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Sylvia Rose

Spiritual Alchemy: Cupellation Process

Cupellation involves smelting and manipulation of metals to improve their qualities or separate them into components. Silver is often smelted from lead using the process of cupellation. The alchemist coaxes precious metals from red-hot ores with care.




glowing potions on shelves
Spiritual Alchemy


In spiritual alchemy, there's no risk of going up in flames. Alchemy methods can be used for spiritual enlightenment, self-improvement, health and well-being. A technique can be used in itself, or as part of a larger process, bearing in mind the overall process of life itself.


For background info, take a glance at the process of cupellation for metals. The physical aspect sheds more light onto the spiritual side and promotes thinking in a holistic way.



fire in the furnace


In this process, with spiritual alchemy, unfavorable elements are released or rejected through awareness and psychic manipulation. The quintessence of the subject (practitioner) becomes clear.


The shining life force inherent in all things, quintessence connects to the anima mundi, world soul or collective unconscious. Likewise this energy attunes to the physical world, creating a bridge between the individual and the Whole.



a beautiful sunset
beautiful sunset

Deep within the levels of consciousness lie entanglements and fusions, created naturally in response to incoming and recurring stimuli. The practitioner may not even be aware of these, but they can block essential energy. Conversely they can create important connections.



Thus it's important to reduce inner elements down to their simplest states. Some are more complex than imagined. The point is to draw out the valuable nuggets within, without a lot of time spent to navigate needless roadblocks.



a lot of people lost in a maze


The alchemist doesn't always know what exists within an ore. For instance it's hard to see the silver in lead. Silver has a ~3x higher heating point than lead. The lead melts away as slag and silver remains. The process can be repeated until the desired purification is reached.


To the ancients, this kind of metallurgy is magical. Magic plays a strong role in the spirituality of early civilizations including Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, India, China and more. It's part of daily life and spirituality. Physicians incorporate magic into the nature of healing.



green glass potion bottle
potion bottle

Using the magic of metals one can understand the process of transmutation, or changing an element to another. In spiritual alchemy, processes for bringing out gold and silver from base metal are skills to be honed. Experimentation is encouraged.


Basically, the process takes the understanding of the Self and examines it from all sides, like the metal manipulation of the alchemist. Within this base metal exists something precious. It is the quintessence of life. Its glow seems blocked.



lots of suitcases and baggage
... looks like these have been here a while

Shaping and manipulating metals is like "mulling things over" in the mind. What is blocking the glow of the soul light? Sometimes it's denial or suppression of a characteristic one deems as wrong, based on the perceived judgment of others. Perhaps it's an ill-fitting persona.


Perhaps the focus is too many projects or too many favors for friends. Maybe these shapeless activities are a distraction from vital elements a person doesn't want to face. Too many minds can split a person apart.



a fragment of her former self


Look for "inclusions", elements in rocks or metals that change the properties of the metal or rock. For instance Himalayan rock salt is pink due to iron oxide inclusions. If the iron's taken out, the substance loses its distinctions and becomes like any other rock salt.


Some inclusions add dynamic traits to a substance, like insects in amber. These make the substance, or psyche, unique and individual. They may seem unfavorable due to the societal pressures to "fit in". They can also deflect from the real issue.



Himalayan Rock Salt
Himalayan Rock Salt

The point is to focus on the "precious" elements, which may be luck, special traits or skills, virtues like compassion and forgiveness. The more a person focusses on a thing, the bigger it becomes, whether harmful or beneficial.


One person can't tell another how to manage this process. It's based on unique individual composition and part of the larger process of life. Spiritual alchemy can guide a seeker but cannot provide simple answers like a trivia game.



answers this way


There are many ways to approach a situation in spiritual alchemy. Meditation is always good. Automatic writing or drawing can pull up images, symbols and reveal unseen connections.


Or, a practitioner can "consume" or take in ingredients as thoughts, by reading and research, and let them percolate to find their forms and perspectives. Dreams may produce symbols or feelings especially relevant to the experience of the process or condition.



butterfly in hands

In cupellation one focuses on qualities desired and lets the rest drizzle into slag. Maybe someday it will be melted down, too. Meanwhile, we are grateful for the amazing qualities deep within the mysterious, delightful thing we call Self.



Non-Fiction Books:


Fiction Books:

READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure

READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series

READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries






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