The Elements of Alchemy

143 Pages·1991·5.36 MB·English

by  Cherry Gilchrist

THE ALCHEMY
ELEMENTS OF
a graduatoefC ambridUgnei versiist y,
Cherry Gilchrist,
well-knowansa n authoarn da singwehro s pecialiinz es
baroquaen de arlmyu sicS.h eh asw rittmeann y
books
anda rticolnea sl chemays,t rolmoygtyh,o loagnyds ocial
histoarnydh, a sw orkeidnv ariocuasp aciitnip eusb lishing
bookosn t hesseu bjecSthsel. e ctuwriedse layn dg ives
workshocpesn troendt hesteh emes.
The Elemeonfti ssa seriedse signetdo p resenhti gh
qualiitnyt roducttioao b nrso arda ngoef e ssentsiuablj ects.
Theb ookasr ec ommissionsepde cificafrlolmy e xperitns
theifire ldTsh.e yp rovirdeea dabalnedo ftenu niquvei ews
oft hev ariotuosp iccos vereadn,d a ret herefoofri en terest
botht ot hosweh oh aves omek nowledogfet hes ubjeacst ,
wellas t ot hosweh o area pproachiitfn go rt hefi rstti me.
Many oft hesceo ncisyee tc omprehensbiovoek sh ave
practiscuaglg estiaonndes x erciwsheisc ha llopwe rsonal
experieanscw ee lals t heoretuincdaelr standainndog f,f er
a valuabsloeu rcoef informatoino nm any important
themes.
Int hsea msee ries
TheA borigiTnrea dition Islam
TheA rthuriTarna dition Judaism
Astrology Meditation
TheB aha'Fia ith Mysticism
Buddhism NativAem ericaTnra ditions
CeltCihcr istianity NaturMaalg ic
TheC eltTirca dition Numerology
TheC hakras PenduluDmo wsing
ChristSiyamnb olism Prophecy
CreatiMoynt h Psychosynthesis
Dreamwork The Qabalah
TheD ruiTdr adition Reincarnation
EartMhy steries The Runes
TheE gyptiWains dom Shamanism
FengS hui Sufism
Gnosticism TaiC hi
TheG oddess Taoism
TheG raiTlra dition The Tarot
Graphology Visualisation
Han dreading World Religions
Herbalism Yoga
Hinduism Zen
HumanP otential
The CIh ing
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thee lemenotfs
alchemy
chegrirlyc hrist
ShaftesDbourr•s yRe,ot c kpMoarsts,a ch• MueslebtotVusim deo,r ia
© ElemenBto okLsi mite1d9,9 1
Tex©t CherrGyi lchr1i9s9t1
Firsptu blishienGd r eaBtr itaiinn1 99b1y
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ShaftesbuDroyr,s eStP 7B BP
Publishiendt heU SA in1 99b1y
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PO Box8 30R,o ckporMtA, 0 1966
PublishienAd u strailni1 a9 9b1y
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487M aroondaHhi ghwaRyi,n gwood,
Victor3i1a3 4
Reprint1e9d9 4
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Allr ighrtess erved.
No parotf t hibso okm ayb er eproducoerud t ilized
ina nyf ormo rb ya nym eanse,l ectronoirmc eaclh anical,
withouptr iopre rmissiinow nr itifrnogm theP ublisher.
Coveirl lustraItmiaogneC:so louLri brary
Covedre sigbny M ax Fairbrother
TypesbeytS electmoLvtedL ,o ndon
Printaendd b oundi nG reaBtr itabiyn
Biddies GLutidl,d foarnddK ing's Lynn
British LCiabtraalroy guiinPn ugb licatdiaotnaa v ailable
LibraorfyC ongreCsast alogiinnP gu blication
dataav ailable
ISBN1 -85230-205-4
CONTENTS
Precfea vii
1.W haitsA lchemy? 1
2.T heS eracfho Trr ansformation 11
3.D reaamnsdR evelations 23
4.E mbleomfKs n owledge 35
5.A Mirrooftr h Weo rld 68
6.A lcheamsay S piritDuiaslc ipline 83
7.A pplAilehcde my 99
8. TheP hoenAilxc:h yei mnt hTew entiCeetnht ury1 13
References 127
SeleBcitb liography 130
Index 132
PREFACE
WhenI w asf irasstk etdo w ritoen t hes ubejct aolfc hemy,
aboustev eny earasg ,o aIgr eetdo d os ow itha carefree
spirLiitt.td liedI r ealwihsaetc ompxlietiaewsa itmeed. M y
groundiinns gu bejctssu cahs t heC abbalaas,t lroogCyh,r istian
mysticainsdmm ytholowgaysa solid Ioh naeda; c tivaenldy
practicsautldliye idn t hifsei ldf orq uitseo met mie,a nd
assumetdh amty brieefxc uirosnisn taol chemilciatle rature
couldp abded eodu tw itnho t rolubea ta l.l
Thiwsa sn ott ob e.Iw asb othd azeadn da mazedb yt he
profusoifao lnc hemitceax,ltt shdei screpabnectiweeste hne m,
thec ryptniact uroeft heiurt tenrcae,sa ndt he ftahcatnt o
twow riteornst heh isotryo f alchemya gerveweeidrt ohn e
otheIrs .o ocna met oa decistihoanst i,n cIed idn oth avea
lifettiocm oem ptleet hep roejctIw, o ulhda vteo f ormulmayt e
ownw ayo fw orkinTgh.i mse ancth oosgi tnextosfq uality,
accordtiona g s ensoeft heiirn dividwuoarlt, ha ndp icking
an ewp atthh rohu tghej ungolfea lchemihciaslt oIrnyo .t her
word,cs otnacwti tahl chetmhyr owyso ub acukp on yoowunr
resocuers.i thS aosa lwaybse e;nt hea lchemisceaelkh eard t o
worko uth iso rh ero wns olutitoont her didlse posebdy the
quesftog ro ldL.i kteh ea siprianlgc hemIiw satsa, b lteom ake
useo fa vailasbtlued ioents h es ubjebcut,tu, l titmealhya,d t o
drawm y ownc onclouns.si
Them aini nteonnto ift hicsu rrebnoto ki st oc lraiyf the
aimsa ndh istoorfay l chemayn,dt or elatbeo tihtt o other
spiritaunadle soterpircat cic,ea sndt ot hea rtasn ds ciences
thaitti nflueendcI.n t hel attceart egonreyw,d isvceoriaerse
ferquentbleyi nmga dea,n di ti se xcititnosg e eh ow the
symboliasnmdl anguaogfae l chehmays a fefctemda instream
culrteuM.y owne xploratiinottnohs el inbkest weaelnc ehmy
andB aroqumeu sifco romn ec haptaenrdI, h avbee epnl eased
tod rawu pont her esrecaheosfa utholriskC eh arlNeisc hlol,
whor elaatlecsh etmoyt heaterslee,w he.r e
My earloyp timitshma tw oIu lpde nteratteot heh eart of
alchemwyi tnho p roblewams p erhafpousn deodn a strong
sensweh,i chi ss tiwlilt hm e,t haatl chemiysi no url ife
blooSdo.m ehoiwt pso werfsuylmb olihsoml das p lacient he
collecptsiyvce;h i etism ageosc cuirnt hed reamasn df ancies
ofp eoplweh oh aven everre aadn a lchemitceaxlIt n.m y
ownc asIeh ,a dh ade xperienocfed sre amasn ds pontaneous
'vinssi'ow,hi ch wreervee latoifo ntashl ec hiecmaplr oecssa,t
a timweh enm y ownf ormaalc quainctewa intahl chemy was
versyil gh;t rviaoupse oplheav er elatsemidi laerx periences
tom e.( The great psychoJluonggfi,os utn,td h eCs .aGm.e
phenomenwohni,c ihn tnesifiehdi si nteriensa tl chemaysa
meanosf p sychtircna smissoifoa nr cheetsy.pA)s a chidl,I
took gdreelaitgi hnmt a kinagn ' Aalddi'nsC av'e( aIst hought
ofit )i no urc oaflri ea, g lowicnagv erinn twoh ichI t ossed
littslcer aopfse verdyi ffereknitn dof b urnbales ubstaIn ce
coulfidn d,m akinag kinodffi eryg ardefunl lo fd iefrfent
colourleidt fltalmee sU.n fortunastueclhey a rleyx periments
ina estheatlicch ewmeyr es oobna nnebdym y paren.t s
Tom y minda,l cheimysn otj ussto meq uaibnutt o utdated
pratcicoen,l oyf h istoriicnatles rtTe.h et ermbsy w hicwhe
knowi ta,s a atdritioofnl engtlhayb orya twoorrkm,a y
no longearp plbyu,t t hei nnelri fteh,e d ynamipcr coess
ofa lchemdye lineabtye idm agaen ds ymbolc,a ns tiblel
tappetdoe nlivaennd i lluminaat neu mbeorf b otshp iritual
andp racteincatlei rspre-smedtiatiohno,l ishteiacl i,mn ugsic,
psycholaongdya rtt,on ame bau fte wA. studoyfa lchemy
openusp p osbsiiliietst;h es piroifit t s tirlels idienhs u man
consciouss,an nedsw henw e become acquwaiitnhti etds
languaaggaei nw,e c anu sei t oiunrc reateinvdeev aour.s
BristMoaly,1 990
1 WHATIS
·
ALCHEMY?
Alchye misa rtothf te r aonrsamfti.oT nhew okr oft he
alhcemiisstt o b rianbgo ustuc cedeincgh angients h e
materhieoa lpe ratoen,st ransfoirtfrm oimna gg orss,
unrefisntedat toae p erfaencdpt u riieffdo rTmo.t urn
base mienttgaool lsd t hisesi mpleexrspets soifto hni s
ai,ma nda tt hpeh ysilcveaeltl h is incvhomelivceasl
operaotnipse rofrmewdi tlha rbaotoerqyu iptmH.e onw­
evetrhi,si so nly doinmnees ioofna lchesmiyn,tc hee
'bamsaet iea'rwl ordk eupoann dt he'o gldp'r oduced
maya lsboeu nedrsotdao sm anh miselinfh iqsu est
top erfechti osw n natrueM.a inrsetaaml cmhye isa
discniepi vnloilvpinhygsi c,ap lsychoilcoaagln ds pri­
ituwaolr akn,di a fn yo noef t hseee lemtesin stk aeno ut
ofc onteaxntds aitdor epernettsh ael chemtircaiadolin t,
thetnh weh olesna ensdt ruqeu aloifat lyc heimsly o st.
Fosrve erraela ssio,itn ns o t ant rdeaiatstiyoou nn d­er
stnadF.i rs,t ltcyhhei meefd iuomfa lchemeixpcra­els
sioinst hroutghuhes oef m ytohlogsiycbmaol,l w shich
are ptefhreecm te anosfc ovneyiinngf ormtahtacitoa nn
bei nrtpetrdeea tb othm aa terainaadsl pi ritlueeavlbl,u t
whicdhe fya singalnedp recdieisfneoi tni.
Secondallyc,h y'ecsml aitmops r oduecxrtea orrdyi na
resuilntt hspe h ysiwcoardll a rhea rtdoa sseosbsj ect­
ivelByyt. h lea wss coife anscn eo rmaulnldyet rosod
todaiiytns, o pto ssiblceo vnerott hmeert ailnstg ood l,
to
1
THEE LEMENOTFS A LCHEMY
execpbty n ucelafirs sni.Bo utsn icea lecmhye ncom­
passmeesn taaswl e lalsp hysipcaratcliia ptiioitn n evi­
tabgloye bsey ontdh ree alomfms a tearlsi cience in its
scoapnemd ayb ea blteo proedffeucctoenst hpeh ysical
levtehlac ta notnb ea cocuntefdo bry n omralc hemis­
tr.Ay ddtiinoallaysw, e s haslelte h,ge o lpdrd ouecdi s
usuaslalitydo b eq uidtieff netrfr eomo rndairgyol d.
Thirdallyc,h ehmayas h sitosrrtyte chibnacgkf oart
leatswtot housnady erasa nd hbaese pnr aicsteidnE ast­
ernAr,ba iacnd W estnes rcoie.tI ite swobuesl udr spnirgi
indeeidf s hito waeu dn ifotrrma dnio tfpi roaicctLeki.e
anys tu,di yth asa trtactmeadn yt yepso fp eopwliet h
widedliyff ermiotnigav tnisoT.h erhea vael wabyese n
alchemwihsowt esr oeu tn-da-uotm atiearl,ig sretedsy
tot ry and make rtihcbehymm astseelrvitenhsgse e ­
creotfc reatgionlgSd om.e w ere megruelblll,yieo th­
erfrsa duunltep,e rforfmaiktnerng a sumtatiaonndgs e t­
tintgh egiorl d tfrhopemo c keotfts he isrp cetataonrds
proscpteipvuep irlast htehrat nh rouagnhys ucciens s
thleba oratoErvye.an m ontgh sei enrcaen dd edtiecda
alche,mt ihseet msphaosfia sp procaocuhl dv ebrey
differSeomnetw .e rien etresmtoerdie n t hceh emical
tencihuqeosf a lchye,om thertsh peih ni lpohsiocaasl­
petc.sS omsea wa lchyea msa p atht ot hter umee aning
ofC hrinsittiwyah,i lohete rssa wi ni tp osbsiiliftoire s
prdouncgis ubtalndep otenmted inceis.
Thken owleeda ngda itmh aeta cphr actibtrioohuntge r
toa lecmhyC olouhriesd atttoii ttau,ndd e t os ome
extedneitfn ehdi mso deo fo perat.iT ohnere are cer­
tain skyebmyo lasnd p rocesisnae lsec mhyb,u nto t wo
decsripntsoi fio atr ied netic,aw lhichha csa usmeadn y
ah eadafcohtreh owsheo t rayn dt reai cthssi toarnyd
signnicfiecW.ar iterasl hceomn,y l ike atlhceh emists
themseesdl,ev fitnhete r daitni froomt heoiwrn v iew­
poinatn di nclnaitiso.Tn hiissi nevli:ett ahbeirsen o
sucthhn iga sa n' boejcvte'ii nrtpreetoanto ifa lchye.m
Thissh ounlodpt o saep roblpermod veitdh atthr ee ader
reasletish aast c niteii,cfp yscholoogrsi pcritaiulat lr ain­
ign wilulnd obutdelyc rteeaa differeemnptah siisn
a stduyo fa lcmhye,sn icea lchecmoytn aianlstl h see
dimnesnisoF.e wo fu sa rlei ketloby ee qualliyl lsekd
andk nolwdegeaobnla elt lhe rel elvsea,nd o urp ersnoal
2