We Are Travelers On A Cosmic Journey

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“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” ~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

The scientific and philosophical practice of Alchemy is the main theme of Paulo Coelho’s 1988 novel “The Alchemist”. The story revolves around an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who embarked on a journey to search for the treasure he saw in his dream. Along the way, he met people with different stories who helped mould his character and philosophy. The allegorical novel has been translated into at least 56 different languages and sold more than 65
million copies. Guinness World Book of Records hailed it as the most translated book by a living author.

H.J. Sheppard, author of “Survey of Alchemical and Hermetic Symbolism”, summarizes alchemy as “the art of liberating parts of the Cosmos from temporal existence and achieving perfection which, for metals is gold, and for man, longevity, then immortality and finally, redemption.” In a nutshell, it’s about attaining perfection and being one with the universe.

While practical applications of alchemy belong in the realm of science, specifically chemistry, its esoteric applications is seen as spiritual by Hermetic practitioners. Philosophical alchemists believe that the universe and the soul are one. In that case, the soul is eternal like the universe. Like the transmutation of ordinary metals to gold, the self is believed to be transformed into a higher entity through constant practice and purification.

To quote Deepak Chopra: “The secrets of alchemy exist to transform mortals from a state of suffering and ignorance to a state of enlightenment and bliss.”