“Hence certain people—misunderstanding the philosophers when they say, ‘This Stone is a thing which is more firmly fixed in you, created by God, and you are its mine, and it is drawn out from you, and wherever you may be it remains inseparably with you’—supposed from this that it was a man’s hair, or blood, or dung; but they are fools. For when they say that it is fixed in him [i.e., in man], they mean: there you possess its knowledge, and not in some other thing. And just as man is composed of the four elements, so too is the Stone; and thus it is from man, and you are its mine—namely, with respect to the operation; and it is extracted from you—namely, by separation; and it remains inseparably in you—namely, through knowledge. Otherwise (i.e., in another sense), it is fixed in you—in the Mercury of the wise; you are its mine; that is, it is enclosed within you and you secretly hold it, and it is drawn out from you when by you it is reduced and dissolved; for without you it cannot be brought to completion, and you cannot live without it; and thus the end looks to the beginning, and conversely. It is born in two mountains—that is, from Venus and Mercury—by the constancy of nature’s decoction; from it the body and the spirit, and all volatile things, take their sustenance; the unfixed receive from it both coloration and fixation. Do not take it unless [it is] fresh and prepared with its own blood—that is, with Venus not yet poured off, or well prepared—whose life for you (that is, whose operation) is from living Venus. Let it die in the air, namely by the elevation of fire, that is, by sublimation and purification. And if this Stone were not of an airy nature—that is, of the same preparation—it would not be joined to Mercury; their operation would not be perfect and firm. But because the two are alike, both being prepared, they are mixed and united, so that fire does not separate them.” -Excerpt from Artis auriferae, quam chemiam vocant, Volume 2 - Rosini ad Sarratantam episcopum
- The Stone is Inside You: The philosophers say the Stone is "fixed in you" and "you are its mine." This doesn’t mean it’s a physical thing like hair, blood, or waste (which some people foolishly thought). Instead, it means the knowledge or potential to create the Stone is within you. You carry this wisdom naturally, as part of your being, and it’s always with you.
- The Stone and Human Connection: Just as humans are made of the four elements (earth, water, air, fire in ancient thought), the Stone is also made of these elements. It comes from you (like it’s "mined" from your mind or soul) through a process of separating and refining this knowledge. Even after you "extract" it (by understanding it), it stays with you because it’s part of your inner wisdom.
- Mercury and Venus as Symbols: The text uses "Mercury" (a symbol of transformation or spirit in alchemy) and "Venus" (often linked to love, beauty, or life force) to describe where the Stone comes from. The Stone is "born in two mountains" (Mercury and Venus), meaning it’s created through a natural process combining these principles. Mercury here is the "Mercury of the wise," a special alchemical substance or concept, not literal mercury.
- The Process of Making the Stone: The Stone’s creation involves a process like cooking or refining (called "decoction"). You need to use "fresh" materials (like Venus, meaning a pure, living essence) and prepare them carefully. The Stone must "die in the air" (be purified through heat or sublimation, a process of turning solid into vapor and back to solid) to become perfect. This is about transforming raw materials—both physical and spiritual—into something pure and powerful.
- Unity of the Stone and Mercury: The Stone and Mercury must be similar in nature (both prepared properly) to work together. If they’re not, the process fails. When they’re aligned, they blend perfectly, and their union is so strong that even "fire" (trials or transformation) can’t break them apart. This symbolizes how spiritual wisdom, once achieved, is enduring and complete.
- You Can’t Live Without It: The text says you can’t complete the Stone without yourself (your effort, knowledge, or soul), and you can’t live fully without the Stone (the wisdom or enlightenment it represents). The process is cyclical: the "end looks to the beginning," meaning the journey of creating the Stone loops back to your own inner nature.