Colm Holland-Blog

DAY 10 - Melchizedek

We are a quarter of the way through our 40 days through and I trust you are gaining blessings from these Alchemy Meditations. Thank you for sending your comments to my Facebook page - where we all benefit from your insights.

In meditation 9, I mentioned the character of Melkizedek as he appears in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. In the story he appears to Santiago at the moment he is sitting in a market square thinking about not following his dream to find his treasure near the Pyramids.

Suddenly, an old man appears as if from nowhere and without any formal introduction he engages in conversation with Santiago. The old man’s initial questions and Santiago’s reactions are interesting. Even as Santiago continues reading his book, the old man points to the people in the plaza and asks the young shepherd to tell him what they are doing.

Then he asks for some wine and wants to see what Santiago is reading. Santiago considers simply getting up and moving away, but he obliges the old man out of a sense of respect for an older person. He gives the old man the book partly in the hope that he cannot read and will be embarrassed into leaving him alone.

At that moment the old man reveals his identity. He is from many places but was born in the ancient Middle Eastern town of Salem, where he is the king. His name is Melchizedek and he likens himself to a “Warrior of Light.” This is clearly a reference to the character of Melchizedek as he appears in Jewish scriptures.

He also knows Santiago’s dream and offers to tell him how to find the treasure in exchange for one-tenth of his sheep. He proceeds to write something mysterious in the sand where they are sitting. Then something quite supernatural takes place. Melchizedek opens his cape. A brilliant light reflects from his chest and blinds Santiago for a few moments.

When he can see again, he is able to read what Melchizedek has written in the sand: the names of Santiago’s family and secret things that he has never told anyone.

Melchizedek immediately tells him what he needs to do next. Santiago weighs his life options and chooses to follow his destiny. He heads off for Egypt and the Pyramids, where he will be exposed to the insights of alchemy and at the end of the journey he will find gold.

The story of The Alchemist makes it clear that without an awakening of our souls or an opening of our eyes to the existence of Love, there is no way forward in the realization of our treasure. In the brief moment that was a window into eternity, when time stood still and he became blind, Santiago entered into a new relationship with Love.

For him, Love was no longer something remote, distant or aloof. He was now aware that Love lived within his own being.

When Love comes to us, it’s usually at a time we least expect and in a form we don’t immediately recognize and more often than not it’s an agent of Love in human form.

Our meditation mantra today is:

I will learn to welcome Love when I least expect it.

And remember, to encourage you throughout these exercises I have asked Love to give you everything you need to be the Alchemist in your world.