Alchemical Journeys: Sacred Space for Transformation

Full Description

Alchemical Journeys:
Sacred Space for Transformation
Live Online Workshop

Time: Wednesday at 11:00am -12:00pm Mountain Daylight Time (UTC -6)
Dates: March 29 – May 17, 2023
Online Platform: Zoom 
Pre-requisites: None

Are you in the midst of or ready for an inner transformation? Would you like to understand how to better tend this deep process? Join Shamanic Practitioner, Stacey Couch, and four other spiritual seekers for a live online eight-week workshop on “Alchemical Journeys: Sacred Space for Transformation”. Explore the ancient systems of alchemy and shamanism and see how they intertwine to facilitate inner growth.

In this workshop, we build on the foundations of alchemy – the furnace, prima materia, vessel and baths – to become hands on practitioners of our own healing. Blending the practical and philosophical, the shamanic journey allows us the opportunity to work with the images of alchemy in a grounded way allowing change to take place on all levels.

Our soul thrives on imagery and story, but when we are going through a transformation we lose important images and stories of who we thought we were. We can no longer hold onto a static picture of “self” and more dynamic imagery is needed. Since we are in process, we need stories and pictures of a process.

The ancient art of alchemy holds wisdom for our work. Alchemy was once practiced all over the world with real fires, earthen vessels, and materials from nature. The alchemist often understood that their work was practical, literal work of cooking plants and minerals while also providing valuable metaphors for transcendence of the soul. What was happening outside in the work of changing one material into another was symbolic of an inner process. Alchemy is a map of the spiritual path.

Alchemists are motivated to unite spirit and matter, to move from separation to union. They work to redeem the self, and ultimately the world, through a diligent process of purification and mutation. In this workshop, we utilize the main tools of the alchemist to hold sacred space for our own transformation. Every alchemist needs, first and foremost, a furnace to house and control the fire. The alchemist needs material to transform. The material we have to start the work with is called the prima materia. A vessel is necessary to hold the material and water helps purify and alter it.

Students in this workshop learn how to do a shamanic journey. They journey to another world where they safely and easily conduct alchemical work. It is one thing to think about the processes of alchemy, but another to experience it. When immersed in the waking dream of the shamanic journey, you can feel the fire and materials and work first hand. Workshop facilitator, Stacey Couch, expertly guides you through the process and helps uncover the magic of blending shamanism and alchemy.

An in-depth “Shamanic Journey Guide” with over 60-minutes of video instruction is included with the registration fee. You can learn and practice journeying before we meet if you’d like, or you can watch the video only and feel prepared for the first meeting.

To view the first meeting in your time zone visit here:
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20230329T170000&p1=75&p2=179&p3=137&p4=136&p5=195&p6=240
For those of you outside the U.S. please keep any time changes you have in mind.
AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS – This class is at 4:00am Sydney time on Tuesdays. 

Workshop Topics

Discussion topics for the workshop are listed below. Topics and the order of topics are subject to change based on the flow of discussion and energy of the group:

Session 1 – Intro to the Shamanic Journey & The Furnace

Learn what a shamanic journey is and the fundamentals of how to go on a shamanic journey yourself. Like meditation, learning to do your own shamanic journeys is a skill you can use for a lifetime. This session also includes an introduction to the alchemical symbolism of the furnace.

Session 2 – Tending the Fire

Our first shamanic journey you build your furnace, learn about the fire that is transforming you, and learn how to manage and work the heat. Control of the fire was the most important aspect of alchemical work and alchemists tended their fires around the clock being careful that they didn’t blaze too hot and ruin the work or go out and halt the process.

Session 3- The Prima Materia

We explore the imagery of the prima materia. Most people wrongly assume that the alchemical process always starts with lead. There are actually over 60 different starting materials in different alchemical recipes. For you, the prima materia is the suffering you are looking to transform. In this session, you learn how to approach suffering through images.

Session 4 – The Heart of the Matter

On our second shamanic journey together you travel into the earth to collect your prima materia with the help of your spirit guides. We share our experiences together and sort through what symbols and messages came forth in your journey about where you are beginning the work. 

Session 5 – The Vessels and Retorts

A vessel is needed to hold the prima materia in the fire. This is the sacred space you hold to witness your inner work. Alchemists saw the vessel as a metaphor for one’s inner space and a means to deliberately work on one’s being. We discuss objectivity and subjectivity and how you approach your own inner process.

Session 6 – Holding the Vessel

We go on a shamanic journey to place the prima materia in the vessel and witness the work unfold. We contemplate how we’ve unconsciously bottled up or evaporated our emotions and intuitions. Our spirit guides help us determine which vessel(s) to use and how to hold our process more expertly.

Session 7 – Washes, Baths and Solutions

Water is the last of the four elements we visit in this workshop. Water is used to cool off the work and help it rest. Water is cooked out of the prima materia and then added back in throughout many cycles of the work. Through water we purify our being and come closer to our own divinity.

Session 8 – Death and Rebirth

Our last shamanic journey goes through the process of experimenting with the work using water. The element of water is a primary and safe way to be co-creators in our own transformation. Water helps us gently let go of who we were and be born anew. Alchemists saw the work of alchemy as a death and resurrection. We explore these themes in our last meeting together.

Workshop Dates:

• March 29
• April 5
• April 12
• April 19
• April 26
• May 3
• May 11
• May 17

This workshop is right for you if you:

• Would like to learn more about shamanism and alchemy
• Are interested in developing your shamanic journey skills
• Find yourself in a transformation or drawn to initiate one
• Appreciate the direction of a facilitator who creates a safe container for sharing
• Consider yourself a spiritual seeker 
• Are looking to connect with others from around the world on the spiritual path

This workshop guided by Stacey provides a community for you and other seekers involved in deep transformation. Here you have an opportunity to talk, think, listen and feel through what you are experiencing. Stacey has over 15 years of experience leading groups in shamanic journeywork. 

Talking with others about your interior life can be scary, especially when your experiences are different than those of the people around you. That’s the value of the being in a workshop with Stacey Couch. She provides a safe place to reveal conversations with your soul. Stacey holds a sacred space for you to share, for different ideas to arise, and for kinship and compassion beyond tolerance to grow. Her work is that of guiding you to the knowing that resides in your divinity.

In this workshop, we share our questions and consider possibilities. There is no doctrine, no right answer, and no one person smarter or wiser than the other. We all bring our own life experience and wisdom. In this space it is okay to not have the answers. In fact, that is the gentlest position. Rather than try to answer all of each other’s questions, we explore ideas and sit in wonder, wondering what is and sharing the little glimpses we each have the privilege to know.

Attendance is Required

Please check your calendars carefully and be sure that you are available to attend each session. Since this workshop is for a small amount of people, your attendance is REQUIRED once you register.

Your participation is key to make this work.

In this digital era people tend to be more casual about online activities. That works really well for the mass presentations with one teacher speaking to hundreds of students online, but for small, intimate discussion groups like we are forming, live attendance is necessary to make this work.

Your fellow seekers need your voice and questions to enrich the experience. Out of respect for your fellow seekers, please don’t fail to show and take up the spot of someone who would have been able to attend and benefit from the discussion.

Please be sure to check your calendars and make sure that the times and dates work for you in your time zone. And be sure to reserve the time in your schedule. The fee for this small group workshop must be paid in advance and is non-refundable.

After each workshop, you receive an audio and video recording of the meeting to download via Dropbox. These recordings are available for download for 6 months following the workshop

One week prior to the event, you will receive an email with details on how to attend the event via your computer, mobile device or phone. It is preferred that you attend the event via video conference, but you can also call in by phone.

Cancellation Policy

There are no refunds for this workshop once you register unless your space can be filled. If you need to cancel and your spot in the workshop is able to be filled, you may receive the option of a refund minus a 5% processing fee. 

Full enrollment is required for Stacey to hold this class. If the workshop does not fill, Stacey reserves the right to cancel the workshop and refund your full payment.