What does a circle represent in alchemy?
Circle: the symbol of perfection. The circle signifies the perfect, eternal spiritual realm in contrast to the square, which signifies the earth, the corruptible world of illusion, the four elements, the four arms of the earthly cross.
What does the transmutation circle mean?
A transmutation circle is believed to help an alchemist focus his energy to change one item into another, such as lead into gold.
What do alchemy symbols represent?
Alchemical symbols, originally devised as part of alchemy, were used to denote some elements and some compounds until the 18th century. Although notation like this was mostly standardized, style and symbol varied between alchemists, so this page mainly lists the most common ones.
What are the 7 alchemical metals?
Alchemists were convinced that mercury transcended both the solid and liquid states, both earth and heaven, both life and death. Mercury is one of the seven metals of alchemy (gold, silver, mercury, copper, lead, iron & tin).
What is squaring the circle in alchemy?
In Euclidean geometry, squaring the circle was a long-standing mathematical puzzle that was proved impossible in the 19th century. The term also has been used as a symbol in alchemy, particularly in the 17th century, and it has a metaphorical meaning: attempting anything that seems impossible.
What are the rules of alchemy?
The 11 rules of succeeding with nonsensical ideas, according to an advertising legend
- The opposite of a good idea can be another good idea.
- Don’t design for average.
- It doesn’t pay to be logical when everybody else is being logical.
- The nature of our attention affects the nature of our experience.
What is the alchemy symbol for life?
The air symbol in alchemy can also represent a life-giving force, and it is associated with the colors white and blue. Hippocrates associated air with blood. Air’s symbol is an upward triangle bisected by a horizontal line, and you might notice it is the Earth symbol, inverted.
What metal represents death?
As it is toxic, mercury is often viewed as a metal of death, transformation, and mystery, similar to lead.
How many alchemical symbols are there?
The 22 Key Alchemy Symbols and Their Meanings.