| Alchemy, in its essence, implies changing the nature of | | | | publications came to existence requiring scholarly |
| things. In the lore of some societies, this came to mean | | | | inquisition on the art (or science) of alchemy. |
| a lot over the course of time. | | | | If alchemy's first obsession was gold, the second was |
| Birds were thought to be the symbols of alchemy. | | | | to discover a potion that would prolong life, or better |
| Phoenix, Raven, White Swan, Peacock, and Pelican | | | | yet, that would make man immortal. The third |
| corresponded to an inner experience and inner | | | | obsession of alchemy has been the manufacture of |
| dimension of spiritual being. The alchemist or the poet | | | | human life, artificially of course, which is scary. I imagine |
| who observed the birds saw an image of the human | | | | it ending up like the dry leaves parable. |
| soul going through a development that freed it from | | | | Transmutation of metals could supposedly be |
| the earthly things, because the birds took flight | | | | accomplished by the Philosopher's Stone, which had |
| between the physical and spiritual worlds and, if they | | | | been associated with the Salt of the World, The Elixir |
| landed, they landed on the Tree of Life or the Stone | | | | and the like. In its conceptual form the stone reflected |
| of wisdom. | | | | higher wisdom and intelligence. |
| William Blake wrote: | | | | The entire process of alchemy was based upon the |
| "How do you know but ev'ry Bird that cuts the airy | | | | research and examination of nature and the way in |
| way, | | | | which it operated, how the metals became metals |
| Is an immense world of delight, clos'd by your senses | | | | inside the depths of the earth, and how sulphur and |
| five?" | | | | mercury acted upon them. |
| In most traditions, the language of birds is the tongue of | | | | According to alchemists, nature was divided into male |
| Secret Wisdom, through myth and symbolism, not only | | | | and female and also into four regions: dry, cold, warm, |
| in Alchemy but also in Kabbalah, Astrology, and Tarot. | | | | and moist. Ayurveda healing comes to mind; although, I |
| Alchemy was considered to be as deplorable as black | | | | don't recall if or how the two can be connected. Into all |
| magic at one time; yet, at another time and place, it | | | | this study, of course, went the alchemist's character, |
| was lauded as being the highest form of science | | | | which had to be truthful. |
| bordering with art for being the science through which | | | | Someday, all these things that alchemy wanted to |
| the baser materials like copper were changed into gold | | | | accomplish may be possible through science. But what |
| and silver. | | | | then? What if we changed everything into gold? |
| I remember from the time when I was into the Middle | | | | Remember the story of Midas? |
| Eastern lore that there was this saint who could | | | | What if the thing we changed with good intentions |
| change dry leaves into gold through a formula given to | | | | through alchemy or science resulted in calamity? I |
| him by the Creator. Of course, being a saint, he didn't | | | | have a feeling that in order to dare change the base |
| need the gold, so he changed the gold back to dried | | | | or nature of anything, one has to know everything in its |
| leaves in one night. This is a parable, as the human | | | | entirety. Possibly, that privilege belongs only to the |
| imagination has no bounds. | | | | Creator. |
| The earliest form of alchemy existed in old Egypt | | | | One may use alchemy in another way, however. A |
| where magic ruled. Ancient Egyptians believed that | | | | soft word, a friendly smile, a holding of a hand, and our |
| magical powers existed in metallic things, alloys, and | | | | intent for world peace can be the best Philosopher's |
| the like. Chances are, the whole thing was based on | | | | Stone we can use. Maybe this way, we won't have to |
| Hermes Trismegistus's art from the ancient Greek | | | | change the essence of anything and anyone, but we |
| times. The seed or at least the hope of alchemy | | | | may help them find a full meaning inside their basic |
| subsisted also inside Europe's bronze working classes | | | | framework. |
| and in old Byzantium. Over the centuries, numerous | | | | |