Inspired Action Alchemy

How can I do that???
That little three-letter word, HOW, is the question that throws many of us off from the thing we want most. It seems to come with a healthy skepticism and a sense of being sensible, but it's often the reason we don't do the things we're inspired to do.
In Episode 149, Jaye and Leta explore what is really happening in that moment of deflation that comes after asking the How question. They explain why they think Alchemy has a different way to approach this, and what to ask first so the idea gets a fair chance.
Some of what comes up in this episode may change the order in which you ask yourself questions.
Listen with a pen nearby.
Your Free Gift: The Releasing Rebellious Qi Meditation
Jaye and Leta are giving away a free Releasing Rebellious Qi meditation with this episode. Listen to it here: https://alchemylearningcenter.com/release/
If you'd like to begin one step earlier, last episode's free What Do I Really Want meditation is still waiting for you at https://alchemylearningcenter.com/want.
Next Step - Free Webinar
Join Jaye and Leta live at the free pre-Halloween webinar, The Cauldron Is You, on Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 PM Eastern: Register HERE
More From Alchemy Learning Center
Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points is now available in soft cover
The 2027 apprenticeship is opening its doors soon, and for the first time it welcomes it's offering an Alchemy Life Strategy track as well as self-cultivator and practitioner tracks.
Rate and Review
If this episode landed for you, a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify makes a real difference in helping other people find the show. Send us a screenshot or an email, and we'll send you some swag.

In this episode, we explore the role of desire and wanting in the Alchemy journey. While some spiritual traditions teach desirelessness, Alchemy actually begins with igniting your passion and understanding what you truly want from life. This episode clarifies why wanting isn't something to transcend—it's the fuel that powers transformation. We discuss the Nine Stages of Alchemy, the concept of "un-peopling" for clarity, and why the Alchemists in the caves knew that the real work starts with ordinary human nature, not transcendent experiences.
Key Themes:
Desire as fuel, not the enemy
Why Alchemy doesn't ask you to kill your passion
Beyond the "spiritual bypass"
The Alchemist caves and retreating from distractions
Beginner's mind
The Nine Stages of Alchemy as a roadmap
Stage one: Is your life flowing or is it hard?
Stage two: What are you guarding against?
Stage three: What did you inherit?
Why the fast track doesn't work (and why that's good news)
The role of Wood energy in forward momentum
What "un-peopling" means and why Alchemists needed it
Free Meditation — Start Here
What Do I Really Want? (20-minute guided meditation)
Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want
How to use: Do this meditation 2-3 times if nothing comes up the first time. There's no pass or fail. You're just slowing down and opening to what your heart truly wants.
Homework for Listeners
#1: Notice How You Reach
Catch yourself trying to skip ahead
Are you looking for shortcuts or the fast track?
Are you trying to bypass steps?
No judgment—just observe
#2: Name Something You're Still Guarding Against
Reflect on what you're protecting against
You might think you already dealt with it (through therapy, meditation, etc.), but notice if you're still triggered
Don't try to fix it; just admit it's there
This observation is often the most important part of the work
#3: Free Meditation
What Do I Really Want? (20 minutes, guided)
Give yourself permission to want whatever you actually want
If nothing comes up the first time, do it again
There's no pass or fail—you're just slowing down
Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want
Resources & Links
Learning Programs & Courses
From Seeker to Alchemist (Self-Paced Online Program)
A self-paced online program for anyone new to or deepening their alchemy practice
Includes: Nine Stages of Alchemy, modules, and exercises you can do at home at your own pace
Status: Almost complete (launching soon)
Link: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/courses/from-seeker-to-alchemist
Alchemy Life Strategy Sessions
1-on-1 sessions with Jaye
Focus: Applying the Nine Stages to your life, building momentum, and discovering ease
Learn more: AlchemyLearningCenter.com
Alchemy Learning Center
Full catalog of courses, workshops, and resources
Website: AlchemyLearningCenter.com
Books
Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points (by Leta Herman & Jaye McElroy)
Available: Soft cover edition (newly released for wider accessibility)
Where to buy: Amazon and other major retailers
Special campaign: Leave a review and receive Inspired Action Alchemy or Alchemy Learning Center swag (T-shirts, hats, mugs, including the limited edition "Gui Are People Too" tee)
How to participate: Send review screenshot to leta@inspiredactionpodcast.com or jaye@inspiredactionpodcast.com
Connecting Your Circle (by Leta Herman & Jaye McElroy) — FREE
What it covers: How to balance all Five Elements and become flexible and fluid in any situation
Access: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/connecting-your-circle
Also available: In soft cover on Amazon
Other books by Jaye McElroy & Leta Herman:
Through the Mystery Gate
The Energy of Love
The Big Little Gua Sha Book
Previous Episodes Referenced
Episode 147: Plant Spirit Alchemy with Brittany Chowning
Topics: Connecting with plant spirits, natural world wisdom, multidimensional travel, shamanic journeys
Workshop: 3-hour live workshop on using artemisia (mugwort) and plant spirits to enhance alchemical journeys
Pre-Order in the Alchemy Learning Center
Episodes 140 & 141: Alchemy Stone Medicine with Mikhael Oskarrson
Topics: Connecting with stone spirits, Alchemy Stone Medicine, natural world wisdom, multidimensional travel
FREE Alchemy Stone Medicine Workshop: AlchemyLearningCenter.com
Upcoming Episodes
Episode 149: Rebellious Qi — What Happens When You Declare What You Want
Teaser: The moment you identify what you really want, your mind builds a case against it (I can't do it, I don't have enough money/time, etc.). This is called "rebellious qi" in Chinese medicine—and it's not a metaphor, it's a real physical phenomenon you can work with.
Episode 150: The Wu Wei State
Teaser: A major milestone episode diving deep into Wu Wei (inspired action) and pure presence—the state Jaye and Leta work toward in their Alchemy practice.
Quotes & Memorable Moments
"The passion or the wanting isn't the challenge here. The passion is the fuel. It's what we do with it that gets interesting."
"There is only now. That's all we have—every day of our lives, all we have is now."
"Nobody ever built anything because they were content."
"The ordinary human work in the beginning levels of Alchemy brings the most transformation, and quite quickly in the big scheme of things."
"When you spend a lot of time with your monsters, you begin to see right through them—they're not that scary, big monster you thought they were."
"Some things don't move when you just sit with them. They move by being met."
"No hurry, no right, no wrong, no good, no bad, no fast or slow. It's what you bring to it."
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Read and review Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, take a screenshot, and send to leta@inspiredactionpodcast.com or jaye@inspiredactionpodcast.com
Receive: T-shirts, hats, mugs, or limited edition "Gui Are People Too" tee
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The Five Elements Quick Reference
Wood: Growth, forward movement, vision, planning, anger (blocked), decisiveness
Fire: Joy, passion, connection, anxiety/inflammation (blocked), intimacy
Earth: Grounding, nourishment, thought, worry (blocked), stability
Metal: Structure, order, respect, judgmentalne (blocked), letting go
Water: Flow, frozen (blocked), wisdom, rest, deep listening
Read more in Connecting Your Circle or explore courses on the Five Elements at the Alchemy Learning Center.
Guest & Host Information
Hosts:
Jaye McElroy — Co-creator, Inspired Action Alchemy podcast; author, Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, Through the Mystery Gate, Connecting Your Circle, The Energy of Love, and the Big Little Gua Sha Book; Alchemy teacher and Alchemy Life Strategist
Leta Herman — Co-creator, Inspired Action Alchemy podcast; author, Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points, Through the Mystery Gate, Connecting Your Circle, The Energy of Love, and the Big Little Gua Sha Book; Alchemy teacher, Five-Elements specialist, and Alchemy/Chinese Medicine practitioner
Podcast Details
Podcast Name: Inspired Action Alchemy
Hosts: Jaye McElroy & Leta Herman
Frequency: Weekly (ish)
Duration: 25-45 minutes per episode
Format: Conversations, teachings, interviews, and guided meditations
Distribution: Libsyn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms
Website: InspiredActionPodcast.com or AlchemyLearningCenter.com
Contact: Leta: leta@inspiredactionpodcast.com
Jaye: jaye@inspiredactionpodcast.com

Next Steps
Take the meditation: AlchemyLearningCenter.com/want
Do the homework: Notice how you reach, name what you're guarding
Leave a review to help others find the podcast
Tune in next week (Episode 149) for Rebellious Qi
Explore the Learning Center: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

In this episode, Jaye and Leta are joined by acupuncturists and plant spirit practitioner Brittney Chowning for a deep dive into Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection: the magic of plant spirit, moxibustion and Alchemical treatments featuring Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort).
Brittney shares her journey from acupuncture school into Plant Spirit Medicine, tracing her lineage back to Eliot Cowan's Plant Spirit Medicine work and her studies with practitioner Suzanne Burnell. Leta, who began studying with Eliot Cowan in 1999, connects their shared roots in the tradition. Together, the three explore what Plant Spirit Connection actually is, how indigenous traditions have long communicated directly with plant spirits, and how this practice fits within the Daoist Alchemy framework of seven dimensions.
The conversation covers:
What Plant Spirit Connection means, and how it differs from conventional herbalsm
Multidimensional travel: drumming, meditation, and altered states as ways to access plant, stone, and spirit worlds
Daoist Alchemy's seven dimensions and where humans, plants, and immortals fit within them
Personal stories of direct communication with plant spirits, include Leta's roadside encounter with a plant that "waved her down" before a treatment
Why Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort) is considered a uniquely generous, universally healing plant
How plant spirit moxibustion offers an alternative for practitioners who can't burn moxa in their clinic (due to smell sensitivies, shared office space, or building restrictions)
Links:
Episode 146 (Part 2 of the Firehorse Year discussion) - the context of 2026's Firehorse Year.
Eliot Cowan's Plant Spirit Medicine book (the foundational text/lineage for both Leta and Brittney)
Upcoming Workshop: Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection - The Magic of Plant Spirit Moxibustion in Alchemical Treatments, featuring Artemisia Vulgaris
Date: Friday, July 25, 2026, Noon - 4:00 PM
Includes: Journey work, meditation, drumming, a guided meeting with the spirit of Artemisia Vulgaris, and practical guidance on incorporating more Plant Spirit Connection into clinical practice
Promo code for listeners: Moxa99
Register / replay after July 25: AlchemyLearningCenter.com

The Fire Horse is at a full gallop as we are halfway through 2026. The question is: are you enjoying the ride, or letting go of the reins?
The Fire Horse year in the Chinese calendar is associated with Double Fire... that's a lot of Fire even for the people who have a Fire Element energetic stack-up. It's no wonder things have felt fast, intense, and sometimes overwhelming. In episode 146, Jaye and Leta break down what the Fire Horse year actually means energetically, why the same year can feel like a gift to one person and an assault to another, and how your Five Element nature shapes your personal experience of it.
Leta explains how each Element is likely to experience this year, from Fire people running hot at the starting gate to Earth people being quietly nourished, Wood people feeling pulled in every direction, Water people finding unexpected steadiness, and Metal people being asked to yield to something bigger than themselves. Then Jaye and Leta get into the method they use to help ease the overwhelm of the Fire Horse year: the Daoist concept of Xuan Fu, the mysterious openings throughout the body that determine whether Cosmic Qi flows freely through you or whether you're running on your own limited reserves.
Plus an update on the newly launched 2026 Summer Alchemy Lab Workshop Series, a preview of the upcoming Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection workshop featuring Artemisia Vulgaris with Brittney Chowning on July 25th, and a tease for next episode's interview all about multidimensional healing with plant spirit connection. What is multidimensional healing? Join us next time to find out!
Summary of this episode:
What makes 2026 a Fire Horse year, and why that combination amplifies everything Fire represents, including joy, passion, and forward momentum.

The difference between controlling your outer world and creating from your inner center, and why the heart is called the supreme controller in Chinese medicine.

 How each of the Five Elements, Fire, Earth, Wood, Water, and Metal, is likely to experience the Fire Horse year differently.

The Daoist concept of Xuan Fu, the body's energetic openings, and how closed doors leave you running on your own reserves while open doors connect you to Da Qi, or unlimited Cosmic Qi.

Why the free Open Your Doors Meditation can support you through this year's energy.

Links:
Alchemy Learning Center: https://alchemylearningcenter.com
Open Your Doors Meditation (free): available inside Your First Alchemical Meditations
Alchemy Plant Spirit Connection Workshop, July 25th, 12:00–4:00 PM ET
Alchemy Healing Center: https://alchemyhealingcenter.com
Inspired Action Alchemy Facebook Group
Instagram: @inspiredaction
Email us your questions or suggestions: leta@inspiredactionpodcast.com and jaye@inspiredactionpodcast.com

After almost a year of wandering the world, we're back! And honestly? We were teaching, traveling, deepening our own Alchemy practice — and somewhere in the middle of all of it, we realized: we really missed you! We missed these conversations and the deeper dives, not to mention all the nerding out together!
So in this episode, we're easing everyone back in to the Inspired Action world. We share where we've been, what shifted for us, and why Season 10 feels different. We also get into:
Why Daoist alchemy is not spiritual bypass — and why that distinction actually matters
The two most important questions in Stage 1 of the Nine Stages of Alchemy
What it means to become a Zhen Ren — a fully realized, authentically yourself human being
Why this Year of the Fire Horse is asking something specific of all of us
A teaser of what's coming in Episode 146 (including a Daoist meditation on opening your doors)
If you've been listening since the beginning, welcome home! If you just found us — perfect timing. We're so excited that you're here.
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 142: How to Navigate This Fast-Changing World Based on Your Elemental Nature
June 27 Workshop: From Seeker to Alchemist (Alchemy Lab Workshop Series) → alchemylearningcenter.com
Reach us:
leta@inspiredactionpodcast.com
jay@inspiredactionpodcast.com
If this episode lands with you, please leave a review — it truly helps other seekers find their way here.