Back in History Alchemy

By Alexandra Mustatea

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I guess we all heard about Paulo Coelhos book The Alchemist or about the anime
Full metal alchemist, even in Harry Potter, there was a whole volume about the
Philosophers
Stone, the stone that can bring people back to life and transform everything in gold.
But what is the truth behind those stories? What is Alchemy in fact and what was its
purpose? I want to make a series of articles about it and its symbols.

Alchemy always had a dual nature: one involving the use of chemical substances and
being the precursor of modern chemistry; in the same time, alchemy has
been associated with the esoteric, spiritual beliefs.
Where did Alchemy appeared?
Many associate Alchemy with European Middle Ages, but its much older than we
think: it was practiced in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Persia, India, Japan, Korea
and China, in Classical Greece and Rome, in the Muslim civilizations, and then in
Europe up to the 19th century, lasting at least 2,500 years.
What Alchemy means?
In the history of science, alchemy was both an early form of the investigation of
nature and an early philosophical and spiritual discipline, combining elements of
chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism,
spiritualism, and art all as parts of one greater force.
Alchemy is an ancient path of spiritual purification and transformation,
it is full of mysticism and mystery. It presents to the initiate a system of
eternal, dreamlike, esoteric symbols that have the power to alter
consciousness and connect the human soul to the Divine.
It dates to ancient Egypt, where it developed in an early form of chemistry and
metallurgy. Egyptians alchemists used their art to make alloys, dyes, perfumes and
cosmetic jewelry, and to embalm the dead.

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The early Arabs also made significant contributions to alchemy by emphasizing the
mysticism of numbers (quantities and lengths of time for processes). The Arabs also
gave us the term alchemy, from the Arabic term alchimia that means the
Egyptian art.
During medieval and Renaissance times it functioned on two levels: mundane and
spiritual. On mundane level, alchemists tried to find a physical process to convert
base metals such as lead into gold. On the spiritual level, alchemists worked to purify
themselves by eliminating the base material of the self and achieving the gold of
enlightenment. In those times, many alchemists believed that the spiritual
purification was necessary in order to achieve the mundane transformations of
metals.
Alchemy is a speculative thought that tried to transform base metals such as lead or
copper into silver or gold and, most important, to discover a cure for disease and
immortality.
Alchemy was the name given in Latin Europe in the 12th century, similar to astrology
and attempting to discover the relationship of man to the cosmos and to use that
relationship to his benefit.
Between nature and dreams..
The key word characterizing alchemy is Transmutation and it refers to many
things: chemical, physiological changes like health, transformation from old to
youth or passing from an earthly to supernatural existence. Alchemical changes
were always positive, never involving degradation. Alchemists aimed at wealth,
longevity, and immortality.
Alchemy was not original in seeking these goals, for it had been preceded by religion,
medicine, and metallurgy. The first chemists were metallurgists and their theories
came from folklore and religion. Systems of five almost identical basic elements were
postulated in China, India, and Greece, according to a view in which nature
comprised antagonistic, opposite forces hot and cold, positive and negative, and
male and female.
Thats all for now, hope you enjoy it! If you enjoyed it, please like and share! Thank
you!

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