We are all giving birth each moment. We manifest a new idea or inspiration with every breath. There is little we need to do for this creative act to move through us. We merely need to get out of our own way to hear a deeper voice and respond accordingly. The creative act is constantly trying to express itself as we walk our unique life path.
The ancient study of alchemy offers lessons into this realm of transformation. Alchemy’s beginnings in the 12th century involved finding a chemical way to change base metals into gold. The philosophers of alchemy posed the deepest questions as to how all precious substances came into being. This study was the beginning of chemistry. From Plato to Aristotle, ancient thinkers transformed ideas by shaping the four elements of the earth (earth, fire, air and water) and other ingredients such as salt, lead, tin, rust and sulfur to find what is considered the philosopher’s stone. Alchemy was the precursor to science and medicine as we know these disciplines today. Even though Alchemy was studied initially to create precious findings, the ancient study delved into philosophy.
To obtain one’s personal elixir, one must utilize a symbolic personal holding vessel and the ingredients within the vessel need to be nurtured to encourage the flourishing of this path. This path is not something we make. It is something that moves through our lives. If each of us reflects upon our life path, we may see manifestations that were the result of our efforts yet other life developments reveal the soul expressing itself in mysterious ways. All the ingredients of our life are yearning to come to light and be expressions of this embodied experience. We might feel at times that we are the least suitable person to create a work of art, a new idea or be associated with the word creativity. The doubt can be quelled in realizing that we are a scribe for the beloved. Whatever the beloved is for us, it resides within us and by keeping a channel open to see signs.
In 1943 Agnes de Mille, a famous choreographer, was sitting with a fellow well-known dancer by the name of Martha Graham at a time of feeling uninspired. Martha reassured Agnes “There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time. This expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it.” Martha urged Agnes to keep the channel open to her creative force. She expressed to Agnes that it did not even require that she believe in her herself. She merely needed to keep the channel open to potential.
In ancient alchemy earths ingredients were placed inside a vessel with a little piece of the mystical. We can extract a little of this ancient practice from the sages of past to welcome current creativity to manifest and then express itself. Our vital life force is destined to shine. We simply need to keep the channel open.
