What “dissolve and coagulate” means — and a simple way to see it in action. What Solve et Coagula Means Solve et coagula is Latin for “dissolve and coagulate” (or “solve and combine”). It’s one of the most recognized phrases in Western alchemy, often inscribed alongside images like the alchemical cross or Eliphas Levi’s famous … Read more
A hands-on demonstration of Paracelsus’s three alchemical principles. From Theory to Practice Paracelsus proposed that all matter — including every plant, mineral, and living body — is composed of three principles: Salt (the body, the fixed and mineral component), Sulfur (the soul, the combustible and oil-soluble component), and Mercury (the spirit, the volatile and transformative … Read more
A reference guide to planetary herb attributions, drawn from Culpeper, Paracelsus, and medieval herbal tradition. Why Herbalists Assigned Plants to Planets Long before modern botany, herbalists organized plants using the same symbolic system that governed astrology, medicine, and alchemy: the seven classical planets — Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Each planet was … Read more
A traditional alchemical method for preparing herbal tinctures, rooted in the work of Paracelsus. What Is a Spagyric Tincture? A spagyric tincture is a style of herbal preparation that goes a step further than standard tincturing. Where an ordinary tincture simply steeps a plant in alcohol, spagyric preparation follows a three-stage alchemical process: separation, purification, … Read more
