20 Best Books On Alchemy (2023 Update)

Transform your mind and soul to find your highest self with this alchemist book for beginners. there's a lot more to alchemy than turning lead into gold. alchemists are committed to not only the transformation of actual substances with elements but also the transformation of themselves. the same process that transforms base metals into higher metals can be used to transcend "leaden" souls into enlightened, "golden" souls. this beginner's guide teaches you how to refine the baser parts of yourself (such as your fears, doubts, and anger) and take actionable steps to uncover your truest, enlightened self with practical lessons and thought exercises. learn how alchemy marries physical, practical pursuits with the spiritual and mental pursuits of self-transformation with: a brief history of alchemy's roots and basic principles, including its three primary facets: physical, spiritual, and mental. an overview of the materials that craftsmen used centuries ago, as well as the technologies and techniques that were available at the dawn of the scientific revolution. insightful activities and introspective journaling exercises that make alchemy relevant and accessible to you. illustrated vignettes on notable alchemists, like nicolas flamel, christina of sweden, and albert einstein.an overview of the phases of the path toward self-transcendence: including nigredo, albedo, and rubedo, among others.bring positive change into your life with the transformative powers of alchemy in this beginner's guide.

A concise guide to the history, theory, and practice of alchemy (the "great work")–the art of working with the energies of nature for spiritual development, healing, and transformation. – alchemy is a means of understanding and working in concert with the energies of nature for spiritual development, healing, and transformation. in this book, brian cotnoir offers a step-by-step introduction that explores alchemy's mysteries while illustrating its use as a modern spiritual system of attainment. – he provides an overview of the history of alchemy, from the first meldings of egyptian technology to the middle ages–the golden age of alchemy–to contemporary techniques. he demystifies the relationship between alchemy and chemistry, and provides evidence that alchemy is much more than a medieval form of psychotherapy. the guide also includes practical laboratory experiments that safely and intelligently lead readers to an understanding of this ancient art and spiritual practice. – provides step-by-step instruction for beginning a practice in alchemy – explains the theory underlying the art and science of alchemy and how it works – demystifies the relationship between alchemy and chemistry, while going well beyond the "psychological interpretation" advanced by nonscientists – introduces the practice of alchemy to students of the western magical arts this book was previously published as the weiser concise guide to alchemy. this new edition includes a foreword by robert allen bartlett, author of real alchemy.

'a breakthrough book. wonderfully applicable to everything in life, and funny as hell.' nassim nicholas taleb why is red bull so popular – even though everyone hates the taste? why do countdown boards on platforms take away the pain of train delays? discover the alchemy behind original thinking, as ted talk superstar and ogilvy advertising legend rory sutherland reveals why abandoning logic and casting aside rationality is the best way to solve any problem. in his first book he blends cutting-edge behavioural science, jaw-dropping stories and a touch of branding magic on his mission to turn us all into idea alchemists. to be brilliant, you have to be irrational.

"it was the genius of c.g. jung to discover in the 'holy technique' of alchemy a parallel to the psychological individuation process. this book, by jung's long-time friend and co-worker, completely demystifies the subject. designed as an introduction to jung's more detailed studies, and profusely illustrated, here is a lucid and practical account of what the alchemists were really looking for–emotional balance and wholeness"–back cover.

"the presence of the ormus material appears to benefit plant, animal and human life and it enables life to reach a fuller measure of its biological potential. ormus is a group of essential minerals previously unknown to modern science that are common in plants, animals, air, soil and water. reported benefits of the ormus material include more energy and clarity of thought. the ormus material is collectable from common materials and ormus modern day alchemy the first published book that contains clear detailed explanations of time-honored ormus collection processes. these processes are fairly easy and straightforward. included in the book are chapters on the history of ormus, information about the ormus material and descriptions of miscellaneous ormus collection processes."–publisher description.

Humanity is poised for its next evolutionary phase, and radical, revolutionary, and spiritual technology is required for its realization. alchemy of becoming, pritam atma's third book in the mystical motherhood series, offers this technology, and in doing so, extends to you an invitation to awaken and evolve.this metaphysical text is dedicated to women and to helping them heal their wounds – on a personal level which will lead to the collective – so that they can access self-love and connection to their hearts. as a leap in consciousness is made on the planet, individuals will go through a heart-opening experience and alchemists will lead the way for this evolutionary journey to occur. to most of us, the word 'alchemist' implies a person who, working with base metals, endeavors to transmute them into gold. that describes the alchemist in the physical domain, but pritam atma is addressing the alchemist who has accessed an ancient spiritual technology – a technology that still involves searching for gold, but this time, the gold is your consciousness, your frequency, your best life. and the base metals are your original wounds: your long-established patterns that hold you back from the realization of your highest mission. pritam chose to focus on relationships in this book, and she takes you through her personal journey of finding love in her life and the alchemical process of healing generational patterns and childhood conditioning that enabled her to do that. alchemy of becoming will help you to embark upon your own journey of healing, which may or not be the same as pritam's. this book will lead you to a deeper relationship with yourself so that you can create a new life narrative. you will inevitably gain a great amount of energy, personal power, and sovereignty as you embark on this path of ancient initiation and awakening. the technology for the spiritual-seeking alchemist involves seven operations in which the physical and spiritual exquisitely intertwine. pritam shares the depths and heights of her changes in each stage, the determination and fearlessness in her hero's journey, letting you, her fellow alchemist, see what is required and letting you know, too, that the journey is gloriously do-able.

The greatest magic is the magic that transforms the self to learn the secrets of enochian magic became my personal obsession. little did i realize that a simple experiment with the spirit board would result a year later in a life-transforming and completely original alchemical initiation, the great work that is the ultimate goal of spiritual alchemy. transcend ordinary consciousness and undergo a personal, life-altering transformation through jenny tyson's amazing journey of spirit communication and instruction. this remarkable book presents jenny's yearlong training and the intense three-day initiation that turned her minimal psychic abilities into full-blown clairvoyance and clairaudience. along the way she contacted several guides, including famed elizabethan magicians john dee and edward kelley. providing detailed accounts of jenny's experiences and the ghost box and other tools she used, spiritual alchemy guides your own spirit communication. discover jenny's unique analysis of the emerald tablet of hermes trismegistus, her process of awakening and raising kundalini energy, and her work with the angels and gateways to divine unity. with powerful new training methods, a unique interview with edward kelley, and more, this book revolutionizes the interactions between humans and spirits.

This book is an experiential guide to the spiritual realities of alchemy. the techniques revealed are based on centuries of work by philosophers of nature who sought universal laws of transformation that were as valid in their laboratory experiments as they were in their own hearts and minds. the secret teaching of their "underground river" has flowed as a legacy of wisdom from one generation of alchemists to the next. collectively, they sought to create a spiritual technology that worked on all levels at once, a powerful science of soul whose principles are as valid in the physical world as they are in the psychological and spiritual realms.

Originally written for chinese readers, this book provides a clear description of the taoist practice of internal alchemy, or neidan. the author outlines the four stages of the alchemical practice and clarifies several relevant terms and notions, including essence, breath, and spirit; the cinnabar fields; the "fire times"; and the embryo. the book is based on the system of the wuzhen pian (awakening to reality), one of the main sources of internal alchemy, and contains about two hundred quotations from original taoist texts.table of contentsforeword, viiintroduction, 1 the basis: essence and spirit, 3stages of the alchemical practice in awakening to reality, 11 the four stages, 13 "laying the foundations," 15 main points in the practice of "laying the foundations," 20 the functions of essence, breath, and spirit, 36 terms related to the "coagulation of the three treasures," 52 conclusion of the stage of "laying the foundations," 63 "refining essence to transmute it into breath," 65 "refining breath to transmute it into spirit," 99 "refining spirit to return to emptiness," 109conclusion, 119 the "arts of the way," 121tables, 123glossary of chinese characters, 133

The ancient practice of alchemy, which thrived in europe until the seventeenth century, dealt with the phenomenon of transformation–not only of materials (ore into gold) but also of the human spirit (self into other). through their work in the material realm, alchemists discovered personal rebirth as well as a linking between outer and inner dimensions. jung first turned to alchemy for personal illumination in coping with trauma brought on by his break with freud. alchemical symbolism eventually suggested to jung that there was a process in the unconscious, one that had a goal beyond discharging tension and hiding pain. in this book, nathan schwartz-salant, a leading jungian analyst with an interest in alchemy, brings together a key selection of jung's writings on the subject. these writings expose us to jung's fascinating reflections on the symbols of alchemy–such as the three-headed mercurial dragon, hermaphrodites, and lions devouring the sun–and brings us closer to the spirit of his approach to the unconscious, closer than his purely scientific concepts often allow.

"if you really want to learn the basic principles of practical alchemy, frater albertus' alchemist's handbook is literally is worth its weight in gold."–from the foreword by israel regardie, author of the golden dawn: the original account of the teachings, rites, and ceremonies of the hermetic order the alchemist's handbook has long been considered a modern-day classic on the actual practice of alchemy since its first publication in 1960. the book still stands as a groundbreaking work presenting in clear, concise language a practical manual of working knowledge that was formerly handed down only under oath of secrecy. the scope of alchemical work is to provide both a means to synthesize all the other sciences and the necessary training of the intellectual and spiritual faculties. "hermetic philosophy, with its practical arcanum," writes frater albertus, "repeats itself over and over again in the ancient axiom 'as above, so below. as below, so above.'" the alchemist's handbook discusses in detail: the basic fundamental principles of alchemy.a guide to the formation of an inexpensive home laboratory with illustrations of the necessary equipment.step-by-step instructions for the work of the lesser circulation, the alchemical transformation within the plant kingdom. "the teachings of frater albertus are part of a lineage that traces back to rosicrucian sources and much earlier and the alchemist's handbook is still the best introduction to that lineage. if you feel the call of alchemy and want real information on the subject, this is definitely the book you will want to read, reread, and read again. it may just turn out to be the book that changes your life."–from the foreword by robert allen bartlett, author of real alchemy: a primer of practical alchemy first published by weiser books in 1974, this new weiser classics edition includes a new foreword by robert allen bartlett, author of real alchemy.

The alchemical tech revolution explores the hidden occult agenda behind the "transhumanist" movement. it also identifies seven key "alchemical" technologies that will be used to usher man into a new age of technological marvels. but, will this new age be an age of enlightenment? or will it be an age of unimagineable tyranny?

The book of the chemical art, ascribed to marsilius ficinus, provides one of the most in depth accounts of alchemical philosophy ever created. it is a philosophical treatise, as those of antiquity, listing its way through objections to alchemy, refuting its foes as well as superstitions prevalent at the time not accepted by the literate mystics of the era. it culminates with a section dedicated specifically to answers on such subjects supposedly derived from the conversations held between one illardus, a catalonian necromancer, and the devil himself, which is here considered to give credence to the entire manuscript.

Herbert silberer's examinations of alchemy and the occult, and his attempts to correlate the two crafts to the pursuit of psychoanalysis, is published here complete with the original illustrations. first published in 1917, this text represents the extensive investigations herbert silberer undertook in order to map occurrences in the occult with the ascendant psychoanalytic disciplines present in the vienna school of which he was part. this text is marked by its depth of research, with sources such as hermes trismegistus, flamel, lacinius, michael meier, paracelsus, and boehme quoted and drawn upon in service of silberer's thesis. the support of alchemy as a spiritual movement, on the same level as the yoga traditions of the indian subcontinent, is also notable. together with the three original illustrations, this edition also contains the extensive bibliography and notes of silberer.

"this book is remarkable."–david zilber, co-author of the noma guide to fermentation james beard foundation book award finalist for reference and scholarship "the perfect next step."–npr's "science friday" for viewers of "salt fat acid heat," the first book devoted to processes, concepts, and recipes for fermenting and culturing foods with koji, the microbe behind the delicious, umami flavors of japanese cuisine in koji alchemy chefs jeremy umansky and rich shih–collectively considered to be the most practical, experienced, generous educators on the culinary power of this unique ingredient–deliver a comprehensive look at modern koji use around the world. using it to rapidly age charcuterie, cheese, and other ferments, they take the magic of koji to the next level, revolutionizing the creation of fermented foods and flavor profiles for both professional and home cooks. koji alchemy includes: a foreword by best-selling author sandor katz (the art of fermentation) cutting-edge techniques on koji growing and curing information on equipment and setting up your kitchen more than 35 recipes for sauces, pastes, ferments, and alcohol, including stand-outs like popcorn koji, roasted entire squash miso, korean makgeolli, amazake rye bread, and more "koji alchemy is empowering and does much to open the door to further creativity and innovation. . . . i can't wait to see and taste the next wave of koji experimentation it inspires." –sandor katz "next level fermentation fodder."–the boston globe

Alchemy offers tremendous insight into alternative therapies, new medicines, and the depths of the human mind. illuminating a truly esoteric practice, mark stavish reveals how to create and apply "medicines for the soul" in this remarkable guide to plant and mineral alchemy. the path of alchemy introduces the history and basic laws of this ancient practice, and explains how it ties into qabala, tarot, astrology, and the four elements. safe, modern techniques–based on spagyrics (plant alchemy)–for producing distillations, stones, tinctures, and elixirs are given, along with their uses in physical healing, spiritual growth, psychic experiments, initiation, consecration, spellwork, and more. each chapter includes meditations, projects, and suggested reading as aids to "inner transformation," an equally important aspect of alchemy. tools, rituals, lunar and solar stones, and the elusive philosopher's stone are all covered in this comprehensive guide to alchemy. finalist for the coalition of visionary resources award for best magick/shamanism book

Alchemy offers tremendous insight into alternative therapies, new medicines, and the depths of the human mind. illuminating a truly esoteric practice, mark stavish reveals how to create and apply "medicines for the soul" in this remarkable guide to plant and mineral alchemy. the path of alchemy introduces the history and basic laws of this ancient practice, and explains how it ties into qabala, tarot, astrology, and the four elements. safe, modern techniques–based on spagyrics (plant alchemy)–for producing distillations, stones, tinctures, and elixirs are given, along with their uses in physical healing, spiritual growth, psychic experiments, initiation, consecration, spellwork, and more. each chapter includes meditations, projects, and suggested reading as aids to "inner transformation," an equally important aspect of alchemy. tools, rituals, lunar and solar stones, and the elusive philosopher's stone are all covered in this comprehensive guide to alchemy. finalist for the coalition of visionary resources award for best magick/shamanism book

This program is narrated by paul seligrenowned channeler paul selig shares the wisdom of the guides"the gift of the times you sit in, humanity at a crossroads, is the gift of the unknown, the unseen, the unprepared for. “how can i prepare for a future, when all i have trusted and believed in seems to be falling away?”… you say yes to the uncertain moment. you agree that the path before you will be lit as you walk it, and not a moment before. "in alchemy: a channeled text, the guides offer us a way to engage the transformational process of moving beyond a limited interpretation of the self and into a place of true manifestation. as humanity stands at a crossroads, the voices of the guides offer insight and a path forward.paul selig, the author of beyond the known: realization, is one of the foremost spiritual channels in the world. alchemy is composed of the pure, unedited words of the guides as they have been channeled through paul. their message is poignant and beautifully written, humming with wisdom and insight for all who are ready and willing to receive their words.a macmillan audio production from st. martin's essentials

The rosary of the philosophers goes well beyond a recipe book for the practice of alchemy. originally created in the renaissance, it combines philosophy with chemical study within the alchemical sciences of the age and contains lengthy passages dedicated to each of the major physical processes literally used in the time period for alchemical work. containing metaphors and riddles (sometimes explicitly stated to be such) the hidden meaning of the work and its content is clear; a study of science, proto-secular philosophy, and a literal treatment of the processing of mercury, sulfur, and other materials through processes such as fermentation, putrefaction, sublimation, and all other dynamic physical systems quantified at the time by man. for those practicing the occult, the philosophy on its own herein makes it a gem of renaissance literature. fully illustrated, 174 pages.

The rosary of the philosophers goes well beyond a recipe book for the practice of alchemy. originally created in the renaissance, it combines philosophy with chemical study within the alchemical sciences of the age and contains lengthy passages dedicated to each of the major physical processes literally used in the time period for alchemical work. containing metaphors and riddles (sometimes explicitly stated to be such) the hidden meaning of the work and its content is clear; a study of science, proto-secular philosophy, and a literal treatment of the processing of mercury, sulfur, and other materials through processes such as fermentation, putrefaction, sublimation, and all other dynamic physical systems quantified at the time by man. for those practicing the occult, the philosophy on its own herein makes it a gem of renaissance literature. fully illustrated, 174 pages.