The Alchemy Map
The Alchemy Map provides a visual framework organized along the coordinates of space and time. Any emotion a person can experience can be placed somewhere on this map. By locating an emotion and tracing it back to its origin, the map supports deeper understanding and intentional emotional navigation.
The X‑axis represents Time, stretching into the past on one side and into the future on the other.
The Y‑axis represents Space, or the sense of psychological distance from the Oneness, the Source.
The Origin is the Source itself, the state of pure presence, where there is no past or future, no separation or comparison—only being.
Emotions on the Map
Subtle Emotions
Arises within the time or space domain by projecting on to past/future or separating from the source.
Examples: Fear, Sadness Superiority, Inferiority
Strong Emotions
Emerges when subtle emotions are projected onto a person or situation.
Examples: Anger, Hatred, Pride, Shame
Complex Emotions
Are combinations of multiple subtle emotions interacting at once.
Examples: Despair, Insecurity, Doubt, Contempt
Source Circles
The Source Circles represents 5 layers of awareness – Charity, Truth, Awakening, Kingdom of Heaven and Love of God. Each layer represents a deeper layer of perception.
Expectations, Fear, and Anger
As we move through life, we build expectations of how our future should look like. These imagined futures become the scaffolding we lean on to make decisions and to maintain a sense of direction. When anything threatens that mental picture, this is when fear emerges. When we assign responsibility of fear on someone who is causing us to be scared, this is when anger emerges. Fear is felt within whereas anger is the projection of that fear on someone else. If we are unable to assign responsibility of that fear to another person, the emotion ends up as frustration.
At times our minds drift back to past experiences marked by disappointment or unmet expectations, this is when sadness begins to surface. And when we assign responsibility of this sadness on someone else who caused us to make us feel this way, this is when hate emerges. Sadness is felt within ourselves whereas hate is the projection of that sadness on another person. If we project the sadness on to ourself who is responsible for, the emotion ends up as regret.
As we move through life, we often feel a longing to become something greater than who we currently are. This longing gives rise to our ambitions and desires. At its core, this impulse comes from the spirit’s yearning to return to its source, the profound oneness shared by all beings. However, because we tend to identify primarily with our physical form and the mind-made self, the mind interprets this spiritual longing as a need to become bigger than others. From this arises the feelings of superiority. It is a sense of being above others, which leads to avoiding genuine connection in order to preserve an inflated sense of self-worth. When projected onto a person or situation, it appears as pride or ego. When this superiority cannot be maintained through comparison, it turns into jealousy.
There are moments when we feel out of rhythm with the world around us. We look at others and cannot quite find where we belong, as though everyone else has been given a map that somehow, we missed it. In these moments, a quiet sense of separation begins to form. This feeling often arises when we believe we lack something—knowledge, skill, strength, confidence, or some essential quality we imagine others possess with ease. Even though no one seeks this experience, life inevitably places us in situations where we feel small, unseen, or inadequate. This inner contraction is what we call inferiority. It is sense of being below others, which also leads to disconnection, this time because one feels unworthy or unable to meet others at the same level. When projected onto a person or to oneself perceived as causing this feeling, it manifests as low self-esteem. When tied to a situation, it appears as shame.
Navigating Strong Emotions
When we find ourselves caught in one of these stronger emotions – fear, hate, pride, shame – the first step is to trace it back to its origin—the subtler emotion beneath it.
We can turn inward and ask ourselves questions such as:
What fear is giving rise to my anger?
What sadness is fueling my hate?
Is there pride or jealousy in me, and what am I trying to feel superior to?
Am I feeling shameful, and what sense of inferiority is feeding it?
In identifying these underlying feelings, we stop projecting them onto people or situations and instead take full responsibility for what arises within us. When the responsibility rests with us, the emotion becomes far easier to understand, work with, and ultimately transform.
Navigating Subtle Emotions
When we are experiencing subtler emotions, one powerful way to redirect our energy back to the Source is through self-inquiry. Asking the right questions helps shift our attention from the mind’s projections to what is emerging from the Source itself. Each Source Circle offers a distinct kind of question that aligns us with its nature:
From the Circle of Charity:
What does Lord/Universe want me to do at this very moment?
Am I doing it for the benefit of all including me?
From the Circle of Truth:
Are my thoughts and actions creating a sense of worthiness within me?
From the Circle of Awakening:
Am I able to witness the emotions without becoming it like a character in a video game?
From the Circle of Kingdom of Heaven:
Can I feel compassion toward those I perceive as enemies?
Am I able to maintain within a spirit that overflows rather than one that grasps?
From the Circle of Love of God:
Is feeling the Love of God the only priority of my life?
Sam Sri Spirituality 