External alchemy writings

[BaguaKicksAss]

There is so much on internal alchemy; it is quite difficult to find much on the physical/external methods. (in english at least). Or perhaps I just haven't searched nearly enough...

 

http://www.goldenelixir.com/jindan_texts.html

 

 

[Zhongyongdaoist]

If by external alchemy you mean the alchemy of the macrocosm and internal alchemy you mean the alchemy of the microcosm, then there is a huge literature on external alchemy written in the West which you can find here:

 

Adam Mclean's Alchemy Website

 

On a scholarly level, Volume Five of Science and Civilization in China Covers this from a very insightful perspective.

 

Science and Civilization in China on Wikipedia

 

Since I first studied these books, the order of them has been modified and I basically studied what would now be called Vol. 5, parts 2, 3, and 4. I found in these a level of insight into the worldview necessary to understand alchemy which had taken me years of thought and study to achieve by the study of original sources, I am assuming that this would be in part 2, which I am also assuming used to be part 1.

 

The early 1970s was a time when I was particularly studying alchemy in both Chinese and Western terms. There is a fundamental similarity which makes cross-cultural comparison fruitful. Of course I can hardly begin to describe it here.

 

In Daoist Mineral, Animal and Plant Magic on p. 316, Jerry Alan Johnson begins a section called 'Ancient Chinese Plant Alchemy', aside from some details related to how this was approached in China, the actual instructions are not that different from what you would find here:

 

The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy by Manfred Junius

 

or if you want to go back to the work of the man who started the modern revival of laboratory alchemy in the West, here:

 

The Alchemist's Handbook by Frater Albertus

 

The way to look at the big picture is to see that there are two subdivisions of neidan and weidan, in this case interpreted as microcosmic alchemy and macrocosmic alchemy, which in turn are subdivided into neidan and weidan, where in the microcosmic weidan the work is with pre-natal energies and weidan with post-natal energies, explaining the macrocosmic alchemical equivalent would require too much time right now.

 

I hope this is helpful for a quick overview.

[BaguaKicksAss]

I love Adamn Maclean's site .

 

I wish to learn more about the various "stones" one can make. The more complex ones that is. The ones using the sulfur, mercury and salt of each plant sort of thing.

 

Off to go acquire and read the Junius book......

 

Thank you very much for the suggestions. Love Magnus too btw. Will re-read.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

The single most useful work which I read on the Western Hermetic worldview and its relation to Alchemical Practice was:

An Alchemical Treatise on the Great Art, by Antoine-Joseph Pernety

 

A relatively late work, but extremely informative.

[BaguaKicksAss]

I personally don't enjoy the western hermetic approach at all whatsoever, but perhaps you mean something different than I'm thinking. Also looking for the physical stuff... will check it out...

[Zhongyongdaoist]

The first part of Pernety's book is an extended treatise on the four elements and how the work together to link the 'as above' to the 'so below', in other words the dynamics of the Emerald Tablet write large, it is part of the reason why Edward Kelly could write a work on alchemy called 'The Theatre of Terrestrial Astrology':

 

Edward Kelly; the Englishman's Two Excellent Treatises on the Philosopher's Stone and the Theatre of Terrestrial Asrtology

 

I found this worldview extremely useful in understanding the dynamics of Enochian Magic and it is also just an extension of the Treatment that exists in Agrippa.

[dawei]

The single most useful work which I read on the Western Hermetic worldview and its relation to Alchemical Practice was:

 

An Alchemical Treatise on the Great Art, by Antoine-Joseph Pernety

 

A relatively late work, but extremely informative.

 

PDF Version: http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/alchemy/The_Great_Art.pdf

[Zhongyongdaoist]

PDF Version: http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/alchemy/The_Great_Art.pdf

 

Thanks for posting this 'dawai', it will make it available to interested parties. This was one of the fundamental books in my understanding because it is the only one to clarify the nature of real Great Work as involving three stages, the development of the fire, the generation of the perfect sulfur and the compounding of the 'elixir' which is the actual 'medicine of metals' and is also used for treating people. This I was able to equate with the idea of three Dan in Chinese internal alchemy as part of what I have described as fruitful cross cultural comparison. This was not the only similarity, but only one of many. What is described in the second part for metals holds true for herbal working as well, it is paradigmatic of alchemical practice, which should not be confused with the outer method of making 'stones' and 'tinctures', which is sometimes called spagyrics to differentiate it from the genuine alchemical process.

 

This is why this book is so important as a general overview, the Hermetic model of the cosmos which it describes is the model for all true alchemical operations, it is the Macrocosm of which, what is going on in the alchemists vessels must be an accurate microcosm, if it is not the operation fails. Thus the key to the book is seeing how the description of nature laid out in the first part is reflected in the paradigmatic operations of the second part.

[LAOLONG]

http://www.ucpress.edu/ebook.php?isbn=9780520927605

there is a preview in google books

[SirPalomides]

After years of planning to do so, I've finally started working through Adam McLean's Foundation Study Course on Alchemical Symbolism. The lessons start out with very, very basic principles (e.g. note the placement of symbols, note the opposites or fusion of opposites) and stubbornly discourage interpretation, McLean's concern being that readers will superimpose preconceptions from other esoteric systems and misread the emblems. Since my own background in esoterism (apart from general Platonism) is very shallow it is not really a concern for me but I am enjoying this patient, step by tiny step approach.

[E. S. A.]

I will send you a PM. There are large collections out there.

Cheers,
E. S. A.

[Maddie]

I'm not sure if this is what you meant in your post, but as an acupuncturist I do this approach on myself often with herbs and acupuncture. On myself I go beyond the usual clinical applications.