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Alchemical Reading
List and Resources

Over the last decade, there has been an explosion in the amount of resources available to the aspiring alchemist. There is so much available that at times it can be difficult to decide where to begin. However, alchemy has always been fraught with hucksters and con men. Courses offering degrees, certificates, and other forms of validation are fine for professional continuing education, but in alchemy they mean little or nothing. In the end, one has either completed the inner and outer work or one hasn’t, and a piece of paper will only show that someone has shown up for class and paid a fee. Be careful of promises of the fantastic.

The good news is that the worldwide alchemical circle is a small one, and it is easy to contact many people courtesy of the Internet. In fact, for the would-be alchemist, the Internet is the best place to start. Adam McLean’s Alchemy Web Site (www.levity.com/alchemy) is world famous and has thousands of documents, images, and articles on alchemy. There are free course materials listed as well as links to other sites, e-groups, and various chats.

For those looking for a quality self-paced study course that covers all of the possible permutations of plant and mineral work, there is the course work previously issued by the Philosophers of Nature, now available through Triad Publishing. With forty-eight lessons on spagyrics and eighty-four lessons on mineral work, these courses have been the guiding hand for thousands of sincere students across the world and are available at an affordable price.

Several individuals who have studied with Frater Albertus and Manfred Junius continue to teach what they have learned and can be found in Australia, the United States, and Europe. Such instruction is invaluable when it can be had, in that it connects each student to the living tradition and saves hours of having to learn by trial and error. Both books by these modern alchemical giants should be in every library.

The following books have been selected because of their importance, availability, and practicality to new and even advanced students of the Hermetic arts and sciences. Combined, they create a complete course in alchemical theory and practice for the disciplined and dedicated student and will give a complete foundation for intermediate and advanced alchemical, esoteric, or energetic healing practices.