Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2015-12-19]: Alchemy was a practice which served as a vault of wisdom throughout the centuries. Its practitioners were not lunatics as some movies want to portray them, but wise people who knew too much for their time and wished to transmit their knowledge to the initiated. Back then there was respect for knowledge and you had to be worthy to have it. Not like todays “all is free and effortless” days…
This is why they wrote whatever they wrote in code by using obscure language and symbols. The purpose of the philosopher’s stone was not to create gold because they were greedy, but it served as a symbol of the transformation of man into God.
Today however, despite the great knowledge we have accumulated, it seems we have forgotten what we once upon a time knew.
Wise men.
Full of melancholia.
Melancholy Ι of Albrecht Dürer.
Men who despite their intelligence cannot reach the so much wished apotheosis. Because intelligence on its own does not guarantee the understanding of the mysteries of the universe…
It needs a little bit of sun,
Rays from the mysterious moon,
A dose of morning mist…
And an eagle’s feather…
Magic.
This is what we miss. Because “That which is below is like that which is above” [1, 2]…
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