 This experience has probably taught me the most about life in general and the different stages people are in as they grow. I encourage you to see this documentary, recognize the steps of alchemy you have experienced and use this knowledge to inspire you to look forward to the steps ahead. Alchemy is an inner quest to find something we never lost. This is a very interesting, inspiring and understandable way to look at our spiritual growth in life. I hope you enjoy this page and take time to see the movie. Note: While I like the entire movie, the second part entitled "Alchemy" is the most entertaining and enjoyable. It is also page 143 in the book. The 7 Steps of Spiritual Alchemy
“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future” ― Deepak Chopra “Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.” ― Deepak Chopra “The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe.” ― Deepak Chopra  In this section I have taken notes from the book and movie to give you key points about each step of Alchemy in our quest to find the Holy Grail... Step 1 - Innocence: We are born in innocence, without judgement. This is the most important. A new born does not question its existence, it lives in self acceptance, trust and love. The voice of self doubt is still silent. The question of who am I is meaningless. Awareness is what shines through, the source of all wisdom. A baby has no concept of past or future, only an unfolding presence that never fades. This is what it means to live in eternity. Immortal life is being lived by a baby as they live in innocence, this is the ultimate secret. Curiosity will eventually pull at the baby's attention where they learn anger, fear and doubt. Religions call this the fall from grace. Step 2 - Birth of the Ego: The ego gives us the mispreception that we are alone and separate. Innocence is never lost only submerged deep within us. The ego is simply the sense of “I” or “myself”, It is also the birth of duality. Who am I, Why am I here? It is often a birth into pain and suffering. It is the birth of the outside world. This is me, that is not me. We learn, my feelings, my stuff and eventually not my feelings, not my stuff. It is when we create barriers, boundaries and boarders. We start to experience all of our senses and we want to possess things. It is the beginning of materialism. It is the birth of greed and craving. We yearn for the need to own and conquer. We start to find happiness in things not in self. Fear of abandonment, need for approval, and self pity. It makes us aware of the world out there. Things become personal. The ego is controlling and loveless. The ego smothers the spirit. Step 3 - Birth of the Achiever: As we grow we want to start to explore the world, we learn independence. This step gives us confidence and curiosity. We want to be successful, we start to compete, we start to build our identity - we define the 'who I am'. Often people never move beyond this step for decades. We start to crave fame, fortune and power. After time in this step we start to question our purpose of existence. When we start to question who we truly are and ask “Who am I”? We eventually realize - we are nothing more than Spirit. Step 4 - Birth of the Giver: We realize that happiness lies in giving. The fear of loss fades. It connects the giver and the receiver which creates belonging. The giver turns loss into a positive thing. Love has entered the heart. Love is selfless. It is devotion and giving of self to others. It requires a change of intention. The deep satisfaction must be born of what we 'want to do' not what we 'feel we have to or should do.' The ego never dies - it simply submerges. We have the realization that the sinner and the saint are the same. There is no right or wrong in God's eyes. The sinner and saint are just masks and they are illusions. When we take off the mask we realize we are pure Spirit. We realize that events in our past are stepping stones to our future. We learn to give up power and prestige. We simply grow out of it. Step 5 - Birth of the Seeker: Individuality starts to become less important and limiting to us. We start to want to love others and love the world. We start to have a thirst to touch the Divine. The seeker seeks in order to see the Divine. This is the first time we become aware of the quest we are on. The seeker draws the Divine to us. We want to understand and touch the Divine. We start to seek ultimate peace - ultimate love. We are motivated by a thirst for a higher reality. We realize and understand we are not the voice we hear in our minds. We are that which is listening to the voice. We are the presence that has the ability to silence the voice. We learn to surrender to Spirit to live in a state of unconditional love. We find a willingness to trust and no longer have the urge to distrust or dislike. We start to be drawn toward nature and find peacefulness there. Step 6 - Birth of the Seer: This is when the seeker starts to see. We find the Divine. It marks the end of the ego’s ability to allow outer influence on us. Money, fame and power have no meaning to us at this stage. We can look at the angry and hateful with love and understanding - without judgement. We realize everything is Spirit. The body is spirit in physical form. The seer understands that those who know Spirit do not speak of it and those who speak of it, do not know it... The seer doesn't really see anything our senses can perceive - the seer understand that everything is pure Spirit, pure Light, all Truth. It is the meaning of I AM. We become knowingness itself. A great peace comes over the seer. There is no fear and no judgement, no feeling of anger or sadness. Only unconditional love and peace. Life becomes very simplistic. We begin the return to innocence. We no longer have the urge to defend and protect, we realize and see how irrational defensive behaviors are. We realize ultimately there is nothing other than Love. Step 7 - Spirit: We identify with Spirit. We arrive in the presence of God. We have gained complete knowledge and understanding - all our questions are answered. Our identification with body and mind ceases. We become a cell in the Universe. We realize we are part of God, we are Spirit, we find the Kingdom of Heaven. We realize we are not mortal, but rather immortal. We are spirit having a human experience. The internal dialog completely stops and there is no doubt and no guilt. We realize that everywhere we look, we find ourselves. Your desires speak directly to the Divine and is manifested into reality. We return to Unity and to the innocence from which we were born into this world. We realize we are not of this world. We experience the intimacy of all existence. We see beauty in everything and feel pure and simply love. We become the Gold in alchemy. “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” -T.S. Elliot. "Life is about finding the Holy Grail and realizing it was never lost..." There is another book/movie that has a completely different story line, however the destination is the same. If you have enjoyed this page please visit: |
|
|
|
Alchemy: Spiritual Transformation |
If you find any errors or have comments please email me: webmaster@bradgarbus.com
