Ep. 494 - The Treasure Hard to Attain

In this episode, Michael Meade tells an old story about a man whose dreams call for him to go on a long, challenging journey to find a hidden treasure of gold. The story suggests that the treasure we desire most hides where we would never choose to go on our own. Bringing a dream to life requires that we truly change and that can awaken our deepest fears and strongest resistance.     Symbolically, gold represents all that is noble, valuable and unique in each soul. On the other hand, lead is an inert metal that represents all that is base, dense and resistant in life. Meaningful change involves transforming areas of our lives that have become stuck and undermining so as to release innate gifts and talents that have been held back or denied. The psychological and spiritual process of changing lead into gold is part of the alchemy of the soul.     In neglected or rejected areas of our lives buried spiritual ideas and feelings wait to be unearthed, creative instincts wait to be stirred, and greater capacities of love seek to be embraced. They are all part of the living gold of the self and the inner alchemy of the soul. Some redemption occurs each time we become conscious of the contents of our souls, as creative expression and increased vitality transform our individual lives as well as the world.     Thank you for listening to and supporting *Living Myth.* You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of *Living Myth Premium*. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 750 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at: patreon.com/livingmyth     Along with these free weekly podcasts, you can now read free weekly essays and long form posts by Michael Meade on Substack. Learn more and subscribe at: michaeljmeade.substack.com     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.