Becoming alchemists

Does anyone know what an alchemist is?  An alchemist comes from alchemy, meaning the art of transforming metals to gold.  We, too, can become alchemists.  But first we must change the language we use.  We must alter the language we use in order to change the brain's association and meaning of information.  Words are very meaningful and can trigger the brain to take well patterned pathways that keep it stuck in a looping mechanism.  Changing our language and our associations will help the brain to move out of these patterns.  This will assist us in moving into a place of condience as we understand that we do have the ability to take control of our health and reclaim our lives.  We can choose to look at our lives from a different perspective.

Here is an exercise to help you learn to modify your language and also change your associations to your personal challenge.  In fact we are going to stop calling it a "challenge" and simply refer to illness by a more neutral word- "it."

With this guideline in mind, please reflect on the following questions:
      1. How has "it" given me a deeper understanding of myself?

      2. Has it lead to a deeper level of compassion for both myself and others?

      3. How has "it" demonstrated to me my own personal strength?

When you have completed the questions, go back and edit the times where you may have mentioned any words that relate to illness in any way.  Using the same familiar vocabulary associated with illness re-enforces old brain patterns and associations that keep the brain looping in the same pattern. Be careful to keep your wording neutral and be aware of language triggers that keep you personally identified with illness.  Please omit words like "my" and avoid any references to symptoms of illness. It will get easier with time, but you have to stick with it.

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."