In Chemistry, dissolution refers to the dissolving of solid material, such as salt dissolved in water. Dissolution can be understood as the stage in which we free ourselves from our inauthentic and acquired sense of identity. Water could be interpreted as a symbol for the unconscious, which contains the hidden parts of ourselves of which we are afraid and up until now have not been explored. The second stage of spiritual alchemy involves dissolving the ashes in water. Stage Two: Dissolution Perfect Nature of the Microcosm by Antonio Neri, from Tesoro Del Mondo, 1599, via The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York In this way, the transmutation of lead into gold functions as a metaphor for the process of self-actualization and spiritual rebirth. The personality contains the inauthentic part of the self, including one’s beliefs, concepts, opinions, wounds, fears, and phobias. It is used to achieve contentment, harmony, and awareness by liberating one’s essence from one’s acquired personality. Spiritual alchemy, then, is an ancient philosophy that uses the metaphor of transforming metals into gold for attaining spiritual enlightenment. Alchemy was practiced by people who wanted to attain material wealth and those who sought a universal elixir for immortality. It began during the medieval period and sought to transmute base metals, such as lead, into gold. On the other hand, alchemy was an occult science and a forerunner to modern-day chemistry.

Spiritual alchemy is an ancient practice with the goal of spiritual transformation, not material. The Alchemist by David Teniers the Younger, 1643-45, via The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob