The Art of Alchemy

 


In the ancient art of alchemy philosophers used the magical practice of turning base metals into gold or silver. This mysterious process transmutes a common material into a substance of great value.

Alchemy has a mystery to it...a sense of wonder and amazement.  We may ask ourselves how this transformation is possible.  It makes no sense to the intellect.  But the heart understands only too well.


The extraordinary ability to execute this amazing tour de force is one of our greatest abilities in earth school.  

When we access our hearts to find the wisdom regarding how to deal with the things that frustrate and irritate us...

we are gifted with insight and understanding...
we are gifted with a beautiful wisdom...
we are gifted with a soul view of what is playing out FOR US in our lives.


I use the words FOR US because everything we encounter exists to give us the opportunity to become stronger, wiser...more loving.


And when we generously extend our caring to others, we transform their lives as well.  

We communicate through our hearts.  We move through the emotional chaos, past the irritation and annoyance, past the feelings of hurt and anger.


Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk, teacher and author, tells us:

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.

           
We ARE capable of this courageous vision that Thich Nhat Hanh describes. 


It is certainly not easy to release our very human reactions to what has upset and hurt us.  But it is a glorious endeavor to reach deep within our hearts and see and understand another's pain...especially when the person himself may not know what is motivating his behavior. 

Holding this HIGHER VIEW even when the person involved cannot see his pain... or talk about it...IS responding to the message the person is sending.  And it is the beginning of helping activate the healing process for him.


In this way we, too, practice the ancient ART OF ALCHEMY, and in this beautiful moment, our practice is infused with a true understanding and reverence for the glorious capability and expression of our human spirit.





image from people.tribe.net.