This article is taken from the April 2024 issue of Fraternal Review titled, “Alchemy 2”.
Alchemy has been variously and incorrectly defined as both an early pseudo-science and as a precursor to the modern chemistry. The infamous activities of charlatans claiming the ability to transmute lead into gold (the so-called “Puffers”) have also figured prominently into the modern concept of Alchemy, leading the uninformed to believe that it was an ignorant attempt to gain wealth. Most standard definitions of Alchemy include the search for the elixir of life, or for a universal solvent. While these are all true statements in view of the history of Alchemy, the essence of the Art lies in a far more subtle truth.
Alchemy employs an animist view, that all things which exist are possessed of a life spirit, and that this life spirit, operating through the devices of nature, seeks to continually elevate itself to higher levels of existence. The Alchemist seeks to emulate the actions of nature and to accelerate this change. It is through this regimen that the Alchemist also elevates himself, both physically and spiritually. Alchemy then, might be more correctly defined as an Art and Science which seeks to transmute the base elements of matter and spirit to higher states of being. In this regard, the close relationship between Alchemy and other ancient arts and sciences such as Astrology, Kabbalah, and Theurgy are better understood.
Alchemy is concerned with elevating all organisms to their highest attainable level of perfection. When speaking of organisms, this includes all forms of matter, whether they are organic or inorganic, as the alchemist considers all matter to be alive (or it could not continue to occupy space, or maintain its physical form). Each organism possesses a differing level of the vital life force. Some have enough vital force to maintain their form, while others have such an abundance of life that they can reproduce and further energize and/or stabilize the vital force in other lesser organisms.
Alchemy developed gradually as a primitive art and grew into a mature science in Egypt around the beginning of the Christian era. Alchemy likely involved the convergence of preexisting or emerging technologies, such as metallurgy, dye making, perfumery, etc. In the year 292 A.D., Emperor Diocletian expelled the Alchemists from Egypt and ordered all Alchemical manuscripts to be burned. Alchemists fled with their intact manuscripts to Persia, Syria, and later to the newly founded Constantinople (330 A.D.). It appears that Alchemists again fled west, this time to Cyrene where their successors participated in the Islamic Invasion of Spain. During the ninth century, Islamic academics began translating and preserving these manuscripts. During the 11th and 12th centuries, the manuscripts fell into the hands of their Christian conquerors in Spain. In the late 12th century, Latin translations of the Alchemical manuscripts began to appear in Spain. Gerard of Cremona (1114–1187 A.D.) and Robertus Castrensis (circa 1150 A.D.) were just two of the translators who made the original Arabic texts available in Latin.
As the interest in Alchemy began to shift to the preparation of gold, the true knowledge of Alchemy was lost. We might classify the history of Alchemy into three periods. These are: (1) the Egyptian Period, with transition to Islam; (2) Islamic Alchemy with transition to Western Europe; and (3) Pseudo- Alchemy, with the final transition to modern chemistry. The Egyptian period is divided into 5 distinct eras; these consist of the Pseudo-Democritis (first part of the second century), Synesius (second or third century), Zosimus (third to fourth century), Olympiodorus (fifth or sixth century), and Stephanus (seventh century).
Through much of the 12th and 13th centuries, alchemical knowledge in Europe revolved around translations. The efforts of the translators were succeeded by Albertus Magnus, a Dominican (1193–1280 A.D.), his student Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), and Roger Bacon, a Franciscan (1214–1294). Albertus Magnus and Roger Bacon both contributed major works to the body of knowledge of Alchemy.
In 1317, Pope John XXII issued an edict, Spondent quas non exhibent, forbidding the false promises of transmutation made by pseudo-alchemists. In 1403, Henry IV of England banned the practice of multiplying metals, although it was possible to buy a license to make gold alchemically (a number of these licenses were granted by Henry VI and Edward IV). These edicts and regulations centered more around pseudo-alchemical charlatanism than the actual study of alchemy. The 14th century saw the Christian imagery of death and resurrection employed in the works written in the name of Raymond Lull and Arnold of Villanova. During the 14th century, alchemy became more accessible to Europeans outside the confines of Latin speaking churchmen and scholars (i.e., Nicolas Flamel (1330–1418)). George Ripley made significant contributions in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Their cryptic allusions and symbolism led to wide variations in interpretation of the ancient art. During the Renaissance, Hermetic and Platonic foundations were restored to European alchemy. Philippis Aureolus Paracelsus, (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, 1493–1541) cast alchemy into a new form and coined the term “Spagyrics”.
John Dee (1527–1608) followed Agrippa's occult tradition, writing Monas Hieroglyphica in 1564. In the late 16th century, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, received and sponsored various alchemists at his court at Prague, including Dee and his associate Edward Kelley, Michael Maier, and Heinrich Khunrath. The death of Emperor Rudolf II in 1612 signified an end to the Golden Age of Alchemy. In 1660, the founding of The Royal Society in London marked the beginning of the new science of Chemistry—although its members secretly continued to practice Alchemy.
BIO:
William Steve Burkle is a 32° Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar of the York Rite, Sovereign Master of Cushite Council 473 (Allied Masonic Degrees), and a Magus (IX°) and Past Chief Adept of the Utah College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis (Masonic Rosicrucians). He served as the Editor of Ad Lucem, the annual journal of the Order. Bro. Burkle is also a Knight Commander of the Red Branch of Eri, Worthy Supreme Ruler of the Order of the Secret Monitor, Commander Noah of the Royal Ark Mariners, and a Knight Mason. He holds a Master of Arts and a Doctoral Degree in Religious Studies.