Michael Stone began his trauma healing journey in utero. Born between the dropping of the two atomic bombs, he came into a world of stress, tension, scarcity, and fear, with both parents in the Army Air Corps during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. His mother committed suicide when he was only two and a half. Michael survived a chaotic and tumultuous childhood marked by constant movement and change, sexual abuse, the accidental hanging of his beloved dog, a largely absent father, military school, the army, and several abusive stepmothers.
Michael’s awakening process began in 1972 when he enrolled in the est Training with Werner Erhard, which later became Landmark Education. There, he learned he had the choice to either be a victim of his past or a survivor committed to making a difference in the world. He became a group leader in that organization, presiding over many of their transformational programs for decades. During that time, he also began meditating and studying mystical traditions with a variety of teachers, including Pema Chödrön and Eknath Easwaran, and he also became a Gestalt Awareness practitioner.
Recognizing that he was disembodied and unable to feel his emotions, Michael began studying with Gabrielle Roth, the creator of the 5Rhythms conscious movement program. He was certified as a 5Rhythms Teacher, as well as in Trance Dance and Soul Motion, and taught 5Rhythms classes for over four decades in Europe and North America. Along the way, he earned a BSA in Psychology and Organizational Development and a Masters in Organizational Development (MSOD) from Pepperdine University. He later obtained a postgraduate degree in International Systems in Organizational Development (ISOD) from The Gestalt Organizational Development (IGOR) in Munich and the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. For over 30 years, he worked in the organizational sector, doing consulting, leadership development, and teaching his own course, Presence, Power, and Performance.
In 1981, Michael’s wife was murdered in Carmel, California, and he became a single father. It took 42 years to convict the killer, who is currently serving life without parole for rape and murder. During the long investigation, many people believed Michael might be the killer, subjecting him to slander and gossip—a heavy burden he carried for many years. Despite this, he remained involved in community building and supporting others facing various challenges. For seventeen years, he hosted a weekly radio show called Conversations, during which he interviewed well-known thought leaders, teachers and authors from around the world. The purpose of the show was to “heal the wounds that separate, alienate, and marginalize us.”
Michael also studied shamanism for 20 years, and was on the faculty of the Shift Network, hosting the Shamanic Wisdom Summit for eight years, which brought together mystical teachers from around the world. During this time, he started doing “soul retrievals” and became deeply interested in the concept of soul loss and its relationship to trauma.
In 2010, Michael was introduced to Thomas Hübl, an Austrian teacher and author who is a collective trauma expert, a trauma-informed leadership advisor, and a spiritual teacher focusing on trauma integration. When Thomas said, “We are all traumatized…” Michael knew this was where he needed to focus his attention. After a decade of studying with Thomas, as well as Gabor Maté, Peter Levine, Arielle Schwartz, Terry Real, Richard Schwartz, and many other luminaries in the trauma field, Michael began offering workshops and healing circles at Inner Path Yoga Studio in Nevada City.
www.WellofLight.com
Michael’s awakening process began in 1972 when he enrolled in the est Training with Werner Erhard, which later became Landmark Education. There, he learned he had the choice to either be a victim of his past or a survivor committed to making a difference in the world. He became a group leader in that organization, presiding over many of their transformational programs for decades. During that time, he also began meditating and studying mystical traditions with a variety of teachers, including Pema Chödrön and Eknath Easwaran, and he also became a Gestalt Awareness practitioner.
Recognizing that he was disembodied and unable to feel his emotions, Michael began studying with Gabrielle Roth, the creator of the 5Rhythms conscious movement program. He was certified as a 5Rhythms Teacher, as well as in Trance Dance and Soul Motion, and taught 5Rhythms classes for over four decades in Europe and North America. Along the way, he earned a BSA in Psychology and Organizational Development and a Masters in Organizational Development (MSOD) from Pepperdine University. He later obtained a postgraduate degree in International Systems in Organizational Development (ISOD) from The Gestalt Organizational Development (IGOR) in Munich and the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. For over 30 years, he worked in the organizational sector, doing consulting, leadership development, and teaching his own course, Presence, Power, and Performance.
In 1981, Michael’s wife was murdered in Carmel, California, and he became a single father. It took 42 years to convict the killer, who is currently serving life without parole for rape and murder. During the long investigation, many people believed Michael might be the killer, subjecting him to slander and gossip—a heavy burden he carried for many years. Despite this, he remained involved in community building and supporting others facing various challenges. For seventeen years, he hosted a weekly radio show called Conversations, during which he interviewed well-known thought leaders, teachers and authors from around the world. The purpose of the show was to “heal the wounds that separate, alienate, and marginalize us.”
Michael also studied shamanism for 20 years, and was on the faculty of the Shift Network, hosting the Shamanic Wisdom Summit for eight years, which brought together mystical teachers from around the world. During this time, he started doing “soul retrievals” and became deeply interested in the concept of soul loss and its relationship to trauma.
In 2010, Michael was introduced to Thomas Hübl, an Austrian teacher and author who is a collective trauma expert, a trauma-informed leadership advisor, and a spiritual teacher focusing on trauma integration. When Thomas said, “We are all traumatized…” Michael knew this was where he needed to focus his attention. After a decade of studying with Thomas, as well as Gabor Maté, Peter Levine, Arielle Schwartz, Terry Real, Richard Schwartz, and many other luminaries in the trauma field, Michael began offering workshops and healing circles at Inner Path Yoga Studio in Nevada City.
www.WellofLight.com