Alchemy and Herbalism Part IV- Illness as Initiation
Alchemy provides a unique perspective on health and disease that differs from conventional medicine. According to this philosophy, periods of sickness and health are as natural as the changing of the seasons. Alchemy views illness as an initiation. From this perspective, sickness provides you with the opportunity to heal underlying patterns and undergo transformation. One […]
Alchemy and Herbalism Part III- Spiritual Herbal Pharmacy
Spagyrics is the branch of the alchemical tradition that specifically concerns itself with the preparation and processing of medicinal plants. One of the unique attributes of spagyric preparations is that they are specifically designed to concentrate the physical, energetic and spiritual qualities of the plants in a singular extract. This process separates, purifies, and recombines […]
Alchemy and Herbalism Part II – As Above, So Below: The Macrocosm and Microcosm in People and Plants
Alchemical philosophy and practice radically changes our approach to herbal medicine. By re-integrating spirituality with science, you can unlock the full potential of herbal medicine through spagyric pharmacy, or alchemically prepared plants. But before preparing spagyric medicines, it’s important to understand the fundamental core principles of alchemical philosophy, the foundation of which is the correlations […]
Alchemy and Herbalism Part I- The Science and Spirituality of Herbalism
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the science and spirit of herbalism are commonly taught separately. The problem with this approach is that they are two sides of the same leaf, and separating them leads to a fractured and incomplete understanding of herbalism. The alchemical philosophy unites them to generate a holistic […]
From Sick Care to Health Care: The Advantages of Preventive Astro-Herbalism
The current healthcare system focuses on managing disease after it has occurred instead of preventing its onset. Alternatively, holistic herbalism can be a wellness-first approach, emphasizing disease prevention. Through it, you can effectively address disease predispositions and correct imbalances to prevent their onset. One of my favorite tools for this is the natal chart, which […]
Where to Begin with Making Spagyrics
When you’re studying alchemical herbalism, the first step towards making spagyric medicine is with making what is called “the seven basics.”’ This process is achieved by developing a profound relationship with the plants and planets. Although you can look outside yourself for reference charts in books and online to speed up the process, allowing the […]
Cultural Differences in Medicine Making
Herbal medicine is and has always been, the people’s medicine. Just as there’s significant variation in the people and cultures that fill our world, there’s a myriad of medicine-making techniques that reflect these differences. What are some traditional forms of medicine making and how do they compare to today’s more “scientific” approaches to herbal pharmacy? […]
Fire: The Element of Transformation
Most people think the first step in creating a spagyric herbal extract is the separation of the volatile Sulfur of the plant. To translate that into something understandable, that means distillation of the essential oils. But I beg to differ!! To me, the first step in creating a spagyric isn’t distilling the essential oils, or […]
The Art of Distillation
Distillation is one of the primary alchemical processes used in the production of true spagyric extracts. The 2 primary methods of distillation used are for essential oils, which extracts the Sulfur (Soul) of the plant, as well as for alcohol, which extracts the Mercury (Spirit) of the plant. The process of distillation can be seen […]
