As our ancestors developed beyond simple survival they began to ask questions about life and the world around them, the most fundamental of which was to understand the nature of matter. From early attempts emerged four key elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, that were believed to form the foundation of nature. Wood must contain earth, fire and air, for when you burn it you see ash, fire and smoke. Clay was easily seen as a mixture of water and earth. Alchemy was born to investigate these ratios, and to learn how to manipulate matter into new forms. From this practice arose a singular quest: to create a philosopher’s stone - a magical substance that could transmute lead into gold, and it is this legacy that most remember today.
For over the centuries, alchemists have been relegated to the sidelines - frauds and charlatans; simple, ignorant folks who simply didn’t know any better. Today the occasional mention in popular culture is all that remains of this ancient pursuit. Most people don’t give it a second thought, even though their daily lives are directly impacted by the seeds planted by those ancient dreamers. Yet there’s still something about those original beliefs that resonates today.
When I venture out in in nature, and breathe the scent of a ponderosa pine forest, or see a passionate sunrise burning across the sky, or enjoy the pure serenity of a snowy winter day, I realize that those four elements are still deep in our souls. Earth, Air, Fire, Water. Simple. Pure. Truth. Beauty. As I watch the seasons turn, and barren land burst with new life each spring, seeds sprouting to plants, plants growing to trees, trees reaching for the sky in wondrous diversity, I think back to the transformation of the alchemists. From the basics of rich soil, a gentle breeze, warmth from the sun, and fallen rain arises new life - truly, a magical transmutation worthy of a Philosopher’s stone.
How much more precious than gold is the richness of the natural world, in all it’s alchemical glory.