Alchemist’s worked in three main categories which fell into the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. One very basic theory of the lost or secret art was that according to the bible, when “GOD” proclaimed that all things shall multiply in like kind he included the minerals as well as the animals and the plants. Ancient alchemical writers often advised in their secret alchemical manuscripts to observe the simple ways of nature. They also spoke of the four elements which were water, earth, air, and fire. The seal of Solomon supposedly depicts the secret ancient formula of alchemy which is water and fire, two of the simple tools of nature. So theoretically speaking this might be interpreted as water and fire acting upon matter (earth) in the presence of air. Although the alchemist’s were said to have worked upon a great many things, these things basically fell into the three main categories of plant, animal or mineral. Now, moving forward in recent years a theory has emerged that sulfur may in fact be the nucleus of the gold atom. One of my theories on alchemical transmutation of lead into gold, is that perhaps lead actually is gold simply missing its sulfur element as the nucleus and also containing a few impurities. If this theory were correct then alchemists were simply trying to insert the missing element which in my opinion might be more of an amalgamation than a transmutation of metals. This sounds much simpler than atomic transmutation. Alchemists were known to have experimented with metallurgy and in writings attributed to Michael Sendivogius he advised that one study the metals and their “methods of union” which to me, suggests amalgamation as opposed to transmutation. The “philosopher’s stone” has been rumored to burn with a bright blue flame when thrown into molten metal. Some ancient alchemy writings declared that this legendary alchemical substance was actually yellow. These theories to me suggests sulfur which was mentioned in the alchemical manuscripts of Theophrastus Paracelcus as well as Michael Sendivogius and or his mentor Alexander Seton. The work of alchemy called for the holy trinity which meant salt, sulfur, and sophic mercury. Some theorists suggested that these three secret philosopher’s stone ingredients were needed while others surmised that joining the sophic mercury to the alchemical “sulfur” (The moon and the sun, or Gabritius and Beya”) would thereby produce the secret salt as a result of the hermetical wedding producing the supernatural son of the sun. Primitive metallurgy called for the purification of metals by smelting them with potash (potassium earth metal) this upon cooling would leave slag that was chipped away with a hammer to remove impurities. Alchemists were said to repeat this purification of metals until a star was seen which reminds me of the eastern star or the star of David. The symbol of purity and truth. This process was a predecessor to amalgamation since alchemists believed that “blackness” hindered fusion. If elemental sulfur is thrown into molten lead it catches on fire leaving black material (carbon) and makes a mess. With that in mind, perhaps the whole idea of alchemy was to change elemental sulfur into something else, by joining it to another element through the sophic mercury (not elemental mercury). Perhaps the secret liquid could dissolve these elements and then coagulate them through a repetition of nature’s rain cycle in the glass, theoretically into a fifth element or incombustible sulfur that would no longer be affected by fire. This is one of the reasons that Iron Pyrite or marcasite has been associated with alchemy. It is a natural mineral in which nature has joined sulfur to iron to form another element in which the qualities of the sulfur and the iron have been somewhat changed. The salt of iron, and the element of sulfur, an interesting combination according to some. Could it be an open entrance to the closed palace of the king? I get the idea that in the mineral iron pyrite, sulfur might be joining into the realm of the metals. Article written by Steven School. Do Not Try This At Home!
This article is only my opinions and does not constitute advice of any type, nor is it intended for any specific person. No warranty is expressed or implied as to the accuracy or completeness of any information presented here. The Philosopher’s Stone Book
