PBP2012: K is for Kissing the Limitless

I first saw this book on the shelf at my book store over a year ago. The title intrigued me so I bought it. It has sat on my bookshelf for over a year, and little did I know the impact this book would have on my life. This year did not start out on the smoothest of notes. It seems that has been the case for a lot of people. This is a year where we begin to come into greater alignment with our “soul self”, or divine nature. We only need to look outside to see that things are deteriorating in rapid speed, but things are also coming together. In March I had the opportunity to take T. Thorn Coyle’s “Self Possession” workshop. I really had no idea to expect. I just knew that I was at a crossroads in my professional, personal and well, just overall well-being. I felt that I really had no clue what it was that I wanted to do with this experience, and part of me just wanted to go sit on a mountain somewhere and meditate and live on berries. This would not be the case.

The workshop was based on the book “Kissing the Limitless”, and it is really hard to put into words what happened during that weekend workshop, but the effects of the soul ripples are still being felt. One of the big things about self-possession is coming into your own, and then owning it. As a professional psychic, and one that helps others through difficult times in their lives, I came to a realization that I was not tuning into my own needs. I was not sure how I would react to Thorn’s teaching, but she is a teacher that is truly living her talk. One of the things that we discussed in the workshop was the establishment of a beloved community. The coming together of like-minded people for the cultivation of peace, soul energy, and alignment. Once the workshop was over and we all blew back into our lives, I felt that I wanted to be more like a dandelion seed, carrying this energy back into my own community.

I sat with this for a while, and realized the answer for community was sitting on my bookshelf, and my partner David and I decided it was time to start a study group. I looked around our first meeting and we were an eclectic bunch. David and I both lead two very different meetup groups and decided to merge our energies to see what would happen. His group is more focused on magical traditions and mine is geared towards soul/psychic development. What I found even more interesting is that many in the group had bought the book before we even decided to start the group.

One of the big parts of the book is the establishment of a daily practice. It has exercises that are challenging and in the introduction you are told it could take a couple of years to fully work through the book. The time limit is variable depending on where you are in your practice, but for many of us it was the first time that we were able to go below the surface. More importantly we were in realization that we were not alone in our struggles. We created safe space for everyone to share where they currently were in their process, but where we wanted to go.

The title of the book really sums up what I am hoping this year to be. Each day we are presented with limitless opportunities to grow and to connect. Every breath is a chance to connect to that divine part of ourselves, and for some the road will be easy… for others the road will be challenging. Sometimes the destination is the road, and showing up is so very important his year. I never thought that a book I did not give much thought to would be the thing that would drive me into a completely new direction and focus in my life and work. The beauty of our spiritual path is that it allows us to experiment and step outside of the box. Eclectic spirituality is a blessing in that our teachers show up in many forms, and usually when our guard is down.

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.deviantyogi.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

My Weekend of Self Possession with T. Thorn Coyle

“Golden bright mystic light piercing the bowl of night

Draw down the Light
Draw down the Star of Opening
Welcome you, limitless
Light in Extension”

 These lyrics from Song of Tiphareth pretty much sum up what I experienced this weekend at T. Thorn Coyle’s Self Possession workshop.   The weekend began with a night of drumming, journeying and community.  We moved through a powerful weekend and reached into the depths of our being.  So, before I get into the details of what I learned, let’s take a trip backwards in time.

At the beginning of this year like many others I faced a lot of upheaval.  I felt like the I was a bad puppy and my universe was just slapping me around with the Sunday edition of the Washington Post.  At times I felt like I was doing nothing more than spinning my wheels.  At worst, I felt like moving to some mountain and just retreating away from the world.  This can be especially tough for those of us that are not only spiritual, but we “do spirituality” for a living.  I love my work and the connections that I have with those around me, but even that was feeling draining.  Now, I’m no stranger to Thorn’s work.  My partner David talks about her constantly, and has been to several of her workshops.   I’ve had a copy of Kissing the Limitless  lying around for about a year.  I’d open it on occasion and flip through, connected with some of it here and there, but never really took on the work it was asking of me.  In DC we have been fortunate enough to finally have a Pagan community Center come into full manifestation.  David thought it would be great to have Thorn come in for a workshop.  I tossed out there, that if she did the Self Possession workshop that I would think about going.  So, time passed and the schedule was set.  More upheaval set in, and David offered to help cover the cost of the class if I would go.  So, it seemed the universe was doing everything but driving me to the front door and I took this as a sign to go.

So, why all the back story?  It is when we are at a moment of defeat, when we finally surrender that we can enter into a state of grace.  When we have no other choice but to let go, that the universe aligns every thing for us to come out of that dark night of the soul.  I am fortunate that I have wonderful people in my life.

The first thing you notice about Thorn is her presence.  Her energy is intense, as it has to be for the work that she does.  When opening and aligning the souls of others you become a torch that ignites those around you through just your very being.  They are the teachers that have actually done the work, they wear their humble nature like a cloak and through them we see that the journey is possible.  I also noticed her tattoos, and honestly it was nice to not be the only mega tattooed person in the room.

The process of soul possession is about coming into alignment with those sometimes fragmented pieces of ourselves.  To love our life not only for the joys, but for the struggles. That we can connect to our innate divine nature through unbinding the energetic anchors we hold onto.  Thorn leads the class in a very intuitive fashion.  You can see and feel her listening to the soul of the class and this allows her to give our group exactly what we need to facilitate growth.  We created Soul Timelines, danced, drummed, chanted, and found little pieces of ourselves that we have forgotten to hug.  I am not going to go into every detail from the weekend, as I am still processing much of what I learned.  I can honestly say that this weekend changed my life.  I am more awake and away that I have been in a long time.  My first awakening came from learning the PAT (Perceptive Awareness Technique) from my Spiritual Mom Susan Zummo.  I am going to write a blog about that experience soon.  The other part that I loved about this weekend was the community that  formed through the experience.  You do not often see people taking on deeper soul level work.  Working through the soul’s energy tends to take us into the deeper, sometimes tougher lessons.  Our group was made up of community leaders, practitioners, healers, and seekers.  I felt sad when the weekend was over, but know that as we all go out into our respective communities that we take something new back to facilitate an igniting of that soul energy.  We are now the torches for our communities and it is time to do this great work.

The teacher is that person just a few more steps down the road than we are, showing us that it is possible as long as we keep moving, breathing, and connecting.  I offer thanks and appreciation to all of my teachers, those that are known and unknown, the ones that are of this energetic realm and beyond.

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called “truth.”  ~Dan Rather

For more information on T. Thorn Coyle and her upcoming events, please visit her website at:

www.thorncoyle.com

You can also sign up for online video classes and discussion at:

www.thorncole.com/fiat-lvx

Also consider supporting her Solar Cross Temple.  They do a lot of great work in the Pagan Community:  Pagan elder care, prison ministry, environmental work, work with the poor and the homeless.  Consider making a donation to help keep this important work moving forward.

www.thorncoyle.com/solar-cross

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com