Chemistry and Alchemy

Journals, Group Rituals & Free Readings
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Id like to present a couple of simple everyday ritualized chemical experiments, making a pot of coffee, and making wax out of pot.

Coffee
Coffee shrubs grow and produce pebble hard berries, which are harvested, rinsed and boiled or roasted, and cooled. Then these are ground and introduced to boiling percolating water, creating a distilled product through heat.

Wax
Harvested dried marijuana flowers are collected and packed into a glass vacuum tube in the shape of a very large dropper. A piece of wax paper or a coffee filter is placed with a rubber band around the open tube end. At the dropper end, a can of butane is opened, and inserted into the dropper end, soaking the flowers with butane, while a gaseous process is introduced and a plummeting temperature to freezing to below freezing. When done, the container that collected the liquid evaporates as its temperature rises toward a lukewarm state, forming a wax. That wax is then used in a bong type contraption, and torched to a liquid state, filtered through water as a vapor like a bong process.

Now to identify the alchemical stages, terms and processes by these two example, one by heat, one by cold.

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It appears that both are a sublimed (Extraction by volatilization or distillation, This process entails forcing an extract upwards into the upper portion of a container where it is allowed to precipitate) solution (Dissolving a solid into a liquid).
Coffee involves at some point putrefaction (The first change to be seen. The appearance of blackness), but both experience separation (Separating the light parts from the heavy parts. The slow separation of a body into its components in a liquid) after a heating or cooling process.
Ligation (Separation in a sealed vessel) occurs with the wax and coffee.
ROTATION (Rhythmic cycling of the process of circulation. It entails the boiling of a liquid for a set period of time in a reflux system. The liquid is allowed to cool, reheated, and allowed to cool again, etc. ) may occur with the coffee process.
CONGEALATION: Reducing the substance to liquid which then thickens. The liquefied matter congeals or solidifies. This occurs with the wax.
CONJUNCTION: Joining the principles. Amalgamating the various elements. Occurs with both.
DIGESTION: A mixture for the purpose of drawing out the Essence from the different substances. Occurs with the wax and coffee.
DISTILLATION: Also called Circulation or Rectification because it entails a continuous cycle (rising and falling). The process of boiling a liquid until it is vaporized, and then recondensed by cooling. The rising vapor is considered the Spirit of the substance. This process liberates the original metal from its corrupted state, while giving it new properties. The energy inherent in the rising vapors generates the multi-eolors of the Peacock’s tail. The substance is then heated more vigorously until it dries up into a grayish- black mass. When the color white is seen, it signifies that the process of coagulation is about to commence. (In mystical Alchemy, distillation entails the liberation of the Soul from the grip of the Lower Ego. This trans- formation implies that the ego has become purified and compliant to the Higher Self.) Appears to occur with the wax and coffee.

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Really, both employ the four color stages, some of the seven principle gates, and at least six of the twelve gates. Now the task is to identify the start to finish alchemical process with both examples.

Then the next task would be to compare this to the true purpose and value of alchemy, spiritual alchemy.

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The material presented os forms he Golden Dawn Self Initiation Book by the Ciceros.
Im simply using this material as a reference point to understanding alchemy, both from a hot and cold processes.

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The goal of Alchemy (both practical and mystical) is to obtain the Quintessence. This is accomplished in a number of stages.

First, the material to undergo the process of transmutation exists with a state of Chaos (Void) which must be separated and categorized to fit into the fourfold model of the Elements.

The alchemist then uses reason to apply this same fourfold model to the First Matter, intellectually structuring it into the divisions of the four Elements.

The Spirit or First Essence (Spiritus Mundi) is then drawn out of the First Matter (implanted within the Alchemists psyche).

This Hidden Essence is then divided or broken down (through the Unbodied Volatile) into the Triad of the Alchemical Principles (Mercury, Salt and Sulfur). At length the Quintessence, which is the synthesis of these Three Principles as well as the sustaining Life Force, is obtained.

There are four colors associated with four distinct stages in alchemical transmutation of metals. In applied or practical Alchemy these stages are identified by the colors shown forth by the Prime Matter as it undergoes the process of transmutation.
During these various levels the metals or materials used are said to undergo a drastic change in appearance, becoming a mud or slime and then a powder. These stages are also related to the four elements. In order they are:

MELANOSIS: Blackening (Earth) also called Nigredo.

LEUKOSIS: Whitening (Water) also called Albedo.

XANTHOSIS: Yellowing (Air) also called Citrinitas.

IOSIS: Reddening (Fire) also called Rubedo.

(Note: by the sixteenth century these colors were reduced to three the yellowing stage was dropped, resulting in a triad of colors: black, white and red.)

Melanosis is the first state, which is either present from the onset as a quality of the Prime Matter, or obtained from of a process of separation, death, dissolution or putrefaction.

The next stage is Leukosis, which signifies a washing or cleansing process, a resurrection and the release of the pure essence. (This results in the white tincture or Lunar essence symbolized by the White Queen.)

The final stage is Iosis, which results from the raising of heat to its highest intensity. (The Red King or Solar essence is the symbol here.)

Other colors may also be seen in the process. These additional colors rep-resent intermediate states in the process.

The four colors listed above are usually the only recognized colors in Alchemical work. After the black stage of Melanosis, the color blue may be seen, which is considered a feminine aspect, indicative of Height and Depth. After the red stage of Iosis, the color of violet may be seen to indicate the limit of the process.

The colors of Alchemy can be associated to the Planets in the following manner:

BLACK: Saturn (lead)
BLUE: Jupiter (tin)
PEACOCK’S TAIL: (multi-eolored) Mercury (quicksilver)
WHITE: Luna (silver)
YELLOW: Venus (copper)
RED: Mars (iron)
VIOLET: Sol (gold)

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In addition to the four color stages, there are different gates or basic stages of process used in applied Alchemy. Different Alchemists have divided the various stages of process into groups of five, seven, eight or twelve gates.

The following is one of the systems which employs seven gates:

  1. Calcination – Mercury

  2. Sublimation – Saturn

  3. Solution – Jupiter

  4. Putrefaction – Luna

  5. Distillation – Mars

  6. Coagulation – Venus

  7. Tincture – Sol

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Two Alchemical systems which list twelve gates are given below:

  1. Calcination

  2. Dissolution

  3. Separation

  4. Conjunction

  5. Putrefaction

  6. Congelation

  7. Cibation

  8. Sublimation

  9. Fermentation

  10. Exaltation

  11. Multiplication

  12. Projection

  13. Calcination

  14. Congealation

  15. Fixation

  16. Dissolution

  17. Digestion

  18. Distillation

  19. Sublimation

  20. Separation

  21. Incineration

  22. Fermentation

  23. Multiplication

  24. Projection

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A bit of reverse order, but Basic Alchemy:
The word Alchemyis an Arabic term comprised of the article aland the noun khemi. The later word relates to Khem the Coptic name of Egypt. Alchemy thus means “that which pertains to Egypt.” Thus the words Alchemy and chemistry are a reminder of the scientific legacy of Egypt. Another possible origin of the word is the Greek

. cheo which means "I pour’ or “] cast”: a word often used in refer- ence to the ancient Greek metalworkers who used many Alchemical formulae.

Together, Alchemy and Astrology are two of the oldest sciences known to humanity. The specialized fields of herbalism, mineralogy, natural science, chem- istry and medicine all evolved from the mother science known as Alchemy.

Legend has it that the god Hermes was the founder of Alchemy. The most significant early alchemical text was the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, also called the Tabula Smaragdina. No one is quite sure who the first alchemist was, although the first group to learn and work with the art were metalsmiths. Perhaps the best known of the alchemists was Paracelsus, who announced that the major goal of Alchemy should be to cure illness. He started what would later become the science of pharmacology.

The outer body of Alchemy is chemistry. It is in fact the ancestor of modem chemistry. But in addition to being a science, this ancient art is also a philosophy. Alchemy is a science that is based upon multiplication and the natural phenomenon of growth-it is the process of increasing and improving that which already exists. Alchemy is evolution-the raising of vibrations.

Practitioners of the art considered Nature to be the greatest alchemist of all, causing the latent seeds of all life to multiply and grow through the act of transmutation. One objective of the Alchemists was to carry out in the laboratory, as far as possible, the processes which Nature carries out in the Earth plane. Not only did they try to duplicate these natural operations, they tried to reproduce them in a comparatively short period of time-speeding up processes which Nature takes vast amounts of time to manifest.

The basic tenets of Alchemy are as follows:

  1. The universe has a divine origin. The cosmos is an emanation of One Absolute Divine Being. Therefore All is One.
  2. All physical manifestation exists by virtue of a Law of Polarity or Duality. Any concept can be sufficiently defined in relation to its opposite: male/female, sun/moon, spirit/ body, etc.
  3. All physical manifestation, whether Vegetable, Animal or Mineral (the so-called Three Kingdoms), is composed of Spirit, Soul, and Body: the three Alchemic Principles.
  4. All Alchemical work, whether practical laboratory work or spiritual Alchemy, consists of three basic evolutionary processes: Separation, Purification, and Cohobation (or recombination). These three evolutionary processes are also the work of Nature.
  5. All matter is composed of the four Elements of Fire(thermal energy), Water (liquid), Air (gas), and Earth (solid). The knowledge and skillful use of the four Elements is an essential part of Alchemical work.
  6. The Quintessence or Fifth Essence is contained with the four Elements but is not one of them. It is one of the Three Essential Principles, also called the Philosophic Mercury.
  7. Everything moves towards its preordained state of perfection.

CALCINATION: Reducing the principles to atoms, but not by burning.
CIBATION: (or IMBIBATION) When the matter in the vessels appears dry, it is wetted again. It provides a mild heat.
CIRCULATION: (This process may also include the processes of cohobation, digestion, distillation and sublimation.) It is the betterment, progress or Exaltation of a liquid through repeated dissolution and coagulation (usually in the Pelican vessel) using heat. The liquid is brought by repeated changes from liquid to vapor to liquid again.
COHOBATION: Anumber of repeated distillations of a solvent over a substance or substances which have been dissolved into it. The process loosens the structure of certain substances, volatilizing the solids which are thus loos- ened by the solvent.
CONGEALATION: Reducing the substance to liquid which then thickens. The liquefied matter congeals or solidifies.
CONJUNCTION: Joining the principles. Amalgamating the various elements.
DESPONSATION: The separation of liquids in a vessel.
DIGESTION: A mixture for the purpose of drawing out the Essence from the different substances.
DISSOLUTION: Dissolving the metals. Indicates letting time and nature do the work. A slow separation of a metal into its components in a liquid.
DISTILLATION: Also called Circulation or Rectification because it entails a continuous cycle (rising and falling). The process of boiling a liquid until it is vaporized, and then recondensed by cooling. The rising vapor is considered the Spirit of the substance. This process liberates the original metal from its corrupted state, while giving it new properties. The energy inherent in the rising vapors generates the multi-eolors of the Peacock’s tail. The substance is then heated more vigorously until it dries up into a grayish- black mass. When the color white is seen, it signifies that the process of coagulation is about to commence. (In mystical Alchemy, distillation entails the liberation of the Soul from the grip of the Lower Ego. This trans- formation implies that the ego has become purified and compliant to the Higher Self.)
EXALTATION: To elevate the Power of Virtue in the hope that the substance will transmute.
FERMENTATION: Adding the required precious metal as a yeast to the Philosopher’s Stone enabling it to transmute base metals into this particular precious metal. It is associated with putrefaction and decay, but also the work of Transformation and regeneration- Death which leads to Life. (In mystical Alchemy, fermentation implies the liberation of intuitive powers and the creation of dreams.)
LIGATION: Separation in a sealed vessel.
MULTIPLICATION: Raising the quantity and quality of the powder or stone.
PROJECTION: The work of transmutation into gold and silver. PUTREFACTION: The first change to be seen. The appearance of blackness.
ROTATION: Rhythmic cycling of the process of circulation. It entails the boiling of a liquid for a set period of time in a reflux system. The liquid is allowed to cool, reheated, and allowed to cool again, etc.
SEPARATION: Separating the light parts from the heavy parts. The slow separation of a body into its components in a liquid.
SOLUTION: Dissolving a solid into a liquid.
SUBLIMATION: Extraction by volatilization or distillation. This process entails forcing an extract upwards into the upper portion of a container where it is allowed to precipitate. Also called Rectification.

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Having some morning tincture :wink:

I hope this post, despite being a regurgitation of material mostly, look past this point, and think at a deeper level behind what occurs to give you some sort of ingestible product.

Then think of the original plant behind the product, and the ordeals that occurred in the the alchemical process before and after, to deliver the solution/tincture/whatnot.