Good day, fellow Alchemists:
Alchemy has long been misunderstood by skeptics as being a pseudoscientific method of refining lead into gold. We now know that the real purpose of alchemy was to transmute heavy leaded consciousness into golden consciousness. This process was a metaphysical transmutation of the mind and soul. By harnessing the power of alchemical transmutation, we can transform ourselves from a finite, unconscious being, into a fully-awakened spirit.
Alchemists of the past have organized this process into seven steps:
The first step is known as calcination, which is the heating of a substance until it is reduced to ashes. The true purpose of this step is the destruction of the ego. With the ego mostly out of the way, we are able to experience a truer sense of perception.
The second step is dissolution. This is the process originally described in alchemical texts as the dissolving of ashes into water. What it really means is the complete immersion into the unconscious aspects of the self. This is where serious shadow work begins.
Step three is separation, which is the filtering and discarding of unwanted material. From a spiritual perspective, this is when we discard the parts of ourselves that were added on to us through external forces and the ego. It is also the step where we begin to discover our true selves.
After separation comes conjunction. This is the combining of separated elements into a new substance. The masculine and feminine aspects of the mind have infused in a stable condition and the birth of a new person (which is you) can occur.
The fifth step is called fermentation. During this step, bacteria begin to grow in an organic solution. What this means metaphysically is the sprouting of life in the psyche and the gaining of spiritual awareness. We begin to trust the Universe and learn to listen to our intuition.
The second to last step is distillation. It is in this step that we boil and condense the fermented solution to increase its purity. In spiritual transformation, this is when we purify our energetic state, which allows for a clear connection to the new person we have become thanks to the alchemical process.
Lastly, coagulation takes place in order to sublimate the purified ferment. In other words, this is when a new level of consciousness emerges and becomes permanent. You can think of it as enlightenment, or as the materialization of the philosopher's stone.
Regardless of what it's called, by completing the seven steps of alchemical transmutation you allow the spirit to manifest within your physical being.
Previous forms of suffering and karmic cycles may no longer affect you, and a sense of true bliss can be felt emanating from your mind. This process can happen both consciously or unconsciously through synchronistic events. We are all in the process of transmuting lead into gold. Life itself can be thought of as a trial by fire where our spirit is tested.
Let the process occur and you will be rewarded.
With love and sincerity,
The Alchemy by LA Counsel
