Alchemy of our times

“As above, so below.”

The planet speaking now is Mercury — on vacation — having slowed into retrograde motion. It follows its usual thrice-a-year pattern: three weeks of reversal, retreat and reflection. It is the time of the “re-”: rethinking, reviewing, revisiting, remembering, renewing. But Mercury is not alone. Saturn, the planet of karma and form, is also on pause. Neptune, ruler of dreams and illusions, joins in the stillness. Recently, Jupiter — the planet of expansion and spirituality — followed suit, as if the cosmos itself decided to take a collective breath.

When so many celestial forces slow down, it’s as if the heavens are asking us to do the same — to stop pushing forward and instead turn within. To reflect on what we are creating, on what needs to be dismantled, on what illusions must dissolve.

The Western astrological reading of cosmic energies is not merely a set of metaphors but a map of living forces that influence our material world. And then I am reminded that we are in the final phase of the Chinese Astrology Year of the Snake, 2025 — the year known in ancient cycles as the “great shedding.” The snake sheds its skin not once but continuously, symbolizing transformation and rebirth. This year has already shown us that alchemy — the transformation of chaos into wisdom — is a lived necessity.

Fear. Did we not meet fear head-on these past months? We witnessed Mother Nature’s wrath through two powerful typhoons — winds raging, rivers overflowing, mountains sliding down in waves of mud and debris. The devastation echoed through the cries of desperate people who lost everything: homes, livelihoods, even loved ones swept away. Scientists will cite climate change, deforestation and poor urban planning as causes, but we all know the deeper truth: these are the consequences of human corruption and neglect. Forests denuded, rivers clogged, flood-control projects turned into profit schemes. When the rain came, it carried not only water but the weight of our collective irresponsibility. Fear was palpable. And with it came the thought that no matter what we do, it is never enough.

Then came Anger.
Anger because justice against greed and corruption remains painfully slow. Anger that those entrusted with power continue to steal from the people — funds meant for infrastructure, farmers, health care, education, disaster preparedness — diverted into private pockets to feed the ego. Anger, too, at the desecration of our planet. We watch developers raze sacred land, flatten forests and kill trees in the name of “progress.” In our own communities, we see disregard for the natural world — plastic waste, polluted rivers, lifeless soil. Whether I am at the beachfront or deep in the rainforest where I often go, there is anger inside me as I witness the harm we inflict upon Mother Earth. And what fuels this anger further? Perhaps the realization that we allowed this for too long. That silence, indifference and comfort have made us complicit.

And then came Helplessness.
I stood at my window during the storm, listening to the wind’s howl, feeling the walls tremble, aware of how small we truly are against nature’s power. I felt the helplessness of a nation — Cebu and Negros Occidental in devastation, the northern regions bracing for impact — praying collectively that the worst would pass. Yet in that stillness of surrender, something shifted. Fear began to transmute. In power and faith — not fear — I prayed. I sensed that millions of hearts across the country were doing the same, meeting the storm with faith rather than panic.

This, I realized, is the hidden alchemy of the Filipino spirit. When faced with destruction, we call forth the divine from within. We transform fear into faith, chaos into courage. We laugh, we sing, we help one another through the debris. Our resilience is not passive endurance — it is alchemy in motion.

So how do we alchemize chaos into creation?

First, through the mind. We begin by shifting perception. We are not helpless. The mind is the crucible where transformation starts. Every negative thought, when consciously redirected toward light, becomes a seed of renewal. The Filipino gift of humor and optimism — sometimes mistaken for denial — is, in truth, an ancient instinct for survival through alchemy. We turn tears into laughter, despair into song, destruction into rebuilding.

Once the mind shifts, emotion follows. Emotion is energy in motion—our inner electricity. When we align our hearts with hope and compassion, that energy propels us into action. Action for the greater good. Action to serve, to clean up, to rebuild, to advocate. To demand accountability from our leaders — yes — but also to examine our own choices and how we contribute to the whole.

Even now, we continue to help in any way we can after the typhoon disaster. My heart breaks listening to stories of people who lost their life savings — everything they worked for — washed away. The desperate struggles of ordinary people are painfully real. And each of us must do what we can to reach out and uplift. We must embrace the power of collective action for positive change. We must advocate for caring for the earth and push for all sustainable means possible — in our daily lives, businesses and work.

This is the essence of the Year of the Snake: shedding illusions, shedding falsehoods, shedding what no longer serves. For individuals, it means releasing old habits, fears and relationships built on pretense. For society, it means confronting corruption, systemic decay and outdated beliefs that keep us divided and dependent.

This “great shedding” is uncomfortable, ugly and painful. We are in the difficult stage of scraping away layers of corruption, greed, and complacency. But we must trust that beneath it lies renewal — if we dare to remain awake through the process.

As Mercury continues its retrograde dance, use these three weeks to regenerate. Rethink your priorities. Review what you’ve built and what needs to be released. Revise your plans not out of fear but with clarity and intention. Because when 2026 dawns, we will need clear eyes and refined vision — to rebuild not just structures, but consciousness itself.

Alchemy, after all, begins within. It is the art of turning lead into gold — not physical gold, but spiritual illumination. The storms, the anger, the helplessness, the desperation — these are the lead of our times. Our task is to find within them the gold of wisdom, compassion and collective awakening. We are the alchemists of this new era. The alchemy we must learn now is the alchemy of changing energies. And as the snake sheds its skin, may we, too, emerge renewed — lighter, clearer and closer to truth.