The path to alchemy...

The other day I was asked how I got interested in alchemy…

My path towards an interest in the philosophy and science of alchemy has come from a rather eclectic background. It was through an interest in the history of science and art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance that lead me to an exploration of the concept of the “Music of the Spheres”. When I read about Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Brahe and their work, set against the context of the political and religious times, I was fascinated. These men, and others, struggled to find the answers to their questions about the macrocosm at the dawn of the scientific method, when the Inquisition was sweeping across Europe and one could easily be labelled a heretic or a witch with a simple accusation. They found their answers, published their findings, and some even paid with their freedom.

Then, in a very similar ‘scientific revolution’ of sorts, at the beginning of the 20th century, with the rise of atomic physics and the contributions of the ‘quantum ten’, people such as Einstein, Bohr, Pauli and his mentor Sommerfeld, his friend and colleague, Heisenberg,etc., struggled to find the answers to their questions about the microcosm.

Both groups of men were pioneers of science and many were deeply religious. Both groups considered the metaphysical and the alchemical realm as they used not only their intelligence and calculations, but also their imagination and intuition to help them divine the answers of the physical universe using the litmus test of the scientific method as it developed, and later, theoretical physics.

The common thread among many of them was their interest in alchemy and the metaphysical realm. In light of the fact all of them worked so hard to prove what was happening in the physical realm, the beauty of what they learned was seen as somehow perfect, divine, and from some source beyond the physical realm. As Kepler noted in his work, he was trying to ‘touch the mind of God’. He did this not out of ego, but out of a profound reverence and respect for God. He was convinced there was a perfect order to the universe.

It has been fascinating to learn about all of this and I will continue my studies to learn more of the history of science, art, religion, and alchemy. Some day I hope to meet like-minded people to learn from and share ideas with as there is no one in my real life circle of friends who share this interest. As I see it, my path is open and the journey is just beginning.

Artwork: Aeterna Saltatus, cAndrew Gonzales,http://www.sublimatrix.com/

Sonnet for Seven of Swords...

With a backwards glance, dancing across the lawn
Hoarding swords, disappearing into thin air
Tip toe, out you go, Thief of Thought moves on
Avoiding obligations with flourish and flair

Withdrawn and alone, hiding from truth
A world of dishonesty is then created
Keeping others at arm’s length, feeling aloof
The wisdom of such actions are debated

Dare to face the music with shoulders squared
Release secrets and open arms to embrace
Draw strength from others with thoughts that are shared
Join in the circle with honour and grace

When seeking independence and solitude
Do so with honesty, rightness and graceful attitude

Dear reader...

I am a bit of a letter junkie and love to read what others have written, especially their personal letters and diaries. I have a book that is a collection of letters shared between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, that chronicles their friendship and its eventual decline as they parted ways over professional differences. There is my collection of letters between Vincent Van Gogh and his brother, Theo. Vincent was financially dependent on Theo and often wrote to ask for money, but he also poured out his most secret desires and fears, his feelings of inadequacy to his loving brother. I recently found a book that is a collection of letters written by Galileo’s daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. They are presented in Italian with the English translation immediately following. There are 124 letters from her to him; he did answer them, but his letters to her have not survived. She predeceased him by a number of years, but while she was living, she was a most loving daughter, and he cared for her a great deal. C.S. Lewis is another intriguing character who was a prolific letter writer. He corresponded with hundreds of people over the years, eventually recruiting Warren, his brother, to help him answer them all.

All of these people lived in an age when one would sit down and pen a letter to the person who was foremost in their mind at the time. Lucky for us there are so many collections that have survived across the centuries. Reading letters written by someone gives you a glimpse inside their heart and their mind. Reading diaries kept by someone takes you further, sometimes into their very soul. Anais Nin and Anne Frank are two diarists that come to mind, yet each is so very different. Anne went back to edit her diary once she learned she would like to have them submitted for publication. Anais wrote with wild abandon; hers was a life so colourful and lusty.

I wonder about our digital age and how those who come after us will find our most profound thoughts, musings, and fears, if they find them at all. I keep mine in my computer. There is no collection of letters under my bed, there are only a few paper journals, mostly musings about science. My intensely personal journals that were in paper format have been destroyed long ago, as part of a purging process, a letting go of past hurts.

The biographers of those who have gone before us, before the computer age, as it were, have access to piles of letters that can be sifted through, organized chronologically, or organized by type. My letters and writings are electronically held, reduced to “1”s and “0”s. I suppose with the right passwords and access to an entire hard drive one could mine for gold, but it is just not the same. But, having said that, I don’t feel compelled to get out my pen and paper. Knowing I could hit the ‘print’ button at any time gives me a sense of security. I could print everything out, then I would have an entire box of letters, ones I could touch and read, over and over again, without the need to sit with a computer on my lap.

The Story Box...

For the sake of simplicity, most of my writings are kept in a special folder on my computer titled “The Story Box”. Every year or so I make the time to go through the contents of the Story Box and am surprised at what treasures I find. Among the unfinished stories, poems, and prose are fragments of story ideas, some better than others. There are snippets of poems, lists of words, and brief descriptions of characters and circumstances that hopefully will find their way into something larger some day.

Here are just a few of the unfinished stories in my Story Box, all of which are in various states of completion:

The Holly Berry: A tale about ill-fated lovers who find that the cruellest of spells cannot be broken by true love’s kiss.

A Mermaid Tail: In which a mermaid, a magician, and a magic flute must discover the answer to a great mystery.

The Deep South: An attempt at erotica, but with the realization that this is perhaps the most difficult genre of all.

Frog-n-Socks: A tale of one nervous frog who finds himself in the competition of a lifetime.

A Certain Exile: In which I try my hand at a novel.

Mahsa and the Desert Sage: A Persian tale of a young girl who discovers her true strength as she heals her broken heart.

I also found many completed works, which brings great satisfaction, even though most of what I write is for my eyes only. It was an interesting journey to read through the unfinished stories, poems and prose. In some instances, my written thoughts and musings have no general sense of direction other than from my heart to the page. But someday they will be put to use.

It was nice to spend some time reflecting on how far I have come as a writer. This exercise has inspired me to select one or two items to work on in the more immediate future; others just need to percolate a little bit longer.

If you were to look into your Story Box, Paint Box, Music Box, or whatever creative outlet you hold dear, what would you find? More importantly, what will you do with it?