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Plant flavanoid may help prevent leukemia
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USDA Classifies PETA as a Terrorist Threat
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/peta-classified-terrorist-threat.php?campaign=TH_sbr_popular

Hungry Immune Guardians Are Snappier: Nutrition Has a Direct Influence on the Immune System
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100120131153.htm

Obama Goes To GOP Lions’ Den—And Mauls The Lions
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Changing the Balance of Power: 16 Geopolitical Megatrends Affecting Every Aspect of your Life
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Study Proves Three Monsanto Corn Varieties’ Noxiousness to the Organism
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Dear Rush…
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Tony Blair Forced to Testify on War Crimes
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Harmful Effects Of Industrial Food

Our great grandparents ate traditional foods. Farm animals were grass fed and allowed to roam free. Farmers learned of good agriculture practices such as crop rotation and natural deterrents for pests. Somehow, fruits and vegetables grew well in gardens without the use of pesticides and germicides. When our great grandmothers cooked meals they were from these natural wholesome ingredients. In many ways, it was a simpler time. There were no diseases with strange sounding names and cancer was relatively on heard of. In our great grandparents age there was no such thing as genetically altered foods or mad cow disease.
Today our foods are processed and inundated with additives and preservatives. Livestock and poultry are confined to living quarters smaller than a closet, where they are expected to live out their lives, until they are slaughtered. These vegetarian animals are routinely fed byproducts of other animals in their feed. When diseases from these practices are forthcoming, they are shot up with antibiotics.

Ours meal are likely to come out of a box or a can or out of the frozen food isle, ready to be popped into the microwave. Snacks that are loaded with sugars and corn syrup can be purchased at the 7/11 and are designed with their extended shelf life in mind. Food labels perplex us with their mysterious long strange sounding names.

Everywhere we look, we hear horror stories about the contamination of foods and toxins within the containers that store them. Just the other day there was a news story about the connection between BPA, (the ingredient used in the lining of metal cans and plastic bottles) and many diseases. Now they say BPA is linked with heart disease, type II diabetes, cancer, and liver enzyme abnormalities. Too bad we didn’t know that sooner or we might not have had that can or ravioli for lunch or fed our baby that canned baby formula.

We have learned that we should not leave our plastic water bottles in the car and that there might be something dangerous with the lining of our microwave popcorn bag. Now they tell us not to microwave in plastic containers and that film on our TV dinners could make us sick. Think of all the people in the world walking around with plastic in their bodies. Of course, no one ever told us any of these things could happen. It’s no wonder we have some new diseases today. With the FDA, who need enemies? It’s enough to make our great grandparents roll over in their graves.



By Renee Rotto

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Coming Soon to a (Toxic) Farm Near You: Monsanto's Genetically Modified Wheat
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Older Brains Make Good Use of 'Useless' Information
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Low-Carb Diet Effective at Lowering Blood Pressure
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Plug Your iPod Into Your T-Shirt for Power?
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Health Buzz: WHO Says H1N1 Threat Not Inflated
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5 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp
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25 New Year's Resolutions for Going Green in 2010
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Even medical students want conventional medicine to include alternative therapies
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Study links thyroid disease to non-stick chemicals
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Obesity drug used by 86,000 patients is suspended over heart attack fears
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Celery is an Ancient Healing Food
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Pesticides are killing birds, bees, and bats by the millions
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Stain Repellent Chemical Linked to Thyroid Disease in Adults
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Scientists Capture Haiti Disaster With High-Tech Imaging System
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Solar Power Is Now an Option for Even the Most Cash-Strapped Suburbanites
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Group Urges Recall of Drug for Fibromyalgia
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Zero deaths caused by vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbs
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HIV Infection Prematurely Ages the Brain
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Scientists Show How Brain Tumors Outsmart Drugs
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Global Warming Increases Flood Risk in Mountain Areas
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The Best Varieties of Blueberries for Container Gardening

Blueberries are very healthful and considered a renowned superfood by most. When something is this good for you, it deserves to be available fresh, all year round. Growing your own blueberries in a container garden is simple, fun and immensely rewarding.



You will want to choose between the different dwarf blueberries varieties for your container garden. Other blueberries would require much more room than even the largest container would provide. The dwarf blueberry bush will provide you with about four months of full sized blueberries per year.



Choose a blueberry bush that is between two and three years old if you want to have blueberries that year. Your local garden shop will carry the best dwarf blueberry varieties for your area, but if you have already decided on a variety they don’t have, you can shop online.



Blueberries are self-pollinating, but if you purchase two plants instead of just one you will probably produce a bigger yield due to their cross pollination. Most all dwarf blueberry varieties will produce a small harvest by their third year. Every year afterwards, the rewards will be greater. Long about your forth or fifth season, you will find yourself freezing blueberries for the winter.



The best dwarf blueberry varieties for container gardens are, Sunshine Blue, Northsky, Bluecrop, Earliblue and Tophat. Which dwarf blueberry variety you choose will depend on which grows the best for your location.



Sunshine Blue

Sunshine Blue is considered the best choice for the southern container garden. Only needing about 150 hours of winter chill it can grow in even sub tropical climates. It stands at about three feet high and yields large berries that ripen in July.



Northsky

Northsky remains a favorite for very cold climates. Although it only grows in height to about eighteen inches, it can spread as much as three feet given the opportunity. Look for ripe berries around the end of July.



Bluecrop

Bluecrop is also a cold hearty plant but is drought resistant as well. If your not a plant nurturer and sometimes forget to water, this plant will forgive you, to an extent.



Earliblue

Earliblue is similar to Bluecrop in nature but it ripens earlier. Look for ripe blueberries in June rather than July.



TopHat

TopHat is a variety that is similar to Sunshine Blue. It can handle warmer climates and yields fruit all summer. It stands about eighteen inches high, bearing a lot of fruit for its size.



Whatever dwarf blueberry variety you choose be sure you choose the proper container. Find a container that is at least two feet across and twenty inches or more deep. Make sure you have drainage holes at the bottom. Plant blueberries in an acidic potting soil mix that includes peat moss and compost. About 1/3 Azalea potting soil, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 compost or ‘pathway bark’.



When watering and fertilizing, be sure your container does not dry out. Never use fertilizers with nitrogen in nitrate form. Fertilize with an acid based, water-soluble fertilizer about once a month during the plants growing season.



Prune your blueberry bush lightly when it’s mature. Wait on this until the plant is at least three years old. Then you can remove the old weak branches. If you prune in the early spring every year you will want to trim stems back by 1/3. By doing this you are forcing the branches into new growth and new growth will bear you the most fruit. Remember blueberries love full sun. If you pick the proper dwarf blueberry variety and adhere to a few basic rules you can enjoy this superfood all year round.





By Renee Rotto

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FDA Says Bisphenol A (BPA) Exposure Is of 'Some Concern' for Infants and Children
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Scientists Identify Ecuador's Yasuni National Park as One of Most Biodiverse Places on Earth
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How Clean Is Your Knife?
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When the Smoke Clears: Molecular Link Between Tobacco Carcinogen and Cancer
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Obama To Dems: Don’t Jam Through Health Care Bill
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Fish Oils May Slow Genetic Aging in Heart Patients
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Over 7,000 women a year get false breast cancer alert
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Fish Oil Given Intravenously to Patients in Intensive Care Has Many Benefits, Study Finds
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H1N1 swine flu hoax falls apart at the seams
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Chlorophyll blocks absorption of toxic carcinogens
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The Potential Risk Of Dependency Upon Prescription Drugs

With the latest deaths of celebrities, DJ AM and Michael Jackson involving prescription drugs, many patients have begun wondering about the safety of their prescription drugs.
Could you become addicted to the prescription drugs your doctor has prescribed for you? What are the chances that those same drugs could cause your accidental injury or death?


We rarely think that we can get addicted to a drug that our doctor has prescribed for us, but it can easily happen. In fact, you might not even realize that you have build up a tolerance or have become addicted to prescription drugs until you can’t live without them. If you think prescription drugs are safe because your doctor has prescribed them, your wrong. In fact, prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal street drugs if used in the wrong way.


According to the National Household Survey On Drug Abuse, an estimated 1.6 million Americans have used prescription painkillers non-medically. Pain killer addiction is one of the fastest growing addictions in the U.S. Painkillers such OxyContin and the anxiety drug, Xanax, while for the most part are consider “safe”, have very addictive properties. The growing addiction of these drugs has now surpassed addictions of Cocaine and Marijuana in many states.


The misuse of medication is blamed of more than 20,000 cases a year, resulting in unintentional deaths within the U.S. The patient who is addicted to prescription drugs may not have realize they have built up a tolerance and the central nervous system can be affected to the point of respiratory depression. When this happens you can simply stop breathing in your sleep. Painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin are more likely to cause fatal overdoses then even Heroin or Cocaine.


Of course most people don’t intend to get addicted to their prescription drugs, but addiction rarely occurs amongst those who use the medication as prescribed. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from prescription drug addiction.


*Never use another person’s prescription.


*When visiting the doctor, always provide a complete medical history.


*Follow the directions on the medication and learn what side effects the drug could have.


*Be aware of possible interactions with other drugs you are taking.


*Do not increase, decrease or abruptly stop taking a drug without consulting your doctor.


This is not to say that physicians and pharmacies are not without responsibility. Some doctors and pharmacist don’t always share medical records. This creates an environment of an accident waiting to happen. There is always a risk of patient inadvertently mixing medications and that can have deadly consequences. These accidents can be prevented and the burden should fall on the medical community. It is the responsibility of the medical community to clearly explain medications, their side effects and any possible drug interactions.
Be aware of signs of tolerance and addiction. If you notice any of these signs contact your doctor for help.
*Erratic mood changes

*Drowsiness

*Dizziness

*Insomnia

*Hyperactivity

*Suicidal tendencies

*Confusion

*Excessive sweating, urination, or thirst

*Uncontrollable diarrhea

*Nausea and vomiting
The dangers of prescription drugs are as real as any illegal drug on the street. Be sure you are aware of the risks of any medications and weigh the benefits with the side effects. Remember always, it’s your body and your decision what drugs you take.



Sources:
http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/prescription-drugs/signs-symptoms-addiction-to-prescription-drugs/menu-id-54/


http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=126466&cat=10


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/22/Accidental-Prescription-Drug-Deaths-Spike-Upward.aspx



By Renee Rotto

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CDC
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Thousands of Americans died from H1N1 even after receiving vaccine shots
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25 Superfoods to Incorporate Into Your Diet Now
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Big Tobacco Makes Secret Plea To Avoid Payout
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Republican Fear has Given the Terrorists an Easy Victory
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Number Of U.S. Business Start-Ups Drop 24%, Leading Global Decline
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Who's Afraid of the HPV Vaccine?
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Reversing itself, FDA expresses concerns over health risks from BPA
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Stenography 101: How the press let Palin and Cheney rig the system
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How to Keep Those New Years Resolutions
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Use Homeopathic Remedies to Cure Disease and Improve Your Health
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Is Monsanto’s Corn Destroying Your Internal Organs?
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More evidence emerges that Americans are drugged out of their minds
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New study: omega-3s may treat schizophrenia, ADD, Huntington’s and other nervous system diseases
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Monsanto is trying to take over the world
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Evolution's Footprints in Human Genome Precisely Tracked Using New Approach
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Next Generation Of Heart Stents
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The Best Plants For A Container Garden

If you ever wanted to eat organic foods, but you thought it too expensive, try growing it yourself, with a container garden. Even if you live in a townhouse, condominium or apartment you can still have a healthful garden. Container gardens make gardening accessible to almost everyone. Even children and the elderly can delight in growing their own fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs without all the laborious efforts that go into a traditional garden.
Most vegetables that can be grown outdoors will also do well with container gardening. You will however, need to consider the amount of space a plant need at maturity and choose containers large enough to accommodate them. Other considerations are, the amount of sunlight and the actual space that is available. If there is not a lot of space on you patio or balcony, choose plants that grow up rather out; like tomatoes or beans.

Theme container gardens are all the rage, but what you put into your container garden should be a personal thing. If you love South of the Boarder foods, plant, cilantro, garlic, tomato, bell peppers, onions and jalapeno peppers.
If you like to cook Mediterranean foods try planting a tomato plant in the middle of the container with some oregano, parsley, rosemary around its edges. You could start another container with pole beans, garlic and zucchini squash.
If you love fresh salads, grow lettuce, spinach, parsley, dill, radishes, carrots, arugula, chives, and beets. Or you can grow edible flowers. Nasturtium, pansies and marigolds may look like a flower garden by day, and decorate your meals by night.
Some fruits also thrive in containers. Strawberries are hardy plants that can even grow well in specialized bags, hanging on the wall. Some dwarf fruit trees can adapt quite nicely to container gardening. Citrus dwarfs and dwarf berry bushes can be successfully grown in containers. Of course you will need a large container and you might want to move it much, but you could even have fresh citrus growing in your sunroom.


Another best theme for container gardens is the medicinal theme. Here you can have ingredients for teas, balms and tonics. Echinacea, peppermint, calendula, feverfew and St Johns wart, are some popular plant choices. Dandelion and chamomile are good for tea. You can also use dandelion leaves in fresh salads, as it’s wonderful for the health of your liver.
Aloe Vera leaves provide great relief for burns and cuts. The gel inside that leaf of this miraculous plant heals many skin ills. Just by cutting off its leaf and applying the gel, you can cool your sunburn or kill bacteria in a natural way.


As we approach the holiday season, you might think about giving container gardens as gifts. A container garden would make a lovely housewarming gift or education endeavor for young children. Whatever you plan to do with your container garden, almost any plant choice is the right choice, just because you want to include it. Choose the plants you love. It’s your garden, so you’re the boss.


By  Renee Rotto

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Gardening And Manure

Manure was once termed the ‘black gold’ of the garden world because of the nutrients it puts back into the soil, but today its use has become imperative, due to the worlds loss of top soil.
Throughout history civilizations would plant and replant until the soil was not viable any longer. Then they would simply move on to a new area. Today is not much different, except there are very few places to move to.

David Montgomery, a professor of earth and sciences, at the University of Washington said, “We are doing the same things today that past societies have done, and at the same rate. In essence, we are slowly removing the planets life giving skin.” The causes for loss of topsoil are excessive applications of chemicals by farmers, spill or leaks of petroleum products and other toxic substances and tilling that leaves the land with little ground cover. All these practices kill the microorganisms in the soil.
According to soil scientist, Elaine Ingham, at Oregon State University, just one gram of healthy agricultural soil contains 100 yards of threadlike fungal material, 100 million bacteria, tens of thousands of protozoa, and up to 2,000 tiny worms. The growth of plants depends on the presence of these microorganisms, and without them things will not grow.
Organic material is a key factor in soil quality. Farmers and gardeners alike who use manures enhance the soil and the microorganisms that live there. Besides feeding microorganisms in the soil it improves the moisture holding capacity and releases nutrients. Manure contains a rich and wide range of minerals and nutrients. It also contains the three main chemicals your soil needs: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Of course all manures are not the same, mainly because of the diet of the animal they came from. Some are vegetarians and some are carnivores, but even with vegetarians, the diet will be different. A horse that eats mostly grass and weeds will produce a different product than an cow that eats the same because the cows chews and grinds the food and a horse does not. That means the seeds of the weeds just pass through, thus you will have more weeds using horses manure.

Cow manure - is the most popular manure for the garden. It’s available in large quantities and reaps excellent results.

Horse manure - is the second most popular manures. Its mixture of straw and sawdust are added benefits to soil regeneration.

Chicken and turkey manure – is a good source especially if you live near a chicken or turkey farm. Organic chicken farming allow the chicken to eat bugs, grains and seeds that are common and familiar to that location.

Vermiculture – or worm castings are excellent manure for any garden. This is the excretion left by worms after they finish digesting organic matter. Worm castings supply, magnesium, phosphates, calcium, potassium and potash, along with a whole range of microorganisms, nutrients and trace minerals. The only drawback is the price but you can get around that if you start your own worm farm.

Green manure - is plants like clover or legumes that are raised to be sowed under and replenish the soil. This practice is part of crop rotation and will add nutrients back to the soil the following season.
When applying manures be sure that it is well decomposed. Work it into the garden in the fall and in the spring the soil will be ready for the garden. Don’t use fresh manure because of the high concentration of nitrogen. This will create ‘hot spots’ that can damage and burn plants. We have all seen what happens when a dog does his business on our lawn. The grass will turn brown, but if you wait a few weeks that same spot will be the greenest spot of the lawn.

Using raw manure, besides the odor, can also contain pathogens that might make you sick. If you do decide to use raw manure, use it in the early fall and hasten the discomposure process by incorporating it into the topsoil. Raw sheep and poultry manure are considered ‘hot’ and may burn seedlings and transplants. It can even make perennials grow so fast and thin that they will fall over.
All in all manures are a good thing for the soil and the microorganisms that dwell there; there are only a few things to be aware of. Use manures early in the fall to give them time to break down and avoid applying near rivers and streams. Protect yourself by washing your hands when working with raw manures, and never use them in the vegetable garden. If you remember these cautions your can produce a healthful garden while keeping your little piece of the ecosystem green and healthy.


By Renee Rotto

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Alchemy: The Science Before Science

The fundamental idea of alchemy was said to have arisen in the ancient Persian Empire and is both a philosophy and a practice with the aim to achieving ultimate wisdom, as well as immortality. The practical aspects, of alchemy, bore the basis of modern inorganic chemistry, in that it initiated experimentation with many substances. The goals of the alchemists were the transmutation of common metals into gold or silver and also to create the elixir of life, which was supposed to cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely.


Alchemists believed that through the transmutation of common metals gold could be created. This was to be accomplished by the rearrangement of the proportions of sulfur and mercury, in the base of the stone. With that, red sulfur would help change base metals faster and if they used white sulfur, the results would be that of the creation of silver. Burning a substance would release the phlogiston that was associated with alchemical sulfur, thus began experimentation using new scientific disciplines.


Although the scientific disciplines of the alchemists were far from today’s standards, because of equipment, these scientific experiments did bring forth new practices such as hygienic methods and documentation. Many of the experiments of a few alchemists such as, Bacon and Paracelsus have provided valuable information about evaporation, combustion and condensation, however, the true alchemist had lofty ideals and to them, alchemy was not merely intellectual, but a spiritual science. Only those who were in the possession of the divine power, as those whom had been awakened, could awaken it from its sleep, and practice this science. The alchemist saw himself as a ‘mirror’ of God and the ‘Quintessence Of Life Force’.


Alchemists believed that materials had a life of their own, a history, a character and even needs. One material had possibilities, unlike any other material, and they believed that man must understand this, in order to have a relationship with that material. Alchemy taught, how materials, metals, plants, animals and men could be generated or made to grow from their ‘seeds’. The central tenant of alchemy was the idea that matter is alive. It was thought that through pounding, beating, twisting the substance within the material, it could be reformed into something other than itself, or be reborn. Alchemists did not mix or compound anything; it just allowed that which already per-existed to become active and grow. This notion may seem strange, but as any craftsman knows, it is true.


It was seen as a science of the soul that resulted from an understanding of God, nature, and man, and that, the knowledge of one, could not be obtained without the knowledge of all. The primary purpose of alchemy was not to discover the secret of immortality or even to make gold, but to study the world and the manipulation of it. In this way, alchemy was more comparable to biology than chemistry.
“When a man undertakes to create something, he establishes a new heaven, as it were, and from it the work that he desires to create flows into him.” Wrote Paracelsus. The spiritual art form that was discovered to be a transformation was actually that of the alchemist himself.


The European government was fearful that someone might actually succeed in the transmutation of gold and what that would mean to the stability of their economy. Also the church didn’t like the idea of people talking about eternal life either, consequently, alchemy was outlawed through out Europe. Alchemists were even regarded as witches. This forced alchemists to work and research in secret.


Although alchemists were not successful at transmuting gold, they did discover a process that treated copper with mercury resulting with a stone that looked like gold. This eventually resulted in many alchemists being cast as con artists, who relied on trickery to deceive gullible people.


Gradually, the political hold of the church lessened and alchemy again became an acceptable practice. Although not everyone appeared to be ‘Enlightened’, alchemy had many followers. Individuals such as Carl Jung and Isaac Newton, became involved in its disciplines. Jung, began having a magical dreams of the ‘great beauty and mystery’ of alchemy, and over the years, collected a library of great art. This collection still remains one of the finest private collections in the world. When Freud and the field of psychology came along, the field of alchemy became even more accepted.


With the passage of time, some modern scientists have continued the alchemist’s work. With modern technology and equipment, they were able to expand on its rudimentary findings. Using lead instead of sulfur they were able to produce what was once impossible. This news would have some corpses turning over in their graves, as some who practiced alchemy were only interested in capitalism, competivism and the transmutation of gold, not the science.



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