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Episode 159: Alchemy in Witchcraft
857 Plays30 days ago
Welcome back, Witches! 🧪✨ This week, we’re cracking open the mystical, mysterious world of Alchemy in Witchcraft. While this is just a brief overview—the topic is ancient, complex, and expansive—we’re exploring how alchemy weaves through magical practice: from the transformation of the self to the symbolism of elements, metals, and spiritual evolution. 🌙🔥 Whether you’ve dabbled in the Philosopher’s Stone or just love a good metaphor for inner gold, this one’s for you. So get in, loser—grab your tea, light a candle for transformation, and let’s stir the cauldron of magic and matter. 🕯️⚗️🪄
We would be forever thankful if you left our podcast a 5-Star review. If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Supercast & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below.
Supercast: https://getinloserweredoingwitchcraft.supercast.com
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/getinwitches
Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
References:
- Durn, Sarah. The Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy. (2020) Rockridge Press.
- Harrison, Karen. The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook. (2020) Red Wheel/Weiser Publishing.
- Thomas Ellison (n.d.) The Seven Stages of Spiritual Alchemy and What They Mean. The Collector. https://www.thecollector.com/spiritual-alchemy-occult/
- Sarah Elkhaldy (2020). The 7 Stages of Spiritual Alchemy. The Alchemist Community. https://www.thealchemist.community/articles/the-7-stages-of-alchemy
- Quia Absurdum (2019). The Seven Stages of Alchemy. Quia Absurdum. https://quiabsurdum.com/the-seven-stages-of-alchemy/
- Youtube:Ivy Corvus- What is Alchemy? An Occultist’s Perspective. https://youtu.be/R2fj4hjJrWI?si=vFSxRQgCcuKBf8wA
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:11
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft. So get in witches as we scratch the surface of alchemy and witchcraft.
00:00:36
Speaker
So next month, I'm going back to Ghent, the beautiful medieval little land of Ghent to see my amazing tattoo artist. I'm
00:00:53
Speaker
so next one going on again ah beautiful yes evil little end of ghent to see my amazing tattoo artist Guess what I'm getting.
00:01:07
Speaker
What are you getting? Oh, no, I don't know. I don't know. I can't guess.
Wolpertinger Tattoo and Festival
00:01:11
Speaker
What are you going to get A Wolpertanger. A what? I'm sorry? It's called a Wolpertanger.
00:01:19
Speaker
i would never know what that is. you know what a jackalope is? I mean, like, is it an antelope and jack-o'-lantern, like, mixed together? No. I don't know.
00:01:30
Speaker
So, in California, we have this, like, thing – That's like, I don't know where, like, I don't know the story behind it, but they're called jackalopes. So we have a ridiculously large, like rabbits in the desert in California.
00:01:49
Speaker
there's some kind of like, and there's gotta be a story. I've never looked it up, but we have this thing out there called the jackalope. It's not a real thing, but it's like a rabbit with antlers So a Wolbertinger is the German version of that, but it has wings.
00:02:05
Speaker
Oh, cute. Yeah. So it's going to go with my little witchy like forest. Yeah. love that. you know. I saw one She has this like picture of one in her um tattoo studio. I'll send it to you so you can see it.
00:02:21
Speaker
But I was like, that would actually be really cute because we were talking about different ways to do like familiars and stuff for my witch. Yeah. And I was like, because it's not like a real creature. So it's kind of like that like familiar lore where it's like, are they, you know, part demon? Are they these like mystical creatures? And she was like, if you get that, I'm going to give you a huge discount.
00:02:45
Speaker
I mean, well, then you have to. I mean, seriously. I She was like, I've always wanted to tattoo some kind of creepy rabbit. Yeah. There we go. Yeah. I'll just go ahead and get that right there because that fits perfectly.
00:02:58
Speaker
Oh, I love that. think I took a picture of it. So let me send that to you so you can see it. I can't wait to see it. Oh, girl, just see it. I did. Here it is. Oh, gosh. I've seen one of these before. don't where I've seen one St. Louis has a festival, Wolfotanger Festival at one of the breweries. I think it was Urban Chestnut. They did it every year. it was like in November or December. I know it was in winter. ter It was cold.
00:03:27
Speaker
And they would have like 100 and something breweries come and set up tables and do like tasters of special beers that they made only for the event. I think they did like that and then their top selling beer or something. And then you would get like this little passport and you would get a little tasting glass that you took to each one and it had the Wolpertinger on it.
00:03:46
Speaker
Oh, that's probably where seen that. Yeah. Oh, I'm so excited for you. And also the tie back to not just like Germany, but to St. Louis and to California all in one. Like that's really cool.
00:04:00
Speaker
I know. I was like, huh? Because I told – she's like, I want to do something like that. And I was like, honestly, like in California where we grew up, we have the jackalope, which is basically that without wings. And she was like, we can do it without wings if you want. and i was like, but I like wings.
00:04:16
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to take a selfie real fast. Mike sent me a selfie, and so I'm going to send him a selfie. Aw, thank you. but So cute.
00:04:27
Speaker
Gross. Barn. Yeah. But anyway, yeah.
00:04:38
Speaker
when anthony's getting um he has he got these tatttoos ah way way back in the day Like they were, so our friend Zach used to do all of our tattoos and it was because, you know, like how in Oklahoma you couldn't, there wasn't like tattoo studios for the longest time.
00:04:56
Speaker
So we used to get tattoos in his living room. Like some of his first tattoos are on us and then like other bars. So he had, Anthony wanted um Latin for truth and justice on his forearms.
00:05:09
Speaker
So he has that and now he's like, i don't really like it. So he's getting it covered up. um So you know she did that face on him. She like updated the face that he already had. And then she did the knight with all the arrows in it and the crow in the background. And then she's going do a flail that comes up where the letters are.
00:05:29
Speaker
So the handle of the flares flails for the letters. And then it's going to come up in this open space up here. so that's what he's doing. And then... Depending on how much time they have, which she's really quick, so she'll probably have time to do it.
00:05:45
Speaker
He's doing a druid on his other forearm. Oh, that's cool. To cover that one, it's going to be the druid stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm so excited to see you finished tattoos. It's really cool.
00:05:57
Speaker
know. And you just got a beautiful tattoo. I did. I got the Empress on my arm and she is so beautiful. And I just loved it.
00:06:10
Speaker
Oh, I, me too. Honestly, like she, all i went in and all I did was I was just like, i you know, this is pictures off of Pinterest of just some tattoos. I'm just like, but clearly I don't want that. I want your style and how you interpret it.
00:06:26
Speaker
But like this is what the Empress card means to me. These are the symbols that are non-negotiable that i want in the tattoo. And we talked for a while about like what what that card means and just like the different symbolism of the card. And I just let her have at it.
00:06:43
Speaker
And then what she came up with was the most beautiful Empress I've ever seen. And I'm just like – like it almost brought me to tears when she showed me the mock-up. I was like, oh my God. – um so Yeah, it's healing. It was in its itchy phase earlier this week. And i'm I can't stand that phase. And I always forget about how bad it is. And I'm just like sitting there like tapping my arm because it itches so bad. And I'm just like, oh my God, I just want to scratch the shit out of this tattoo, but I can't.
00:07:12
Speaker
Yeah. So all of my previous tattoos, I've gone through all the stages, like like kind of almost scabbing, the peeling, the itchiness, like everything.
00:07:24
Speaker
My tattoos from Tessa, she puts the second skin on them. I take it off in three days and they're fully healed and it pisses Anthony off so bad because even when he he was like, oh, I'm so excited to do the second skin thing. And then when you take it off, they're a peeling stage and he was like, did you peel? And I'm like, no. And he's like,
00:07:42
Speaker
I'm literally peeling. Right? I have nice skin. Yeah. I don't have, um, ah what she, uh, didn't put the way she does her tattoos. They don't bleed. She didn't use second skin.
00:07:55
Speaker
So the arms don't really bleed either, but she still does the second skin to protect it because it's like she's so like it's an open wound. Like you got to keep it clean. So she covers it for three days.
00:08:07
Speaker
But it's like it's really nice for me at least because like when I take that off, I'm done. Like I'm healed. hate second skin. Really? I hate it. These were my first times like ever using it. And I love it.
00:08:23
Speaker
I've had it on a couple of my tattoos. None of the ones that, that my tattoo artist Tamara has done since I've been going to her, but it's, I don't like it. I think though I have, my skin's really sensitive and I think that I'm sensitive to the adhesive um because it, like it leaves like a rash around like where the second skin goes and then I will have bruising in the skin around my tattoo. Like it's,
00:08:51
Speaker
It's really bad. So anytime I don't have to use second skin and like now if I were to go to somebody else, I would just be like, can you just please put the fucking clean wrap on me? I don't care. I'm not using the second skin.
00:09:02
Speaker
um But yeah, no, I just used, I bought the, I can't remember what the soap is called, but the tap, like, I don't know what it's called, but the soap that you're supposed to use, the antimicrobial soap.
00:09:15
Speaker
No, it's like some sort of like wound care soap is what she recommends. And so I just bought that. Everyone's always used the gold, Dial Gold. like the anti It's hard to find here.
00:09:28
Speaker
like you can only find it every so often and I'm just like, oh it's not worth it. So I just buy um this. It's like a squirt bottle soap that's like antimicrobial and just use that with a paper towel is what she recommends for the first like week or so, like twice a day. And then Once it starts getting itchy, she's like, and then start putting like lotion on it.
00:09:52
Speaker
um And then, yeah. So it's – but it's pretty much like – I feel like it's it's it's basically about healed now. Like it's no longer itchy and then um it hasn't peeled at all or anything. Just it was itchy earlier this week and I thought I was going to die. But but anyway – We're not talking about tattoos today.
00:10:18
Speaker
please sure are not. Although i could talk about this for a while. What are we talking about?
History and Significance of Alchemy
00:10:25
Speaker
We're talking about alchemy. So excited. Okay.
00:10:28
Speaker
Here's the thing. I knew alchemy had a history, right? Like, obviously. I did not realize how deep and how vast this history was.
00:10:42
Speaker
Right. Yeah. It's insane. Insane, the amount of information. So before we dive in, I want to mention that this is going to be a very brief overview of alchemy.
00:10:55
Speaker
If you've ever searched the topic, you'll know that it's a massive rabbit hole, which I went down several, touching every form of history, touching witchcraft and philosophy um into like science, mythology, and honestly more.
00:11:12
Speaker
This could have easily turned into a multi-part series, and maybe it will someday. But for now, we're just going to scratch the surface of the subject um that most of us have probably at least heard of. And some of us may even be practicing elements of it without realizing it Yeah. And it's funny to me because whenever we think about alchemy, well, first of all, I think of that book that we read, Discovering the Witches. That's like the first thing that comes to mind when I think of alchemy.
00:11:41
Speaker
um And Supercast subscribers, I really hope that you went down that journey with us whenever we took on that trilogy and decided to read it and how much we went from loving it to not loving it.
00:11:54
Speaker
So um it just reminded me of that and it made me like want to revisit it. But I will not do that. No. But I think it's it's common for us to think of alchemy as being something that was done in medieval labs and It was the attempts to turn lead into gold, which of course it was, but there's so much more profound metaphorical paths with alchemy.
00:12:18
Speaker
And one of the things we're going to be discussing today is spiritual alchemy. And the practice of spiritual alchemy aims to really purify the soul and to really shed our ego's illusions to reveal our true essence. So looking at the transformation of lead into gold,
00:12:36
Speaker
It's the journey for us from the dense lead of our base instincts to the gold, quote unquote, of our spiritual enlightenment. So just think of it as ah metaphor for something greater.
00:12:50
Speaker
So to kind of get us started, I'm going to dive a little bit into the history. And again, this is like a very small fraction of the history of alchemy. So Sarah Dern, who is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Alchemy, defines alchemy as The Art of Transformation. And she goes on to say that the goal of alchemy is transformation for the better.
00:13:14
Speaker
And just as a side note, also alchemy is deeply ingrained in metal magic. And for those of you that are members of our super cast and you follow along with our book club, you might remember that we read Metal Never Lies by Sam Bo Thompson,
00:13:29
Speaker
who also came on to the episode as a guest to discuss his book. So if you're interested in alchemy, that might be a good starting point. This Sam and I both learned so much from the other Sam about Metal Magic. And that was a very confusing episode because we were like, see i Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam. Which one? Which one? Yeah. That was a lot of fun, though.
00:13:50
Speaker
It was. It was. So alchemy's roots run deep, tracing back to ancient Egypt and the deity Thoth, who we'll talk ah more about a little bit later.
00:14:03
Speaker
But for now, it's important to know that both alchemy and chemistry stem from the Egyptian word chem with a k not a C. um This word referred to the fertile black soil left behind each year when the Nile flooded.
00:14:17
Speaker
So this was a natural transformation that symbolized creation, regeneration, and the magic of change. um And it's this very idea of transformation that lies at the heart of alchemy.
00:14:30
Speaker
Some of the earliest texts on alchemy appeared over 2000 years ago, but not just in Egypt, also in China, Mesopotamia and India. By the time we hit 300 CE, the foundational principles of alchemy were already widespread and influencing everything from Aristotle's philosophy to the spiritual practices of Taoism.
00:14:51
Speaker
A major reason for alchemy's broad impact was the famed Library of Alexandria in Egypt. So it became the central hub for ancient knowledge, housing the most significant alchemical writings of the time and drawing scholars and seekers from across the known world.
00:15:08
Speaker
To ensure this sacred knowledge continued to evolve, many of the texts housed in the Library of Alexandria were eventually translated by Arabic scholars. These early Arab alchemists not only preserved ancient teachings, but also expanded upon them, introducing key concepts like the dual principles of alchemical sulfur and mercury.
00:15:31
Speaker
As time went on, this wisdom spread even further. So during the Middle Ages, when Arab culture came into contact with regions like Spain and southern Italy, alchemical knowledge began to take root in Europe, setting the stage for the next chapter in its transformation.
00:15:47
Speaker
When we break alchemy down, it's traditionally understood to operate on three planes of reality, the physical, the spiritual, and the mental. This holistic view of transformation was widely practiced until around 1595.
00:16:03
Speaker
Before that time, alchemists often wrote in cryptic, symbolic language, and this was partly to protect their knowledge, but also to avoid persecution from the church. Over time, it became clear that any studies focused on the transformation of the mind or spirit were increasingly viewed as sorcery or witchcraft.
00:16:21
Speaker
Alchemy was persecuted by the church and forced underground by the 18th century, where it largely faded from public view. But in the 20th century, it experienced a revival, thanks in part to Carl Jung, who reinterpreted alchemy as a powerful framework for understanding psychological and spiritual transformation, where he really focused on the mental and spiritual aspects of alchemy.
00:16:45
Speaker
Carl Jung saw mental alchemy as the key to unlocking human consciousness. By 1595, alchemy began to split. The physical experiment-based side, focused on substances and reactions, was gradually separated from the more philosophical and spiritual aspects.
00:17:04
Speaker
The physical branch evolved alongside early chemistry during the 17th century and Until chemistry ultimately became the dominant science in the 18th century, alchemy was pushed to the fringes, dismissed as a pseudoscience rather than recognized as a complex philosophical system that it had been for millennia.
00:17:23
Speaker
And to make it a bit easier to understand, alchemy is often divided into two main branches. First, there's the exoteric alchemy, and this focuses on the physical and material side of the practice, like the classic idea of turning base metal into gold.
00:17:41
Speaker
um And then there's the esoteric alchemy, which is all about inner transformation. So this branch deals with the mental and spiritual realms, and So think of practices like shadow work where the goal is to transmute emotional wounds or limiting beliefs into personal wisdom and growth.
00:18:00
Speaker
So there are a few deity tie-ins with alchemy as well.
Thoth’s Influence on Alchemy
00:18:04
Speaker
So we're going to shift our focus first to the Egyptian god Thoth. And according to ancient lore, it was Thoth who revealed the secrets of alchemy to the Egyptians.
00:18:15
Speaker
He's often depicted carrying sacred tablets, which were symbols of another gift that he gave to humanity, or like basically it was the art of writing. So it said that like these tablets...
00:18:26
Speaker
were his gift that taught the Egyptians to write. And then the tablets also have another tie because he, we're going to talk about that in a minute, but he wrote basically like one of the biggest alchemical tablets known.
00:18:41
Speaker
So in ancient Egypt, being a scribe wasn't just a practical profession. It was considered mysterious and even magical. Scribes were often thought to be sorcerers simply because they held the power of the written word.
00:18:56
Speaker
writing itself became deeply entwined with magic. And this association elevated Thoth the role of the god of wisdom and sorcery too. But Thoth's influence didn't stop there.
00:19:07
Speaker
He was also credited as the divine father of many disciplines, mathematics, agriculture, medicine, religion, magic, and yes, even alchemy. Thoth was even said to be the author of one of alchemy's most influential texts, the Emerald Tablet.
00:19:24
Speaker
This mysterious work captured his esoteric teachings on transformation and the nature of reality. And it would go on to inspire great minds like Isaac Newton and Roger Bacon centuries later.
00:19:37
Speaker
Over time, thought became linked with the Greek messenger god Hermes. And in the medieval world of alchemy, this fusion gave rise to Hermes Trismegistus, which was the thrice great Hermes. And the title reflects the belief that the true alchemical transformation unfolds on three levels of reality.
00:19:57
Speaker
So again, the physical, the spiritual, and the mental. And then the last one is the Roman god Vulcan. So Vulcan was often considered the divine artisan of alchemy, and thanks to his strong association with fire, which was a key element in processes like metallurgy and distillation, his fiery forge symbolized the transformative power at the heart of alchemical work.
Alchemy’s Connection to Witchcraft
00:20:23
Speaker
When we talk about alchemy and witchcraft, Alchemy has deep ties to witchcraft, and the truth is many of us practice forms of alchemy without even realizing it.
00:20:34
Speaker
If we go back to that root definition, alchemy is the art of transformation. So herbalists transform plants into healing potions and remedies. Kitchen witches take everyday ingredients and infuse them with intention, turning meals into magic. Green witches cultivate gardens that not only nourish the body, but also the spirit.
00:20:54
Speaker
Candle magic transforms wax and flame into vessels for intention. Even shadow work, often practiced by most of us, is a kind of inner alchemy. transforming pain into wisdom or fear into power.
00:21:08
Speaker
So whether it's through the physical, emotional or spiritual, witchcraft and alchemy are both grounded in the idea that transformation is sacred and often magical.
00:21:19
Speaker
For all of our herbalist listeners out there, you've probably heard me mention this book before, but it's worth repeating here. The Herbal Alchemist Handbook by Karen Harrison is an amazing resource if you're looking to blend alchemy with your herbal practice.
00:21:36
Speaker
It's a complete guide to magical herbs, including their planetary correspondences. It has a materia magica and plenty of formulas and recipes that you can explore. um It's a book that I personally reference often.
00:21:49
Speaker
And it's packed full of fantastic information. Alchemy is centered on transformation and transmutation. So not just of metals, but also of the self.
00:22:01
Speaker
This deeply aligns with witchcraft, which also emphasizes personal evolution, energetic shifts, and working with unseen forces to create change. Both practices seek to refine, elevate, and empower, whether that's turning lead into gold or fear into strength.
00:22:18
Speaker
So in practice, this looks like using spell work to shift emotional states, herbal alchemy to craft remedies that support transformation or ritual to release what no longer serves.
00:22:30
Speaker
Whether it's a moon ceremony for letting go or a charm for courage, these acts echo alchemical principles, turning the mundane into magical through intention and energy.
00:22:43
Speaker
Alchemy is deeply rooted in the classical elements, each representing a different aspect of transformation.
Fire and Alchemical Transformation Stages
00:22:50
Speaker
So let's look at how each one plays a role in the alchemical process.
00:22:55
Speaker
Water is central to the stages of dissolution and distillation. In both cases, a liquid solvent is used to purify or break down matter, making water a key agent for cleansing, releasing, and renewal.
00:23:09
Speaker
Fire is considered the most important element because it's always changing. Alchemist identified four kinds of fire. So the first was the elementary fire, and that's just your everyday flame that we all know and use.
00:23:24
Speaker
The celestial fire, which was a brilliant divine flame representing the will of the universe. The central fire, which was the fire of creation that exists between the earthly and the divine.
00:23:37
Speaker
and the secret fire, which was the precise flame used in alchemical experiments. And this was believed to be the inner spark that drives all transformation.
00:23:48
Speaker
And then air was seen as the sea of invisible things and as the breath of life. It plays a vital role in distillation and is valued for its lightness and evaporative nature, constantly moving, shifting, and revealing the unseen.
00:24:07
Speaker
And then last is earth. And this is the element of solidity. It's tied to any transformation that results in a solid or a salt and plays a particularly important role in the stages of separation and conjunction, helping to stabilize and unite what's been transformed.
00:24:28
Speaker
So I'm going to talk a bit more about transformation, but before I do, I wanted to briefly cover, and this is a very brief overview of materia prima. um ah been Materia prima is Latin for first matter or prime matter.
00:24:44
Speaker
And in alchemical philosophy, it's considered the raw and formless substance from where all things are created. It's pure potential waiting to be shaped, transformed, and refined.
00:24:55
Speaker
It's the starting point of the great work or the magnum opus, which is the spiritual and alchemical journey for transformation. Materia prima represents your raw and unrefined self.
00:25:07
Speaker
So this is your shadow, your pain, your ego, and also your potential. It's the chaotic and messy part of you that hasn't been transmuted into wisdom or insights.
00:25:17
Speaker
Working with materia prima means that you're facing your inner darkness to discover what lies beneath you. So your true essence or your higher self. And it ties to witchcraft because it's so tied to shadow work and new moon energy, and it's often associated with the element of earth as it's grounded, raw, and fertile.
00:25:39
Speaker
It's also linked to the cauldron as a symbol of transformation and rebirth. So understanding that a little bit more, I'm going to go over the seven stages of transformation. Each stage mirrors phases of personal growth, echoing the transformative processes that we find in witchcraft.
00:25:57
Speaker
So the first stage is called calcination, and this is the fiery destruction of our ego and false identities. And it's represented by the element of fire and tied to the planet Mars.
00:26:11
Speaker
Calcination is known as the black stage. The color black itself represents chaos and the material of the unconscious, so what is hidden and buried. And it also refers back to the materia prima that I just mentioned.
00:26:25
Speaker
Calcination is the process of burning the materia prima until it's transformed to ash. And on a spiritual level, this includes breaking with our worldly attachments, our desire for status, wealth, and the need to solidify our identities.
00:26:40
Speaker
Calcination is not saying that trying to obtain wealth and status is inherently wrong. However, it's really just saying that this step is necessary if we're wanting to develop our higher level of consciousness because the refinement of our spirit is hindered by those attachments.
00:26:56
Speaker
So basically, you can't make any changes in your life if you're so worried on your Ego and what your ego wants. Calcination is the process of purification by fire, so it refers to burning down the things that no longer serve us.
00:27:13
Speaker
And during this stage, our preconceived notions of our identity and beliefs are tested and our ideologies, neuroses, and what we think we should believe in are beginning to be uncoupled from our persona, which allows our spirit to truly awaken.
00:27:28
Speaker
Working in this stage could look like writing down your limiting beliefs and burning them in a fire safe dish. The second stage is dissolution and it's melting away rigid beliefs and allowing the subconscious to focus.
00:27:43
Speaker
It's the stage where we are dissolving those ashes from the calcination phase into water. And as we can guess, this stage is associated with the element of water and with the moon.
00:27:55
Speaker
Water in this stage could be interpreted as a symbol or metaphor for the unconscious, which is the place where the hidden parts of ourselves that we were afraid of exploring live. And this is a stage where we free ourselves from the inauthentic and any acquired sense of identity that we have developed over time.
00:28:14
Speaker
This stage is also associated with and can be characterized by strong emotions. With water representing the reservoir of our emotions we contain within ourselves, the stage involves letting out those repressed emotions from traumatic events that we've pushed down.
00:28:31
Speaker
The stage can be incredibly cathartic as we are allowed to free ourselves from any past painful emotions that we've been suppressing. And working in this stage could include things like taking ritual baths and allowing our emotions to come to the surface, followed by something like journaling or um maybe even just speaking with a therapist after allowing yourself to feel those emotions.
00:28:57
Speaker
The third stage is called separation. Separation is distilling what's essential from what is not, so the pure essence is extracted from the rest of the mixture.
00:29:08
Speaker
Separation is related to the element of air and the planet of Mercury and can be understood as a separation from our habitual thought processes or emotional trigger responses, allowing us to step back and distinguish our essence from an acquired personality.
00:29:25
Speaker
This stage allows for us to free ourselves from the resentment we have towards ourselves and others, and it frees ourselves from negative emotions we've been attached to, which in turn allows us to become aware of our true feelings.
00:29:40
Speaker
separating ourselves from our inauthentic self or our acquired identity allows us to come closer to our higher self. The stage allows for an awareness.
00:29:50
Speaker
We are the awareness. We are aware of our thoughts, desires, feelings, any of those things without becoming attached to them. And it allows for a detachment from our old skin.
00:30:02
Speaker
And it's a shedding in a sense. So shedding all of the calcified parts of us and only leaving what is authentic. The next stage is called conjunction, and this is uniting the purified elements into a new whole.
00:30:19
Speaker
It's the combining of the other three stages, so we see what remains within us and we combine these elements to form our actual authentic self. This stage is associated with the element of Earth and the planet Venus.
00:30:33
Speaker
The first three stages were understood through the elements of fire, water, and air, and what is now left is earth. This is a stage where the process of the embodiment of the spirit begins to materialize.
00:30:46
Speaker
The stage also allows for different strands of our true self to come together, but we aren't finished yet. Harmony is achieved within the different elements of our being, and so we're kind of working on that higher self here.
00:30:59
Speaker
The fifth stage is the fermentation or the putrefaction stage. This is introducing new life akin to spiritual rebirth. So this stage describes the decay of one's old self and the rebirth of one's true self.
00:31:14
Speaker
This stage allows us to glimpse a more refined and authentic self and is often symbolized as a phoenix rising from its own ashes. Call back to last week's episode. I know. i was like, aww. And it's associated with the planet Pluto and the themes of death and rebirth.
00:31:32
Speaker
The stage can be split into do into two different processes. The first, putrefaction, which includes the rotting away of our former self. The stage can include strong feelings of depression or despair since we fear losing the identity of our old self.
00:31:49
Speaker
The second process... a ill Right? I know. We're putrefying, rotting, indicating. We're the rotting stage now. Look, I don't mind a rot on the couch every now and then, but I don't want to putrefy.
00:32:04
Speaker
Right. Yeah. From the inside out. it Sounds not so great. um The second process is called spiritualization, and it includes the relief that we feel when we begin to see the world in a new way.
00:32:18
Speaker
It includes letting go of anything else that no longer serves our present life and can include feelings of inner peace and contentment. The sixth stage is called distillation, and this is refining the essence and achieving clarity and wisdom.
Achieving Wholeness through Alchemy
00:32:34
Speaker
This is the stage when all of the impurities are removed, so there's nothing left except for that essence. It's associated with the sun and the themes of purity and spirit.
00:32:46
Speaker
In chemistry, distillation is the process that separates two substances by boiling and condensing them. And it's often used to purify things, so like turning seawater into freshwater would be an example of this.
00:32:59
Speaker
You essentially would heat a liquid until it becomes steam, then cool it so that it turns back into its purified liquid. And the idea is that the essential pure part is drawn out and separated from the rest.
00:33:13
Speaker
Distillation is a metaphor for refining the spirit. It's the stage where we rise above the ego, illusion, and any emotional baggage that we carry. Our raw emotions are boiled, quote unquote, through deep reflection and meditation, which condenses into a clearer and more purified sense of self.
00:33:33
Speaker
This stage is where your true essence really begins to shine, free from any distractions of the material world. And working in this stage can include things like practicing meditation on a daily basis or breath work to find stillness and clarity. And the last stage is called the coagulation stage, which is just as lovely sounding as the putrefaction stage and the fermentation stage.
00:33:59
Speaker
Yum. We're going to putrefify, ferment, and coagulate all in one. just Love these words. ah This is the culmination of the self.
00:34:10
Speaker
It's the process where our essential self becomes whole. And it's associated with the planet Saturn and the theme of structure and embodiment. Coagulation is the process by which a liquid, typically blood, solidifies.
00:34:24
Speaker
So like when we are cut and our blood clots to form a scab, it's the body's way of healing. So sealing a wound so that new skin can grow. That's all that this stage is.
00:34:36
Speaker
This stage is about wholeness and coagulation is the moment when your true self fully comes together. After the putrefaction, transformation, and refinement of the earlier stages, this stage is where you fully embody your essence.
00:34:51
Speaker
You've healed wounds, integrated lessons, and stepped into a version of yourself that feels grounded, authentic, and complete. It's not about transformation anymore. It's about becoming you And you're no longer seeking the gold. You are the gold.
00:35:08
Speaker
In this stage, this is the perfect time to incorporate grounding rituals into your practice. So like walking barefoot outside and working with crystals like obsidian and hematite.
00:35:19
Speaker
This was a very, very, very small piece of alchemy.
Call to Explore Alchemy Further
00:35:27
Speaker
It really was. Yeah. So if this is a topic that you guys are like actually really interested in and you want us to dive a bit deeper, like please reach out, email us.
00:35:38
Speaker
Instagram message, Facebook message, however you prefer, and let us know because this episode, as deep as it was, literally just barely scratched the surface of both like the history of alchemy and alchemy in practice when it's related to witchcraft. So Again, just if this is something you guys are like, actually, I'm really interested in and I do want to learn more, let us know and then we can revisit this.
00:36:06
Speaker
But at least for now, this is your like alchemical overview. Right. Yeah. And if you're somebody who are is listening to this episode, say you maybe you saw this topic and you're like, oh, I know a lot about alchemy and witchcraft.
00:36:23
Speaker
Let me give this ah listen. And you're like, guys, you basically did. like the first 1%, if that, of alchemy. We we know. know But also, we would love to have you on the show. Like, tell us more because this is such a heavy topic to cover and it is going to need a lot more parts.
00:36:44
Speaker
And it's something that we would love to dive into more of. it just We just have to figure out oh a better way to kind of refine the these sorts of episodes and break them into, into smaller chunks because yeah this topic, there's so much history involved in it. There's so many different ways that you can practice it.
00:37:04
Speaker
um And it is incredibly,
00:37:08
Speaker
i mean, it's, it's super interesting, but it is also when you're doing the research, it's ah incredibly overwhelming. So very much. yeah And if you're like, interested in this as well and say like you've tried researching this and you just are i mean I can't even think of the word what is the word I'm looking for right now like
00:37:33
Speaker
I thought maybe overwhelmed but what was Overwhelmed yes okay overwhelmed if you're listening to this right now and you're just becoming overwhelmed with the amount of information that you are finding online when you try to research it yourself You are not alone.
00:37:50
Speaker
No. Because there's a lot of information. This, like, you know, behind the scenes of this, I did my research and I was like all over the place. I was down like 20 different rabbit holes on 20 different topics within alchemy.
00:38:08
Speaker
And I got to the point where I was like, I'm just going to go in. We're going do history. i've came across a couple of deities. We're going to talk about that. And then I'm going to do a little bit of the witchcraft part.
00:38:19
Speaker
But I'm going to turn that part over to Sam and be like, hey, what? Can you cover this? Because i'm that i have so much. yeah oh So that's kind of you know like why the episode went the way it did.
00:38:34
Speaker
um in like I only covered like mostly history, I feel like, and then just a little piece of like witchcraft practice with alchemy. But that i I honestly was just rabbit hole after rabbit hole after rabbit hole after rabbit hole. And it's all so interesting.
00:38:51
Speaker
And then like also for me, and I don't know like if you came across me of this, there's a lot of – different mediums in pop culture that have like alchemy in it that I, you know, like I've always enjoyed it. And so like getting little like glimpses of that or like remembering something that I read that had like, like you said, like the um All Souls trilogy where they like their alchemy played a huge part in that like whole story.
00:39:21
Speaker
And so I would come across things that I would remember from the book. And I was like, oh, I really loved that. I love it. Yeah. But also like, I don't have time for that right now. There's so much to read.
00:39:32
Speaker
yeah So again, like this is probably something that we will revisit in the future. And if it's something, like I said, that you're interested in,
00:39:43
Speaker
send us a message, especially if it's like, you're like, Hey, I'm really interested in this specific piece of it. Send us a message and maybe like we can do an episode on just that specific piece because this topic is just so vast. There's so many different areas that we could cover.
00:40:01
Speaker
So i don't know, like, I don't even know how we would like start to decide like, okay, let's do an episode on this piece of it, you know, but right. Exactly. Yeah.
00:40:12
Speaker
What an episode. What an episode.
Closing Remarks and Audience Engagement
00:40:23
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you love this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts. It helps more witches, seekers, and magical misfits find our show.
00:40:38
Speaker
Want even more Get In Loser content? Join our Supercast Coven. As a member, you'll get early access to episodes, a monthly newsletter, exclusive printable shadow work and brimoire pages, access to our witchy book club, promo codes for merch, and so much more. Just check the show notes for the link or search Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft on Supercast.
00:40:58
Speaker
You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at GetInWitches or email us at We'reDoingWitchcraft at gmail.com. Join us next week as we discuss solar eclipses and magic. Until next time, stay magical, stay curious, and as always, blessed be witches.