Inspired Action Alchemy – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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.

Continuing the Conversation with Deng Ming-Dao

Guest: Deng Ming-Dao (Daoist philosopher, author, and artist)

Episode Overview

In this powerful continuation of Episode 143, hosts Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman dive deeper into their transformative conversation with renowned Daoist philosopher and artist Deng Ming-Dao. This episode explores the intersection of creativity, healing, and daily practice, offering profound insights for artists, healers, and anyone seeking to live more authentically.

This episode is essential listening for artists, healers, and anyone interested in living a more creative, authentic life. The conversation bridges ancient Daoist wisdom with practical modern applications for reclaiming creativity and attention in our distracted world.

Key Topics Discussed The Art of Listening to Inner Voices

• Distinguishing between inspiration and other internal chatter
• The importance of waiting and discernment in creative and healing processes
• How meditation creates space to reassess and clarify authentic inspiration

Trusting Your Inner Compass

• Why external validation (money, success) cannot replace inner knowing
• The courage to follow your heart despite societal pressures
• Self-cultivation as the ultimate measure of success

Reclaiming Your Attention

• How society has co-opted our natural capacity for attention
• The difference between being told what to focus on versus choosing your focus
• Practical steps to redirect attention from consumption to creation

Everyone is an Artist

• Why 99% of people have had their natural creativity "beaten out of them"
• The myth of talent versus the reality of daily practice
• Starting small: simple tools like pencil and paper, humming, or describing experiences

The Progression of Practice

• Why beginners should expect and embrace being "no good" initially
• The power of daily practice and incremental improvement
• Using constraints and limitations to stimulate creativity

Art as Healing

• How both artist and audience are transformed through creative expression
• The gift of art as a form of healing exchange
• Creating "messages in bottles" for future generations

The Spiritual Dimension of Art

• Art as a response to the world and inner experience
• The importance of not pandering to audiences
• How authentic expression naturally carries spiritual essence

Memorable Quotes

On Trusting Your Heart:

"If you trust your heart, if your heart tells you this is where you need to go, then that's what you need to follow. Because no external rewards and no external rejection is going to be a guide for what you need to do in life."

On Getting Started:

"It's as simple as picking up a pencil and a piece of paper. It's as simple as humming something. It's as simple as saying, this just happened to me. How do I describe it?"

On Attention:

"We are completely capable of attention, but attention has been co-opted by our society. We have not been allowed to say we deserve attention for our own purposes."

On Defining Art:

"Art is a response to the world. And from that, other people can see that shape [and] think about how they might want to respond to the world."

Practical Takeaways

1. Start a Daily Practice: Get a sketchbook and write or draw in it every day, even if it's "crap"
2. Examine Your Screen Time: Notice how much attention you give to others' content versus your own creative expression
3. Embrace Beginner's Mind: Allow yourself to be "no good" initially and focus on the process, not the outcome
4. Set Constraints: Use limitations to spark creativity (small canvases, limited time, simple materials)
5. Create Space for Reflection: Spend time looking at and contemplating your work, not just producing it

Resources Mentioned

• AlchemyLearningCenter.com - Hosts' website with courses and resources
• New Book: "Cultivating the Thirteen Ghost Points" by the hosts
• The intersection of Daoist philosophy and creative practice
• The concept of the Nine Palaces and the Creativity/Children Palace

About the Guest

Deng Ming-Dao is an author, artist, and teacher. He is the author of: 365 Tao; Chronicles of Tao; Scholar Warrior; Everyday Tao; The Lunar Tao; The Living I Ching; Zen: The Art of Modern Eastern Cooking; and The Wisdom of the Tao, Every Journey Begins With a Single Step, and The Way of Heart and Beauty.

His books have been translated into a variety of European and Asian languages. 

Deng Ming-Dao has trained in Chinese martial arts since 1975. His teachers have come from Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and two Taoist mountains, Huashan and Wudangshan. He has been most involved with the internal systems of Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, and Taijiquan, and he has given many workshops to introduce Chinese martial arts and Taoist wellness techniques.

Episode Themes

• Creativity as Spiritual Practice
• Healing Through Art
• Attention as Sacred Resource
• Daily Practice as Transformation
• Authentic Expression vs. Commercial Art

😴 Look Under The Covers:  Ghost Points for Better Sleep and Deeper Self Awareness 🥱

In this podcast episode, we discuss the mysteries of the Ghost Pillow and Ghost Bed points from Chinese Medicine, guiding you through self cultivational practices to perhaps uncover your unconscious beliefs and obsessive thoughts that can disrupt sleep. This episode is not just a conversation, but an invitation to become aware of your patterns, release what no longer serves you, and step into a life of greater authenticity and peace.

Whether it's through meditation, contemplation, or simply being more vigilant with your thoughts, this episode offers practical tips and empowering insights to transform hidden aspects of yourself that may be affecting your sleep at night. Join us for our continued podcast journey through the Thirteen Ghost points and your potential path to realized self-awareness and living the life you truly want will appear.

  00:40 Exploring Ghost Pillow and Ghost Bed 01:09 Symbolism of Ghost Points 01:16 Deep Thoughts and Feelings 05:40 Understanding Unconscious Beliefs 06:11 Role of the Heart Protector 06:58 Repressing Emotions in Chinese Medicine 10:24 Meditation and Contemplation Techniques 10:54 Working with Unconscious Beliefs 13:33 Ghost Pillow: Support and Safety 17:23 Ghost Bed: Obsessive Thoughts 19:34 Homework and Practical Tips 22:09 Recap and Final Thoughts

*********************************

Visit the Podcast Website:

Click here to get more information on the Inspired Action podcast and the Five Element Fridays podcast.

Visit the Alchemy Learning Center Website:

Click here to get more information about our meditations and online classes.

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Through the Mystery Gate book

#InspiredActionPodcast #InnerTransformation #GhostPoints #PersonalGrowth #AuthenticLiving #AlchemyJourney

 

Earths' goal setting strengths come from their ability to think things through, play it safe, take care of themselves, and keep it appropriate. Earth's rock!

"Earths can better serve everyone else by spending a little time taking care of themselves."

By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Goal setting and thinking it through
• Earth, The Home Palace, and the safe container
• The importance of social compliance for Earths
• Taking care of yourself
• Reading books, walks in nature, taking a bath!

Thought Quotes:

"Home is the safe container from where we launch our ambitions from."

"We need some spontaneity, but we also need some safety."

"In order to set and achieve goals, you have to be able to think it through."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

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What are the modern day virtues? Are they liberating you or imprisoning you in your life? Does society hold you down? Do you ever want to run away to the middle of nowhere? It's okay, we talk about this and more… listen and find out how an Alchemist can move through the world and become a Virtue Virtuoso!

"We want to be limitless!"

By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• How to be free and still be a part of your community or society.
• The 5 Confucian Virtues
• How each of the Five Elements connects to the Virtues
• The worst thing that can even happen to someone
• The Alchemist's Path
• Society and guilt
• HW: How do you exhibit these 5 Virtues (or not) in your life?

Thought Quotes:

"Human connection is one of the greatest sources of happiness."

"Being kicked out of your community can be the most painful things that can happen to a human being."

"You can run away to the North Pole if there's anything left to run away to. Are there mountains in the North Pole? I don't think so. Just glaciers"

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

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Do you ever put yourself first? How do you set and achieve your goals? Are you Shiny? Do you stuff everything into every minute of each day? Do you have passion in your heart? Access your Fire Element to find your passions and motivation.

"You really need to have all Five Elements to set and achieve your goals. And luckily you have all Five Elements within you!"

By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Goal Setting by each of the Elements
• Fire's passion and aligning it with your heart
• The Shiny Bubbles syndrome
• The Stuffing (Turducken) syndrome – time management challenges
• Putting yourself first…what a concept!

Thought Quotes:

"If you really want to master your Five Elements, it's like an alchemical process… you need all of them to get what you want."

"Fire is the key to our motivation in life!"

"First you have to light a fire in your heart to get something done."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

Join Our Facebook Group

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Join Our Inner Circle

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Whooo are you? Who, who, who, who? We really wanna know! The Daoist belief is this is all an illusion, so let's start telling different stories, honoring our suffering, and become better watchers in our lives. Time to let go of *bleep* from the past that is holding you back. So how are you going to let go of your Tentacles and those pesky Triggers? Listen in to our conversation about tendrils, tentacles and triggers… oh my.

"A free heart is what we want!"

By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Setting your heart free
• How to release your Tentacles
• Authenticity and freedom
• Trading your problems away
• How to deal with suffering
• Inherited Tentacles

Thought Quotes:

"If we are not free we are not being authentic."

"Leave your temple and you're free!"

"The suffering isn't the issue. You honor the suffering. Remedy the conditions that cause the suffering and transform, or just feel the pain and get stuck."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

Join Our Facebook Group

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Introvert, Extrovert or Extra-Vert?!

"You get an Element, and you get an Element, and you get an Element, and you get an Element, and you get an Element! Everybody gets an Element… and it's Friday."

By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Which Elements are extroverted and which Elements are introverted?
• How does society and our upraising affect your introverted or extroverted-ness?
• Be the Watcher (Eckhart Tolle-style) to discover your Elements.

Thought Quotes:

"That's the Extra-verts, not the Extro, the Extra!"

"There are a couple exceptions to this Introvert/Extrovert rule…""

"You might be confused based on how you were brought up."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Be The Observer – Eckhart Tolle

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

Join Our Facebook Group

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Do you get triggered easily by the little things in your life? Do basic fears, feelings of disconnection and annoyances seem all too familiar to you? Listen to our conversation and see if it's time to free yourself from these basic Triggers.

"Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them"

— Eckhart Tolle By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Our newest addition to the podcast, Five Element Friday!
• What are Triggers? How do they effect our Tentacles?
• Our 3 Needs: Survival, Connection, Individuality
• 4 Common Triggers: Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Annoyances (there can be many more!)
• Triggerwork: Which triggers get your Tentacles going? Who's pulling your Trigger??

Thought Quotes:

"Triggers are feelings."

"You sleep if you're sleep deprived, you eat if you're hungry, and maybe you say the big scary two-letter word "N-O!""

"We first experience a feeling, which is a normal response, but then the past comes up and reels its ugly Kraken head! We remember the past circumstances (Tentacles) that this Trigger is reminding us of."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Be The Observer – Eckhart Tolle

The first Thirteen Ghost Points Episode!

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

Join Our Facebook Group

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What's holding you back from a free heart and a pure heart? Be the observer of your heart and the tentacles that have taken hold. What triggers you on a daily basis? You may not be an Octopus, but you might have tentacles!

"Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on."

— Eckhart Tolle By Jaye McElroy and Leta Herman | Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In this Pod, we talked about:

• Your "Kraken" Tentacles, and a few suggestions on what they might look like!
• A Free Heart and a Child-Like Mind
• The first four Tentacles that create a feeling of Lack
• Three more Tentacles that give you a false sense of Control
• How our Tentacles can turn our lives into an episode of "Hoarders"
• Heart-work: How do the Tentacles appear in your life? Learn to identify your Tentacles and what triggers you.

Thought Quotes:

"There's not a hierarchy of trauma."

"We essentially create our own Tentacles. Because of our interpretation of what's happening around us, it feels like it's coming from the outside."

"The challenge in life is to free yourself and come back to that child-like state."

Links in this Episode:

The Inspired Action Podcast App (available in iTunes store and Google Play)

Release The Kraken!!!

Davey Jones releases The Kraken in Pirates of The Caribbean!

Email your questions and voice memos to Questions AT InspiredActionPodcast.com.

To get your free PDF copy of Connecting Your Circle: Get Our Book For Free

#InspiredActionPodcast

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