Paracelsus, the Alchemist

 

Paracelsus, the Alchemist

I became interested in Paracelsus through studying Jung's essay on him. But it was only after decades of studying math, physics, psychology, and philosophy that I began to appreciate just how much he exemplified the highest principles of the healer, the scientist, and human being. I learned much from Jung's writings, but he was never a role model because his devotion to his ego distorted his judgment on the most important implications of his work. Paracelsus, on the other hand was a being that I could happily look up to as a role model in many ways.

I developed this admiration in full recognition of the fact that he was wrong about many things. For example, his theory of signatures cannot be universally true. This theory states that if an herb, or any object of nature, is a remedy for an illness, that fact is revealed in some way by its appearance. There are some other of his theories that one can criticize, but those few misfires are far outweighed by his accomplishments. In fact, in my opinion he was ahead of much modern medical science in some ways.

For example, he understood the “placebo effect” in greater generality than it is accepted by the medical community today. Today, scientists recognize that the effect exists, but few if any actually take advantage of it in treating their patients. Perhaps they feel that it is useless because it is unreliable as a prescription; but that logic is fallacious. Paracelsus understood that the patient's mind has tremendous power to affect the body in both positive and negative ways. We should all know that a happy hopeful mind helps protect the body, while thoughts of worry, hate, revenge are debilitating, and weaken the body to the point that it becomes easy prey to all kinds of illnesses.

Paracelsus applied the placebo effect in ways undreamed today. For example, if a patient had a firm belief in witchcraft, Paracelsus would use some “magic” words in witch-talk (pronounce them backward), and perhaps perform some kind of ritual. For a devout Christian, he would apply the biblical remedy, calling on the Holy Spirit for the healing. He didn't rely on the patient's mind alone, but on the coming together of the patient's mind with that of the doctor. He stressed the importance of loving the patient. He said, “The main reason for healing is love”; and “The art of medicine has its roots in the heart”; “The more knowledge is inherent in a thing, the greater the love.”

Paracelsus used witch-talk and other controversial remedies whenever the patient had strong faith in them. Perhaps he had studied those scriptures in which Jesus attributed healings to a patient's own faith, and the problem that Jesus had with healing in his hometown because the people there lacked faith. They weren't convinced that he was any more than a carpenter's son.

In previous posts we discussed the power of focused thought. As an alchemist, Paracelsus understood this power in its full generality. For example, he said, “Determined will is the beginning of all magical operations”.

He viewed the physical world of nature, and the eternal world of spirit as governed by different sets of principles; but both sets of principles were knowable and understandable to a prepared mind. That understanding of the physical principles could be called the “light of nature”, and the understanding of the spiritual principles is the “light of the spirit”. The practice, or “magnum opus,” of alchemy was one way of describing their interaction. One of his sayings along this line was: “Nature is a light, and by looking at Nature in her own light we will understand her. Visible Nature can be seen in her visible light; invisible Nature will become visible if we acquire the power to perceive her in her inner light. Here, “invisible nature” is spirit. A scientist, like Newton, focused primarily on the light of nature, while a contemplative monk would focus primarily on the light of the spirit.

Paracelsus himself was religious in a spiritual way, but not in a dogmatic, doctrinal way. Many of his writings are those of a religious nature, and he was a lay preacher whose sermons apparently were more of the character of the sermons of Meister Eckhardt than of conventional homilies. He, like Jesus, taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is within: “What we should be after death, we have to attain in life, i.e. holiness and bliss. Here on earth the Kingdom of God begins.” Also: “In every human being there is a special heaven, whole and unbroken.”

In addition to the placebo effect, he discovered many other remedies and effective healing techniques. They were effective because he always sought “what actually works” rather than what some authority says will work. He employed several approaches in this medicinal quest. One approach was to study folk remedies. It seems reasonable to assume that they would work because, otherwise, they would not become popular. He covered a lot of ground in this quest, all over Europe and western Asia, from Sicily and Rome to Portugal, England, Scandinavia, Russia, Croatia, and Constantinople, increasing his inventory of knowledge every step of the way. And much of his travel was by foot.

He said, “The universities do not teach all things ... so a doctor must seek out old wives, gypsies, sorcerers, wandering tribes, old robbers, and such outlaws and take lessons from them. A doctor must be a traveler . . . Knowledge is experience”. “For one country is different from another; its earth is different, as are its stones, wines, bread, meat, and everything that grows and thrives in a specific region.” “This means that each country, in addition to the general properties common to the whole world, also has its own specific properties.“

In addition to learning through his travels, a second approach was to conduct laboratory experiments. He could learn much about herbal remedies through his study of folk medicine, but not so much about inorganic medicine. He prescribed light doses of mercury to cure syphilis which, at the time, was responsible for a high mortality rate. He developed various combinations of chemicals for palliative applications; and for this reason he is sometimes considered the “father of toxicology”.

He emphasized the importance of dosage. For example he knew that, while modest doses of mercury could be effective in treating syphilis, large doses could be lethal. He pioneered the use of laudanum in certain situations, but he knew it could become addictive. Of wine, he said, ”Whether wine is a nourishment, medicine or poison is a matter of dosage”. And, in general, “The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy”.

But Paracelsus's laboratory accomplishments were severely limited by his lack of the tools that modern medical research labs have: the Bohr model of the atom, the periodic table, knowledge of atomic and molecular structure, mass spectrometers, x-rays, MRI's, etc. His attitude toward developments like these were that they were a result of divine revelation and guidance. “All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature; the challenge of science is to find it. “

A third approach was to seek inspiration and insight through dreams and revelation. One who doubts the effectiveness of this approach might peruse the introductory chapters of books on dream interpretation for examples of inventions and other types of problem solutions that were acquired from dreams.

He had much to say about the importance of learning to interpret one's dreams. In this respect he preceded the depth psychology work of Freud and Jung by centuries.. Some of his sayings about dream analysis are:

“The interpretation of dreams is a great art.”

“Dreams must be heeded and accepted. For a great many of them come true.“

“Dreams are not without meaning wherever they may come from-from fantasy, from the elements, or from other inspiration.”

“From time immemorial artistic insights have been revealed to artists in their sleep and in dreams, so that at all times they ardently desired them.“

“That which the dream shows is the shadow of such wisdom as exists in man, even if during his waking state he may know nothing about it.... We do not know it because we are fooling away our time with outward and perishing things, and are asleep in regard to that which is real within ourselves.“

“The dreams which reveal the supernatural are promises and messages that God sends us directly: they are nothing but His angels, His ministering spirits, who usually appear to us when we are in a great predicament.”

A fourth approach was to apply the Philosophers' Stone; which is another way of saying that he employed spiritual healing. Here are some of his quotes about Alchemy:

“Although Alchemy has now fallen into contempt, and is even considered a thing of the past, the physician should not be influenced by such judgments.”

“Many have said of Alchemy, that it is for the making of gold and silver. For me such is not the aim, but to consider only what virtue and power may lie in medicines.

Paracelsus's conception of angels as agents of the Holy Spirit helps explain his interest in astrology, because stars are a symbol for celestial beings. For example, in Job 38:7, we find: “when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy”. Also, in Rev.22:16, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star”.

In many ways what Paracelsus did not do was as important as what he did do. He did not apply a remedy just because it was prescribed in a medical text. He fought against the standard practice of purging and bleeding to treat almost all illnesses. The standard military doctor practice of treating a wound was to cover it up, sometimes with something like cow dung. Some believed that a fever was a necessity that led to healing. But Paracelsus argued that if the wound were kept clean and exposed to open air, it would heal itself.

The medical establishment in the large cities didn't take his criticism lightly. He was persecuted and prosecuted, and had to flee from one city after another. But his professional integrity and tenacious dedication to his mission wouldn't allow him to temper his message.

He deplored the reluctance of individuals and whole cultures to recognize the spirit as the source of inspiration and knowledge. “Here is a system, tested throughout the ages, but lost again and again by ignorance or prejudice, in the same way that great nations have risen and fallen and been lost to history beneath the desert sands and in the ocean depths.”

There is much, much, more that I could write about this great man who dedicated his life to seeking and applying knowledge that would ease the physical sufferings and save the souls of his fellowmen. In his own day, he was widely criticized and persecuted by the closed-minded medical establishment, and even now is held in contempt by those who reject the spiritual. And yet today he stands as a hero and role model for anyone who will maintain an open, receptive mind to acquire the knowledge that will qualify him to serve God and his fellowman.

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