My goal for #2015: to be an alchemist. To manifest the power not of transformation, but of transmutation. To make the worst things about me into the best things about me.
trans·mu·ta·tion
ˌtransmyo͞oˈtāSHən,ˌtranz-/
noun
the action of changing or the state of being changed into another form.
I've spoken before about the power that comes with making a decision. This Holiday season, I've realized that the decision to be the best you is the best gift you can give yourself and anyone else. I witnessed a couple small miracles this Holiday season and realized that when you decide to be the best you, to believe in love, in giving people chances, in making yourself open and vulnerable, to choosing hope over fear, you give others the permission to do all those things too. You give them permission to be the best "them" possible and that's because there is no "you" nor "I", there is only an us. We're all in this together.
Alchemists have been searching for the Philosopher's Stone for a while.
"The philosophers' stone or stone of the philosophers (Latin: lapis philosophorum) is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals such as lead into gold (chrysopoeia, from the Greek χρυσός khrusos, "gold," and ποιεῖν poiēin, "to make") or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality; for many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal in alchemy."
In my personal opinion, The Philosopher's Stone is the Truth. The Truth can be a hard thing to look at, but true change can only come from within and to look inward one must be ready to confront all the great and terrible things about them.
To look at those things, to contemplate them, accept them and ultimately transmute them requires an "uncomfortable comfort" with the Truth.
It's only by truly looking at ourselves in the most honest way that we can allow ourselves to accept, to change, to grow, to evolve, to transform from one thing into that thing we are ultimately meant to be.
In Freemasonry we are taught about Wisdom, Strength & Beauty.
“For there should be Wisdom to contrive, Strength to support and Beauty to adorn.”
The beauty of Truth is that it allows us to see things as they really are. Sometimes those things aren't that easy to look at and it takes strength to look at them (truly) and it takes strength to move them, shift them, transform them, reinforce them, lift them up and if necessary tear them down.
The beauty of Transmutation comes from it's ability not to replace / change the things within us, but it's ability to shift them to a higher plane, to put them to better use, to enlighten us. Only the Truth will allow us to do that.
That's why in my opinion, Truth is the philosopher's stone of "true" Alchemy.
I'm getting uncomfortably comfortable with the beauty of truth in 2015 because I want to be a better me. I want to be an alchemist. I want to see myself for what I am and I want to accept those things and put them to good use.
In 2015, I do it. All of it. And I become the best version of me. I wish the same for you as well.
Happy New Year!!
KB