laboratory work

as above so below

Traditional Laboratory Alchemy is a discipline complementary to Inner Alchemy. It is the mundane and laborious counterpart to the more volatile "Ora", hence completing the "Ora et Labora" that is conducted in the Lab and the Oratory of the student of Alchemy. Inner Garden offers a comprehensive correspondence course in laboratory alchemy that is open for enrollment for anyone with a sincere wish to experience and learn about Alchemy.

Our correspondence course may also be the first step to a greater adventure: the Opus Major or the path to the Philosopher's Stone as part of the Great Work. Enrol and embark on a journey that leads into the heart of Nature, of the regenerative forces of nature, and become a Philosopher of Nature.

revival of an ancient path

Was the focus of the Royal Art primarily on the spiritual aspects of the path or on labwork and ‘learning through the hands’? As mentioned, Alchemy is the art of raising vibrations in both Matter and in Spirit. It refers to a compound of practical, psychological, Nature-philosophical, mystical and medical aspects.

The core of the alchemical tradition consists of a practical, exoteric component and a theoretical, esoteric component. Traditionally alchemists were involved in both the internal and external paths. They had both an Oratory and a Lab, hence the conjunction -"laboratory". The Oratory was a space dedicated for meditation and prayer, often arranged as a secluded sanctuary within the lab, and the lab itself was the place for the ‘labora’- the physical work.

These alchemists of old allegedly found the material and spiritual to be complementary in their search for the Stone and to fathom the secret laws of God and Nature. In line with the adagio ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’ they set out to purify both the body and their thoughts. The spiritual path helped them to remove gross cognitive misconceptions, fears, and destructive phantoms within the mind. In addition, the controlled intake of their medicinal potions allowed them to remove physical blockages and at the same time mental blockages that otherwise would lead to imbalance, sickness and degeneration.

correspondence course

Enrollment in our correspondence course of practical alchemy is done by applying as a Candidate Member of Inner Garden here. Our correspondence course consists of and will give access to:

• 10 x lessons, handed out one lesson at a time upon successful completion;
• 3 x ebooks for students of Inner Garden;
• Access to the Inner Garden Forum;
• Access to advice from a personal proctor;
• Access to extra-curricular lessons as one progresses through the correspondence course;
• Potential eligibility for enrollment in the Inner Work programme of AIR & Vision Quest;
• Potential eligibility for Partnership with accompanying patent upon completion of the course.

A few samples of the e-books mentioned:

yearly class

Occasionally in summer a one- or two-day workshop is held as an introduction to Alchemy. This class is meant for those who have little experience with alchemy and are just curious to learn more. Subjects of this class are:

• Introduction to Alchemy;
• Introduction to the Study Group;
• Practice of basic operations like distillation, calcination, circulation, etc.;
• Literature recommendations;
• Discussion of study path.

It should be noted that the group's activities primarily revolve around applied research - analysing and rediscovering the processes involved in the production of Elixirs, the Primum Ens, the Alkahest, the Circulatum Minus, and other alchemical products. In modern times, progress has been made toward achieving the goals of Alchemy using scientific, rather than alchemical, means. The group works predominantly according to the scientific method - investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, correcting and integrating previous knowledge; all based on observable, empirical and measurable evidence. Structured and well-documented forms of experimentation have been found to be most satisfactory. One should be aware though that modern science has thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Where there used to be both a Lab and an Oratory, now there is only a lab. The principle of animation (Sulphur), and the principle of Spirit (Mercury) are not measurable in a quantitative sense and are therefore ignored. It is advised to seek to combine the advantages of modern labware and the scientific mindset, with the careful and intuitive approach of nature's finer forces along with the respect for divine revelations in our Oratory.

A flyer of the group's yearly class or the ongoing Study Group can be downloaded below: