Alchemy
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Book of Gold
Contents
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[edit] Is this book for me?
Alchemical text books are by their nature interactive. They do not encourage sponge mentality but higher functioning. If you are the sort of person who thinks everything about a subject can be learned from an encyclopedia then please refer to the excellent section on Alchemy at Wikipedia. This text expects you to get involved, to engage yourself as you review the text.
Some have disputed the factual accuracy of this module. In fact it is inaccurate to the point of trancending the lesser truths of right and wrong. So be prepared not to believe all the beliefs recorded here.
[edit] Alchemy: What is it and why is it relevant today?
Historically Alchemy was an art and fledgling science that eventually lead to the present Wiki Books. The result was that knowledge was gained. Unfortunately, the secretive nature of the early alchemists meant that knowledge was not always shared.
Mythologically, Alchemy started with *Hermes the Thrice Great* who had three distinct forms or incarnations. Early alchemists were directly involved in metal working and forging gold. The history of alchemy includes two main components: the outer and the inner or secret history. The inner history is only passed on orally and therefore is only available to initiates.
Genuine alchemical work is always (completely encrypted) and unnoticed. The resurgence of alchemy is very much due to the failure and imbalance inherent in left-brain science. Alchemy as a holistic science values both intuition and artistic interpretation that is contrary to linear thought processes. A sentient computer could never understand Alchemy.
[edit] History and Significance
[edit] Esoteric History of Alchemy
Alchemy started in prehistory and we have no record of this and have to use intuition and the psyche to address this area
[edit] Egyptian
[edit] Greek
[edit] Arabic
[edit] Kabalistic
[edit] Indian
[edit] Chinese
[edit] Western
[edit] Synthesis
The development of modern science
The early history of science integrated the search for truth with a religious component. Modern secularised science felt this aspect of the search for knowledge was contrary to its aims and marginalised any elements with a religious or mystical content.
Alchemists regard 'science' as a 'bastard son' of their Arte. The reason being the moral and spineless pursuit of knowledge bereft of consequence or foresight. Alchemy is more influential than it has ever been. The nature of this influence is found in the Emerald Tablet.
[edit] The Philosopher's Stone -- Alchemy and the Physical Sciences
The early history of science integrated the search for truth with a religious component. Modern secularised science felt this aspect of the search for knowledge was contrary to its aims and marginalised any elements with a religious or mystical content. Chemistry is most often associated with alchemy but it can be seen even today in medicine with the caduceus (the staff of Hermes) being the recognised symbol for medicine. The agenda of alchemy has always been the furtherance of human knowledge and the integration and improvement of society. Alchemy has also been a technological system, interested in working operations and the preparation of material wealth, longevity and a big theory of everything now being attempted by 'puffer' physics.
[edit] Relationship to Chemistry
Francis Bacon in 1200 came across a recipe involving honey (carbon) and brimstone (sulphur) which created a volatile explosive mixture. Realising the military potential of this substance he did not release this information and it was another 200 years before the use of gunpowder was 'discovered' by the Western militia.
[edit] Relationship to Metallurgy
The charlatans of science claimed that the transmuation of one element into another was impossible. Then they started to understand how this was possible and began to do so.
Now we have quantum science in which observation is altering the nature of reality at the quantum level. Alchemy has always in the operative phase used observation to alter the nature of the Great Work
Atomic table
[edit] Relationship to Material Science
[edit] Relationship to Physics
===The Elixir homunculus
[edit] =
Alchemy is most often associated with chemistry, but it can be seen even today in medicine with the caduceus (the staff of Hermes) being the recognised symbol for medicine.
Elixirs, Caduceus, Bombastus
[edit] Spagyrism
Spagyrism is the practical application of alchemy in medical treatment. Philippus Theophrast Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), commonly homunculuscalled Paracelsus, was one of the most famous spagyrists. "The physician," he wrote, "is he who in the bodily diseases takes the place of God and administers for Him."
[edit] Distilling the Soul -- Alchemy and the Perfection of the Spirit
[edit] Relationship to Religion
Influence on magic, ritual, Christianity, Rasayana, Taoism, Elixirs
[edit] Relationship to Mysticism
[edit] Relationship to Psychology
Jung, dream analysis
[edit] Theory
[edit] Pre Chemistry
[edit] Aims of Alchemy
Alchemists of the middle ages devoted their lives to discover the Elixir of Life. The Elixir of life was able to turn any metal, like iron, into gold.
Another work of the alchemist was to create a homunculus. This is a man made by man.
[edit] Speculative Alchemy
[edit] Operative Alchemy
[edit] The Elements
water earth fire air
[edit] The States
-solid -liquid -gas -jelly -Newtonian plasma -Condensate super semifluids -Butteriness -non-Newtonian fluids -Jesus -magical Bose-Einstein condensates (with magic!)
[edit] Practice
[edit] The Processes
[edit] Distillation
The separation of a volatile component from a substance by heating so as to drive off the component as a vapour which is condensed and collected in a cooler part of the apparatus.
[edit] Coagulation
The conversion of a thin liquid into a solid mixture through some inner change, as with yogurt. This can be accomplished by a variety of means - by the addition of a substance, by heating or cooling.
[edit] Dissolution
The dissolving or transforming of a substance into a liquid.
[edit] Filtration
[edit] Calcination
[edit] Deconstruction
[edit] Reconstruction
[edit] Symbology
[edit] The Role of Symbolism
[edit] The Animals
Since the beginning of human thought, animals have represented a number of things, from cunning to bravery to cowardliness. One needs only to look at literature from around the world to find stories about how Fox tricked Buffalo or how Mouse befriended Cat. (On a side note, one story we usually don't think of as such is the famous story of how Snake tricked Human, but that is a story for another book.)
[edit] Ouroboros
The ouroboros is a snake, serpent or dragon that has its tail in its teeth, forming a circle. It symbolizes the continuity of life; that idea that in every ending there is a beginning.
[edit] Phoenix
The phoenix can represent a number of things. It is courage, it is kindness, it is rebirth, it is Fire. It helps those in need, its tears heal and it is reborn from its own ashes when it dies.
[edit] Dragon
[edit] Eagle
[edit] Lion
The size, power, and bearing of the lion have captured the human imagination since biblical times. The lion's strength and courage have made him a symbol of power. The lion is mentioned many times in the bible such as "the lion of the tribe of Judah." Because of its noble character and lordly might, the lion is rightly called the "king of the beasts." Conversely, recent history has shown the lion to be "the beast of kings," namely Richard the Lion-hearted of England, William the Lion of Scotland, and Henry the Lion of Saxony and Bavaria. Heraldry is the science of decorating coats of arms. Animals and designs taken from nature were favorite heraldic devices. Excluding fabled monsters such as the dragon, the griffin, the wyvern, and the unicorn, the most popular of the more ordinary animals was the lion, which has also appeared as a part of the legendary Chimera as well as a number of other mythical amalgams. The second of the Plantagenets to rule England (1189-1199) was richard I called Coeur de Lion, or Richard the Lion-hearted. He was the first English king known to bear a coat of arms. After Richard, many knights chose the lion, a symbol of courage, as their emblem (Lewed).
[edit] Unicorn
[edit] The Colours
Some modern alchemists whisper of the 'Second Opus' in which a new colour is engaged. However this is not the time or place for credibility
[edit] Red
[edit] Yellow
[edit] White
[edit] Black
The black, Niger or nigredo corresponds to the primary earth matter of alchemy. In speculative and internal systems it is about the sealing of enegy and the gestation of spiritual force. In many systems of the lowest being the most exalted, black represents the fana-il fana of the dervishes, the dark feminine principle of High Magik, the 'dark' Luciferic degrees of Masonry and so on.
[edit] The Numbers
[edit] The Planets
In alchemical systems, several astronomical bodies are considered to have influence on the results of one's investigations. These bodies are grouped together under the category of "planets", although the alchemical system includes both the sun and the moon, neither of which is a planet in astronomical science.
each "planet" has it's own relation to metal
[edit] Sun
Gold, male
[edit] The Moon
silver, female
[edit] Mercury
mercury
[edit] Venus
copper
[edit] Mars
iron
[edit] Jupiter
tin
[edit] Saturn
lead
[edit] Modern planets
[edit] Alchemy Today
Development of alternative science, complementary medicine, homeopathy, overunity, radionics and pseudoscience.
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] References
[edit] Primary Texts
[edit] Additional Reading
Adam McLean's Alchemy Web Site
It's Not Just for the Middle Ages Anymore
The Skeptic's Dictionary on Alchemy
[edit] Where do these sections go?
[edit] Relationship to Media
Films, symbols, Ben Johnson Alchemist
[edit] Relationship to Language
Filtration, distillation
Deciphering the blinds and codes
[edit] Proponents
Isaac Newton considered his alchemical work of far more importance than the scientific work he is renowned for. At the time due to the influence of the Church all knowledge was required to have a religious significance, just as today the scientific establishment requires that its work does not have such a component.
Isaac Newton, Jung, Pope?, King?,
[edit] Achievements
Metal work, allopathic medicine, chemical and industrial processes, psychology, cryptology, laboratory equipment. Scientific methodology (in particular documenting and verifying experiments) are some of the well known influences of Alchemy.
