ALCHEMY

(Some considerations)

We have read several opinions concerning the Hermes' "science" that we loved so much.

As it is natural and obvious, each one has a different point of view, and some coincide with others, but most, in our opinion, generalise without focusing or having a well-defined purpose that applies directly to practical alchemy, hiding instead in speculative alchemy some times "said" philosophical.

We don't want in any way to be pretentious but we would like to give our modest opinion about this polemical subject, respecting the opinion of others, as it is our tradition attribute.

The ancient alchemy treatises refer to the Arabic Al-khimia. It is the same meaning that today we give to the chemistry (we would say spagyrics) only that this old "chemistry" is a spiritual and transcendental chemistry. "Al" in Arabic means Supreme Being the Almighty, as Al-lah. Therefore the term alchemy, designates since the most remote times, the God' science or Al's chemistry.

Our ancient Masters in their treatises always invoked the divine help as for instance, Albert the Great, (1193-1280) in his book foreword the Composed of the Compositions.

«I won't hide a science that was revealed to me by the grace of God…» Further in Chapter IV, Of Sublimation of Mercury: «…on behalf of the Lord, seek a pound of pure mercury from the mine.»

Also Raymond Lull, (1235-1315) in his book The Clavicule, says: «Therefore, with the help and permission of Almighty, that he please in revealing me the Great Work, will speak here about the Art without fiction.»

Flamel in his book the Breviére or Testament (1414) he also recommends to his nephew the following:

«Therefore, don't forget to implore to God that give you understanding or reason of the truth and nature…»

Even Philalethes (1645) he says: «…certainly my feather frequently hesitated in writing everything desirous that he was of hiding the truth under zealous mask, but God constrained me and I could not resist Him, only that knows the hearts…»

In those days, the Church and the faith in God infused by it had much influence on the People's existence and of that there is very sad examples of the Inquisition’s treatments for those that didn't profess it. The people profane that practised the alchemy were pursued and, for that, most of the treatises known today were written under a "nom de plume" for their protection.

There are many classic masters, contemporary and modern that don't make any references in their works to the divine help. Today, at the end of the XX century, the alchemy will have to be shown under a different prism although respecting the tradition.

At present, people have been trying to understand the alchemy phenomenon because the modus operandi includes chemical process (spagyrical) but, while in the chemistry the reaction between a salt and an acid done in similar conditions always gives the same result, in alchemy, in certain operations, the same is not verified. It is here that resides the distinction that, in our days, some people don't accept because under the point of view of official science (chemistry) it doesn't have any logic.

Consisting that Roger Caro, a great modern alchemist who already died, made the following experience of an alchemic operation (Kamala-Jnana's work) with two of his disciples. He placed the same matters and the secret fire in three different matrass well closed with a rubber stopper.

He gave a matrass to each one of his disciples and one for himself. All began the operation SOLVE at some time. In Roger Caro's matrass the instantaneous natural exothermic reaction (about 400º C) necessary to the sublimation of the matters raises immediately and in the disciples 's matrass the temperature was only 80º C.!

This got us to conclude that the operator’s own bio energy could have influence in the natural chemical reaction among the matters. We made several times the same operation with canonical matters and we didn't surpass the 80º C.!

Our Masters says that the alchemy is the art of work and improvement of the bodies with the help of Nature that, at present, is not easily understood and all the more to do. What will we be able to understand by the help of Nature?

We know by the ancient treatises that, usually, an alchemist’s work begun in the Spring (in Europe). Also, it is in this season that the dew is collected and that the secret fire salts for some alchemic works is deliquesced, because in this season the atmosphere is abundant in Universal Spirit.

Unfortunately, up to now, in no alchemic treatise that we know of, have we found an exact definition of what the ancient Masters understood by the term "universal spirit" and the help of the Nature.

We know also, that the polarised light of the Moon in full moon nights has an influence on the collection of the dew and is saturated of such universal spirit. That the dew is by excellence, the vehicle to treat the salts employed in alchemy.

Some time ago we had a "discussion" concerning the importance that the astrology would have in alchemy. We understand that it has some importance and we refer you to what above we said.

At the occasion, some "astrologers" of the forum answered affirming that astrology had a fundamental importance in operative and interpretative alchemy, multiplying themselves in theoretical astrological examples and planetary conjunctions referring, inclusively as example to some Abraham the Jew's Tablets, etc.

To prove them that it was not exactly what they affirmed we sent to the forum the first Philalethes' image of Speculum Veritatis, to be astrologically interpreted. An "astrologer" just made an interpretation that was far away of the real alchemic meaning that it represented, confirming like this, my statement.

After, we describe symbolically the First and fourth Tablets of Abraham the Jew where, in our opinion, the matters inherent to the alchemic operations are just described symbolically without any visible astrological reference.

Therefore dear brothers, let us say this: do not dispersed in philosophical discussions and unrealistic interpretations of what alchemy is, because it being an operative technique, its the application of theoretical alchemy that leads the search of the Philosophers' Stone or Universal Medicine.

We already had occasion to give our opinion based on the Great Masters concerning the Philosophers' Stone and of the Universal Medicine and, for that it will be unnecessary to repeat it.

It is true that certain matter and alchemic operations by tradition can't be discussed in a forum. But if some of our great Masters described their works charitably in clear language for the time as Flamel, Valentine, Albert and others did, we, on the other hand, cannot do it in the same language?

Will some say, and with certain reason, because we made this observation when we frequently wrote spagyrical texts? The main reason is that the spagyrics is the first step "to make the hand" for the alchemy.

We don't have nor we had the presumption of giving "alchemy or spagyria lessons" but just trying to share with others a little that along the years we learned with other brothers in Art and Masters so that they find their own way.

A true alchemist will owe to have the humility of listening to the other brothers even though these are in the wrong way but he being convinced that they are trashing the right way.

No alchemist can have the pretension of knowing everything about the Art even if one has read all the alchemy books of the world and be an expert lab operator.

There is always some thing to learn with others and because of that, it is very important to share the knowledge.

At present, we are not aware that there is any modern alchemist that is an Adept, in other words, that has accomplished the Great Work and obtain the Philosopher's Stone or Universal Medicine. We know of a French alchemist that was our Master and that we admired to much for his great knowledge, and of which we were convinced that he had made all of the alchemy ways, but he had made just some "particular".

Same of the great Master that was Fulcanelli (Lubicz, Dujols and Champagne), his disciple Eugène Canseliet didn't achieved the antimony dry way having just Fulcanelli, made a "particular".

For some assumed alchemists and "masters" as the ancient puffers, that insist in affirming his opinions openly of texts badly interpreted and moulded to his convenience that induce in mistake whoever reads it, a true alchemist will owe without arrogance, to restore the truth and not allow our Art to be discredited.

We will never just learn alchemy by the reading of the books of the Art even those of the best classic authors or modern without having enough background for that. In alchemy, each one will have to travel his own way, alone, if he can, or with the help of another brother or Master’s charitable hand.

To this respect, Albert de Great in the Composed of the Compositions, says: «The science that I learned without fictions transmits you without feather. The envy perturb everything, and envious man cannot be right at God's face.»