The 7 Stages of Alchemy Applied to Personal Transformation
Figure out where you are
I know what you're thinking. Magic. Alchemy. Pseudoscience. That's not what we're here to talk about. Today, I'm going to apply the 7 Stages of Alchemy to personal transformation. I was inspired by a recent conversation between Andre Duqúm and Dr. Theresa Bullard, linked in the resources below.
I've observed and talked to people about their own transformation journeys and I've seen many parallels. I went through a crazy transformation journey myself, and now I'm in the midst of a new one. My mission is to help as many people as possible maximize their creativity and wellbeing. That's why I'm writing this.
So here's how this will go: I will define each stage, then I will add my commentary. Simple. In the podcast, they use the analogy of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, so keep that in mind as you read through this.
The Process
Stage 1
Calcination
Burning away the old self, old structures, old identities, and limiting beliefs.
The calcination stage is where there is a destruction of the old structure. In life, this may show up as a breaking point that forces you to radically shift the way you're living. A point where you're faced with two options: satisfaction with a destructive status quo that is getting worse, or a call to do something bigger with your life. When you decide to change, the old self faces destruction, and this can be painful… yet it is key.
Stage 2
Dissolution
The old structure melts and new imaginal cells are born. Imaginal cells are seeds of great potential.
Imaginal cells are the new thoughts, the new hope, and the new vision for living life. These cells are mirrored in your biology, giving you power and instructions to help you become someone new.
The dissolution stage can be very confusing. Dr. Theresa Bullard says it can be a war with ourselves. This is because the old identity, beliefs, and behaviors fight the new ones that are forming. The old self fights what the new self is becoming because it views the new cells as a threat. It's part of the process.
You may have an old self that was satisfied with being antisocial and playing video games all day, and a new self that wants to be out in the world connecting with people and exploring. As you shift your habits around, you might experience resistance, doubt, and uncertainty. It's part of the process. You will overcome it.
Stage 3
Separation
The new structure emerges from the chaos of the war with ourselves. The imaginal cells organize themselves and create order within us. We separate the gold from the muck and identify our new values.
The imaginal cells gather in numbers and begin to diversify and, in effect, take on different roles… and a new structure begins to form. We realize that we can serve a purpose that is greater than ourselves.
This new version of ourself connects the dots, acquiring new skills, new ways of viewing the world, and new ways of being in the world. We look back and see an old self from a completely new perspective, but the process is not complete.
Stage 4
Conjunction
There is a coming together of the old cells with the new cells. The old cells align with the new structure and take on new roles in the new self.
This is where the new self becomes the organizing force that drives change and rewires the way we operate.
This can be where angry energy that was used to work… now becomes calm energy that retains the same skill of working. Or where social skills that were once fueled by a desire for materials are now fueled by a desire to contribute. In essence, not all parts of the old self burn away. Some old parts take on new roles.
It is a very interesting exercise to write down who your old self is and who your new self is becoming. This allows you to stay organized and give yourself direction.
Stage 5
Fermentation
This is the final death of the old. The old cells that no longer serve any function evaporate. This is where the rebirth occurs.
This is an inspiring stage because we feel cleansed. We see who we are now and it fills us with extraordinary hope. We see who we are now and we know we never want to go back.
Stage 6
Distillation
This is where we view ourselves from a higher sense of awareness, where we see past ourselves and view who we are as a collection of experiences and sensations. This is where we see from the soul rather than the ego, and where we realize that we can always reinvent ourselves.
This is where we see who we've become. Our new self has fully taken shape… but there is still a struggle to fully embody it. This is where I feel I am now. Ghosts of the past self appear, but they quickly fall away. We overcome them from a place of wholeness as they rise up to challenge us.
Stage 7
Coagulation
This is where the process is done and now it is time to live the new life. It is what the adventure becomes after the growing process is complete. Here the path truly begins for your new self.
This is where you get to do all the amazing things you always dreamt of. This is where the new you takes flight and creates and creates and creates.
Reflections
It's key to identify where we are in this process. When you know where you are, you can think about what you need to do to get to the next stage. You can chart a path forward.
Sometimes, Dr. Theresa says, this process requires patience. There are times where it feels like the new version of ourselves forgot we exist, like we are stuck with the anxieties of the past and it will be this way forever. That's not true.
The overcoming process is the becoming process.
Stay aware of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and bring yourself back to the new version of yourself if you see yourself retracing your steps. If you do retrace your steps a little bit, that's ok.
To become, we need to overcome. It's part of the cycle.
I think it's super important to note that this is a process that occurs in life multiple times. I've gone through many of these myself and they are always an opportunity for extraordinary growth. They bring pain, but there's no need to suffer. You have the power to embrace that pain as one of the amazing parts of life.
Evolve, Walk the Hero's Path
Resources
- Andre Duqúm and Dr. Theresa Bullard in conversation