What are your favorite books on practical Alchemy?

[FraterUFA]

I gave you the information how to start and enough material for the next few years.

 

Knowing full well that without the key, he'd be spinning his wheels for years...

 

But he didn't ask the right question now, did he? :-)

 

Fr. UFA

[BaguaKicksAss]

Too hot. You need to keep it under 1000C, 750-850C is best.

 

I can set my melting furnace or my kiln at any temperature I like. Well I think 350 might be the lowest.

[FraterUFA]

Hi Chris,

 

Hi!

 

You criticized the information and the man who wrote it, but you don't reveal what's wrong

 

I provided a level of detail appropriate to the question that was asked. But seeing as you are asking for further detail...

 

What exactly do you think is misleading in his material ?

 

Like many alchemists (including Albertus), Dubuis put some blinds in his work. He gave enough to satisfy the arm chair alchemists and writes convincingly. But after a bit of hands on experimentation using his methods, one quickly hits roadblocks. I believe that those hurdles were intentional, designed for the purpose of encouraging true seekers to get in contact with his school (which is a pretty wise approach, if you ask me).

 

The ineffectiveness of maceration extraction, use of Soxhlet extractors, and incomplete advice given with the solve et coagula method are three areas of technical misinformation that come to mind for starters.

 

My favorite though is the part in the spagyrics lessons where he goes into why you shouldn't use store bought materials (I think he was referring to potassium carbonate, I don't have the lessons in front of me right now to confirm) and then 1-2 pages later instructs the student to go to the store and buy it.

 

He also advises that dead plants can be used as the subject for the elixirs. And technically, he's right... the dead plants won't give any better results than using live ones! Someone reading with a critical eye will question this based on his discussion in S7 about cut herbs having lost their signature. And any gardener/farmer/enologist with a few years experience should instantly recognize the truth about the life force present in dried vs. live plants.

 

 

Why are the 7 planetary elixirs/tinctures a sledgehammer approach ?

 

Because it's a crude extraction that Albertus apparently invented for the purpose of teaching basic lab skills (and it is valuable in that regard). The theory behind it is nonsensical however. Take Mercury, for instance. How is ethanol the universal mercury of the plant kingdom when ethanol does not naturally occur in the plant kingdom, and furthermore, it is an animal by-product?

 

Ethanol has its uses but it is not the universal mercury of the plant kingdom.

 

Our stone is one thing, to which we add nothing, nor take anything away, only removing that which is superfluous.

 

There are easier, faster, better approaches to producing plant quintessences.

 

 

Which of his theories did he not test?

 

His theories about the correspondences (and subsequent practices) of the seven tinctures to the days, planets, and sephiroth. Are we really only going to have "water experiences" on Mondays? Martial experiences on Tuesdays? Hmmm...

 

I mean, that is an interesting theory... but the Tree of Life is ultimately a model of the inner world. Like many occultists, Dubuis mistakes it for outer reality. This hasn't to my knowledge been satisfactorily proven by anyone (yet... though I know of at least one person investigating it).

 

He takes it a step farther and claims a correspondence between dreams which occur on the same days of the week. Perform this exercise regularly for an extended period of time and ask yourself honestly if your experience confirms it. This is more of the typical French cultural tendency to take systems thinking to a absurd extreme and it is a reach.

 

We could go into his advice on astrology as well, though I suspect people will start throwing tomatoes at me if I go into this one.

 

An alternative to his model is the Paracelsian concept of the plant kingdom existing in a type of hierarchy, with certain plants being more evolved and having superior properties to others. This does have experimental support.

 

 

Can't really see the disorganization, care to explain further ?

 

The lessons are disorganized to an extreme. This is pretty much self-evident and it makes me question if you've actually read them seriously.

 

An example: the first experiment is detailed in the early lessons (2-4, if memory serves). But Dubuis doesn't get into a discussion on this until lesson 26.

Descriptions and variations of equipment are scattered throughout multiple lessons, often separate from information on the practical use of same.

 

The various methods discussing the plant stone are shotgunned throughout many different lessons (24, 26, 29...)

 

Lessons on the vegetable mercury are scattered throughout... 29, 31, and Minerals 7 just to name a few.

 

Don't get me wrong. There is a lot of good info here. But the lessons seem to be constructed almost as if he transcribed them over time through someone else.

 

A little editing and re-organization turns what is a mediocre effort into something truly magnificent. Seeing this ends all argument.

 

 

I'm sorry to hear that your elixirs don't do much, but you don't want to blame that fact on anybody but yourself do you ?

 

This is a possibility I addressed elsewhere. Having recreated the elixirs under the eye of someone more experienced, it is far more likely that either:

 

A) my vibration is already too high and so these elixirs don't have an effect on me, or...

The Albertus/Dubuis basic elixir approach does not have an alchemical effect

 

Again, I do recommend the PON lessons as a reference but my most blunt, honest assessment is that these lessons are not going to turn anyone into a genuine alchemist.

 

Best,

Fr. UFA

[Gemstone]

"Israel Regardie & The Philosophers Stone" by Lisiewski is a great book.

It gives the history of Albertus and his school. The book also explores the relationship between Albertus, Regardie and Lisiewski and the advanced work they delved into. For example the creation of The Homunculus.

It contains practical instructions in lab work, especially the plant stone.

Overall a great read!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Israel-Regardie-Philosophers-Stone-Alchemical-ebook/dp/B007YUUQEE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415692596&sr=8-2&keywords=regardie+and+the+philosophers+stone

[Asmo]

Hi FraterUFA,

 

 

Knowing full well that without the key, he'd be spinning his wheels for years...

 

But he didn't ask the right question now, did he? :-)

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

 

I provided a level of detail appropriate to the question that was asked. But seeing as you are asking for further detail...

 

 

Like many alchemists (including Albertus), Dubuis put some blinds in his work. He gave enough to satisfy the arm chair alchemists and writes convincingly. But after a bit of hands on experimentation using his methods, one quickly hits roadblocks. I believe that those hurdles were intentional, designed for the purpose of encouraging true seekers to get in contact with his school (which is a pretty wise approach, if you ask me).

 

The blinds he put in there are deliberately and he wrote about that iirc in vol 2 of spagyrics.

Originally these whole scripts where a distance study course for LPN members. You could see who is doing the work because they would hit roadblocks and ask or they would find a solution depending on their depth of understanding. There was a kind of master student relationship embedded in this way. If it would have been a book, i wouldn't I like his approach

 

My favorite though is the part in the spagyrics lessons where he goes into why you shouldn't use store bought materials (I think he was referring to potassium carbonate, I don't have the lessons in front of me right now to confirm) and then 1-2 pages later instructs the student to go to the store and buy it.

 

Can't remember what he wrote exactly either. Those who do the work all by themselves will gain better knowledge and understanding. It's a little bit like seperating the wheat from the chaff.

 

 

He also advises that dead plants can be used as the subject for the elixirs. And technically, he's right... the dead plants won't give any better results than using live ones! Someone reading with a critical eye will question this based on his discussion in S7 about cut herbs having lost their signature. And any gardener/farmer/enologist with a few years experience should instantly recognize the truth about the life force present in dried vs. live plants.

 

Imho , they don't lose their signature, the difference lies in a living plant radiating it's signature outward and a dead plant retaining it.

 

Take Mercury, for instance. How is ethanol the universal mercury of the plant kingdom when ethanol does not naturally occur in the plant kingdom, and furthermore, it is an animal by-product?

 

It seams that this is a simple question when actually it is not

Ethanol is the carrier of the principle of mercury never the mercury in itself.

It doesn't have to occur naturally, nature takes a less pure way to do the work.

The art takes a shortcut in seperating and purifying the principles.

We have (to stay at the current example of the universal mercury of the plant kingdom) the volatizing and the fixing mercury in every plant. But only the mercury of grapes is universally usable.

 

 

His theories about the correspondences (and subsequent practices) of the seven tinctures to the days, planets, and sephiroth. Are we really only going to have "water experiences" on Mondays? Martial experiences on Tuesdays? Hmmm...

 

I mean, that is an interesting theory... but the Tree of Life is ultimately a model of the inner world. Like many occultists, Dubuis mistakes it for outer reality. This hasn't to my knowledge been satisfactorily proven by anyone (yet... though I know of at least one person investigating it).

 

No we don't only have water experiences on Mondays The Etz Chiim is the simplest Glyph but its everexpanding. It may be correct to say that on a Sunday morning in the first hour the influence of the sun is at it's peak and it maybe a good idea to take a tincture/elixir at this hour because it may be easier to get an awareness of this energy. But it's only a dominating factor for a short amount of time.

 

We could go into his advice on astrology as well, though I suspect people will start throwing tomatoes at me if I go into this one.

I won't throw anything at you

 

 

An alternative to his model is the Paracelsian concept of the plant kingdom existing in a type of hierarchy, with certain plants being more evolved and having superior properties to others. This does have experimental support.

 

More evolved should mean more in balance. Grapes should be the most in balance therefore you can take the mercury from grapes and use it on the whole plant kingdom.

 

 

The lessons are disorganized to an extreme. This is pretty much self-evident and it makes me question if you've actually read them seriously.

 

An example: the first experiment is detailed in the early lessons (2-4, if memory serves). But Dubuis doesn't get into a discussion on this until lesson 26.

 

That serves a purpose imho. I'm looking for the right Allegory here but i don't know a good one -.-

 

Let say you want to purify and strenghten Tiphareth. Lets look at a few availablve alchemical options.

 

Veg. Tincture

Veg. Elixir

Cirrculatum Minor

Vegetable Stone

Metallic. Tincture

etc etc etc.

 

If you take a veg. tincture the effect is minimal but it's there. You proceed through the ranks and everything gets more purified and strengthend. If you don't do it that way you can seriously hurt yourself in the process.

 

 

Descriptions and variations of equipment are scattered throughout multiple lessons, often separate from information on the practical use of same.

 

The various methods discussing the plant stone are shotgunned throughout many different lessons (24, 26, 29...)

 

Lessons on the vegetable mercury are scattered throughout... 29, 31, and Minerals 7 just to name a few.

 

Don't get me wrong. There is a lot of good info here. But the lessons seem to be constructed almost as if he transcribed them over time through someone else.

 

A little editing and re-organization turns what is a mediocre effort into something truly magnificent. Seeing this ends all argument.

 

I know what you are meaning, think of it that way. If i would write a book where i state everything no secrets. (Obviously i'm not able to do that.) How many would work their way through it and how many would skip to the last chapter ? The information maybe not in a neat order but in a way that sows the seeds and let them mature before new information is added to it.

 

A reorganized version would be great for someone who actually did the work. For students in a distance learning course not so. Btw if you have a reorganized version i'd really like to have it :D

 

This is a possibility I addressed elsewhere. Having recreated the elixirs under the eye of someone more experienced, it is far more likely that either:

 

A) my vibration is already too high and so these elixirs don't have an effect on me, or...

The Albertus/Dubuis basic elixir approach does not have an alchemical effect

 

Again, I do recommend the PON lessons as a reference but my most blunt, honest assessment is that these lessons are not going to turn anyone into a genuine alchemist.

 

Best,

Fr. UFA

 

Actually very possible that you are purified enough for the next step

As everything we take in has an alchemical effect (not necessarily a purifying) i can assure you they work but not in the most efficient way possible and that's for good!

 

 

Best whishes

Chris

 

 

 

[rex]

 

Knowing full well that without the key, he'd be spinning his wheels for years...

 

But he didn't ask the right question now, did he? :-)

 

Fr. UFA

Anything to do with the secret fire without which nothing can be accomplished? : )

[Zhongyongdaoist]

Anything to do with the secret fire without which nothing can be accomplished? : )

Nothing whatsoever to do with that and don't mention it again.

It seams that this is a simple question when actually it is not

Ethanol is the carrier of the principle of mercury never the mercury in itself.

This is why I wrote this:

The purpose of the above is to stimulate questions, not to provide answers and speaking of questions, here's one, why is Brandy called a distilled spirit? And yes, I do know why.

and also why this is applicable:

Again a return to the plant analogy can be useful. When you plant an acorn it grows into an oak. In the process it develops many aspects which change as it realizes its potential. If you plant an acorn and a lime tree grows, that would be a transformation. If you plant an acorn and horses sprout from the ground, well now that would be a real transformation!

 

It is also interesting to think about the complement to transformation, which is transubstantiation. In the Roman Catholic interpretation of the sacrament of communion, the form of wine and a bread wafer remain the same, but the substance underlying them supposedly changes from ordinary "corruptible" hyle into the incorruptible body of Christ. Whether this actually happens in a Roman Catholic Mass or not is an interesting question, but whether it does or not, the idea of transubstantiation is quite an interesting one to add to your list of things to contemplate.

In a plant sunlight becomes sugar, sugar transubstantiates to wine, wine transubstatiates to vinegar. Same form different substance. Same function different "menstrum", put some sugar on your strawberries out comes the lovely juice, it also serves as a "conserve", and old name for jam or jelly, put some alcohol on an herb and out comes the "sulphur" of the plant, it also serves as a preservative, put some vinegar on a plant and out comes its "soul", vinegar also serves as a preservative. One hates to point out the relevance of Aristotle and the Roman Catholic Church to all of this, but it is there.

 

Reference to the context from which my quotes are taken is recommended.

[rex]

Nothing whatsoever to do with that and don't mention it again.

Why can't this be mentioned again?

[FraterUFA]

Hi Chris,

 

The blinds he put in there are deliberately and he wrote about that iirc in vol 2 of spagyrics.

Originally these whole scripts where a distance study course for LPN members. You could see who is doing the work because they would hit roadblocks and ask or they would find a solution depending on their depth of understanding. There was a kind of master student relationship embedded in this way. If it would have been a book, i wouldn't I like his approach

 

Yes, agree completely and that's what I was getting at. The LPN/PON are no longer around so in the context of this thread, the lessons themselves aren't really ideal (I assume that the person who asked doesn't have a mentor).

 

Imho , they don't lose their signature, the difference lies in a living plant radiating it's signature outward and a dead plant retaining it.

 

That's an interesting approach I hadn't considered.

 

The way I think of it is that the "life force" isn't a real thing of itself. Rather, it's what manifests when the three principles are present. Dried herbs (absent seeds) will not sprout given the right conditions nor can they be induced to reproduce in any manner... they do not demonstrate the properties of life. And therefore, we have to ask ourselves... if life isn't present, then are all three principles present?

 

The farmer, gardener and winemaker all know that the life of a plant is virtually gone after 24 hours of being cut. So it follows that these principles are greatly weakened after this time.

 

Of course, in some small degree the body of the plant is still living, but not to the same degree that it was before.

 

It seams that this is a simple question when actually it is not

Ethanol is the carrier of the principle of mercury never the mercury in itself.

It doesn't have to occur naturally, nature takes a less pure way to do the work.

The art takes a shortcut in seperating and purifying the principles.

We have (to stay at the current example of the universal mercury of the plant kingdom) the volatizing and the fixing mercury in every plant. But only the mercury of grapes is universally usable.

 

Yes, exactly... which is why statements that Dubuis made (again, I think he did this intentionally) like: "the Spirit is contained in the alcohol and is common to all plants", it is quite misleading.

 

But this is as it should be, right? Elsewhere are hints and statements which contradict this one (and which are correct).

 

No we don't only have water experiences on Mondays The Etz Chiim is the simplest Glyph but its everexpanding. It may be correct to say that on a Sunday morning in the first hour the influence of the sun is at it's peak and it maybe a good idea to take a tincture/elixir at this hour because it may be easier to get an awareness of this energy. But it's only a dominating factor for a short amount of time.

 

So now we start getting into astrology. What is the proper role of astrology in alchemy? I certainly don't fully understand it and I believe very few do. But what is certain is that we've muddled it up beyond recognition for the most part and Dubuis certainly contributed to this.

 

I believe that as far as astrology plays a role in alchemy, it is limited to the following:

 

1. The phase of the moon

2. The zodiacal sign of the sun

3. The time of day

4. The major aspects made to the moon

 

Now what is quite interesting about this is that the first three of these have sound physiological reasons behind them. The fouth, I cannot explain nor can I prove one way or another at the current time (eg: it is a belief I currently hold).

 

And whether these make any difference at all in the plant work is another question altogether.

 

I won't throw anything at you

 

It remains to be seen :-)

 

More evolved should mean more in balance. Grapes should be the most in balance therefore you can take the mercury from grapes and use it on the whole plant kingdom.

 

Balance implies polarity, so I would argue that this is the opposite of evolution in an alchemical sense. We can be perfectly balanced and unevolved at the same time.

 

I think of evolution as being a measure of how close an individual is to the frontier of what the collective consciousness of their particular species has experienced.

 

Under this paradigm, the quintessence of lemonbalm would possess properties that the quintessence of spearmint does not, such as the ability to rejuvenate human tissues.

 

 

That serves a purpose imho. I'm looking for the right Allegory here but i don't know a good one -.-

 

Let say you want to purify and strenghten Tiphareth. Lets look at a few availablve alchemical options.

 

Veg. Tincture

Veg. Elixir

Cirrculatum Minor

Vegetable Stone

Metallic. Tincture

etc etc etc.

 

If you take a veg. tincture the effect is minimal but it's there. You proceed through the ranks and everything gets more purified and strengthend. If you don't do it that way you can seriously hurt yourself in the process.

 

That is the theory and certainly a safe one for someone working on their own. But by no means is it a requirement.

 

The application of the proper force to the physical body can do more in 60 seconds than months or years of this gradual and often imperceptible consumption of alchemical products. At least tinctures and elixirs, which I am familiar with.

 

I question though this theory... Albertus popularized it and I am quite certain that what he revealed in public differed from what he revealed in private.

 

I know what you are meaning, think of it that way. If i would write a book where i state everything no secrets. (Obviously i'm not able to do that.) How many would work their way through it and how many would skip to the last chapter ? The information maybe not in a neat order but in a way that sows the seeds and let them mature before new information is added to it.

 

Yes, I think we completely agree on this.

 

A reorganized version would be great for someone who actually did the work. For students in a distance learning course not so. Btw if you have a reorganized version i'd really like to have it :D

 

I would but it is not mine to give!

 

Actually very possible that you are purified enough for the next step

As everything we take in has an alchemical effect (not necessarily a purifying) i can assure you they work but not in the most efficient way possible and that's for good!

 

This is a good conversation. I am enjoying it. :-)

 

Fr. UFA

[FraterUFA]

Anything to do with the secret fire without which nothing can be accomplished? : )

 

Consider that what science knows and can easily prove about matter versus that which science denies.

[rex]

 

Consider that what science knows and can easily prove about matter versus that which science denies.

Thanks! : )

[Zhongyongdaoist]

Nothing whatsoever to do with that and don't mention it again.

Why can't this be mentioned again?

It's just a joke, about its being secret fire. I hate using smiley faces, maybe I should color code these things instead.

 

 

 

 

Edit: Changed smile to smiley.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Zhongyongdaoist

[rex]

It's just a joke, about its being secret fire. I hate using smiley faces, maybe I should color code these things instead.Edit: Changed smile to smiley.

Phew! For a moment you had me worried! : )

[Asmo]

Hi FraterUFA,

 

That's an interesting approach I hadn't considered.

 

It like revivifying dead metal with fresh life, metal also holds the signature. For a "weak" veg. tincture you can use only the dried plant. for a veg. stone you need fresh plants. Or you reintroduce life into your dried plants

 

 

The way I think of it is that the "life force" isn't a real thing of itself. Rather, it's what manifests when the three principles are present. Dried herbs (absent seeds) will not sprout given the right conditions nor can they be induced to reproduce in any manner... they do not demonstrate the properties of life. And therefore, we have to ask ourselves... if life isn't present, then are all three principles present?

 

The 3 principles are always present everytime everywhere. Dried herbs cannot sprout because the don't have enough life force to reproduce aka build seeds but do you know grafting ? Where you cut the stem off of one fruittree (cutting their life force) and implant it on another tree, reenableing the flow But small plants decompose too fast for that method. The animal real decomposes even faster.

 

 

Yes, exactly... which is why statements that Dubuis made (again, I think he did this intentionally) like: "the Spirit is contained in the alcohol and is common to all plants", it is quite misleading.

 

But this is as it should be, right? Elsewhere are hints and statements which contradict this one (and which are correct).

 

I cannot claim to really know Dubuis intentions, but everything i know of this man makes me believe that he did it with the best intentions for his students. As soon as someone picks up one of the more classical (philosophical) books on alchemy, like the before mentioned Aurea Catena Homeri, they should realise that we are not working with physical parts but metaphysical principles applied to physical parts.

 

 

So now we start getting into astrology. What is the proper role of astrology in alchemy? I certainly don't fully understand it and I believe very few do. But what is certain is that we've muddled it up beyond recognition for the most part and Dubuis certainly contributed to this.

 

I believe that as far as astrology plays a role in alchemy, it is limited to the following:

 

1. The phase of the moon

2. The zodiacal sign of the sun

3. The time of day

4. The major aspects made to the moon

 

Now what is quite interesting about this is that the first three of these have sound physiological reasons behind them. The fouth, I cannot explain nor can I prove one way or another at the current time (eg: it is a belief I currently hold).

 

And whether these make any difference at all in the plant work is another question altogether.

 

As there is only one root (imho ) wheter you call it Source, God, Tao, Allah or whatever else and everything sprouts from it everything has an impact on everyting to different degrees at different times. There is one major key in the 3 principles and 4 elements you can also find it in the post heaven bagua.

 

Balance implies polarity, so I would argue that this is the opposite of evolution in an alchemical sense. We can be perfectly balanced and unevolved at the same time.

 

Compare pre heaven bagua with post heaven, both have polarity but one is perfectly balanced while the other is not and therefore is allowing change and therefore evolution. As long as you are not at the source you will have polarity everywhere, balance it, balance it so perfectly that it "transcends" it Being perfectly balanced and unevolved was a long time ago when this whole thing started imho.

 

 

That is the theory and certainly a safe one for someone working on their own. But by no means is it a requirement.

 

The application of the proper force to the physical body can do more in 60 seconds than months or years of this gradual and often imperceptible consumption of alchemical products. At least tinctures and elixirs, which I am familiar with.

 

Hmm i'm doing a type of QiGong where i'm advised to only do about 5 to 10 minutes twice a day. As i'm notoriously curious i tried it longer, resulting in what we call overcleansing. The amount of energy was not the problem but my body simply couldn't cope with the release of blockages and i got ill for a few days. Today that won't happen. Afaik Dubuis advised to take the vegetable stuff for 18months before switching to metallic or mineral ones. If a beginner does nothing else beside alchemy i think it's sound advise.

 

 

I would but it is not mine to give!

 

Maybe you could ask :D

 

 

This is a good conversation. I am enjoying it. :-)

 

Me too!

 

 

Chris

[BaguaKicksAss]

Since this seems to be the alchemy thread, I thought I would ask here. So I have acquired a box of realgar/orpiment. They are the prettiest rocks ever! I seem to have a couple of different grades of the realgar. I only have a few pieces left of the top grade, but an entire box full of the not quite as awesome sort.

 

Any suggestions what I can do with this alchemically, magically, or? I have to say they have the most amazing energy ever that I have come across in a rock .

 

I also have a large chunk of antimony, which I'm not entirely sure what to do with either.

 

Ideas?

 

Why yes, I did happen upon a private lapidary sale of the collection of a geologer/rockhound!

 

I did create the most amazing magical circle for a couple of workings, with some giant lodestones, copper ore, silver ore, realgar, etc. etc. etc. .

Edited December 6, 2014 by BaguaKicksAss

[Michael Sternbach]

I found what I was looking for:

 

Robert Allen Bartlett: The Way of the Crucible

 

This is a brilliant introduction to the mineral work. The author feels what I thought myself, mineral Alchemy has been almost completely obscured so far and aims to remedy this by his book.

[theurgy]

BEWARE! This book is incomplete and the author himself has not completed the Work described . The book was put together from notes from Frater Albertus' classes. I have this on VERY good authority from many sources. Please do not do yourself any harm by following this book. All the best.

[BaguaKicksAss]

I finally read the book; not much about actual alchemy, more about random spiritual practices thrown together and modern ceremonial magick thrown in. Aside from this though, if one takes out all the extraneous filler, what is wrong with the book? Could you go into some detail giving actual examples please? It's really easy to say someone hasn't completed the work; we all say that about practitioners we don't like, but some specifics about what is wrong with his methods would be nice. I mean aside from the fact that the actual info never makes it into books sort of thing...

Edited January 23, 2015 by BaguaKicksAss

[FraterUFA]

I recently picked up this work as a reference and though I haven't read the entire thing, I did find a fundamental error in his chapter about the spirit of philosophical wine. The section on practical technique leaves out quite a bit and should really come with more cautions and warnings about the technique he describes.

 

My two cents, FWIW.

UFA

[noonespecial]

I found what I was looking for:

 

Robert Allen Bartlett: The Way of the Crucible

 

This is a brilliant introduction to the mineral work. The author feels what I thought myself, mineral Alchemy has been almost completely obscured so far and aims to remedy this by his book.

 

I've been meaning to pick that one up.

 

As for me, my favorite for to the point meditation and contemplation is Lambsread. No filler.

[FraterUFA]

I am not a fan. I am intimately familiar with one of the works described in this book and the author made several statements that indicates he hasn't done it himself (or he intentionally inserted these errors). The fact that he sells alchemy courses on his website should tell you something as well.

 

UFA

[rex]

This looks a good'un:

Child of the Sun: Psychic & Physical Rejuvenation in Alchemy and Qabala

http://www.amazon.com/Child-Sun-Psychic-Physical-Rejuvenation/dp/1522735143/

[silent thunder]

Ling Bao Tong Zhi Neng Nei Gong Shu: Wang Li Ping

Secret of the Golden Flower: Richard Wilhelm translator

 

[FraterUFA]

Ling Bao Tong Zhi Neng Nei Gong Shu: Wang Li Ping

Secret of the Golden Flower: Richard Wilhelm translator

 

I intend no disrespect to those with Eastern predispositions, but I find it incredible that anyone believes eastern literature can contribute anything of importance to the canon of western alchemical literature. It shows an ignorance of the breadth and meaning of this collective body of work and I personally find it disrespectful to those great adepts who spent their lives perfecting their Art. I suppose that won't mean much to the "everything means anything" crowd but I will continue on with my Sisyphean task.

 

Needless to say, neither of these are practical western alchemical texts. 

 

UFA

[Michael Sternbach]

I intend no disrespect to those with Eastern predispositions, but I find it incredible that anyone believes eastern literature can contribute anything of importance to the canon of western alchemical literature. It shows an ignorance of the breadth and meaning of this collective body of work and I personally find it disrespectful to those great adepts who spent their lives perfecting their Art. I suppose that won't mean much to the "everything means anything" crowd but I will continue on with my Sisyphean task.

 

Needless to say, neither of these are practical western alchemical texts. 

 

UFA

 

And yet, Julius Evola wrote an interesting treatise on the parallels between The Secret of the Golden Flower and Hermetic spiritual alchemy. I don't subscribe to "everything means anything" at all, but there are sometimes parallels between the systems of different cultures that only come as a surprise as long as we don't appreciate that they are describing the same facts of metaphysical nature, only perhaps from slightly different perspectives.

 

We likely won't agree on this, and this is not the place to discuss this further. This thread is about practical alchemy by which I mean laboratory alchemy (which indeed likely limits the topic to western alchemy, as there are not many books on eastern lab alchemy available in western languages), and you are right that it has been taken OT, although with the best of intentions.

 

So let's get back to Lully, Flamel and Fulcanelli then.