Personal Alchemy and Healing Through Shamanism--

Index

· ALCHEMY -- TRICK OR TREAT?

by Rob Marshall

(Excerpts from his upcoming book. Copyright 1996, by Rob Marshall. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without expressed, written permission from the author except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.)

Alchemy was originally conceived and practiced as a wholistic science of "super-nature", a practice that merely imitated and extended the processes ongoing in nature. "Let thy work be guided solely by nature" is a rule often repeated in the old texts.

The ancient alchemists looked upon nature, they observed the gradual, consistent, persistent--and at times insidious--processes of transformation/ transmutation. In a spirit of complete humility, they conceived their own task as collaborative and co-evolutionary, a sacred trust to be fulfilled by devout service to the ongoing process of creation.

They witnessed a paradigm shift from our working in harmony with and being an intrinsic part of nature; into a control system bent on mastering nature and being a consciousness oblivious to our part in nature.

Mystery Schools and Gnostic believed that error and incompletion were included in God's creation, many of these alchemists dedicated themselves to being an active participant in God's divine plan. They had a view of nature and mankind as incomplete, and to complicate matters further, they saw partial deviation from the intended purpose of the divine plan by counter-evolutionary forces.

What, who or whom, for that matter, either were, or still are--these forces we can only speculate--as a collective consciousness it was "real" and tangible to them--thus they embarked on "The Great Work"!

Essentially they saw a mission ahead as co-creators, and carrying the divine evolutionary process, "The Great Work", through to the end, they perceived, God, the Infinite Intelligence, had originally intended.

Western traditions of alchemy encompassed not just actual gold-making and physical immortality as prominent aims; but the deeper emphasis of spiritual immortality and creative empowerment.

From this, it is now well verified, that many of the pharmaceutical formulas and discoveries that led to modern chemistry were made by alchemists. For instance, Jan Baptista Von Helmont(1577?-1644?), credited with full attainment of the "philosopher's stone" and metallic transmutation, is on record as the discoverer of carbon dioxide.

In more "modern" terms, say with the pioneers Max Planck, in 1900 (German physicist and father of quantum theory) and Albert Einstein, in 1905 (the definer of light-quanta), we get the terminology of "quanta/quantum", the framework of the new physics. The model of how consciousness works in interaction with nature, the framework of the dynamic theory of co-creation.

Alchemy's wholistic, empowering, and collaborative effort represents the pure ideal of divine science as divine service--directly opposing modern science's control-system.

Besides posing a high model for physics, it provides the prototype for modern soul-making. Carl G. Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, initiated the revival of interest in the "Great Work", which he took as the comprehensive scheme of individuality.

"In its imaginative/metaphorical aspects, as a path of self-exploration and psychic-emotional development, alchemy is certainly the ultimate model for essential transformation, while in its practical prospects it is also the supreme paradigm of co-creation."

Although the science of alchemy has been "lost" for some time, it is again resurfacing in this age of renewed intensification of questioning the meaning of life. Truth and balance are insidious little buggers, and on a mass scale during this time of heightened awareness. Because we are wiser today, the "old-tried-and-true" explanations and misinformation of our institutions are just not cutting it anymore. We cannot be satisfied with anything less than the truth!

With the universe crying out for truth and balance, and mankind on the threshold of accepting nothing less than the truth, how can we go wrong?!

Well frankly, it's quite easy--we keep buying into the lies and acquiesce at the slightest bit of pressure!

WE MUST OVERCOME THE PROGRAMMING WE'VE ACCEPTED ALL OUR LIVES!!!!

Personal Alchemy, through the realm of the mind, is the starting point to overcome this programming. All of our progress--whether individual, national, or racial--has been, and will continue to be, in the mental realm. First, the mind of the individual, followed by the collective masses is where all progress lies! Alchemy will, eventually, open the doors to a "true"/"recognized" science of the mind that works in consort with the Creator Force and will be the key to our destiny.

It's time to shun luck and/or fate. Understand that in the mind is where ALL manifestation finds its common ground. That every action, every reaction, every thought is governed by a law--Cause and Effect! There's no dodging the results, we reap what we sow--WE ARE, EVERYONE OF US, CO-CREATORS AND WE HOLD THE KEY(S) TO FINDING OUR SEAT IN THE THEATER OF THE COSMIC SCHEME OF THINGS.....

THE PRICE OF ADMISSION??!!