Greetings Reader,

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on fungi. I’ve been thinking about the wily wisdom, flexibility and resilience that has allowed this vast kingdom of more than 144,000 known species of organisms, including yeasts, rusts, smuts, mildews, molds and mushrooms to grow and flourish for over 2,400 million years, 8,000 times longer than homo sapiens!
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The astonishing capacity of fungi to endure through eons of geological time is due in large part to the diversification of their survival strategies. They nourish themselves in a wide variety of ways, including parasitism, saprobism—the ability to derive nutrients from decaying and dead matter—but most especially from the development of ongoing, mutually nourishing inter-dependent relationships with bacteria, plants, trees, lichen and even with human beings through their role as agents of leavening and fermentation. In fact, over 90% of all plant species engage in essential symbiotic associations with fungi so Earth’s most fundamental ecology depends on this intertwining dialogue of inter-species intelligences.
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These musings bring me to the consideration of human consciousness and our own healing, evolution and survival as a species at this challenging time on our planet. The clue that the fungi offer me is to relentlessly cultivate mutually nourishing inter-dependent relationships: to listen deeply to the whisperings of other human and other-than-human voices, to give, and to receive generously of the wisdom of the life force as it flows in, through and between us.
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This intertwining of separate yet inter-dependent intelligences—personal, transpersonal, instinctual, soulful, and spiritual—is exactly what the practice of Alchemical Dialogue fosters. Within the crucible of these conversations, geologic time is distilled into the here and now as we collaboratively cultivate the conditions for the alchemizing of creative, new strategies not only for our healing and survival but also for prayer, connection, creativity and joy!
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Join us this month in our Inner Healing Circle. We’ll gather on June 12 at 7 pm ET to talk about Alchemical Dialogue – what it is, how we do it, and why it matters.
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With love,
Lorie

Alchemy SPEAK
​What is alchemical dialogue

A dialogue is alchemical in nature when all parties relate to one another as having a sense of agency and a unique perspective. However, this kind of dialogue implies a being together and seeing together in an unfolding relationship that is primarily rooted in the body, and especially in the heart. It is a path to a new form of expression and knowing that moves beyond rigid ideas, othering and the pathological cultural insistence on black/white thinking. This way of being together opens us to what Swiss philosopher Jean Gebser called synairesis: a surpassing of dualism - my perspective vs. your perspective - to allow for the emergence and visibility of a new integral understanding of the world.

The new possibility arises not only from me or you, but from the emergent interaction that takes place in the field or space between us.

To learn more, check out our new article, Introducing Alchemical Dialogue, available to all members of our Mighty Network – sign up for the Free Explorer Membership to view!

SPIRIT OF THE POINTS
​Small Intestine 19 - Listening palace
Ting Gong 聽宫

Crickets in the crimson
runner beans scratch ragged wings
against the moon

Over dinner one summer evening, I asked some friends who run a small documentary theatre company to describe what listening means to them. They all agreed that distinguishing between hearing – an involuntary, neurological response to sound waves – and listening is primary.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the distinction between hearing and listening comes under the jurisdiction of the Small Intestine Official, the Separator of Pure from Impure, the Heart’s closest minister. The Small Intestine’s job is to sort through the barrage of information that comes at us from the outer environment and to recognize what is of true relevance to our own Heart. If we imagine the Heart as a Monarch seated on a throne at the center of our being, the Small Intestine is like the private secretary who appraises every piece of correspondence to determine if it is worthy of the Heart’s attention. In order to fulfill this function, the Small Intestine must be able to sift through the infinite cacophony of impressions to discern the purest essences, the things that will bring us closer to our authentic nature—our Tao. In other words, the Small Intestine’s job is to listen.

The central seat of this minister rests just in front of the ear and its name is Small Intestine 19 – Listening Palace – Ting Gong 聽宫. On the right side of the ancient character ting 聽 listening is the character de 德 virtue. This affirms for us the spiritual significance that the ancient Chinese ascribed to the act of listening. The presence of the radical de tells us that listening is a virtue, a defining quality of a truly engaged human, a hallmark of a sage.

And tucked away at the bottom of the character de is the radical xin 心 the Heart. The character tells us that when we touch this point, we are inviting a person to listen to the world as if the Heart is at the center.

Suggested Flower Essence: Yarrow The location of Listening Palace at the sensitive skin in front of the tragus of the ear makes it a good choice for flower essence application. I think of yarrow flower essence in connection with Listening Palace, as both essence and point have to do with discriminating listening—the ability to sift through incoming impressions and separate the grain from the chaff.

An excerpt from Kigo: Exploring the Spiritual Essence of Acupuncture Points Through the Changing Seasons by Lorie Eve Dechar​

WHAT WE'RE Up TO

For the past year, we’ve been visioning a studio space on our property that will allow us to host small in-person gatherings and we’re taking steps to make this vision a reality. We’re excited to complete this project in 2026 so we can begin inviting all of you to retreat with us on the coast in Downeast Maine! Meanwhile, here is a sneak peek at the sketch plan from the architect who is working on the project with us.
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We’ll keep you posted on progress …

Things we love right now

Watching the 1999 film ‘Flawless’ with Benjamin … Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman in an absolutely fabulous, and most unlikely, expression of Alchemical Healing – Lorie

Ocean Vuong’s new novel – The Emperor of Gladness – Benjamin

New summer haircut! – Carmen

MAY Calendar

These events are only accessible to members of our Mighty Network. If you are not a member, you can join at the free Explorer Entry Level or the Inner Healing Circle membership here, and find more information about these events in the Events section of your account dashboard.

Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 PM EST Inner Healing Circle: Community Zoom Meet-up – ALCHEMICAL DIALOGUE AND A NEW POSSIBILITY June session of the monthly Zoom meetup exclusively with Lorie, Benjamin, and other IHC Members as part of the Inner Healing Circle Membership. MORE INFO & RSVP

Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 PM EST THE MILKWEED PROJECT MEET-UP A bi-monthly meeting for Mentorship graduates to network, develop teaching, and co-envision the future. MORE INFO & RSVP

Tuesday, June 24 at 4:00 PM EST Inner Healing Circle: Alchemy at the Edge: AcuSpeak with Lorie Eve Dechar - FIRE One of five annual gatherings as part of the Inner Healing Circle membership. This Fire Season, Lorie will present and invite discussion on ‘Hidden Arrow: Attention Theft and Restoration of Sovereignty to the Heart Monarch.’ NCCAOM-CEU approved. MORE INFO & REGISTRATION

Wednesday, June 25 at 6:00 PM EST The Alchemical Astrology Lab Monthly meeting to explore the meaning of astrological events for the collective and hopefully discover ways that we can support one another in being active agents of transformation. This month we will continue our exploration of the Saturn/Neptune conjunction in Aries. MORE INFO & REGISTRATION

To gain full access and get the most benefit from what we offer, join the Inner Healing Circle (IHC)​