the “something-ness” and “nothingness” of this year are a multitude of layers.  Poles are shifting, the weather has been intense, violence has been on an increase, and mother Gaia is shrugging her shoulders.

As new energy comes in, old energy goes out.  Dimensional energies are also merging.  We are in 3rd dimensional density.  This is our tangible reality.  Just beyond us is the place where thought becomes manifest.  One of the theories is that as 4th and 5th dimensional energies begin to merge with our more dense reality we will see thought become reality in an instant.  Many of us are feeling the pushing sensation, the call to do something greater than what is right in front of us…and many of us are taking to the call.  For others, this call is bringing conflict.  Trust is not something we do well with in this density, but it is a big part of the spiritual process.  Trust that when you take that step out into the world, that the universe is going to be there.  Just as when you inhale, we seldom guess if the air is going to fill our lungs… it just does.

Love and chaos are beautiful dancers.  In Chinese philosophy it is thought that through chaos all creativity is born.  We are creating new realities constantly.  Each breath is an action of dying, and then being reborn.  We have to learn to trust the breath.  Breath is movement, breath is action, breath is compassion, breath is life.  We in essence are the breath, and everything in the universe breathes.  It’s important to pay attention to your breath daily.  Notice if you are holding it in, or forgetting to inhale.  Are your exhales shallow?  The breath is what will help us get through the upheaval.  As it moves, so do we.  Every try to run a marathon holding your breath?  It’s not possible.

Showing up to the experiences is also a tough thing for a lot of us to do.  I know there are times I would much rather watch a delicious movie on netflix, but avoiding things in our life do not make them go away, it only gives them momentary space, and at times this actually waters things weeds we might not want in our garden.  Showing up is also defined as taking responsibility, accountability, and acceptance of what is right in front of us.  Showing up is also loving those sometimes broken pieces, the struggle, and the upheaval itself.  Yes, love your upheaval.  Love it so fully and unconditionally that it becomes something that aligns you instead of something that binds you.

Love and chaos.  Both beautiful.

Breathe, trust yourself unconditionally, and show up.

Namaste.

 

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

 

Engaging the Shift

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Where are the waters of this life taking you?  What do you feel your purpose is within this divine experience?   Where are you within your body in this moment?

This is a year of engagement and integration.  Who we “were” is now changing into who we have always supposed to be.  Our greater purpose is coming to alignment, and more importantly we are being called to show up to our divine experience.

Most of us will go joyfully, others will go kicking and screaming.  Those that find themselves in struggle need to see where their anchors are located and being the work of deep release.  It is time to continue to see the shadow, to release our limitations, and to move into the breath.

There is work to be done.  We have to engage life and spirit daily.  This shift, this movement in consciousness requires us to show up.

Where do you feel the need to show up in your life?  What is calling you in this moment?

 

The Changing Face of Spirituality

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One of the beautiful things about my job is that I get a front row seat to the world of spirituality.  Managing a book store gives me access to not only what is entering the world, but what people are seeking.

“I’m spiritual, just not religious” is a common phase that is tossed around a lot these days.  I am seeing more and more people coming into a greater state of alignment with their own vibrations and this is causing them to question old patterns, ideas, and concepts.  Questioning the world around us is powerful. It is common ground that we can all reside in.  The beauty of life is all the unknown.  Even in debate and disagreement we are able to grow.  If we only sit at the table with people who share the same ideas and beliefs as us we only get more of the same.  It doesn’t mean we have to accept someone else’s reality, but it allows me to at least share in a moment.  Challenge is good.  Challenge allows for us to move through resistance.

For me, spirituality is about expansion and not limitation.  I am seeing so many people reaching across the aisle to connect with others.  We still have a lot of disruptive energy in the world around us and communities are coming together to respond to these shifts in consciousness.

We are becoming more active in our spirituality.  Yoga, Qi-gong, breath work, and nutrition have been areas I’ve seen a lot of people starting to come into alignment with.  We must honor the temple the soul resides in.  New energy is coming in constantly, and we need to be able to hold and channel that energy out to be of the highest service.

The new generation of light workers are awakening to their purpose.  We all are.  Latent healing and intuitive gifts are activating in everyone.  Many of us have felt some resistance in the shift.  Resistance is not always bad, but let your resistance open you to expansion and not limitation.  Do not let your fears get the best of you.

I’ve noticed many drifting into old places.  Others are drifting into the future.  We only truly have the singularity of one breath in any given moment.  Don’t take it for granted.  The past shapes us, and the future helps to guide us… remember that the destination is the road beneath us.

Find joy and appreciation in all that you do.  Even if you do not like your job, appreciate it.  The resistance you feel from going in to that place day after day will only inspire you to grow into new opportunity.  Everything can be “good” if you find the gift it is bringing you.  Upheaval is a state of cleansing.  The more we tune into our intuition daily the more we come into greater alignment with that divine flow.

What are you moving yourself into?  Where are the waters of the divine taking you?   What is your resistance?

Michaell A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
www.deviantyogi.com (yoga blog)
www.soulinteraction.com (spirituality blog)
www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell (radio show)

It’s Time to Pay Up: Universal Contracts

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Change is in the air… and not just because it is spring.  One of the beautiful things about my job is that I get a front row seat to the lives of others.  Normally, I might get to do one life path reading.  This is where someone is deciding to do something new, make a big change, or step in a new direction.  The majority of the other readings were the usual: money, love, job, etc.  Every week, I am seeing more and more people making massive changes.

The one common denominator in these changes is a move towards spirituality. People are looking to be of service, to connect to community, to be part of something and not just another cog in the machine.  I’ve seen doctors become painters, CEOs become writers, and people finally living their dreams both big and small.  I find a beauty in the finality of 2012.  What if it does all end?  How did you live your life?  Did you live it in joy and love, or are you anchored into tons of regret?  What would you change if you only had one more day, or a few more months?  At times it feels like the universe is calling in contracts that we made in the “in-between” life.   I am seeing people go through these rapid awakening cycles.  It’s a beautiful thing.

I am a firm believer that our purpose in this life is to just be happy.  The only thing we are required to do is breathe.  Everything else we do is a choice.  We can choose joy or sadness, love or hate, and everything in between.

Change can be incremental.  You don’t have to go out right this very moment and quit your job… unless you truly want to.  If you could do anything for the rest of your life, and be completely happy… what would it be?   Whats stopping you from doing it?   What steps can you take to get there?

We forget to dream.  It’s time to sit with a piece of paper and start dreaming.  If you have ever wanted to do anything with your life, but have held back… write it down. Let your imagination soar.  Clown college, starting a business, becoming a professional poet, etc.  If you are drawing a blank, even better.  Blank is a good starting point, it just means that you are allowing fear to block your outcome..

What do you feel your purpose is?  What did you come into this life to do?  Are you doing it?  If not, what would get you jump started in to making it a reality?

We’ll be going deeper in the coming weeks.   For now… get that paper/journal out and start dreaming.

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.deviantyogi.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

Soul Interaction Discussion Question

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How do you define the soul?  Is it definable?  If your intuition is divine guidance, where is it tapping into?  What is your wellspring of divinity?

 

Each week I’ll be posing questions to take us deeper.  Feel free to answer below, write them in your journal, use them as prompts for discussions in your spiritual groups, etc.  This is a great year for a bit of introspection.

Love and Light

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

 

PBP2012: “I” is for Intuition

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A lot of people ask me if being psychic is something that you are born with, or if is something you can learn.  We all come into this place with a deep knowing of where we are supposed to be on our path.  It is like we are born with an internal GPS system that allows us to steer into and away from different lessons and situations.  The response I like to give is:  “We are all born intuitive.  Some people come in with AOL dial-up, and others come in with SAT LINK, but we can all choose to upgrade when we are ready.”  As magick workers and those on a spiritual path we have to work on the deep listening aspect of our chosen crafts and path.  Magick and intuition do not just flow through us when we are in ritual or in front of our altars.  Our lives are an action of living in spirituality and our intuition is always there guiding us.

Being intuitive means that you receive that guidance from the “soul space”.  There is always something talking to us from within.  That little voice that only has our best intent and compassion for us.  It is the driver in the car with the better map.  I personally know when I take the wheel and refuse the directions that life becomes more bumper car than Sunday drive in the country side.  Our intuition is how the divine relays that deep guidance and information to us.  In degrees of separation it is: self-soul-divine.  This allows us instant access to everything that is outside of us, but it comes through us.  There are many theories on how the intuition works, where that information flow originates from, and depending on your tradition you relationship to your intuition might vary a bit.  How we connect is not as important as connecting.  Establishing a daily connection with your intuition is important for not only deepening your practice but for establishing trust for self and our divine connection.

What is your relationship to your intuition?  What is your process of deep listening?   How does intuition play into your daily practice or your ritual work?

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

michael@michaelbrazell.com

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.deviantyogi.com

PBP2012: “F”- Fasting for Spiritual Growth

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Fasting is an important aspect of coming into alignment with our spirituality.  Fasting allows us to come into alignment and to see where our personal power might have been surrendered to situations, things, food, or people.  Fasting takes a bit of planning as well.  One of the things that I like to do with my fasting is to take a few days to really plan it out.  What do I hope to gain?  What will I be giving up?  How long do I want to fast?  Being sure of our reasons for fasting and where we hope to go with it is an important aspect of the entire process.

Fasting also does not have to just be about food.  We are constantly facing distractions, and there are a lot of things that deplete us of our energy.  Fasting from the internet, cell phones, or even talking for a day can bring us back into alignment with the world around us.  Fasting from food can show us where we might be reaching out through our emotions towards foods that might be harming us.  Set a spiritual goal for your fasting cycle.  Allowing yourself to find a deeper connection with your divine self.  Pick a favorite book, some new chants, or even a physical practice like sacred dance/yoga.  Set a schedule for your fast, and stick to it.  Showing up is one of the hardest things to do in our spiritual practice.

Remember, there is no such thing as failure.  I set a time parameter for my fasting cycle, but if I do not reach the entire goal I consider the time I showed up a success.  If I didn’t make it to the end, I sit with that and I see where my stumbling stones might have been.  I journal a lot during my fasting period.  I look at my emotions, I go deeper into my divination practice, and check in with my emotions constantly.  If I am removing something from my experience checking in with my emotions it allows me to see what power I might have given away.

Take a few moments and think about how you can deepen your spiritual practice by allowing something in your experience to sit on a shelf for a while.  What is something you feel you can’t do without?  That is where you start.

M. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

PBP2012: “E”- Evolving Our Practice

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I’ll be the first to admit that I have spiritual ADD.  I find myself floating between books, practices, rituals, and communities.  For me, this has been a good thing.  Each time we dip our toes in something new we create ripples in our path work.  We develop new ideas and concepts, and we might not take on everything that we encounter, but we may pick up new tools that will help us to evolve our practice.  Sometimes you have to shake the snow globe to remember how pretty it is. Of course, I’m not saying that you have to dive into every puddle that comes your way, but we do not want to get stagnant in our practice.  New life and breath is always a good thing.  I am a professional psychic/medium.  My method of connection is primarily entering into sacred space and enter into the person’s energy.  I love what I do, but even in that space I am learning to use other divination methods to evolve my connection the energy.  One tool that I have used to evolve my psychic work is tarot.  I have found that through working with the symbology present in the cards that my clairvoyance is getting stronger.  This will allow me to be of greater service to my clients, but in my own personal practice.

Taking on aspects of another practice also allows us to see where others are in their beliefs, Buddhist meditation can help us connect to a deeper aspect of self and an understanding of moving through suffering.  Connecting to Pagan/Wiccan path can teach us how to connect to the seasons, the earth, and to change.  The Hindu practice of yoga can teach us how to flow through life and how to connect to the breath.

Take a look at your practice and ask where you might want to add some new spices.  Even just looking at your practice and asking where you might want to expand or grow will allow you deeper connection into your craft.

 

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

PBP2012: “D”- Daily Devotional Work

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The sun breaks through the window first thing in the morning.  We open ourselves up to the day, and we begin with a deep inhale, followed by an even deeper exhale.  Well, in truth… we often dash out of the bed to the sound of a screeching alarm, trip over everything we can on the way out the door to a full work day.  How we start our day can determine how we move through the day.  Starting the day doing a devotional practice can keep us connected to our divine self as we move through the day.  We live in a world that constantly makes demands of us.  We move into those moments, and often times we move unconsciously through these experiences.  We seldom take time to be with spirit unless something forces us to stop and slow down.  Recently I got laryngitis.  I very rarely get sick, but often I find myself rushing through life, giving my energy away constantly.  Having no voice forced me to slow down and take into account where I was giving my energy away.  It also made me take a deeper look at my personal spiritual practice.  They say never run faster than your guardian angel can fly, and in a world full of distractions and temptations this can be valuable advice.

A great way to start the morning can simply be sitting in silence and taking a few deep breaths.  If we have a particular tradition, we can sit in front of our altars, connect to the divine, and open ourselves up to guidance.  There are many ways to connect and ground into the day. Even talking a walk before work connecting to nature, or simply looking up as you make that morning walk to the office.  Consistency is also important in ground ourselves in our divine nature.  When we have a steady practice we have a way to connect into our day and to detox from a stressful day through positive release.  We only need to do a little each day to have a profound effect throughout the day and into our lives.  This allows us to be fully engaged in our spiritual work.  Here are a few ways to do daily devotional work:

  • Yoga
  • Affirmation work
  • Morning tarot or general reading for the day
  • Prayer work
  • Chanting or working with a mantra
  • Singing
  • Dancing around the room while the sun rises
  • Going for a brief walk in the AM/PM and being conscious while you are in that space.
  • Contemplative reading from a sacred text
  • Holding a stone and connecting into its energy
  • Doing a healing practice like Reiki, energy healing, or stretching
  • Breathing.  Focusing on the inhale and the exhale fully.

All of these can be done with just a little bit of time.  Getting up just a little earlier, or coming home and immediately going into your practice can give you a little bit of structure in that spiritual place.  Your daily devotional work can be complex or simple.  It can last 30 seconds or several hours.  Get into a practice of daily divine connection.  You’ll feel more grounded, more connected and more centered.

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

The Ritual of Fitness: Intergrating Intention into Your Gym Workout Routines

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Intention, Motivation, and Connection to Your Physical Practice

The alarm clock goes off, and your feet hit the ground, and of course the first thought on your mind is heading towards the gym.   I can already hear the “Yeah, right” screaming from the recesses of your soul.  Many will sleep in until the very last possible second, some rush to the computer the moment feet touch the ground to check email/Facebook/twitter/or the latest foursquare updates.  Then after a long day at work, we are faced with our second opportunity to step into the sacred grounds of the gym, yet… we would much rather curl up to Netflix and catch up on the latest episode of Cake Boss.

The toughest part of any workout routine is setting up a steady routine.  There is a frustration when it comes to working out.  We have to remember that it took us a while to get to where we are, and it is going to take some time to see the results of our work.  As spiritual people we know that when it comes to manifesting things take time.  The universe/God/Goddess hears our call and life begins to synchronize and align to bring about the desired  outcome.  Our time in the gym is a microcosm of grand universal effect.  The first step is to set a realistic goal for yourself.   Ok, let’s pause right here.  Many of you immediately added up some magical goal weight that must be achieved, some of you might have seen muscles ripping out of every crevice of your clothing, others may have seen themselves coming across the finish line of their first marathon.  Let’s take the goal to an even smaller and simpler place:  Just show up.  That’s it.  If you do not show up to your workout, then the goal will just remain a dream.  The dream is also dangerous, because it can hold us in an expectation that is too far for ourselves to reach.  If my goal is to run a marathon, but I’ve never even jogged a mile, I might be frustrated if in one week, I’m not wearing that gold medal around my neck.  We have to be realistic about our expectations when it comes to our fitness.  Even better is to release all expectation.  Just show up and engage your experience.

You’ll also need a workout plan.  Not knowing what to do in the gym can be intimidating.  The machines can be complex, the classes can be intimidating, and at times we might just be overwhelmed by the multitude of choices in front of us.  Simplify your direction.  Start with cardio and build, do not be afraid to ask questions and take a class or two.  Group fitness classes are a great way to burn calories, connect with others that are moving towards similar goals, and just have fun!  When I was teaching and taking classes at a gym in Norfolk, I looked forward to my class, they became my “gym family”.  You share stories, and get excited in each others progress.

Now, let’s take our workout a step further.  What if I told you that you could add to world peace simply by engaging your process in the gym?   Take a moment and think of something that is important in your life, something that you want to dedicate energy to.  The next time you are in the gym set your intention, and dedicate your workout to that goal/place in the world/or person that might need it.  A simple affirmation might go like this, “I dedicate the energy from this workout to all the homeless in my area.  May they find peace, love and happiness this day” “I dedicate the energy of this workout to my friend Jim, who is going into surgery today, may the energy created guide him into greater health.”  You get the hint… Be creative.

By setting an intention, you create a deeper connection to your workout.  It gives the action new life and purpose.

Set the intention the night before and you might feel new drive to get those feet moving towards greater health the moment that alarm clock screams you awake.

I’ll be posting specific workout plans and tips to help ease the process and to make gym life less overwhelming.  For those of you that are not members of a gym, I’ll be posting specifics for you as well.

So, let’s recap:

1) Just start by showing up.  Not just to the gym, but to your life.  Choose health, choose life, choose to better yourself on all levels.

2) Set a goal for yourself.  Be realistic and release all expectations other than to be present in your gym experience.

3) Ask questions, have a plan of action.  If you can spend 10 hours on Facebook, you can spend a few minutes looking up workout routines.  Also feel free to email me directly if you have questions.  I will also be posting a resource list in the next couple of days.

4) Give your workout a greater purpose by setting an intention.  By doing this you make it more than just about you.  You are creating and giving energy to the world around you.  This alone should help drive your desire to get moving.

You are loved, you are beautiful, you are perfect in all of your imperfections.

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com