Bismillaah ir Rahmaan ir Rahiim
In the name of Allah, The Merciful, The Compassionate
Inner (Esoteric) Alchemy
By Masoud Riaei
Translated by Fleur Nassery Bonnin
The intent and goal of Inner Alchemy is the transformation of a physical person into a luminous person, a sleeping person into an awake person, a negligent person into a conscious person, a divided person into a whole and complete person, the transformation of the ego into a spiritual self, finally in one sentence, the transformation of an ego-captive person into a free person. This series of articles follows this process. Come with us on this journey step by step, because this alchemy will only take place with being in the furnace of presence, and is not achieved by mere reading and formal knowledge. This alchemy is not looking for material gold. It is looking for the gold of existence. Many greedy people throughout history have made this mistake and in the end they have dragged a tired and exhausted body to the shore. It is not that material gold is not available or that esoteric alchemy is not capable of achieving it, but that is not its purpose. Many historical sayings indicate that many prophets and divine saints had and have the ability to turn a pebble into gold, and these stories are not lies nor similes or metaphors, it is only that material gold is not the purpose and the purpose is something else.
Inner Alchemy has a spiritual direction which we will discuss in these articles. In addition to the prophets and divine saints who are the bearers of pure heavenly sciences, the history of science witnesses that many sages from different lands, including India, China, Greece, Iran, ancient Egypt, and some of the sages of the Islamic period, devoted most of their time and lives to this path, and left behind many noteworthy works. Among the oldest of them are the works transmitted from the Hellenistic Alchemists, including Democritus of Pamphylia and Cleopatra (the alchemist), who have quoted works related to "Hermes the Thrice Great", and also Agatho Daimon. One of the most famous regions known for the work of alchemy is Ikhmim in Egypt, a region in Upper Egypt. The oldest written work left to date is by Zosimos of Ikhmim. He has an encyclopaedia on the science of alchemy. In Ikhmim numerous caves and crypts have been discovered that were specific to the work of alchemists. The tools, texts, and tablets that have been discovered also testify to this claim.
If you ever happen to be in Egypt, visit Ikhmim. It is considered a mysterious region. Remember that the Egyptian "Dhu al-Nun" is also from Ikhmim. Dhu al-Nun is one of the greatest Islamic sheikhs and mystics who is also known as a capable Inner Alchemist. Sheikh Ishraq mentions him as one of the heirs of the "Hekmat al-Nuriyya" (Wisdom of Light). Mulla Sadra also quotes him in his commentaries and considers him great. Almost all mystical schools mention Dhu al-Nun by name and consider him to be one of the great sheikhs of the path. Apparently, there is no written book on alchemy from him, but mystical sentences and stories have been narrated from him, which in my opinion are the same as the instructions for Inner Alchemy, which unfortunately researchers have not paid attention to from this perspective. We will discuss some of them in the following articles.
It should be known that alchemy has been practically divided into two main branches throughout history. One branch includes a group that seeks to transform metals into gold, which we have nothing to do with, and the main branch, the ancestors of the sages, seek to bring out the spiritual person from the physical person and seek to bring forth the gold of spirit from the earth of the human body, these articles follow in this direction. However, as far as I have found, many of the terms, rules, and methods used in both branches are similar, such as the moon and the sun, sulfur and mercury, water and fire, connection and separation, dissolution and union, black matter and white matter, the philosopher's stone or elixir ... which we will discuss in turn. The intention of Inner Alchemy is second birth. This is about the creation of a subtle body. For a second birth something needs to be created, otherwise we cannot call it second birth. A power is needed for the creation of the subtle substance. This physical body that has become normal to you is actually a fully-fledged factory. It has various products, both visible and invisible, in addition to these abilities that everyone knows.
Your body is a factory for producing subtle matter, a vital matter from which your spiritual "sphere" is built and processed. This matter is created as a result of your right conduct in your spiritual journey.
If you cannot build and process your subtle body in the process of your earthly life, you have made yourself imperfect and defective in the continuation of life. I have said many times that many after death are as if they are nothing more than ghosts because they had deprived themselves of the production of subtle matter. They have not been productive because they have not taken seriously self-knowledge and spiritual journeying. But you take this warning seriously. It is a shame to waste all your energy on your two-day world. To reach the "subtle matter", you must have the ability to pass beyond the heavy matter.
You must be able to pass beyond the appearance of the world and develop the ability to see and connect to the spiritual aspect of it, right here before death. Every attachment will distance you from the subtle matter and the stronger the attachment, the greater your distance. To obtain the subtle matter, you must save and protect your energies as much as you can. Imaginations and mentalities are the thieves of this energy. Judgments and perceptions are the thieves of this energy. Fantasies and aspirations are the thieves of this energy. Desires and greed are the thieves of this energy. Habits and conditioning are the thieves of this energy. Paying attention to anything unnecessary is a waste of energy. Having a non-judgmental view is a saving of energy. Without the pure energy, nothing pure is produced, so there will be no subtle (second) birth. You are surrounded by invisible thieves. Then you hide your little borrowed money in steel boxes until it is too late. Wake up before it is too late! You only have a little bit of time to create the subtle body which you will be needing for the rest of your journey in the hereafter. It is not like everyone already comes with a subtle and luminous body. You must get rid of such a crude idea from your head, according to the verses and signs, you need to get involved in the construction of the subtle body, you must immerse yourself in the adventures. You must be an active agent in the journey of suluk, you must go to the furnace, and this is why it has been said that this life is called the farm of the Hereafter. This production is based and rooted here in this life. Take this point seriously.
In this series of articles, which is written under the title of Inner (Esoteric) Alchemy, the intention is to familiarize you with the details and secrets of this sacred process of this impressive production. Since awareness is like sowing the seeds, but you yourself must be in charge of the production, and then you will enjoy it when you harvest. If you want to benefit from these articles, you must act precisely on its points, and if you are not a man of action, do not read this series of articles. It is dangerous because something else will form in you, whereas we want to direct your subtle energies toward your subtle body, so that the preparations for the birth of spirituality are within reach (as Jesus pbuh referred to without this second birth you cannot behold the Kingdom of God). When you are told to be in the quality of stopping the mind, you must be in this quality. If you are in fantasy and wishful thinking and reaching for material and spiritual powers, you have caused damage and have directed the energies to another place, which is sometimes very dangerous and sometimes irreparable. If you intend to benefit from these articles, you must pay full attention to the points that are said and not take them lightly.
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