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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alchemy: The Magic and Mystery of the Ancient Craft Revealed for Today
More than magic...
Where else can one combine chemistry and philosophy to turn base metal into gold while discovering a magical elixir to prolong life? Here's a simple and straightforward guide to alchemy that explains its basic principles. Written by one of the world's few practicing alchemists, it's a concise reference guide that provides easy-to-follow information so that anybody can be a wizard-in-training.
Where else can one combine chemistry and philosophy to turn base metal into gold while discovering a magical elixir to prolong life? Here's a simple and straightforward guide to alchemy that explains its basic principles. Written by one of the world's few practicing alchemists, it's a concise reference guide that provides easy-to-follow information so that anybody can be a wizard-in-training.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
133 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Dennis William Hauck
42 books57 followersDennis William Hauck is a researcher, author, and lecturer in consciousness studies. His primary focus is on levels of awareness and the mechanisms of transformation of consciousness. He works to document the evolution of a science of consciousness and merge various philosophical and scientific traditions into a unified theory of consciousness. He has also contributed to related areas, including the history of science, psychology, and the serious study of paranormal and mystical experiences.
Hauck is considered a leading authority on Hermeticism and alchemy. According to Bernard Lightman in “A Companion to the History of Science:” "Dennis William Hauck is a prolific author and has been at the center of efforts to institutionalize modern alchemy through a number of organizations, conferences, and journals. For Hauck, classical science has its limits, in that it can explain only our physical reality, not the deeper hidden reality from which the physical stems. He decided that alchemy offered one path to that hidden reality, and so, decided to discover solid evidence and challenge the dominant Newtonian paradigm."
According to Hauck, the Philosopher’s Stone of the alchemists is consciousness itself: “The Stone exists in the formative realm between energy and matter, suspended in the twilight between what exists and what does not exist. Renaissance alchemists described the mind as a magical touchstone made from a hidden etheric substance that is distributed throughout the universe. That substance is consciousness."
Most of Hauck’s recent works focus on the application of the principles of alchemy to psychology and cosmology. His “The Emerald Tablet: Alchemy for Personal Transformation” presents new revelations about the ancient artifact that became the core document of alchemists. His “Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy” elaborates the operations alchemists used on all levels of their practical and spiritual work. His “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Alchemy is an introduction to all levels of alchemical work. He has also translated several important German and Latin alchemy manuscripts into English.
Hauck has been interviewed on nearly 300 radio programs, including such national shows as NPR’s "Morning Edition", “Art Bell Show” and many other programs carried by networks such as CBS Radio, CNN Radio, Talk Radio Network and the Wisdom Radio Network. He has also appeared on over forty television programs, including such national shows as “Geraldo,” “Sally Jessy Raphael,” “The O'Reilly Factor,” “Extra,” “CNN Reports,” A&E's "Unexplained", “Sightings,” “Terry Bradshaw’s Home Team,” “America's Talking: and other shows on the History Channel, Travel Channel and Discovery Channel.
Hauck is considered a leading authority on Hermeticism and alchemy. According to Bernard Lightman in “A Companion to the History of Science:” "Dennis William Hauck is a prolific author and has been at the center of efforts to institutionalize modern alchemy through a number of organizations, conferences, and journals. For Hauck, classical science has its limits, in that it can explain only our physical reality, not the deeper hidden reality from which the physical stems. He decided that alchemy offered one path to that hidden reality, and so, decided to discover solid evidence and challenge the dominant Newtonian paradigm."
According to Hauck, the Philosopher’s Stone of the alchemists is consciousness itself: “The Stone exists in the formative realm between energy and matter, suspended in the twilight between what exists and what does not exist. Renaissance alchemists described the mind as a magical touchstone made from a hidden etheric substance that is distributed throughout the universe. That substance is consciousness."
Most of Hauck’s recent works focus on the application of the principles of alchemy to psychology and cosmology. His “The Emerald Tablet: Alchemy for Personal Transformation” presents new revelations about the ancient artifact that became the core document of alchemists. His “Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy” elaborates the operations alchemists used on all levels of their practical and spiritual work. His “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Alchemy is an introduction to all levels of alchemical work. He has also translated several important German and Latin alchemy manuscripts into English.
Hauck has been interviewed on nearly 300 radio programs, including such national shows as NPR’s "Morning Edition", “Art Bell Show” and many other programs carried by networks such as CBS Radio, CNN Radio, Talk Radio Network and the Wisdom Radio Network. He has also appeared on over forty television programs, including such national shows as “Geraldo,” “Sally Jessy Raphael,” “The O'Reilly Factor,” “Extra,” “CNN Reports,” A&E's "Unexplained", “Sightings,” “Terry Bradshaw’s Home Team,” “America's Talking: and other shows on the History Channel, Travel Channel and Discovery Channel.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 2, 2010
Do you know know what is wrong with this book?
The idiots who read it.
Alchemy is
Alchemy, derived from the Arabic word al-kimia, is both a philosophy and an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold,
according to wikipedia.
Where else can one combine chemistry and philosophy to turn base metal into gold while discovering a magical elixir to prolong life?
according to this book.
Books like this cause interactions like this:
customer:
Is there a place other than new age where I could find books on alchemy.
Me:
*searches alchemy and nothing comes up in stock, researches in store*
No the books that come up in other sections are using alchemy to mean somethign different than the traditional meaning.
*customer leaves, I go on goodreads*
*ten minutes later he comes back*
Customer:
So those books they aren't what I wanted. Where is the science section.
Me:
It's on the second floor.
*customer starts to walk away and comes back*
Customer:
those books really aren't right I want a book on how to do it.
*I stand there trying to figure out what you say to this*
Me:
The books would still be in new age and magical arts because it is popularly considered a psuedoscience.
customer:
but I want books on how to do it.
*At this point I give up on being nice clearly it isn't working*
Me:
It isn't actually possible to turn iron into gold so we would still put it in new age.
customer:
the science section is on the second floor?
Me:
yes
This book is classifed as new age for your information.
The idiots who read it.
Alchemy is
Alchemy, derived from the Arabic word al-kimia, is both a philosophy and an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold,
according to wikipedia.
Where else can one combine chemistry and philosophy to turn base metal into gold while discovering a magical elixir to prolong life?
according to this book.
Books like this cause interactions like this:
customer:
Is there a place other than new age where I could find books on alchemy.
Me:
*searches alchemy and nothing comes up in stock, researches in store*
No the books that come up in other sections are using alchemy to mean somethign different than the traditional meaning.
*customer leaves, I go on goodreads*
*ten minutes later he comes back*
Customer:
So those books they aren't what I wanted. Where is the science section.
Me:
It's on the second floor.
*customer starts to walk away and comes back*
Customer:
those books really aren't right I want a book on how to do it.
*I stand there trying to figure out what you say to this*
Me:
The books would still be in new age and magical arts because it is popularly considered a psuedoscience.
customer:
but I want books on how to do it.
*At this point I give up on being nice clearly it isn't working*
Me:
It isn't actually possible to turn iron into gold so we would still put it in new age.
customer:
the science section is on the second floor?
Me:
yes
This book is classifed as new age for your information.
February 21, 2024
WHOLLY SHIT!
This is SO MUCH FUN!
I’m SMITTEN 😍
Massively generative.
Fascinating beyond description.
I’m OBSESSED 🤩
This is SO MUCH FUN!
I’m SMITTEN 😍
Massively generative.
Fascinating beyond description.
I’m OBSESSED 🤩
December 22, 2011
Its a good book, very enlightening on the subject – though perhaps not in the way the author seems to have intended. Still it certainly merits the 4-star rating based on the wealth of information it provides. It does drag at points.
I am a huge, flaming skeptic when it comes to things mystical and magical and miraculous. I want to believe in these things, and in point I really do believe in them – just not the way most do. There is magic in this old, dark world of ours – but its not what the peddlers of New Ageisms and pseudo-mystics claim. And Alchemy, in the mystic sense, falls squarely in that category.
As pre-chemistry it makes perfect sense, especially given they could see results but didn’t really understand the processes involved. Their observations are correct, even if their theories and assumptions are in error. They could create gold, after a fashion, by extracting existing gold from ores and alloys; and they could seem to make gold by obfuscation and trickery (the option depend on the individual alchemists and his/her preferences for deceit and/or the availability of materials).
The use of symbolism as code is probably the best thing I learned in the book. It reveled a lot about the old Alchemists. They used this code to transmit their findings to others without reveling them to everybody – maintaining their guild secrets. Personally I hate secrets and this kind of thing, so that colours my opinions of the ancient (and Modern) Alchemists.
When trying to apply the lessons of chemical Alchemy to other areas, such as mental, spiritual, social, and even scientific – well it can be made to fit but its a stretch IMOP. Have you ever heard the adage “When you are a hammer all problems begin to look like nails”? Well that’s how applying the Alchemical lessons to non-chemical areas seems to me. Alchemists see all problems as resolvable with Alchemy.
I also have a problem with the quest to link everything to antiquity (A problem I have with much in the world, not just Alchemy). Its great ancient wisdom, except it has been modified over the ages to fit current knowledge. I have no problem with this, its the natural result of growing knowledge and evolution. But frankly I find the effort to link human knowledge and development to ancient and nobler civilizations and/or alien/gods kind of offensive.
I also find the numerology of Alchemy suspect and very convenient.
But all that said, its a good book and a good point to learn from.
I am a huge, flaming skeptic when it comes to things mystical and magical and miraculous. I want to believe in these things, and in point I really do believe in them – just not the way most do. There is magic in this old, dark world of ours – but its not what the peddlers of New Ageisms and pseudo-mystics claim. And Alchemy, in the mystic sense, falls squarely in that category.
As pre-chemistry it makes perfect sense, especially given they could see results but didn’t really understand the processes involved. Their observations are correct, even if their theories and assumptions are in error. They could create gold, after a fashion, by extracting existing gold from ores and alloys; and they could seem to make gold by obfuscation and trickery (the option depend on the individual alchemists and his/her preferences for deceit and/or the availability of materials).
The use of symbolism as code is probably the best thing I learned in the book. It reveled a lot about the old Alchemists. They used this code to transmit their findings to others without reveling them to everybody – maintaining their guild secrets. Personally I hate secrets and this kind of thing, so that colours my opinions of the ancient (and Modern) Alchemists.
When trying to apply the lessons of chemical Alchemy to other areas, such as mental, spiritual, social, and even scientific – well it can be made to fit but its a stretch IMOP. Have you ever heard the adage “When you are a hammer all problems begin to look like nails”? Well that’s how applying the Alchemical lessons to non-chemical areas seems to me. Alchemists see all problems as resolvable with Alchemy.
I also have a problem with the quest to link everything to antiquity (A problem I have with much in the world, not just Alchemy). Its great ancient wisdom, except it has been modified over the ages to fit current knowledge. I have no problem with this, its the natural result of growing knowledge and evolution. But frankly I find the effort to link human knowledge and development to ancient and nobler civilizations and/or alien/gods kind of offensive.
I also find the numerology of Alchemy suspect and very convenient.
But all that said, its a good book and a good point to learn from.
May 10, 2025
This book is tea.
This is my 4th(?) re-read over the past 8 years. It’s a comprehensive overview and introduction to alchemical concepts and processes. Alchemy itself can be its own lens of interpretation and this book describes its fundamental ideas and symbolic language exceptionally well. It’s a great resource book and reference guide when you’re diving into more complex alchemical texts and manuscripts.
The alchemical tradition is the meeting place of so many different veins of occult/esoteric culture and history. Western Occultism is rooted in Ceremonial “High” Magic and hermetic alchemy has very very clear influence on this era of the occult.
Early alchemy is predominantly focused on practical and physical laboratory work (which is where Jung makes mistakes in his interpretations of texts), although the later European alchemy traditions begin to incorporate Hermeticism and Gnosticism. However, I don’t think Jung’s perspective is useless especially when considering the overall development of ideas in esoteric culture and practice. Hauck does a great job balancing both sides of the physical and metaphysical application of the operations and experiments. He provides a good spin on Jung’s alchemy.
This is my 4th(?) re-read over the past 8 years. It’s a comprehensive overview and introduction to alchemical concepts and processes. Alchemy itself can be its own lens of interpretation and this book describes its fundamental ideas and symbolic language exceptionally well. It’s a great resource book and reference guide when you’re diving into more complex alchemical texts and manuscripts.
The alchemical tradition is the meeting place of so many different veins of occult/esoteric culture and history. Western Occultism is rooted in Ceremonial “High” Magic and hermetic alchemy has very very clear influence on this era of the occult.
Early alchemy is predominantly focused on practical and physical laboratory work (which is where Jung makes mistakes in his interpretations of texts), although the later European alchemy traditions begin to incorporate Hermeticism and Gnosticism. However, I don’t think Jung’s perspective is useless especially when considering the overall development of ideas in esoteric culture and practice. Hauck does a great job balancing both sides of the physical and metaphysical application of the operations and experiments. He provides a good spin on Jung’s alchemy.
May 30, 2025
The most complete spherical book on alchemy for beginners. Mr. Hauck knows the subject he writes and he descibes it very well and in depth.
October 13, 2024
avevo tolto una stella per le varie disattenzioni e sciocchezze, interpretazioni basate su citazioni erronee da vari testi sacri (interpretazioni venate dall'immancabile visione new age, che è repellente per il mio spirito), ma ne ho aggiunta una per le varie guide e ricette da provare e per l'assoluto piacere che è questo libro per un adepto o meglio, un neofita della materia. Ottimo punto di partenza, se preso in maniera critica.
December 15, 2023
I bought this on impulse because the saying “As Above So Below” seems to keep popping up and I wanted to just get an understanding of it’s origin in the Emerald Tablet and the magic of alchemy. What I didn’t expect was such a thorough overview of this apparently still alive practice of Alchemy and how it shaped human history. Absolutely fascinating read! I may be starting down a new rabbit hole.
Read
June 29, 2019not quite sure what i've just read but it does contain some nicely shaped easter eggs
January 30, 2015
Although I have my reservations about this book, I still give it 4 stars because this is a really good general introduction to the subject of alchemy. It explores the general history of the subject, the different types of alchemy, and basic symbolism. This is good for someone who would like just a brief overview of the subject. However, as it goes into many different aspects, it doesn't give much detail in any one aspect of the subject. Also, it would be nice if it gave more instructions on practical plant alchemy or how to construct a lab, for example. Another issue I have with the book is that it goes into some outlandish speculation hinting at ancient aliens ideas. While I am not closed to any alternative theories, it seems out of place in what I would expect to be a more scientific book. I was rather surprised to see these kinds of ideas in an otherwise reputable source of information. I still think anyone who wants to undertake the study of alchemy should read this book, as this gives a very good overview of the subject. On an interesting side-note, the popular documentary "Alchemy-Sacred Secrets Revealed" seems to be entirely based off part of this book.
November 30, 2019
I have always enjoyed getting an understanding of how other times believed the world worked. It helps me be a better writer to be able to understand how other times thought and saw the world. Alchemy has been one such belief I have had trouble getting into because all of the ancient texts on it are obtuse at best if not outright veiled in symbolism to protect the authors from persicution.
But having read this book I can say that I still have no clue how they thought about the world. The first 2/3rds of the book try to directly answer my question but only vaguely describe it using far too much ink for how little is said.
Luckily the last 1/3rd goes into corrospondences and how people have related to philosophy of alchemy to medicine, astrology, psychology, sociology, and general mysticism. That at least makes it a handy reference so I can add little references to my writing and people will think I know something occult and profound. For that it is at least a handy reference manual to keep around till I find something better.
But having read this book I can say that I still have no clue how they thought about the world. The first 2/3rds of the book try to directly answer my question but only vaguely describe it using far too much ink for how little is said.
Luckily the last 1/3rd goes into corrospondences and how people have related to philosophy of alchemy to medicine, astrology, psychology, sociology, and general mysticism. That at least makes it a handy reference so I can add little references to my writing and people will think I know something occult and profound. For that it is at least a handy reference manual to keep around till I find something better.
December 5, 2020
I was skeptical, as it's hard to take the "complete idiot's guide" series seriously. But the author being DW Hauck, I went with it. It is actually a very complete alchemy 101. It's a fantastic plain language introduction.
April 25, 2024
I've read this book many times and each time I'm still shocked by how much I learn. Dennis Hauck is very good at making complex concepts easier to understand.
June 9, 2023
Alchemy, like its fellow obscure sciences, can be a tough subject to understand on one's own. I was searching for a book that would, if not explicitly, at least as simply as possible help me understand the significance and correspondence of planets and their metals.
This one is truly an A to Z guide.
This one is truly an A to Z guide.
April 3, 2021
my mind go WOOSH.
Perfectly described step by step guide. one should be ready to go through hardship in order to achieve something.
and it same goes for this guide too.
hope you all enjoy it, like i did.
also i have to read it again, lol
Perfectly described step by step guide. one should be ready to go through hardship in order to achieve something.
and it same goes for this guide too.
hope you all enjoy it, like i did.
also i have to read it again, lol
June 8, 2021
Found at a bookstore. I read mostly to assist with Jungian thought, which it was helpful with. Its a decent overview, which covers many topics without much depth.
One thing this does highlight, is how science used to be tied to the overall human experience, and had a symbolic, psychological, spiritual and thus deeper nature than just the pursuit of science.
One thing this does highlight, is how science used to be tied to the overall human experience, and had a symbolic, psychological, spiritual and thus deeper nature than just the pursuit of science.
May 31, 2020
Save yourself a headache this is the best guide there is on the topic
June 29, 2021
Working through this slowly, need to read some things. Fascinating stuff
June 20, 2023
An excellent primer on alchemy and ancient wisdom. Much of the info resonated with me, and correlates to other works I've studied.
June 19, 2024
This is a great place to start if you have an interest in the ancient art and proto-science of Alchemy. Simple explanations, novel insights and excellent appendices to help you further your studies.
February 22, 2025
this book made my brain melt and not in the fun way
October 31, 2025
mental,spiritual ve social alchemy bölümleri güzeldi. onun dışında eh.
March 9, 2011
Arcane. Occult. Occasionally pragmatic. Some parts fascinating, others not so much. Not everyone's cup of tea. I found his discussions about Jung's attraction to alchemy to be illuminating, and I appreciated his clear explanation of the different possible foci (dimensions?) of alchemy, including the psychological.
November 24, 2013
If this is a topic you are interested in, this was an amazing read that opened my eyes to the wonder of the world around me, as well as helped me to understand what I thought to be a dead art. I loved this book.
January 18, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It was a nice introduction to alchemy and the philosophy behind it.
While I may not agree with, nor believe in the principles and ideas of alchemy, I did enjoy the way the author presented the information.
While I may not agree with, nor believe in the principles and ideas of alchemy, I did enjoy the way the author presented the information.
October 4, 2010
For research!
Want to read
October 5, 2010Holy shit, I have to read this.
Currently reading
June 22, 2017Yup. It exists. I bought it at a Borders that was closing. It's for research for my young adult novel!
September 14, 2013
Excellent guide, simple but very much detailed at the same time. It helped me a lot when i took the Trinity exam (my topic was about alchemy).
November 11, 2012
I read this book in preparation for a seminar on the "Emerald Tablet." It is an excellent book and I learned a lot from it. If you have no previous experience or knowledge of Alchemy.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews