As a practitioner of herbal medicine, I love making teas
and tinctures. A few years ago I
purchased several glass jars in which to store my dried herbs. Reading the label stating Hermetically Sealed Jars, a thought
occurred to me – “Alchemy is a strange thing.”
Everyone knows of it, but nobody seems to know about it. With the exception of those few students of
Esotericism, the concepts and ideals of Alchemy seems to be greatly misunderstood
among the common populous. At the very
best, the average person has been exposed to Alchemy only through cartoons,
movies, comic books and popular media.
What is failed to be realized is the tremendous impact Alchemy has had
on human evolution and civilization.
The word ‘Alchemist’ generally conjures images of greedy
Wizards working tirelessly to turn lead in gold. While it’s indeed true that the production of
gold was central to many schools of Alchemy, the Alchemist was certainty not a
mere money-maker focused on financial gain.
Although charlatans do exist in any professional arena, and there have
certainty been fraudulent Alchemist throughout history, the true Alchemist was
a holy-philosopher seeking to transmute the lead of his worldly existence in to
the pure gold of spiritual illumination.
Alchemy is in fact the oldest form of Science. It is the foundation of modern Chemistry,
Physics, Engineering, Medicine and Pharmacology. Every facet of modern science owes its
existence to the ancient craft of Alchemy.
Yet, the average person knows very little of what is called The Royal
Art.
The Alchemists were spiritual-scientists that explored the
supernatural realm questing for the ultimate truth of existence. Among the fruits of their labor, they would
produce for the modern world advanced systems of Chemistry, Anatomy,
Psychology, Astronomy and Spirituality.
They were Inventors, Philosophers, Doctors and Blacksmiths as well as being
Shamans, Priest, Healers, and Sages. Most
importantly, the Alchemists laid the foundation for those wishing to explore
the vast mysteries of existence.
Alchemy is a broad term which can refer to any number of
traditions from around the globe. Many
ancient cultures, including those of China, India, Europe and the Middle East,
have had long standing Alchemical traditions which can still be observed
today. Alchemy is said to have
originated in Ancient Egypt where the God Thoth - called Hermes Trismegistus in Greek - first inscribed the knowledge of
Alchemical Operations on an Emerald Tablet.
The Emerald Tablet of Hermes the
Three-Times-Great describes the “certain truth” that makes any physical or
spiritual science possible.
Alchemy can be described as a process of spiritual evolution
involving both the experiment and the experimenter. It is a way of expediting the natural
evolution of the universe in a manner observable by the limited view of the
Human Being. That is to say, Alchemy
seeks to speed-up nature’s inherent process of evolution. This is done through both
physical Chemistry, involving the production and consumption of various
Alchemical medicines, and through a process of internal prayer and
visualization meditation. Alchemy
functions under the postulate: “As Above, So Below.” This can be understood in one way to mean
that the Physical Realm affects the Spiritual Realm and vice versa. This can also mean that the mundane, worldly
existence has, in actuality, the same qualities inherent in the invisible, spiritual
word. Alchemists work to release these
spiritual qualities in their chemical operations and, more importantly, within
themselves.
While I was in school for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,
I was told by one instructor that all of Chinese Medicine came about in ancient
times via Alchemists seeking to produce an Elixir of Immortality. Their quest would lead them to classify many
medicinal herbs, create charts of human energetic circulation and produce one
of the most advanced medical systems on Earth.
From the tradition of Chinese Alchemy also emerges the practice of Qi
Gong, which can be viewed as Chinese Internal Alchemy. This practice involves physical exercises in
combination with deep breathing and meditation to produce Alchemical processes
in the body and spirit in order to achieve Immortality. The Philosophy of Chinese Taoism views the
concept of becoming an Immortal as more akin to being Spiritually Enlightened
than simply living forever or being unable to die. The Taoist Immortals, those who successfully
created and consumed the Elixir of Immortality, were imbued with great wisdom,
fortune and endless inner contentment. The search for Immortality was not without
its casualties, as it is reported that many Chinese Alchemists died consuming
concoctions containing Cinnabar – a mineral containing high a level of mercury.
The Alchemy of India is well document and Alchemical
Philosophy is woven into Schools of Esoteric Hinduism, Buddhism and Yoga. Some consider the Indian-Buddhist Philosopher
and Alchemist Nagarjuna to be the Father of modern Chemistry, having developed
or improved upon many of the apparatus necessary for chemical operations. Buddhist and Hindu Deities are often shown
consuming Amrita, the Nectar of Immortality described in the Indian creation
myth The Churning of the Ocean. Some Buddhas even bear names indicative of
Alchemical thought such as the Buddha Amitayus – a name which literally means ‘Infinite
Life.’
Medieval European Alchemy is possibly the most widely known
tradition of Alchemy. This tradition
would influence every major school of European thought from Freemasonry to Christianity
and give rise to Alchemical Fraternities such as the Germanic Order of the Gold
and Rosy Cross. The main objective of
the Alchemist was to create a Philosopher’s
Stone, a miraculous substance which brings any other substance to it
pinnacle of physical and spiritual evolution.
That is to say, it would turn lead into gold and human beings into
spiritual immortals.
The use of Spagyric, or Herbal Alchemy, in Europe would help
lead to the discovery and use of drugs as healing agents. In Spagyrics, an herb would be broken into
its fundamental parts and recombined to form a healing medicine. This process would lead to first extracting
of herbal chemical compounds, such as extracting Salicylic Acid from White
Willow Bark, effectively producing healing drugs such as Aspirin. The Royal Art of Alchemy would come to decline
and in 1661 Robert Boyle published a document titled “The Skeptical
Chemist.” This publication would put into question the
entire Theology and Philosophy of Alchemy, citing mathematical formulae to
explain alchemical operations. To be a
Chemist was to take on the physical and mental components of Alchemy, while
leaving its spiritual essence behind.
However obscure these ancient traditions of Alchemy may
seem, their influences cannot be ignored. From prescription medication to hermetically sealed jars, Alchemy is part of Human history. Perhaps it is even one of most important parts
of history. For more information on
Alchemy I recommend the book “The Path of Alchemy” by Mr. Mark Stavish.
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