It's a medieval chemical science of transforming base metals into gold. Practitioners can transform and change something in mysterious, impressive ways.
"Gold" is thought of as spiritual perfection, while the lesser "base" metals such as lead are impure states of the spirit, unenlightened and full of the problems of one's moral life.
What is alchemy?
I was listening to tarot readers on the internet and they always talk about the alchemical process. What does this mean?
4 answers
Practical alchemy is studying and manipulating properties of matter to get what you want out of the universe.
Alchemy is an ancient tradition, the primary objective of which was the creation of the mythical "philosopher's stone," which was said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver, and also act as an elixir of life that would confer youth and immortality upon its user.
There are 7 steps to the alchemical process:
1. Calcination: Heating a substance over a flame until it turns into ash. Breaking down the ego and attachment to the material world.
2. Dissolution: Letting ashes dissolve in water. Immersing into the unconscious realm of experience where the conscious mind releases control which allows the emergence of parts which are hidden about ourselves.
3. Separation - isolating and filtering products from the dissolution. Review resurfaced material and decide what to separate or integrate. What parts of our unconscious shadow can we learn from or be hindered by.
4. Conjunction - Form a new substance from separated elements that were kept. Merge the unconscious and conscious materials to form a new self. Union of dualities allow a true self to emerge.
5. Fermentation - Induce chemical breakdown of substance with bacteria. Initiation of spiritual consciousness through testing of the new solution. Suffering will bring resilience.
6. Distillation - Boil and condense solution to increase purity. Purification of spirit so the ego no longer has control over the self.
7. Coagulation - Transmutation into a solid state. The union of spirit and matter allows an openness to perceive the world without duality from all states of consciousness.
1. Calcination: Heating a substance over a flame until it turns into ash. Breaking down the ego and attachment to the material world.
2. Dissolution: Letting ashes dissolve in water. Immersing into the unconscious realm of experience where the conscious mind releases control which allows the emergence of parts which are hidden about ourselves.
3. Separation - isolating and filtering products from the dissolution. Review resurfaced material and decide what to separate or integrate. What parts of our unconscious shadow can we learn from or be hindered by.
4. Conjunction - Form a new substance from separated elements that were kept. Merge the unconscious and conscious materials to form a new self. Union of dualities allow a true self to emerge.
5. Fermentation - Induce chemical breakdown of substance with bacteria. Initiation of spiritual consciousness through testing of the new solution. Suffering will bring resilience.
6. Distillation - Boil and condense solution to increase purity. Purification of spirit so the ego no longer has control over the self.
7. Coagulation - Transmutation into a solid state. The union of spirit and matter allows an openness to perceive the world without duality from all states of consciousness.
1 answer