Perched on the granite slab, I brace myself for the leap while telling myself again and again, convincing myself, “This … is … good ... for … me.” The initial shock always takes my breath away but once I get it regulated the euphoria sets in. My skin tingles in response to the frigid water. My brain stops its background chatter and I arrive in full presence to the Maine ocean.
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It’s become a practice. A daily summer ritual. An obsession. My days organized around the tides. It isn’t always easy to take that plunge, but there is something about getting in the water that is transformational. It has the power to awaken me in ways more than just physical.
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Don’t have access to the cold ocean? Try this! Take a cold shower or apply a cold compress to the back of your neck. Try it for a few seconds to several minutes and see how you feel. Monitor your heart rate. You may see it drop. Research has shown that cold compresses used in this way can stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in a shift toward a state of calm.
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Cold water may not be your thing. But one thing is certain, overcoming the discomfort that accompanies change is a key part of engaging in life alchemically.
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Here's to taking your plunge this summer!

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With love, Benjamin

ALCHEMICAL Q&A

​Alice Spitzner Claussen knows something about the discomfort of change. A graduate of all three levels of our Practice at the Crossroads Alchemical Healing Mentorship, and our spotlighted July Alchemical Healing Professional Member, Alice always asked great questions and persevered in discovering a way to make the language of alchemical healing relevant to her clients in Coralville, Iowa. Last summer, she released her new site, Twig & Needle, that elegantly describes how she has integrated her work with us into her practice.

Q: Looking back, what was the most surprising part of your practice’s alchemical transformation?

A: “I am continually surprised by how readily patients accept a deeper line of questioning. Patients seem to intuitively understand their emotions are tied to their physical health. They are eager to talk about emotional issues and explore body awareness.”

Not able to access the links here or want to read the full spotlight on Alice? Join our Mighty Network by signing up for the Free Explorer Membership.

On Thursday, July 10th the topic for our monthly Inner Healing Circle meeting is Transitioning Your Practice (or Life!) to One That Is More Alchemical … join us!
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Check out all the benefits you receive with Inner Healing Circle membership.

RECIPE FROM THE ALCHEMICAL GARDEN

Make Your Own Flower Essence

Here in the northern hemisphere, summer is here! The sun is high, and the blooms are abundant. It is a perfect time to make an essence from flowers that grow in your garden or near your home. The flowers that captivate and intrigue you likely have a message for you!

A flower essence is a solar water infusion of the flowering part of a plant that harnesses the sun’s energy to pull beneficial properties and life force out of the plant material and into the water. Flower essences are one of our premier plant allies for doing soul-level work.

Supplies:

• 1 medium glass bowl
• 1 large, clean, dark glass bottle
• 1 or more 1oz amber or cobalt dropper bottle(s)
• Pure spring water
• High-quality brandy
• Labels

Gather the fresh blossoms of the plant on a clear, sunny day, preferably in the early morning, when there may still be dew on them.
Place the blossoms on the surface of a bowl of spring water and leave it outdoors in direct sunlight where they can be infused by the heat and light of the sun for several hours. This process will transfer the energy pattern of the flower into the spring water, embodying the beneficial essence of the plant.
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Preserve this “mother essence” with brandy (1:1) before further diluting it to form the “stock” bottle, which is the dosage bottle you'll use to take the flower essence.
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This is a summary of the recipe; for the complete instructions (and finer points of the process) sign up for our Free Explorer Membership and find The Flower Essence Article in the free Foundations of Alchemical Healing section of our community network.

WHAT WE'RE UP TO

For these first two weeks of July, we are immersed in a co-creative intensive to complete edits on the manuscript of Lorie’s fourth book in preparation for its next stage. The tentative working title is The Last Page: A Ritual of Unsilencing.

We’re also deep into planning our new Advanced Clinical Integration Offering!​

Brainstorming our next series of Inner Healing Circle monthly meetings – September 2025 - July 2026! More news on the theme for this series soon …

Registration for the 2026 Level 1 Alchemical Healing Mentorship is open and a great cohort is forming. Spaces are limited and filling, so sign up or reach out if you are interested!

Loving the network’s new, bright colors, right-hand side featured articles, and emojis 🌟 in the comments – oh my! 🤩

Check out the new fields in member profiles on our network that let you know who shares your passions and lets us know what you want most from our community – complete them now if you haven’t yet!​

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

The nationally recognized theologian, author and spiritual advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., Howard Thurman (1899-1981), whose nonviolent philosophy influenced the civil rights movement, writing on the cultivation of love in response to the forces of fear, deception, and hate, " … love is possible only between two freed spirits. What one discovers in even a single experience in which barriers have been removed may become useful in building an over-all technique for loving one’s enemy. There cannot be too great insistence on the point that we are here dealing with a discipline, a method, a technique, as over against some form of wishful thinking or simple desiring."

THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH

JULY 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.