The Empath Connection Blog

Empath News: Awareness Interviews, CD Seminars & Book Release

2009-06-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Happy summer everyone! Lots of action happening all around.

EMPATH AWARENESS RADIO INTERVIEWS: We've got a slew of them scheduled. Click here to listen to the archived Wednesday, June 17th show on "Free Flowing with Linda Leigh" on Sedona Lights Radio Network. (It may not be posted for a week or two).

July 30th, I will be back on Para-x Radio for another show, TBA. Then on August 4th at 7 p.m. Pacific/10 p.m. EST I will be on Dispelling the Myths with Kaleah on Sedona Talk Radio. I will also be on Mark Perry's show "A Matter of the Mind," exact time TBA on 1260 AM Santa Fe, NM.

CD RELEASE: I'm excited about: the release of the empath audio series on CD, in partnership with Amazon.com & CreateSpace. The Empath Experience is available now for $14.95, and Empath Intuition: Using Your Body as an Oracle is available for the same price. I am proud of the high professional quality of these CDs, both production and content. The next CD seminar will debut in August. Empath Intuition is now available on CD as of July 1st, 2009!

HARDCOPY OF THE COMPLETE EMPATH TOOLKIT: Since its release in January, I have been inundated with requests to make the digital book into a hardcopy and requests for bookstore distribution. Well, that dream will soon be a reality with distribution on Amazon.com and other selected local stores. I'm revising the book as we speak; making it tighter, cleaner, typsetting & with additional bonus material in preparation for the August paperback release! Stay tuned.

NEW EMPATH CONNECTION WEBSITE! I'm hard at work designing and planning the new site, better navigation & more information.

NEW VIDEO: Also debuting in August will be the next video in the free YouTube series. I will show you more about the empath work and give some additional tips for helping you cope with life as an empath.

NEXT EMPATH CONNECTION NEWSLETTER coming JULY: Next newsletter with articles & features coming the second week of July.

Thank you for keeping me busy doing this work that I LOVE!

With profound gratitude,
Michael

Empath Connection Newsletter - May 2009

2009-05-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here is this month's Empath Connection newsletter. I am excited about this month's newsletter because I wrote a long piece about the most common questions that beginning or "new" empaths have. A FAQ for empaths.

Also, empath connection is now on Twitter. You can follow me here. I find it a bit weird, but I am giving it a try. There is no doubt it is a truly revolutionary technology.

I see Twitter as a representation of the closing of the "medicine circle," and a reflection of the "mending of the hoop" as those in the First Nation say. We are all coming back together, back into ONE. And strange as it may seem, blogs & Twitter are a part of this. It's almost like telepathy - we are able to "tune in" to each other's channels & see what we're thinking & what is going on. I realize I use quotation marks alot!

The Complete Empath Toolkit continues to do well on Amazon.

The next installment in the Empath audio seminar series will debut on August 15th. I haven't decided a topic yet. It usually takes me about 3-4 hours of recording and then I edit the best parts into one cohesive 1-hour seminar. Any ideas? If you'd like to see something, please comment below. I read your comments and am touched by them.

Looking forward to the premiere of beautiful people 2nite.

Abundantly,
Michael

Empath Awareness Radio Interview - Michael Smith on Para-X.com

2009-05-18T11:21:00.001-07:00

We had a great show on empaths and empath awareness. The hosts are just now realizing that they are empaths and we talked for an hour about all sorts of wonderful things. We could have gone on a lot longer.

Kudos to Ladean and Melissa of the Paranormal Insight Radio show of Para-X.com, for their great questions!

Listen by clicking the audio player below.

You can find additional podcasts of the Paranormal Insight show at ParanormalInsight.Podomatic.com.

You can also check out their myspace page.

Para X Radio´s Empath Show

2009-05-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up that tomorrow evening, Friday May 8th, will be a hourlong interview on the Para-X Radio network, a division of CBS Radio Networks. The link is www.para-x.com. Show time is 7 to 8 pm EST (or possibly 6 p.m est, as this is a taped program).

The show is called Paranormal Insight and is hosted by 2 empaths, Ladean and Michelle, who are part of the Paranormal Seekers of North Texas. I am looking forward to the show.

Sorry I haven´t blogged lately. I am in the midst of a horrible computer virus and waiting for a new computer to arrive.

Next newsletter is out next week along with the new Akasha Entertainment newsletter as well.

Michael

Complete Empath Toolkit Hits #8 on Amazon.com!

2009-04-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Complete Empath Toolkit: 44 Steps to Master Your Energy continues to reach surprising heights on Amazon.com's Kindle store. This morning it was #8 in the Spirituality section, alongside Deepak Chopra, Sylvia Browne, Marianne Williamson, Doreen Virtue, and Sonia Choquette.

HOLY COW! I think I need a thorazine drip.

Over the weekend I asked self-help author & writing consultant Hillary Welles to meet with me to plan the literary campaign for mainstream publishing/hardcover edition of The Complete Empath Toolkit. Hillary's feedback was the current Complete Empath Toolkit contained too much information and was too long. She suggested that I break it into 2 different books with additional information in each. So, yet another major project, but one I'm looking forward to! I will have a completely revised hardcopy Toolkit available by September, possibly mid-August.

I am thanking God that I found a publicist! Jen is now on the team to help promote our empath ventures on radio and in print media. Jen has some lofty goals for the work; I am hugely relieved. I will likely profile her in an upcoming issue of the Empath Connection newsletter.

Finally, I am excited to announce a new lower price for both The Kindle version of the Empath Toolkit and the Regular Empath Toolkit with Audio Seminars.

Stay tuned!

Abundant blessings & smiles!
Michael Smith

The Empath Connection Newsletter: April 2009 Re-post

2009-04-18T06:35:00.001-07:00

Here's the April 2009 Empath Connection newsletter.

Cheers,
Michael

The God Project: A new feature film by Javier Calderon

2009-04-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the much-anticipated trailer for the feature film The God Project, which was the audience award winner & best feature film at the recent Santa Fe Metaphysical Film Festival.

First Look: Morning Star: Legends of the Sacred Stone

2009-04-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

In pre-production; Filming late 2009.
View the Trailer
New trailer & Website Launch Party in July 2009.

2012: The Significance to the Maya by Carlos Barrios

2009-03-23T07:02:00.001-07:00

My former polarity therapy instructor Jeannie Kerrigan sent me the following piece. (Incidentally, Jeannie's new autobiography, LAYLA, is coming out soon. Jeannie's book is about how she overcame childhood rape, incest, physical abuse, the suicide of her brother, & the death of her son by being trained in Native American healing methods. She is a true inspiration).

The key point of the following article is that 2012 is not some definitive event where the world will end. It is simply a focal point in an enduring timeline of serious transition that we are all experiencing RIGHT NOW.

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------

If there is any curiosity in you about 2012, you will find this an interesting perspective. It correlates accurately with David Wilcock's books and his 90-min video,2012, The Enigma.

Mayan elder Carlos Barrios was born into a Spanish family on El Altiplano, the highlands of Guatemala. His home was in Huehuetenango, also the dwelling place of the Maya, Mam tribe. With other Maya and other indigenous tradition keepers, the Mam carry part of the 'old ways on Turtle Island (North America).They are keepers of time, authorities on remarkable calendars that are ancient, elegant and relevant.

Mr. Barrios is a historian, an anthropologist and investigator. After studying with traditional elders for 25 years since the age of 19, he has also became a Mayan Ajq'ij, a ceremonial priest and spiritual guide, Eagle Clan. Years ago, along with his brother, Gerardo, Carlos initiated an investigation into the different Mayan calendars. He studied with many teachers. He says his brother Gerardo interviewed
nearly 600 traditional Mayan elders to widen their scope of knowledge. He is the author of The Book of Destiny: Unlocking the Secrets of the Mayans and the Prophecy of 2012

"Anthropologists visit the temple sites," Mr. Barrios says, "and read the inscriptions and make up stories about the Maya, but they do not read the signs correctly. It's just their imagination. Other people write about prophecy in the name of the Maya. They say that the world will end in December 2012.The Mayan elders are angry with this. The world will not end. It will be transformed."

The indigenous have the calendars, and know how to accurately interpret it, not others. The Mayan Calendars comprehension of time, seasons, and cycles has proven itself to be vast and sophisticated. The Maya understand 17 different calendars, some of them charting time accurately over a span of more than ten million years. The calendar that has steadily drawn global attention since 1987 is called the Tzolk'in or Cholq'ij.

Devised ages ago and based on the cycle of the Pleiades, it is still held as sacred. With the indigenous calendars, native people have kept track of important turning points in history. For example, the day keepers who study the calendars identified an important day in the year One Reed, Ce Acatal, as it was called by the Mexicans. That
was the day when an important ancestor was prophesied to return, "coming like a butterfly". In the Western Calendar, the One Reed date correlates to Easter Sunday, April 21,1519 the day that Hernando Cortez and his fleet of 11 Spanish galleons arrived from the East at what is today called Vera Cruz, Mexico.

When the Spanish ships came toward shore, native people were waiting and watching to see how it would go. The billowing sails of the ships did indeed remind the scouts of butterflies skimming the ocean surface. In this manner was a new era initiated, an era they had anticipated through their calendars.

The Maya termed the new era the Nine Bolomtikus, or nine Hells of 52 years each. As the nine cycles unfolded, land and freedom were taken from the native people. Disease and disrespect dominated. What began with the arrival of Cortez, lasted until August 16, 1987 - a date many people recall as Harmonic Convergence.

Millions of people took advantage of that date to make ceremony in sacred sites, praying for a smooth transition to a new era, the World of the Fifth Sun. From that 1987 date until now, Mr. Barrios says, we have been in a time when the right arm of the materialistic world is disappearing, slowly but inexorably. We are at the cusp of the era when peace begins, and people live in harmony with Mother Earth.

We are no longer in the World of the Fourth Sun, but we are not yet in the World of the Fifth Sun. This is the time in-between, the time of transition. As we pass through transition there is a colossal, global convergence of environmental destruction, social chaos, war, and ongoing Earth changes.

All this, Mr. Barrios says, was foreseen via the simple, spiral mathematics of the Mayan calendars. "It will change," Mr. Barrios observes. "Everything will change." He said Mayan Daykeepers view the Dec. 21, 2012 date as a rebirth, the start of the World of the Fifth Sun. It will be the start of a new era resulting from and signified by the solar meridian crossing the galactic equator, and the earth
aligning itself with the center of the galaxy.

At sunrise on December 21, 2012 for the first time in 26,000 years the Sun rises to conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic. This cosmic cross is considered to be an embodiment of the Sacred Tree, The Tree of Life, a tree remembered in all the world's spiritual traditions.

Some observers say this alignment with the heart of the galaxy in 2012 will open a channel for cosmic energy to flow through the earth, cleansing it and all that dwells upon it, raising all to a higher level of vibration. This process has already begun, Mr. Barrios suggested. "Change is accelerating now, and it will continue to accelerate. If the people of the earth can get to this 2012 date in good shape, without having destroyed too much of the Earth, Mr.Barrios said, we will rise to a new, higher level. But to get there we must transform enormously powerful forces that seek to block the way.

A Picture of the Road Ahead. From his understanding of the Mayan tradition and the calendars, Mr.Barrios offered a picture of where we are at and what may lie on the road ahead: The date specified in the calendar Winter Solstice in the year 2012 does not mark the end of the world. Many outside people writing about the Mayan calendar
sensationalize this date, but they do not know. The ones who know are the indigenous elders who are entrusted with keeping the tradition. "Humanity will continue," he contends, "but in a different way. Material structures will change. From this we will have the opportunity to be more human."We are living in the most important era
of the Mayan calendars and prophecies. All the prophecies of the world, all the traditions, are converging now.There is no time for games. The spiritual ideal of this era is action.

Many powerful souls have reincarnated in this era, with a lot of power. This is true on both sides, the light and the dark. High magic is at work on both sides. Things will change, but it is up to the people how difficult or easy it is for the changes to come about.

The economy now is a fiction. The first five-year stretch of transition from August 1987 to August 1992 was the beginning of the destruction of the material world. We have progressed ten years deeper into the transition phase by now, and many of the so-called sources of financial stability are in fact hollow. The banks are weak. This is a delicate moment for them. They could crash globally if we don't pay attention. If the banks crash .... then we will be forced to rely on the land and our skills. The monetary systems will be in chaos, and we must then rely on our direct relationship with the Earth for our food and shelter.

The North and South Poles are both breaking up. The level of the water in the oceans is going to rise. But at the same time land in the ocean, especially near Cuba, is also going to rise.

A Call for Fusion

As he met with audiences in Santa Fe, Mr. Barrios told a story about the most recent Mayan New Year ceremonies in Guatemala. He said that one respected Mam elder, who lives all year in a solitary mountain cave, journeyed to Chichicastenango to speak
with the people at the ceremony. The elder delivered a simple, direct message. He called for human beings to come together in support of life and light.

Right now each person and group is going his or her own way. The elder of the mountains said there is hope if the people of the light can come together and unite in some way. Reflecting on this, Mr. Barrios explained: "We live in a world of polarity: day and night, man and woman, positive and negative. Light and darkness need each other. They are a balance."

"Just now the dark side is very strong, and very clear about what they want. They have their vision and their priorities clearly held, and also their hierarchy. They are working in many ways so that we will be unable to connect with the spiral Fifth World in 2012."

"On the light side everyone thinks they are the most important, that their own understandings, or their group's understandings, are the key. There's a diversity of cultures and opinions, so there is competition, diffusion, and no single focus.

"As Mr. Barrios sees it, the dark side works to block fusion through denial and materialism. It also works to destroy those who are working with the light to get the Earth to a higher level. They like the energy of the old, declining Fourth World, the materialism. They do not want it to change. They do not want fusion. They want to stay at this level, and are afraid of the next level.

The dark power of the declining Fourth World cannot be destroyed or overpowered. It's too strong and clear for that, and that is the wrong strategy. The dark can only be transformed when confronted with simplicity and open-heartedness. This is what leads to fusion, a key concept for the World of the Fifth Sun.

Mr. Barrios said the emerging era of the Fifth Sun will call attention to a much-overlooked element. Whereas the four traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water have dominated various epochs in the past, there will be a fifth element to reckon with in the time of the Fifth Sun: ether.

The dictionary defines ether as the rarefied element of the Heavens. Ether is a medium. It permeates all space and transmits waves of energy in a wide range of frequencies, from cell phones to human auras. What is "ethereal" is related to the regions beyond earth: the heavens.

Ether the element of the Fifth Sun is celestial and lacking in material substance,but is no less real than wood, stone or flesh. "Within the context of ether there can be a fusion of the polarities," Mr. Barrios said. "No more darkness or light in the
people, but an uplifted fusion.

But right now the realm of darkness is not interested in this. They are organized to block it. They seek to unbalance the Earth and its environment so we will be unready for the alignment in 2012.

We need to work together for peace, and balance with the other side. We need to take care of the Earth that feeds and shelters us. We need to put our entire mind and heart into pursuing unity and fusion now, to confront the other side and preserve life. "To be Ready for this Moment in History," Mr. Barrios told his audiences in Santa Fe that "we are at a critical moment of world history. We are disturbed," he
said. "We can't play anymore. Our planet can be renewed or ravaged. Now is the time to awaken and take action.

"Everyone is needed. You are not here for no reason. Everyone who is here now has an important purpose. This is a hard, but a special time. We have the opportunity for growth, but we must be ready for this moment in history."

Mr. Barrios offered a number of suggestions to help people walk in balance through the years ahead. "The prophesied changes are going to happen," he said "but our attitude and actions determine how harsh or mild they are." "We need to act, to make changes, and to elect people to represent us who understand and who will take political action to respect the earth.

"Meditation and spiritual practice are good, but also action. It's very important to be clear about who you are, and also about your relation to the Earth. Develop yourself according to your own tradition and the call of your heart. But remember to respect differences, and strive for unity. Eat wisely (Ormus rich food). A lot of food is corrupt in either subtle or gross ways. Pay attention to what you are taking into your body. Learn to preserve food, and to conserve energy. Learn some good breathing techniques, so you have mastery of your breath. Be clear. Follow a tradition with great roots. It is not important what tradition, your heart will tell you, but it must have great roots."

"We live in a world of energy. An important task at this time is to learn to sense or see the energy of everyone and everything: people, plants, animals. This becomes increasingly important as we draw close to the World of the Fifth Sun, for it is associated with the element ether ˆ the realm where energy lives and weaves."

Go to the sacred places of the earth to pray for peace, and have respect for the Earth which gives us our food, clothing, and shelter. We need to reactivate the energy of these sacred places. That is our work."

"One simple but effective prayer technique is to light a white or baby-blue colored candles. Think a moment in peace. Speak your intention to the flame and send the light of it on to the leaders who have the power to make war or peace."

We Have Work to Do. According to Mr. Barrios this is a crucially important moment for humanity, and for earth. Each person is important. If you have incarnated into this era, you have spiritual work to do balancing the planet. He said the elders have opened the doors so that other races can come to the Mayan world to receive the
tradition.

The Maya have long appreciated and respected that there are other colors, other races, and other spiritual systems. "They know," he said, "that the destiny of the Mayan world is related to the destiny of the whole world."

"The greatest wisdom is in simplicity," Mr. Barrios advised before leaving Santa Fe. "Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It's not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free. It's encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you."

"Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way."

Akasha Media: The Metaphysical Entertainment Company, Joins Forces with Imagine Wellness & Empath Connection

2009-03-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that my company, the Imagine Wellness Group, has joined forces with Akasha Entertainment, one of the world's premier metaphysical entertainment companies.

We will retain our separate identities while working in conjunction with one another on several ongoing Sacred Journeys to holy sites throughout the world, a feature film project called Morning Star: Legend of the Sacred Stone, a documentary film project on Sacred Spaces, and the 2nd annual Santa Fe Metaphysical Film Festival in 2010.

Akasha Entertainment is the brainchild of my good friend - acclaimed healer, filmmaker, channel, & author Carolyn Cobelo. She has a truly amazing and inspirational life story, which you can read here.

This is the formal announcement of our joining forces. We are committed and dedicated to producing metaphysical media, art, products, and services that will aid the World in this time of global Spiritual transition, and promote a connection to Spirit. The Empath Connection is, and will continue to be, a part of that larger mission. Nothing about my services and resources will change! In fact, Akasha is now my distributor for my two empath CD audiobooks.

We've been working together for nearly a year on projects now, including the successful First Annual Santa Fe Metaphysical Film Festival in September 2008, in which we were honored to present the Jury Prize to the world premiere film The God Project, written and directed by Javier Calderon.

I am thrilled to make this announcement, and I look forward to the manifestation and fulfillment of our many projects!

Stay tuned!

:)
With Gratitude,

Michael Smith

2012: Spiritual Manifestation & Attraction are Quickening

2009-03-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have noticed lately that whatever I think about seems to come into reality quicker than ever! I hesitate to use these words, but I've heard friends & clients call this new awareness "freaky," "weird," and "scary." Indeed, this speeding up is causing us pause, because it means we must be extra careful with our thoughts! What comes out of your mouth today will soon be coming into Reality tomorrow.

There's an explosion of interest in 2012. What some call The Shift is happening RIGHT NOW. Others call this the Quickening, or the Ascension. There's a new movie about this Shift and also a new book by Lee Carroll regarding this.

In preparation for this 2012 Shift, Carolyn Cobelo and I are organizing a Sacred Journey to the Yucatan to explore Mayan Temples coming in early June (with a smaller test-run happening March 22-29). We will explore the prophecies of the Mayans and focus on rejuvenation as we spiral into our new age of global consciousness.

This is all very exciting. And yet, on the other hand, this infusion of LIGHT also means that Darkness is being pushed to the Surface.

Anything incompatible with Light is being forced to leave. Thus, with the current chaotic state of our world, see the Darkness for what it is; simply a reflection of the tremendous infusion of Light that is happening right now.

We are not able to get away with our little Lies to ourselves any longer. We cannot take any shortcuts any longer. We must Face up to what we've individually and collectively created.

I hope and pray that you continue to soldier on in your Spiritual Journey. Don't let the Darkness get you down. Take great caution with your thoughts and intentions.

Most of all, I pray that we all be extra VIGILANT in this special time about our thoughts, our language, and our own Power, for our Power is increasing every day.

In Peace,
Michael

A Giant Bowl of Gratitude

2009-03-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

I just want to share this morning how profoundly grateful I am to be doing the work that I do. Whenever I get done with a session with a client, I get a profound Spiritual High.

Giving a session = Receiving a session.

Each day that goes by, it seems this empath work is getting more and more profound. I am mulling some changes to what I call my work because it so much beyond "coaching." It's actually more like Soul Therapy. Also, a heads up on a brand new website that will be launched in late summer/early Fall.

THANK YOU for all the amazing comments and feedback and notes of support every time I send out the newsletter.

May you be hit with a Giant Wave of Source Light upon reading these words,

Michael

It's Time to Be Heard: The eBook Revolution

2009-02-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Amazing article here on the eBook revolution.

I was talking with my dad yesterday about both his and my eBooks, currently available on Amazon's Kindle service, and how none of this would have been possible even 5 years ago.

We really are seeing a Quickening, and the proliferation of eBooks are a reflection of that process; sometimes known as "Ascension." I am amazed at how the internet is like telepathy. It allows us to connect our consciousnesses quickly. It allows for a quickened process of Manifestation.

Knowledge is no longer controlled just by corporations. The internet eBook revolution has allowed each individual to share his or her unique knowledge and contributions. Like my Complete Empath Toolkit: 44 Steps to Master Your Energy.

(By the way, if you have something to say; consider sharing your story in an eBook. It's an easy way to get your knowledge out and help others. If you need help on how to get your eBook out there, feel free to contact me, and I'll offer what I can to help.

Again, here's the article that I found so fascinating.

All the best,
Michael

Empaths in Georgia? Atlanta?

2009-02-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I got an intuitive hit that Atlanta, GA would be a good place for me to expand my practice, and I have a feeling that I have potential contacts there - maybe even someone to help me to set up a Playshop or Class there.

So, following my intuition, I submitted an article to the new age and metaphysical magazine there; Oracle 20-20.

Read the Oracle 20 20 Article

And if you're in Georgia or Atlanta area, check in with your intuition about this and contact me at michael@imagine-wellness.com

Thanks mucho!
Michael

I Can See Why Ghosts Exist

2009-02-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

I can see how ghosts exist.

Just got up from a dream; still a bit bleary eyed.

The full moon energy wreaked havoc with my sleep, and for that I'm grateful. I had fantastic visions.

One of the things I "saw" was how emotions and memories can cause us to get attached to times and places in our lives.

When I was in college, I was manager of our college radio station. This was before the internet & all that. I would go down to the studio in my free time and play around, making shows, commercials, anything with total joy and exuberance. And all for probably 10 listeners at any given time - we had a 5 watt transmitter at a small residential campus on an island in the deep forests of central Minnesota.

In my dreams, I was back in the studio. Only it looked very different now. In the dream, I was confused. I knew it was the studio, yet it now looked very different. In the dream-state, I retraced my old physical steps, remembering where the offices were, where the records were kept, and where I used to walk to get to those records.

I was faintly aware of some other people who were slightly aware of my presence. They noticed me, but they didn't notice me, if that makes sense.

Did I bi-locate into the current physical space? Was I shifting into the future? Was I partly back in the past?

I haven't the slightest idea.

Yet something tells me this is related to why ghosts exist.

When we love (or hate) things so much, there's a certain part of our Soul that is encoded with memories and emotions that are related to Physical places. We can go back to those places at will.

Anyway, I'm rambling here. Felt important to get these vague impressions out.

I haven't had my morning coffee yet!

A Spiritual Journey Exploring the 2012 Shift and Mayan Culture: A Sacred Journey to the Yucatan

2009-02-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to take a spiritual adventure vacation? Here's your chance.

My friend Carolyn Cobelo and I are organizing a wonderful 9-day Sacred Journey to the Yucatan Peninsula from March 22-29, 2009.

Carolyn is an acclaimed author, channel, and healer and has been doing spiritual ceremony at Ancient Sacred Ceremonial sites all over the world for nearly 30 years.

This trip focuses on the powerful Mayan ceremonial sites as we move toward 2012.Check out the trip at www.AkashaSacredJourneys.com.

The Daily Cosmic Calendar: A Tool for Empaths

2009-02-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

There are so many great resources for empaths on the internet;

The Daily Cosmic Calendar is one of them.

It's a free daily "energy update" done by an astute professional astrologer named Mark Lerner.

Feel in a funk? Weirdness at work? The cosmic calendar can help you to put those things in some additional perspective. It's a horoscope that is specific and detailed to the energy that the planets are currently exerting - HOUR by HOUR as you move through the day.

It's a great service, and it's FREE.

You can read it on the web, or you can Sign Up to get the daily forecast in your inbox.

The Empath Connection 2009 Update: Complete Empath Toolkit, New Projects, New Book

2009-02-04T19:35:00.001-08:00

Howdy empaths!

The Complete Empath Toolkit package has taken off like gangbusters; much better than I expected, and I have you to thank. It's been getting a great reception, so naturally I am thrilled and relieved. If you've written for an audience you probably understand that author anxiety thing. I am working on putting this eBook into paperback form, working with Amazon's on-demand publishing.

By the way, the book is already available on Amazon.com's Kindle service, (but you don't get the audio seminars).

The other major project occupying my time right now is a Sacred Journey to the Yucatan that my friend Carolyn Cobelo and I are organizing. We're setting up a 9-day spiritual adventure, to visit the ancient ceremonial sites on the Yucatan Peninsula. The full details and website launch are coming later this week.

That's the tip of the iceberg for new projects.

I've also got another book coming out with my Imagine Wellness colleague L.D. Porter, which tells the stories of healing cases of chronic illness, his chronicles working with the Amish healer Soloman Wickey, and my favorite part - the A to Z database that he's included of notes from Mr. Wickey's files - with over 1,000 entries on cures for seemingly every healing condition known. We're editing as we speak and shooting for an early summer release on that one.

May you have a very BLESSED day, filled with white light.

In peace,
Michael

New Year, New Energy, Glad to be Back

2009-01-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

My grandmother's funeral this past weekend was such a fruitful and healing experience. It was such a celebration of her amazing life. I was blessed with the honor that she passed into the next world on the very day my book was birthed.

The book turned out phenominal. Thanks for your encouraging feedback. My daily writing schedule was about 6-7 hours a day for the last 3 months, so I am glad to be moving on to my next project. After spending so much time with it, my objectivity was lost and I am so relieved that you like it. I knew it was going to be good, and your nice comments have affirmed that, so thank you.

Lots of interesting things on the horizon this year...more info coming soon.

Also, I've gone to a sliding donation scale for all my services.

I hope you're well, and now I plan to write more here that the Toolkit Version 1.0 is done!

-Michael

The Men Who Stare at Goats

2008-12-07T10:40:00.003-08:00

About a week ago, I got a call from a casting director who wanted me to work as a body double in the film The Men Who Stare at Goats, which is shooting in Santa Fe. Occasionally I will do extra work, just for kicks.

I thought this an interesting title (and George Clooney is starring), so I researched the book, went to the library and checked it out.

WOW!

It's about the US Military and their history of interest in psychic and new age principles. The book describes the enduring vision of a high-ranking military official, Lieutenant Colonol Jim Channon, whose goal was to turn the United States Military into a force consisting of "Warrior Monks."

Here's a excerpt from the book:

In the future, our soldiers would "fall in love with everyone, sense plant auras, organize a tree plant with kids, attain the power to pass through objects, bend metal with their minds, walk on fire, calculate faster than a computer, stop their own hearts with no ill effects, see into the future, have out-of-body experiences, live off nature for twenty days, have the ability to massage and cleanse the colon, stop using mindless cliches, stay out alone at night, and be able to see and hear other people's thoughts."

(As an aside, I've seen and experienced much of those things described above firsthand with my indigenous Spiritual warrior training. Those stories and accounts appear as the introduction to each of the chapters in The Complete Empath Toolkit Book, coming out January 15th).

The title of this book alludes to the military's use of goats to experiment with psychic warfare. They used the goats in an effort to stop the goats' hearts simply through intention and will. Goats were chosen because "it was determined within Special Forces that it was just about impossible to form an emotional bond with a goat."

I've always loved goats. In honor of this book, the title, and the goats who are sacrificing for our military, I post this picture of me and a Goat from 10 years ago.

Check out this book, it's fascinating.

- Michael

Former Professor of Counseling Promotes Empath Awareness

2008-12-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA FE, NM - May 24, 2009 - Imagine carrying the weight of not just your own emotional and physical pain, but unknowingly and unwillingly soaking up the emotional and physical pain of friends, relatives, and colleagues like a sponge on a daily basis. Believe it or not, this is common with highly sensitive people - individuals who are known in the metaphysical world as empaths. Approximately one out of twenty people are natural empaths and don't even realize it. Many are diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia.

Dr. Michael Smith, 37, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, realized he was an empath at the age of 32, and is now dedicated to a unique practice of helping highly sensitive people recognize their empathic nature as a gift and teaching them how to hone their skills and protect themselves from the negative energy of others.

"I am seeing women and men who have lived their entire lives wondering what was wrong with them, being called hypersensitive - who can now breathe a sigh of relief," Smith said. "What was thought to be a quirk or even mental illness in actuality is a special gift for being able to understand the emotions and motivations of other people."

Armed with a Ph.D. and a lucrative tenure-track counseling professorship at age 30, Smith embarked on what was to be one of the shorter careers in the history of academia. Despite being nominated for early career awards and authoring a half-dozen research publications, Smith decided to leave the University of Wyoming in 2005 after just three years to begin his coaching practice for empaths in Santa Fe, NM.

"I had to follow my heart," Smith said. "After I realized I was an empath, there was no turning back."

In April 2008, Smith launched EmpathConnection.com, an online resource center for empaths. His book, The Complete Empath Toolkit, was released through Amazon.com's Kindle store on January 15, 2009 and quickly became a best-seller in several categories. The book contains information for empaths culled from his 15-year counseling career and workshop presentations in 20 United States cities.

The cultural identity of empath is rapidly growing, Smith said, and pointed to the popularity of self-identified empath Dr. Judith Orloff's best-selling holistic healing books as evidence of mainstream acceptance. The primary characteristic of an empath is a high degree of sensitivity to the emotional state of other people, Smith said.

"If you've ever been told that you're a good listener, then you might be an empath. People feel comfortable sharing their emotions and deepest thoughts with empaths, and thus, we tend to be popular around high-stress times," he said.

An ability to bond with others can lead to unintended health consequences, Smith said. In many cases, empaths will take on the emotional pain of others as if it was their own. "In toxic situations, intense emotional energy can deeply affect an empath. We can unintentionally absorb emotions, like a sponge. I walked around for years with what felt like two fishing hooks stuck in my heart area."

In 2003, Smith sought out healing for his accumulated emotional and physical pain. He began a five-year apprenticeship with two Native American healers and drove the 8-hour trek from Wyoming to Santa Fe every month. He quickly discovered why counseling came so easy to him.

"The Native American community recognizes individuals with special empathic talents. They have been trained as the medicine men and women in tribes and communities," Smith explained.

The healing Smith received through his Native American mentors has prepared him to help others through his coaching and writing.

"I help empathic individuals differentiate what energy is theirs, and what is coming from other people. We work on coping strategies to manage the high sensitivity and prevent the absorption of harmful energy."

Smith's empath client base is steadily growing, and his free monthly newsletter is reaching thousands. Smith reported that he is pleasedwith his place in this specialized field and his dedication to promote healing for empaths.

"I'm so happy to be doing this type of work," he said. "And people keep coming back, so that tells me the work has a positive effect on their lives."

END

The Empath Connection is an online resource center created by Dr. Michael R. Smith to help empathic individuals cope with emotional energy. For additional information, please contact Michael R. Smith at 505-216-7743 or visit www.EmpathConnection.com

Contact Information:
Dr. Michael R. Smith
825 Calle Mejia #931
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 216-7743
michael@imagine-wellness.com

www.EmpathConnection.com

Archangel Michael - A Beautiful Image of the Spiritual Protector

2008-11-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

I was gifted with this image by a client several years ago.

The artist is Kuan Yin. Check out the site at www.kuanyin.net.

Michael is the Chief of the Archangels, and is the angel of repentance, righteousness, and mercy. He is known as "The Prince of Light", a spiritual warrior who wages war against the sons of darkness.

A Journey From Darkness to Light in Music Video

2008-11-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Continuing with this weeks theme of interesting pop music, check out this amazing animated video for the song "Who Would Have Thought?" from this weeks "Mystery Artist." I have to laugh - I'm such a sucker for suprises and mystery. Anyway, yes, Darren Hayes, former lead singer of Savage Garden, is one of the mystery artists on the audio entry of November 20th. (The other artist is Hanson with the title track and the song Great Divide from their 2007 album "The Walk." Yes, Hanson of the song MMmBop fame from 1997. Some of you will have no idea who or what I am talking about, I realize. It's a generational thing, I suppose).

This is about the journey from darkness to Light.

I have a feeling you'll be able to identify with the lyrics and images.

Have a very happy thanksgiving! I am headed to my family's residence in Eaton, Colorado for the holiday and will get a chance to visit with my 87 year old grandparents who are driving down from Minnesota.

I'll check in - in a few days!
:)
Michael

The Complete Empath Toolkit Now Available for Pre-order!

2008-11-22T23:27:00.000-08:00

It's now available for pre-order!

I am very proud of giving birth to my first "baby!"

There's quite a story behind this book.

You're going to love it.

Pre-order here.

Cheerio!
:)
Michael

Some Beautiful Pop Music to Draw out Emotion

2008-11-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we all need a really good cry.

I realize it's easier for some of us than others to cry; and yet, it's really important to do every now and then.

So in that spirit, I would love to share 2 of the most haunting pop songs I've heard since, well, I can't even remember. Maybe ever.

You might be very suprised to learn who the 2 artists are. For being so young, they are both extremely tapped in Spiritually, my God. :) So grab some Kleenex. I bawl practically every time I hear these songs. The upbeat song was my theme this summer to overcome fear during my Vision quest.

If you have a reaction, please use the comments section just below.

Listen to the Music