Upcoming Lecture : Body, Spirit and Soul

Later this month, I will be presenting a lecture at the International Alchemy Conference in Los Angeles, October 23-25. The title is “Body, Spirit, and Soul: an Alchemical Philosophy of Nature”, and we will be discussing the three levels of being in Alchemical and Spagyric philosophy as well as our own work.

Modern science and philosophy draws a line through Nature’s creation: on one side is the human realm of spirited and ensouled beings, while across the divide lives everything else in a state of purely physical existence.

But this was not always the way we looked at the world, and it doesn’t have to be our worldview now, especially as we begin to realize the price that our environment pays for a philosophy that holds most of the world to be inert and unintelligent.

Alchemical and Spagyric philosophy is rooted in a time when all of Nature was understood to contain body, spirit, and soul just as we do, from the active world of animals down through plants and even to the quieter mineral kingdom. All that Nature created was seen as ensouled, alive, aware, and intelligent; in the plant realm, this intelligence was understood as the true source of healing.

In this talk, I will discuss the three levels of being in plants from both an historical and personal perspective, drawing on my studies of Hermetic and alchemical philosophy and my own work as a gardener, herbalist, and Spagyric practitioner. Alchemy and Spagyrics offer powerful ways of connecting with our forgotten Western lineage of vitalist and magical connection to nature, as well as giving us ways of moving that lineage forward into a re-enchantment of matter itself.

This lecture will also be a great opportunity to experience the type of material we will be teaching in our Alchemical School, as well as getting to know us as teachers, so if you are considering the School, we hope you’ll come to the conference and my talk.

For more information about the International Alchemy Conference, click here.

Alchemical School News

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Alchemical School survey, and to those who continued the dialogue and shared thoughts with us after the survey was over. The results of the survey and the ideas of our allies led us into directions we hadn’t considered, and helped us focus our goals and create options to accommodate a wider variety of students, budgets, and commitment levels.

After some time digesting the input and meeting about it, we have decided on the format, time frame, and pricing of the School. The curriculum outline, module schedules, and prices have been updated onto the main Alchemical School page, but first, you should read this important information about enrollment options so that you choose the one that works best for you.

Starting in May of 2010, we will begin teaching what will be a 16-month course from start to finish. The course starts with two modules of theory and philosophy, and moves on to two modules of practical laboratory study and practice.

Modules 1 & 2 will be offered in either online, fully-guided form, or a self-study version with the text only.

The self-study versions are a good choice for those with limited budgets, or if you prefer to study at your own pace without a schedule, assignments, and deadlines to meet. This is also a good option if you are interested only in inner alchemical work, or if you are a healer wishing to learn about incorporating Spagyric philosophy and medicines into your practice, but not wanting to learn abut the creation of the medicines.

Note that self-study students will not receive any support or assistance from us, will not have access to the online classroom, and will not be eligible for enrollment in the practical lab work modules.

The guided versions of Modules 1 & 2 offer the main lesson book, plus assignments, exercises, and activities to support the lessons. There will also be an online classroom where students can meet with each other about the work, and post questions for us to answer and requests for assistance. Live chats and lectures will be offered, and feedback given as each student progresses.

The guided option is a good choice for those who do well in more traditional learning environments with guidance and input, those who wish to connect with a community of other students, and those who learn best with lessons which are not just in written form. Students should plan on a few hours per week for reading and classwork in this portion of the course.

The guided version is also the prerequisite for the later laboratory modules; no student will continue to the practical work unless both Modules 1 & 2 have been completed properly in the guided version only.

For either the self-study or guided options, Modules 1 & 2 are completely distance learning, with no intensive or travel requirements.

Modules 3 & 4 will teach the practical laboratory work of Spagyrics, focusing on plant work for creating Essences, Magisteries, and other variations in plant processing. These Modules will be offered as guided courses only, and each Module has an intensive in Oregon that students must be able to travel to in order to complete that Module.

Modules 3 & 4 will be more intensive in information and work required, and will also require the purchase of equipment and supplies. Likewise, a time investment of many hours a week will be necessary to keep up with the pace of study and assignments and to complete each section in order to move on to the next. For the practical Modules especially, we expect and will only accept students who are serious, mature, and responsible, and who are willing to work with diligence, patience, and respect for us and the Art.

Each of the four Modules that make up the course will be applied to and paid for separately. Enrollment will be limited, and not all applicants will be accepted. Enrollment in one Module does not guarantee acceptance into any future Modules, as students will need to show understanding and progress within each Module to be considered qualified to move on to the next. Fair and specific guidelines and goals will be given for each Module, and will need to be met for students to continue in the course. Students wishing to take the entire course will have three course years to complete it, so a break can be taken in between Modules if needed, resuming studies when the next Module in the series is scheduled again.

We look forward to working with students, and genuinely want everyone to succeed to their best ability, but most of that success will be up to each individual student, and will depend upon the seriousness and dedication applied to the studies and work. As with any Art, what you get out of it is entirely related to what you put into it.

If your goal is simply to have a better understanding of yourself, Nature, and healing through Alchemy and Spagyrics, and you have only 1-2 hours a week for your studies, then the first two Modules will meet that need.

If your aspirations are to work at the level that we do, expect to dedicate most of your time each day and many years of your life to this Art, as we have done, starting with your studies in this course. Our study and lab work have taken place over long days for the last 18 years, and the pricing and expectations for the practical half of the course are commensurate with what that experience has to offer.

If you are interested in any or all of the course, here are some important steps to take:

Sign up for our e-mail list, making sure to select the Alchemical School interest option. This is the last update we will post publicly, so if you are not on the School e-mail list, you will miss any future announcements. There is a box on the right hand side of this page for list signup.

Even if you are on our general newsletter list, you may not be on the School list. If you’re not sure of your subscription, our March newsletter has an “update subscription” link at the end- click on that and follow the instructions to edit your preferences. If you don’t have a copy of our March newsletter, contact us with your name and e-mail address and we will check your subscription and fix it if necessary.

Read the main page for the School, which contains more detailed curriculum outlines and costs for the Modules, along with the schedule of intensives and the application process.

Watch your inbox for our e-mail updates as the School comes together. We’ll send out some reading suggestions, specific scheduling information, and eventually, application instructions.

Strength & Wisdom,
Paul & Micah

Alchemical School Survey

Many people have responded to our survey about the Alchemical School, and we are very grateful for the input we’ve received so far. The data and numbers are very helpful in the planning we are doing now, as are all of the extra suggestions and ideas offered.

The survey has ended, and next we will begin meeting in earnest to plan the school and create a vision that meets all of our needs. We will keep this site section updated with our responses, ideas, and plans based on the survey results, but for now, here is a report of the responses so far.

Have you studied or practiced any Alchemy before?

• None: 27.7%
• History or Theoretical Study: 51.4%
• Psychological or Inner Alchemy: 50.9%
• Basic Laboratory Work: 22.5%
• Advanced Laboratory Work: 1.2%

Why do you want to study Alchemy?

• General personal enrichment: 78.6%
• To care for friends and family: 66.5%
• As a spiritual path: 79.2%
• To use in a healing practice: 80.3%
• To create a business: 26.0%

What applications of Alchemy are you interested in studying?

• Inner (non-laboratory) work: 85.0%
• Plant Alchemy: 96.5%
• Mineral & Metal Alchemy: 82.1%

Do you have a suitable space for a lab?

• Yes: 71.7%
• No: 20.8%
• I’m not interested in lab work: 7.5%

How many hours a week can you commit to pursue your studies in Alchemy?

• less than 1: 0%
• 1 to 4: 41.0%
• 5 to 9: 31.8%
• 10 to 15: 16.2%
• 15 or more: 11.0%

Per year, what could you budget for equipment?

• $0: 0.6%
• $100 to $300: 22.0%
• $300 to $500: 29.5%
• $500 to $1000: 23.1%
• more than $1000: 17.9%
• I’m not interested in lab work: 6.9%

Which scheduling structure would you prefer?

• Long guided course: 71.7%
• Intensives only: 17.9%
• Another system: 10.4%

How many times a year are you free to travel to an intensive in Oregon?

• None: 9.8%
• Once a year: 50.3%
• Twice a year: 39.9%

What is your budget for yearly tuition?

• $500 to $1000: 52.0%
• $1000 to $2000: 25.4%
• $2000 to $3000: 10.4%
• $3000 to $4000: 1.7%
• Other: less than 500: 2%