Calcination, the first stage of spiritual alchemy, is also known as the black stage. The color black represents chaos, that which is hidden and buried, and the material of the unconscious. It also refers to the Materia Prima, which is the idea in occult sciences that all matter in the universe emerged from an original, primitive base.
Calcination refers to the burning of the Materia Prima until it is transformed into ash.
In a spiritual sense, it refers to breaking with our worldly attachments, the desire for status, wealth, and the need to solidify our identity. It’s not to say these things are wrong, but according to the process, the development of a higher level of consciousness and the refinement of the spirit is hindered by these attachments.
Calcination also refers to the burning off of all of the superfluous elements of ourselves that no longer serve us. We are purified by fire, and the hardened and dead parts of ourselves have burned away. Our preconceived notions about our identity and our beliefs are put to the test in the calcination stage. Our ideologies and neuroses begin to lessen their grip on the persona, enabling one’s true spirit to awaken.
The calcination stage has been likened to the Dark Night of The Soul. This sixteenth-century poem describes the journey of the soul to unification with God, whereby our former worldview is dismantled, and we undergo a kind of existential crisis. The beginnings of spiritual development are typically arduous since our former ties of identification are no longer valid, and we come face to face with the void.
2018 ...
At that moment, a major transformation began in my life and I had no idea what was coming my way. The reality was me, living a life I created and dreamed of for so long. Moved to Europe with a job offer to do what I loved. Travel the world creating partnerships and new businesses. Something my line 4 does very well with. I got a nice apartment with a salary well above the European average. I was definitely feeling thriving. Or conditionally doing so. An ego-based happiness we can say. My Chiron in the 2nd house tells me that my sense of self-worth would be tied to my financial and material achievements. And what does the Universe do? It throws me where I have the Chiron line on the ascendant.
This line from any other angle would not represent the meaning it has in my chart. In other words, from an entire world, I was led to go to the epicenter of my soul's pain.
And my identity was ultimately tied to what I did for work and how far I had progressed in my career. Something that society supports us by feeding this perception. But the reality is that this is far, far from who we are.
At that time I still didn't know about Astrocartography, which I ended up discovering a few months later. And you know that cliché, "Everything happens in divine time?" Obviously, if I knew Astrocartography by then I wouldn't have chosen Barcelona to live. Knowing that I had a Chiron line going on there. So, this information was presented to me, when I had already decided that I would stay. To really help and support me in the process.
One year after I moved, the company where I worked decided to eliminate the position they offered me and asked me to return to Brazil. Which didn't make any sense to me. The conditioned mind would say that this was actually the best thing to do. But my higher self told me NO. The pressure of going back and trying to convince myself that I was doing something very irresponsible was enormous. But at that point in my life, I have had enough experiences that could prove to me it is worth following the inner voice.
And so, I chose to leave “Everything” behind. Everything I knew, Saying no to all comfort and security. No guarantees. Including my identity and who I thought I was. And everything I was taught I should be because we all have experienced this in our lives since childhood. Many patterns pass through us. Many projections of what is correct and what is not. And many external expectations.
Besides, no one would understand my decision and few would support it. And this is the first step we face on the way. Having to go beyond expectations and forgive those who are not able to support us, understanding that it was not about us, but rather their own limiting belief and lack of confidence in themselves.
The ruler of my chart is Mars, the planet of action and strategy, courage, in Scorpio, 8th house. The Phoenix house, the shadow work, the psyche, the death and rebirth.
I said to myself: Okay, I'm here, willing to lose everything, to go as deep as I can. I am courageously choosing fear over comfort. I want you to show me the shadows that pass through me. I want you to show me all the facets of my ego. I am here. Surrendering to a power greater than myself. External attachments as well as internal concepts and other ego matters. Who was I if I had nothing that the world would consider a success? Who would I be if I didn't take care of my image according to standards? Especially as a woman, we have a lot more pressure to look acceptable by social standards. And many other layers...
Months passed and all the processes that involved a spiritual awakening took place. I had no job, no friends or community, no money, but what I had was time and a profound desire to find out what exists at rock bottom.
#spirituality #selfmastery #selfdiscovery #selfknowledge #knowthyself #ego #shadowwork #alchemy #souljourney #conciousness #spititualjourney #awakening #healing #selflove
Comments