Personal Alchemy

Most of us go through life with the fundamental understanding that it is important to be good and moral human beings – and as a general rule, the majority follow this edict quite well. But why? Is it from a fear of God - the idea that He’s watching and deviant behaviour could lead to repercussions in the afterlife? Or is it our logical sense persuading us that anarchy would not be in any of our best interests? Or perhaps the perks a materialistic society bestows on those who go with the flow have a little something to do with our overall willingness to follow conventional norms. But could it also be an innate knowingness that the reward of becoming the best possible versions of us could result in something far greater on a spiritual level?

One of the primary purposes behind the ancient practice of alchemy was to turn lead and other base metals into gold. Likewise, an internal alchemist is someone who actively seeks out the “lead” within and aspires to transform it into spiritual gold. In the process, unfavourable personality traits that hold one back from reaching one’s full potential are excavated, analyzed, and reconfigured… not an easy thing for anyone to do!

It is my belief that none of us is here by accident, but rather by certain Divine design. And I am equally convinced that our main purpose in being a part of this Earth school is to learn from one another and to grow as spiritual beings. But there is passive learning that takes place when life happens to us, and then there is active learning, that occurs as a result of truly looking inward for the answers.

Alchemy is not a practice for anyone who prefers the shelter of his or her own illusions. It can be emotionally very difficult as the ego begins to lose its grip and the soul ascends out of the mire. As we start to take responsibility for our actions, forgiveness of others as well as ourselves is a vital part of the process. We also need to recognize that the events of our past – the good and the bad – have all presented important opportunities for learning and growth and it is never too late to salvage something positive from any of our experiences. It is only after we have truly made peace with these issues, that moving forward toward new challenges and opportunities becomes possible. That alone is motivation enough for me to do the work required; I can’t imagine anything worse than to be stuck, perpetually reliving past unpleasantness. Can you?

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