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Philosopher's stone

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For other uses, see Philosopher's stone (disambiguation).

The philosopher's stone, in Latin lapis philosophorum, is a legendary substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals such as lead into gold ("chrysopoeia" in the Greek language) and/or create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death. It was a longtime "holy grail" of Western alchemy. In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work. It is also known by several other names, such as the 'Golden Wedding Garment', the 'Soul body', the 'Astral body' and the 'Living Stone', spoken of in some of the ancient philosophies as the 'Diamond Soul'.[1]

In alchemy

Transmutation of metals

Alchemy itself is mostly an original concept and science practiced by the Ancient Egyptians, Middle Easterns and Greeks. However the concepts of more easily transmutating one metal into a more precious one (silver or gold) and ensuring youthful health apparently originated in China and from the theories of the 8th century Arab alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan, Latinized as `Geber'. He analyzed each Aristotelian element in terms of the four basic qualities of hotness, coldness, dryness, and moistness. Fire was both hot and dry, earth cold and dry, water cold and moist, and air hot and moist. He further theorized that every metal was a combination of these four principles, two of them interior and two exterior.

From this premise, it was reasoned that the transmutation of one metal into another could be effected by the rearrangement of its basic qualities. This change would presumably be mediated by a substance, which came to be called al-iksir in Arabic (from which the Western term "elixir" is derived). It is often considered to exist as a dry red powder made from a legendary stone — the "philosopher's stone".[citation needed]

16th-century Swiss alchemist Philippus Paracelsus believed in the existence of alkahest which he believed to be an undiscovered element from which all other elements (earth, fire, water, air) were simply derivative forms. He believed that this element alkahest was, in fact, the philosopher's stone.

Jabir's theory and the concept of the philosopher's stone may have been inspired by the knowledge that metals like gold and silver could be hidden in alloys and ores, from which they could be recovered by the appropriate chemical treatment. Jabir himself is believed to be the inventor of aqua regia, a mixture of muriatic (hydrochloric) and nitric acids, one of the few substances that can dissolve gold (and which is still often used for gold recovery and purification).

Gold was particularly valued as a metal that would not rust, tarnish, corrode or otherwise grow corrupt. Since the philosopher's stone would turn a corruptible base metal to incorruptible gold, naturally it would similarly transform human beings from mortal (corruptible) to immortal (incorruptible).

Essentially one of the many theories was that gold was a superior form of metal, and that the philosopher's stone was even purer and superior to gold, so much so that if combined with lesser metals would turn them into superior gold.

Another theory posits that consciousness itself is the philosopher's stone, in that the higher one raises one's vibration and consciousness through prayer, meditation and spiritual practice, the more one is able to manipulate and transmute all matter and energy and affect the atomic structure of any atom, which by extension is consciousness itself, existing as gold, silver, lead etc.

In art and entertainment

The philosopher's stone has been subject, inspiration, or plot feature of innumerable artistic works — novels, comics stories, movies, animations, and even musical compositions. It is also a popular item in many video games. The following is a very incomplete list.

Literature

Comics, movies and animations

Music

"Give away the stone. Let the ocean take and transmutate this cold and fated anchor. Give away the stone. Let the waters kiss and transmutate these leaden grudges into gold."And on the album's title track with the lyrics "Black then white are all I see in my infancy Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me, let's me see", representing the four faces of the philosopher's stone (Black, white, red, and yellow).

Video and computer games

  • Also, a "philosopher's stone" (together with a "jewel-encrusted golden sword") were promised as grand prizes in contests connected to the Atari Swordquest Airworld video game. However, both the game and the contest were cancelled when Atari was sold to Jack Tramiel.

See also

References

  1. ^ Heindel, Max, Freemasonry and Catholicism, ISBN 0-911274-04-9
  2. ^ a b Zipes, Jack. Spells of Enchantment. New York: Viking, 1991.
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