By Lacuna Medicinals • October 1, 2023

Spagyric (Spa-jeer-ik)

‘Spao’– To Separate

‘Agiero’– To Re-combine/Re-awaken

Spagyria represents a facet of Western Pharmacopoeia tracing its roots back to the early 1500s, attributed to a remarkable individual named Paracelsus. Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, known as Paracelsus, emerged as a physician, alchemist, and philosopher during the German Renaissance. He introduced the medicinal aspect of Alchemy and introduced the term "Spagyria” derived from the Greek words spaó and ageirō “to separate and reunite”. The general process used in Spagyrics consists of three main steps: separation, purification, and cohobation (recombination or the “chemical wedding”). The beginnings of this true hermetic art are to this day shrouded in obscurity. The spagyric method of preparation however, was known to many ancient cultures including ancient China, India and among the ancient Egyptians.

The very underpinnings of contemporary pharmaceuticals and even the realm of chemistry itself can be traced back to the innovations of Spagyric Technology.

Spagyria is an over-arching methodology to classify various types of remedial pharmacopoeia. To name a few, we have: Spagyric Essences, Spagyric Tinctures, Spagyric Clyssi, Spagyric Stones, and many more. Each of these work on various aspects of the multi-dimensional human. For example, Spagyric Essences often work with the Etheric Body and Astral Bodies, while Spagyric Tinctures work primarily with the Physical Body. 

It is said that without knowledge of astrological tools and methods, the production of a true alchemical medicine is not possible. Ailments often appear as a vibratory disharmony or dissonance to our particular waveform or field. From ancient traditions to modern day science, it is known that medicinal herbs and fungi have physiological effects on specific organ systems. The herbs/fungi are also considered to fall under the influence of a particular planet or sign of the zodiac. Using systems of correspondences, alchemical medicine seeks to restore the harmony of our true nature.

What we have available in our apothecary are Mushroom Spagyric Tinctures. What makes Spagyric Tinctures unique are the "plant salts" that get added back into the tincture base, facilitating a natural iatrochemical reaction between the potassium carbonate in the "salt" and the organic acids in the tincture. Each plant and their constituents are unique to this process.

The recombination of these three elements are known “three Philosophical principles” or “Three essentials” in Alchemy. Below are the meaning of the three essentials in alchemical terms.

Mercury: The principle of life, vital power, the “spirit” and in this case, the alcohol yielded from plant material.

Sulfur: The soul, always conscious and never anonymous. Represented by the essential oils in plants.

Salt: The solid, the body, the vehicle.

Through different catalytic reactions such as saponification, esterification and carboxylic acid salts, new compounds are formed. These reactions that occur enable the spagyric tincture to contain unique botanical esters and provide potassium-based electrolytes that are more physiologically and spiritually potent than standard herbal/fungal medicine. The byproducts made by spagyric tinctures are bioavailable and commonly known as the “pro drugs” in pharma.

what is a spagyric tincture?

Sources:

Bartlett, Robert Allen. Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy. Ibis Press, 2009.

Junius, Manfred. Spagyrics: The Alchemical Preparation of Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixers. Healing Arts Press, 2007.