Emotional Alchemy

The five stages, one reaction

Work a single recent reaction through the five stages. It takes about fifteen minutes. Stage 02 is optional every time, so skip it whenever memory feels uncertain or unhelpful. There is no requirement to finish.

01Identify the PainFire

What happened, in the words a camera would record? Then one word for the emotion, and a rating from 1 to 10.

02Trace to OriginWater, optional

Two other times this same reaction showed up. Do not settle which came first.

03Acceptance & De-ShamingAir

Finish once: This reaction was trying to protect me from ___. Then check whether you would judge a friend for the same answer.

04TransmutationEarth

One thing to attempt today: a sentence to say, a limit to state, a request, or a pause. Write it in the words you would use, and pick the lowest-stakes place to try it.

05TransformationRubedo

After you try it: what changed, what stayed hard, what you would practise again.

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