Intuition leads me down interesting paths to inspiration and guidance when I’m most in need, which often shows up in a book. The Secret of The Alchemist is an amazing book about another book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo, that had a profound impact on me 25 years ago and shaped my spirituality and world view.

I don’t remember now how I recently stumbled upon Colm Holland and his new book The Secret of The Alchemist, but it all started when the word alchemy came to me in my morning writing. As often happens, a word will leap out at me and I sense a kind of “freeze frame” moment that compels me to look it up in the dictionary. What does it really mean? What do I think it means? Where did the word come from? The usual word nerd questions.

What I found struck a long, deep chord in me. One word summed up everything I love, try to learn, and try to teach through my work and writing.

“The process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that can’t be explained.”

Total goosebumps. And then I found this book, written by the man who was instrumental in the English version publication of The Alchemist, which has sold more than any book worldwide until recently, when it was bumped by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – another book about alchemy.

The Alchemist is a simple but powerful allegory about following your dreams, finding your treasure, and learning the language of the Soul. I’ve read it many times over the years, and passed the book on to family and friends as a must read.

The Secret of the Alchemist takes a deep dive into ancient alchemy and it’s true meaning, and what it means for us all. It is a wonderful guidebook to the magic hidden in plain sight all along and shows how we can transform our ordinary lives into something extraordinary.

I’m grateful to find this book and Colm Holland, who’s words jump off the page with a sincerity and a commitment to Love and transformation that I find so healing right now.

Thank you Colm.