Now, I’ll give an introduction on alchemy, a branch of magic focused
on attaining wealth.

Do you like money? Of course you do… Who among us doesn’t? It’s
human nature to want what one doesn’t have. There’s no escaping it.

Long before the days of King Midas, humans sought a way to create
gold from base elements. It wasn’t their dreams to gain gold like King
Midas, by touching things… Rather, they conceived of converting cheap
metals, such as iron or copper, into precious gold. That is alchemy.

Whatever their incentive for creating the science, it’s certain that
alchemy has significantly influenced history. The concept of alchemy
originated in Greek philosophy. Around 500 A.D., it was further
developed in Arabia, which became the center of alchemical studies…

The science later gained popularity in Europe as well. An interesting,
little-known branch of alchemy was created in China, called Rentan
Jutsu. This form of alchemy seeks to make an elixir of immortality,
instead of a magic recipe for gold.

Either way… the most important substance in the practice of alchemy
is mercury, or quicksilver. It was thought that mercury could be used to
create the Philosopher’s Stone, which would in turn generate gold.
Alchemists performed endless research, using various kinds of
equipment and experimental methods.

Today, people believe that if not for the alchemists’ trial and error,
there would be no chemistry as we know it. But there’s no indication
that a Philosopher’s Stone was ever actually made. In a way, it’s one of
the greatest tragedies of world history…

Now, alchemy has also influenced human psychology. Carl Jung,
among others, thought that the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone is
related to the human mind. Jung believed that the process of
psychotherapy is similar to the way a Philosopher’s Stone would
work…