Alchemy is one of four esoteric paths to
enligtenment, along with Magia, astrology, and Kabbalah, enacted on two
percisely corresponding levels.
1. physical--the transformation and purfifying of metals
2. metaphysical-the transformation and purifying of men.
Alchemy leads to perfection on all planes, by the seperating and
"death" of the body, followed a rejoining of the purified parts, this
time in perfect proportion, via the transforming powers of earth,
water, fire, air, and ehter, soul and spirit. i.e. evolution speeded up
by man
In the past the path of alchemy was embarked upon both as a physcial
process in the labrotory and as a spiritual journey. At the laborotary
level the main opperations were: calcination, sublimination, fusion,
crystalization, and distillation.
Alchemy employs graudal heat continously and carefully; hence dung,
peat and rushes were rused. Chemistry emplys more violent heat. It is a
quicker process. Nuclear fussion is a form of alchemy .
The orgins of Alchamy are difficult to ascertain, as there is no
set code of practice. In the West, alchamy proably grew from Egyptian
metallurgy and glass-making on the one hand, and the prymaid mysteries
and initiation rites on the other. There is the strong possiblity that
the Jews of Egypt had a strong influence on the spiritual side of
alchemy through Kaballah.
The Dictionary of Alchemy
Diana Fernando