The Alchemical Rub

Sometimes life plants a thorn in our side and drives it deep. Its persistent annoyance and discomfort makes us nuts as we frantically try to shake loose of this disturbance. But the Divine Irritant is impervious to the willful struggle to escape from its chaffing action that won’t leave us in peace. This plague comes in many forms — through coworkers, employers, friends, spouses, children. Or, inescapable agitating situations present relentless trials — perhaps through unexpected chaos, obstacles on the path and/or spells of being cornered by life with no respite from botherations that non-negotiably lodge themselves in our experience.

These "pebbles in our shoes" are divinely orchestrated to act as the central dynamic that catalyzes transformation. Just as sand is the necessary irritant that creates the pearl, so too are energies required to abrade the psyche —making the soul raw through friction in a particular area which is ultimately transformed through the heat of energetic tension. I call this maddening process "the alchemical rub."

When we’re up against something that goes against our grain, maybe its a sign that our grain needs to change. We assume that these nuisances are random energies, unrelated to our process, that simply need to be rejected. But they are specifically designed with just enough "poison" to ignite an alchemical fire that generates a meltdown of the old self and opens clear conduits for the soul’s gold.

Times of feeling cursed/jinxed serve the purpose of releasing pent-up frustration. But more importantly, they inevitably shift our position on life because otherwise it becomes too painful. We can’t stay under the cosmic thumb of the alchemical rub without making a fundamental adjustment/change.

We’re all numb to certain aspects of ourselves — anesthetized areas that suffocate the soul. Supposedly numbness is more comfortable/safe than being aware of every nuance of our being. However, we’re divinely mandated to feel everything — to be fully alive. So the Divine Plan turns up the heat by sending besetments that literally scrape away, through irritation, the deadened areas of the psyche and relieve us of the unhappiness that comes from being comatose — bringing the gift of consciousness. Although the alchemical rub seems like a cruel joke from the Universe, it’s actually an act of Love that allows all unhealed wounds that are prematurely scabbed over to be exposed to the Healing Light of the Universe.

I don’t hesitate to yell at Source to lay off whatever hot spots are being targeted by the alchemical rub’s irksome provocations. It’s hard to imagine that any good could be derived from these points of vexation. I’ll do anything to push away senseless aggravations that just bring misery and imbalance. Believing they’re sheer nuisance, I’m not inclined to ask myself what the lesson is or how I can collaborate with this crazy-making process. Like most people I put up a good fight to override the Cosmic Irritant — trying desperately to shake out the troublesome pebble or at least attempt to hobble along without letting it get to me. Inevitably my only option is to yield to its impact and search for the inherent teaching. Unable to pretend that the alchemical rub is simply a random annoyance, I acknowledge that energies have been specifically set into motion to temporarily make me crazed on the road to greater sanity.

The alchemical rub fosters evolution by heating up the aspects of ourselves in need of transformation. Like detectives, we have to decode the Divine Plan’s targeted focus on these soul sites of blockage. Our reaction to this process illustrates the congestion, wound and illusion undergoing rigorous cleansing. Situations uncannily arise, repeatedly "rubbing in" a particular pain. What a cruel Universe! But this seemingly inhumane action forces self-examination. Why is this area being inflamed? How are we responding? Is our reaction expressing certain hurts from childhood or past lives? Yes, it seems like the Universe pushes us just a little too far — "rubbing" us too harshly. But the extra pressure from this forced alchemy is exactly what’s required for deep change and healing.

The hot spot created by the alchemical rub actually reflects a buried hot spot in the soul. The chafing action from external irritants mirrors the hidden blockage that we’re unconsciously scraping against thus preventing our life force from flowing freely. The blockage deep inside generates heat from the buildup of pressure in that area. The alchemical rub — an out picturing of this internal festering — brings the blockage up to full awareness through repeated pain/unsettlement in a related external aspect of our life.

This internal hot spot cries for attention. The Universe responds to that call by mandating an alchemical rub to externally draw the internal congestion to the surface which promotes awareness and understanding of the illusions underpinning the soul encumbrance. Although the healing friction creates blisters, we’re able to clear the soul body of all past life impediments. The alchemical heat generated by the external "thorn in our side" that brings the hidden hot spot to a healing boil completely releases soul obstructions.

Believing that we ought to be able to free ourselves of the demands of transformation, when we can’t shake loose of a particular irritant we may ask, "What have I done wrong to deserve this?" Far from being "bad," the alchemical rub often signals a new level of growth that leads to a place of readiness for the cosmic bombardment that pummels away the next layer of illusions. Yes it hurts to have the Universe scraping away at our most tender areas. We have every right to cry and rage. It helps to surrender and remember the big picture of metamorphosis.

Like a stuck record, we keep coming up against the very sensitive spot we try to protect. The redundancy alone sends us screaming into the night. We’ve all "done time" with a person or situation that is particularly painful. Although we may curse the circumstances, we always emerge stronger, wiser, deepened. Strangely, often once the healing/learning in the alchemy is completed, suddenly, effortlessly, the situation or person changes or ends/leaves. When the confining irritation/discomfort is gone, it’s a sign that the "course requirement" is fulfilled. Whew, what a relief!

What carries us through this intolerable trial? It helps to remember that we’re stronger than we think and that everything in our lives is orchestrated by Divine Love. The alchemical rub builds faith in our spirit’s ability to endure the compression of transformation and emerge into greater glory. We need supportive people to temporarily lean on when the "blister" on our soul’s heel hobbles us. Animal friends and nature also absorb some of the heat — bringing smiles even while the "thorn" is dropping us to our knees. Ultimately our spirituality sustains and soothes us while aspects of the old ego are being nettled to death.

I keep hoping that all my soul blockages are cleared — no need for any more alchemical rubs! But humbly and gratefully I accept the continuance of this transformational process as long as necessary — with its reward of a freedom my soul has never known. When the thorn in my side finally releases, I’m flooded with a profound Lightness of being — the rush of flowing energy previously imprisoned in a buried heap of denial, fear, pain. Whatever it takes, may the Universe bring it on!

The Tibetan compassionately smiles at my bravado, knowing how truly vulnerable I am when struggling to become a pearl while countless grains of sand chafe their way past my defenses. He teaches:

"Today’s accelerated energies require all unresolved areas of the soul to be brought to the surface by recurring agitation. This serves the highly creative metaphysical Law of Dynamic Tension. Students are experiencing several alchemical rubs simultaneously because of the heightened demand for total transformation.

"Self may feel collared by the Universe — nabbed by situations that relentlessly keep driving the point home. Rigorous, seemingly merciless, these processes of alchemy must build up enough heat to extinguish final dredges of illusion. Don’t allow the asperities of this process to reinforce humankind’s false belief that Source is cruel or that self is being punished. Instead, celebrate this opportunity to ride the wheel of penetrating repetition that magnetizes the Heat of Creation to restructure the soul’s core matrix and return it to pure alignment with the Divine Plan.

"In the midst of the inflammation please remember that this polishing process reveals self’s true nature — deepest essence — inner riches. The illusion of worthlessness is dispelled as the Universe rubs away the rust that obscures the brilliant crystalline structure of the soul shining forth. Truly everyone is a pearl waiting to be revealed. This grating action eventually sparks a new consciousness bejeweled with the free flow of Divine Light that displays the soul’s ultimate beauty.

"Once the collective consciousness fully awakens, the alchemical rub will have served its purpose. Then, as its sparkling diamond-body is unveiled, humankind is liberated into full engagement with the treasure chest of gemstones that is the foundation of the higher etheric planes. This triumphant process of transformation provides a portal to comprehend the true nature of Creation. Source’s Love for self is substantiated through this gift of Divine Heat, precisely focused to illuminate darkness and free the spirit. Self becomes the phoenix and basks in the quintessence of Beauty that is its Divine Birthright."