Alright, let me tell you about my "alchemy spirituality" experiment – it was a trip, to say the least.
It all started when I stumbled upon some old books about alchemy, not the turning-lead-into-gold kind, but the inner transformation stuff. Sounded like some next-level self-help, so I was like, "Why not?"
First, I needed a goal. I figured, "Okay, I'm always stressed. Let's try to transmute that stress into… something useful, like calm." Ambitious, I know.
Next came the "ingredients." Apparently, in alchemy, these aren't always physical. I decided my ingredients would be: my daily anxieties (the "lead"), mindful meditation (the "fire"), and gratitude journaling (the "catalyst").
The process was... messy. I started by actually logging all the stuff that stressed me out each day. Like, everything. The overflowing inbox, the kids' tantrums, the never-ending to-do list. Seeing it all written down was kinda overwhelming at first. That was day one.
Then, I forced myself to meditate for at least 15 minutes every morning. I used to think meditation was total BS, but I gotta admit, after a week or so, I started feeling a little less frazzled. I used a guided meditation app at first to learn the ropes.
And finally, the gratitude journaling. Every night, before bed, I'd write down three things I was genuinely thankful for. Even on the crappiest days, I could usually find something. Like, "Thankful for that first cup of coffee" or "Thankful the kids are finally asleep."
The interesting part? It actually started working! After a few weeks, I noticed I wasn't reacting to stressful situations the same way. I'd still get annoyed, sure, but I wasn't spiraling into full-blown panic mode. The "lead" was definitely changing.
I messed up a lot, of course. Missed meditation days, forgot to journal, sometimes just plain old wallowed in my stress. But I learned that the "alchemy" isn't about perfection. It’s about consistently showing up and trying to transform the stuff that's holding you back.
Did I turn stress into pure bliss? Nah. But I did turn it into something more manageable, more… workable. And that's a win in my book.
