Turning lead into gold. It's what the ancient predecessors to our modern scientists, the alchemists, aspired to - the art of transformation. Or more importantly, "to perfect or evolve the substance at hand; to change something that is inferior, imperfect or unacceptable into something better and closer to what they desire." *
Alchemists believed that gold could emerge from deep within the heart of the other lower metals and the baser materials could be transmuted by natural elemental procedures . I find it very intriguing that the spiritual journey of the alcoholic or drug addict when they undertake recovery so parallels this alchemical process, undergoing phases of the transformation where their very soul is the lab.
It is even remarkable to me that the alchemical symbol for the end result of the process, the Philosopher's Stone, so closely resonates with the symbol adopted by our early pioneers in Alcoholics Anonymous - the circle around the triangle. I read in the book, As Bill Sees It, the triangle in the circle,was an ancient symbol used to ward off "evil spirits". Spirits, liquor. Teehee. Who says drunks don't have a sense of humor?
"As Above, So Below" is a popular term in alchemy from the text, the Emerald Tablet, that sounds a bit like "On Earth as it is in Heaven". The real treasure that the alchemists found was that the alchemy was a quest manifesting on all planes at once, the spiritual and the physical, which may account for why they had sacred spaces and altars in their actual laboratories and took the time to tap into Divine energy before proceeding with their work. So often we have newcomers to the Program wonder why a spiritual solution is necessary. Page 44 in the Big Book says that "you may be suffering from a disease that only a spiritual experience will conquer", because lack of power is our dilemma. We are powerless. So Power is our solution. And again, like the alchemy, change on one plane effects all planes at once, as one of the 4th Step Promises says, "when the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically." (Big Book, page 64)
Surrender - Step One
In this initial phase of alchemy, the Nigredo, the Prima Materia or prime matter (in this illustration represented by the alcoholic) is reduced to its lowest possible, most fundamental essence in an almost unrecognizable, blackened void state. And thus we find ourselves when we hit that bottom, that moment of desperation, where the blackest moment is just before the dawn. We are so beaten down and ravaged by the disease that often times people don't even recognize who we are, as we are simply a shadow of the person that once was.
Author Dennis William Hauck says this phase is a "tortuous stage where the substance (us) is forced to surrender many superfluous characteristics in order to reveal its true nature. The goal in this initial phase of transformation is to reduce the matter (Self/Ego) to its bare essence or most fundamental ingredients." This mortification is characterized on the spiritual plane as "shame, embarrassment, guilt, and worthlessness as one confronts the base, repugnant materials he has hidden away inside himself."
Sound familiar?
The Rest of the Story
Other subsequent alchemical processes that incredibly parallel recovery are:
- Calcination - where heat is applied to "dry out" the nasty sludge of the broken down substance, where our souls finally despair of trying to survive in a world of spiritual drought and the false ego is destroyed by heat. An old AA joke was "Are you seeing the Light or feeling the heat?"
- Dissolution - also sometimes simply referred to by the alchemists as solution. Get this - "the water in the ashes were dissolved and took on magical terms which they called elixir, literally meaning 'from the ashes'." You little Phoenix, you! Like the Firebird, the alcoholic rises above the poisonous vapors of the subconscious and begins to experience a reborn self.
- Purification - this phase is the cleansing of the substance ( us) and reunion on a new level of purity. This is referred to as the "White Phase" and is like the light at the end of the dark tunnel. (Sounds like a 5th Step to me.)
- Separation - where contaminating influences (for our purposes we shall call these character defects), which are no longer relevant or useful by the essence of your true self or healed and Higher Selfare, are isolated and discarded. This process requires honesty about your faults and what is worth salvaging from your old personality. Smacking of Steps 6 & 7 here, yes?
- Conjunction - this culmination of the work in the "Below" or realm of Matter, is the recombination of the saved elements (those that are useful to your renewed being) into a new compound or purer substance. When we make reparations in the Universe for the wreckage we've created in the past, we begin to see the Transformation as we experience the 9th Step promises ... and more! This is the beginning of the "emotional and mental rearrangements" or psychic change - the alchemy taking place in the "Above" or realm of the Spirit. One of the 10th Step promises says "we have entered the world of the Spirit."
"Conjunction is the doorway to a new level of empowerment." *
Fermentation, Distillation & Coagulation
No, boys and girls, we are not talking sour mash or white lightning here ... but very close. This is sort of where the venom is transmutated. In other words, if Self is my poison (page 62 - Selfishness is the root of my troubles) then selflessness is my anti-venom. The Big Book, Page 20 says "Our very lives as ex-problem drinkers depends upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs."
This is where the rubber meets the road and the lead really does begin to reveal its hidden golden heart.
Caution : Coagulation is the operation where the most failures occur, whether that's in the alchemist's lab or your personal transformative process. How many of us went through Step 7 and, after a sigh of relief that all that self-analysis was over, failed to make all of our amends. We stopped in the crucial phase of our spiritual work and many alcoholics and drug addicts relapse due to unfinished amends - even Dr. Bob, our co-founder didn't complete all his amends and drank again after Bill had brought him the message. When he completed all his amends, he never drank again.
On the other hand, IF the new substance (us) as a result of coagulation survives, it becomes empowered during this last phase or Rubedo. The discussion of the 3rd Step in the Big Book refers to our Higher Power as the Principal and we are the Agent. An agent is someone empowered by the Principal to carry out the Higher Will. It's not our Power but THE Power from a Higher Source. Things that make you go hhmmm.
In alchemy, Fermentation and Distillation combine opposing energies to create the final crystallization of energy and matter that becomes the Philosopher's Stone.
Fermentation on a spiritual level starts with the inspiration of spiritual power that reanimates, energizes and enlightens the Substance (again, that would be "us"). This is where our 10th & 11th Step allows the Power to flow in, giving us inspiration through prayer, deep meditation, visualization and a desire for improved conscious contact with a Higher Power. By connecting to Power we are given the power to be more effective in helping others. The 10th Step intent is to grow in understanding and effectiveness.
Distillation is the repeated separation and recombination of the higher and lower aspects of the personality. The alchemists used boiling and condensation of a solution over and over to release the pure essence of spirit in the Substance, thus increasing its concentration and purity. We continue to work the Steps and the proven solution, over and over, distilling ourselves in a manner of speaking, in order to continue to be transformed so we can become better channels for the Power to work through us.
" We are always recycling thoughts and regurgitating emotions in a never-ending struggle to organize our lives and find direction and meaning. This chaotic process goes on unchecked and unnoticed until a distilled idea breaks through in the form of a new insight and revised judgement. Personal distillation requires being conscious of this process and deliberately pursuing it to its conclusion to ensure that no impurities from the inflated ego or submerged shadow are incorporated into the new self manifesting in the final stages of transformation." *
At Long Last
"Coagulation produces a new incarnation that can survive in all realms." AA offers me a solution to ALL my problems.
Finally, we have reached a new state of awareness, the "cosmic essence", if you will, according to the ancient alchemist, Paracelsus.
In Christian terms, this stage would be the ultimate matter of the soul as in in the form of the resurrected body of Christ.
In Eastern traditions, it would be likened to the formation of the Astral Body or Diamond Body, golden or crystallized Light of the Spirit, our Etheric body.
In the words of the alchemical text, the Emerald Tablet, "All obscurity will be clear to you. This is the greatest force of all powers, because it overcomes every Subtle thing and penetrates every Solid thing."
Once an alcoholic or drug addict experiences the transformational process of the previous 11 Steps, once they become useful, productive members of society and know first hand all of the Promises that come from doing the work, they are consequently therefore compelled, even propelled forward into service for their brothers and sisters, still suffering from the disease. They cannot help but "fly forth" as the Phoenix and carry the message because they want to. They yearn to offer hope to the dying, as they were offered deliverance through the Divine and the transformational process. This is where our gold shines forth from deep within and we become of "maximum usefulness to God" (our Higher Power) "and the people about us".
"As we felt new Power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn." (page 63, Alcoholics Anonymous)
This is true alchemy. Recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 Step Fellowships is the amazing, miraculous, breathtakingly beautiful art of transformation.
* Quotes from Dennis William Hauck, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alchemy
