The Philosopher's Stone

The Philosopher's Stone, referred to by some the Sorcerer's Stone, was the ultimate goal of the Alchemist's work. Most laymen did and do consider it a means of transmuting lead or other "base metals" into gold, but the Alchemists themselves saw it as a means of universal transformation, and moreover as a means of spiritual transformation. For this reason the great psychotherapist Carl Jung became very interested in the symbols of Alchemical transformation and composed a work on the subject, for from this great healer's perspective we ourselves are the dross in need of transmutation-- now more than ever, perhaps. Papus, the encyclopedic occultist of the late 19th century, wrote this small treatise in favor of the existence of a miraculous red powder with innumerable virtues. He also offers a "further reading" list for those who decide to undertake the strange and difficult path of the Hermetic Philosopher, or Alchemist, in search of the Philosopher's stone.