ALCHEMY

Of all the esoteric arts, none are more controversial than alchemy. Indeed, the standard image we have of the Magician – pointy hat, wise look on his ancient face, and surrounded by books and glass vials – is really that of the Alchemist.
Existing in a world of mystery, the Alchemist seemed to be a dark, occult shadow over much of Europe from Medieval times to the birth of the modern world. And his claims were quite often fantastic.

FAMOUS ALCHEMISTS

Europe produced many alchemists. 17th century physician Helvetius told of how a stranger showed him three sulphur-coloured lumps of stone. Stealing a fragment, Helvetius heated it in a crucible with lead, producing gold.
In 1782 a James Price took several distinguished men to his Surrey home where they claimed he turned mercury into silver and then gold. Around the same time Scottish alchemist Alexander Seton went throughout Europe with a yellow powder producing gold. The Elector of Saxony imprisoned and tortured him for the secret. Seton managed to escape but died shortly afterwards.
Perhaps the most famous Alchemist was the Count St Germain. First appearing in Vienna in 1740, this enigmatic man claimed to be immortal and to have achieved the most famous quest of the Alchemist.

WHAT IS ALCHEMY?

Alchemy is one of the Hermetic arts and is based on the idea that divine order was placed on the universe with ‘prima materia’ or first matter. Everything is made of this matter, which is, in essence, the Philosopher’s Stone.
Said to exist everywhere, if the ‘stone’ can be manufactured, then one thing can be transmuted into something more perfect, gold being the usual end product as it is perfect and most closely echoes the perfection of God.
The name alchemy comes from the Arab’s name for Egypt, ‘Khem,’ a country that took gold-working to great heights. The precursor of chemistry – most chemistry equipment was devised by alchemists – such notables as Albrecht, Roger Bacon and Isaac Newton were known to be alchemists.

METHODOLOGY

Greek philosopher Aristotle must have been aware of the practice as he incorporated it into his philosophy with the idea that the universe was made of ‘prime matter’, upon which ‘form’ could be impressed. The Arabs kept the secret alive, with alchemists such as Geber writing secret codes to hide the processes involved.
Arguably, this is where the coded occult ‘grimoires’ come from, with Geber being the basis for the word ‘gibberish.’ Even the father of modern chemistry, Paracelsus, was an alchemist, showing how the practice survived well into the ‘scientific’ period.
Aristotle said there were four elements, earth, air, fire and water. Paracelsus adapted this to claim all physical form, and the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone, laid in a mixture of three elements, mercury, sulphur and salt.
This is widely believed to be an infusion of Christian mysticism, with the elements symbolic of the Trinity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

FULCANELLI
Alchemical myths were many, and remain to this day. In 1926 a mysterious book appeared in Paris called the ‘Mystery of the Cathedrals.’ Written by someone calling himself Fulcanelli, he claimed the secret of alchemy is within the stonework of the great cathedrals such as Notre Dame.
The preface was written by one Eugene Canseliet, who claimed Fulcanelli was his master, who had disappeared in 1922. Later researchers claim that Canseliet saw Fulcanelli once more after this, some 30 years later, but Fulcanelli looked 30 years younger and, most strikingly, appeared to be a woman.

ELIXER OF LIFE

This brings us to the Elixir of Life, a by-product of the Philosopher’s Stone, granting immortality and perfect health. Alchemical myths speak of the process being androgynous, turning the person sexless.
Many ancient cathedrals symbolise this in the two faced figure, one an old man, the other a beautiful young woman. As to whether alchemy is still alive today, or what drives the process on, we have only to look at the craze of stopping the ageing process through cosmetic surgery. Look also to people like Michael Jackson, who appear to be becoming ageless, sexless and faceless – his own image of perfection.

ALCHEMICAL REALITIES

This aside, there is a reality to the premise of alchemy. Lower life forms ARE androgynous, or sexless, and transmutation of one element into another occurs naturally in the world.
As for first matter, the quantum field fits the bill perfectly, with everything being formed from its vibrations and, of course, its subatomic particles being everywhere. However misguided in its practice, alchemy seems to be based on intuitions of the true reality of the universal construct, and human ambition and aspiration.
Many researchers argue it was material greed that led to the idea of turning base metals into gold. Indeed, if we substitute hypnosis for magic, we can see how easily people could be fooled into believing the transmutation had occurred. But when Carl Jung decided to study alchemy, a different interpretation arose.

MYSTICISM BY ANOTHER NAME

To Jung, alchemy was not aimed at the transmutation of metals, but at the transmutation of the soul. Noting the mystical nature of the practice, alchemy, he said, is nothing more than the age old process of transcending normal consciousness and achieving an altered state – a state that seems to lie at the root of paranormal powers.
Is this the true reality of Alchemy – just mysticism by another name? Perhaps. But by allying mystical transformation to the transmutation of the physical world, did the practice guarantee transmutation of another kind?
Of the material world into the consumer society we hold so dear today. Indeed, could it have been the mysterious alchemists, strolling from one great city to another, filling the minds of early bankers such as the Medicis with wonder, who fuelled the capitalist revolution in the first place?
And if so, the impulse behind Alchemy and the world we live today is laid bare. For each and every one of us desires to transform our lives – through material gain and, for many, spiritual enlightenment – and, of course, to prolong life.

© Anthony North, June 2007

See Mysteries Page, above, for more mysteries
For current affairs, click Tony On – see Blogroll