Spagyrica - Information
The word spagyrica is derived from the greek words spao - to separate, draw out, divide - and ageiro - to unite, bind together.
Paracelsus (1493-1545) named his method of healing after it.
"Therefore learn alchemy, which is also called spagyrica, which teaches how to separate false from true. In nature´s light." (Paracelsus)
Alchemy, which is derived from the arabic words al kimia and means ´salt cooking`, originated in the hermetic arts of the ancient Egyptians. Hermes Trismegistos, who, according to what has been handed down, was an Egyptian priest of the first millenium before Christ, gave the world writing, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and magic, which are the origin of hermetic art, the ´tabula smaragdina`. Hermes Trismegistos with the principles - sulfur( the sun) and mercury (the moon) and fire. That is, the sun is his father and the moon his mother.
Spagyrica includes the making of the highest remedies, the true knowledge of the laws of nature, together with their spiritual and cosmic background, as well as their effect on the microcosmos - the human being. According to Paracelsus this art of healing unites astronomy, philosophy, alchemy, virtue, and reservation, all of which a doctor should possess. For many today, their conception of spagyrica is the transformation of mercury or lead into gold and the creating of the philosopher´s stone. However these transmutations were not the central point of Paracelsus´ work. As at all other times in history, there were charlatans then, among them those also who pretended they could make gold. Since they did not possess the above named abilities, though, they brought the name of spagyrica ill-repute. Paracelsus strove only to produce the highest medicines, the arcanes, not transmutation of the metals, although he did not deny its existence.
The initiated spagyric masters only allowed metal transmutations to be precisely carried out because they knew that only in that way could the truth and proof of spagyrica be clearly made for the outer world. There are even a few texts in existence of transmutations of metals, as well as the creating of the philosopher´s stone, which have been notarized. Nearly all spagyric masters wrote of it, but in a very veiled manner, often expressing it in mythological pictures and symbols. The preparation of spagyric medicines is very time-consuming, and requires very deep insight into the relationships in nature, and therefore there are very few people who seriously occupy themselves with it today. As expressed long ago, "Only those who have first achieved creating the philosopher´s stone within themself will succed in creating it outwardly. Gather your treasures in heaven, and the earthly will come to you of themselves..."
Transformation of metals using high energy (atomic physics) is no longer a question. In spagyrica lies the knowledge of bringing that about using little energy. This is only possible in living systems, however. For example:
In 1799 L. Nicolas Vauquelin, a well-known french chemist, published his research of the composition of the food and excretions of hens. Vauquelin fed a hen only oats for ten days. He gathered both the excrements as well as the four eggs that the hen laid. His analysis of the oats he had fed the hen came to 5,944 grams of calcium salt. However in the excretions he found 34,325 grams of calcium salt. How did this increase of 475% come about?
C. Louis Kervran, a French hygienist, researched these results and came to the conclusion that a transmutation of quartz had taken place, according to the formula 28Si + 12C = 40Ca.
In his book The Nature of Substance, R. Hauschka described a Mr. Herzeele as coming to similar results.
Important German thinkers who occupied themselves in depth with Paracelsus were C.G.Jung (1875-1961), Johann W. von Goethe (1749-1832), and Rudolf steiner (1861-1925), who once said, "The laboratory bench must become an altar again."
In his youth, Goethe suffered a serious illness which couldn´t be healed by any of the doctors present. His mother begged a spagyric doctor to treat her son, who then gave Goethe a grey powder. After ingesting the powder Goethe healed, and following that spent half a year with Susanne von Klettenberg intensively studying alchemy. The knowledge he gained through his study of alchemy can be seen in his theory of colour and his Tragedy of Faust.
Further great individualities who occupied themselves extensively with alchemy were Thomas of Aquinas, A. Strindberg (who composed Peer Gynt), I. Newton, and Alexander von Bernus (poet and alchemist), to name a few. Through them alchemy has had a large influence on European culture and thought.
