The word "spagyrics" was coined by Paracelsus to describe the process for extracting the life force from plants. He combined the two Greek words spao (tear apart) and ageiro (gather together). These terms refer to the complementary processes of destruction and creation in the universe and reflect the alchemical formula of solve et coagula. Alchemists are the secret ingredients in their own experiments, the outcome of which depends on the purity and concentration of the participating alchemist. This principle is of paramount importance in the art of spagyrics, whose goal is to prepare alchemically active compounds that work simultaneously in our bodies, minds, and souls. Some of the experiments in this book are simple and some complicated. There is even a lesson on spagyric cooking for those of you who prefer to do your alchemy in the kitchen. But remember to take your time in doing spagyrics. You are working with subtle energies that require your patience and poise. "Haste makes waste" is a dictum invented by alchemists.