What is the philosophers stone?

I would also add, on the subject of the answer being within and the contrasting search for some lost secret outside of one's self, that both are valid, at least within the confines of alchemical thought, which probably has some basis in reality, although it may not be perfect (and as a result, the understanding of one thing through the other would not be perfect).

Alchemically speaking though, if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how life, mind and spirit are transformed and elevated, he would be able to infer from that at a metaphor for how physical objects can be transformed, or if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how physical objects are transformed, then he would be able to infer from that metaphor the processes of life, mind and spirit.

And scientifically speaking, if one had a complete scientific understanding of all of the processes which come together to make life and consciousness- a theory of everything- then he would also necessarily have a complete scientific understanding of how physical objects are transformed, and possibly vice-versa there as well, though there may be more room for argument as to whether science, however complete, will ever fully account for the soul (though I come down on the side that it would).

And spiritually, if one understood WHY... same thing.

reply to post by The Vagabond


Or, to sum it up, "as above, so below". If you understand one part of a fractal system, you understand the whole of the fractal system.

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reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Exactly. It was years before I was able to hear the word fractal without curling up in a ball and feeling out of my depth though, and probably as a related matter, it took me a long time to get past the physical side of the phenomenon and put any stock in the spiritual- much less to entertain any relationship between the two, so I figured I'd flesh it out a bit more for those who have the same problem.

Originally posted by canyouhandletruth

Originally posted by BlueMule
Alchemy was not so much about making gold as it was about gaining enlightenment. The outer alchemy mirrored the inner alchemy. So, the philosophers stone was a psychophysical manifestation of enlightenment.

yes an enlightened what?

the only thing a philosopher uses is what?

Click here for more information.

reply to post by canyouhandletruth


it is the higgs boson! it is the thing that assigns value to mass so once we learn how to manipulate it we can change the properties of a said mass or am i way off?

reply to post by coldlikecustard


before i had that brainwave i was gonna say the only thing a philosopher needs is his brain so the obvious answer i feel you were aiming it is the btain is the stone

If you want to know what the philosophers stone is then consider the meaning of its alternative name, the alchemists also called it the quintessence ie the fifth element! To make the fifth element you must fuse the elements of earth, air, fire and water together or as the Chinese would say, you have to unite yin and yang together.....easier said then done however!

I don't guess it's what the philosopher got after drinking a lot of iced tea and eating Tums over a long period of time, is it?

I found my philosopher's stone to be very enlightening, And after about eight hours in the waiting room, I peed it out into a little strainer.

More on point - given that it's alchemy, the metaphor may well stand for the enlightenment of the alchemist - lead into gold.

reply to post by LUXUS


Interesting, I had never heard or read that. On looking through a few dictionaries and wikis briefly, I find no mention of aether/quintessence being a combination of the other elements. Is there any place online that you would recommend to read a little more? (I'm not even sure why I'm curious- I just latch on to stuff and read about it sometimes)

Originally posted by The Vagabond

Alchemically speaking though, if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how life, mind and spirit are transformed and elevated, he would be able to infer from that at a metaphor for how physical objects can be transformed, or if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how physical objects are transformed, then he would be able to infer from that metaphor the processes of life, mind and spirit.

And scientifically speaking, if one had a complete scientific understanding of all of the processes which come together to make life and consciousness- a theory of everything- then he would also necessarily have a complete scientific understanding of how physical objects are transformed, and possibly vice-versa there as well, though there may be more room for argument as to whether science, however complete, will ever fully account for the soul (though I come down on the side that it would).

I thought the "philosopher's stone" was the pineal gland, activation of which would allow the above processes begin to occur within one's self.

Originally posted by PlanetXisHERE

I thought the "philosopher's stone" was the pineal gland, activation of which would allow the above processes begin to occur within one's self.

That is what you get for filling your head with all that new age garbage.

Originally posted by The Vagabond
reply to post by LUXUS

 

Interesting, I had never heard or read that. On looking through a few dictionaries and wikis briefly, I find no mention of aether/quintessence being a combination of the other elements. Is there any place online that you would recommend to read a little more? (I'm not even sure why I'm curious- I just latch on to stuff and read about it sometimes)

I would be interested in reading this as well. Everything I have ever studied has quintessence as being the most fundamental of all things. It isn't the other 4 essences combined, but rather the base of everything. It is the "elixir of life", so to speak (although the elixir of life refers to something else that is very specific).

Originally posted by PlanetXisHERE

Originally posted by The Vagabond

Alchemically speaking though, if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how life, mind and spirit are transformed and elevated, he would be able to infer from that at a metaphor for how physical objects can be transformed, or if one had a complete metaphorical understanding of how physical objects are transformed, then he would be able to infer from that metaphor the processes of life, mind and spirit.

And scientifically speaking, if one had a complete scientific understanding of all of the processes which come together to make life and consciousness- a theory of everything- then he would also necessarily have a complete scientific understanding of how physical objects are transformed, and possibly vice-versa there as well, though there may be more room for argument as to whether science, however complete, will ever fully account for the soul (though I come down on the side that it would).

I thought the "philosopher's stone" was the pineal gland, activation of which would allow the above processes begin to occur within one's self.

the pineal is the seat of the soul so an important part of the brain, so yes

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan

That is what you get for filling your head with all that new age garbage.

I changed my avatar just for you. Kidding. Anyway, so I guess the Pope, the Egyptians and the Summerians were all filling their heads with that new age garbage as well. As depicted on my avatar, they either had a weird fascination with pine cones, or accepted and promoted the symbology of the pine cone for the pineal gland - which has the shape of a pine cone.

reply to post by PlanetXisHERE


They may have. But that is not the philosophers stone.

reply to post by PlanetXisHERE


Forgot to add, the shape of the pinecone is more important that what it resembles in the human body. The math behind it. The way it is designed.

Here you have a book with the recipe:

www.thebookofaquarius.com...

reply to post by The Vagabond


When I was a school boy I was on my way to school in a packed bus. I seen a guy sitting across from me reading a book, on the front cover it said Alchemy. A few weeks later I found myself in a book shop and happened to see a book on alchemy for sale so I purchased it. It launched me on a discovery and I spent the next 11 years studying it!

I would not recommend you read any book on alchemy that is not at least a few hundred years old, so this excludes all modern text. You can read most of the ancient text here for free :www.levity.com...

Just one thing approach this study with the understanding that alchemy is and always was secret. Therefore understand that the writings of an alchemist is in code. Never expect to be told what it involves plainly because all alchmists agree that to do so is against GODs will ans is a spiritual sin.