The alchemists were obsessed with finding that one substance that could turn base metals into gold. They never understood the rudiments of chemistry that appear in middle school texts, but they sensed from observing other changes in nature that a wondrous philosopher’s stone must exist. They need only do some trial-error-mixing until they discovered it. Or so they thought. Somewhere out there lies a substance that can transform other substances.
And so in our lives we, like the ancient alchemists, seek a transformative philosopher’s stone. We have physical models. Why not emotional and psychological ones? Neutrinos, according to a study done by Catherine Pilachowski and Cameron Pace (see The Astronomical Journal, Sept. 2015), can knock a proton from neon, transforming it to fluorine, the element that helps keep teeth healthy.
Now, for those of us who are neutrino-challenged, here’s a simple primer: Neutrinos are subatomic particles that suns produce and that do not ordinarily interact with matter—gajillions of them have passed through your body, never eliciting so much as an “ouch.” But, according to the two astronomers, great numbers of neutrinos produced under the highest temperatures and pressures can with an occasional “hit,” interact with matter. And that’s how neutrinos change neon to fluorine.
And so we search for psychological analogs, some “substance” that, though seemingly unable to reach into and change the recesses of our psyches, can, with enough “hits,” alter us, turn us from weakness to strength, from sadness to joy, from evil to good. Psychologists look for that philosopher’s stone. Psychotherapists seek to apply it. Every self-help advocate claims to have discovered it.
In fact, most of us are like the alchemists, still seeking through trial-and-error that transformative substance or method that will alter our lives for the better, making gold from the base metals of our makeup. In the process of the search we might all discover that there are as many philosopher’s stones as there are people seeking them. Some are more transformative than others. Some are no more effective than the products of ancient alchemy.
With regard to our psyches, the best advice is to keep mixing. Possibly, that seemingly ineffective, tiny substance or method might, with continued “hits,” produce the gold we seek.
And so in our lives we, like the ancient alchemists, seek a transformative philosopher’s stone. We have physical models. Why not emotional and psychological ones? Neutrinos, according to a study done by Catherine Pilachowski and Cameron Pace (see The Astronomical Journal, Sept. 2015), can knock a proton from neon, transforming it to fluorine, the element that helps keep teeth healthy.
Now, for those of us who are neutrino-challenged, here’s a simple primer: Neutrinos are subatomic particles that suns produce and that do not ordinarily interact with matter—gajillions of them have passed through your body, never eliciting so much as an “ouch.” But, according to the two astronomers, great numbers of neutrinos produced under the highest temperatures and pressures can with an occasional “hit,” interact with matter. And that’s how neutrinos change neon to fluorine.
And so we search for psychological analogs, some “substance” that, though seemingly unable to reach into and change the recesses of our psyches, can, with enough “hits,” alter us, turn us from weakness to strength, from sadness to joy, from evil to good. Psychologists look for that philosopher’s stone. Psychotherapists seek to apply it. Every self-help advocate claims to have discovered it.
In fact, most of us are like the alchemists, still seeking through trial-and-error that transformative substance or method that will alter our lives for the better, making gold from the base metals of our makeup. In the process of the search we might all discover that there are as many philosopher’s stones as there are people seeking them. Some are more transformative than others. Some are no more effective than the products of ancient alchemy.
With regard to our psyches, the best advice is to keep mixing. Possibly, that seemingly ineffective, tiny substance or method might, with continued “hits,” produce the gold we seek.
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