As the full moon rises, the veil between worlds thins, allowing missives from a seer in my fantasy world to drift into our own. Inside is one ancient divination method, alchemancy, and its prophecy about what I’m writing now.
I've been tinkering with the idea of introducing either a character who uses it or a scene involving alchemy. Not in a Full Metal Alchemist or Paulo Coelho style, but as a mixture of protoscience, philosophy, and of course divination.
As the Cold Moon wanes in the winter sky—having peaked on December 4th as a brilliant supermoon—the veil between worlds remains porous, inviting echoes of ancient wisdom to seep through. This lunar phase, with its stark clarity amid the longest nights, amplifies introspection and transformation, making it an ideal moment to delve into alchemancy: the divinatory art inspired by alchemy's symbolic processes.
Alchemy, originating in Hellenized Egypt around the first century CE and drawing from traditions in China, India, and later medieval Europe via Arabic scholars, was more than a quest to transmute lead into gold. It blended protoscience, philosophy, and mysticism, aiming for both material and spiritual perfection. Historical alchemists like Paracelsus and Jabir ibn Hayyan viewed their work as decoding the universe's hidden patterns, where elements and stages revealed divine secrets.
A core principle of alchemancy as divination is the metaphorical journey through transformation: viewing life's challenges as alchemical stages that purify and elevate the self.
For example, the nigredo phase—breaking down impurities—mirrors personal hardships that, if embraced, lead to renewal. Ponder this in your own life: What in your current situation (a stalled project, emotional rut) needs dissolution to reveal hidden gold? This insight offers immediate value, encouraging you to reframe obstacles as opportunities for growth.