Step into the heart of the alchemical tradition and root yourself in the wild intelligence of the Earth.
Over the course of two immersive days, we explore alchemy as a living ecological language and a rooted science one that speaks through the cycles of nature, the transformation of matter, the processes of our universe, and the deep memory carried by the beings inhabiting earth. This is not merely science or tradition, but both: a way of seeing, a practice of relationship, and a path of healing grounded in Earth systems.
At the center of our time together is the art of spagyrics, an ancient alchemical approach to herbal medicine that honors the full being of the plant: body, soul, and spirit. Through this lens medicine making is more than extraction. It becomes a dialogue with living worlds. Shaped by chemistry, ecology and attention.
The course moves fluidly between history of science, animism, cosmology, phytochemistry, and hands-on practice. We examine how early alchemical thought gave rise to modern scientific frameworks, and how contemporary chemistry and solubility principles remain inseparable from the living contexts in which plants grow and medicines are made. Spagyric tinctures are taught in depth, alongside several other alchemical preparations, situating technique within a wider ecological and practical framework.
Throughout the weekend, participants work collectively and individually observing processes unfold, sharing questions and learning from one another’s insights. This is a communal learning space designed to foster conversation, collaboration and lasting relationships among people drawn to herbalism and the attunement of Earth-centered medicine making. Meals, breaks and lab time are treated as extensions of the learning, allowing friendships and shared language to emerge naturally.
Participants will craft our own spagyric tincture over the course of the workshop that they take home with them, while also engaging with classical alchemical preparations such as the Ens, Quintessence of Honey, Magistry, and Oil of Egg. Emphasis is placed on understanding material behavior, process, and transformation rather than reproducing fixed recipes.
An optional evening visit to the local observatory with Mo invites us to step outside the lab and reconnect medicine making to astronomical observation, planetary cycles and the larger rhythms that shape life on Earth.
This workshop blends theory with practice, myth with method and science with spirit. Participants leave with practical skills, a deeper understanding of alchemy as an ecological practice, and a strengthened sense of kinship not only with the earth and plants, but with the fellow practitioners of this rich work.
Come curious, come humble and come ready to learn alongside others walking a similar path.