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2021: Creating a Lexicon of Future
A is for Alchemy
Alchemy: any seemingly magical process of transforming or combining elements into something new. ~ Dicionary.com
“Transmutation” is the key word characterizing alchemy, and it may be understood in several ways: in the changes that are called chemical, in physiological changes such as passing from sickness to health, in a hoped-for transformation from old age to youth, or even in passing from an earthly to a supernatural existence. Alchemical changes seem always to have been positive, never involving degradation except as an intermediate stage in a process having a “happy ending.” Alchemy aimed at the great human “goods”: wealth, longevity, and immortality. ~ The Chemistry of Alchemy
Modern Alchemy
The modern word “alchemy” comes from the Arabic word “al kemia,” which incorporated a spectrum of knowledge of chemical properties and practices from ancient times. ~ Why many historians no longer see alchemy as an occult practice
The Four Classical Elements
The four classical elements held great importance in the ancient world. Long before the alchemists, the ancient Greeks believed that the world and everything in it was made up of these four elements. In the Middle Ages, these classical elements began to be associated with alchemy and believed to have great powers. Alchemists also believed that the four elements could create new elements.
