Early investigators of natural processes centered their search on a mythical substance they knew as philosopher's stone, which was supposed to possess many valuable attributes such as the power to heal, to prolong life, and to change base metals into precious metal - such as gold.' (This 'philosopher's stone' was not a literal stone but instead a wax, liquid, or powder that held magical powers.)Īlchemy shows up in some odd places. To the alchemists, metals were not the unique substances that populate the Periodic Table, but instead the same thing in different stages of development or refinement on their way to spiritual perfection.Īs James Randi notes in his 'Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural,' 'Beginning about the year 100 and reaching its flower in medieval times, alchemy was an art based partly upon experimentation and partly upon magic. When a base, or common, metal such as lead was found, it was thought to simply be a spiritually and physically immature form of higher metals such as gold. Thank you in advance.Alchemy was rooted in a complex spiritual worldview in which everything around us contains a sort of universal spirit, and metals were believed not only to be alive but also to grow inside the Earth. Please support us by liking us on Facebook. Paracelsus is another example of the alchemists of the 16th chemist. They spent more than the time on alchemy than they spend on physics. The Europeans considered alchemy as a serious science up until the 16th century where scientists like Isaac Newton are seen devoting most of their time writing and studying about alchemy. The textual imagery, diagrams and symbols often associate alchemy to create something special - a magical force. The transformation of metals is the base of alchemy. In most books on alchemy it states the physical chemical substances and the materials of the molecular processes as ordinary metaphors of spiritual beings, ultimately, the transformation of the spirits.

This was the original alchemy’s foundation and thus considered inorganic and the substance of organic chemicals. In the middle ages, some alchemists started learning aspects of metaphysical. This can include refining and testing ore, gunpowder production, metalworking, paints, dyes, cosmetics, glass manufacture, ceramics, liquors, and preparation of extracts. Its BenefitĪlchemists have contributed to grow the knowledge of medicine and chemistry. We have all heard of the stone of the philosopher, especially from harry potter books. In medieval European and Arab traditions alchemists invested much in research. Alchemist wish to discover a universal solvent which can be used to dissolve a substance in existence. The alchemists aim is to transform common metals into silver or gold, which can then be used to cure all diseases and prolong life for an indefinitely. In popular language, it has come to be referred to as any magical powers, which can transform an object into higher value. We have all seen the images of a man surrounded by piles of books which are rare, manuscripts, retorts, test-tubes, alembics, and other items which are related to the chemical experiment. In the pictorial presentation, it is normally portrayed with a picture of a medieval philosophy in a laboratory. Most people think of it as a barbaric philosophy and refer to it as a chemistry. According to the occult the definition of alchemy is any practice that might be useful or add value of the materials which are unrefined. In ancient Egypt, in Mesopotamia, India, Egypt, Japan, Persia, China, Korea, Rome, and Greece, this practice is 2500 years old. The Tradition of AlchemyĪlchemy is an important part of the occult tradition which has been in practice for centuries.

The person who practices alchemy is referred to as the alchemist. All in all, alchemy is an idea which uses a catalyst to allow transformation. The Chinese alchemy relates to medicine and it is used to find a universal panacea. It relates to chemistry and it is seen in multiple cultures, there is Indian Alchemy and also Chinese. This is the combination of science and magic which converts a base metal into another of greater value like gold. Let’s first look at the meaning of being an alchemist and alchemy.

Alchemist meaning