A soulful approach to self-improvement and personal fulfillment
“Open book” refers to living life in a genuine and transparent way. Spiritual alchemy refers to the transmutation of experiences that are generally considered negative into positive outcomes. “Open Book Alchemy” reflects my firm belief that it is only by living authentically (i.e., in connection and harmony with our soul/higher self) that we can transmute suffering into joy and approach all aspects of life in a very different way, from day-to-day decisions to greater challenges and addressing that which afflicts us.
Traditional psychology and self-help guides present solutions from a perspective of “fixing” oneself. We are encouraged to identify behaviors, attitudes, or characteristics considered problematic – often arising from our upbringing – and then seek to replace them with something more favorable so that we can avoid suffering.
Open Book Alchemy provides guidance from a very different perspective: rather than changing who we are, we should remember who we are. When we look at a newborn, it is obvious to us that we are seeing a perfect and beautiful being who is not lacking in any way nor deserving of any unkind treatment or unjust experiences. At the same time, we forget that we were exactly that way when we were born. If we woke up one day with amnesia for everything we have done and everything that’s been done to us, we would once again be the perfect, beautiful, open-hearted being who came into this world.
For that reason, we can conclude that none of our experiences have changed the fundamental truth of who we are and the perfect, unchangeable spark we all carry within us. This perspective creates the foundation for a dramatic shift in how we interpret the world around us and provides a more optimistic and effective framework for approaching challenges, as well as navigating daily life.
This website is designed to be a resource for the exploration and application of that framework. This is not about imposing an external set of expectations or restrictions on ourselves. The goal here is to empower you to connect to your own higher self/soul nature, to discover your own truth, and to live in congruence with that truth. I’m truly just a messenger and the messages are about who you already are and what you already have inside you.
I encourage you to submit questions via blog comments or email. You’re welcome to ask general questions about the framework or about how to apply it in specific situations. To serve the community, questions received via email will be answered in public blog posts with any identifying information removed.
All of the information provided here is free. Donations are welcome but not necessary or expected. I’ve been graced with guidance that changed my life and was shown that my purpose is to share it. If the messages I share would benefit someone, I wouldn’t want financial limitations to be a barrier to that help, especially when that benefit could very well be the thing that shifts their financial situation for the better. This is my small way of contributing to the reversal of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, since I think that if one prioritizes self-actualization (i.e., connection with their higher self), the rest automatically follows. I trust that if what I provide is meaningful, it will inspire contribution from those who are able. Ultimately, my goal is to serve in whatever way is intended by the Divine plan and to be receptive to any direction in which I’m guided.
If you do want to make a donation, just use one of the “buy me a coffee” buttons found on each page. Creating an account is not required to make a donation. If you have a question or topic you’d like me to address, include that in a message with your donation. I’ll prioritize requests received with donations regardless of the amount as my way of expressing gratitude.
Finally, an explanation regarding terminology: For those who already practice a religion that feels good to them, I do think these messages will mesh with that context, whatever it may be. If you have a question about a particular idea and how it fits with the tenets you follow, feel free to ask about it and I’ll do my best to answer. I use generic terms as an interfaith approach, and I realize that Christians are sometimes uncomfortable with the term “Spirit” because it sounds similar to “spirits.” This is somewhat surprising, given that Jesus Christ and his disciples regularly used the term “Spirit” to describe the nature of God and that which is of God. In everything I write, I use the term in the same way to reference that which is spiritual in nature and working in conjunction with the Divine plan. Eventually, I’ll create a blog entry that goes into deeper detail on this topic and provide a link to that in lieu of this explanation. In the meantime, I hope that readers will not allow terminology to get in the way of any messages that would serve them and their highest good.
