Alchemy is an
ancient path of spiritual purification and transformation; the expansion of
consciousness and the development of insight and intuition through images. Alchemy is the
fundamental alteration of nature, based on the 4 main elements, earth, air,
water, and fire. All over the
world, in almost every culture alchemy has been used. Alchemy was born
in ancient Egypt and began to flourish in the
Hellenistic period from Alexandria, and at the same
time there was a school of alchemy developing in ancient china.
Throughout
history, there have been many philosophers of Alchemy. The fundamental concept of alchemy stemmed
from the Aristotelian doctrine that all things tend to reach perfection. According to
Aristotle, all chemical reactions were possible, some needed more energy than
others. He also stated that the heat of the sun on the earth makes two "
exhalations " ; one being a dry and hot smoke, and the other being a cool,
moist vapor. One of these " exhalations " produced metals, the other
produced minerals.
Democritus
believed all matter consisted of one substance called prime matter. He called the smallest unit of prime matter atoms.
(Democritus was one of the
first philosophers to develop "atomic theory." )