Advice on Alchemy Schools & Courses?

[TUNGSTEN]

Hello friends, I found a place online where they teach alchemy http://alchemystudy.com/ , alchemy basic to the most advanced, if a person studies in this school, they give the person a certification that the person is a physician alchemist or something, please review it and, what is your opinion of this school? is real? or is it a fiasco?.

[TUNGSTEN]

I think it's a good school

[Krisztian]

I think it's a good school

If you can travel to Northwest U.S. and take one of Bartlett's practical classes, then you're in for a treat! . . . I didn't hear too many compliments of the school you mentioned. It's primarily missing 'initiatory methods' which is crucial in progressing in this Royal Art. Many of the modern schools camouflaged as 'ancient mystery schools' often portray merely an intellectual endeavor. So, some would say that's not real alchemy.

Having said all that, please above all else, follow your heart Tungsten! (Don't ever let anything discourage you from doing what sits well for you. I am merely pointing out what others have said, that's all.)

[TUNGSTEN]

I find it interesting because one can become a doctor-alchemist and help people....

[Illium the Elder]

I'd stay away from Bartlett and most "popular" modern alchemists. He came to my town offering a workshop for $250-300 a head, I'm very reluctant to trust any accomplished alchemist who does workshop for that much.
But don't trust me, here's some things I have come across from forum members who I think know what they are talking about.

The Fool-"I have both of Bartlett's books and tried many of his "teachings". He is very good for an introduction to alchemy, describes well some basic operations and gives good references to old books.
Now if you define alchemy very strictly (Alkahest and such), well, he has very little to do with it.
In his last book, he prepares the tincture of Antimony and the oil of gold (his method is to extract gold calx with acetone). I have tried those things enough times (spirit of tartar, acetates to acetone). I think that the tinctures are just self condensation products.
I had a short email correspondence with him. It ended when I noted that acetone condenses into a red oil with a drop of sulfuric acid as catalyst. He didn't reply but still sends to me emails about $750 workshops. This is advertising and better stay away from where you see it.
"Real Alchemy" is not real alchemy, it is for beginners (something to get them moving) or people starving for bits of knowledge (compared to the rest of the modern alchemical literature sold on amazon, which is just junk in front of Bartlett's books).
However, I still get advice from his books, cannot find something much better out there."

True Puffer-"If Robert ever comes to my town i will certainly go to his seminar.
Robert has not finished the Great work because he works with the wrong materials just like Frater Albertus, Jean Dubuis and the rest of the old crew.
In the Acetate path he uses Galena and Lead which after the painstaking separation of the principles never unites again no matter how "clean" the principles are.In fact the more you clean them through rectifications and sublimations it gets only worse and not better because Aceton is getting even more volatile and the red oil more fixed which makes things more less likely to unite.
What makes Robert attractive is to learn what not to do and this is worth $300 in my opinion."

Naxagoras-"I really doubt that Bartlett has to offer something really useful for true alchemy. Well, the acetate path is a false concept mainly spread by Albert Riedel, Jean Dubuis and their countless followers, mainly in the United States. It comes out from the misinterpretation of Alexander von Bernus' book respectively of Bernus own statements of the false interpretation of Johann Seger Weidenfeld's book done by Dr. Ch. A. Becker. Dr Becker falsely believed to have found the Spiritus Vini Lulliani in acetone prepaired by diverse pyrolytic distillations of metallic acetates. So A. Riedel believed Dr. Becker and refused Bernus' clear statements against Becker's theory and practice."

If you want to learn don't pay for these "alchemical" colleges, they have very little to teach, the basics perhaps, but are not worth the price.

Read these
***The Golden Chain of Homer
The Compass of the Wise
Opus Mago-cabbalisticum Et Theosophicum
Cyliani
R+C, Practicus, Philosophus, etc
or Reusenstein

If your going to pay for anything, pay for R.A.M.S

just my 2 cents

[Krisztian]

I'd stay away from Bartlett and most "popular" modern alchemists. He came to my town offering a workshop for $250-300 a head, I'm very reluctant to trust any accomplished alchemist who does workshop for that much.
But don't trust me, here's some things I have come across from forum members who I think know what they are talking about.
The Fool-"I have both of Bartlett's books and tried many of his "teachings". He is very good for an introduction to alchemy, describes well some basic operations and gives good references to old books.
Now if you define alchemy very strictly (Alkahest and such), well, he has very little to do with it.
In his last book, he prepares the tincture of Antimony and the oil of gold (his method is to extract gold calx with acetone). I have tried those things enough times (spirit of tartar, acetates to acetone). I think that the tinctures are just self condensation products.
I had a short email correspondence with him. It ended when I noted that acetone condenses into a red oil with a drop of sulfuric acid as catalyst. He didn't reply but still sends to me emails about $750 workshops. This is advertising and better stay away from where you see it.
"Real Alchemy" is not real alchemy, it is for beginners (something to get them moving) or people starving for bits of knowledge (compared to the rest of the modern alchemical literature sold on amazon, which is just junk in front of Bartlett's books).
However, I still get advice from his books, cannot find something much better out there."
True Puffer-"If Robert ever comes to my town i will certainly go to his seminar.
Robert has not finished the Great work because he works with the wrong materials just like Frater Albertus, Jean Dubuis and the rest of the old crew.
In the Acetate path he uses Galena and Lead which after the painstaking separation of the principles never unites again no matter how "clean" the principles are.In fact the more you clean them through rectifications and sublimations it gets only worse and not better because Aceton is getting even more volatile and the red oil more fixed which makes things more less likely to unite.
What makes Robert attractive is to learn what not to do and this is worth $300 in my opinion."
Naxagoras-"I really doubt that Bartlett has to offer something really useful for true alchemy. Well, the acetate path is a false concept mainly spread by Albert Riedel, Jean Dubuis and their countless followers, mainly in the United States. It comes out from the misinterpretation of Alexander von Bernus' book respectively of Bernus own statements of the false interpretation of Johann Seger Weidenfeld's book done by Dr. Ch. A. Becker. Dr Becker falsely believed to have found the Spiritus Vini Lulliani in acetone prepaired by diverse pyrolytic distillations of metallic acetates. So A. Riedel believed Dr. Becker and refused Bernus' clear statements against Becker's theory and practice."
If you want to learn don't pay for these "alchemical" colleges, they have very little to teach, the basics perhaps, but are not worth the price.

Well, all of the points you make are well founded, I believe also. Tungsten, were you looking for beginning courses in alchemy, right?

[Salazius]

RAMS is just perfect.

[Krisztian]

RAMS is just perfect.

Hans Nintzel did leaves us something of a gem, I agree. I often go back to it.

[crestind]

I am surprised however, by the fact that Hans Nintzel seemingly never achieved the great work, or even a substantial trans if we are to go by the one text in RAMS (can't think of it at the moment). It has a forward and Hans writes about how he wants to retire early, and that this particular text has a working method to make a stone.

[Krisztian]

I am surprised however, by the fact that Hans Nintzel seemingly never achieved the great work, . . . .

Good point.

That's what I have been trying to elucidate, thank you, if not all, then majority of books published on this subject, the Royal Art, by modern writers do not succeed in the Great Work. Most certainly not publicly displayed. Many actually became quite depressed.

My suggestion is, either join an egregore specializing in lab-work or, seek out tuition with, oftentimes the case, unknown alchemist.