Autumn gold
Why do alchemists describe the transformation of matter in the Great Work as a sequence of colours? Because they have observed this sequence in the world of vegetation. Think of fruit trees, for example: except for some nuances – for nature is rich in variety – they pass through a series of colours, and always in the same order. In winter, the trees are black and bare. In spring, they become white with flowers and green with leaves. Then comes summer, and the ripening fruits turn yellow and red. In autumn the foliage turns red and gold, and with red …