The Bright Way. Diana Rowan

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       Past Wisdom and the Alchemy of the Bright Way

      As you know, it’s not just past artworks, stories, and cultures that influence and inspire us. Ancient philosophies are also trustworthy guides on the Bright Way. Why? As Keith said, they’ve been distilled through millennia of hard-won human experience to quickly communicate our deepest truths. While you don’t have to buy into any of these philosophies wholesale (there are too many of them for that, and no guide should be followed blindly), they are sharp skill-building tools and potent symbols of inspiration.

      Alchemy, for example, is a practice going all the way back to ancient Egypt and the legendary Greek-influenced Hermes Trismegistus. Alchemy’s history and impact fan out from what we now know as the Middle East to all of Europe, the Americas and Asia.

      On the surface alchemy may seem to be about transforming lead into gold, an impression encouraged by those wanting to reserve this wisdom for a select few (hence the phrase hermetically sealed, referring to Hermes Trismegistus). Story and metaphor are among the best ways to communicate profound messages. As such, “lead into gold” is mostly an allegory for transformation. It refers to transmuting the heavy, dull, and toxic parts of ourselves into light, strong, bright, beautiful gold. This process reflects the grand journey of self-realization we all take and that we are walking together now. Alchemical symbols surround us, for example, heading part 1’s chapters. The circle-and-dot represents the sun (creative energy) and gold; the wheel-cross, cycles and the physical plane; the infinity sign, eternally renewing life force. These imagination-stimulating symbols also appear in many belief systems and eras, some dating all the way back to the Bronze Age.

      On our Bright Way journey, we’ll work through the Operations of Alchemy. These processes, to put it briefly, initiate us with fiery ego-taming and conclude with a celebration of our integration as a body-mind-spirit. This evolution becomes a way of life as we spiral through this healing, creative process over and over, reclaiming our internal gold. As Plato reflected, “Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of the two and heal the wound of human nature.”

      Whether you are spiritual, scientific, agnostic, or not involved in any of these perspectives, the tenets of alchemy can be stalwart supports. You already encountered As Above, So Below, one of the principles of alchemy, which is the observation that the big picture reflects the little picture, and vice versa. The meaning above the surface mirrors the meaning below the surface. Our inner mind reflects our outer life, and the reverse also holds true. Your creative life reflects your whole life, and your whole life reflects your creative life. Understanding this principle alone can give you great control over your life, allowing you to become its director instead of a passive watcher.

       BRIGHT WAY ACTIVITY

       As Above, So Below

      Start noticing the coincidences, synchronicities, and connections in your daily life, reflecting the concept of As Above, So Below. For example, how does your approach to learning reflect your approach to doing? How does your health affect your thinking? How does your mind affect your body? How does a painting or a piece of music affect your mood? These are all examples of how As Above, So Below can play out in your life.