The alchemical process is traditionally divided into several stages, each representing a phase of spiritual evolution. These stages are often described using symbolic colors: black (nigredo), white (albedo), yellow (citrinitas), and red (rubedo). Nigredo, the black stage, signifies the dissolution and purification of the old self. It is a time of inner darkness and introspection, where the alchemist confronts and dissolves the ego’s impurities. Albedo, the white stage, represents the washing away of these impurities, resulting in a state of spiritual clarity and enlightenment. Citrinitas, the yellow stage, marks the awakening of higher consciousness, where the alchemist begins to perceive the divine within. Finally, rubedo, the red stage, symbolizes the union of opposites and the achievement of spiritual wholeness.

Central to alchemy is the concept of the prima materia, the primordial substance from which all things arise. This substance is both the starting point and the goal of the alchemical work. It is the undifferentiated matter that contains the potential for all creation. The alchemist’s task is to identify, purify, and transform the prima materia, extracting its latent essence and bringing it to perfection. This process is mirrored in the alchemist’s own journey of self-discovery and inner transformation.

The alchemical laboratory, with its furnaces, retorts, and alembics, is not merely a place for chemical experiments. It is a sacred space, a microcosm of the universe where the alchemist engages in a mystical dialogue with nature. Each operation performed in the laboratory is a ritual act, imbued with spiritual significance. The substances used in alchemy are not inert materials but living entities, each possessing its own soul and spirit. The alchemist, therefore, must approach the work with reverence and humility, recognizing the divine presence in all things.