Alchemy is the story of the discovery of the philosopher's stone. Why is the stone “philosophical”? Source of Spiritual Wisdom

14.04.2019

There is nothing more mysterious to Western occultism and alchemy than a mystery. philosopher's stone... Is he a coveted target of seekers of truth, or a reward for adventurers hungry for endless wealth? A deep metaphysical symbol or a real subject? Why have so many people dreamed of finding the Philosopher's Stone?

The Philosopher's Stone as a Source of Immortality

First of all, many sought to find the philosopher's stone because they believed that he was able to bestow on them eternal youth and immortality. At the same time, the philosophical stone itself was understood to mean that some kind of substance that had to be consumed internally, like a pill, or a kind of "magnet" that attracts rejuvenating energies for its owner. There were many legends and options, but they all boiled down to one thing - the one who owns the philosopher's stone will know eternity.

The Divine Essence of the Philosopher's Stone

An equally widespread idea of the philosopher's stone included the belief that “everything is hidden in it that God and Eternity, as well as the heavens, and the stars, and the elements, contain and can create. Never in eternity has there been anything better and more precious than him. " Such comments indicated the "universality" of this object, which endows its owner with all divine qualities - from wisdom to superpowers, but most importantly - the magical ability to transform the world around itself.

The nature of the philosopher's stone

According to some sources, this substance is of animal, vegetable and mineral nature, others claim that even the Philosopher's Stone itself has a body, soul and spirit and “grows” from flesh and blood, from fire and water. Some adepts were inclined to believe that these are all symbolic descriptions. For example, in internal Taoist alchemy, the symbols of "fire" and "water" are very often used to describe the subtle energy processes inside human body leading to the complete transmutation of his body and spirit. And, of course, there were those who argued that these descriptions, although allegories, indicate quite specific physical phenomena.

Philosopher's Stone and Alchemy

Whatever deep meaning the phenomenon of the philosopher's stone is endowed with, it has always been considered in the concept of alchemy - the science of the transmutation of minerals. And here we note two common ideas. The adherents of the first argued that the philosopher's stone is a kind of natural element that allows you to modify all other elements of nature, that is, something like a "magic catalyst". Adepts of the second look at the Philosopher's Stone believed that it must be obtained through the fusion and transformation of various chemical materials.

It is interesting to note that people of an adventurous nature were more inclined towards the first idea, and those who had a more scientific and systematic view of the world were more inclined towards the second. Therefore, it is not surprising that over time it was the second idea that won out, gathering a larger number of adherents, many of whom made a significant contribution to the formation of chemistry.

Philosopher's Stone and Spiritual Perfection

There was another idea about the philosopher's stone, which perceived it as a symbol spiritual excellence as something that a person receives due to the fact that he transforms his gross nature (mercury) into spiritual (gold). The adherents of this trend called their way of acquiring the philosopher's stone "inner alchemy." It was widespread not only in the west, but also in the east, for example, in Taoist psychophysical practices.

Philosopher's Stone and World Balance

Along with the concept of the philosopher's stone as a symbol of spiritual transformation, there is also the idea that the philosopher's stone is the personification of the ideal and absolute balance between various forces of nature, in particular between male and feminine energies... In other words, the philosopher's stone is a union of philosophical sulfur and mercury, personifying the feminine (passive) and masculine (active) principles, which the adept should have brought to balance both at the level of his personality and outside world... It was also seen as some kind of alchemical process of fusing "fire" and "water" to obtain "steam" - the divine spirit.

Secrets of the secrets about the philosopher's stone

Those who actually managed to find the Philosopher's Stone understood that it would be a rash step to convey information about it to all people, so they tried to keep their secrets secret, carefully encrypting the recipes for finding the Philosopher's Stone with complex symbolism, understandable only to a select few. Thus, in one of the treatises of the famous alchemist Arnold from Villanova, we read: “Twice tie a slave and imprison him three times. Then wrap it in a layer of the whitest linen. And in the event that he is rebellious, throw him back into the dungeon. On the third night of imprisonment, give him white wife so that he would impregnate her and then she will give birth to thirty sons who will surpass their parent. "

There are also more laconic descriptions - “From a man and a woman, create a circle, then a square, then a triangle and, finally, a circle again. As a result, you will receive the Philosopher's Stone as it is. "

Famous people and the philosopher's stone

Many respected people of their time claimed to have seen the Philosopher's Stone. So, for example, Jan Baptist van Helmont, whose authority is beyond doubt, wrote in one of his works: “I saw and held the philosopher's stone several times. It is similar in color to saffron powder, but heavy and shiny, just like crushed glass. "

Helvetius also dealt with the philosopher's stone, who, by the way, was at first skeptical about alchemy, but then changed his mind. Legends say that one day he was given a part of the Philosopher's Stone, with the help of which he was able to turn lead into pure gold.

The language of secret symbols has always hidden alchemy from the curiosity of the uninitiated. We still do not understand its true essence: for some it is the making of gold, for others - finding the elixir of immortality, for others - the transformation of a person.

Royal art

Alchemy is the mother of chemistry. It was in alchemical laboratories that sulfuric, nitrogen and hydrochloric acid, saltpeter and gunpowder, "aqua regia" and many medicinal substances.
Medieval alchemists set themselves quite specific tasks. Roger Bacon (13th century), one of the founders of European alchemy, writes the following:

"Alchemy is the science of how to prepare a certain composition, or an elixir, which, if added to base metals, will transform them into perfect metals."

By transforming simple metals into noble ones, the alchemist challenges nature itself.

Despite the fact that in Medieval Europe, alchemy was actually outlawed, many ecclesiastical and secular rulers patronized it, counting on the benefits that the obtaining of the "despicable metal" promised. And they not only patronized, but also practiced themselves. Alchemy has truly become the "Royal Art".

The Elector Augustus the Strong of Saxony (1670-1733), whose claims to the Polish crown demanded significant financial expenses, turned Dresden into a true capital of alchemy. To replenish the treasury with gold, he enlisted the talented alchemist Friedrich Boettger. How well Böttger succeeded in the gold field, history is silent.

There were many alchemists in Europe, but only a few became adepts - those to whom the secret of the philosopher's stone was revealed.

In the language of symbols

The origins of alchemy go back to hermeticism - a teaching that absorbed the traditions of ancient Greek natural philosophy, Chaldean astrology and Persian magic. Hence such a mysterious and ambiguous language of alchemical treatises. For the alchemist, metals are not just substances, but the embodiment of the cosmic order. Thus, gold in alchemical manuscripts turns into the Sun, silver - into the Moon, mercury - into Mercury, lead - into Saturn, tin - into Jupiter, iron - into Mars, copper - into Venus.

The choice of seven celestial bodies is also not accidental. Seven is a sign of completeness and perfection, highest degree striving for knowledge and wisdom, evidence of magical power and the keeper of secrets.
The recipe recorded in hermetic treatises also looks mysterious. The English alchemist George Ripley (15th century), in order to prepare the elixir of the sages, suggests heating the philosophical mercury until it turns first into a green and then into a red lion. The resulting liquids, he advises to collect, as a result of which "tasteless phlegm, alcohol and red drops" will appear.

“The Cimmerian shadows will cover the retort with their dull veil. It will light up and, soon taking a magnificent lemon blossom, will reproduce the green lion again. Make it gobble up its tail and distill the product again. Finally, my son, rectify thoroughly, and you will see the appearance of combustible water and human blood. "

How to turn a symbolic alchemical word into a living, practical reality?

Some have tried, taking it literally. For example, an associate of Joan of Arc, the illustrious Marshal Gilles de Rais, went as far as killing babies for the sake of young blood, which was believed to be necessary for the success of the Great Work.
For descendants who want to open the veil of secrets of alchemical texts, the philosopher Artefy writes: “Unhappy fool! How can you be so naive and believe that we will begin to teach you so openly and clearly the greatest and most important of our secrets? " Hermetic symbolism was supposed to hide the secrets of the adepts from the uninitiated forever.

Scientists of the 19th century managed to unravel the allegory of the alchemists. What is the "lion devouring the sun"? This is the process of gold dissolution by mercury. Ripley's recipe has also been deciphered, which describes the procedure for obtaining acetone. However, the chemist Nicola Lemery notes that he did this experiment many times, but never received red drops - a substance that, according to the adepts, had the property of a philosopher's stone. The chemical extract was recovered, but the alchemical miracle did not happen.

Alchemical symbolism is more than a reflection chemical process... For example, one of the main alchemical symbols is a dragon that swallows its own tail - the personification of multiple births and deaths. The symbolic language of sacred texts is addressed not only to technology, but also to all structures of being, the balance between which can lead to success in alchemical transformations.

Philosopher's Stone

The central element of alchemical teaching is the philosopher's stone or elixir, capable of transforming base metals into noble ones. It was presented not only in the form of a stone, it could be a powder or a liquid. Some adepts have left us a recipe for the preparation of their "Great Magisterium".
For example, Albertus Magnus proposes to use mercury, arsenic, silver scale and ammonia as components of the philosopher's stone. All this, having passed through the stages of purification, mixing, heating, distillation, should turn into a "white substance, solid and clear, close in shape to a crystal."

The property of the philosopher's stone was not only the transmutation of metals. Alchemists of the Middle Ages and Renaissance recognized the elixir's ability to grow gems, enhance the fruitfulness of plants, heal all diseases, prolong life and even grant eternal youth.

The 14th century French alchemist Nicholas Flamel is one of those masters who managed to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. Having become acquainted with the treatise of Abraham the Jew, he spent his whole life deciphering the "key to the Work" left there. And, in the end, he found him, having acquired, according to legend, immortality.

The spread of the legend was facilitated by repeated eyewitness accounts who allegedly met Flamel many years after his official death. The opening of the alchemist's grave only strengthened the myth - Flamel was not in it.
However, the Philosopher's Stone should not be viewed exclusively as a material substance. For many adepts, the search for the "Great Magisterium" was akin to finding the truth, which could solve the highest task of hermeticism - the deliverance of mankind from original sin.

Is alchemy a science?

The Church considered alchemy to be a source of superstition and obscurantism. For the poet Dante Alighieri, alchemy is "a completely fraudulent science and good for nothing else." Even Avicena had a negative view of the hermetic sacraments, arguing that “alchemists can only make the most excellent imitations, coloring red metal in White color- then it becomes like silver, or, coloring it in yellow- and then it becomes like gold. "

Back in the 4th century BC. NS. Aristotle wrote that golden-yellow alloys are formed from copper when combined with zinc or tin. Often, an alchemical experiment was considered successful when a simple metal only acquired the color of a noble one.
However, there is indirect evidence that in their laboratories alchemists were able to produce gold, which is in no way inferior in quality to natural metal.

In one of the museums in Vienna, a gold medal is exhibited, the weight of which corresponds to 16.5 ducats. On one side of the medal is engraved the inscription "Golden descendant of a lead parent", on the other - "The chemical transformation of Saturn into the Sun (lead into gold) was carried out in Innsbruck on December 31, 1716 under the patronage of His Excellency the Count Palatine Karl Philip."
Of course, the testimony of a noble person can in no way guarantee that real gold was not used in the smelting of the medal. However, there are other arguments as well.

In the XIV century, King Edward II of England ordered the Spanish alchemist Raymund Lull to smelt 60 thousand pounds of gold, providing him with mercury, tin and lead. It is not known whether Llull was able to cope with the task, but historical documents indicate that, when concluding large trade deals, the British began to use gold coins in quantities that significantly exceeded the country's gold reserves.

No one knows where 8.5 tons of gold bars appeared in the inheritance of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612). It was later found that Rudolph II's gold was practically free of impurities, in contrast to natural ingots used for minting coins.
Bringing its secrets from time immemorial, alchemical art still jealously preserves them, probably forever depriving descendants of the opportunity to penetrate the secrets of the Great Work.

But the leader in this list of eternal search can be safely called the Philosopher's Stone! They tried to find nothing else with such manic tenacity. For the sake of his search, a separate science even arose - alchemy, and generations of alchemists devoted their entire lives to a single goal - to try to find the philosopher's stone. For years they sat in laboratories, bending over flasks and retorts, hoping to one day see a small blood-red stone at the bottom of the vessel. Why did he so entice them? O! There were many reasons ...

This story began a long time ago, as they say in fairy tales. And the Philosopher's Stone is a fairy tale. Beautiful and cruel. A fairy tale that killed more lives than other wars. But first things first.

It is believed that the person who first told the world about the Philosopher's Stone was the Egyptian Hermes Trismegistus - "Hermes the Three Times Greatest". We, alas, do not know whether such a person actually lived. Most likely, Hermes Trismegistus is a legendary figure, in legends he was called the son of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Isis, and was even identified with the ancient Egyptian sorcerer god Thoth.

Hermes Trismegistus is also called the first alchemist to receive the Philosopher's Stone. The recipe for making a philosopher's stone was recorded in his books, as well as in the so-called. "The Emerald Tablet of Hermes" - a tablet from his tomb, on which thirteen instructions to descendants were carved. Most of the books of Hermes Trismegistus perished in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, and the few remaining, according to legend, were buried in a secret place in the desert. Only heavily distorted translations have come down to us.

Thus, the recipe for the Philosopher's Stone is lost over the centuries. New interest to alchemy and the philosopher's stone appears already in the middle of the 10th century in medieval Europe, and then fading away, then flashing again, stretches right up to our days.

Now a few words about the very subject of the search. The Philosopher's Stone is the beginning of all beginnings, a mythical substance capable of giving its owner immortality, eternal youth, wisdom and knowledge. But it was not these properties that attracted alchemists in the first place, no. The main thing that made this stone so desirable was its legendary ability to turn any metal into gold!

For example, Raimondus Lullius from Spain received from the English king Edward (14th century), an order to smelt 60,000 pounds of gold. For which he was provided with mercury, tin and lead. And I must say, Llull got the gold! It was of a high standard, and from it was minted a large number of noble. Of course, it is easier to attribute given fact to myths rather than to believe in it, however, the Nobles of that special coinage are still kept in English museums. And if you believe the historical documents, for a long time these coins were used in the conclusion of large transactions, which testified to their large number. But! At this time, England, in principle, had nowhere to get so much gold, and such a magnificent quality! And the main calculations, for example, with the Hansa, were carried out in tin. It remains to be assumed that an error crept into the documents, and the amount of gold was much smaller.

Another fact: Emperor Rudolph II (1552-1612) left after his death a large amount of gold and silver in bars, approximately 8.5 and 6 tons, respectively. Historians have never been able to understand where the emperor could take so much precious metals if the entire national stock was less. Subsequently, it was proved that this gold differs from the gold used at that time for minting coins - it turned out to be of a higher purity and almost did not contain any impurities, which seems almost unbelievable, given the technical capabilities of that time.

But such stories are in the minority. Most of the medieval alchemists were charlatans. Indeed, in order to say that, they say, a miracle has happened, the philosopher's stone is not needed - it is enough to get an alloy of the desired color!

What tricks did the deceivers resort to. For example, they took a piece of iron. In front of the amazed audience, they melted it, while making incomprehensible passes with their hands and waving a magic wand. And, lo and behold! - when the metal solidified, some of it turned into gold! And the solution was simple Magic wand! Yes! She really was magical, in a way. It was usually made of wood and was a quarter hollow. Pieces of gold were placed inside and covered with wax. When the alchemist brought it to the molten metal, the wax also melted, and the gold fell out. Everything here depended only on sleight of hand, and before anyone could get a closer look at the wand, its Bottom part burned down, leaving no evidence. Alloys of copper and tin had a characteristic color and luster, and the inexperienced could easily mistake them for gold.

True alchemists did not strive to obtain gold, it was only a tool, not a goal (nevertheless, Dante in his Divine Comedy determined the place of alchemists, like counterfeiters, in hell, or more precisely, in the eighth circle, the tenth moat). The goal for them was precisely the Philosopher's Stone itself! And spiritual liberation, exaltation, bestowed on the one who possesses it - absolute freedom. Here is one of the recipes according to which medieval alchemists tried to make a philosopher's stone (it should be noted that a stone, by and large, and not a stone at all, more often it is presented as a powder, or a solution of powder - the very elixir of life):

"To make the elixir of the sages, called the philosopher's stone, take, my son, philosophical mercury and heat it until it turns into a green lion. After that, heat it harder, and it turns into a red lion.

Heat this red lion in a sand bath with acidic grape alcohol, evaporate the resulting, and the mercury will turn into a gummy substance that can be cut with a knife.

Place it in a clay-smeared retort and slowly distil it. Collect the liquids of various compositions separately that will appear.

The Cimmerian shadows will cover the retort with their dark veil, and you will find the true dragon inside it, for it devours its tail. Take this black dragon, rub it on a stone and touch it with hot coal. It will light up and, that hour, assuming a magnificent lemon color, will again reproduce the green lion.

Make him devour his tail and distill it again.

Finally, my son, carefully cleanse him and you will see the appearance of burning water and human blood. "

Not difficult, right? And the main thing is very poetic. In general, Hermes himself invented the process of making a stone in a similar way. And if in this text it is still possible to understand what kind of dragons and lions are meant, then in earlier texts it is quite problematic to understand anything. So each alchemist interpreted the recipes in his own way, which is why there are many different versions of the preparation of this substance.

Interestingly, in the middle of the 20th century, a Dutch scientist decided to reproduce the process of making a philosopher's stone using a similar recipe and substances that were available to medieval prospectors. And indeed, at the end of all the manipulations, I received very beautiful crystals of bright ruby color. As it turned out, it was the purest silver chloraurate AgAuCl4! Perhaps it was his alchemists who considered the philosopher's stone, since due to the high percentage of gold (44%), crystals could give a golden color to any surface when melted.

It is believed that the first person who told the world about the Philosopher's Stone was the Egyptian Hermes Trismegistus - "Hermes the Three Times Greatest". Hermes Trismegistus is a semi-mythical, semi-legendary figure, in legends he was called the son of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Isis, and was even identified with the ancient Egyptian sorcerer god Thoth (almost with "Topos").

Hermes Trismegistus is also called the first alchemist to receive the Philosopher's Stone. The recipe for making the Philosopher's Stone was recorded in his books,
and also on the so-called "Emerald Tablet of Hermes" - a tablet from his tomb, on which thirteen instructions to descendants were carved.
Unfortunately, all instructions have been lost. Also, most of the books of Hermes Trismegistus perished in a fire in the Library of Alexandria, and the few remaining, according to legend, were buried in a secret place in the desert. The place where the books were buried has not yet been found. Only heavily distorted translations have come down to us.

A new interest in alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone arises already in the middle of the 10th century in medieval Europe, and then fading away, then flaring up again, stretches right up to our days.

Actually, the philosopher's stone is the beginning of all beginnings, a mythical substance that can give its owner immortality, eternal youth, wisdom and knowledge. But it was not these properties that attracted alchemists in the first place. The main thing that made this stone so desirable was its legendary ability to turn any metal into gold. This is how it looks
this stone. If you see emptiness in this place,
then this is not your stone. Look for yours!

Modern chemistry does not reject the possibility of converting one chemical element into another, but nevertheless believes that medieval alchemists could not get gold from copper. Nevertheless, history has preserved for us more than one legend, which speaks of such a transformation. For example, Raimondus Lullius, a Spanish poet, philosopher and famous alchemist, received an order from King Edward II of England in the 14th century to smelt 60,000 pounds of gold. For which he was provided with mercury, tin and lead. And I must say, Llull got the gold! It was of a high standard, and a large number of nobles were minted from it.

Of course, it is easier to attribute this fact to myths than to believe it, but the Nobles of that special coinage are still kept in English museums. And if you believe the historical documents, for a long time these coins were used in the conclusion of large transactions, which testified to their large number. But, at this time, England, in principle, had nowhere to get
so much gold, and of such great quality. And the main calculations, for example, with the Hansa, were carried out in tin. It remains to be assumed that an error crept into the documents, and the amount of gold, most likely, was much less.

Another fact: Emperor Rudolph II (1552-1612) left after his death a large amount of gold and silver in bars, approximately 8 and 6 tons, respectively. Historians could not understand where the emperor could get so much precious metals, if the entire national reserve was much
smaller. Subsequently, it was proved that this gold differs from the gold used at that time for minting coins - it turned out to be of a higher purity and almost did not contain any impurities, which seems almost unbelievable, given the technical capabilities of that time.

What else can you say about the stone? Basically, it is a powder that takes various shades during preparation according to the degree of its perfection, but in essence this powder has two primary colors: white and red.

A real philosopher's stone or its powder has three advantages:
1) It turns molten mercury or lead into gold, on which it is poured.
2) Taken internally, it serves as an excellent blood-purifying agent, quickly curing various diseases.
3) It also acts on plants: within a few hours they grow and bear ripe fruits.
All these three points seem to many as fables, but with which all alchemists agree. In fact, one has only to ponder these properties in order to understand
that in all three cases there is an intensification of vital activity.

Therefore, the Philosopher's Stone is simply a strong condensation vital energy in a small amount of substance. This is why alchemists call their
stone medicine for the three kingdoms.

The recipe for obtaining the Philosopher's Stone below belongs to
(according to legend) the Spanish thinker Raymond Lull (about 1235 - 1315)
and repeated by the English alchemist of the 15th century J. Ripley in
The Book of the Twelve Gates.

ALCHEMICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS
“Take philosophical mercury and heat it until it turns into a red lion. Digest this red lion in a sand bath with acidic grape alcohol, evaporate the liquid, and the mercury will turn into a gummy substance that can be cut with a knife. Put it in a clay retort and slowly distill it. Collect separately the liquids of different nature that will appear in this case. You will get tasteless phlegm, alcohol and red drops. The Cimmerian shadows will cover the retort with their dark veil, and you will find the true dragon inside it, for it devours its tail. Take this black dragon, rub it on a stone and touch it with a red-hot coal. It will light up and, soon assuming a gorgeous lemon color, will again reproduce the green lion. Make it gobble up its tail and distill the product again. Finally, rectify thoroughly and you will see the appearance of combustible water and human blood. "

SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION (DESCRIPTION) OF THE ALCHEMICAL PROCESS
The 19th century French chemist Jean-Baptiste André Dumas interprets alchemical terms as follows. Philosophical mercury is lead. By calcining it, we obtain yellow lead oxide. This green lion, when further calcined, turns into a red lion-red red lead. Then the alchemist heats red lead with acidic grape alcohol - wine vinegar, which dissolves lead oxide. Evaporation leaves lead sugar - impure lead acetate. When it is gradually heated in solution, crystallization water (reflux) is distilled first,
then combustible water - burned-acetic alcohol (acetone) and, finally, a red-brown oily liquid. A black mass, or a black dragon, remains in the retort. This is finely crushed lead. On contact with hot coal, it begins to melt and turns into yellow lead oxide: the black dragon devoured its tail and turned into a green lion. It can be converted back to lead sugar and repeated.

Try to repeat the process yourself. If you have a unique aura,
then everything will work out.

Fairy tales, myths, legends ... In all this folklore, most often there is deep meaning, which our ancestors wanted to convey to us. Sometimes the spiritual meaning is difficult to discern in any history from the past. The stories about the Philosopher's Stone are so implausible, contradictory and unscientific that it is difficult to see even a grain of truth in them. However, there is factual information about people, scientists and philosophers who took them seriously.

Source of Spiritual Wisdom

According to medieval alchemists, the notorious philosopher's stone was created from fire and water, so incompatible elements that their combination cannot be explained otherwise than divine. It consisted of a mineral that contained a living principle and possessed a spiritual one. It was believed that the philosopher's stone had the property of turning any metal into gold. The eternal dream of mankind! Naturally, everything that was associated with the process of making the stone was a mystery covered in darkness.

Even more tempting was the possible spiritual change, up to the perfect one, which was given to its owner. It was believed that the very initial attempts to obtain this mystical object related to human consciousness, the ability to cleanse the human soul, receive, and immortality as the quintessence of the entire process.

Search for the Philosopher's Stone. Research history

The concept of the philosopher's stone was introduced into use by a native of Egypt Hermes Trismegistus. He was an extraordinary person and, according to legend, was the son of the most important gods of Egypt, Osiris and Isis. Sometimes he was considered the embodiment of the ancient Egyptian god Thoth. Most of the works of Hermes Trismegistus were destroyed in the fire of the Alexandria Library fire. Those that were rescued were buried in a secret place, and information about it was lost. Distorted translations have survived to this day, according to which, with a certain degree of probability, one can judge the activities of Hermes. Judging by them, he was engaged in the creation of a philosopher's stone, studying substances that could give a person endless knowledge, youth and eternal life. A document containing a recipe for its manufacture was found and translated. Very poetic and imaginative, and most importantly - incomprehensible. So each alchemist did it differently.

There is a legend about the king of Phrygia Midas. As a child, Midas received a sign of future wealth. Once, the god Dionysus led his army to India. Midas mixed wine into the water from which Dionysus's teacher Silenus drank. He could not continue and ended up at Midas in the palace. Ten days later, he returned the teacher Midas to Dionysus, as a reward he received the opportunity to turn everything he touched into gold. But everything really turned into gold, both water and food. Then, at the instigation of Dionysus, Midas bathed in the river, which became gold-bearing, but he himself lost the gift. In fact, from historical sources it is known about the fabulous wealth of King Midas, but this is hardly connected with the stone, it is just that all the gold deposits of Phrygia were in the possession of Midas.

The search for the philosopher's stone and all the accompanying activities of the alchemists were surrounded by mystery and mysticism. Only initiates could participate in it. All knowledge was transmitted orally and was furnished with a special ritual. The following was strictly observed in the experiments. Something was still recorded. But those of the manuscripts of alchemists that have come down to us often look like gibberish and are poorly deciphered. The ones that we managed to decipher are quite understandable chemical experiments. For example, a description of the production of lead oxide. And many more useful things were discovered by the experimenters in their quest to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. They received both new substances (gunpowder, saltpeter, important salts and acids) and described their properties and processes. True, they did it in a very vague manner. We can say that medieval alchemists, in search of the Philosopher's Stone, laid the foundation of chemistry, which gives the means to heal diseases, and influence productivity, and prolong life, until endlessly.

In the mind of the alchemists there was no significant difference between living and non-living nature. Gold was no exception. It was the result of the growth and maturation of the metal in the bowels. In this case, iron was considered an immature metal, copper - the result of spoiled sulfur entering its composition, and so on. Unfortunately, the processes in nature went very slowly and alchemists thought that the Philosopher's Stone would help accelerate the processes of "ripening" and "healing" of metals.

There was one more conviction: by changing the content of the two main components of any metal - mercury and sulfur - it is possible that some metals can be converted into others. In their fantastic quest, the alchemists have achieved absolutely real results. The first apparatuses for the distillation of liquids, the recrystallization of salts and the sublimation of solids were invented.

In the Middle Ages, the search for the philosopher's stone was reduced to its ability to turn everything into gold. Poverty, apparently, was the main scourge of that time. However, the presence huge amount gold High Quality some historical figures, for example, King Edward, Emperor Rudolph, are inexplicably historical facts... Perhaps, after all, someone managed to find methods other than mining?

Fiction or truth?

The answers will again have to be found in history. King Edward ordered 60,000 pounds of gold from the Spaniard Raymond Llull for minting coins. Provided him with mercury, tin and lead. And what about Llull? He got the same gold. Both the quantity and the quality of it were impressive, as those nobles were used in large transactions and are still kept in museums. It seems incredible! However, perhaps there was a typo in the documents, and there were much fewer zeros?

Why is the stone “philosophical”?

So, what has philosophy to do with it? And the thing turned out to be the following. For any self-respecting alchemist, gold was transformed from an end into a means at once. The goal of their entire gold-prospecting rush was "only" universal prosperity, the improvement of the entire Cosmos. The true goal of the alchemists was outrageously simple - they strove to improve, "heal" imperfect metals, and then the world order. It is not for nothing that alchemists were often called doctors.

By the way, the philosophical and medical side of alchemy is present in the legends of not only the West, but also the East. For example, Chinese alchemists knew the secret of the "golden pill of immortality." And although it was in some way analogous to the philosopher's stone, this panacea was melted directly in the human body. And the goal of introducing a "foreign organism" was the following complete spiritualization of a person (theological aspect) and the acquisition of immortality (a philosophical question).

Literature different eras reflects the exciting search for the Philosopher's Stone. So, Father Faust, in the words of the great Goethe, prepared a cure for the plague:

"The forgotten pillar of the alchemy of those days,

He locked himself with the faithful in the closet

And with them I distilled from flasks

Compounds of all kinds of rubbish. [...]

People were treated with this amalgam,

Without checking whether he was cured

Who turned to our balm. "

“Hardly anyone survived,” recalls Faust with a bitter grin. Alchemists "chemically" used potions well, and their experiments on humans were not always successful. Special attention deserves the story of the erudite writer Jorge Luis Borges. He tells of an instructive conversation between the alchemist doctor Paracelsus and a certain young man who came to ask him to be his disciple. Paracelsus said that if a young man flatters himself with the hope of creating gold, then they are not on the way. But the young man replied that it was not gold that attracted him, but Science. He wanted to walk the path to the Stone together with the teacher. And this is what Paracelsus answered him: “The Way is the Stone. The place where you come from is the Stone. If you don’t understand these words, then you don’t understand anything yet ”.

It seems that many of us, having read these words, will be sure that they will never get hold of the Philosopher's Stone. The search for a philosopher's stone awakens scientific thought, it was not in vain that alchemists repeated: "Transform yourself from dead stones into living philosophical stones!"

Only a stone is not easy to get. Mephistopheles himself left a warning:

“They do not understand how small children

That happiness doesn't go into your mouth.

I would give them the Philosopher's Stone -

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Fairy tales, myths, legends ... In all this folklore, most often there is a deep meaning that our ancestors wanted to convey to us. Sometimes the spiritual meaning is difficult to discern in any history from the past. The stories about the Philosopher's Stone are so implausible, contradictory and unscientific that it is difficult to see even a grain of truth in them. However, there is factual information about people, scientists and philosophers, ...