As an Alchemist, my task is to begin the process of unfolding the plant’s potency (It’s acceptability to the human body). This art has nothing to do with stripping nature of valuable compounds, but to work with nature, to utilize natural processes to unbind the three principles of a plant.

The first principle is the Soul (known as the Essence or philosophical Sulfur). This part of the plant has the plant’s character - its personality. The most volatile compounds in a plant are the ones you can smell in its blossom. The essence of the plant is lifted from its body through steam distillation. Essential oils are a great example of a plant’s soul being unbound from its body.

The second principle is the plant’s Spirit (The Universal solvent in the plant kingdom is ethanol, or spirit. This is also known as the philosophical Mercury). All plants create ethanol when they decompose. In the alchemy of five centuries ago, this stage of decomposition or fermentation known as Putrefaction, was the first step to purifying the plant’s spirit. As an Alchemist in modern times, I can forego the tedious and potentially dangerous process of refining my own ethanol from plant matter, as pure ethanol is readily available to me (the distillery I use is located in Maine). The pure alcohol is circulated through the plant several times to unbind the plant’s unique spirit.

The third and final principle is the plant’s body (known as the Salt). This principle revolves around the hearth, where a strong fire churns. The plant, having its Soul and Spirit unbound and purified, is at its final stage of transformation. Through Incineration, the plant becomes a white ash that contains a unique composition of calcium, magnesium, silica among a long list of other minerals. Most importantly, the plant’s energetic signature resides in it’s purified mineral salt.