Philosophers Stone
The legendary substance sought by alchemists, capable of transmuting base metals into gold and conferring immortality through the elixir of life.
rubedoconiunctiomultiplicatio
Historical Origin
References appear in Greco-Egyptian alchemy and throughout the medieval and Renaissance periods. The ultimate goal of the Magnum Opus.
Alchemical Meaning
The perfected substance achieved through the complete work. Also called the lapis, the tincture, or the fifth element.
Psychological Interpretation
The Self in Jungian terms—the archetype of wholeness and the goal of individuation. The integrated personality.
Sources & Further Reading
- Jung, C.G. Psychology and Alchemy
- Holmyard, E.J. Alchemy