"Art accomplishes by means of nature that which nature is unable to accomplish if unaided by art.” - Franz Hartmann. In the Pronaos of the Temple of Wisdom (1890)

"nature unaided fails”

"Nature praises me. Of her I am born; her I follow. She knows me, and I know her. The light which is in her I have beheld in her; outside, too, I have proved the same in the figure of the microcosm, and found it in that universe."

— Paracelsus, The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemists

"Nature comprehends the visible and invisible Creatures of the Whole universe. What we call Nature especially, is the universal fire or Anima Mundi, filling the whole system of the Universe, and therefore is a Universal Agent, omnipresent, and endowed with an unerring instinct, and manifests itself in fire and Light. It is the First creature of Divine Omnipotence." — Golden Chain of Homer

"We should not follow in the footsteps of persons, but in the footsteps of Nature; we should not act on account of hearsay, but on account of our own understanding. The first man who learned anything useful was taught by Nature; let Nature teach us as she taught him. If my art is to be based upon a firm foundation, it must be based upon my own understanding, not upon that of another man. A physician should have God before his eyes, visibly and tangible; he should see the truth, not shadowy or as in a dream, but tangible and without any doubt. Our science should be based upon our own perception of truth, not upon mere belief or opinion. Information received from men can only assist us in forming opinions, but it constitutes no knowledge. True knowledge consists in a direct recognition of the real, and is taught by Nature herself." — Paracelsus

All that is needed is provided by God in Nature

Paracelsus, "De Natura Rerum" (1537), emphasizes that nature is the greatest school, and everything the alchemist does must be done by its light, suggesting human art is necessary to explore and utilize nature fully.

• "The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind."
• "All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature, the Challenge of science is to find it."

The Alchemist, Alchemy & Nature

Human beings, divorced from nature, and that has really been the whole story.

We split from our source, from Nature and our nature, from our selves

We created “culture” and “technology” as substitutes for living in/as our true nature.

This was the original fall, and now we live in an era that is the “triumph of materialism”, where this divorce from nature is at its absolute peak.

And the alchemist is one who learns from nature and with nature and becomes totally aligned with nature.

He perfects nature within himself.

He connects heaven and earth, man and God.

He becomes so aligned with his inmost nature and Nature that he becomes more and more divine and holy

And thus he transcends the darkness and ignorance and separation and death

And upon the final red wedding, he becomes ascended and immortal and fully joins with Father God and Mother Nature/Universe

The Alchemist is the ultimate naturalist, environmentalist, nature-lover…..

Their entire work is to study, observe, and experiment with nature

To dive deep into nature and all her secrets and mysteries - and to dive into oneself, which IS nature.

They are the caretaker of nature, the midwife of the soul

They seek the secret power of nature not for personal gain, not to become wealthy with gold - but for its own sake. To be of service to God and all.

Alchemy is a complete and total science, it(and other true spiritual paths) are the only complete and total science.

Alchemy synthesizes the material and the spiritual, the subjective and the objective, science and art, philosophy and religion, man and god, inner and outer, above and below…

It is a total Path and Way. It is a way of living every aspect of one’s self and one’s life as an expression of the Art and the Science of Alchemy.

Knowing the Nature of Nature

"Rosarius says: "I advise no one to approach this Art unless he knows the principle and the regimen of Nature: if he be acquainted with these, little is wanting to him except one thing, nor need he put himself to a great expense, since the stone is one, the medicine is one, the vessel one, the rule one, the disposition one." — The Golden Tract: Concerning the Stone of the Philosophers

Following the Light of Nature

The alchemists personify Nature as a wise feminine guide, revere her as the lumen naturae or inner light of natural wisdom, they read the “Book of Nature” as scripture, and strive to work with Nature as faithful partners rather than as a separate individual standing outside of Her attempting to subdue and dominate.

Natura – the teacher, the light-bearer, the mother, the living book, and the beloved collaborator in the Great Work.

"There is a light in the spirit of man illuminating everything, and by which he may even perceive supernatural things. Those who seek in the light of external Nature know the things of Nature; those who seek knowledge in the light of man know the things above Nature, which belong to the kingdom of God." — Paracelsus

Following the Light of Nature

Observing nature, studying nature Following nature Experimenting with nature, attempting to accelerate nature to its fulfillment

Nature as the supreme teacher and guide

nature reveals the universal principles governing all creation.

Nature is the Universal Agent

"Nature comprehends the visible and invisible Creatures of the Whole universe. What we call Nature especially, is the universal fire or Anima Mundi, filling the whole system of the Universe, and therefore is a Universal Agent, omnipresent, and endowed with an unerring instinct, and manifests itself in fire and Light. It is the First creature of Divine Omnipotence." — Golden Chain of Homer

Nature as Beloved and Guide

"…Nature praises me. Of her I am born; her I follow. She knows me, and I know her. The light which is in her I have beheld in her; outside, too, I have proved the same in the figure of the microcosm, and found it in that universe." — Paracelsus, The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemists

Atalanta Fugiens, Emblem 42

“Nature, Reason, Experience, and reading must be the guide, staff, Spectacles, and Lamp to him that is employed in Chymical affairs.”

Nature (the guide herself), Reason (the staff), Experience (the spectacles), and Reading (the lamp).

• Nature, Reason, Experience, and reading = guide, staff, Spectacles, and Lamp

https://furnaceandfugue.org/atalanta-fugiens/emblem42.html

Epigram 42

Pursuing art, let Nature be your guide, Tracing her steps your feet will not backslide: Let reason be your staff, experience add Strength to your sight, discerning good from bad: In darkness reading will as light direct, That ambiguities you may detect.

Nature is Not Mute, Man has become deaf

“Nature is not mute; it is man who is deaf” - Terence McKenna. “Opening the Doors of Creativity“ This is in response to Sartre’s “Nature is mute” statement.

The Macrocosm, the Universe

"Nature being the Universe, is one, and its origin can only be one eternal Unity. It is an organism in which all natural things harmonise and sympathise with each other. It is the Macrocosm. Everything is the product of one universal creative effort; the Macrocosm and man (the Microcosm) are one. They are one constellation, one influence, one breath, one harmony, one time, one metal, one fruit."

— Paracelsus (Philosophia ad Athenienses)

"…Nature praises me. Of her I am born; her I follow. She knows me, and I know her. The light which is in her I have beheld in her; outside, too, I have proved the same in the figure of the microcosm, and found it in that universe."

— Paracelsus, The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemists

The Alchemist is one who studies and follows nature The Secrets of Nature

What is Nature?

a living, intelligent force that animates all matter.

all matter is alive and animated with spirit.

The earth is a single living organism

Nature is always Natural - not artificial, it grows from within….

“the earth is a single living organism, fertilized and impregnated by the celestial spirit of the sun, stars, and planets.” - The Alchemical Vision of Living Nature

“Nature” is the entire realm of existence that unfolds according to divine patterns and laws. It is simultaneously visible and invisible, manifest and hidden, active and passive. “Nature” is the created cosmos, alive with divine breath, composed of elements, essences, spirits, and principles that interact through correspondence and analogy. It is the matrix within which transformation and realization happen—Nature is living, vibrant, ever-changing, and yet eternally rooted in divine truth.

teleology = the study of the purpose and goal of a thing

nature is evolutionary, always striving toward higher forms Nature has a telos - it is moving towards something metals ripening toward gold deep within the earth.

YOU, the human being, are an expression of Nature.

living organisms, and indeed all matter, unfold developmentally, striving inherently towards their perfected, essential nature. This meant that even base metals were believed to grow and develop within the earth, ripening naturally towards the ultimate form of gold.

understanding of the divine, where God is not separate from creation but actively indwells and guides its processes. For the alchemist, this meant that studying Nature was not just a scientific pursuit but a direct engagement with the divine in its immanent form.

Studying & Following Nature

Nature as the supreme teacher – an almost sentient guide whose processes must be observed and respected. To go against Nature is folly, for Nature herself is the “highest school” of wisdom. As Paracelsus warned, “Who else is the enemy of Nature but he who mistakes himself for more intelligent than Nature, though it is the highest school for all of us?” – Paracelsus

Alchemy is fundamentally about transformation—of matter and of self. Studying and following Nature deeply is crucial because Nature embodies the universal processes of transformation, growth, purification, death, and rebirth. By closely observing and imitating these processes, the alchemist aligns with Nature’s underlying patterns.

Through careful study, the alchemist learns how to accelerate, enhance, or perfect natural processes (e.g., transmutation, fermentation, distillation), working alongside Nature’s inherent momentum towards perfection. The alchemist is Nature’s disciple, amplifying her hidden potential and ultimately guiding matter (and spirit) to its perfected state.

Nature holds the keys to transformation and perfection.

Alchemists see their work as assisting nature in achieving its potential the Magnum Opus, the great work is the total completion of Nature and Divinity in the world and in man

By observing natural processes, such as the growth of plants or the ripening of metals, alchemists sought to replicate and accelerate these transformations.

Studying nature is vital in alchemy to uncover secrets of transformation, essential for both material (e.g., transmuting metals) and spiritual goals (e.g., enlightenment).

She reveals the Divine Pattern: Every natural process reflects the cosmic blueprint—the same principles governing planetary movements also govern plant growth and mineral formation.

She teaches authentic transformation: Unlike forced or artificial change, Nature shows how genuine metamorphosis occurs through patience, proper timing, and respect for inherent potential.

She embodies the marriage of opposites: In Nature, the alchemist witnesses the perpetual dance of solve et coagula—dissolution and crystallization, death and rebirth, chaos and order.

The alchemist studies nature not just to manipulate it, but to learn from its processes, to mirror its transformations within their own being, and to achieve personal perfection.

“follow Nature, follow Nature”, advising that only by understanding Nature’s operations can one achieve “something advantageous and great” in the Art 

"You have no doubt read that our Magi, Philosophers and Kings, write and say to all, 'follow Nature, follow Nature'. It is from there that you must infer that all those who want to produce something advantageous and great in this science, must above all have full knowledge of the origin and foundation of all the metals, of their birth, production and differences, of their sympathy and antipathy, that is, their loves and hates.” - Allegory from Grasshof, 'The Open Ark or Casket of the Small Peasant'., https://www.alchemywebsite.com/Text_Allegory_Grasshof.html#:~:text=,is%2C their loves and hates

The Hermetic Alchemist as Natural Philosopher

The alchemist, magician, or wizard—especially in Hermetic tradition—is a Natural Philosopher, one who sees Nature as both subject of study and doorway to spiritual knowledge. Unlike modern science, which often fragments and reduces, the Hermetic alchemist practices philosophy that unifies material study with spiritual insight.

alchemists regarded themselves not as manipulators of inert matter, but as diligent students and collaborators with Nature. Their work was deeply rooted in the perception of Nature as an unfolding, dynamic process characterized by its inherent power of transformation. They held the belief that all matter was alive and animated with spirit, and that the Earth itself functioned as a single living organism, continuously fertilized by celestial influences from the sun, stars, and planets. This vitalistic, organic cosmology stands in stark contrast to the mechanistic worldview that would later define much of scientific thought.

The Book of Nature

Nature’s book is the alchemist’s primary scripture, and reading it correctly is their central discipline.

Be A Diligent Imitator of Nature

"But if destiny calls you, and you are a diligent imitator of nature, all things will succeed according to your desire. With divine assistance and guidance, nature — the servant of infinite majesty — will most readily assist you in your labors. Therefore, follow that teacher; imitate her; carefully investigate the causes, material, motion, and goals of the work. And whatever happily succeeds for you, direct it all to the glory of the triune essence and for the benefit of your neighbor."

• Saturnia regna S.M.I.S.P. in aurea saecula conversa, c. 1779 by Huginus a Barma

Nature to the Alchemists

Nature, in alchemical understanding, is the living embodiment of divine order, the manifest aspect of a hidden divine principle. She is simultaneously veiled and unveiled, and the alchemist’s task is to perceive beneath the surface of matter to reveal her mysteries.

Nature is understood through analogy, symbol, and living metaphor. Plants, minerals, celestial movements, and bodily processes all reflect the macrocosmic pattern of divine unfolding. Nature is the prima materia herself, the raw substance to be transmuted, as well as the wise teacher who shows the way.

Nature: The Mirror of Truth

Nature is described as “the mirror of truth” and teacher of all beings: “Nature is the mirror of truth… and the light of the invisible. The generous nature of this world teaches all the beings.” – Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus. https://wayofhermes.com/definitions/dh-8-with-quoted-footnotes/#:~:text=5,(115

Mutus Liber (“Silent Book,” 1677), Plate 1

A sleeping alchemist outdoors under starry skies, visited by angelic and natural forces. Nature herself (as stars, dew, sun, moon) instructs him through symbolic dreams.

Vision into the Secrets of Nature

The Polish alchemist Sendivogius, in his Novum Lumen Chymicum (“New Chemical Light”), describes how the adept gains a kind of vision to see Nature’s hidden workings: “To cause things hidden in the shadow to appear, and to take away the shadow from them, this is permitted to the intelligent philosopher by God through nature… All these things happen, and the eyes of the common men do not see them, but the eyes of the understanding and of the imagination perceive them with true and truest vision.” – Michael Sendivogius 

The Alchemist in the Laboratory, Participating in the Sacred Act of Creation

The alchemist doe not merely imitating nature; they in a profound sense, re-enact or accelerate the very processes of cosmic genesis within a controlled, miniature environment. The concept of the "sacred marriage of heaven and earth" is mirrored in the union of alchemical principles within the retort. This positions the alchemist as a co-creator with Nature, actively participating in the ongoing divine act of creation, transforming the laboratory into a sacred space where the fundamental forces and principles of the cosmos are brought to bear on matter.

Nature Conquers Nature: Liberating the Spirit from Nature’s Forms

"Nature rejoices in nature, nature conquers nature, nature rules over nature"

In order to bring nature to its fulfillment you must deeply become it, you must merge with it. You must conquer it, but not as the modern man tries to do, through force and through separation, but rather through surrender, understanding, inner union…..

This Sophia figure represents the "hidden wisdom of nature" that directs the alchemical process, even when the work appears to go "contra naturam" (against nature) by challenging ingrained habits or conventional understanding. Alchemists believed their opus assisted in liberating the spirit concealed within nature's forms.

This pervasive identification of Nature with Sophia and the Alchemical Queen represents a profound re-sacralization of the material world, elevating matter to a sacred status and portraying it as the realm where the divine feminine is "imprisoned" and requires "rescuing" through the alchemist's work.

Discourse 42.

The chances, which may happen to travelers, are innumerable, especially if they take a journey on foot by night through slippery and dangerous places; to which four things are requisite as chiefly necessary, not to speak of the victuals provided, and a strong body: In the first place, a companion or guide not ignorant of the ways, through which he must pass: For if one ignorant man guide another, the same thing happens to them as to blind men, if they do not both fall headlong into a ditch, yet into errors and mistakes: Secondly, a Staff, by which the slipperiness and peril of the way, lest it be detrimental to a man, may be avoided: Thirdly, sound eyes, for such journeys are most dangerous to the blind or dim sighted: Fourthly, a lamp or lighted torch, that the diversities and differences of the ways may be discerned. After the same manner if a man expose himself to a most difficult journey in pursuit of the Philosophic medicine, he will, besides charge and strength of body, desire four things exactly parallel and correspondent to those aforesaid, to wit, Nature, Reason, experience, and reading: whereof if any one be wanting, the rest will do little or no good at all: For by these, as by four wheels, the Philosophic chariot moves, to which one of the wheels cannot be wanting, if it be left, it avails nothing. Nature presupposes natural bodies and Spirits, as subjects first ministered by nature, upon which art must afterwards act, preparing, purifying, and fitting it, that thereof may be made that, which art promises for the end: So a Potter takes water and earth, a Glassmaker ashes and Sand, a Smith iron, copper, tin, lead, Silver or gold, a Tanner raw hides, and so other men other things: Such respect also has the operator of Chymistry to his materials: Their materials are to them very well known even the first day, he, when he begins, continues for the most part ignorant of his for many years, I will not say, during his whole life. Nature does indeed point at the matters, but there are many things, which obscure the impression of nature, that it cannot be known. The first intention therefore is, seriously to contemplate how nature proceeds in her operations to the end that the natural subjects of Chymistry may without defect or superfluity be had: Wherefore Nature must be the guide and companion of so great a journey, whose footsteps must be traced. Secondly, reason must be as a staff to keep the steps and feet steady and firm, that they may not slip or waver, For without the exercise of reason a man will be apt to fall into errors, and therefore say the Philosophers; Whatsoever you hear, consult with reason, whether it can be so, or no: For no man is forced to believe or perform things impossible, except he be of weak memory, dull genius, and foolish imagination to impose upon himself accepting things false for true, and rejecting true for false: They say also that they care not for words, whatsoever may be spoken, but only for things, what may be understood; And that words are for things, and not things for words: As for example, Suppose a man say that glass is made malleable by the Philosophical tincture; Why Shall not I believe it, if provided reason dictates it? Thirdly, Experience will be as Spectacles, by which things may be seen at a distance; These are optic instruments, invented and made by art, to help and amend the weakness of mens eyes. Much like to these are experiments about the mineral matter of every kind tried, seen or truly heard, which the more they are in memory, the more will a man of reason draw from thence, and compare them among and with other things, that he may perceive, what is true, what not. Fourthly, Reading does as it were kindle a clear lamp in the understanding, without which there will be every where darkness and thick clouds. But the reading of good authors ought to be often repeated, otherwise it will not be at all effectual. Hereupon Bacasser in Turba says: He therefore, that is of an even temper, and exercises patience without regret, will attain to this art as by a direct line, but he, that thinks himself able sooner to reap benefit from our books, is deceived, and it had been better not to have looked therein, than ever to have touched them: And so on