Spagyric Tinctures - Tradition,

Preparation, and Usage

By
Beat Krummenacher

Published by
The Philosophers of Nature
125 W. Front Street, Suite 263
Wheaton, IL 60187 USA

Translated from the German by Karin Di Giacomo

O Copyright 1997 by The Philosophers of Nature

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of the work in any form, or by any
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Preliminary Remarks
2. The Concept of SPAGIRY
3. SPAGYRIC Understanding of Remedies
3.1 The Arcana
3.2 Polarity
3.3 The Three Alchemical Principles
3.4 The Inner Structure of the Arcana
4. The Basic SPAGYRIC Process
5. SPAGYRIC Literature
6. Preparation of Spagyric Plant Essences
6.1 Basic Spagyric Tinctures according to ZIMPEL; Explanations
concerning the process according to ZIMPEL/GLAUBER
6.1.1 Raw Materials
6.1.2 Yeast Fermentation
6.1.3 Separation of the Principles
6.1.4 Distillation
6.1.5 Calcination
6.1.6 Preparation of the Calcines
6.1.7 Union of Distillate and Calcines (Ashes)
6.1.8 Evaluation of the Process according to ZIMPEL/GLAUBER
6.2. Basic Spagyric Tinctures according to KRAUSS: Explanations of the process
according to KRAUSS
6.2.1 Fermentation
6.2.2 Expressed Juice from Plants
6.2.3 Percolation
6.2.4 Union
6.2.5 Evaluation of the Process according to KRAUSS
6.3 Basic Spagyric Tinctures according to Heinz; Explanations concerning the
process according to Heinz
6.3.1 Fermentation
6.3.2 Pressure Distillation
6.3.3 Calcination at more than 700 °C and 800 OC respectively
6.3.4 Second Distillation at Normal Pressure
6.3.5 Evaluation of the Process according to HEINZ
7. The Complete Spagyric Process according to KRUMMENACHER
7.1 Directions: Complete Basic Spagyric Tinctures and their
Dilution's
7.2 Explanations concerning the process according to KRUMMENACHER
7.2.1 Preparation of the Plant Material
7.2.2 Addition of Sugar
7.2.3 Preparation for the Fermentation Process
7.2.4 Completion of the Fermentation Process (Putrefaction)
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 7.2.5 Vacuum Distillation (Separation and Purification of Sulfur and
Mercury)
7.2.6 Calibration of Alcohol Contents
7.2.7 Extracting the Ashes (Separation of the Salt)
7.2.8 Purification of the Salts
7.2.9 Union into the Spagyric Essence (Cohobation towards the
Quintessence)
7.3 Evaluation of the Process according to KRUMMENACHER
8. Effectiveness of Spagyric Essences
9. Guidelines for the Therapy with Spagyric Essences
10. Special Characteristics of Basic Spagyric Essences
10.1 Usage of Plants and Waste Problems
10.2 Alcohol Contents and Conservation
10.3 Side Effects
10.4 Incompatibilities
10.5 Analysis
10.6 Advantages of Usage
10.7 Popularity with the Public
10.8 Increased Demand for Natural Products
11. Categorization of Basic Spagyric Tinctures as a Group of Remedies
12.. Final Remarks
Comments
Bibliography

3
 Basic S ric Tinctures - Tradition Pre aration and Usa ed

Beat Krummenacher, pharmacist, Miinsingen (Switzerland)

1. Preliminary Remarks

The Preparation of Primordial Spagyric Tinctures is rooted in ancient tradition. Even

though its procedure is also meaningful from a modern pharmacetltical-chemical viewpoint, a
deeper understanding is only possible when we take into account the traditional way of
thinking. The following writings therefore have to consider both the basic viewpoints of a
chemically oriented science and the traditional world view. If we do not consider both we
cannot do justice to the Spagyric processes. Scientific preparation of medicine separated
itself from the traditional viewpoint about 200 years ago, which brought about a
development in a different direction. But this is not sufficient reason to portray the
forgotten pathways of Spagyrics as senseless or wrong. Even though much of this tradition
may seem strange to a modern pharmacist, pitching the modern against the traditional
viewpoints may help him to find a deeper understanding of the Tradition itself.

2. The Concept of Spagyrics

The origins of Spagyrics are lost in historical darkness. Its roots go back millennia. No
historical founder of Spagyrics can be identified for certain. In the related (but semantically
not identica1) spelling “Spagyria” this word was often used as a synonym for Alchemy.
Another, better known word for Alchemy is Hermetics. This concept is being traced back to
Hermes Trismegistos (Illustration 1) who is said to have lived in Ancient Egypt [1].
“Hermetic” means: tightly sealed, inaccessible to Outsiders. Thus Hermetics can be
understood as a secret science. Hermefirs deals with Universal LDS, and With the
intercontiections betu ecu microcosm (mnn) and macrocosm tNnfiire nod the Universe). The
hermetic teaching can be summarized in seven principles or axioms, which however we shall
not bring up in detail here [2].

In the Middle Ages Spagyrics (Alchemy) experienced a period of bloom. Especially with
Paracelsus (Illustration 2) the clearly attributable written materials begin to gain clarity. He
writes [3]: “That is why you should study Alchemy, which is also called Spagyrics: to learn to
separate the the wrong from the just”
This leads to an etymological analysis of the word “Spagyria”: Spagyria is the combination of
two Greek words: ‘span” (to separate, divorce) and ’ageirin' (to bind, unite) Therefore the
word itself contains the basic procedures of Spagyria: After a suitable preparation and
separation of the raw materials a spagyric (Alchemical) product emerges through their new
composition (Union). While Spagyria or Alchemy are more referring to the theoretical
underpinnings of the practical work, the closely related word “Spagyrics” refers to the practice
itself: Spagyrics is the method of preparing remedies by applying the theory of Alchemy (Spagyria).

* Numbers in angular parentheses refer to the Bibliography,

Superscript numbers refer to the footnotes at the end of the document

4
Illustration 2: Paracelsus 47 years old after a picture by August Hirschvogel

6
The connection of the word with the preparation of remedies becomes even clearer with the
Alchemical axiom, which we find again and again in Alchemical writings: “Solve et coagula,
et habebis magisterium!”. (Dissolve and coagulate and you will have the magisterium!) It is
again emphasized here that one needs to” separate and join” in order to finally arrive at a
magisterium - a certain kind of Alchemical healing agent. Spagyrics thus includes a procedure
which makes it possible to free the healing principles of the original substance by methods
that unlock these principles and find appropriate new ways of re-arranging them for medical
use. In a certain sense modem preparation of remedies follows the same purpose. Partly also
the same methods of work are applied. But the different concept of substance leads to the
spagyric preparations in the end having hardly anything in common with modern remedies.
Basically each original substance can be turned into a remedy by spagyric methods. But the
practical, necessary steps for this procedure are more or less different depending on the
substance. Therefore the following explanations can be applied as well to minerals and
metals, even though the focus will be on plant substances.

3. Spagyric Understanding of Remedies

Nearly all methods used today for preparing phytotherapeutics (plant remedies) have the
common goal of isolating or at least reinforcing an effective ingredient of the plant. The trend
is to achieve a clear, unambiguous characterization of pharmacologically active and pure
preparations. Aside from this approach (of isolating effective ingredients) there is also the
successful use of extracts of the whole plant, which often is more effective than the isolated
effective compounds. One explanation for this phenomenon is that in the whole plant there
are transmitter substances which allow for a better absorption of the effective compounds in
the gastro-intestinal tract. But even in cases like that a direct correlation between the chemical
substance and effectiveness of the remedy is assumed. All commonly used methods for
preparing herbal remedies are very simple. Most of the time the approach is to prepare a
watery or alcoholic extract of a plant by maceration, extraction or other simple methods.
These methods have the sole aim to concentrate or to isolate the effective compounds which
are known or suspected to be there. Thus the contemporary methods can be seen as a direct
outcome of the modern theoretical understanding of what constitutes a remedy.

Here we find no difference from Spagyrics. In Spagyrics too the theoretical understanding
determines the practical work methods. Thus one should not prematurely dismiss
spagyric methods without coming to know spagyric theory. Lack of or insufficient
knowledge of the theory (of Alchemy) has led some time ago to the conclusion that
Spagyrics is only the precursor of modem chemistry. Spagyrics is considered to be rightfully
dismissed, because its theory is outdated. But such judgment is premature and does not do
justice to this matter. The fact is that the simple methods for preparing common plant
tinctures were also well known to the alchemists. Nevertheless they did not avoid the great
effort required in making spagyric remedies. Again and again they emphasized that the
laborious path of spagyrics was precisely leading to significantly more effective and more
beneficial remedies than the methods of the “chymists”. Such a statement from those who
knew both paths should make us stop and think. Unfortunately we do not have any
modern studies which could give clinical evidence to the assertion that spagyric essences 2 are
more effective. Thus, we will have to first attempt to gain a greater understanding of the
theoretical side of spagyric preparations.
Understanding basic spagyric processes also helps us to distinguish truly meaningful spagyric
procedures from “pseudospagyric” ones. Even in Alchemical circles we often find ignorance
of the actual Alchemical processes, which has led to the introduction of alien elements into
today's spagyric procedures. How important it is to earnestly deal with Spagyrics today is
reflected in the growing public interest in alternative healing methods - which also include
spagyric remedies. That the actual value of spagyric preparations is far higher than what the
historical record shows is also apparent when we consult the HAB1[4] : Spagyric methods
have been recorded there, which indicates their presence on the pharmacological market.

In order to approach an understanding of Spagyric medicine, we have to explore the

important Alchemical concepts of the Arcana, of polarity, as well as the three basic Alchemical
principles3,

3.1 The Arcana

Arcanum literally means that which is secret. Its meaning is illustrated by the following quote
of Paracelsus [5]: “What we see is not the medicine but the carrier of the medicine.
Because the arcana of the elements and of man are invisible. That which is visible is the
superficial, which is not part of the healing essence.” This invisible part of each medical
substance is “all virtue of the substance in thousand fold improvement, The Arcanum is
that which is non- physical and indestructible - it is the eternally living part of Nature.” A
remedy, or more precisely that which makes a substance a remedy, is here called the
“arcana of the elements”. These healing powers are to be understood as purely abstract or
spiritual principles, not material ones. At the same time these powers are “the virtue of the
substance a thousand fold increased”, thus they are qualitatively much more than the
material, observable carrier of these healing powers. If we understand the arcana to be
immaterial healing principles which we cannot define by their material substance, then that
does not necessarily mean that they are ineffective. However, according to the currently
dominant paradigm we only assume that to be real which we can perceive with our senses
and which is physically measurable. This paradigm does not allow us to get a concrete
assessment of the concept of the arcana, because according to tradition, arcana are not gross
matter but subtle energetic realities.4

Paracelsus often called those remedies transmitting arcana to the patient “arcana” and made
unmistakably clear that they had to be prepared alchemically [6]: “Make arcana and point
them against the illnesses... This is the way to healing and making healthy - this all is
accomplished by alchemy, without which it could not be happening.” With this statement, he
also brought in the fact that the immaterial arcana can be transmitted. That means that it is
possible to prepare transmitters (the spagyric remedies), which serve as material vehicles of
the hidden (arcane) powers. This kind of thinking diverges greatly from our contemporary
understanding, which makes a causal connection between the effect and the substance. In the
present day understanding it is the substance itself which effects healing, due to some
physical-chemical interaction with the organism. For Paracelsus and the alchemists the
material substance does not oduce healing, but is the vehicle for the powers causing the
(healing) effect. Substance is only the matrix or form serving to embody the arcana.

8
3.2 Polarity

The hermeticists have stressed again and again that all that exists is subject to the lan› of polarit y.
They expressed this in the form of the following axiomatic statement as part of the seven
hermetic principles mentioned before [7]:” Everything is twofold - everything has two poles,
everything has its pair of opposites; similar and dissimilar is the same; opposites are identical
in nature, only different in degree; extremes are connected; all truths are only half truths; all
contradictions can be reconciled.” Everywhere we meet polarities: day and night, light and
dark, warm and cold, attraction and repulsion in static electricity and magnetism, big and
little etc.
But these seemingly opposite extremes are only different degrees of expression for one and the same basic
force. In that may attraction and repulsion are results of the same magnetism. So attraction and
repulsion stay unchanged when we approach a magnet with a piece of iron - the magnetic
power is the same. Warm or cold are both aspects of temperature. Likewise day (light) and
night (darkness) are only aspects of Light differing in intensity, while big or little are aspects of
size.

MINUS POLE MAGNETISM PLuS POLE

NIGHTLi1HT INTENSITYDAY
Illustration 3: Each attribute, indeed everything that exists holds in it a polarity. Opposites (polarities) are
aspects of one basic property or force.

The seemingly opposing extremes of a polarity thus prove to actually be identical in nature
regarding their basic property. They are only ’differing in degree”. Both extremes become
meaningful only through the concrete ejrcf they have on a third principle. It is also possible to
define them by the existence or total lack of one of the principles. For example we
distinguish between light and darkness because our eye perceives a lot or a little light. But in
absolute darkness there is no longer light present at all: the principle itself (light) no longer
appears.

Likewise the medical potency as a sum total of remedial attributes manifests according to the
hermetic principle of polarity in form of polar opposites. A reminder: The healing powers
causing the remedial effects have been named “arcana” by Paracelsus. Alchemy thus defines a
remedy as a preparation that transmits the potency of arcana for healing purposes. The
polar opposite of healing is making sick or poisoning. Here too it is true that the “degree” of the
arcana is experienced through its interaction with a third principle, i.e. the organism, where it
proves to act as a healing or a poisoning agent. The relativity of this determination can be
seen in the

9
fact that some substances are healing or neutral for an animal but toxic for a human being.
Paracelsus thus uses the term “arcana” in a twofold sense, which is a crucial factor to consider.
He understands “arcana” as the remedial powers in general as well as the effect that one polar
extreme has on the body (healing), which he named remedy. To avoid a lack of clarity in
the following pages we will refer to arcana only as the immaterial powers underlying
healing or poisoning. The effect of these powers on the organism lies anywhere between the
extremes of remedy or poison.

Illustration 4 “poison or remedy” is a pair of opposites of the hidden healing forces or arcana.
POISON RCANA -" DEALING TOWEHS =•••*3¥'•
The difference between remedy REMEDY and poison in its effect on the human organism is thus only a
matter of degree. We define the remedial effect on the human being as constructive, enhancing
mid harmonizing, Whereas the effect of poison is destructive, diminishing and disharinonic.

Modem understanding sees the direct cause for the healing effect of a remedy in the
material substantiality of the healing agent. According to the thoughts developed above, the
substance consists of both poison and remedy! That is why the effect depends on the dosis.
The more substance we apply to the patient, the more intensive the pharmacological effect will
be and a high dose can even cause the reverse of the desired healing effect: an overdose
can cause the death of the patient. Parallel to the increase in dosis, the remedial effect
grows, but is always limited by the poisonous effect: the destructive properties of the
poison are enhanced along with the constructive effects of the remedy, until they cause
manifest symptoms and defects by impeding cellular functions.

The Alchemist goes deeper: For him the substance is only the vehicle for the arcana. There is
no compelling connection between the physical substance and its effect. He does see the
remedial effect also in the unprocessed “chymical” substances. However the connection
between dosis and effect is interpreted differently in non-chemical, i.e. spagyric preparations,
taking an Alchemical form. The therapeutic range is especially greatly broadened. This is
achieved by first dissociating and then separating the principles by spagyric procedures: The
arcana are changed in their inner structure by dissociation, and then freed from their intimate
connection with the physical substance by separation.

The basic theoretical difference between the two approaches is reflected in their practice: The
Chemist only separates, whereas the Alchemist dissociates and then separates. This important
theoretical and pracfical difference of the two approaches is also found in Paracelsus’ work.
All quotes cited above referred to Paracelsus, the Alchemist. But at the same time Paracelsus
was well aware of the difference between alchemy and chemistry. The following is a much
quoted passage from his works, when the issue is to portray Paracelsus as the founder of
modem chemistry [8]. “All substances are poisons, and nothing is without poison; only the
dosis determines a substance to be non-poisonous.” This quote shows us that he knew the
typical characteristics of the purely chemical substance. But it is only seemingly a
contradiction to the Alchemical approach. Because, as long as the remedy is not prepared

10
spagyrically, the effect always proves to be bound to the substance. Paracelsus himself
distinguished precisely between the properties of the unprocessed raw substance and of the
chemically prepared on one hand, and the properties of the Alchemical preparation on the
other hand. While according to Paracelsus in the chemical approach the dosis determines the
poison, this is no longer true for the Alchemical approach! The reason for this difference lies
in the process of dissociation of the arcana, which is the most important element of Spagyrics.
If we apply the structure given above we can elucidate this commonly misunderstood
difference even further:

Chemical Preparation: The arcana between the extremes of poison and remedy are
inseparable from the material substance, unless they are dissociated via the Alchemical
process. In using simple extractions, we are also applying a process of separation. Certain
substances show up in the extract, others stay in the residue. But the Alchemists assert that a
simple extraction does not dissociate the “pure from the impure” (’puri ab impuro’); it is only
a separation process. Only PUTREFACTION5can lead to the dissociation of the arcana. For the
time being we will accept this allegation to be true and look at the consequences this has on
chemical procedures. The extract also contains the arcana without changing them; in the best
case v.•e have increased their concentration if active compounds carrying the arcana are
dissolved in the extract. We can then reduce the dosis, but in principle we have not really
changed anything. Depending on the dosis, man still is confined to the effective range of the
arcana between poison and remedy.

RAW SUBSTANCE
ARC:ANA
POISON REMEDY

CHEMICAL
SEPARATION

@ CHEMICAL REMEDY
POISON ARCANA
REMEDY

Illustration 5: In chemical preparations the arcana are not structurally changed. They continue to affect man
in the polarity ‘Poison’ and ‘Remedy’.

11
Spagyric Dissociation: In contrast the Putrefaction of the Alchemists leads to a change in the
inner structure of the arcana. The Alchemist knows how to exalt (elevate) the Arcana so that
there are no more poisonous effects on man. The same arcana are transmitted through an
Alchemical remedy, but they are changed insofar as they have a solely harmonizing effect on
the human organism. Destructive effects are no longer possible. This fact can be summarized
in the following sentence: The remedy is dissociated from the poison. (Dissociation of the
‘False’ from the ’True’). And yet the polarity is preserved! Because the pole we previously
called “remedy” is in itself of dual nature. The remedy shows a noble and a less noble side.
But in respect to man both poles have a healing effect, because through the spagyric process
all destructive energies (poison) have been eliminated. This is the invisible aspect of
Alchemical dissociation (illustration 6). In a parallel process the arcana are also separated
from their physical carrier substance: it is possible to isolate by simple separation methods
only those chemical substances, which serve as optimal carriers of the arcana in their exalted
form. All elements obstructing the remedial effect are eliminated. The spagyric essence thus
emerges in an externally purified form as well. This is the visible aspect of Alchemical
dissociation.

Q— RAW SUBSTANCE
POISON ARcANA REMEDY

SPAGYRIC
DISSOCIATION

CHEMICAL
SEPARATION

MAN

Illustration 6: In spagyric preparation there is always first a change of the inner structure of the arcana. Only
the remedial pole of the arcana affects man. But the polarity of the healing power also has a
dual nature, which is indicated by the + sign (for the noble aspect) and the - sign (for the less
noble aspect) .

1
A quote from the “Triumphant Chariot of Antimony” [9] by Basilius Valentinus 6 illustrates
these thoughts: (illustration 7). This text deals with the spagyric processing of antimony,
which was at that time the name for antimony sulfide ore. Since the theoretical basis of
Spagyrics is universal, we can also consult a work on minerals for purposes of illustration. We
will see that the above paragraphs correspond exactly to Alchemical thinking in general.

Illustration 7 - Partial view of the title page of the collected works of Basil Valentine, edition Leipzig 1769

1
Basil Valentine is fully aware that common antimony is poisonous and unusable as a
medicine [IU: “In the beginning I assert emphatically - and always did so in all my writings -
that Antimony is sheer poison and contains nothing but poison, which is entirely true... That
is why nobody uses it - because it is poisonous.” But this changes as the spagyrist processes
the antimony: “After the correct and true preparation of antimony there is no longer any
poison present at all, the antimony has to be changed fully and completely by spagyric art, so
that the poison can turn into a remedy. Without such preparation7 you will have no use from
the antimony, but come to harm and trotible.” He describes the process of dissociating the
pure and the impure, the poison and the remedy (12]: “You now have to carefully dissociate
the powers of the Antimony, the good from the evil, the fixed from the un-fixed and the
remedy from the poison, so that its use can result in truth and honor... Nobody shall be
surprised that we dissociate the pure from the impure, the poison from the remedy ... because
it has been proven to work in daily experience in the Proba . ... Because the poison is taken
away by the process of dissociation, .and a change from evil to good has taken place... that is
why the fire 9 brings about the dissociation of the poison from the remedy and of the good
from the evil.”

3.3 The Three Alchemical Principles

We established that the alchemists understood arcana to be the invisible healing powers in
a specific material form. The arcana appears as a polarity between poison and remedy in
relation to a third principle, the human organism. But the arcana are invisible energies hidden
in substance, which is only its carrier or matrix. We also said that the spagyric process is
distinct from the chemical method insofar as it brings about a change in the inner structure
of the arcana by means of Putrefaction. That is how we described the fundamental spagyric
process of dissociation. But this does not yet suffice to explain the mechanism of the change in
the arcana and the substance. It is still unclear what allows for the transmutation of a
poison into a remedial agent.

In order to address this question, we have to take a closer look at the arcana: The alchemists
assert that everything in nature consists of three essential principles, which they have named
Sal (salt), Sulfur (sulphur) and Mercurius (mercury) [13]: “These three - mercury, sulphur and
salt - are never without the other; where you find one, there are always all three of them
united, and in the whole world there is nothing which does not consist of these three - and
from these three all is made that is in the world.”

SAI- SULFUR MERCURIUG

SALT SULFUR MERCURY

Illustration 8: The three Alchemical principles and their symbols

1
Of course the three principles are not identical with what we today understand to be chemical
mercury, sulphur or salt. Time and again this fact has led and leads to misunderstandings.
Nevertheless the words were not chosen randomly - the properties of common salt,
mercury and sulphur do phenomenologically correspond to properties of the abstract
Alchemical principles. Interestingly the three Alchemical principles find a surprising
representation in physics [14]. Contemplating a description of a physical vibration, whose
simplest form is the sine or cosine curve, we can distinguish three parameters which
completely describe the curve:

1) The form of the curve, in our case sines or cosines. This is an expression of the quality,
the way in which something vibrates or how it vibrates.

2) The amplitude, which is the measure for the quantity or degree of deviation from the
middle

3) The frequency or the number of vibrations per time unit, which is a measure for the
movement or speed of the vibration.

Every vibration - however complicated - can be demonstrated as a unique interference pattern

of harmonic vibrations (Fourier analysis). The form or quality of a more complicated vibration
is expressed in the frequency spectrum, the amount of amplitudes - the total amplitude
being composed of the sum of the individual amplitudes - and also the frequency itself is
defining the vibration. We can compare these ways of defining a curve with the description of
the three Alchemical principles, as we meet them in the Alchemical texts:

Sat is the principle of condensation and affinity, which enables materialization. Sal can also be
called the fixing or firming principle. It is the material or static (fixed) component in all
things, the corporeality of substance and materialization. After subjecting a substance to
fire, Sat remains as the indestructable part of the substance - without form. Thus we can
characterize Sat also as relating to quantity. In respect to man Sal signifies the physical
body as a whole.

Sulfur is the characteristic property of a substance. It defines the essence, the soul. Sulfur
shows us what we are dealing with - it denotes form, color, shape and other characteristic
properties. Sulfur also indicates how well a substance burns. Thus Sulfur relates to the
quality of a substance. In man, sulphur signifies the soul.

The principle of movement is contained in Mercury. Mercury also is the life-giving

principle, the spirit. Mercury is life energy, the moving force, awakening to life the specific
qualities (sulphur) within the body (Sal). Movement is change, and change is bound to
time. Mercury thus relates to the concept of frequency. In man, mercury is the life essence or
spirit.

Sat, Sulfur and Mercury (body, soul and spirit) thus are analogous to the physical
properties exhaustively describing a vibration. But according to modern physics
everything material is nothing but energy - vibrating energy. In this context the assertion
of the alchemists that everything consists of three basic principles is amazingly pertinent and
1
meaningful.

1
 SAL SULFUR MERCURIUS

Salt Mercury

Amplitude Form of Curve Frequency

Quantity Quality Movement

Physical Gestalt, Life Energy,

Being Essence Mutability

BODY SOUL SPIRIT

Illustration 9: Some analogies of the three Alchemical principles

Now we can better understand the abstract meaning of the three principles. But we have
to keep in mind that Sal, Sulfur and Mercurius can also manifest physically. Every principle
materializes in physical form according to its properties. We also have to consider a polarity
of the visible and the invisible. The three material manifestations together form the “Corpus”
which we perceive with our senses ; their inner potencies of power however, the threefold
arcana, stay invisible. ! It is only through the spagyric process that the Corpus can be
destroyed and Sal,
Sulfur and Mercurius both in their physical and in their invisible form can be accessed for
therapeutic use.

Paracelsus describes the material aspect of the three principles as follows [15]: “ There are
three substances which give each thing its Corpus - three things are making up each physical
thing. The names of these three things are Sitter, Mercurius and Sal. - when these three are
joined into one, then that is called a corpus... So in the one form of any corpus there are
invisibly! contained all three substances... for example if you take into your hand a piece of
firewood, then you see just o n e thing (body/ corpus)... now burn it ... what burns is the
sulphur - nothing burns but the sulphur; the smoke indicates mercurius - nothing sublimates
but Mercurius, and what you find as ashes is Sal - nothing is in the ashes but Sat.”
The following passage explains the abstract meaning of f/ie three principles [161 “Thus we know
1
that in the three principles, everything broken is resurrected; a tree void of its liquid
(mercury) will dry up 12; if the sulphur were taken from the tree, there would be no form and
if the salt were taken away, there would be no congelatio, but it would fall asunder as a barrel
without an iron ring...” The visible and invisible manifestation of the three principles becomes
even more apparent when we are tracking them in a plant [17]: “each plant according to its
nature is composed of three things, that is sal, sulphur and mercurius: these three are joined
and then make a corpus, a unified being... But we know what form these three principles take:
one is a liquid and that is mercurius, another one is an oil and that is sulphtir and one is an alkaloid
(ash) and that is Sal.”

Chemically specified:

Sal: The soluble mineral salts leached from the calcined! plant substance are called the alkali or Salt.
This at the same time is the principle of physicality - indestructible by fire - the quantity.

Sulfiir: The volatile, oily mostly fragrant parts of the plant are the sulphur. Most prominently we
meet this principle in the ethereal oils. These substances characterizing every plant are also a
fitting illustration of the Alchemical model: Sulfur can be understood as the soul or essence of
a plant.

Mercurius: Mercury has been defined as life energy, as the moving principle. It is the as Jet
invisible spirit Which only manifests aJter putrefaction fermentation). If we ferment a plant we
obtain its spirit as ethyl alcohol and other high!y volatile products of fermentation. Even today
the word “spirits 4 is used for alcoholic beverages in reference to this com:necGoo.
(Illustration 10)! The life-giving principle of mercury is not bound to any plant species. All
plants share in the life principle. The Alchemical viewpoint thus easily explains that after
fermenting different plant species the same spirit appears in the physical form (chemical
matrix) of ethyl alcohol.

Body Soul Essence Spirit

Life

Mineral salts Etheric oils, Fragrances

Alcohol from fermentation

1
Illustration 10: Material form of the three principles within plants

1
3.4 The Inner Structure of the Arcana

Now we can more precisely understand the inner structure of the arcana: The arcana are
on one hand the remedial potency or hidden healing powers of the plant; on the other hand
they are bound to the material manifestation of the plant. The arcana are energies,
showing themselves in threefold form. The substance as a carrier of the arcana mirrors
their inner structure in a threefold way as well. These three principles, invisible and visible,
are called Sal, Sulfur and Mercurius. The arcana are subject to polarity as well. We defined
the two poles of that polarity to be poison and remedy. We can now understand the
polarity of poison and remedy as an effect of the threefold substructure of the arcana. Thus
we can portray it.

POISON REMEDY REMEDY

POISON POISON REMEDY

Illustration 11: In their inner structure the arcana show a threefold polarization

If we want to free up only the remedial side of the arcana, we have to correctly consider their
inner structure. Only then can we choose the right procedure for achieving a complete
dissociation and separation. This brings us to the basic spagyric process

4. The Basic Spagyric Process

The aim of the spagyric process is to obtain the arcana - which we defined as vibrating healing
energies - in such a way that the resulting spagyric preparation contains only healing
frequencies, amplitudes and curve forms that are healing to the treated organism. All
disharmonic vibrations of a lower frequency 1 have to be eliminated. As invisible healing
powers, the arcana cannot be accessed directly but only indirectly via the carrier substance.
Thus it is vital to eliminate and to separate out all material carrier substances with low
frequencies, disharmonic curve forms and rough (coarse) amplitudes. The ensiest procedure would be
to obtain the arcana in one sfep - as a whole - in form of a ptire remedy. But when in practice we
process the plants, we realize that such a one-step method is impossible: If we extract,
essential parts of the plant stay in the residue. Their quantity depends on the solvent. If we
distill, we only obtain the volatile parts, and all minerals are lost in this process. If we hurn
the plant, we bum the typical ethereal oils and substances along with the organic components.
The only residues are the inorganic components: In short, it is impossible to obtain all three
1
principles of the

1
same time. The “chymical” separation of one principle leads to the destruction or loss of the
others. Thus we only have one choice left: we first have to let the plant die, i.e. we need to
process it in a way that the three principles which are firmly united in the live plant are
dissociated without destruction or loss of any one principle. This first step of all spngyric
processes the alchemists chilled putrefaction (putrefactio), Digestion, Fermentation etc. There
are different words for this process, because different methods are applied depending on the
substances that are the basis for the dissociation. Only the putrefaction can dissociate the
Alchemical priticiples and part their innate polarit y of poison and remedy . Only the death of the
substance enables the birth of the pure essence. An anonymous author described this process
in 1782 as follows: [19]: “Death is the putrefaction, the separation of good and evil, of the pure
from the impure; through this the new body and the tincture can be born again. Because just
like a blade of grass grows from a seed, so also the old body gives birth to the new body via
putrefaction.” Kirchweger says [20]: “We therefore start at the main gate of nature - at the key
and origination point of all birth, destruction and rebirth - without this key we can not probe
the bottom of the mysteries of Nature, and this key is the focal point of the art of dissociation:
it is called putrefaction... Therefore we cannot hope for true dissociation without maceration,
digestion or fermentation...”

Illustration 12: Only death allows for an awakening to new life. Who knows this will harvest bountiful fruit
(symbolized by the grain at the edge of the grave) and will hit the target,i.e. practice successfully. The
correct putrefaction is the key for the entire art (look at the key above the target).

1
Having thus unlocked the substance, we next have to separate the principles from each other.
Only after such dissociation do the "chymical" separation procedures make and sense, because
the dissociated principles can notP be isolated. Now we can obtain Salt, Sulfur and Mercury
without destroying or losing any of the other principles. For this purpose the processes of
distillation, calcination etc. are used. But it is not enough to sepnrofe Salt, Sulfur and Mercury
from each other. We also have to purrs each principle according to its inherent polarity. The
purification is achieved through use of an external fire. Because:[21]:” Each substance can be
purified without destroying its essence in the fire.” However the right temperature has to be
applied, depending on the specific properties of the substance. Example: the actively charged
compounds of salt are the only components which are able to crystallize. Amorphous salts are
dead and alchemically useless - thus they were fittingly called ‘caput mortuum’ (death's
head). If we use (relatively speaking) very high temperatures in calcining a plant, we obtain
the inorganic components in the ashes. It is only at this point that we can dissolve the
alchemically valuable salts out of the ‘caput mortuum’. However, if we wanted to perform a
distillation for obtaining sulphur and mercury at the same high temperatures, this would lead
to a burning of the residues in the flask, rendering the entire distillate unusable. If wefinally
have separated and purified the principles, they have to be brought to a new unity. This is
because only the conjunction of the three principles constitutes the arcanD, Which now appeur in a
new, complete form (Gestalt) as the active healing potency without the poison polarity. Thus the
basic spagyric process proceeds in four steps.!!:

1. The Putrefaction (Putrefaction) or fermentation

2. The Separation (Separation) of the principles
3. The Purification (Purification) of the principles
4. The Cohobation (Cohobation or conjunction) of the
principles or the chymical marriage, yielding the
spagyric essence

In this quaternary process lies the secret of obtaining spagyric preparations. Now we can see
that from a spagyric viewpoint common tinctures, extraction's, decoctions etc. can only in
part make use of the healing powers of the plants. In these preparations the three principles
are neither complete nor purified nor conjoined in their remedial properties. Also the process
of putrefaction - so essential to the dissociation of the three principles - is missing in the
chemical procedures. Therefore the ‘chymists’ can user set a principle free withotit destToying others
at the 5nme time. In CDHtrast the spagyric preparation completely "unlocks" the plant, so that the wuy is
cleared for obtaining the spagyric essence
containing only the purified principles .

2
5. Literature on Spagyrics

The main sources for the treasures of Spagyric wisdom today are still the writings of
Paracelsus. Works of other, later authors are often easier to understand, since they mostly deal
with segments of Alchemy, not with the total field. Johann Rudolf Glauber (1603 - 1668) wrote
a treatise deserving special notice in 1654, titled “Pharmacopoeia spagyricae..” [22]. In this
work he describes in great detail and exactitude the spagyric processing of remedial
substances. Other books dealing with plant materials were written by Johann Isaac Hollandus
[23] and Baron Urbigerus [24] or are reproduced in collected works [25]. A very good
overview is offered in the “Bibliotheca Chemica: A Catalog of the alchemical, chemical, and
pharmaceutical books in the collection of the late James Young of Kelly and Durris. This
bibliography was published in 1906 by John Ferguson [26}, and it contains detailed, critically
reviewed bibliographic entries of hundreds of Alchemical writings from the last centuries.
Even though Alchemical writings were very popular and widely read until about 1800, the
rise of modem sciences had the result of these writings sinking into obscurity. In the previous
century, then, we owe it mainly to the efforts of the homeopathic doctor Carl Friedrich
Zimpel, MD, Ph.D., that the spagyric preparations were not completely forgotten, but that a
sizable circle of interested people were informed about them. Based on many years of costly
studies and experiments, Zimpel built his “Spagyric Healing System” [26,29]. Derived from
Zimpel, we find today 2 processes published in the homeopathic book of remedies (HAB 1)
[30]. Other plant spagyricists living around the turn of the century were Count Cesare Matter
(1809 - 1896) who greatly influenced Zimpel and another student of Mattei's, Theodor Krauss
(
- 1924). Krauss issued further procedural recipes which we find in the HAB 1 [31]. Lastly,
another official procedure is based on the approach of the naturopath Ulrich Juergen Heinz,
who practices in the suabian Rottweil [32]..

There are also a nuinber of non- official spagyric processes and products which retain a
certain practical significance. These preparations are the results of the efforts of the following
persons: Alexander Von Bernus (1880 - 1965), who produced spagyric tinctures in his
Laboratorium Soluna, which was founded on July 1, 1921. Von Bernus moved his laboratory
in 1926 to Stuttgart, and finally in 1939 to Donaumuenster close to Donauwoerth. Today you
can still buy spagyric products prepared from Von Bernus's recipes. Conrad Glueckselig (1864
- 1934) a former member of Von Bernus's team, founded the Phoenix Laboratorium in
Bondorf. The Phoenix preparations also can still be obtained today, and are made not only
from plants but also from certain minerals. Similar preparations have been made by the
alchemist Karl Richert, who lives is the south baden town of Elzach. He markets his 16
“spagyric-iatrochemical remedies for constitution and organs” under the trade name of
Solaris. An interesting personality was Albert Riedel, who published several books on
Alchemy under the pseudonym Frater Albertus [33] and offered courses in theoretical and
practical alchemy in several countries. He presided over the “Paracelsus research Society” in
Salt Lake City until his death in 1986. This Society aimed at making the Alchemical treasures
once again accessible to the modem world. In Switzerland a book was published in 1982 by
Manfred M. Junius [34], a former student of Albert Riedels. His book on Plant Alchemy
deserves special mention for its practical chapters.

The author of this article has chosen as his goal to make spagyric remedies based on
traditional preparations once again available to therapists and patients. He chooses the

2
following method: high quality spagyric essences will be prepared according to the basic

2
spagyric process. Preparation and production however have to also measure up to today's
standards(standardization, Observance of GMP and GLP). The spagyric procedure thus wlll
first have to be subjected to a historical-methodological control process - both in theory and
practice, and then secondly be adapted to modern standards of production. The
complete spagyric process of the author of this article, which is explained in chapter 7,
allows for the fulfillment of all these conditions. It guarantees the production of spagyric
preparations of consistently high quality. The author can be approached about information on
where to obtain such complete spagyric essences.

6. Production of Spagyric Plant Essences.

In preparing basic spagyric plant essences, different producers currently apply

different methods. The following pages will deal with those that are mentioned in the
official Homeopathic Remedy Book (HAB 1). It is important that any process claiming
to be “spagyric” fulfill the criteria of Sapgyrics as it has been outlined in the previous
chapters. Substantial deviations from this process may be permissible if there are convincing
reasons for such deviation. However, we will find that this is not always the case, so that it is
necessary to critically evaluate the spagyric processes listed in the HAB 1.

6.1 Basic spagyric tinctures according to Zimpel/Glauber.

At the end of the last century the Goeppingen based Pharmacist Dr. Friedrich Mauch
produced spagyric preparations following the instructions of Zimpel. He marketed
these products under the name “Dr. Zimpel's Healing System”. Mauch founded the
Homeopathic Central Pharmacy in Goppingen, which was later followed by the firm Staufen-
Pharma, which still today produces Spagyric remedies according to Zimpel. But Zimpel's
procedures have by today been altered somewhat, and that is probably how the method of
Glauber entered the HAB 1 [35]. Thus the correct entry in the HAB 1 should read: No. 25
and No. 26 essences “spag. Glauber” or “spag. Zimpel/Glauber and not “spag. Zimpel”.

The Zimpel/Glauber instructions are:

“Instruction 25: Basic spagyric tinctures according to Zimpel and their liquid dilution's:
Basic Spagyric tinctures according to Instruction # 25 are prepared from fresh plants or parts
of fresh plants after the following manner:

The plants or parts of plants are finely minced. In a suitable vessel 1 part of the plant
substance is mixed with 1 part of water and 0.005 parts of yeast. The mixture is daily stirred at
a temperature of 20 - 25 degrees Celsius and left to ferment. As soon as the fermentation
process has come to a halt, the mixture is subjected to vapor-distillation. In the receptacle
vessel, equivilent in volume to 1 part of plant substance, is added 0.4 parts of 86% Ethanol.
The distillation is done as soon as, proportionate to 1 part of plant substance, 2 parts of the
mixture containing distillate and Ethanol is obtained. The distillation residue is compressed,
dried and calcined at 400 degree Celsius. The calcination residue is added to the distillate. It
is filtered off after 48 hours.

2
 Yeast

FERMENTATION 20 -25 degrees Celsius

STEAM
DISTILLATION Alcohol

Residue

Press Juice Press

Residue

INCERATION
400 degrees
(cALClNATlON)
Gelsius

JOINING
Ashes

FILTRATION

'*R^ayric
’inctu

fllustration 13 - the process according to Zimpel/Glauber

2
Instructions for homeopathically potentizing the basic spagyric tinctures follow. The HAB 1
treats the basic spagyric tinctures as analogous to basic homeopathic tinctures. Also, there is
an entry that the basic tinctures prepared according to instruction # 25 have to read in
addition “spag. Zimpel”.

Instruction # 26 is identical with # 25 with the only exception being that it deals with dried
plants or parts of dried plants instead of fresh plants. 1 part of the dried plant yields 10
parts of product - five times more in relation to weight than instruction # 25. Since
there is no methodical difference between instructions # 25 and # 26, we do not need to
cite # 26 here in detail. The dilution and potentizing proceedures are also analogous to # 25.

In the following paragraphs we want to point to some specifics of this procedure and
also want to discuss it in general.

6.1.1 Raw materials

The entire plant is used - only rarely a part of the plant (root, leaf, blossom etc.).
The spagyric preparation is in principle holistic and not interested in isolated pharmacological
active principles. The goal is not to isolate a pharmacological active substance, but rather to
come up with a preparation that represents the whole plant. This agrees with the
Alchemical concept.

6.1.2 Yeast Fermentation

The yeast fermentation causes essential changes in terms of taking apart the plant
substance. This can be shown chemically as well as by sensory perception: both the smell
and taste of the mixture are changed and refined; structural changes occur in the
substances as a result of enzymatic processes. The procedures commonly used today such
as extraction, maceration or digestion can also cause substance changes on a small scale.
But one attempts generally to hold these processes to a minimum. In Spagyrics however
one aims at starting natural micro bacterial processes and then only continues with
further steps in the procedure, when the fermentation has come to a close. This approach
is based on the concept that the “destruction of the one is the birth of the other [36]”.

The yeast fermentation proceeds in a liquid medium under anaerobic conditions. The
process of oxidative fermentation - still of importance today - which proceeds in a damp
medium - such as in the production of black tea or vanilla - can only partially be
compared to yeast fermentation. Nevertheless the comparison shows that vanilla fruits
can develop their full aroma only as a result of micro bacterial processes in a correctly
implemented fermentation. An alcoholic extract from ripe but non-fermented vanilla fruits is
unusable. Also black tea can only develop its aroma and full taste through fermentation. It is
important to be aware that this process of fermentation also changes the biological
effects. The reabsorption of pharmacological active components is decisively altered by
the fermentation. There are enough indicators to assure the validity of the Alchemical
concept that only through a fermentation can the true remedial effects of the plants be set
free. Putrefaction may very well cause new chemical reactions, giving rise to a remedial
effect that the plant could not unfold

2
under the commonly used procedures. Maybe some day at least parts of the complex
reasoning of the Alchemists will be explained by physics or chemistry along these lines.

The Yeast fermentation is emphasized in this process. Only the fermentation with yeast
develops the fine and vigorous aroma that is typical of spagyric products. The plant substance
must ferment, not rot. Even though both processes are based on microbial changes, only
the yeast fermentation yields the desired results l . In following the right procedures, the
fermentation is started properly and brought to an end in a reproducible fashion. It is
interesting that the correctly fermented plant substance is self-conserving and does not
spoil even weeks after the fermentation is finished. No mold or rot sets in. This is
important from a toxicological angle, because rot could produce toxic substances. The
yeast fermentation however is toxicologically harmless, as the fermentation of beer or wine
sufficiently shows.

6.1.3 The Separation of the principles

According to spagyric reasoning fermentation causes the death of the plant and leads to a
dissociation of the three - in themselves polar - principles of salt, sulphur and mercury. The
putrefaction as a first step to a correct spagyric dissociation is completed. The next step is to
obtain the pure principles released in the dissociation process, i.e. to separate the healing,
pure part of the polarity from the toxic, impure one. This process can also be described in
spagyric terms: to purify the material vehicle of Sal, Sulfur and Mercury in such a way that
only the high frequency, the remedially valuable side of the polarity of the arcana is
transmitted. Classical chemical procedures are used to bring that about.

6.1.4 Distillation

Distillation can dissociate the volatile principles of Mercury and Sulfur, while the salt remains
behind in the residue. The distillation has to be gentle, so that nothing of importance can
be burnt. The gentle distillation is important, because volatile fermentation products
would be ruined if exposed to too much heat. Steam distillation meets this condition most
satisfactorily. Chemically the distillate contains the ethereal oils present in the plant as well
as volatile products of the enzymatic processes. The distillate also contains alcohol, its
quantity depending on the original sugar content of the plant. However, since the original
amount of alcohol generated by the distillation is small, alcohol is added to the receiver of
the distillate. The addition of alcohol is calculated to ensure an alcohol content of 20%
(W/W or weight by weight) in the total distillate. This is enough to safely preserve the
distillate.

6.1.5 Incineration (calcination)

The next step is the calcination of the residue, in order to collect all mineral substances in the
residual plant mass. From the ashes the Alchemical salt can be separated. The distillation
residue is pressed, dried and calcined. From a spagyric standpoint here the procedure
according to Zimpel/ Glauber is not complete. The press juice is not used, which leads to the
loss of important parts of the salt. Probably this simplification - which has severe Alchemical
problems - was introduced for commercial reasons, because it takes more time and expense to
2
inClLide the press juice. The result of a correct calcination is a white to beige-gray ash
without

2
smell and a loose powdery structure. The calcination has to proceed in a complete manner
which is not included in the instruction # 25. An Ash which still contains organic compounds
as a result of incomplete calcination is unusable. This again is important from a toxicological
viewpoint: An incomplete calcination gives rise to oil-like, complex organic compounds that
can cause cancer or can be toxic. For example, the dry distillation of charcoal results in a bad
smelling oil containing highly aromatic and highly toxic substances. However, if there is
complete calcination with the aid of oxygen, only inorganic compounds remain. Those are
mainly carbonates, oxides and - to a lesser degree - sulfates and phosphates of the alkali- and
soil-alkali metals. Often, one can also find varying amounts of silicon dioxide in the ashes.
The production of the salts is a unique feature unique to Spagyrics within the field of
phytotherapy. Conventional press juices, extracts etc. do contain mineral substances. But
those are only the directly soluble components of the plant cell juices. The greater part of the
mineral substances is embedded in the solid plant components (cell membranes, complex-
bound actions of insoluble proteins etc.) These mineral substances cannot be extracted by
conventional means, and are generally thrown out with the press residues. In the calcination
process - by contrast - these minerals can be accessed and become part of the spagyric essence

6.1.6 Processing of the Ashes

However, the calcined ashes do not as yet represent the valuable, fully dissociated
spagyric salt. The actual salt is still made impure by the caput mortuum, which has to be
separated away in order to obtain the water soluble parts of the salts. The direct maceration
of distillate and ashes allows for this separation. Ortly the desirable salts will go into the
solution. The caput mortuum is filtered off. Toxicologically the separation of the caput
mortuum is particularly meaningful: any traces of heavy metals are removed by this
procedure. The spagyric essence has no heavy metal content whatsoever.1

6.1.7 Union (Joining) of distillate and Ashes

The dissolution of the salts in the distillate represents the union of the three principles of salt,
Sulfur and Mercury. This is the spagyric essence.

6.1.8 Evaluation of the method according to Zimpel/Glauber

We already mentioned that the discarding of the pressed plant juice constitutes a
deviation from the basic spagyric process which is not permissible. Also, adding the ashes
to the distillate presents a problem. The alchemists generally took pains to dissolve the
soluble salts out of the ashes by adding distilled water, rain water etc. By repeating this
process several times the ashes are exhaustively extracted. The combined extracts are boiled
down until dry and disolved again in water. By this repeated dissolution further insoluble salt
particles are separated out, which are discarded as so-called “feces 9. Only the completely
water soluble, purified and snow white salt which is obtained after repeated evaporation
and dissolution, was finally dissolved in the distillate. “ Why is it snow white? because it
has been cleansed from all impurities...” Hollandus fittingly remarks, concerning a special salt
called “Saturnus”, after it has been purified. [37]. The advantage of this procedure is obvious:

2
The salt is purified in a better way and nothing is lost from the distillate. If however the ashes
are added to the distillate, significant amounts of aroma substances are bound to the caput
mortuum and discarded with the filtrate. Therefore the direct addition of ashes to the distillate
leads to diminished qualify of the essence. The two procedures # 25 and #26 only make a
distinction between fresh plants and dry plants. More or less of the essence is obtained
depending on that. Choosing a factor of 5 corresponds to an assumed water content of 80% in
all fresh plants. But since the water content of a plant is entirely dependent on plant species,
and the time of harvest, essences obtained from fresh or dried plants are only rarely or not at
all comparable. Yes, even different harvests from the same plants can only be compared in a
limited way. Therefore spagyric essences according to Zimpe!/Glauber are not standardized.

6.2 Basic spagyric tinctures according to Krauss;

Instruction # 27: Basic Spagyric Tinctures according to Krauss and its liquid dilutions.
According to instruction 27, basic spagyric tinctures are produced from fresh plants or parts
of fresh plants which contain more than 70% moisture (amount of drying loss). The plant
materials are minced and stored in a cool place. A sample is taken and the loss of moisture
from drying is determined. In a s•aitab1e vessel the plant mass is mixed with saccharose
(sucrose), water and yeast. The amount of water needed is calculated using the formula

W = MxT/100[kg]

the amount of sucrose is calculated using the formula

S = 2xMxT [g]

and the amount of yeast is calculated using the formula

H — 0.1 MxT[g]

M = weight of the plant mass in kilograms

T = the loss of plant moisture from drying - in percent - determined in the sample

The vessel is closed with a fermentation lock, and allowed to ferment at a temperature of
approximately 35 degrees Celsius. As soon as the fermentation has come to an end, the plant
juice is pressed off and stored at a temperature of not more than 20 degrees Celsius in a dark
room where it is protected from light. The air dried press residue is now percolated with 86%
ethanol in a procedure described in the monograph "EXTRACTS of the Book of Remedies";
the amount of ethanol necessary for percolation is calculated using the formula

A = MxT / 100[kg]

A = Ethanol 86%
The mixture of 2 parts of press jl2ice, 1 part of the percolate and 7 parts of ethanol 30% is the
basic Stricture. The basic tincture sits for at least 5 days in a room of not more than 20
degrees Celsius, and is then filtered off.

2
Water Sascharose Yeast

FERMENTATION
35 degrees Celsius

PRESS PROCESS

Residue Alcohol
Juice

PERCOLATION

Perco/ale Residue

Alcohol
30 %

FiLTRATlON

Illustration 14 - The process according to Kraus

2
Instructions # 28 to f 30 basically follow the same steps as # 27. The relative proportions
between amounts of water, saccharose and the other ingredients vary depending on the water
content of the plant material used. Instruction # 28 applies to plants with a loss of moisture
between 40Oñ and 70%, and instruction # 29 applies to plant materials with a loss of moisture
less than 40%. Instruction # 30 applies to fully dried plants. Also the instructions for
homeopathically potentizing the spagyric basic tinctures are given. Preparations following
instructions # 28 - # 30 have to carry the description “spag. Krauss”.

As before, the following paragraphs will be commentary on the specific features of this
procedure.

6.2.1 Fermentation

The procedure begins with the fermentation of the plants after adding calculated amounts of
water, saccharose and yeast. Fermentation proceeds at 35 degrees Celsius, a high temperature
for yeast fermentation. The sugar addition causes a strong fermentation, even for plants that
normally would barely ferment because of their low sugar content. By the way, in 1654
Glauber was already recommending that sugar be addedif dealing with. “foreign, dry,
aromatic plant matter”[38]. After soaking the dried plants in water... “sugar shall be added, of
the same weight as the dry plant, let it dissolve in water, add a spoonful of young beer yeast
and let it ferment in a dim room...” (this is Glauber's old instruction)

Up to now Krauss's procedure is acceptable from a spagyric viewpoint. But the next
processing steps no longer correspond to spagyric procedures at all.

6.2.2Press Juice

The juice is pressed from the fermented plant mass, which of course contains parts of the un-
purified principles of Sat, Sulfur and Mercurius. These alchemically impure plant parts
appear unaltered in the product, because this press juice - non purified or altered in any way -
is part of the basic tincture.

6.2.3 Percolation

The percolate of the press is also not processed according to correct spagyric procedures
comparable to paragraph 6.2.2. Moreover, various important ingredients are lost because the
percolation residue is not used any further.

6.2.4 Conjunctio

The conjunctio leading to the spagyric essence is achieved by joining 2 parts of press juice, 1
part of the percolate and 7 parts of ethanol 30%. As far as I know there is no reason for such a
procedure in all of the spagyric literature.

3
6.2.5 Evaluation of the process according to Krauss

The essential procedures for preparing spagyric essences are putrefaction, separation,
purification and cohobation of the three principles Sat, Sulfur and Mercurius. Using these
criteria it becomes immediately apparent that Krauss does not produce spagyric tinctures. The
putrefied substance is not distilled, which would be necessary to purify the volatile principles
of sulphur and mercury. Also the mineral substances are obtained only in incomplete and
non-purified form, because on one hand there is no calcination and signi/icant mineral
substances are left in the percolation residues. The dissociation as the beginning step of a spagyric
process does in itself not sufice to obtain a spagyric essence! Krauss is more differentiated
though in respect to the varying water content of different plants. He establishes the arbitrary
parameters of between 40 and 70% water content, as a determining factor in the use of
different calculatory formulas. There is however no direct connection between the amount of
the original substance and the amount of essence it yields, so that again we cannot achieve a
proper standardization.

6.3 Basic Spagyric Tinctures according to Heinz: Explanations to the process

according to Heinz.

Instruction # 31: This last official 2 procedure is titled: Basic Spagyric Tinctures and their
liquid dilution's.

Basic spagyric tinctures are prepared according to instruction #31 by using fresh plants or
parts of fresh plants in the following way. The plants or plant parts are finely minced. In an
appropriate vessel a mixture is made from 100 parts plant mass, 200 parts water and 0.05 parts
yeast. This mixtures is left to ferment at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius and is stirred
daily. As soon as the fermentation is completed, the fermented mass is adjusted to an
ethanol content of 10% to 15%. The ethanol resulting from the fermentation has to be
taken into account and 86% Ethanol is added to achieve the correct percentage where
necessary. In an appropriate vacuum apparatus the mass is pressure distilled at 3.2 bar 2 .
The distillate residue is dried and calcinated at a temperature of over 700 degrees Celsius.
The ashes are cooled down to 150 degrees Celsius and then mixed with the distillate. This
mixture is distilled at normal temperature. The distillate residue is dried and calcined
again at 850 degrees Celsius. The cold ashes are mixed in with the distillate. 24 hours after
combining ashes and distillate, the mixture is thoroughly stirred and after another 60 hours
it is filtered. The filtrate is the basic tincture (Illustration 15).

Then instructions for potentizing are given. Preparations according to instruction # 31 have
to carry the words “spag. bidest”. Basic spagyric tinctures according to Heinz are solely made
from fresh plant materials. There is no instruction on how to process dried plants. Also this
instruction does not at all take into account the varying water contents of fresh plants.
Further, there is no determination of the relationship between the weight of the plant and
amount of essence yielded with this procedure. Just like the other spagyric procedures
discussed so far, there is no standardization at all. The following paragraphs shall again
discuss the specifics of this procedure.

3
 Water Veast

Alcohol IBdagreas Celsius

FERMENTATIO

DisTlLLATlON
3,2 bar

ALCINATION
> f00 degrees
Celsius

Ashes

COHOBATION

DlSTILLATtON
100 degrees Celsius

/tes/dtze

CALCINATION > 850 degrees Celsius

Ashes

COHOBATION

FiLTRATlON

Illustration 15 -The process according to Heinz

3
6.3.1 Fermentation

The fermentation corresponds to that used in Zimpel/Glauber, but more water and less yeast
is added. After fermentation has been completed, alcohol is added prior to the distillation
process.

6.3.2 Pressure distillation

,The Alchemists did not know of pressure distlillation. When the fermented mass is exposed
for a lengthy period of time to temperatures around 130 - 135 degrees Celsius, temperature
sensitive substances are destroyed. Especially are fine aroma substances destroyed. There is
also a danger that the thickening plant mass burns during distillation and that the distillate is
altered by the empyreumatic substances. Junius also recommends as gentle temperatures as
possible [39]: “After the fermentation has been completed we employ gentle distillation -
preferable at low temperatures (vacuum!)”.

6.3.3 Calcination at over 700 and later 850 degrees Celsius.

The distillation residue is dried and calcined at more than 700 degrees Celsius. After the
second distillation the temperature is even increased to 850 degrees Celsius. These
temperatures are unnecessarily high. Different plant ashes become in danger of coalescing, of
forming a glass, or melting, which can lead to losses of solubility and in that way lessen the
quality of the product.

In practice we found that temperatures of 400 - 500 degrees Celsius are quite sufficient for
obtaining a light colored salt [40]: “A long calcination process at relatively low
temperatures (440 - 500 degrees Celsius) is always preferable to a short, vehement calcination
process.”

6.3.4 Second calcination at normal pressure

The Spagyricists often increased the power of their essences by distilling several times, and
then pouring the distillate over the purified residues again and again. This process is called
cohobation. Repeating the cohobation frequently can lead to rendering part of the residue
volatile, which then is added to the distillate. A simple repetition of the distillation and the
calcination process leads - alchemically - to a greater purity and potency of the spagyric
essence - so this special feature of the instruction is meaningful, even though its effect is
not very great considering that the cohobation is only repeated one time.

6.3.5 Evaluation of the process according to Heinz

This procedure attends to the essential procedural steps of a spagyric process, but in parts is
incomplete. The essences won with this procedure definitively earn the name ‘spagyric’. As
we mentioned, problems arise through the use of pressure distillation and through the very high
calcination temperatures. Also the greatly varying water contents of plants are not taken into
occotint, so that n standardized quality of the essences cannot be guaranteed. Also the
addition of the
ashes to the distillate is problematic as we have already discussed22q But no mineral
substances are lost, because the entire distillation residue is retained for further use.
3
7. The complete spagyric process according to Krummenacher

As we have seen, none of the official procedures completely satisfy all spagyric criteria. While
the processes of Zimpel/Glauber and Heinz can be called spagyric, Krauss's method deviates
so markedly from the basic SPAGYRIC process that essences won with this method actually
do not deserve the name ‘spagyric’. All official procedures share in the initial step of
putrefaction. The differences appear when we look at the processing of the putrefied
substance. Simplifications introduced - probably because of commercial advantages - lead to
deviations from the basic spagyric process and a significant loss of quality. fExample: loss of salts by
discarding the pressed plant juice after distillation). For all these reasons the author wanted
for years to develop his own stringent method for preparing spagyric plant essences. High
quality spagyrics has to follow the traditional spagyric concepts, if the essences obtained sha!l
rightfully deserve that name. Simplifications cannot be allowed if they lead to a loss of quality in the
final product. As we have seen in section 4, the typical spagyric process follows four basic
steps:

1. The Putrefaction (putrefaction) or fermentation

2. The Separation (Separation) of the principles
3. The Purification (Purification) of the principles
4. The Cohobation (Cohobation or conjunction) of the principles
or the chymical marriage, yielding the spagyric essence

We need to follow these steps unwaveringly, and the essences obtained th0t MO] need also to satisfy the
iTlOJCTR Criteria regarding the production of remedies. Most importantly spagyric essences
should be standardized as fully as possible. This standardization cannot be applied to single
substances, because the character of a spagyric essence lies in the combination of different
substance properties. The following traditional and modern criteria have to be satisfied when
preparing spagyric essences:

Trade tlDnal
a) Use of fresh plants wherever possible
b) complete yeast fermentation at room temperature
c) gentle distillation to preserve all aroma substances
d) Incineration and calcination at the necessary (but not unnecessarily
high) temperatures
e) use of the entire plant substance
I) isolation of the soluble salt particles before adding them to the distillate

Modern
a) Standardization by drying guarantees a constant proportion of the amount of the original
plant substance and of the final product.
b) Setting the alcohol content to a fixed value in the spagyric essence
c) Vacuum distillation as a particularly gentle procedure
d) Using defined temperatures during calcination
The complete spagyric process according to KRUMMENACHER stringently satisfies the
modern as well as the traditional criteria.

3
7.1 Directions: Complete Basic Spagyric Tinctures and their Dilutions23

Complete basic spagyric tinctures are -when ever possible - prepared from fresh plants or
parts of fresh plants according to the following prescription - dried plants can be used as
an exception. The plant or the parts of the plant are finely minced (cut into very small
pieces). A sample is taken and the loss from drying (T) is determined by percentage. The
total plant weight M (measured in kilograms) gives us the targeted amount of the basic
tincture according to the formula:

U = 0.1 x M x (100 - T) [kg].

The amounts of water, saccharose and yeast necessary for the fermentation process are
determined according to the formulas:

Amount of water W= U [kg]

Saccharose S = 30 x U [g]
Yeast H = 2 x U [g]

The entire amount of water is poured into a container appropriate for fermentation and the
saccharose is disolved therein. The yeast is stirred into the solution and the minced plant
mass is added. If the plant mass is not covered at least a little with the water, more water
should be added until it is covered. The container is left to ferment at a temperature of 15 to
25 degrees Celsius and is to be stirred thoroughly every day, during which process plant parts
that rose to the top should be pushed back down. As soon as the fermentation has stopped,
the entire mass is distilled while under vacuum. At a pressure of 135 millibar two portions are
collected:

Portion 1 = F1 = 0.7 x U [kg]

Portion 2 = F2 = 0.15 x U [kg]

The ethanol content A (as a percentage of the weight) of portion 1(distillate =D) is
determined. Then the required amount of AE - 94% Ethanol - (W/W) is added:

AE = (1/94) x (22 x U - A x D) [kg]

The distillation residue is dried, burnt and completely incinerated at a temperature of 480 -
520 degrees Celsius. With boiling water the soluble salts are completely extracted from the
ashes. The salt extracts are filtered and evaporated to dryness Enough of portion 1 (distillate
containing alcohol) is now applied to dissolve the salts. New impurities can appear which are
to be filtered off. The clear solution is mixed into the remaining amount of the alcoholic
portion 1. Finally enough of portion 2 is added to the mixture to make the total amount match
the targeted amount . The resulting liquid is the basic tincture. (Illustration 16). If the tincture
is eventually to be raised to a higher power (potentized), calculations are to be based on the
determination that the basic tincture corresponds to the first decimal dilution. ((i2I = D1) (this
refers to the homeopathic process.))

3
I/I/'afer Saccharose

FERMENTATION
15 -25 degrees Celsius

VACUUM
DisTlLLATlON Alcohol

INCINERATION 4B0- 520 degrees Celsius

Ashes Water

SALT EXTRACTION

FiLTRATlON

DRYING PROCESS

Rure COHOBATION

Illustration 16: The process according to Krummenacher

3
7.2 Explanations concerning the process according to KRUMMENACHER

The following paragraphs discuss each step of the complete spagyric process in detail:

7.2.1 Preparation of the plant material

Whenever possible, newly harvested plants shall be used in fresh or frozen state. Dry plants
should only be used as an exception, when no fresh plants are obtainable, and have to be of
impeccable quality. A relation of 1:10 between dry plant cod spagyric essence has been proven
optimal. This proportion has also been used in prescription # 26 (basic tinctures from dry
plants according to Zimpel). Even though basic spagyric tinctures are generally used
undiluted, the choice of the proportion 1:10 offers the advantage of allowing a simple
preparation of homeopathic decimal potencies, since the basic spagyric tincture is equivalent
to D1.

7.2.2 Addition of sugar

We already proved in paragraph 6.2.1 that the addition of sugar is historically legitimate.
Tests have shown the addition of sugar to even be necessary if we want to guarantee an
even quality of the spagyric essences. The plants with very high water content and/or those
with a low proportion of carbohydrates conducive to fermentation, often ferment only
weakly without addition of sugar. These concoctions frequently develop fungi or become
putrid, which is not acceptable. If we use sugar however, we always achieve a vigorous
fermentation. The resulting carbon dioxide takes only a short while to expel oxygen and
other gases from the fermenting liquid, leading to an anaerobic and slightly acid milielq.
These are good conditions for the yeast to multiply, while rival bacteria are hindered or
eliminated. Further it is only through vigorous fermentation that the desired fine aroma
substances are developed: they do not develop if the fermentation is weak.

7.2.3 Preparation for the fermentation process

Only after water, sugar and yeast are mixed, is the plant bulk added. This way we achieve a
more complete covering of all plants with a sufficiently dense yeast population which leads to
a higher quality fermentation than a retroactive mixing in of yeast into the liquid plant
mass. The procedure described above fosters a quick onset of fermentation and hinders the
growth of unwanted bacteria; it has proven to be highly successful in the work of the
author.

7.2.4 Completion of the Fermentation Process (Putrefaction)

We achieve the best fermentation if the plant mass is completely covered with water. That is
why‘it is sometimes necessary to add water until the entire plant mass is covered. The carbon
dioxide resulting from the fermentation however will again and again push parts of the plant
mass above the liquid surface, which makes it necessary to regularly stir and push the plants
back down. The substance has to ferment completely. The fermentation process is complete if
no more carbon dioxide is produced and the plant parts sink to the bottom of the container.

3
7.2.5 Vacuum Distillation (Separation and Purification of Sulfur and Mercury)

The pressure of 135 millibar corresponds to a boiling temperature initially of 50 degrees

rising to 52.5 degrees Celsius in the end. When treated gently in this manner, use fully retain
the aroma substances resulting from the fermentation. If we compare the essence resulting
from this procedure with one prepared at normal or high pressure, the difference is amazing.
Today, most sources hold that vacuum distillation was not invented until around 1800. But
studying the old texts leads to the conclusion that as early as the mid sixteenth century, this
method must have been known to alchemists who seem to have used it as a special
refinement. [41) It is necessary to collect two portions. Only in this way can we fix the
alcohol content to a specific value, and avoid ending up with too much total tincture.

7.2.6 Standardization of the Alcohol Content

The spagyric essences prepared according to the prescription by Krummenacher are standardized to
exactly 22.0% (W/W) Ethanol. The formula given yields the amount of the alcohol necessary
to achieve an exact value of 22.0% in the targeted amount of the basic tincture. The intrinsic
alcohol content of the fermented mixture is calculated 24. The value of 22,0% ethanol has not
been randomly chosen. It rather constitutes an optimal compr0mise taking into consideration
the solubilit y of essential components and bacterial stability. The alcohol content must be at
least 18- 20% if bacterial spoilage is to be avoided. On the other hand the alcohol content
should not be too high either, in order to ensure that all water soluble salts are dissolved. Too
little alcohol also would lead to a separation of the ethereal oils.

7.2.7 Obtaining the calcined ashes (Separation of the Salt)

Each plant ash can be completely calcined at a temperature of 500 degrees Celsius, i.e. all
organic components are completely burnt. Again this temperature constitutes an optimum: It
is low enough to not scorify any ashes, and yet it is high enough that only mineral substances
are left afterwards. However there are at times certain manipulations necessary to obtain the
desired results - we will not discuss these measures in this context 25

7.2.8 Purification of the Salts (Purification Salis)

In 6.1.8 we discussed the problems occurring when ashes are added directly to the distillate.
The quality of a spagyric essence is strongly dependent on the purity of the snfts, which are added to
the distillate in the process of cohobation. That is why the salts have to be isolated and
purified before they are added to the distillate. Here also some measures are known which
lead to particularly pure salts.

7.2.9 Addition into the Spagyric Essence (Cohobation towards the Quintessence)

Often the purified salts dissolve in the distillate without residue. Sometimes however a
slightly cloudy fallout occurs (feces), which needs to be removed. In the process of cohobation
we obtain a product - the complete spagyric essence - which is often colored and has an
intense aromatic fragrance.

3
7.3 Evaluation of the Process according to KRUMMENACHER

This procedure takes into account all of the initial criteria. The three essential Alchemical
principles Sal, Sulfur and Mercurius are obtained in purified form without any losses. Thus
the procedure merits the name “complete spagyric process”. The amount of the product being
in fixed proportion to the dry mass of the plant, the process is independent of the water
content of the original plant species. In that way essences from fresh plants can be compared
with essences from dry plants, which none of the other methods achieve. The fixed alcohol
content of the complete spagyric essence constitutes another advantage, also in respect to the
legal obligation to indicate the level of alcohol contents.

8. Effectiveness of spagyric essences

As we mentioned in the beginning of chapter 3, up to now we have no clinical studies that

satisfy modem criteria of pharmacological research. Therefore the effectiveness of
spagyric essences has not been scientifically proven for the time being. When new
medicinal substances are introduced, controlled clinical studies are required in order to
research them toxicologically, and to prove their effectiveness and suitability for use in the
human organism. This is appropriate and necessary, if we wish to achieve a high degree of
pharmacological safety.

But it would seem to be going too far to apply this rule to spagyric essences (which are not
new substances). We have more than a hundred years of documented experience - especially
in Germany - in the use of spagyric products, without any toxic effects ever being reported.
The non-toxicity of the spagyric essences can also be argued analytically: there are no toxic
components in the spagyric end product, even if there are toxic substances in the original
plant, because of the specific procedures followed in obtaining the spagyric essences.
Therefore it can be shown that even if we obtain spagyric essences from poisonous plants, the
tinctures will always show a concentration below the toxicity level when taken 26 This also is
affirmed by the unanimous statements of the alchemists of all centuries; that by spagyric
procedures we obtain only “lovely, non-toxic and agreeable essences”.

Many passages in the Alchemical literature point to the high effectiveness of spagyric
essences. For Example Johann R. Glauber writes[43]:” As to the powers of such essences -
each has the same effect as the herb or plant itself, but in a much lower dose it proves to be
more effective by a thousand fold.” The tenor of the testimonies to a high effectiveness of
spagyric products is unanimous in Alchemical literature. They all point to a manifold increase
in effectiveness. (compared with non-spagyric preparations from the same plant, so that it
paid off the great effort and costs in preparing them. These statements may today rightly
be viewed with skepticism. But also the non-A1chemica1 literature contains descriptions of
near- miraculous effects of spagyric products. It seems probable that there must be some
truth to these testimonies. In earlier times Paracelsus built his fame with cures using
spagyric remedies. Even today we can observe amazing results when we use these
essences. The experiences of recent decades - even though not statistically consolidated -
also are an important indicator for future research, that will probably show positive
results. We should give spagyrics a chance to prove itself today. In order to achieve this
however, we first have to provide high quality spagyrica to the health profession.

3
9. Guidelines for the therapy with spagyric essences

Glauber writes about the use of spagyric essences [44]: “... such (effect) can be understood first
by observing the signature of the plant, and second by consulting a good herbarium. This
passage shows, that the effect is fully in line with classical phytotherapeutics. We just have
to add that the range of effects is wider than in non-spagyric phytopharmaca, because the
spagyric products represent the entire being (essence) of the plant, and not only a part thereof.
Spagyric essences contain many substances that we can also find in traditional
preparations, and these substances are often thought to give rise to the effectiveness of the
spagyric products. This applies especially to essences from plants containing ethereal oils.
Modern pharmacologists are not surprised that the spagyric and non-spagyric (traditional)
remedies apply to the same range of symptoms and illnesses in this case. In other cases it
is more difficult to find a reason for the effectiveness of the spagyric remedies. Especially
when we deal with plants that contain tannic acid or alkaloids. These substances are
“destroyed” in the spagyric process, and a purely chemical-analytic analysis no longer
suffices to explain why and how the spagyric essence from such plants is effective. But yet -
the situation does not change: They effects still go along with that of traditional remedies
prepared from such plants. The results of long-standing use of spa yric essences has led to a
“spagyric remedy system.” [45], which describes about 300 spagyric remedies and their
range of effects. This system shows that there is an obvious congruence with the effects of
the plants as described by modern phytotherapy. But the congruence is not complete! Often
the range of indications - as experience shows - is much wider for the spagyric remedies,
and sometimes their effect resembles that of homeopathic preparations from that plant.

There is an amazing and peculiar relation between the effects of spagyric remedies and that of
homeopathic ones. First that may seem like a contradiction. How could a preparation be both
allopathic and at the same time homeopathic in effect? We can give an Alchemical
explanation for this phenomenon: The theoretical basis of the homeopathic system of
Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755 - 1843) can be outlined as follows: Rhythmical
shaking (or grinding in the case of pulverized remedies) in increasing dilutions transmits the
remedial “information” of the original substance (here: the plant) into the carrier (diluting or
solvent) substance, (most often alcohol or lactose). This process is called “homeopathic
potentizing”. With increasing dilution the actual physical substance is in effect reduced to
nothing, while its “information” or effective principle has been separated from its material
vehicle. This effective principle now appears in subtle form in the homeopathic remedy. The
effect range of the plant then is reversed: a homeopathic remedy is effective to counteract the
symptomatic (toxicological) picture that the undiluted substance would evoke in the patient if
taken in high doses. (This is called the “Simile” principle - “simila similibus curantur” [like
cures like]). Generally Hahnemann is viewed as the discoverer of the Simile principle. But
most people do not know that earlier on Paracelsus was very familiar with this principle [46]:
“because the good cures the bad that is connected with it. An example: that which causes the
jaundice, cures the jaundice. This shows that in every thing resides both good and bad - from
the bad comes the jaundice, from the good which resides alongside the bad and needs to be
dissociated from the bad, we find the arcanum which is effective against the jaundice. ..
because the remedy that shall heal the illness has to emerge from the same thing that causes
it.” In the first part of this quote the homeopathic law is explicitly stated, in the second part

3
however Paracelsus emphasizes the condition under which the Simile principle is valid: The
necessity of first separating remedy and poison. According to Paracelsus the spagyric
dissociation is the first condition for obtaining the pure remedial power - as we outlined:
the healing polarity of the arcana. However, the Homeopaths are not dissociating the
polarities strictly speaking (their process lacks the step of putrefaction). But the Simile
principle remains the same according to this quote of Paracelsus in the case of spagyrics, and it
yields excellent results in practice. But since the spagyric process is able to separate the
healing principle in a much more complete way than homeopathy, the effects are even more
intense. The spagyric remedies are able to bridge the paradox combining allopathic and
homeopathic effects.

We can find further reasons for this twofold effect by giving a simple description of the
Alchemical understanding of illness and health: from a Hermetic perspective health is
nothing but the complete harmony of the powers functioning in the body. Harmony means a
“ balanced, even and lawful relationship of the parts to each other.’[47]. We know that “parts”
here means the principles of Sat, Sulphur and Mercurius, each containing the polarities of
remedy and poison. We can find health only if body, soul and spirit are in a balanced relation
to each other. If we find a disharmonic interplay of these principles, there will be discomfort
at first, later, if the disharmony continues illnesses will manifest. Illness thus is an essential
imbalance in the crucible of all gross and subtle forces in man - in body, soul and spirit. We
can regain health only by eliminating the imbalance and thus withdrawing the causes for
illness. Illness as a disharmony of forces can be defined within the vibrational model (see
beginning chapter) and can be seen as an interference in frequency, quality and quantity of
these forces. For example, a certain illness can be caused by an excess or lack of energy - an
imbalance of quantity. Another cause for illness could be higher or lower frequency range
than normal or an imbalance in quality. Alchemically speaking this means that illness is an
imbalance and non-alignment of sa1, sulphur and mercury and can have physical, soul-level or
spiritual roots. There are few illnesses rooted in the imbalance of only one principle. Most of
the time two or all three principles are affected. If we want to heal the illness, we have to use
measures that solve the basic imbalance. We also have to find the appropriate remedy for
compensating the disharmony. The main consideration in choosing such a measure is -
staying within the physics analogy - that a vibrating physical system can only be influenced
by vibrations that resonate with the target system. Both - the patient and the remedy - have to
be “related” to each other. Healing plants that show in the range of their effects similarities to
the symptoms of the patient answer to this consideration. Their effects “resonate” with the
illness. All remedies ultimately fall under this law. Allopathic as well as homeopathic
remedies show an energetic resonance to the illnesses they cure. The range of symptoms
however covers the pair of polarities, and we need to keep in mind that the healing and the
toxic effects are only extremes on the same vibrational continuum.

On the level of the arcana, the contradiction between allopathy and homeopathy is only
illusory, however on the level of the illness, the two approaches are polar opposites. The
difference in effect comes about as a consequence of different methods of preparation and
levels of indication.

- Allopathic remedies primarily impact the physical body - materially and substance wise, by

4
setting up a physiological interplay in the cell between remedy and receptors. The effect is
strong and penetrating, because of the direct impact of the healing agents.

That is why allopathic remedies are particularly successful if used in acute imbalances, that
need a strong corrective stimulus. Since however the toxic polarity has not been dissociated
from the harmonizing side of the arcana, the greatest problem that we have is in finding the
right dosage. The healing forces are strong, but they carry with them unwanted side effect5
(c.f. 3.2).

- Homeopathic remedies, in contrast, impact the physical level only in their lowest potencies -
more in the sense of a slight stimulant. In the higher potencies, where we can no longer find
any material trace of the original substance, we are dealing with the purely “informational”
aspect of the arcana, and the influence lies on the purely spiritual levels transferred to the
solvent. While allopathic and spagyric remedies are capable of directly acting as mediators of
the healing forces, homeopathic remedies can not do this because they lack the specific
chemical substances which convey the healing forces. Thus Homeopathic remedies are only
stimulating - via resonance - the self healing powers of the patient, and thus indirectly
stimulates tb.e relief of the symptoms.
Homeopathic remedies are of little value as first steps in acute cases. If the energy system of
the patient is very weakened and imbalanced, it does not suffice to only stimulate the self
healing forces. However, chronic cases respond well to homeopathic remedies. The
advantage of the homeopathic remedies is that there are no side effects, since there is not
sufficient amount of the original substance in these remedies, to cause the unwanted toxic side
to occur. But alchemically the homeopathic remedies are severely lacking. According to the
above quote by Paracelsus the spagyric dissociation is the condition for obtaining the pure
healing effect of a remedy. It is not enough to only potentize (dilute) the unchanged original
substance. The toxic and healing aspects of the arcanum remain intertwined. The transmitted
information still carries both polarities. But there is no observable effect, because the amount
of original substance is at most minimally low. Because in the potentizing procedure there is
no real dissociation of the polarities, the homeopathic remedies tend to show only slight
effects. This may be the reason why it is so hard to prove their effectiveness.

- Spagyric remedies however combine the effects of the allopathic and that of the homeopathic
remedies and contribute additional beneficial effects. They are able to transmit the healing
agents allopathically - thanks to the material components from the original plant. As a result
of the spagyric dissociation and separation of the toxic polarity from the healing aspect of the
arcana there are no harmful side effects - just as with the homeopathic remedies. However,
the reason is not the lack of material substance. Not only the “information” is transmitted, but
the refined and purified energies of the original substance. Therefore we can use spagyric
remedies both in acute and chronic conditions. Furthermore, they contain the physical, soul
and spirit forces of the original substances, and thus they are able to cure the imbalances of all
three levels. Neither allopathic nor homeopathic remedies can achieve this.

In summary, we can say that the therapeutic guidelines for the use of spagyric essences are
related to both allopathy and homeopathy. Spagyric remedies can be defined as a group of
remedies that show both homeopathic and allopathic effects. In other words: Spagyric

4
remedies are a balancing agent for any kind of deviation from the harmonious interplay of
forces in the organism. They are able to balance out the disharmonies, which some seek to
cure allopathically and others homeopathically.

10. Special features of basic spagyric tinctures.

Compared with current phytotherapeutica the spagyric remedies show some advantage
stemming from their special procedure of preparation, which we will discuss in the
following paragraphs.

10.1 Use of Plants and Waste Problems

Since generally the entire plant is used, there is hardly any waste produced in the
preparation of spagyric remedies. The production process ends with a - volume wise rather
insignificant - caput mortuum, which can be discarded without problems. The calcination
produces gases that can be considered harmless. Thus the use of the plant materials is more
complete and the spagyric process yields less waste than other production processes in use
today.

10.2 Alcohol contents and conservation

The alcohol content of spagyric remedies is 22%. Basic spagyric tinctures are therefore plant
preparations with low alcohol content, if we do not consider pressed juice from fresh plants.
But fresh juices have to be preserved and have only limited shelf life. Basic spagyric tinctures
however can be stored easily and do not spoil. On the contrary: storage leads to an
objective refinement of the essence, similar as in good wine.

10.3 Side effects

Basic Spagyric Tinctures are toxicologically harmless, even if they are won from poisonous
plants. The lack of side effects makes them nearly ideal plant remedies, especially in the field
of self medication.

10.4Incompatibilities

There is a problem in mixing different conventional plant tinctures, many of them being
incompatible with each other. Many plant substances - when mixed - lead to precipitation
which permits only limited mixture of remedies. Even the mixture of two basic plant tinctures
can lead to a precipitation of pharmacologically active components. The pharmacological
effects attributed to each remedy can not just be assumed for the mixture. The sum of the
indications of the two essences is different than that of each component. Therefore the
recommendation of mixed preparations as often commercially offered is questionable.

Spagyric tinctures do not show any incompatibility. The spagyric preparation eliminates most
substances that are chemically responsible for any precipitation (tannic acids etc.) We can mix
basic spagyric tinctures without problem. Thus the indications can be combined and a
systematic treatment becomes possible.
4
10.5 Analysis

Basic spagyric tinctures can be relatively easily identified by simple chemical procedures.
Especially chromatographic methods (DC, TLC, GC, HPLC) allow us to separate out clearly
defined tinctures. This is of great significance for quality control. The possibility of an
unambiguous chemical determination of spagyric essences is a great advantage over
homeopathic ones. A chemical- analytical identification of homeopathic remedies is only
possible in the lowest potencies, but cannot be shown at all for the higher potencies.

10.6 Advantages of Usage

The wide range of indications for any spagyric essence brings many practical advantages.
Relatively few essences and mixtures enable the treatment of a large number of different
illnesses. Also the therapist is already familiar with the range of effects of classical
phytotherapy, therefore there is no great additional effort needed to learn new ranges of
application. Because of their broad spectrum of effectiveness, spagyric essences are also
well suited for self medication.

10.7 Popularity

Because of their agreeable smell and taste, patients like to take spagyric essences. This
improves compliance.

10.8 Increase demand of natural products

The demand for naturally produced remedies is constantly increasing. Here Spagyrics can be
a valuable contributor, since spagyric products are natural remedies par excellence.
Furthermore spagyric remedies are part of the western tradition. We do not need to seek for
natural, traditional remedies in the East, but can rely on the experience of our own western
tradition.

ll. Classification of basic spagyric tinctures as a group of remedies

As we can deduce from the above paragraphs, spagyric remedies show characteristics of both
allopathic and homeopathic products. Spagyric remedies are chemically to be seen as a
special class of allopathic remedies, since they contain substances of the original plant that can
directly be determined by modern chemical analysis. What is new compared with the
established procedures is the fermentation process and the addition of mineral ingredients.
Therefore it is recommended that a new category for spagyric remedies be established. The
therapy guidelines show a certain similarity with those of homeopathy, but since there is no
diluting or potentizing process whatsoever, we cannot just assign spagyrica to the
homeopathic category. This again makes the definition of a whole new category necessary.
This necessity is not mitigated either by the fact that spagyric and homeopathic remedies
show similarities in non-toxicity and in lack of side effects. Therefore we suggest that all
preparations following the spagyric procedure should be assigned to a new category: the
Spagyric remedies (Spagyrica). Dilutions of spagyric remedies according to methods of

4
homeopathy could be grouped into the homeopathic remedies 2 . However, the current
pharmacological guidelines do not show this category. Based on the law of August 24th, 1976
the spagyric remedies are legally equated with homeopathic remedies 2 . This legal equating
with homeopathy makes it look as if the spagyric remedies are just a subclass of the
homeopathic ones. This is absolutely not the case, which clearly can be seen from the
reasoning above. Therefore the current pharmacological guidelines (HAB) are unsatisfactory
and urgently need to be corrected.

12. Final Remarks

I want to close with a quote by Karl Christoph Schmieder, which was written more than 150
years ago but nevertheless is still of burning factuality. Schmieder was a philosophy professor
in Kassel, and started with the opinion that Alchemy was a fairy tale without any relation to
reality. After 40 years of intensive studies he had to conclude, however, that the exact opposite
was true. This is what led him to open his “History of Alchemy” with the following words
[48]: “We rightfully would regard anyone with disdain who questions a fact long established.
For many my endeavor may seem to be just that. True, Alchemy lost its case in the first
instance, however if new evidence is found one can re-open a case and bring it to revision.
Even if centuries have passed, this right cannot be taken away. Because Truth is eternal and
cannot be decreed out of existence...” The last 14 years of studies and experience that the
writer of this document can look back on have shown clearly that this new evidence has
indeed been furnished. Spagyric essences deserve to be used again - and increasingly so - in
therapeutic practice.

4
Footnotes

(1) 1493 - 1541. Actually his name was Aureolus Philippus Theophrastus Bombastus Von
Hohenheim, known as “Paracelsus”. He was born in Einsiedeln, Switzerland.

(2) Essence - derived from Latin: essential. Term for extraction won by spagyric procedures,
containing the ‘essence’ of the original substance. For spagyric remedies this is a more
appropriate term than “basic tincture”.

(3) To be added are the so-called four elements, Fire, Water, Air and Earth, which
however shall not be discussed in the following. It would become too complex an article if
these were included. Fortunately we can skip the discussion of the elemental forces without
altering the facts given in this article.

(4) Possibly our current methods of measurement are simply not sensitive enough to be able to
detect the subtle energies of the arcana.

(5) This term will be thoroughly explained under 4. The basic spagyric process.

(6) It has remained unclear to this day who used this name to author several very significant
Alchemical writings. They certainly date back to the time around 1600 [10].

(7) What is meant here is no processing at all or a non-spagyric process - a common ‘chymical
procedure’ as it was called in those days.

(8) Valentinus clearly indicates here that his hypotheses can be tested experimentally.
The result of the spagyric process is a non-toxic, oily substance, the “oil of antimony”. This
Oil has been prepared by the writer of this article himself, and he can attest to the
correctness of Valentinus’ process. Also David Schein [10] reported the same result in his
PHD thesis.

(9) The basic dissociation process originated in putrefaction, which described in detail below,
is caused by the “inner fire of nature” and can be catalyzed by using the outer, ordinary fire.

(10) Please note the double meaning of the term Corpus: On one hand this term is often used
to describe the Alchemical principle of Salt, on the other hand it is the physically visible whole
that is composed of Sal, Sulfur and Mercurius.

(11) = still hidden. Invisible here does not refer to the arcana, but their material
correspondence as a trinity that is still hidden.

(12) = Life leaves him.

(13) Calcination, or Latin “Calcinatio”, is a procedure that has been well known to peoples of
old. It originally meant the manufacturing of burnt calcium and now is used to describe the
burning of substances at high temperatures. In Greek it is more fittingly called “titanosis”
(calcination). [18].

4
(14) derived from Latin = spiritus.

4
(15) The higher the frequency the more energy, life and motion defines the vibration. From
this viewpoint illnesses are a motion contrary to orgasmic life, i.e. processes that reduce
frequency. In the extreme, this reduction results in death, the cessation of motion. That is why
high frequency healing methods can often be successfully employed to heal illnesses; these
high frequencies have a vivifying effect that raises the vibrations.

(16) A detailed analysis of the process shows further steps, which are also described in
Alchemical literature. The main steps however are the four ones mentioned.

(17) There are, though, spagyric processes that do not employ yeast fermentation but true
putrefaction. Those procedures however only rarely serve the goals of yielding ingestible
spagyric essences; other goals are pursued which we will not describe here.

(18) The mineral substances occur mainly in form of carbonates and oxides. Therefore the
ashes are usually more or less alkaline. Most heavy metal carbonates or oxides are not soluble
at pH>7 in the presence of the anions mentioned

(19) derived from Latin + faex, faeces” - fallout, residue, also discard.

(20) The instructions # 33 to 37 are somewhat related to spagyric processes, but deviate
too much from the spagyric production methods described in the A #25 to 31. Therefore they
are not dealt with in the following argumentation.

(21) This pressure corresponds to a boiling temperature of pure alcohol at around 109
degrees or app. 134 degrees Celsius boiling temperature for pure water. The bubbling
temperature point therefore is about 130 - 131.5 degrees Celsius at the beginning of the
distillation process - depending on alcohol contents, and then is increased to 134 degrees.

(22) compare the explanations under 6.1.8

(23) This procedure is in the process of being patenfed internationally.

(24) Alcohol from the fermentation is found only in the distillate F1. Boiling at a lower
temperature, alcohol is distilled off at the beginning, so that the distillate F2 is free of alcohol.

(25) Various plants cannot be completely calcined by simple heating at temperatures of even
700 - 800 degrees Celsius. This only may yield a dark gray ash, that still contains large
amounts of carbon. (Equisetum arvense, Cynara scolymus and others ).

(26) The undiluted spagyric essence usually corresponds to the 4th decimal potency of the
homeopathic remedies. Even though these are strongly effective substances the concentration
is always below the level of toxicity. [42]”.

(27) Spagyrica in fact are very rarely potentized homeopathically, since the concentrated
essence is already completely non-toxic. There is no potentizing necessary since the spagyric
procedure in itself brings about an optimal unfoldment of the remedial powers.

(28) In a similar situation are the anthroposophical remedies, the biochemical functional
remedies (according to Schuessler) as well as the isopathic remedies (nosodes).

4
 Bibliography

[1] See: Karl Christoph Schmieder, History of alchemy, Ed. Buchhandlung des
Waisenhauses, Halle, 1832, pp. 24 ff.

[2] Kybalion, A study in hermetic philosophy of ancient Egypt and Greece, translated from
English by Hans Edo Schwerin, Akasha Publishing House Ltd. 1981

[3] Karl Sudhoff (Edit.), Theophrast Von Hohenheim, called Paracelsus, Complete Works in
14 volumes, Munich and Berlin 1922 - 1933, Vol. 9, p. 55

[4] Homeopathic Remedy Book, 1st edition 1978, (HABI), German Apothecary Publ. Stuttgart,
GOVI Publ. Ltd. Frankfurt

[5] Karl Sudhoff, vol. 8, p. 94

[6] as above, p. 185

[7) Kybalion, p. 27

[8] Karl Sudhoff, vol. 11, p. 137 f.

[9] In: Chymical writings of brother Basilii Valentini of the Benedictine order... in two parts,
Publ. Johann Naumans and Georg Wolff, Hamburg, 1677

[10] David A. Schein, Basilius Valentinus and his tinctures from Antimony, Doctoral Thesis,
Munich, 1977, p. 18

[11] Basilius Valentinus, Vol. 1, p. 353f.

[12] as above, p. 360

[13] Collection of various time tested chymical writings, such as: Joh. Isaac Hollandi, Hand of
the Philosopher, Opus Saturni, Opera Vegetabilia, Opus Minerale... Publ. Joh. Paul Krauss,
book dealer, Vienna 1773, p. 211

[14] See also: Hermann E. Helmrich, Spagyrics, old wine in new skins, Publ. Karl F. Hang Ltd.
Heidelberg, 1977, p. 89 f

[15]Karl Sudhoff, Vol. 9, p. 45 If

[16] as above, p.83

[17] as above, Vol. 3, p. 3

[18J See also: Friedemann Rex (Ed.) The Alchemy of Andreas Libavius - a textbook of
Chemistry from the year 1597, Publ. Chemie, Weinheim, 1964, p. 62

4
[19J I.C.H., Des Hermes Trismegists wahrer alter Naturweg, bey Adam Friedrich Bohme,
Leipzig 1782, S. 1 (Dieses Werk ist nur als Handschrift erhalten geblieben.
Hervorhebungen von mir)

[20]Anton Joseph Kirchmeger, Annulus Platonis (Aurea Catena Homeri) ..., Berlin und
Leipzig 1781, S. 138 I (Hervorhebungen von mir)

[21] Frater Albertas, Praktische Alchemie inn zwanzigsten Jahrhundert, Eine Abhandlung
uber Forschung, Versucheund Erfolge aus aller Welt, Paracelsus Research Society, Salt Lake
City, 1970, S. 195

[22] Johann Rudolf Glauber, Pharmacopoeiae Spagyricae, Oder Griindlicher Beschreibung,

Wie man aus den Vegetabilien, Animalien und Mineralien, auf eine besondere und leichtere
Manier gute, Krafftige und durchdringende Arzneyen zurichten und bereiten soil, Amsterdam
1654. Zu finden in: Glauberus Concentratus, Oder Kern der Glauberischen Schrifften ...,
Verlegts Michael Hubert, Leipzig und Bresslau 1715

[23]Johann Isaac Hollandus, Opera Vegetabilia, in: Sammlung unterschiedlicher bewahrter

Chymischer Schriften ..., Joh. Paul RrAlfS5, Wien 1746

[24]Urbigerus (Baro), Circulatum minus Urbigeranum, Oder das philosophische Elixier aus
dem Vegtabilischen Reiche, Benjamin Schiller, 1705

[25) U. a.: Tractatus de quinta essentia vini, in: Eroffnete Geheimnisse des Steins der
Weisen Oder Schatzkammer der Alchymie, darinnen die vortrefflichsten Schrifften derer
beruhmtesten altenund neuem Scribenten denen Liebhabern der Kunst dargestellet werden,
Hamburg 1718

(26]John Ferguson, Bibliotheca Chemica: A Catalogue of the alchemical, chemical and

pharmaceutical Books ..., James Maclehose and Sons, University of Glasgow 1906

[27]Die folgenden Angaben sind z. T. entnommen aus: Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung, 129.
Jahrg., Nr. 43, 26. 10. 90: Dr. Axel Helmstâdter, Pharmazie und Alchemie - Die spagyrischen
Vorschriften des HAB 1, S. 119 - 123

[28]Carl F. Zimpel, Der Medizinische Hausschatz, Neue und alte Heilmittel fur Jedermann.
Mit besonderer Rucksicht auf die Ars Spagyrica, und deren Anwendung zur Bereitung von
ausserordentlichen medizinischen Geheimmitteln, nebst einigen Bemerkungen uber die
Universalmedizin der Hermetik, Bern 1870

[29]Spagyrisches Heilverfahren nach Dr. med. Zimpel, Aus hinterlassenen Originalbriefen,

nach Angaben und Vorschriften des homoopathischen Arztes Dr. med. et phil. Carl
Friedrich Zimpel, zusammengestellt und fur die Freunde der spagyrischen Heilmethode
sowie fiir die Anhdnger der Naturheilkunde bearbeitet von Apotheker Carl Miller. Neu
iiberarbeitete Auflage 1978, Staufen-Pharma, Goppingen.

[30] HAB 1, Vorschriften Nr. 25 und 26

[31] op. cit., Nr. 27 - 30

48
[32]op. cit., Nr. 31

[33] Werke von Frater Albert us: Praktische Alchemie im zwanzigsten Jarhundert, Eine
Abhandlung uber Forschung, Versuche und Erfolge aus aller Welt, Paracelsus Research
Society, Salt Lake City, 1970. Femer: The Book on Antimony, The Seven Rays of the Q.B.L.,
Praxis Spaqyrica Philosophia u.a., alle Paracelsus Research Society, Salt Lake City.

[34] Manfred M. James, Pra ktisches Handbuch der Pflanzen-Alchemie, Ansata-Verlag,

Interlaken 1982

[35]Hermann E. Helmrich, a.a. O., S. 192 - 197

[36] Christophoro Heinrico Keil, Compendioses doch vollkommens philisophisches Hand-

Buch-lein, Verlegts Johann Gotlieb Vierling, Leipzig und Hof, 1736. S. 31

[37] Joh. Isaac Hollandus, Sammlung unterschiedlicher bewdhrter Chymischer Schriften, Wien,
1773, S. 143

[38] Glauberus Concentratus, Oder Kern der Glauberischen Schrifften ..., Verlegts Michael
Huherf, Leipzig und Bresslau 1715, S. 7 (Anmerkungen von mir)

[39]Manfred M. funius, a.a.O., S. 58

[40] op. cit., S. 95

[41] David A. Schein, a.a.O.,S. 58

[42]Spagyrische Pflanzen - Einzelessenzen nach Dr. med. Zimpel, Staufen-Pharma, Goppingen

[43] Glauberus Concentratus, Oder Kern der Glauberischen Schrifften ..., Verlegts Michael
Huhert, Leipzig und Bresslau 1715, S. 8

[44]op. cit., S. 8 (Anmerkungen von mir)

[45] Carl Nliiller (Verf.), Spagyrische Arzneimittellehre, Wissenschaftliche Abteilung der

Chem.-Pharmazeut. Fabrik Goppingen, Goppingen 1953. Bisher hat das Werk mehrere
Neuauflagen erlebt.

[46]Karl Sudñ oJa.a.O., Bd. 9, S. 481 f (Hervorhegungen von mir)

[47] Duderi, Das grosse Worterbuch der Deutschen Sprache, Bibliographisches Institut
Mannheim/Wein/Zurich, 1979, Bd. 3, S. 1149

[48J Karl Christoph Schmieder, a.a.O., S. 111

49