It is believed that the alchemists' strove for three goals in their practice:
1) The transmutation of base metals to gold, often referred to as changing "lead to gold".
2) The preparation for the "elixir of longevity", often connected to the philosopher's stone
3) The achievement of ultimate wisdom.
In reality, these three goals have long since been the dreams of all of humankind since the ideas of personal possessions and status were intertwined:
1) Wealth
2) Immortality
3) Understanding where nothing is left unknown.
These goals come from fears:
1) Fear of the power above (the servant vs. the master)
2) Fear of death
3) Fear of the unknown
Meh, one of those fears is mostly concerned in Western mythology. There are a number of cultures that accept death. However, it is difficult to find any life form that does not encounter a power struggle. Also, I don't know about anyone else, but I rather appreciate a healthy fear of the unknown. Otherwise we would not strive to better ourselves and we would still think that the Earth was flat or that there was nothing beyond our planet.
To put it a different way, these three goals are the balance of life. They are the dreams of flourishing societies and the nightmares of those about to fall. We have new bonds over these goals and we have wars over them. We move forward because of them, and we die because of them.
I'll stop there, since it probably all seems morbid. But there is a function in our body that works on this very premise. Oxygen. We can only survive a couple of minutes without oxygen. We require it for all cellular activity. However, oxygen is the very thing that starts the break down of bodily systems.
Ever heard of the saying, "You're dying the moment you're born"? Maybe not in those exact words, but that is the idea.
So then, you must be wondering, what about alchemy? That's supposed to be the reason for this blog, right?
Something like that.
Actually, I called this The Alchemist's Corner because it seemed to cliché/over-used/boring to call it "The Writer's Corner".
I bet you weren't expecting that.
Well then. What does writing have to do with alchemy?
The goals are relatively the same:
1) Change ideas into full-fledged stories
2) Make a lasting impression
3) Achieve a greater wisdom by the end
Also, alchemy is the separation and combination of ingredients to make substances with unusual or simply unique properties.
Writing is the separation and combination of ideas, sentences, paragraphs, etc. to make stories that possess unusual/unique properties that appeal to the audience.
So there you go. In a round about way, we have finally reached the purpose of this blog.
Here you will follow me on my own path of discovery as I share some tips, tricks, knowledge and writings to stir things up in the writer's world.
...
Ah, man! Why didn't I just call it that?
Ashley =)
