Alchemy--the ancient science that aims to transform various substances into different and more noble elements--remains one of the most misunderstood of the great wisdom traditions. Often scorned as a deceptive pseudo-science practiced by the greedy in pursuit of gold, alchemy is gaining renewed recognition by many today as a legitimate way to understand certain workings of nature. It is also seen as a complex key to our understanding of humanity's relationship to the universe and a means of improving our health and well-being. The Book of Alchemy teaches its readers how to penetrate the obscure symbolic language of the alchemists . understand how alchemical transformation can initiate a profound change of consciousness, claimed by practitioners to bring eventual union with the Divine . practice traditional meditations and exercises . prepare herbal alchemical elixirs to benefit the body . and discover how the alchemists' search for purity can become a twenty-first-century model for spiritual development.

Readers will also find helpful meditations, brilliant illustrations of alchemical emblems, and instructions for making beneficial alchemical potions from easy-to-obtain herbs. The author shows readers how to harness the powers claimed for alchemy to improve their physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. Approximately 130 full-color illustrations.