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Alchemy – is it a science, a religion, a philosophy, or… something more?
In this Guide to Alchemy, we’ll explore the de nition of Alchemy and talk about
alchemy’s in uence on science, religion, medicine, and beyond. We’ll also look at
some of more popular symbols of alchemy, the Alchemical Elements, and review
books about alchemy by famous alchemists. Finally we’ll review how alchemy ts
into the world created by author M. C. Stoppa’s for his Last Temptation of John
books.
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1. Alchemy Definition
De nitions of Alchemy are as varied as the concept itself. Here are some of the
more popular ways to de ne alchemy.
1-Cambridge de nes alchemy as “a type of chemistry, especially in the Middle

Ages, that dealt with trying to nd a way to change ordinary metals into gold and
with trying to nd a medicine that would cure any disease.” It’s interesting that
such a prestigious organization would give us the most basic of de nitions – one
wonders, is the renowned university misdirecting us from the real purpose of
Alchemy?
2. Miriam Webster takes things a bit further, giving the de nition of alchemy as “a
medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the
transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for
disease, and the discovery of a means of inde nitely prolonging life. Alchemy is
also a power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or
impressive way (or) an inexplicable or mysterious transmuting.”
3. Wikipedia gives us even more nuance: “Alchemy (from Arabic: al-kīmiyā) was
an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscienti c
tradition practiced throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, originating in Hellenistic
Egypt (primarily Alexandria) between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE. It aims to
purify, mature, and perfect certain objects.” Keep in mind that the ‘objects’ that
were sought to be perfected could be the human body, mind, and spirit.
Interesting Note: In the Last Temptation of John Books, the character John claims
to have studied alchemy for over 1,700 years.
2. Origins of Alchemy
When readers from the Western World think about Alchemy it’s typically the
branch of alchemy that was practiced during the Medieval Age of European
History – the branch usually associated with the alchemical goal of using the
Philosopher’s Stone to try to turn lead into gold. And yet, the origins of alchemy
go back MUCH farther and the goals are much deeper.
In fact it is suspected that there are at least THREE di erent branches of alchemy
that (allegedly) developed independently across the globe – in China, in India,
and in the Mediterranean areas of the Middle East and Europe. I say ‘allegedly’
developed independently because when you delve deeper into the respective
goals of each of these branches certain similar threads start to become apparent
which causes one to at least have to wonder if perhaps there is a connection to a
common source for the true origin of alchemy for all branches – AKA the roots of
an Alchemy Tree that produced the various branches of alchemy we know
today.
Alchemy in China
Numerous sources point to the beginning of alchemy in China around the 4th or
5th century BC. Whereas the overt purpose of Western Alchemy was the
transmutation of base metals into gold, Chinese Alchemy is reported to have
been more focused on the overt goal of nding the Grand Elixir of Immortality.
And while Chinese alchemists did apparently seek ways to turn base metals into
gold, but it wasn’t necessarily to use the gold for wealth, instead they used the
gold as part of their quest for immortality by INGESTING the metal. In fact,
Chinese alchemists and their followers ingested various metals, stones, and other
substances (mercury, jade, cinnabar, sulpher, arsenic, etc) in an attempt to nd
the long sought after Elixir of Immortality – drinkable gold was high on their
desired list because it was a non-tarnishing material that was believed to keep
the body in a pure state. As you might imagine, drinking all these toxic
substances led to numerous cases of “Chinese Alchemical Elixir Poisoning” and
as such the practice eventually faded from the main stream of the science.
Chinese alchemy developed deep roots with Taoism and the mastery of the Qi
energy source as well as the obvious associations with Chinese medicines.
Chinese alchemists are credited with having a hand in the development of black
powder (i.e gunpowder), reworks, and associated with acupuncture and
moxibustion, in addition to the ever continuing quest for longevity.
Alchemy in India
It’s harder to pinpoint when alchemy originated in the Indian subcontinent of Asia
– with some sources pointing as far back as 1500 BC, others to the 4th Century
BC and others not until the Common Era, but most tend to agree that alchemy in
India was closely tied to the Hindu Religion, the concept of Rasa ( uid, juice,
essence/sap of life), and a focus on transmuting various substances in order to
ingest them as forms of Elixers of Life in order to purify the mind and body via the
concept of Rasayana (the path of the essence of life). There are deep
connections to the Sanskrit and the god Shiva and goddess Devi. Mercury, sulfur,
and gold were part of the Indian alchemy system along with many other
substances and compounds.
Alchemy in the Mediterranean (Middle East and

Europe) – AKA “Western Alchemy”
Most people reading this will probably be familiar with Western Alchemy since
that has featured prominently in western literature. This form of alchemy is said
to have originated in Babylonia or Egypt around 2,000 BC, or perhaps Greece in
the 6th Century BC or Hellenistic Egypt in the 4th century BC and that it then
spread outward to the Middle East and Europe (with some speculation that this
form also spread to India and Asia as well as the root form but others that
alchemy in India and Asia developed independently of the Greek/Egyptian form).
Regardless of when it originated (which I believe was even earlier than 2,000 BC
because of various conspiracy theories I buy in to), Western Alchemy continues
to captivate us.
With a deep connection to Hermeticism and that philosophy’s focus on the

relationships between the Divine, the Cosmos, the Mind, and Nature, Western
Alchemy is most often associated with Metallurgy, the manipulation of the
Classical Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Aethyr), the use of the
Philosopher’s Stone to trasmutate base metals into gold (although I believe this
was a ruse to divert attention away from the true goal of the Philospher’s Stone),
and the pursuit of perfecting the Magnus Opum (connecting the Soul to the
Divine).
In the Last Temptation of John books, we know John lived all over the world
under a variety of (famous) alchemy identities. This also includes spending over
200 years in India during one of the peaks of that country’s highest highs in
alchemy knowledge. Although we don’t know about the identities John lived
under in India or China, we do know about those personas he assumed in and
around the Mediterranean alchemy world – see below to learn more.
3. Alchemy as a Science
Alchemy can be seen as a science for numerous reasons. To begin with many of
the world’s rst chemists, doctors, and philosophers were also alchemists.
Numerous references consider alchemy as the precursor to modern chemist
(remember alchemy had it’s own periodic-style chart of elements), as a form of
protochemistry (alchemy was one of the rst sciences to consistently use
laboratory experiments working with chemical substances), and as being
focused on the quest for purity (for example the transmutation of lead into gold)
via the use of the scienti c method of experimentation.
4. Alchemy as a Philosophy
As already mentioned, many of the ancient and medieval world’s best
philosophical minds were also keenly interested in alchemy. For example, as
relates to Hellenistic Alchemy, the Greek philosophies of Pythagoreanism,
Platonism, Stoicism and Gnosticism all played a role in the development of the
branch of Western Alchemy that developed in Egypt.
Aristotle was reputed to believe that “all things in the universe were formed from
only four elements: earth, air, water, and re” and “each element had a sphere to
which it belonged and to which it would return if left undisturbed.” From a
philosophical sense, it’s important to understand that while the Greek elements
were concerned with the physical nature of these elements, in alchemical
philosophers “never regarded earth, air, water, and re as corporeal or chemical
substances in the present-day sense of the word…[but instead as] amorphous
substances of all bodies” that could be puri ed back to their divine form.
5. Alchemy as a Religion
If science is the focus on the ‘body’ of alchemy, and philosophy is its spirit, then
the religion of alchemy is its soul. Those who took the philosophy of alchemy to
the next level, made alchemy their de facto religion – seeking to use alchemy not
just to reach their highest potential, but to become and, dare I say, even to
absolve themselves of the stain of Original Sin. Alchemists often talk of the soul
having been divided by the Fall. One sources claiming that alchemists believed
that “only by purifying [oneself] could he nd that divine spark within oneself and
accepting it as a part of their existence [and] be reunited with God.”
In fact it’s suspected by some that the popular belief that alchemy’s main goal
was to turn lead into goal was in fact nothing more than a ruse to protect
alchemist’s from their true goal – “the transformation of man from his natural
evils into a partaker of the Divine.” Why the ruse? Remember, for Western
Alchemy at least, much of the area and era during which they lived was
controlled by the Catholic Church – an entity that jealously guarded its control
over the hearts and minds of the people that made up their congregations and
often viciously persecuted anyone who threatened their jurisdiction (see. The
Inquisition of Alchemists) – by using a bit of misdirection and making The Church
believe they were trying to merely turn lead into gold (and undoubtedly
promising to donate a portion of the proceeds), alchemists de ected spying eyes
from their true purposes.
Interesting Note: In the Last Temptation of John books, the main character is
none other than the Apostle John who has been ‘cursed’ (his words) with
immortality. John has lost his original faith (Judaism) and worked through many
others (Christianity, Catharism, etc), only to be continually disappointed. During
his long life, John has worked the craft of Alchemy for over 1700 years –
exploring its many facets as a philosophy, science, and ultimately as his religion –
although his goals involving the ‘higher concepts’ of alchemy are a bit di erent
than what you’ve read about here…
6. Key Concepts in Alchemy

I. Hermeticism (AKA “Hermetism”)
Earlier we asked the question about Alchemy – “is it a religion, a philosophy, or
something else?” and the same could be said of Hermeticism. We’ll called it a
theology since its followers called it the “Prisca Theologia” (claiming that
Hermeticisism is one true theology which threads through all religions, and that it
was given directly by God to ancient man”). Hermetism is based on the teachings
of the mystical Hermes Trismegistus, a gure whose history is just as mysterious
as the theology he started – is Hermes Trismegistus a mortal man, a god, a
combination of god + man, a combo of multiple gods (namely the Greek God
Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth), or something altogether di erent (ancient
alien perhaps? Haha)? There is no clear answer to that question and we don’t
really know when Hermes Trismegistus even lived (some claiming that he was a
contemporary or even a teacher of the Jewish Patriarch Abraham which, if true,
would date him about 2500 years before Christ).
Regardless of these mysteries, let’s focus on the teaching of Hermes

Trismegistus that became the pillars of the hermetic theology. Hermeticism is a
vast expanse of knowledge but for our purposes we’ll hone in on this overarching
concept…
“There is a transcendent God, or Absolute, in which

we and the entire universe participate” and that man
can learn how to purify nature (and thereby himself)
such that he can become one with “The All.”
A complete discussion of Hermeticism is clearly beyond the scope of this article
(after all Hermes Trismegistus is credited with over 10,000 texts to his name!), but
as relates to Hermetic Alchemy we should touch on a few more key concepts:
a. The Emerald Tablet: (AKA “Tabula Smaragdina”) reported to be the source of

the philosophical phrase “As Above, So Below…”
The Emerald Tablet (as translated by Sir Isaac Newton) reads:
Tis true without lying, certain & most true.

That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that
which is below to do the miracles of one only thing
And as all things have been & arose from one by the meditation of one: so all things
have their birth from this one thing by adaptation.
The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the
earth is its nurse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here.
Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth.
Separate thou the earth from the re, the subtle from the gross sweetly with great
industry.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives
the force of things superior & inferior.
By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world
& thereby all obscurity shall y from you.
Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing & penetrates every
solid thing.
So was the world created.
From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof the means (or process) is
here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of the
philosophy of the whole world
That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished & ended.
b. Corpus Hermeticum
An 18-chapter sacred text of the Hermetic Religion – it is purported to document

a dialogue between God and Hermes in which God shares His wisdom with
Hermes who in turn shares it with his followers.
c. The 3 Parts of the Wisdom of the Universe
A hermetic practitioner seeks to learn how to perfect 3 “crafts.” These are:
1. The Craft of Alchemy (the operation of the Sun).
2. The Craft of Astrology (the operation of the Stars).
3. The Craft of Theurgy (the operation of the gods AKA ‘magic’).
The perfection of these three crafts is thought to grant the hermetic all the
wisdom of the universe, which, when known is believed to open the door for the
practitioner to attain a higher consciousness and ultimately achieve a Oneness
with The Divine.
Such is the ultimate goal of The Great Work (see below).
Interesting Note: In the Last Temptation of John books, we know John has used
The Emerald Tablet, but not much is said about Hermes Trimegistus, the Corpus
Hermeticum, or the Wisdom of the Universe.
II. The 3 Alchemic Agents
1. The Philosopher’s Stone
There is perhaps no more popular (and misunderstood) concept in alchemy than

the famed Philosopher’s Stone – that mythical substance (?) reputed to be
capable of turning lead into gold. This transformation was achieved by heating
the base metals in a pear-shaped glass crucible (a Hermetic Tube, AKA The
Philosopher’s Egg). As the process contained the base materials changed color:
“black indicating the death of the old material preparatory to its revitalization;
white, the color required for change into silver; and red, the highest stage, the
color required for change into gold.”
Or so the legend goes – but is there really more to the Philosopher’s Stone than
just the promise of untold riches?
Consider for yourself…
The Philosopher’s Stone was also known as The Stone of the Philosopher’s, Materia
Prima, Lapis Philosophorum, The White Stone by the River, Chrysopoeia,
Magisterium, Spiritus Mundi, Stone of the Wise, Diamond of Perfection, and even
The Sword in the Stone.
It’s true that the Philosopher’s Stone was most famous for it’s supposed function
of turning BASE metals (lead, iron, tin, copper, mercury) into PRECIOUS metals
(silver and gold) – at least that’s what alchemists told non-alchemists.
Remember, many alchemists (particularly in Europe during the Middle Ages)
practiced their craft under the baleful eye of The Catholic Church. Telling the
ever-hungry-for-money Church that they could one day o er them untold
amounts of silver and gold allowed alchemists to pursue their experiments (and
hide their possible true intention for using The Stone).
In fact, many people now suspect that the real purpose of the Philosopher’s
Stone was to…
a. Create the Elixir of Life to achieve immortality.
b. Obtain Perfection of The Self – AKA Complete Enlightenment and heavenly

bliss as part of The Magnum Opus (see below).
c. To obtain the Knowledge of Creation – i.e. man’s nal inner transformation (of
his “base” self) into his higher (precious or divine) self.
To learn even more about The Philospher’s Stone, here is a treatise on the topic
from Dennis Hauck, Project Curator of the Alchemy Museum.
Featured here is Mr. Hauck’s drawing of the alchemist’s workshop in which the
Philosopher’s Stone is setup.
Meanwhile, if you’re interested in trying to create the Philosopher’s Stone for

yourself, here is a copy of Isaac Newton’s manuscript on the topic. (BTW, you
knew Isaac Newton was an alchemist, right?)
Interesting Note: In the Last Temptation of John books, the main character (John
the Apostle) gives a rather extended dialogue about the real purpose of the
Philosopher’s Stone – con rming some of the details above, while dispelling
other myths. On one hand, John’s use of the Philosopher’s Stone has lled his
co ers with untold riches, and yet he has continued to remain disappointed in it
to this day.
2. Alkahest vs Azoth
Although sometimes taken to mean the same thing, a closer look reveals that
Alkahest and Azoth are in fact quite di erent alchemical agents.
Alkahest
Alkahest was the ‘universal solvent’ used in alchemy. The purpose of alkahest
was that is had the power to DISSOLVE any other substance – including gold.
Key contributors to the development of the use of alkahest within alchemy were
Paracelsus (legend has it that Paracelsus came up with the term “Alkahest” and
who is said to have believed that alkahest was actually the Philosopher’s Stone)
and his successor Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont (who developed the
concept of Liquor Alkahest).
The challenge with trying to make an alkahest was that most versions of it turned
out to be such powerful solvents that they apparently dissolved everything –
which was a problem… at least for amateur alchemists.
The mystery surrounding alkahest (and perhaps it’s true key to alchemy’s higher
goals) lies in this: from the chemical standpoint, the true ‘universal’ solvent was
purported to be WATER (since, over time, it can dissolve anything back to it’s
base form) and from a metaphysical standpoint, there is an alkahest (substance
only known to alchemy masters) which can dissolve the body’s ailments and
deliver eternal life (AKA The Elixir of Life).
Azoth
Not to be confused with Alkahest, Azoth is in fact far di erent. Although it’s true
that both were reported to be universal medications, the process by which they
accomplished this goal is the key to understanding their di erences. Whereas
alkahest was the universal SOLVENT, azoth was the universal TRANSFORMER.
Azoth (nee Azoc) is closelly associated with mercury (a key alchemical substance
held by ancient alchemists to be “the animating spirit hidden in all matter that
makes transmutation possible“).
A discussion of azoth goes far deeper into metaphysics than alkahest. Like the
latter, azoth is also associated with the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life,
but unlike alkahest, azoth has a far richer history (dating back to the time of the
early alchemists like Zosimos of Panopolis and Mary the Prophetess).
Azoth is in fact associated with all of these higher goals in alchemy:
a. The Kaballah concept of Schamayim (‫ )שמים‬which is “the rst out ow of the

Word of God” that becomes the Water of Life (AKA Azoth) which in turn “pours
itself into the Four Elements.” Of these elements, Edem (vaporous essence or
mist) is “the intangible dust out of which God formed Adam” thus making azoth
the spirit of life.
b. Azoth is believed to be not only “the animating energy (spiritus animatus) of the
body but is also the inspiration and enthusiasm that moves the mind.”
c. Azoth is claimed by some to be “the nature or mind of God.”
Interesting Note: We learn that Azoth is a core concept for the character John in
the Last Temptation of John books. In fact, during the climax of the book in which
John is working on his Magnus Opus, we discover that John actually calls himself
“Azoth” and instructs another character to only refer to him by that name during
the experiment.
3. Elixir Vitae
As we have already spent much time on topics similar to this one, we’ll be brief
here. As you probably guessed by know, alchemists around the globe have
continuously been intensely interested in nding a substance that would grant
them eternal life or immortality – this was the famed Elixir Vitae (AKA. The Elixir of
Life).
In China, alchemists experimented with mixing and ingesting numerous elixirs

made with jade, cinnabar, hematite, and even gold. Although we don’t know if any
of them achieved immortality, we do know that many died of Chinese Alchemical
Elixir Poisoning – yikes!
Alchemists in India were focused on nding an elixir made from the nectar of the
gods which they called Amrita. Depending on the form of religion they followed
(Hindu, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc) the method of nding Amrita varied.
In Europe, the quest to create an Elixir Vitae was part and parcel to the use of the
Philosopher’s Stone discussed above.
Whether any of them found their Holy Grail we don’t know.
A Paradox? In the Last Temptation of John books, the main character John was
made immortal by Christ. During the course of his long life, John repeatedly
turned to alchemy to nd Life’s answers since world religions were not
accomplishing that task for him. Although John became an alchemy master
many times over, one thing he didn’t seek from the craft was the Elixir of Life – if
anything, John quested for the Elixir of Death – the one thing that the craft would
never delivery to him!
III. The 14 Keys of Alchemy

Samuel Norton was an English Alchemist who lived in the 1500’s. Among his
works, he wrote about the 14 Keys to Alchemy which describes the processes
through which the alchemical substances pass from the time they are rst placed
in the test tube until ready for harvesting/use in higher level alchemical
experiments. This list was published in 1577.
1. Solution, the act of passing from a gaseous or solid condition into one of
liquidity.
2. Filtration, the mechanical separation of a liquid from the undissolved particles
suspended in it.
3. Evaporation, the changing or converting from a liquid or solid state into a
vaporous state with the aid of heat.
4. Distillation, an operation by which a volatile liquid may be separated from
substances which it holds in solution.
5. Separation, the operation of disuniting or decomposing substances.
6. Recti cation, the process of re ning or purifying any substance by repeated
distillation.
7. Calcination, the conversion into a powder or calx by the action of heat;
expulsion of the volatile substance from a matter.
8. Commixtion, the blending of di erent ingredients into new compounds or
mass.
9. Puri cation (through putrefaction), disintegration by spontaneous
decomposition; decay by arti cial means.
10. Inhibition, the process of holding back or restraining.
11. Fermentation, the conversion of organic substances into new compounds in
the presence of a ferment.
12. Fixation, the act or process of ceasing to be a uid and becoming rm; state of
being xed.
13. Multiplication, the act or process of multiplying or increasing in number, the
state of being multiplied.
14. Projection, the process of turning the base Metals into gold.
In the Last Temptation series, John’s work with the Magnus Opum takes place
after these processes and add more levels to mix (see Magnus Opum below)
IV. The Magnus Opus – The Great Work

In alchemy, it all leads to this – the completion of the Great Work and the End of
the Matter. Over the centuries, di erent alchemists throughout the world
seemingly had di erent de nitions of the Magnus Opum…or so we are led to
believe.
Some claimed it was part of the process of transforming base metals into
precious metals via the use of the Philosopher’s Stone previously described.
Other (particularly those in the Hermetic traditions) claimed the Magnum
Opus involved the nal stages of transforming one’s self into the Divine.
In a more esoteric sense, used crafted their Magnus Opum bring out true
Individualism — “ful lling one’s destiny embracing one’s life’s path — moving
away from being a pawn in the hands of fate and into to consciously
acceptance of the realization of one’s unique destiny.”
Regardless of the professed goals for the Magnus Opum, most text appear to
agree that the stages of the Great Work involved…
nigredo, in a basic sense this is the stage involving “a blackening,” but in a

higher sense, this is also called “The Shadow Stage” in which the material
being worked on ‘loses one’s self’ via destruction of self, confession, or
cartharsis.
albedo, at the most basic level, this is “a whitening” in which consciousness
begins to emerge. This is the stage of Illumination of Self, Full Consciousness,
and a connection to one’s inner being.
citrinitas, often overlooked, (a critical error which leads to failure of the
Magnus Opum), this stage involves a “yellowing” which seems odd after the
illuminating power that was achieved during the Albedo, and yet, if
performed, the Citrinitas provides further illumination regarding the external
world.
rubedo, at the basic level, this is a reddening” but going deeper, rebedo was
associated with the concepts of tapping into one’s “Personal Myth — and
understanding how one’s essence and purpose to the world.”
In the Last Temptation books, after centuries of work, John completes his
Magnus Opum and nally achieves Rebedi cation… only to discover the results of
his alchemy (and his life’s purpose) were far di erent than he ever imagined.
7. The Elements of Alchemy
Throughout the world, alchemists have historically quested to ‘know all there
was to know’ about the elements that make up our world. Consider the variances
and similarities among these cultures and what they considered the base
elements from which all other matter is built…
Greeks: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Aether

Chinese: Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold, Water
Babylonia: Sea, Earth, Sky, Wind
India/Hindi: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space, The Void
Buddhism: Earth, Air, Fire, Water
Although these elements appear to be linked to their physical meaning, it’s

suspected that alchemists in these countries used these terms to mean beyond
just their basic de nition. For example, in China, Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold, and
Water were the alchemists terms for various types of ENERGY that was in a
“constant state of interaction with each other and a state of change” and referred
to them collectively as the Wu Xing (“Five Changes”). In Buddhism “the four
elements are a basis for understanding su ering and for liberating oneself from
su ering.”
As we are most focused on the medieval alchemists for this article, let’s turn our
attention to the Mediterranean Alchemists Elements of Alchemy…
Tracing a path back to the origins of the universe (Chaos) and then beyond to a
connection to Divinity (Quintessence), alchemists like Jābir ibn
Hayyān and Paracelsus added to the classic 4 elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and
Water on both the front and back ends of the spectrum.
From Chaos come Matter & Energy, which are then in uenced by either Passive
(Magnetic) or Active (Electrical) Forces to follow paths governed by Salt (which
leads to Earth & Water) or Niter (which leads to Air & Fire).
It was Jābir ibn Hayyān who allegedly identi ed Sulphur (AKA sulfur as “The
stone that burns”) and Mercury (the element so important to much of alchemy) as
having key roles to play in terms of enabling an alchemist to ‘manipulate’ the 4
base elements in their experiments – claiming that both Sulpur and Mercury
were ‘irreducible’ elements.
Paracelsus took Hayyān’s work further and added in Salt to the mix to create the
3 Metallic Principles which are:
Sulphur: ammability
Mercury: both volatility and stability
Salt: solidity
Paracelsus named these irreducible elements as The Tria Prima and claimed
they could be used to unlock Quintessence.
What is Quintessence?
Now we’re getting somewhere! Quintessence is another of the mystical goals of
the alchemist’s quest. Quintessence is given many de nitions, including:
The material that lls the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.
The spirit that lls the universe generating its life and vitality.
The Prima Materia of the Universe.
The pure essence essential for life.
Perfection itself, the philosopher’s stone, the elixir of life.
Interesting Note: In the Last Temptation of John books, John talks about
Quintessence during his pursuit of The Magnus Opus – explaining its importance
to The Great Work.
8. Symbols of Alchemy
The symbols of alchemy have fascinated us for millennia. Here are two of the
more classic examples of alchemy symbols that depict the Elements of Alchemy,
the Zodiac Planets, various alchemical processes, and more.
The second image comes from alchemist Basil Valentine – a 15th century
Franciscan monk who was also a renowned alchemist.
9. Famous Alchemists
Here is a list of the world’s most famous alchemists, however I’d recommend you
keep in mind that just because these alchemists were famous does not
necessarily mean they were the most successful – after all isn’t it possible that
the alchemists who achieved the highest goals are not listed here because they
didn’t want fame or fortune?
This list is compiled from research exploring numerous sites and texts (see
references below for more info). A special thanks to the site CrystalLinks for it’s
outstanding research on this topic.
Agathodaemon
Agricola, Georg (1494-1555)
Al-Farabi, “Alfarabi” (870 – 950/951)
Al-Tughrai (1061–1121)
Artephius (c. 1150)
Avicenna – Abu Ali al-Husain ibn Abdallah ibn

Sina (985-1037)
Bacon, Roger (1220- 1292)
Bernard of Treves (1406–1490)
Bohmen, Jacob (1575 – 1624)
Brahe, Tycho (1546-1601)
Charnock, Thomas (1516–1581)
Chymes
Cleopatra the Alchemist
de Cagliostro, Count Alessandro AKA “Guiseppe Balsamo” (1743-1795)

de Lille, Alain (Born from 1115 to 1128 – died in 1202(1203?))
de Meung, Jean (c.1250 – c.1305)
de Rais, Gilles (1401–1440)
de Roquetaillade, Jean (Johannes de Rupescissa ) (d. 1336)
Dee, John (1527-1608)

Demosthenes – The Alchemist God
Dhul-Nun al-Misri (b. 796)
Flamel, Nicolas & Perenelle (1330-1418)

Fulcanelli (Late 19th century – early 20th.)
Ge Hong (Ko Hung, 283—343 C.E.)
Hermes Trismegistus
Jabir ibn Hayyan (AKA “Geber”) (721-815)
Kanada, (6th century BC)
Kelley, Edward (1555-1595)
Khalid ibn Yazid, “Calid” (d. 704)
Khunrath, Heinrich(1560-1605)
Kirchweger, Anton Josef ((d.1746))
Magnus, Albertus (1193-1280)
Mary the Jewess

Moses of Alexandria
Muhammed ibn Umail al-Tamimi, “Senior Zadith” (c. 900–960)
Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi, “Rhazes” (864 – 930)
Nagarjuna
Newton, Isaac (1642 -1727)

Norton, Samuel (1548–1621)
Norton, Thomas (c. 1433-c. 1513)
Olympiodorus of Thebes (c. 400)
Ostanes, the Persian
Paphnutia the Virgin (c. 300)
Paracelsus (1493-1541]
Pseudo-Aristotle
Pseudo-Democritus
Reidel, Dr. Albert (AKA “Frater Albertus”) (1911–1984)
Ripley, George (15th century)
St. Germain, Count(18th Century)
Saint-Yves d’Alveydre, Alexander (1842-1909)
Sędziwój, Michal (1566–1636)
Stephen of Alexandria
Tamil, Siddhar
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Valentine, Basil (1394-1450)
Villanovanus. Arnaldus (1240-1311)

Wei Boyang
Weigel, Valentin(1533-1588)
Zhang Guo the Elder (c. 600)
Zosimos of Panopolis (c. 300)

Additional Bio’s about Alchemists can be found at these links:
U of Bristol School of Chemistry

Lifenders 20 Most Famous Alchemists
CrystalLinks Alchemist List
Wiki “Complete” List of Alchemists
Editor’s Note: In the Last Temptation of John books, John claims to have lived
portions of his life under the pseudonyms of famous alchemists – including
Zosimos, Paracelsus, and Fulcanelli – a trio of heavy hitters in the world of
alchemy!
10. Alchemy Books of Important

Significance
Although we can’t touch on every alchemy volume ever written (there are untold
thousands of texts), let’s look as some of the most famous ones.
Artephius
The Secret Book of Artephius
Avicenna
Liber Aboali Abincine de Anima in arte Alchemiae
Declaratio Lapis physici Avicennae lio sui Aboali
Avicennae de congelatione et conglutinatione lapidum
Avicennae ad Hasan Regem epistola de Re recta
Bacon, Roger
Opus Maius
Opus Minus
Opus Tertium
Letter on the Secret Workings of Art and Nature and on the Vanity of
Magic (Epistola de Secretis Operibus Artis et Naturae et de Nullitate Magiae)
The Mirror of Alchimy (Speculum Alchemiae)
Dee, John
Flamel, Nicolas
Le Livre des gures hiéroglyphiques (The Book of hieroglyphic gures)
Le sommaire philosophique (The Philosophical summary)
Le Bréviaire de Flamel (Flamel’s breviary)
Fulcanelli
Le Mystère des Cathédrales (The Mystery of the Cathedrals)
Les Demeures Philosophales (Dwellings of the Philosophers)
Finis Gloriae Mundi (End of the World’s Glory)
Geber
Kitab al-Kimya (Book of the Composition of Alchemy)
Kitab al-Sab’een(Book of Seventy)
The Book of Stones
Book of the Kingdom
Hermes Trimestigus
Among the thousands of books attributed to him, perhaps the most in uential
books by Hermes Trimestigus were:
Asclepius: The Perfect Discourse

Corpus Hermeticum
The Emerald Tablet
Magnus, Albert
Metals and Materials
Theatrum Chemicum
Mary the Jewess

The works of Mary the Prophetess
Paracelsus
Alchemical Catechism
The Aurora of the Philosophers
Coelum philosophorum
Concerning The Tincture Of The Philosophers
The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemists
Valetine, Basil
12 Keys of Basil Valentine
Triumphant Charity of Antimony
Zosimos of Panopolis
Concerning the true Book of Sophe, the Egyptian, and of the Divine Master of the
Hebrews and the Sabaoth Powers (French translation)
The Final Quittance (French translation)
On the Evaporation of the Divine Water that xes Mercury (French translation )
On the Letter Omega (English excerpt translated by G.R.S. Mead; French
translation)
The Sulfurs
Treatise on Instruments and Furnaces (French translation)
The Visions of Zosimos (English translation)
References:
1. Sacred Text Archive – an amazing resource for lost tomes from ancient
archives the world over!
2. Forgotten Books – a treasure trove of alchemy wisdom.
3. Levity – a giant list of alchemy books post 16th-century.
4. Alchemywebsite.com – over 300 alchemy books post 16th-century
11. Alchemy & The Last Temptation of John

Books
Although the trilogy known as the Last Temptation of John is not solely focused
on alchemy, the craft plays an important role in the series because the main
character (St John the Apostle) is an unhappy immortal whose primary goal in life
is to nd a way to die. Unable to discover a normal way to die, John turns to
alchemy to nd a solution. His curious quest takes him on a journey that involves
The Philosopher’s Stone, Quintessence, Azoth, and of course The Magnus Opus.
Will he successfully complete his alchemical goals?
Read The Last Temptation of John to nd out..
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▼ About This Book ▼

A Guide to Alchemy – The Science, Symbols, Elements,

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

1-Cambridge de nes alchemy as “a type of chemistry, especially in the Middle

Alchemy in the Mediterranean (Middle East and

With a deep connection to Hermeticism and that philosophy’s focus on the

6. Key Concepts in Alchemy

Regardless of these mysteries, let’s focus on the teaching of Hermes

“There is a transcendent God, or Absolute, in which

a. The Emerald Tablet: (AKA “Tabula Smaragdina”) reported to be the source of

The Emerald Tablet (as translated by Sir Isaac Newton) reads:

Tis true without lying, certain & most true.

An 18-chapter sacred text of the Hermetic Religion – it is purported to document

A hermetic practitioner seeks to learn how to perfect 3 “crafts.” These are:

Such is the ultimate goal of The Great Work (see below).

There is perhaps no more popular (and misunderstood) concept in alchemy than

Consider for yourself…

a. Create the Elixir of Life to achieve immortality.

b. Obtain Perfection of The Self – AKA Complete Enlightenment and heavenly

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in trying to create the Philosopher’s Stone for

Azoth is in fact associated with all of these higher goals in alchemy:

a. The Kaballah concept of Schamayim (‫ )שמים‬which is “the rst out ow of the

c. Azoth is claimed by some to be “the nature or mind of God.”

In China, alchemists experimented with mixing and ingesting numerous elixirs

Whether any of them found their Holy Grail we don’t know.

III. The 14 Keys of Alchemy

IV. The Magnus Opus – The Great Work

nigredo, in a basic sense this is the stage involving “a blackening,” but in a

Greeks: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Aether

Although these elements appear to be linked to their physical meaning, it’s

Agricola, Georg (1494-1555)

Al-Farabi, “Alfarabi” (870 – 950/951)

Avicenna – Abu Ali al-Husain ibn Abdallah ibn

Bohmen, Jacob (1575 – 1624)

Cleopatra the Alchemist

de Cagliostro, Count Alessandro AKA “Guiseppe Balsamo” (1743-1795)

de Meung, Jean (c.1250 – c.1305)

de Rais, Gilles (1401–1440)

de Roquetaillade, Jean (Johannes de Rupescissa ) (d. 1336)

Dee, John (1527-1608)

Dhul-Nun al-Misri (b. 796)

Flamel, Nicolas & Perenelle (1330-1418)

Khalid ibn Yazid, “Calid” (d. 704)

Kirchweger, Anton Josef ((d.1746))

Magnus, Albertus (1193-1280)

Mary the Jewess

Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi, “Rhazes” (864 – 930)

Newton, Isaac (1642 -1727)

Norton, Thomas (c. 1433-c. 1513)

Olympiodorus of Thebes (c. 400)

Paphnutia the Virgin (c. 300)

Reidel, Dr. Albert (AKA “Frater Albertus”) (1911–1984)

Ripley, George (15th century)

St. Germain, Count(18th Century)

Saint-Yves d’Alveydre, Alexander (1842-1909)

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Valentine, Basil (1394-1450)

Villanovanus. Arnaldus (1240-1311)

Zhang Guo the Elder (c. 600)

Zosimos of Panopolis (c. 300)

U of Bristol School of Chemistry

10. Alchemy Books of Important

Asclepius: The Perfect Discourse