Inspired Action Alchemy

How can I do that???

That little three-letter word, HOW, is the question that throws many of us off from the thing we want most. It seems to come with a healthy skepticism and a sense of being sensible, but it's often the reason we don't do the things we're inspired to do.

In Episode 149, Jaye and Leta explore what is really happening in that moment of deflation that comes after asking the How question. They explain why they think Alchemy has a different way to approach this, and what to ask first so the idea gets a fair chance.

Some of what comes up in this episode may change the order in which you ask yourself questions.

Listen with a pen nearby.

Your Free Gift: The Releasing Rebellious Qi Meditation

Jaye and Leta are giving away a free Releasing Rebellious Qi meditation with this episode. Listen to it here: https://alchemylearningcenter.com/release/

If you'd like to begin one step earlier, last episode's free What Do I Really Want meditation is still waiting for you at https://alchemylearningcenter.com/want.

Next Step - Free Webinar

Join Jaye and Leta live at the free pre-Halloween webinar, The Cauldron Is You, on Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 PM Eastern: Register HERE

More From Alchemy Learning Center

Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points is now available in soft cover

The 2027 apprenticeship is opening its doors soon, and for the first time it welcomes it's offering an Alchemy Life Strategy track as well as self-cultivator and practitioner tracks.

Rate and Review

If this episode landed for you, a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify makes a real difference in helping other people find the show. Send us a screenshot or an email, and we'll send you some swag.

In this episode, we explore the role of desire and wanting in the Alchemy journey. While some spiritual traditions teach desirelessness, Alchemy actually begins with igniting your passion and understanding what you truly want from life. This episode clarifies why wanting isn't something to transcend—it's the fuel that powers transformation. We discuss the Nine Stages of Alchemy, the concept of "un-peopling" for clarity, and why the Alchemists in the caves knew that the real work starts with ordinary human nature, not transcendent experiences.

Key Themes:

• Desire as fuel, not the enemy
• Why Alchemy doesn't ask you to kill your passion
• Beyond the "spiritual bypass"
• The Alchemist caves and retreating from distractions
• Beginner's mind
• The Nine Stages of Alchemy as a roadmap
• Stage one: Is your life flowing or is it hard?
• Stage two: What are you guarding against?
• Stage three: What did you inherit?
• Why the fast track doesn't work (and why that's good news)
• The role of Wood energy in forward momentum
• What "un-peopling" means and why Alchemists needed it

Free Meditation — Start Here

What Do I Really Want? (20-minute guided meditation)

• Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want
• How to use: Do this meditation 2-3 times if nothing comes up the first time. There's no pass or fail. You're just slowing down and opening to what your heart truly wants.

Homework for Listeners

#1: Notice How You Reach

• Catch yourself trying to skip ahead
• Are you looking for shortcuts or the fast track?
• Are you trying to bypass steps?
• No judgment—just observe

#2: Name Something You're Still Guarding Against

• Reflect on what you're protecting against
• You might think you already dealt with it (through therapy, meditation, etc.), but notice if you're still triggered
• Don't try to fix it; just admit it's there
• This observation is often the most important part of the work

#3: Free Meditation

• What Do I Really Want? (20 minutes, guided)
• Give yourself permission to want whatever you actually want
• If nothing comes up the first time, do it again
• There's no pass or fail—you're just slowing down
• Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want

Resources & Links Learning Programs & Courses

From Seeker to Alchemist (Self-Paced Online Program)

• A self-paced online program for anyone new to or deepening their alchemy practice
• Includes: Nine Stages of Alchemy, modules, and exercises you can do at home at your own pace
• Status: Almost complete (launching soon)
• Link: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/courses/from-seeker-to-alchemist

Alchemy Life Strategy Sessions

• 1-on-1 sessions with Jaye
• Focus: Applying the Nine Stages to your life, building momentum, and discovering ease
• Learn more: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

Alchemy Learning Center

• Full catalog of courses, workshops, and resources
• Website: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

Books

Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points (by Leta Herman & Jaye McElroy)

• Available: Soft cover edition (newly released for wider accessibility)
• Where to buy: Amazon and other major retailers
• Special campaign: Leave a review and receive Inspired Action Alchemy or Alchemy Learning Center swag (T-shirts, hats, mugs, including the limited edition "Gui Are People Too" tee)
• How to participate: Send review screenshot to [email protected] or [email protected]

Connecting Your Circle (by Leta Herman & Jaye McElroy) — FREE

• What it covers: How to balance all Five Elements and become flexible and fluid in any situation
• Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/connecting-your-circle
• Also available: In soft cover on Amazon

Other books by Jaye McElroy & Leta Herman:

• Through the Mystery Gate
• The Energy of Love
• The Big Little Gua Sha Book

Previous Episodes Referenced

Episode 147: Plant Spirit Alchemy with Brittany Chowning

• Topics: Connecting with plant spirits, natural world wisdom, multidimensional travel, shamanic journeys
• Workshop: 3-hour live workshop on using artemisia (mugwort) and plant spirits to enhance alchemical journeys
• Pre-Order in the Alchemy Learning Center

Episodes 140 & 141: Alchemy Stone Medicine with Mikhael Oskarrson

• Topics: Connecting with stone spirits, Alchemy Stone Medicine, natural world wisdom, multidimensional travel
• FREE Alchemy Stone Medicine Workshop: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

Upcoming Episodes

Episode 149: Rebellious Qi — What Happens When You Declare What You Want

• Teaser: The moment you identify what you really want, your mind builds a case against it (I can't do it, I don't have enough money/time, etc.). This is called "rebellious qi" in Chinese medicine—and it's not a metaphor, it's a real physical phenomenon you can work with.

Episode 150: The Wu Wei State

• Teaser: A major milestone episode diving deep into Wu Wei (inspired action) and pure presence—the state Jaye and Leta work toward in their Alchemy practice.

Quotes & Memorable Moments

"The passion or the wanting isn't the challenge here. The passion is the fuel. It's what we do with it that gets interesting."

"There is only now. That's all we have—every day of our lives, all we have is now."

"Nobody ever built anything because they were content."

"The ordinary human work in the beginning levels of Alchemy brings the most transformation, and quite quickly in the big scheme of things."

"When you spend a lot of time with your monsters, you begin to see right through them—they're not that scary, big monster you thought they were."

"Some things don't move when you just sit with them. They move by being met."

"No hurry, no right, no wrong, no good, no bad, no fast or slow. It's what you bring to it."

Ways to Support the Podcast

Leave a Review

• Helps the podcast reach more people through algorithms
• Leave a star rating or written review on your podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)

Review the Book & Win Swag

• Read and review Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, take a screenshot, and send to [email protected] or [email protected]
• Receive: T-shirts, hats, mugs, or limited edition "Gui Are People Too" tee

Subscribe

• Click the Subscribe button on your podcast platform
• Stay updated on new episodes and content

Suggest Topics & Questions

• Email ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]

Connect on Social

• Facebook: Inspired Action Facebook Group
• Instagram: @inspiredaction

The Five Elements Quick Reference

• Wood: Growth, forward movement, vision, planning, anger (blocked), decisiveness
• Fire: Joy, passion, connection, anxiety/inflammation (blocked), intimacy
• Earth: Grounding, nourishment, thought, worry (blocked), stability
• Metal: Structure, order, respect, judgmentalne (blocked), letting go
• Water: Flow, frozen (blocked), wisdom, rest, deep listening

Read more in Connecting Your Circle or explore courses on the Five Elements at the Alchemy Learning Center.

Guest & Host Information

Hosts:

• Jaye McElroy — Co-creator, Inspired Action Alchemy podcast; author, Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, Through the Mystery Gate, Connecting Your Circle, The Energy of Love, and the Big Little Gua Sha Book; Alchemy teacher and Alchemy Life Strategist
• Leta Herman — Co-creator, Inspired Action Alchemy podcast; author, Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, Through the Mystery Gate, Connecting Your Circle, The Energy of Love, and the Big Little Gua Sha Book; Alchemy teacher, Five-Elements specialist, and Alchemy/Chinese Medicine practitioner

Podcast Details

• Podcast Name: Inspired Action Alchemy
• Hosts: Jaye McElroy & Leta Herman
• Frequency: Weekly (ish)
• Duration: 25-45 minutes per episode
• Format: Conversations, teachings, interviews, and guided meditations
• Distribution: Libsyn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms
• Website: InspiredActionPodcast.com or AlchemyLearningCenter.com
• Contact:
  • Leta: [email protected]
  • Jaye: [email protected]

Next Steps

1. Take the meditation: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want
2. Do the homework: Notice how you reach, name what you're guarding
3. Leave a review to help others find the podcast
4. Tune in next week (Episode 149) for Rebellious Qi
5. Explore the Learning Center: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

In this episode, Jaye and Leta are joined by acupuncturists and plant spirit practitioner Brittney Chowning for a deep dive into Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection: the magic of plant spirit, moxibustion and Alchemical treatments featuring Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort).

Brittney shares her journey from acupuncture school into Plant Spirit Medicine, tracing her lineage back to Eliot Cowan's Plant Spirit Medicine work and her studies with practitioner Suzanne Burnell. Leta, who began studying with Eliot Cowan in 1999, connects their shared roots in the tradition. Together, the three explore what Plant Spirit Connection actually is, how indigenous traditions have long communicated directly with plant spirits, and how this practice fits within the Daoist Alchemy framework of seven dimensions.

The conversation covers:

• What Plant Spirit Connection means, and how it differs from conventional herbalsm
• Multidimensional travel: drumming, meditation, and altered states as ways to access plant, stone, and spirit worlds
• Daoist Alchemy's seven dimensions and where humans, plants, and immortals fit within them
• Personal stories of direct communication with plant spirits, include Leta's roadside encounter with a plant that "waved her down" before a treatment
• Why Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort) is considered a uniquely generous, universally healing plant
• How plant spirit moxibustion offers an alternative for practitioners who can't burn moxa in their clinic (due to smell sensitivies, shared office space, or building restrictions)

Links:

• Episode 146 (Part 2 of the Firehorse Year discussion) - the context of 2026's Firehorse Year.
• Eliot Cowan's Plant Spirit Medicine book (the foundational text/lineage for both Leta and Brittney)

Upcoming Workshop: Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection - The Magic of Plant Spirit Moxibustion in Alchemical Treatments, featuring Artemisia Vulgaris

Date: Friday, July 25, 2026, Noon - 4:00 PM

Includes: Journey work, meditation, drumming, a guided meeting with the spirit of Artemisia Vulgaris, and practical guidance on incorporating more Plant Spirit Connection into clinical practice

Promo code for listeners: Moxa99

Register / replay after July 25: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

The Fire Horse is at a full gallop as we are halfway through 2026. The question is: are you enjoying the ride, or letting go of the reins?

The Fire Horse year in the Chinese calendar is associated with Double Fire... that's a lot of Fire even for the people who have a Fire Element energetic stack-up. It's no wonder things have felt fast, intense, and sometimes overwhelming. In episode 146, Jaye and Leta break down what the Fire Horse year actually means energetically, why the same year can feel like a gift to one person and an assault to another, and how your Five Element nature shapes your personal experience of it.

Leta explains how each Element is likely to experience this year, from Fire people running hot at the starting gate to Earth people being quietly nourished, Wood people feeling pulled in every direction, Water people finding unexpected steadiness, and Metal people being asked to yield to something bigger than themselves. Then Jaye and Leta get into the method they use to help ease the overwhelm of the Fire Horse year: the Daoist concept of Xuan Fu, the mysterious openings throughout the body that determine whether Cosmic Qi flows freely through you or whether you're running on your own limited reserves.

Plus an update on the newly launched 2026 Summer Alchemy Lab Workshop Series, a preview of the upcoming Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection workshop featuring Artemisia Vulgaris with Brittney Chowning on July 25th, and a tease for next episode's interview all about multidimensional healing with plant spirit connection. What is multidimensional healing? Join us next time to find out!

Summary of this episode:

• What makes 2026 a Fire Horse year, and why that combination amplifies everything Fire represents, including joy, passion, and forward momentum.

• The difference between controlling your outer world and creating from your inner center, and why the heart is called the supreme controller in Chinese medicine.

• How each of the Five Elements, Fire, Earth, Wood, Water, and Metal, is likely to experience the Fire Horse year differently.

• The Daoist concept of Xuan Fu, the body's energetic openings, and how closed doors leave you running on your own reserves while open doors connect you to Da Qi, or unlimited Cosmic Qi.

• Why the free Open Your Doors Meditation can support you through this year's energy.

Links:

Alchemy Learning Center: https://alchemylearningcenter.com

Open Your Doors Meditation (free): available inside Your First Alchemical Meditations

Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection Workshop, July 25th, 12:00–4:00 PM ET

Alchemy Healing Center: https://alchemyhealingcenter.com

Inspired Action Alchemy Facebook Group

Instagram: @inspiredaction

Email us your questions or suggestions: [email protected] and [email protected]

After almost a year of wandering the world, we're back! And honestly? We were teaching, traveling, deepening our own Alchemy practice — and somewhere in the middle of all of it, we realized: we really missed you! We missed these conversations and the deeper dives, not to mention all the nerding out together!

So in this episode, we're easing everyone back in to the Inspired Action world. We share where we've been, what shifted for us, and why Season 10 feels different. We also get into:

• Why Daoist alchemy is not spiritual bypass — and why that distinction actually matters
• The two most important questions in Stage 1 of the Nine Stages of Alchemy
• What it means to become a Zhen Ren — a fully realized, authentically yourself human being
• Why this Year of the Fire Horse is asking something specific of all of us
• A teaser of what's coming in Episode 146 (including a Daoist meditation on opening your doors)

If you've been listening since the beginning, welcome home! If you just found us — perfect timing. We're so excited that you're here.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 142: How to Navigate This Fast-Changing World Based on Your Elemental Nature
• June 27 Workshop: From Seeker to Alchemist (Alchemy Lab Workshop Series) → alchemylearningcenter.com

Reach us:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

If this episode lands with you, please leave a review — it truly helps other seekers find their way here.

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> Continuing the Conversation with Deng Ming-Dao

Guest: Deng Ming-Dao (Daoist philosopher, author, and artist)

Episode Overview

In this powerful continuation of Episode 143, hosts Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman dive deeper into their transformative conversation with renowned Daoist philosopher and artist Deng Ming-Dao. This episode explores the intersection of creativity, healing, and daily practice, offering profound insights for artists, healers, and anyone seeking to live more authentically.

This episode is essential listening for artists, healers, and anyone interested in living a more creative, authentic life. The conversation bridges ancient Daoist wisdom with practical modern applications for reclaiming creativity and attention in our distracted world.

Key Topics Discussed The Art of Listening to Inner Voices

• Distinguishing between inspiration and other internal chatter
• The importance of waiting and discernment in creative and healing processes
• How meditation creates space to reassess and clarify authentic inspiration

Trusting Your Inner Compass

• Why external validation (money, success) cannot replace inner knowing
• The courage to follow your heart despite societal pressures
• Self-cultivation as the ultimate measure of success

Reclaiming Your Attention

• How society has co-opted our natural capacity for attention
• The difference between being told what to focus on versus choosing your focus
• Practical steps to redirect attention from consumption to creation

Everyone is an Artist

• Why 99% of people have had their natural creativity "beaten out of them"
• The myth of talent versus the reality of daily practice
• Starting small: simple tools like pencil and paper, humming, or describing experiences

The Progression of Practice

• Why beginners should expect and embrace being "no good" initially
• The power of daily practice and incremental improvement
• Using constraints and limitations to stimulate creativity

Art as Healing

• How both artist and audience are transformed through creative expression
• The gift of art as a form of healing exchange
• Creating "messages in bottles" for future generations

The Spiritual Dimension of Art

• Art as a response to the world and inner experience
• The importance of not pandering to audiences
• How authentic expression naturally carries spiritual essence

Memorable Quotes

On Trusting Your Heart:

"If you trust your heart, if your heart tells you this is where you need to go, then that's what you need to follow. Because no external rewards and no external rejection is going to be a guide for what you need to do in life."

On Getting Started:

"It's as simple as picking up a pencil and a piece of paper. It's as simple as humming something. It's as simple as saying, this just happened to me. How do I describe it?"

On Attention:

"We are completely capable of attention, but attention has been co-opted by our society. We have not been allowed to say we deserve attention for our own purposes."

On Defining Art:

"Art is a response to the world. And from that, other people can see that shape [and] think about how they might want to respond to the world."

Practical Takeaways

1. Start a Daily Practice: Get a sketchbook and write or draw in it every day, even if it's "crap"
2. Examine Your Screen Time: Notice how much attention you give to others' content versus your own creative expression
3. Embrace Beginner's Mind: Allow yourself to be "no good" initially and focus on the process, not the outcome
4. Set Constraints: Use limitations to spark creativity (small canvases, limited time, simple materials)
5. Create Space for Reflection: Spend time looking at and contemplating your work, not just producing it

Resources Mentioned

• AlchemyLearningCenter.com - Hosts' website with courses and resources
• New Book: "Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points" by the hosts
• The intersection of Daoist philosophy and creative practice
• The concept of the Nine Palaces and the Creativity/Children Palace

About the Guest

Deng Ming-Dao is an author, artist, and teacher. He is the author of: 365 Tao; Chronicles of Tao; Scholar Warrior; Everyday Tao; The Lunar Tao; The Living I Ching; Zen: The Art of Modern Eastern Cooking; and The Wisdom of the Tao, Every Journey Begins With a Single Step, and The Way of Heart and Beauty.

His books have been translated into a variety of European and Asian languages.

Deng Ming-Dao has trained in Chinese martial arts since 1975. His teachers have come from Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and two Taoist mountains, Huashan and Wudangshan. He has been most involved with the internal systems of Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, and Taijiquan, and he has given many workshops to introduce Chinese martial arts and Taoist wellness techniques.

Episode Themes

• Creativity as Spiritual Practice
• Healing Through Art
• Attention as Sacred Resource
• Daily Practice as Transformation
• Authentic Expression vs. Commercial Art

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> Art as Self-Cultivation: A Conversation with Deng Ming-Dao

Guest: Deng Ming-Dao (Daoist philosopher, author, and artist)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Deng Ming-Dao, esteemed author of the Wandering Taoist and several other Daoist-based books—(including our favs Spiritual Warrior and 365 Tao), joins Leta and Jaye as they have an inspiring conversation together. This episode explores the concept of how art isn't separate from self-cultivation—it is self-cultivation. Ming-Dao dives into what it means to self-cultivate and how creating art, practicing Tai Chi, or even making mistakes can be the fire that transforms us.

From poetry to Tai Chi to painting—everything becomes part of the Alchemical process of becoming our authentic selves. If you've ever wondered whether your creative life is as important as a spiritual practice—this podcast is for you.

Key Topics Discussed Self-Cultivation as Repair

• The Chinese concept of self-cultivation literally means "repair"
• How life and socialization tear us down and obscure our natural self
• Why Daoists believe our natural self is already perfect
• The parallel between health in Chinese Medicine and spiritual wellness

Art as Personal Transformation

• Why every piece of art changes the artist who creates it
• The continuous process of learning through creating
• How mistakes in the studio become opportunities for growth
• The discipline and perseverance required for artistic practice

Qi and Artistic Expression

• The ancient Chinese concept of "lively movement and qi resonance" in art
• How an artist's qi becomes visible in their work (especially calligraphy)
• The difference between original energy and reproduced forms
• Art as alignment with the energy of the universe

Tai Chi as Art Form

• How Tai Chi transforms martial violence into self-cultivation
• The role of qi circulation in both Tai Chi and artistic practice
• Why practitioners from the same school look different (personal infusion)
• The connection between movement, medicine, and creativity

Expression as Human Nature

• Why every human being gives testament to their experience on earth
• The role of creative expression in reconciling individuality with the collective
• Cave paintings as evidence of humanity's innate creative impulse
• How great artists help us put overwhelming feelings into form

The Challenge of Daily Practice

• Why significant achievement requires daily commitment
• Breaking free from society's consumer mentality
• The difference between external motivation and internal necessity
• Understanding practice as the ultimate gift to yourself

Authentic Inspiration and Inner Voices

• How to distinguish between authentic inspiration and other mental chatter
• The reality of multiple "voices" within ourselves
• Why inspiration is just the beginning, not the end
• The role of problem-solving and technical skill in bringing ideas to form

Memorable Quotes

On Self-Cultivation:

"Self-cultivation is about recovering from those problems and getting back to your natural self. The Daoists feel that your natural self is perfect."

On Daily Practice:

"You're not doing this for a job, you are not doing this for a certificate. You're not doing this to be famous. You are doing this for yourself, and until you understand that, it's always going to be difficult."

On Consumer Culture:

"We have been so warped by our society that our only role is to be a customer... We need to get away from this kind of materialism and return to ourselves."

On Artistic Inspiration:

"Just because you get inspired is not the end of it. It's just the start of it... The voice is an idea. It's not a form. Your job as an artist is to make it form."

On Expression:

"Every human being has to work to live... But is that all you have to do? Everybody gives testament to their experience on this planet."

Practical Takeaways

1. Understand Art as Repair: View creative practice as healing and recovery of your natural self
2. Commit to Daily Practice: Recognize that significant growth requires consistent daily commitment
3. Practice for Yourself: Do creative work for your own development, not external validation
4. Embrace Qi in Your Work: Align your creative practice with life energy and universal flow
5. Learn to Distinguish Voices: Develop the ability to recognize authentic inspiration through experience
6. Accept the Problem-Solving Process: Understand that turning inspiration into form requires technical skill and perseverance

Resources Mentioned

• AlchemyLearningCenter.com - Hosts' website with courses and resources
• New Book: "Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points" by the hosts
• 365 Tao: Daily Meditations - Ming-Dao's daily practice book
• The Wandering Taoist - Available as audiobook
• Scholar Warrior - Currently being read by the hosts
• Hua Shan and Wudang Shan - Traditional Daoist mountain lineages

About the Guest

Deng Ming-Dao is a Chinese American author, artist, philosopher, teacher and martial artist. He is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. His books have been translated into fifteen languages.

Background & Training: He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for thirteen years, and with two other masters before that. From a young age, he studied Taoist internal arts such as Qigong and Kung-Fu.

Artistic Career: He is an award-winning graphic designer and fine artist whose work is in several collections, including those of the Brooklyn Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Currently transitioning into retirement, he paints daily and continues his writing practice, focusing on landscape paintings that combine Asian ink and watercolor techniques.

Episode Themes

• Art as Spiritual Practice
• Self-Cultivation vs. Socialization
• Daily Practice as Transformation
• Qi and Creative Expression
• Authentic vs. Consumer Living
• The Artist's Journey of Discovery

What's Coming Next

This conversation continues in Episode 144, Part 2, where the discussion deepens into topics of healing through art, the role of artists in society, and practical guidance for reclaiming creativity in daily life.

This episode is essential listening for anyone who has ever questioned whether their creative pursuits "count" as spiritual work. Ming-Dao's insights reveal that art isn't separate from the spiritual path—it may be one of the most direct routes to recovering our authentic nature.

In this episode, Jaye and Leta invite you to take a little time out — not in a punishment sort of way, but in a take-a-step-back-and-breathe kind of way. We're kicking off a brand-new five-part series on the Alchemy, Five Elements & Overwhelm, starting with Wood — the Element of Hope, Renewal, and of Inspired Action.

What We Talk About:

• Why overwhelm is sometimes the new normal — and why is/isn't it OK

• What ancient Daoist Alchemists did during times of political chaos (hint: it involves retreats, mountains, and silence)

• Why wind represents change in Chinese Medicine — and how to work with it instead of being blown away

• Wood Element traits under pressure: survival mode, strategy overload, and full-on gorilla mode

• The concept of "Opti-mystic" — embracing the mystic and the optimistic during chaotic times

• Practical advice for Wood types (and everyone with Wood in their chart, which is… everyone) on how to re-center, breathe, and find meaning in challenge

• A sneak peek into how the other elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) handle overwhelm — next up: Fire and the fear of losing love

00:25 Dealing with Overwhelm in Today's World 04:31 Embracing Change and Technological Advances 12:48 Navigating Overwhelm with Elemental Energies 13:13 Understanding Yourself in Chaotic Times 13:53 The Essence of Wood Energy 14:27 Survival Mode and Wood People 15:52 Strategies for Wood People 18:59 Embracing Challenges Positively

Could ancient stones be the missing link in your modern-day transformation?

In this episode, Jaye and Leta explore the mysterious—yet surprisingly practical—world of Alchemy Stone Medicine. We're talking crystals, gemstones, and minerals, and how these ancient Earth allies can support healing, self-cultivation, and real energetic change.

From Five Element colors to sacred shapes to the way stones are formed deep within the Earth, you'll discover that stones have personalities—just like humans. This episode is all about building relationships with stones as transformational partners, not just keeping them around as pretty shelf candy.

Whether you're brand new to stone medicine or already knee-deep in crystal clusters, you'll leave with fresh insights, a few laughs, and maybe a new favorite rock to carry in your pocket.

Stone Medicine is an ancient healing modality rooted in Chinese medicine. In this conversation with Stone Medicine practitioner, Mikhael Oskarsson, we delve into the methods and philosophies of Stone Medicine, emphasizing its transformational potential and how it can enhance self-cultivation practices.

Practical Applications of Stone Medicine

Stone medicine isn't just theoretical—it's incredibly practical. In this conversation, Jaye, Mikhael and Leta explore various ways to incorporate stone medicine into daily life:

• Jewelry and Talismans: Wearing stones as jewelry offers a constant energetic reminder and support, aligning with personal intentions and goals.

• Grids and Elixirs: Creating stone grids around spaces or using stones in elixirs (vibrationally potent water) can enhance environments and personal energy fields.

• Feng Shui and Placements: Stones can be strategically placed in homes to influence energy flow, attract positivity, and repel negativity or stale energy.

Connecting with Stones

Building a vibrational, personal relationship with stones is important to maximizing their healing benefits. When you enter into the world of Stone Medicine, it's an invitation to explore and discover which stones you are naturally attract to. Holding and connecting with these stones helps in developing an intimate understanding of Stone Medicine energies and how stones can support your journey. This will help you identify your allies as a Stone Medicine practitioner.

If you want to learn more about Alchemy Stone Medicine, join us for an upcoming free Alchemy Stone Medicine webinar on March 31st, 2025. This webinar will talk about Alchemy Stone Medicine in our Modern world and introduce our new 12-week immersive certification program for Alchemy Stone Medicine for Self-Cultivation.