Part Three - Embracing the Inner Observer

The final piece of your alchemical foundation is embracing the inner observer. As your psyche transforms, instead of being attached to your thoughts and emotions and experiencing them as though they are you, react to your thoughts and emotions as an outside observer who compassionately acknowledges them and lets them flow through and on. Start by meditating quietly and observing the thoughts and emotions that arise while meditating as they flow by. Do not hold onto any of them.  Instead let them be like clouds floating by in the sky. 

As you become adept at this process, bring it into your daily life as you are undergoing alchemical change. Take it to the next level by treating your body as a vehicle and observing your thoughts and emotions as part of that vehicle. Literally step back inside your body toward your spine and view out into your being as the ultimate observer of your body, mind, and spirit. Treat it as though your body is a car and the thoughts and emotions are simply part of that car’s makeup. Meanwhile your higher self is in charge of the car, noticing the sensations that arise from it and guiding the car without directly identifying with it.

When you become the objective observer, you are in communion with the deeper truth of who you are and are able to recognize the fluidity of thoughts and emotions. They are transitory states that do not reflect who you really are at the deepest level. The grace afforded by interacting with yourself this way allows for a far smoother and less painful transformation. When you find yourself being sucked back into your thoughts and emotions, take deep breaths, visit your sacred container, and use the grounding technique most appropriate for the situation. Step back within yourself and return to observer mode.

This tool is the hardest part of the foundation to use as it requires greater discipline in daily life and extensive meditation. The final result however is the ability to willingly surrender to the process while remaining connected to your higher self. This in turn allows the divine beauty of your transformation to shine through the staccato nature of change.

If you enter the process of spiritual transformation and are unable to set these foundational tools in place, consider seeking out spiritual teachers and Jungian Analysts in addition to traditional licensed mental healthcare practitioners for additional support. Until you become adept at this process, external support can be crucial. I certainly needed it!