Hey guys,
Right in this thread I hope that I will be able to share some of my knowledge about a subject called Alchemy. In Alchemy there are three types, I will be looking at all of these with you.
Right, to start we'll look at Hermetic Alchemy. Also known as Spiritual Alchemy. It's purpose is changing the soul from Lead (dormant) to Gold (Awakened). They believed that by spending large amounts of time meditating they would convert their soul, to my knowledge is this right. They noticed that as they meditated the color inside of your eyelids would change. This is how they knew that they had achieved a higher state of Spirituality.
Although it is more commonly divided into three parts, it can be divided into the 7 metals (see below). The three stages that it is most commonly divided into are Nigredo (black), Albedo (white) and Rubedo (red). These are what they worked through, the colors that are listed at the side are the color that is seen on the inside of your eyelids.
Their were also 7 metals that a Hermetic Alchemist would have to meditate through to get to Gold/Highest Spiritual State (as I was saying before). These 7 Metals/States are:
1. Mercury, planet Mercury. The substance, the Matter to be worked on. originally you have to find out what it is. For the Hermetic Alchemists it is of course you yourself, what includes your body, your mind and your divine essence.
2. Lead, planet Saturn. The beginning of the state of Blackness. The Matter is putrefying and dissolving.
3. Tin, planet Jupiter. The color gray that appears at the end of the process of Blackness, when the Matter has been purified to almost a perfect white. Jupiter is the son of Saturn, therefore he is the next stage.
4. Copper, planet Venus. The citrine color. Venus is the next stage because she was born when the testicles of Jupiter, cut off by his father Saturn, fell into the sea.
5. Silver, the Moon. The white color, corresponding to the state of Whiteness or Albedo. The Matter has been completely purified. In Greek mythology the Moon is symbolized by the huntress goddess Diane. Diane is the daughter of Jupiter and Latone.
6. Iron, planet Mars. Mars is the friend and lover of Venus. Orange or rust-red color, like the light of dawn. It is the state during which the Matter starts to become red.
7. Gold, the Sun. This is the last state, the red color or Rubedo. Here the Matter is called Red Sulfur, among other terms. The sun god Apollo.
Those that had achieved Rubedo (or Gold) were considered as gods among men. They were so wise and exalted they were often trusted by entire communities. Although achieving this state is possible, it is no walk in the park. It requires dedication and a extraordinary amount of time. But I have meditated with a man who has achieved this and just being in the same room as him while he was meditating felt like I was in the presence of a god. He also has a skill in divination in which he can name you every commercial that will happen on the tv and it will. He can even do it for a channel you are not watching.
Now then, here is the second of the three subjects. Herbal Alchemy. There is very little to write about this subject. Mainly because it is very new in comparison with Hermetic Alchemy. It dates back about a hundred-two hundred years back, when someone discovered that by mixing different herbs he could achieve strange things. Although that could be considered as Herbalism by most it was preformed differently. It was made through the usage of the same items as Practical Alchemy (next subject). I am not a believer that this makes to much of a difference from normal Herbalism, but I thought I would write a short paragraph anyway.
Now for the third and final part we'll be looking at Practical Alchemy. This is were base metals are converted into gold and silver. This is a process of trail and error, there is no single easy way of getting it done. Although a few people have done it over the time we as human have been on this planet there is still no direct instructions. But their are methods that can be easily done, just there is a very high risk of being killed or it just not working. You will notice if you choose to study this that it was mainly people that had achieve Rubedo are the ones who have actually preformed Practical Alchemy correctly. Their writings can be found in various books but it is best to read the non-translated versions as Hebrew doesn't convert straight to English.
Practical Alchemy is the oldest version of Chemistry. If you look at the two words, alCHEMy and CHEMistry. I have caped the letters that prove a obvious link in the two. Also by learning about Practical Alchemy you are also learning modern day Chemistry.
If any of you are interested in learning/talking about this subject please mail me, as I know how hard it is to find someone who knows at least a few methods. But I have yet to meet anyone who has actually turned a base metal into gold.
So that is that I hope that I have helped you learn about the Three types of Alchemy known. So this should help lift confusion on people saying just "Alchemy".
