Characteristics Of Spiritual Alchemy

​

An alchemist is an embodiment of power. He is in control of himself and his surroundings. The alchemist isn’t a slave to anyone. He is his own master. To become an alchemist a person must first live the alchemy. This means one needs to accept both success and failure in life. One needs to embrace the hardships.

​

Some vital characteristics of an alchemist are:

​

• He must know how to balance his emotions.

• An alchemist does his work with dedication.

• An alchemist knows when to speak and when to remain silent.

• He must embrace simplicity.

• Pride doesn’t reside in the mind of an alchemist.

• An alchemist has faith.

• Perseverance is an integral part of the alchemist’s personality.

• He embraces his internal values.

• An alchemist is a balanced individual. He isn’t influenced by others.

 

Only when one cultivates these, he will attain the philosopher’s stone (or perfection).

​

​

Materia Prima, The Philosopher’s Stone, and Gold are the three most powerful and commonly known symbols relating to alchemy.

​

Materia Prima (or “first matter”), is an Alchemic symbol that reflects the notion that all the universe originated from a primitive, formless base.

The idea of “Materia Prima” can be traced back to Aristotle who understood that there’s a force that holds all other forms in existence together but is itself invisible – these days, we refer to it as “Aether” (Spirit).

​

Materia Prima, as the invisible womb or unseen force, is a field of pure potential that can only come into existence when it is embodied within a “form”.

​

In alchemy, the Materia Prima or primal material is that which is left over after we have reduced matter into its purest essence. This process is a powerful psychological symbol because it describes the internal experience of arriving at a “core realization,” or in other words becoming aware of the root cause of a belief or trauma within us.

​

By working with the Materia Prima of our inner selves, we can go on a journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone (spiritual liberation) which transforms any of our base qualities (selfishness, arrogance, vanity) into gold (kindness, tolerance, humility, etc.).

​

The Latin expression “solve et coagula” is derived from “solve,” meaning to break down and separate, while “coagula” describes the process of bringing elements back together (coagulating) into a new, higher form.

​

Interestingly, “solve et coagula” is a brilliant psychological metaphor. By pursuing Gold (or listening to our intuitive “higher calling”) we “break down” limiting parts within us that are in the way of our transformation (Philosopher’s Stone) into a free and whole being (coagulation).

This journey of death, rebirth, and transformation has often been summarized into the four stages.

 

​

4 Stages Of Alchemy:

​

1. Nigredo (or “blackening” – symbolic of the death of old ways of being)

2. Albedo (or “whitening” – symbolic of the process of rebirth and Soul consciousness)

3. Citrinitas (or “yellowing” – symbolic of the development of Spirit consciousness)

4. Rubedo (or “reddening” – symbolic of the attainment of Spiritual Liberation)

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

The Seven Stages of Spiritual Alchemy

​

Stage One: Calcination

Calcination, the first stage of spiritual alchemy, is also known as the black stage. The color black represents chaos, that which is hidden and buried, and the material of the unconscious. It also refers to the Materia Prima, an idea in occult sciences that all matter in the universe emerged from an original, primitive base.

 

Calcination refers to the burning of the Materia Prima until it is transformed into ash. In a spiritual sense, it refers to breaking free from our worldly attachments, the desire for status and wealth, and the need to solidify our identity. It’s not to say these things are wrong, but according to the process, the development of a higher level of consciousness and the refinement of the spirit are hindered by these attachments.

 

Calcination also refers to the burning off of all of the superfluous elements of ourselves that no longer serve us. We are purified by fire, and the hardened and dead parts of ourselves have burned away. All that has calcified within us is removed in a similar manner to how hardened plaque buildup on teeth can be removed. Our preconceived notions about our identity and our limiting core beliefs are put to the test in the calcination stage. Our ideologies and neuroses begin to lessen their grip on the persona, enabling the spiritual alchemist to stop self-sabotaging behavior and take the first steps towards awakening.

​

​

Stage Two: Dissolution

The second stage of the spiritual practice involves dissolving the ashes in water. Water could be interpreted as a symbol for the unconscious, which contains the hidden parts of ourselves that we have been afraid of and up until now have not been explored. Dissolution can be understood as the stage in which we free ourselves from our inauthentic and acquired sense of identity.

 

In medieval alchemy, dissolution refers to the dissolving of solid material, such as salt dissolved in water. It can be understood in Jungian terms as the dissolution of the ego. Since the dissolution stage takes water as its symbol, it is also associated with intense emotions, as water often symbolizes the reservoir of emotions within. The dissolution stage involves the outlet of repressed emotions from traumatic events that we have pushed down in our psyche. It can be a very cathartic step as we free ourselves of past painful experiences and self-doubt to start the process of emotional healing.

 

 

Stage Three: Separation

In the separation stage, the pure essence is extracted from the rest of the mixture. As the first two stages were associated with fire and water, separation is related to the air element. In a spiritual sense, it can be understood as a separation from one’s habitual thought processes or emotional trigger responses, allowing us to step back and distinguish our essence from our acquired personality.

 

Separation is a very liberating stage where we can free ourselves of resentment towards ourselves and others. It is a kind of inner liberation from negative emotions. By doing so, we can become aware of our true feelings. We separate ourselves from our inauthentic selves and step closer to our essential or higher self. The separation occurs when we no longer identify with the character we have been playing, but rather we become the awareness itself. We have conscious awareness of our own thoughts, feelings, and desires, but without identifying with them or becoming attached to them.

 

The separation stage is a kind of detachment from our old skin. After the emptiness and suffering in the first stage of calcination, and then the fearful stage of dissolution where hidden emotions emerge, the separation stage comes as a welcome relief as we experience the stillness of being separated from our inferior and inauthentic qualities.

​

​

Stage Four: Conjunction

Conjunction refers to the process of combining the elements from the previous three stages. In a sense, we see what still remains within us, which is of value, and then begin to combine these elements to form one’s authentic spiritual self. After the first three stages of purification by fire, water, and air, our disparate elements are brought together under the earth element. We begin a process of embodiment as the spirit begins its process of materialization.

 

We begin to feel unified in body and soul, but we are still drawing together the different strands of our true self, and we are not yet finished. Polarities cease their conflict and come together, such as male and female, body and soul, spirit and matter. Harmony is achieved between the different elements of our being. The attributes typically associated with divine feminine energy, such as intuition and emotion, unify with those attributes conventionally associated with the masculine, such as intellect and logic.

​

​

Stage Five: Putrefaction/Fermentation

Putrefaction, or fermentation, is the fifth stage and describes the decay of one’s old self and the rebirth of one’s true self. The first four stages involved discarding our old, inauthentic self and drawing together the authentic elements within us. At this stage, however, we catch a glimpse of a more refined, authentic self. This stage can be likened to the rebirth of the phoenix from its own ashes.

 

The process can be split into two: putrefaction and spiritualization. Putrefaction is the rotting away of our former selves as the superfluous is let go. Putrefaction can be a difficult stage and can involve strong feelings of depression or despair since we fear losing our identity, which is associated with our old self.

 

Spiritualization, meanwhile, gives great relief as we begin to see the world in a new and luminescent way. It involves letting go of those parts of ourselves that no longer serve us in our present life, and, as a result, this step can be accompanied by blissful feelings of inner peace and contentment.

 

 

Stage Six: Distillation

The distillation stage is the stage when all of the impurities are removed, and there is nothing left but the essence. In chemistry, distillation involves boiling and condensation to separate components and is commonly used in desalination. A liquid is boiled until it evaporates, and as the steam condenses, the essence is liberated from the matter. It marks the point at which our essence becomes spiritualized. In other words, in spiritual alchemy, distillation is a metaphor for the actualization of one’s spirit.

 

In Jungian terminology, this stage also involves the assimilation of any shadow aspects into our true self. It is the distillation of one’s true self and represents a step up in consciousness as our core identity is freed from any inferior elements. At this stage, the ego has ceased dominating behavior as we begin to hear the voice of our soul. It also marks the point at which the conscious and unconscious aspects of the self are brought into harmony.

 

 

Stage Seven: Coagulation

The final stage on the spiritual journey is coagulation, which describes the process of solidification where one’s essential self becomes whole. Coagulation refers to the process by which a liquid, typically blood, solidifies. It occurs when we are cut to form a scab. In spiritual alchemy, coagulation involves the solidification of our true self and can be likened to healing from a wound as we feel ourselves to be independent and complete.

 

Coagulation involves the complete unification of polarities: spirit and matter, body and soul, masculine and feminine, to form a single whole. In this final stage, one’s higher self emerges, and it can be likened to the point when gold cools and solidifies.

​