I just completed reading “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. This book has found its way to me or I to it, of which I am not sure which is true but for which I am grateful. I believe that we are consistently given encouragement in our lives and many times it is in ways least expected. This book has done so for me and I due hope you will find my reflections worthy of your exploration. It is an affirmation of the healthy mind and spirit.
I will not attend to this beautiful book in detail but rather reflect on one idea which I have taken away from it and found of relevant to my life now. I am sure that another time in my life I will return to this book and new insights reveal themselves. There are so many beautiful meditations contained in the passages of the story. In short summary the book centers on a young man “the boy” who travels to find a treasure. In the midst of his journey he encounters “the Alchemist” who together with other central figures share their wisdom and insights into what they know about people and life from their experiences. Each step along the way reveals to him a new understanding about himself and the true purpose of life; his “personal legend.”
A beautiful passage that spoke to me has offered a meditation I have found particularly helpful. Paulo Coelho describes how the main character “the boy” reflects as he comes to understand the importance of paying attention to his heart, his inner self. To paraphrase it he says he asked his heart “…from then on, please never stop speaking to him. He asked that when he wandered far from his dreams, his heart press him and sound the alarm. The boy swore that every time he heard the alarm, he would heed its message.” What I take from this is the importance of honoring our true inner spirit. When we find ourselves diverging whether it be from fear, insecurity or feelings of abandonment we can return to our heart to find our way back on our path. When our bodies give us signals, we can listen.
Our bodies speak of the voice of our hearts. We are constantly receiving signals through our physical bodies about our wellness and these are often alerts to what we need to take into consideration about larger situation in our life. When we listen to our inner self and take it upon ourselves to make healthy choices we are announcing that we are in communion with our inner spirit; body and mind aligned. We are present to what IS and we are focused on using our energy in a defragmented way to finding our way forward. Paying attention to our hearts and respecting our bodies are integrally connected. We do ourselves much good when we allow this to be a part of our daily life.
Recently, in the midst of the changes of my own life, I have found that this passage has given me the strength of character to feel reassured in my pathway. I have used it in simple ways. When my body has needed to rest, I have listened and done so. When I have stopped and looked around myself to where I am
What can I take from my daily life that may give me the reassurance of what is working in our life is for my best self? When I have accepted or been denied an invitation to what I have wanted, I have sought my heart for the answers to why and found myself learning more about myself and the purpose for which these events have taken place. They are affirmation that my heart is a guide by which if I follow will give me the best opportunity to live my life with my mind, body and spirit connected.
Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself in reflection:
What am I getting back from the energy I am spending each day?
Is it possible that there are aspects to my life that would be different if I listened to my inner self?
I hope you find your way to enjoying this book. May the insights you find in the passages guide a way to further supporting yourself in wellness.
In health,
Safara
