10 Ways to open to the current of your soul

November 26, 2014 / soulinteraction / 1 Comment

The soul is a powerful part of who we are. It is the breath of God that breathes through us. It is the voice that we hear in times of need. It is the love that radiates from the limitless, into this sometimes limited space of existence. Opening up to the current of your soul is a powerful way to help radiate light into all creation. The more open we are to our soul, its guidance, and it’s presence the more able we will be to stay aligned with our life purpose.

There are many ways to connect to the Soul Current, so this list is by no means the end all be all, but having a place to jump-start the connection is always helpful. The soul is always and in all ways with you. It just takes a moment to connect. Connecting to your soul allows you to engage your life, your health, your work situations, and life with greater clarity. Take a few moments each day to consciously connect to your soul. What messages does it have for you?

Here are a few of the ways to connect to your Soul Current:

Slow down. We are all moving so quickly these days. We run through the day with barely any recollection of the important moments. We extend ourselves so far out into the future, that we lose sight of what is right in front of us. Take a moment to slow down, breathe, sit, and disconnect from the busy energy in your life for 15 min.
Breathe. The breath is our connection to the divine. When we breath we are accepting an invitation to join the present. To be present in our presence allows us to connect to the soul. Conscious breathing nourishes us. When we are present with the breath, we are present with the soul.
Be kind. Extend kindness in all directions. When you are at the grocery store, say thank you to the person ringing up your groceries–use their names (they are wearing name tags for a reason). Call a friend and tell them how much they mean to you. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself. We beat ourselves up all the time for silly things. Take a breath, place your hand on your heart, and say “I Love You” to the beating heart.
Journal. The journal is the most powerful spiritual tool that we have. It is a sacred space for us to have dialogue with our soul. Making time each day to reflect on the various aspects of our life allow us to gain clarity. In your journal you can write questions that you want to ask your soul. You can write letters to God. You can explore emotions and experiences that may be troubling you. The journal is a great place for contemplation.
Meditate. Meditation allows us to come into presence. It allows for mindfulness and stillness, and in the stillness we can find our soul waiting for us. There are many different ways to meditate, so I encourage you to explore and find what works best for you. Inviting stillness into our mind, body and spirit allows us to slow down and rest in our presence. An easy way to connect to your soul in meditation is to: sit, bring attention to the breath, and listen.
Trust. Learning to trust can be difficult. Many of us have been hurt at some point in our lives. This causes us to lock down. The pain is often a doorway that allows us to be softer, it allows us to learn more about who we are at the core of our being. We often blame God or our intuition for taking us into the storm, but often we had the guidance to avoid the storm before we made the journey–hindsight is always 20/20. Journaling and writing down the words of our soul help us to see the words, which in some cases helps us to trust it. The more we engage our soul, the more we step into the current of our being.
Move your body. The body is the temple of the soul. Moving the body allows us to bring all parts of self into communion with the soul. We often store emotions in our body. This can result in muscle pain and tightness. Treat the body to exercise, massage, yoga or some other form of physical activity. When we honor the temple, the soul is able to be more present. Eating foods that nourish you is another way to keep the body’s energy clear and receptive.
Read uplifting books. Read books that take you to a new level of consciousness. Take the information from what you read and apply it to your life. I often see people get these really great spiritual books, but no one does any of the exercises. Taking time to apply what you are learning to your life will help you become part of your evolution. Reading about masters can offer insight into your own journey.
Connect to community. You are not alone on the journey. Connect with like-minded individuals, join meetup groups, and if there isn’t anything in your area start something! Connecting to community allows our soul to flower. By opening up to the light of others, and by sharing our light, we raise the vibration of humanity.
Love yourself unconditionally. Learning to love yourself, without conditions, is the fullest expression of your soul’s light. This is a hard step for many of us, but an important part of the journey. Opening to a deeper sense of love, allows you to also become more receptive to a greater love from those around you. Too often we shut ourselves down through judgement, through fear, or unresolved grief. By doing many of the actions in this list, you are telling the soul that you are ready for a deeper connection to love. Our soul is an expression of God’s love for us. Place on hand on your heart, and the other on your solar plexus. See the word LOVE in your mind’s eye. Inhale and align with LOVE. Exhale and expand LOVE. Continue this cycle of intentional breath until you feel love moving through your being.

These are just a few ways that you can connect to your soul. Opening up a little each day, and setting aside time to begin the process is all it takes. The hardest part about spirituality and life is showing up. Are you ready to show up to your journey?

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

Michael Brazell

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

www.facebook.com/soulintuitive

Spiritual Tools: The Journal

June 17, 2014 / soulinteraction / 1 Comment

The journal. Some people love them, others find them deeply challenging to keep. I love keeping a journal. The journal is sacred space. It allows us a space to reflect, to come into communion with our intuition, and to catch snapshots of our lives. Life happens quickly, and having a quite place that we can gather ourselves is necessary–the journal provides this. I also tell my clients that it is important to keep a pen and paper journal. I know we live in the age of technology, but with our fancy devices comes a lot of distractions. From time to time I’ll keep quick notes, or reminders to myself of things that I should write about in my journal, but I love the tangibility of a paper journal. When we write things out longhand we are also connecting to each word that kisses the pages of our journal. When we write things out we are also inviting our bodies into this process, we are able to make mistakes, scratch things out, and we tend to not be as polished as we are on our electronic devices. You can also keep an art journal if you are more connected to the visual realm.

Another things I tell my clients is that it is not so much about journaling everyday, but it is important to carry your journal with you daily. Daily access to the journal is giving yourself permission to write when it feels right to do so. Not having it with you, or leaving it at home puts distance between the intention to write and the action. Most of us might “want” to, or might be able to remember those insights later… but we also often forget. I keep my journal at arm distance. I like to have access to it at the gym, in the grocery store, or when I’m waiting in the car. I sometimes will just open it up to a blank page and sit. The blank page is possibility. I can rest on that page, reflect and energetically fill that page with my thoughts and intentions. I find that the simple act of opening the journal is entering sacred space. Things get quite, and my focus is now on the page, which also helps me enter into stillness. Everyone will have their own ideas surround what a journal is or isn’t. These are just my thoughts, and my personal connection to the journal. Feel free to develop your personal connection to it.

What to write?!

The next big question is: What do I write in my journal?!

Anything and everything you want. For a while I would keep a separate journal for different areas of my life, and still do to a lesser extent. I find that keeping my thoughts focused in one space helps to keep me focused in one space. I write my thoughts, my ideas, my struggles, my intuitive insights, my paranormal experiences, what foods I’m eating, manifesting lists, yoga postures and sequences that I am working on, show topics, drams and interpretations, self readings, tarot card exercises and readings, research..etc. The list is truly limitless. The idea is try not to limit yourself. You can do the “Dear Journal” and write about your day, or you can just allow consciousness to flow in whatever direction it wants to go in.

After making some big life transitions I felt that I needed to come back to center. I pulled out all of my old journals and began to sift through my personal story, my journey into the spiritual. I found myself again in those pages. They gave me a chance to reflect on the reasons I started doing this work, and also allowed me to have gratitude for my evolution along the path. Journals are our record keepers, they are our friends, and they at some point will become our legacy.

Do you journal? What do you like journaling about? If you are not currently keeping a journal, what is your resistance?

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

Mike Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

www.facebook.com/soulintuitive

Seance: How to Safely Reach Through the Veil

October 30, 2012 / soulinteraction / Leave a comment

Halloween tends to be a time that brings an allure to what lies just out of the normal scope of reason. The veil between worlds is said to be at its thinnest, and for many the desire to reach through is enhanced.

A seance is one method that people use to collectively reach through to connect to those on “the other side”. There are a variety of books that give process and detail the “how-to” for spirit connect, but I am going to share my personal process for connecting and doing it safely.

Anytime we open up to spirit we want to enter this space through protection. Spiritual protection can simply be reciting a prayer before starting, smudging the space and self, or creating boundaries with stone (onyx, black tourmaline, or hematite). Entering in through protection allows us remove fear from the process, it allows us to engage the connection through a place of love and openness. If you are doing this in a group setting it is important to be sure that everyone is engaging in the protection for the event. Creating a group dynamic of protection keeps the intent set for love and a positive connection on all sides of the veil.

After you engage in opening up to your protective work, you’ll want to set up sacred space and set and intent for the connection. A lot of people assume that seances are solely used for contacting those that have crossed over. You can open up to the energy of guides, angels, guardians, or your higher self. Set the intention for the event. Set the desire to open up to those external energies and then allow that intention to drive the event’s energy forward. If there are loved ones that you wish to connect to set the intention to allow their energy to come through. One way to do this is to have an object of theirs, a photograph, or their name on a piece of paper. Focus tools allow you to deepen the connection of the experience and to call their energy in directly. You can sit in a circle, or just create a relaxed environment that everyone feels comfortable in.

Once you begin the session, trust is the next stage you have to enter. We have to trust that when we engage the process, that we are allowing this flow of information, energy and love to occur between our dimension and theirs. Some people use spirit boards, automatic writing, pendulums, tarot cards, or just opening up your natural senses to the space.

A lot of people assume that they will get profound messages, but you have to be open to sounds, smells, sensations as well as anything vocal that might occur during the session. Be sure to keep notes of what you are feeling, thinking, seeing. Sometimes the message is in the process of opening up, inviting in our loved ones, and sharing in the energy of the moment.

We often forget about those connections until holidays or other events connected to the passing. They are with us when we need them, just a heart beat away.

To close the session, thank those that have stepped through. Thank the energy, the divine, and sit in the energy of the experience.

Also remember you don’t have to wait until Oct 31st to connect, and you don’t need a medium to reach through. We all have the power of connection, and everyday is sacred.

Love and Light

Michael A. Brazell

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

The Expansion of the Spiritual Self

October 16, 2012 / soulinteraction / Leave a comment

What are your limitations to living a spiritual life?

Where do you find divinity? Do you see the divine when you look in the mirror?

What is God/dess?

What inspires you to breathe?

Can you feel the spark in your heart center keeping perfect time with the flow of your life?

Where do you let go?

What does freedom feel like?

How often do you say “I love you” to your own heart center?

How often do you laugh?

How free do you feel right now?

When is the last time you looked at the tops of the trees?

When’s the last time you gave from your soul?

Expansion of the spiritual self happens through the space of contemplation. Sitting with our various “life questions” and letting them sit with us. We spend so much time looking for answers, but often we don’t remember the question… and well, sometimes the question is the answer. We have to take time to take account of our many pieces.

Alignment is something we work at. Where do you feel off-balance? Take that deeper… do you feel spiritually, emotionally, or energetically off-balance? What do you need right now to come back to center? We have to take life in slices of “now”. What do you need in this moment to expand and let go?

Sit with these questions, ponder your existence, and live not just the answers, but the questions… Don’t be complacent–

Seek and ye shall find….

Namaste

Michael A Brazell

Beware the False Prophets

September 15, 2012 / soulinteraction / Leave a comment

The universal alarm clock has sounded. The world is waking up. The light and the dark are both stepping onto the playing field.

We have to be sure that we hold our power, that we hold our space in this cycle. Where is your truth? Where is your light coming from? We have to be sure that as we beginning connecting to teachers, guides and community that we be sure we are using discernment.

We have to be careful where we place our alignment. Blind faith is dangerous.

As light comes in, so will the dark. There will be those that carry the bright darkness that will bring messages, but for many of these teachers their truth comes with a price. What are you willing to give away for that person’s truth?

We each have work to do. We each are teachers, students and holders of light. It is important that we start connecting to our soul families. It’s time that we start stepping into our own light and help to ignite the light in those around us. Its time that we stop being followers, and start becoming leaders. First you have to wake up to your own light and know that you are just as powerful as those that claim to hold all the answers.

A lot of people throw around “new age speak” like candy on Halloween. Don’t get lost in all the talk of merkabas, light, and ascension. Step out and help those that are in need. Get out from behind the walls of your computer, your facebook groups, and actually become part of the transition. Change doesn’t happen because you are sitting in your room hoping to astral project. Change happens when you volunteer to help the homeless, organize park clean ups, and get your hands dirty with the world around you. A merkaba might be great, but even better is the satisfaction that you actually made a difference in this world.

Follow your own light, and shine it brightly… shine fiercely

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell

Alone in Our Connections: Technology and Seperation

April 10, 2012 / soulinteraction / 1 Comment

The world is moving faster than we are. I am actually sitting on the metro writing this blog post. Joyfully connecting into each word as a world moves by around me. It is a beautiful thing that in an instant we can connect around the globe. We have access to countless bits of information, and this access can even come in the confines of a tunnel running under the nation’s capital. As I look up to scan the crowd I see that almost everyone else is doing something similar. Rarely do people make eye contact, and even more rare is the reaching out of a voice or even a smile to a stranger. Our technology allows us to be separated but not alone. I find that it is hard for me to sit at home and write, but if I plug into a coffee shop the words flow with ease. There is something about being in the energy of others that allows me to connect into myself. It allows me to see where I am in this world, and even though many of us are not connecting, we are still in some way sharing this moment. Not having to be alone, connected through our disconnection.

There is a theory that the 2012 incident that might actually happen is an elimination of technology due to a giant solar pulse. What would that look like? What would it be like if all the walls of our disconnect came tumbling down if even for a moment. Texting, tweeting and “liking” things has enabled us to share our thoughts in an instant. We can project out into the world pieces of who we are instantly. We can reach out to loved ones and say “Have a great day!” or “Hope work isn’t too stressful!”. Tho, I notice that the same people we send those text to, when put in the same room with us, we pull away from. May of us remain plugged in even when in the presence of family, friends, and partners. The art of conversation is dying. When instead of sitting down and planning out a future, you are restricted to having to check each other’s online calendars to determine when it will be okay to be present in each other’s experience. Technology allows us to scar someone else with ease. We can send passive aggressive texts, tweets and posts. When is the last time you said “I love you” in full presence and connection with someone you are sharing this life with? We don’t even really need to type it out fully on our cell phones, we only need pre-program the message to fly out at the touch of a button.

How does this impact our compassion for one another? For some, caring is sending the text, and I’m not saying that we shouldn’t use technology as a tool to reach out to those we love. I feel that it is more important to balance that out with a step into this reality. We have to connect to one another on the tangible plane of existence. When we “text argue” or “text talk” we get to plan out every word. Every thought gets a level of control, and we can avoid vulnerability like a plague. When we are face to face with someone else, standing in each other’s presence we can truly be in a place of deep feeling. When our partner, family, or friends have had a bad day we can be present. We can show empathy and reach out in compassion. If we stay plugged in we only may notice this on the perepherial. We seen the slumped shoulders, the tired look, but we don’t connect. Sometimes we only find out about the lives of those we share lives with through their Facebook updates or tweets. Rather than having intimate moments with those closest to us, we share with the masses. I’ve even seen people end relationships via the internet. When we can close down at the touch of a button we get this sense of control that is lost when we have to come face to face not only with others, but with ourselves. When lives are planned out in 2 month intervals via online appointments spontaneity dies. Spontaneity is one of the fuels for passion, and without it the flames eventual turn to embers that barely sustain heat. But what does it say about where we are in this society when we live our lives 2 or more months into the future. We do are not in the now, and that robs us of being fully aligned and present in our divine experience. It keeps us in full disconnection from those that are in this moment with us. THe further forward we live, the less room we create in the moment. I am not saying that we should not plan ahead, but when we become so rigid in our lives that deviations cause panic then we are damaging ourselves. Compassion to the self is something we forget about.

Our interpersonal disconnection is harmful. There are many cases where people won’t call for help when they hear someone in need, “Someone else will call.” We not only forget about the people we share this life with, but we absolutely forget about the earth. I can tell you how many Pagans I know that spend more time behind a computer, on their phone, or inside rather than actually celebrating the earth by going outside. Nature based faith requires us to at some point to connect into nature. Setting our computer screen savers to a woodland image is just not good enough.

Technology and advancement are wonderful. I mean, you wouldn’t be reading this blog without it. Take time to be in this world, and more importantly in your life. Connect with those around you, and create sacred time and space where technology is not allowed in. What would it be like to feel the love of all those around you fully? To unplug from the masses just long enough to embrace the idea that we can live in the moment? What would the passion of spontaneity look and/or feel like? Take a moment to give gratitude and thanks to what technology has brought you, then take a moment to make a commitment to re-connect back into your life. Plug into this moment, right now… what are you waiting for?

Michael A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

www.deviantyogi.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

Tuesday Spiritual Nutrition and Fitness Tip 1/17/2012

January 17, 2012January 17, 2012 / soulinteraction / Leave a comment

Every Tuesday I’ll be bringing you a fitness and nutrition tip to help move you your week. Subscribe, share and don’t miss out!

Nutrition: Don’t tell yourself that you “can’t have something”. We are programmed from a very young age that when someone puts a limitation on us we will rebel and do it anyway. Someone saying “Don’t push that red button”, just makes us want to push it. The same works with nutrition and diet. When we tell ourselves that we will never have sweets, carbs, etc. we only create a stronger desire for them. This is affirmation work at its best. Affirmations can work both ways, so we have to use a positive affirmation to eliminate the buried negative one.

Negative Affirmation:

“I will never have sugar again, its what is causing me to gain weight”

–This makes all sugar negative, and when we inevitably have something containing sugar, we hold onto more guilt.

“I allow myself to enjoy all aspects of eating. I am in complete control of what fuels my body to be at its very best”

An affirmation like this one still gives me permission to have that cupcake, and without the guilt, and with more enjoyment. Life is about enjoying what we have in front of us. Allow yourself to engage in treats, but give yourself permission to be in control. If you get a cupcake, eat 1/2 and give the other to a friend, or save it for another day.

Our relationship to food is 90% psychological, learning to balance this relationship will help you moving forward, and will be the focus of future blog posts.

Fitness: “I don’t have time to workout”. Well, I don’t have time to listen to limitations. There is always time. We find time to watch TV, we find time to go to Starbucks, we find time to complain about not working out. All you need to do is consciously connect to your day and find spots to add in a little fitness. Take the stairs instead of the escalator, if you are going to Starbucks pick one that is further away (and if it means you’ll be late getting back to work, more reason to move faster–adding in cardio). See how easy it is to simply add in a few moments here and there.

Here is a personal example: So we are stuck at my shop doing in inventory this week. I’ve been off my personal routine, but I am not going to let that stop me. Every hour my phone buzzes, I take a break, go into the back and do 25-30 push ups. In 8 hours I’ve done over 200 hundred push ups, an each time it only takes me 30 seconds.

There is NO EXCUSE not to add some fitness into your day. Connecting to the body is one step in connecting to the soul. So, stop complaining and start doing!

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

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

January 10, 2012 / soulinteraction / 1 Comment

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.