Foreword by Dennis William Hauck

Dear Reader,

The book you have in your hands is unlike any other alchemy book you might have read. For one thing, it is meant to be understood. If you have read other books on alchemy, you know what I’m talking about. The authors seem to be discussing something very important, but they never really say what it is.

There are many reasons for this lack of clarity in alchemy. The subject is an intricately woven discipline that goes back over 5,000 years, and the people who practiced it deliberately blurred the basic principles of their craft. To make matters worse, alchemy is a universal science that works on many different levels and, therefore, has been interpreted in many different ways. To further complicate things, a bunch of modern New Age writers claim to have unraveled alchemy in support of their own proprietary spiritual systems.

So my first goal was to create a simple and straightforward guide to alchemy, not an easy task. Alchemy has deep roots that run through religion, philosophy, literature, psychology, medicine, and science. My solution to this challenge was not to ignore conflicting interpretations but to hold tenaciously to the basic ideas of alchemy and develop them clearly through all traditions.

My second goal was to make this book as versatile as possible. Not only does this work present a comprehensive view of the principles of alchemy and their development, but it is also a concise reference guide for people looking for specific information on the concepts of alchemy and the work of the alchemists.

This book is also intended to serve as a training guide for prospective apprentices in alchemy. The “complete idiot” perspective is absolutely necessary to begin your initiation into the secrets of the craft. Offering oneself as an empty vessel is how this process has begun for thousands of years.

In the Work,

Dennis William Hauck