The Soul of the World explores the different worldviews in Western thought, from ancient times until the present day, in which nature was envisioned as living and intelligent. This short excerpt from chapter 4, The Light of Nature and the Alchemical Imagination, introduces the idea of living nature in the alchemical tradition. ... In the alchemical vision, all matter is alive and animated with spirit. The earth is a single living organism. It is fertilized and impregnated by the celestial spirit of the sun, stars, and planets. All matter is evolutionary, striving toward higher forms, and deep within the bowels of the earth all metals are ripening toward gold. Because of this, alchemy is not an attempt to manipulate matter, but the cultivation of a natural process. Alchemy is rooted in the perception that nature is an unfolding, dynamic process, characterized by the power of transformation. Around 4000 B.C. ....
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 07:02:04 +0000
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