SoulWays Body-Mind Therapy & Integrative Energywork

08/30/2024

07/17/2024

Important reminder...

06/30/2024

We had a wonderful day-long InterPlay event in Ann Arbor yesterday!! There were 15 of us there, and we rotated the leadership throughout the day, so we got to experience a lovely range of leadership styles and many different forms. There was also a shared potluck meal halfway through the day, so we got to enjoy some great food and chat with folks informally as well.

Everyone really seemed to enjoy the event, and it was a great opportunity for a longer, more immersive dive into InterPlay. We all loved it so much, we're planning to do more day-long events - perhaps on a quarterly basis. So if you missed this event, stay tuned for future day-long offerings!

The only bummer is that we forgot to take a picture when all 15 participants were there. So please enjoy the attached photo of those still there when I finally remembered to take a picture after the event was over! 😄

06/22/2024

Grief Poem by Liz Newman:

When grief
first came knocking,
I thought I had
two choices.

I could lock the door.
close the blinds.
Activate alarms
And shut it out.
But I still
lived in fear
of its intrusion,
of it finding a way
around my security systems,
around my defenses.

Or, I could invite it over
for morning coffee.
I would set the terms.
Block out the time.
I would get my house in order
and sit beside it,
let it say its piece
and send it away
as quickly as it came.

But grief doesn’t care much
for schedules
or facades.
An unexpected visitor
who comes and goes
as it pleases.

So, now I’m learning
another way.
When grief comes to visit,
I leave the door unlocked.
Sometimes, it
Frantically storms in.
Sometimes, it taps quietly on
the door waiting for
my response.

But, I’m learning to let it in.
To sit with it.
To see it.
To feel it.

So now,
When grief knocks,
I let it in.

I let it in.

~ Liz Newman

06/07/2024

From John Roedel...

06/01/2024

We had a heart-ful and tender InterPlay event in Ann Arbor on May 18. The theme was "Pearls from the Deep - Stories of the Heart", and it definitely led all of us deep into our hearts to bring forth the stories held there. And the final form "Invocation" was a very touching completion to the event.

"Invocation" is a form that I (Lee) learned years ago at an improv class in Seattle. So it's not technically an InterPlay form, but it works really well with InterPlay.

The structure for the "Invocation" form is that a common topic or object is chosen that each person has an example of from their own life & that they have an emotional connection with (for example, a table, a chair, a knic-knac, a dish, etc), and we then go thru the following rounds, each person taking ~45 seconds per round to focus on their object in the ways outlined below:

Round 1) Speak about the object from a third person perspective, using "it" to talk about and describe the object.

Round 2) Speak in the second person, using "you" to talk directly to the object, making it more personal and relational.

Round 3) Speak to the object in a more reverential / archetypal way, using the term "Thou".

Round 4) Speak in the first person, using "I" to speak AS the object, taking on the object's point of view.

For the May 18 event, we ended up choosing "stuffed animal" as the common object, and each person went thru the rounds focusing on their chosen stuffed animal from memory.

It was a VERY touching and profound experience. The rounds led each of us to deep and unexpected places arising out of our experience with our stuffed animal - sharing memories, perspectives, and wisdom that the animals held. We were all very moved by what arose for both ourselves and the other participants.

After the event, some of the participants sent me pictures of their animals so that I could share them. So please enjoy the attached photos, and perhaps imagine what stories might have come from the animals.

If you haven't ever gotten to experience the Invocation form at one of my events, I highly recommend trying it out with a group of friends or InterPlayers, using the description above. If anyone needs any more details to understand how the form works, just let me know.

As always, thank you to everyone for coming. It was tender and beautiful to share pearls from the depths with each of you - and I'll look forward to seeing you all again at a future event.

05/14/2024

I was just reminded of this song when someone commented on a post I'd shared about it years ago in one of the main IFS groups. Like the other song I shared this evening, this one also feels timely to share again. For me, it seems like what IFS and healing are ultimately all about. ❤

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEElpRbeLOE

Bring 'em all in, bring'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring the little fishes
Bring the sharks
Bring 'em from the brightness
Bring 'em from the dark

Bring 'em all in, bring'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring 'em from the caverns
Bring 'em from the heights
Bring 'em from the shadows
Stand 'em in the light

Bring 'em all in, bring'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring 'em out of purdah
Bring 'em out of store
Bring 'em out of hiding
Lay them at my door

Bring 'em all in, bring'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring 'em all in, bring'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring the unforgiven
Bring the unredeemed
Bring the lost, the nameless
Let 'em all be seen

Bring 'em out of exile
Bring 'em out of sleep
Bring 'em to the portal
Lay them at my feet

Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart

Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in

Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in, bring 'em all in
Bring 'em all in, bring 'em all into my heart, heart
❤

Provided to YouTube by Reservoir Media Management, Inc.Bring 'Em All In · Mike ScottBring 'Em All In℗ Chrysalis Records LimitedReleased on: 1995-09-18Artist:...

05/14/2024

A client sent me this song this evening. She shared it because she feels it mirrors a key part of the healing journey she's been on. I hadn't listened to the song in years, and as I listened to it with fresh ears after such a long time of not hearing it, I was struck by the beauty and healing message. I understand why it's touching the client, and I wanted to share it in case it might speak to anyone else right now, too. Many blessings to all on the journey to finding our inner rose.

The Rose By Bette MidlerI Do Not Own The Music Lyrics and or the pic use in the making of this video.For Entertainment Purposes OnlyPlease Comment & Subscribe

04/28/2024

We had a lovely time at today's InterPlay event in Traverse City. The theme was "Pearls from the Deep - Stories of the Heart". There were 7 of us there, and the stories shared were very touching - many of us were moved to tears from the deep sharing and the authentic connections created. It was a definite experience of the power of InterPlay to bring people together in meaningful and enjoyable ways. Thank you to everyone for coming - we'll look forward to seeing you again at a future event.

04/26/2024

I've shared this before, but it's such a beautiful & comforting poem, I wanted to share it again....