The Power of Alchemy
At 4 a.m., jet-lagged from Asia, I found myself by the pool with Naomi during one of Chakrana’s transformative Ayahuasca ceremonies in Mexico. I asked her what the most powerful insight was on the medicine, she replied with one word: “duality.”
Navigating my 20s has been a journey of shedding old beliefs, but the lesson I’m about to share is perhaps the most profound. Life is full of experiences, many of them confusing and painful. I used to dwell on my mistakes, weighed down by the feelings of shame, guilt, and frustration, until I learned to just block them out— only to implode later and act upon it with my unhelpful habits.
But then I remembered Naomi’s words. If there’s darkness, there must be light.
This is where alchemy comes in, a practice I learned from Jess at Chakrana. She gathered us, a gang of 20-somethings that hung out at her sanctuary this summer, and had us voice our mistakes and fears. She then taught us to transform them, to turn lead into gold. Some people wait a lifetime to learn something like this, something so profound that will truly help you get unstuck in life.
Whether you call it alchemy or transmutation, the power to reshape your life lies in perspective.
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What is Spiritual Alchemy?
In spiritual alchemy, you're refining your soul by noticing and shedding your limiting beliefs, and flipping the script to the side that will help you spiral higher and allow yourself to become your best self.
You are basically transforming the darkness within yourself into light. Everyone has this power because it already exists within us - and I will share some insights I gained from her lecture.
Empowerment over Victimhood
When you stop seeing yourself as a victim of the past and current circumstances, you reclaim control over your actions, decisions, emotions, and your life. Redirecting all that energy of shame and frustration away from yourself and put all the energy towards how you can use the lessons from the situation to your advantage is a form of alchemy.
Embracing Radical Acceptance
By fully acknowledging and accepting difficult emotions and situations that happened, especially shame, without judgment or resistance, you can transform your relationship with yourself and your past. Allow yourself to feel all the emotions - I mean ALL of it - until you get so unfazed when it comes up again.
Choosing Your Path
“Will you choose to lay with the pigs?” Jessica asked, reminding us that we always have a choice in how we respond and must take responsibility for our actions.
This may seem trivial, but whenever I feel like I have a disadvantage of my circumstances, I think of one of my favorite rappers, Kanye West. A boy from Chicago, armed with only the bare minimum to pursue his dreams, was able to achieve it all and more, all because he knew in every cell of his body that it was possible for him regardless of what this 3D world presented him.
The ability to turn any situation to your advantage, especially through mindset
If lack exists, then abundance must exist. If weakness exists, then strength exists. I make it a practice to see where my mentality is at, and let the universe what side I want to be on.
If you find resistence, look at situations with neutrality first and what is.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you heard of alchemy? Are you embodying alchemy already - or plan to? Take inspired action today, and I promise, one day you’ll wake up and realize that you are living in the best timeline you ever could, that your dreams are happening right in front of your face because you did the work and took time with yourself. Allow yourself to feel the darkness and transform it into light.
I also want to give a huge thank you to everyone at Chakrana (Olivia, Naomi, Monty, Nicole), and especially Jorje and Jessica for creating a space where people can evolve mentally and spiritually. Chakrana’s has been a space that has allowed me to be creative and has helped move me towards shedding my fears. If you get the chance, I encourage you to stop by Chakrana in the heart of Puerto Vallarta and I hope you feel as happy and inspired as I do every time I’m in this space.
If you are looking to evolve in the practice of alchemy, here are some recommendations:
Read The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream
Find a way to release yourself - this could be meditating on this thought, or taking a shroom micro-dose, or releasing energy through being immersed in nature.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.
"May the entire universe ever be filled with peace, joy, love and light."
Adios,
Nirel Manalili