When I say alchemy, I mean transformation. Pain, fear and difficult emotions becoming awareness, strength and growth.
I use the word as a metaphor. Not a promise that every painful experience becomes a gift, or that we should be able to solve everything alone.
The question is what we do with what we feel. Do we immediately throw it at someone else? Do we pretend it is not there? Or can we pause long enough to understand what is happening?
For me, facing our own darkness means being willing to look honestly. That can include asking for help. We do not have to turn the feeling into a judgement about our whole life.
What would it mean to respond to one difficult feeling today, instead of simply passing it on?