In the wake of his bestselling “Tales of a Spiritual Sun,” Kiritsis weaves together history, psychology, and science to tell the story of the “Black Art”

REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Paul Kiritsis’s new book, “The Riddle of Alchemy,” will be released 10th December, 2024, and is now available for pre-order through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The book deals with alchemy’s rich, multifaceted tradition from three perspectives –history, psychology, and nomothetic science–something not seen in other books of the same subject. It addresses many fascinating questions: what is alchemy? Is there any empirical truth to ancient speculative pursuits like metallic transmutation? How does alchemy intersect with the Western mind sciences and science in general?

Part I – Alchemy: Histories concerns the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural intercourse that occasioned the rich tapestry of alchemical tropes, themes, narratives, and pursuits, addressing the harmonious fusion of Hellenistic nature philosophy, Gnostic mythology, and Egyptian crafts and metallurgical practices in late antiquity – and much more, including the alchemy’s role during the Renaissance, its influence on Jacob Boehme’s theosophy, and its medieval imagery’s integral role in Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious.

Part 2 – Alchemy: Processes of the Mind looks at the alchemical opus and its stages in the context of analytical, developmental, and clinical psychology, offering psychological interpretations of the Splendor Solis plates and integrated alchemical interpretations of personality, personal growth, and the human condition.

Part 3 – Alchemy: The Noetic Science examines the empirical validity of alchemical theory and pursuit, addressing the viability of metallic transmutation, the theory of esoteric correspondences – the planet-metal connections – and how its animistic paradigm and principles of transformation might connect to more innovative, radical ideas emergent within the nomothetic disciplines.

Early reviews offer glowing praise:

“Even skeptics will find much to appreciate in this beautifully crafted work. A well-written, expertly researched analysis of the history and legacy of alchemy.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Walking in the footsteps of Carl Gustav Jung, Kiritsis ranges effortlessly in his essays from an analysis of enigmatic alchemical motifs to contemporary issues in physics, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience, all the while drawing on a profound knowledge of ancient Greek mythology and philosophy. A thought-provoking and beautifully written work.” –Hereward Tilton, PhD, author of The Path of the Serpent, Vol. 1: Psychedelics and the Neuropsychology of Gnosis, and The Quest for the Phoenix: Spiritual Alchemy and Rosicrucianism in the Work of Count Michael Maier (1569–1622)

“The Riddle of Alchemy is a dense and lavish text that elucidates a storied natural philosophy and protoscience, showing its creative influence on modern psychology.” –Foreword Clarion Reviews

“Alchemy, the alleged transmutation of base metals into precious ones, has long captured the human imagination, sometimes serving as a metaphor for other types of change. In this provocative book, Paul Kiritsis discusses the topic from several different perspectives, spanning various eras and cultures. From the chemical laboratories of ancient Greece, to the “internal alchemy” of Eastern sages, to the psychological insights of Carl Gustav Jung, alchemy is a topic that never fails to delight and intrigue, as Dr Kiritsis points out in this reader-friendly book, each chapter of which is an eloquently stated discussion of the topic.” –Stanley Krippner, PhD, co-author of Personal Mythology: Using Ritual, Dream, and Imagination to Discover Your Inner Story, 3rd ed. (with David Feinstein)

“The book stands out for its meticulous research and comprehensive elucidation. It traces the origins of alchemy to ancient civilizations, introducing key figures and emphasizing the integration of practical techniques with mysticism. It goes beyond traditional approaches, connecting alchemical principles with Jung’s theory of individuation.” –OnlineBookClub.org

Paul Kiritsis is a licensed medical psychologist, author and poet, and artist living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. He holds postgraduate qualifications in four different disciplines–clinical neurophysiology (MScMed), clinical psychology (PsyD), Western esotericism (MA), and English/professional writing and speech (Postgraduate diploma). To date he has authored seven books, including the creative compendium Confessions of a Split Mind (2017), the award-winning titles The Creative Advantages of Schizophrenia (2019) and A Critical Investigation into Precognitive Dreams (2020), and the bestselling collection of short stories Tales of a Spiritual Sun (2023). In 2014 he was awarded The Paracelsus Award by the International Alchemy Guild for his professional website Down the Rabbit Hole. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor outstanding web resources, archives, and commercial, organizational, and personal URLs that elucidate the philosophy of alchemy or apply alchemical methods to the arts and sciences.

Paul Kiritsis
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