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Alchemical Clinical Experience & Five Element Embodiment Retreat
A 10-Day Retreat for MAAP Students
Massachusetts | May 1–10, 2026
Ten days of Alchemical clinical experience and Five Element embodiment work.
Daily qi movement & meditation
Ling-Shu clinical sessions + tutorial feedback
Snacks every day
2 Group dinners with teaching (5/6 and 5/9)
Three Options
Join us for the full 10 day experience, or adjust the retreat for your needs. We realized all our students have different needs.
Complete 10-Day Experience (May 1-10)
Includes:
- Advanced Alchemy Clinical Experience
- The Art of Five Element Embodiment
- Foundational Alchemy Clinical Experience
Foundation Experience (May 5-10)
- The Art of Five Element Embodiment: The work students credit as their biggest breakthrough to Elemental understanding
- Foundational Alchemy Clinical Experience: Ghost Points and Stage 1 treatments + tutorials, feedback, hands-on practice.
Advanced Experience (May 1–6)
- Advanced Alchemy Clinical Experience: Heart Pains, Starry Sky Points, Stages 3 and 4 + tutorials, feedback, hands-on practice
- The Art of Five Element Embodiment: The work students credit as their biggest breakthrough to Elemental understanding.
Retreat Full Schedule
Friday, May 1
- Evening – Arrival by 6:00
- Class and meditation 7:00
Saturday, May 2
- 9:00 am – Qi Movement/Meditation
- 10:00 am-5:00 pm – Clinical Day 1 (Heart Pains and/or Starry Sky Points treatments)
- End of day – Tutorial (immediately following the session to discuss treatment)
- Evening – Dinner on your own
Sunday, May 3
- 8:00 AM – Qi Movement/ Meditation
- 9:00 am – Follow-up treatments
- 10:00 am-5:00 pm – Long clinical sessions
- End of day – Tutorial (immediately following the session to discuss treatment)
Monday, May 4
- 8:00 am – Qi Movement/ Meditation
- 9:00 am-2:00 pm – Follow-up treatments + 1-hour Alchemy clinicals
- Tutorials & integration
- Wrap – Early afternoon
Day 1 – Tuesday, May 5
- 9:00-9:30 am – Five Element Embodiment Movement exercises, music, feeling the energy in our bodies – getting into embodiment and setting the container
- 9:30-10:15 am – Framework Teaching What is Alchemical Presence? How to shift Qi through elements. What you’ll experience today
- 10:15-Noon – WOOD Exercises
- 12:00-1:00 pm – LUNCH & Walking Observation
- 1:00-2:45 pm – FIRE Exercises
- 2:45-3:00pm – BREAK
- 3:00-3:30 pm – EARTH Exercises
Day 2 – Wednesday, May 6
- 8:00-9:00 am – Opening Meditation Arriving, centering, preparing for Metal and Water
- 9:15-9:45 am – METAL Exercises
- 11:00-11:15 am – BREAK
- 11:15-11:45 am – WATER Exercises
- 1:00-2:00 pm – LUNCH
- 2:00-4:30 pm – Integration & Q&A
- 4:30-5:00 pm – Closing Circle
- 5:00-6:00 break
- 6:00 Group Dinner/Evening Party
Thursday, May 7
- 8:00 am – Qi Movement/Meditation
- 9:00 am-5:00 pm – Clinical Day 1
- End of day – Tutorial
- Evening – Free
Friday, May 8
- 8:00 am – Qi Movement/Meditation
- 9:00 am – Follow-up treatments
- 10:00 am-5:00 pm – Long clinical sessions
- End of day – Tutorial
- Evening – Free
Saturday, May 9
- 8:00 am – Qi Movement/Meditation
- 9:00 am-5:00 pm – Clinical Day 3
- End of day – Tutorial
- Evening – Group Dinner/Class
Sunday, May 10
- 8:00 am – Qi Movement/Meditation
- 9:00 am-12:00 pm – Follow-up treatments + 1-hour Alchemy clinicals
- Noon – 1:00 pm Tutorials & integration
- Afternoon – Departure
Retreat & Training Sessions Pricing
Advanced Clinical Experience
(6-Days)
$1188 or $400/month for 3 months
The Advanced Clinical Experience: Heart Pains, Starry Sky Points, and Stage 3-6 of Alchemy treatments + The Art of Five Element Embodiment.
Foundational Clinical Experience(6-Days)
$1188 or $400/month for 3 months
The Art of Five Element Embodiment + Ghost Points and Stage 1 of Alchemy.
Complete 10-Day Experience (10-Days)
$1888 or $633/month for 3 months
The Advanced Clinical Experience + The Art of Five Element Embodiment + The Foundational Clinical Experience.
Logistics
Location: Alchemy Healing Center, Northampton, Massachusetts
Dates: May 1-10, 2026
Lodging: Students are responsible to arrange their own local accommodations
Meals: Snacks provided on clinical days. Group dinners are included on Wednesday 5/6 and Saturday 5/9. We may gather for informal dinners on other evenings. All other meals are on your own.
PLEASE NOTE- For Treatments: If you’d like to receive a treatment or be supervised giving one, please let us know ASAP. We are trying to accommodate as many students as possible. We are scheduling treatment slots in the next week, so please register or email us so we can fit everyone in. Thank You!
Registration Options
Year 2 & 3 Students:
You’re welcome to come for 6 or 10 days. Choose either:
- Advanced Clinical + Five Element Embodiment (May 1-6)
- Full 10-day experience (May 1-10)
Year 1 Students:
You’re welcome to come for 6 or 10 days. Choose either:
- Foundational Clinical + Five Element Embodiment (May 5-10)
- Full 10-day experience (May 1-10)
FAQ's
Yes. You can receive a treatment for an additional fee. Let us know right away if you wish to do so and once you sign up, we can hold your spot. We prioritize people coming from long distances in assigning treatments. We hope and try our best to accommodate everyone who wishes to have one. But please let us know your preference.
- A Ling-Shu treatment with a certified practitioner is $1800.
- If you wish to receive a treatment by a student being supervised, the cost is $900.
- If you are ready and wish to be supervised while giving a treatment, that’s $900.
Fees can be paid at the retreat.
If you wish to get certified in MAAP, you will need to fulfill our requirements for certification. The retreats are the best option for getting those requirements.
That said, students who attend may wish to experience this work for their own personal growth and Alchemy. Whenever we witness a treatment, we also receive the treatment.
We recommend that you pay your deposit by end of February (through the payment plan option) or pay all at once by end of February.
We understand that life gets in the way sometimes. We will give a partial and fair refund if you are unable to attend, depending on the timing and our expenses that were pre-paid or expected based on your attendance.
About Alchemy Learning Center
The Alchemy Learning Center was founded by Leta Herman and Jaye McElroy to make Alchemical Chinese Medicine accessible to modern practitioners and self-cultivators.
Leta studied for over 20 years with Master Jeffrey Yuen, learning the deep spiritual and alchemical aspects of this medicine. Jaye developed the Alchemy Life Strategy system, merging Five Elements with Nine Palaces for practical life application.
Together, they’ve trained hundreds of students in this profound work—both practitioners and people doing it for their own personal transformations.
This is ancient wisdom, transmitted teacher to student, and adapted for modern life.
We’re honored to walk this path with you.
Leta Herman
Co-Founder
Leta Herman is an Alchemical Healer, Chinese Medicine teacher, Podcast host of the Inspired Action Podcast, as well as author of Through the Mystery Gate, The Energy of Love, Connecting Your Circle, and The BIG “Little” Gua Sha Book. She is the co-founder of the Alchemy Healing Center, a very active Chinese Medicine clinic in Northampton, MA dedicated to helping clients find their true potential through Alchemical transformation. She is the driving force behind the new Alchemy Learning Center, offering online classes and live events related to The Five Elements, The Nine Palaces, and Alchemy.
Jaye McElroy
Co-Founder
Jaye McElroy is an Alchemical Life Strategist, Podcast host of the Inspired Action Podcast, as well as author of Through the Mystery Gate, The Energy of Love, Connecting Your Circle, and The BIG “Little” Gua Sha Book. She is the co-founder of the Alchemy Healing Center, a very active Chinese Medicine clinic in Northampton, MA dedicated to helping clients find their true potential through Alchemical transformation. She is a co-founder of the new Alchemy Learning Center, offering online classes and live events related to The Five Elements, The Nine Palaces, and Alchemy.
