Alchemy: A Technique of the Soul
“How sparse the scent in the medical essence”
Alchemy arose in the early European Middle Ages as an alegorical system of knoweldge that took Classical knowledge of chemical and metalurgy and combined it with mystical Christian, Islamic and Pagan knowledge to produce a huge body of texts. Alchemy was primarily concerned with the imortality of the soul.
At the center of the cosmic vision of Alchemy is the Philosopher’s Stone. Whether the Philosopher’s Stone is an actual substance or a state has been debatted for hundreds of years. The creation of the Philosopher’s Stone and the journey toward immortality are intricately linked to the idea of overcoming the dragon — whether the dragon represents external evil forces, internal struggles, or the lower nature of humanity. The Philosopher’s Stone, in both Hermeticism and alchemy, symbolizes the ultimate spiritual achievement: the transmutation of the self into a higher state of being, one that grants not only immortality but also divine wisdom and purification.
In the Hermetic and alchemical traditions, the Philosopher’s Stone is a mythical substance that can turn base metals into gold and grant immortality. While its outward purpose might seem materialistic (transforming lead into gold), its deeper, spiritual meaning ties directly to the transformation of the soul and the pursuit of eternal life — not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual sense, transcending death and corruption.
1. The Philosopher’s Stone as Spiritual Transmutation
The Philosopher’s Stone is not just a physical object but a symbol of spiritual transmutation. It is the culmination of a long, inner alchemical process of change that represents the purification and refinement of the soul. In order to achieve this transmutation, the dragon within — which represents the ego, pride, greed, fear, and all other lower instincts — must be overcome. The process involves purging these base qualities and refining them into something higher and divine.
The creation of the Philosopher’s Stone is described in alchemical texts as a series of steps, each representing a further stage of spiritual purification. The sevenfold process — which involves the integration of sulphur (representing spiritual heat and activity) and mercury (representing spiritual moisture and intuition) — mirrors the spiritual journey toward enlightenment and immortality.
Sulphur is associated with will and action, while Mercury is associated with the spirit and the higher mind. By combining these elements, the alchemist (or the seeker of divine wisdom) undergoes a transformation from a base, unrefined state (like lead) into something immortal and divine (like gold).
The seven stages of the process (which align with the sevenfold spring mentioned in Hermetic texts) can be seen as metaphors for the seven chakras in the body or the seven seals in the Book of Revelation. Each stage corresponds to an aspect of the soul that needs to be purified, such as pride, attachment, ignorance, and fear. As these are purified, the seeker moves closer to the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, achieving spiritual immortality.
2. Overcoming the Dragon Within
As previously discussed, the dragon in both Revelation and Hermeticism represents the shadow of the self — the lower, unrefined aspects that must be transformed for spiritual growth. The dragon’s defeat parallels the inner work that the individual must do to achieve the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the Book of Revelation, the dragon’s defeat symbolizes the victory of divine will over the forces of darkness. Similarly, when we confront and overcome the dragon within, we are purging ourselves of the darkness, the ego, and the forces that bind us to the material world.
The sevenfold spring mentioned in the Hermetic Arcanum can also be viewed as representing the sevenfold purification needed to create the Philosopher’s Stone. This aligns with the process of spiritual ascent, where each level or stage of the alchemical process represents a step toward immortality — not in the sense of physical eternal life, but spiritual immortality, transcending the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
By defeating the dragon within (ego, ignorance), the individual can access the divine wisdom that grants immortality. The Philosopher’s Stone represents not just physical immortality, but the immortality of the soul, which is achieved through the transmutation of the self.
3. The Fountain of Eternal Life: The Role of the Philosopher’s Stone
In Hermeticism, the fountain of eternal life is often tied to the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone. The water from the fountain symbolizes the purification of the soul. It is often described as coming from the sevenfold spring, just as in the Hermetic Arcanum, where the spring flows from a divine source.
The fountain’s water in the garden symbolizes a form of spiritual baptism that cleanses the soul and prepares it for the final transmutation — the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone. This baptism purifies the seeker, washing away impurities and granting access to divine knowledge and immortality.
In the Book of Revelation, we see a parallel with the river of life, which flows from the throne of God, providing healing and life to those who drink from it (Revelation 22:1–2). This river, like the fountain in the Hermetic tradition, symbolizes divine wisdom and the eternal life that is granted to those who overcome the dragon — the lower nature — and become one with the divine.
4. Immortality Through the Philosopher’s Stone
True immortality is not merely the preservation of the physical body, but the elevation of the soul. In both alchemical and Hermetic traditions, immortality is achieved through spiritual enlightenment, which is what the Philosopher’s Stone grants. This state of being is not subject to death as we understand it but is a state of eternal life, transcending the cycle of birth and death.
The Philosopher’s Stone is said to grant eternal life because it allows the individual to transcend their material nature — the dragon, the ego, and the corruptible body. In this sense, the stone symbolizes the spiritual rebirth that occurs when the individual has successfully purified and transformed their being.
The Philosopher’s Stone brings healing and restoration, much like the river of life in Revelation. It is through the alchemy of the soul — the work of confronting and overcoming one’s inner dragons — that one achieves spiritual immortality.
5. The Final Transmutation: Becoming the Philosopher’s Stone
Ultimately, the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone represents the ultimate spiritual goal: transcendence of the lower self and the attainment of divine wisdom. The process of creating the Stone is the same as the process of spiritual purification — a journey of facing and conquering the dragons of pride, ignorance, and ego, until the soul emerges as something immortal, divine, and transcendent.
By overcoming the dragon, just as in the Book of Revelation, the individual moves through the stages of purification and is ultimately rewarded with eternal life — a life that exists beyond the physical realm, beyond the cycle of death and rebirth, and into a state of eternal wisdom and divine union.
In essence, the Philosopher’s Stone is not merely an external object but a spiritual state that every individual must strive for. It is the spiritual immortality granted to those who overcome the dragon within and achieve the highest level of spiritual transformation.
“The entrance of the Philosophers’ garden [the Alchemical Body] is kept by the Hesperian Dragon, which, being put aside, reveals a fountain of the clearest water proceeding from a sevenfold spring. This fountain flows forth on every side of the garden’s entrance. Within this sacred space, make the Dragon drink thrice the magical number of seven, until, having drunk, he puts off his hideous garments. Then, may the divine powers of light-bringing Venus and horned Diana be propitious unto thee.
Three kinds of most beautiful flowers are to be sought and may be found in this Garden of the Wise: Damask-coloured Violets, the milk-white Lily, and the purple and immortal flower of love, the Amaranth. Not far from the fountain at the entrance, fresh violets will first greet thee. These violets, watered by streams from the great golden river, take on the most delicate colour of the dark sapphire. At this point, Sol will give thee a sign. Thou shalt not sever such precious flowers from their roots until thou makest the Stone. For when freshly cropped, they contain more juice and tincture. Carefully pluck them with a gentle and discreet hand. If the Fates do not frown, this will follow easily. One white flower being plucked, the golden one will not be wanting. Let the Lily and the Amaranth follow with still greater care and longer labour.
Philosophers have their sea as well, wherein small fishes, plump and shining with silver scales, are generated. He who entangles and captures them with a fine and small net shall be regarded as a most expert fisherman.
The medium through which the soul (often depicted as a bird in the ancient texts) undergoes change within the alchemical body (the flask) is via Nature. Nature is the maker of the flask. Nature is the conditioner of all life. Perception of the material world is governed by Nature.
The Philosophers’ Stone is said to be found in the oldest mountains and flows from everlasting brooks. Those mountains are of silver, and the brooks are even of gold. From these, gold, silver, and all the treasures of kings are produced.
Whoever wishes to obtain the Philosophers’ Stone must resolve to undertake a long pilgrimage. It is necessary to journey to both the Indies, so as to gather the most precious gems and the purest gold from those distant lands.
Philosophers extract their Stone out of seven stones, the two chief among them being of diverse natures and efficacies. One infuses invisible Sulphur, the other spiritual Mercury. The former induces heat and dryness; the latter, cold and moisture. By their combined influence, the strength of the elements is multiplied within the Stone. The first stone is found on the Eastern coast, while the second is found in the Western. Both possess the power of colouring and multiplying, and unless the Stone takes its first tincture from them, it will neither colour nor multiply.”
— The Hermetic Arcanum, c. 1623
The Stages of the Great Work (From Alchemical and Rosicrucian Compendium, c. 1760):
Each image is a visual allegory for the alchemical development of the soul. The soul is represented by the bird, the lion is the conscious mind, the flask is laboratory; the body and the work. The final image is accompanied by the a wrtten statement (as all the images are). It reads in part:
How sparse the scent in the medical essence,
As Hinrichs delights in a third heap of eight.
She falls asleep again, and we are purely restored,
Attaining what appears to me as mere brew of time.
A mystical text published in the 17th century called the Mutus Liber appears to be a symbolic instruction manual for concocting a philosopher’s stone. Called the “wordless book”, it was a collection of 15 illustrations. The entire work can be viewed and downloaded from here.
