By Lorenzo Ortega Marquez, abridged by Glafsvin Helblindi.

"As above, so below."

FOREWORD

I wrote this book to bring a greater understanding of the esoteric art of Inner Alchemy into the collective consciousness of our multiverse. Many are the monastic orders of our world, yet secluded and secretive most of their traditions prove to be. So much so that the very foundations that make their practices a reality are oft forgotten among even its masters.

After many years of experimentation, contemplation and introspection, I bring you now the collected knowledge of a lifetime of scouring the Astral. May it elucidate the nature of Inner Alchemy, for both the layman and the practitioner.

The book first contends with the fundamental principle on which Inner Alchemy is based; the Self, and its place in the multiverse. It concludes this segment with a suggestion on how, and why, to leverage the Self within the multiverse.

It then flows into the second part of the book, where it describes how Inner Alchemy manifests from the Self. A detailed look at its exact mechanisms is then provided, along with a number of its techniques and transmutations.

The two segments of the book then culminate into the final chapter; an advanced transmutation that would allow a practitioner to ascend to a higher state of being.

KI, SELF, PRIMORDIAL TRIFECTA

At the heart of Inner Alchemy lies an oft misunderstood phenomenon referred to as Ki. It is an internal energy of motion that is derived from the mind, body and soul of all living things, with mystics nebulously dubbing it lifeforce. What this actually means is that Ki is what separates autonomously moving beings from their environment.

Ki comes into existence when the fundamental nature of the Self manifests and circulates through the vessel belonging to that Self. This state of circulation is then synonymous with being alive. This does not mean Ki is the source of life. But rather that it is the Thought, Action and Choice of a being. It is the consequence of life.

This principle applies to all animated creatures, even those that you would believe otherwise lifeless. For within our multiverse exists a great variation of forces from which the Self can be derived. These forces are not universally present in every being, nor present in equal proportions among species.

It lies clustered into three fundamental Selves: The Astral Conceptual Self. The Ethereal Elemental Self. And the Divine Incarnate Self. Mind, Body and Soul. Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence. Thought, Action and Choice. Positive, Negative, and Equal. Together they are referred to as the Primordial Trifecta, or Prima Tria. The composition of this trifecta echoes into all layers of reality, with some areas it being heard louder than others.

BODY; THE EMBODIED SPIRIT

The Elemental Self is derived from the Ethereal and Inner Planes. These planes form the physical reality of the multiverse; its Body. Raw elemental forces from the Inner Planes are funneled through the creative potential of the Shadow Plane, which gives them form. Think of the elements as paint and the Shadow as a brush. The assembly of these forces lies solidified in the Prime Material Plane; the painting.

There is however no evidence of the ethereal plane in Arelith. So perhaps this function is closely tied to the Shadow? Shadow, body, and feminine, are all common symbolic associations.

Regardless, all creatures with a material body have an Elemental Self. And this body is an extension of the body of the multiverse itself. It lies within us, as we lie within it. The architecture of our flesh carries degrees of each elemental force. Like Fire it consumes, drawing in the breath of Air. It drinks Water and eats the fruits of the Earth. Each of these elemental qualities in turn have their own Conceptual Traits as a mode of being in which they most often manifest.

This intricate combination of forces, that are otherwise in opposition, would be the direct consequence of the morphic qualities of the Ethereal Plane. It would shape these opposing forces into the harmony of life seen upon the Material Plane and its parallels. It is how the mortal body is given shape. However since the Shadow is the only evidential option for us to point to, a perhaps even more poignant association may be pointed out, and summed up simply. Death Affords Life.

MIND; THE MANIFEST WILL

The Conceptual Self lies within the Astral and Outer Planes. Realms that consist of immaterial ideas and ideals. Of thoughts, dreams, feelings and beliefs. These planes represent the psychic reality of the multiverse; its Mind and Motives, with each individual mind contributing to what lies therein.

Every idea or feeling to enter the mind of a being lies birthed upon the Astral, and can be shared with any other mind that touches it. These thoughts are funneled through the rivers Styx and Oceanus, where the most enduring ideas and strongly held beliefs crystalize into the Outer Planes.

The Conceptual Self is not derived from having a mind. But is rather assembled from whatever immaterial facets a being is composed of. Bravery, for instance, is not an explicitly elemental force, but exists as a force in the Astral, shared among our collective minds. And it does not simply reside in brave beings, but also in any being capable of acting upon it.

Similarly, when one being has a memory that includes another being, that memory is part of both their Conceptual Selves. They grow shaped by each other, even if only in small ways. Our minds are thus an extension of the Astral Plane, and the Astral Plane is an extension of our minds. It connects everyone, and like a virus, ideas may spread one to another. For the Mind does not exist solely within our own heads, despite the illusion that our individuality is derived from the Mind.

SOUL; THE EMERGENT BEING

The Incarnate Self is different in that it is not derived from any extraneous planar root. It is our individuality, present within all beings that bear animacy. Its measure is what separates beings that are "fully" sentient from beings that are not. It endows a being with the sense of Self and Choice.

It is the union of the other two bodies, harmonizing with each other to form a discrete phenomena. Without the Soul, without that harmonization, we would be, or become, extensions of our environment, shackled to the whims of our Conceptual and Elemental Selves. No matter how much intellect a being wields, it is the Soul that gives that intellect a Choice. It gives purpose and meaning to the dry facts and base motives of our common living. The Soul, as such, enables a being to transcend beyond its nature.

Endless wars are fought in the Outer Planes for the sake of the Soul. Between gods, celestials, fiends and other conceptual entities. When a deity acquires the veneration of a soul, part of that Incarnate Self is funneled towards that god. When a soul arrives in the Outer Planes, it is used to manifest a new being that is native to whichever plane it arrived in. And powerful beings often bargain for souls as if it were the only true currency.

All of this points out to us that the Soul is not something that can simply be conceptualized, created or replicated. It can only be given and taken. Any attempts to mimic it end up defying the essential nature of what makes a Soul the very thing that it is.

This uncompromisable quality is intrinsically tied to why having a soul lets a being leverage its own agency in the multiverse. It lies at the principal root of divinity, standing as the fulcrum around which the intentions of the Wheel orbit.

THE FRAMEWORK OF LIFE

In context to the Primordial Trifecta; if a being consists of only a single of the three Selves, it is no being at all. But rather the environment itself, undifferentiated from the plane it belongs to.

A singular Elemental Self would be an inert rock or stream of water. A singular Conceptual Self would be the impression of a landscape, or a remembered song. A singular Incarnate Self lacks any vestiges to give it form, no longer a part of anything. A being requires at least two Selves to be made manifest.

How the nature of the three Selves intersect with one another can be casually observed by simply observing life around us. A bird has an Elemental Self that facilitates the complexity of flesh. However as an aerial being has a greater presence of elemental air in its Elemental Self than beings that do not fly. Its Conceptual Self is composed of the concepts that are inherent to mortal life, such as hunger and sleep. But also flight, which is a concept that does not naturally describe flightless beings.

Some birds are capable of swimming. This means that those particular birds have a greater presence of elemental water woven in their Elemental Self, and the concept of swimming woven into the expression of their Conceptual Self.

Contrast this to how an air or water elemental neither flies nor swims, but simply moves within their native element. Neither do such entities experience many concepts that are inherent to mortal life, such as hunger. While Demons from the Abyss, as a contrast, have hunger as a cornerstone of their architectures.

Now consider that swimming is also something that we can learn to do, despite whether or not we are born with such a skill. This is how the Incarnate Self manifests in this framework. Anything that is learned and developed outside of the natural design of a being is an expression of their Incarnate Self.

CONCEPTUAL + ELEMENTAL

Non-sentient life; plants, oozes, vermin, fungi, and other such simple forms of life. These beings usually lack a measurable soul, devoid of an Incarnate Self in their natural state. However despite that, they are still differentiated from their base environment as a form of life. This is because the Material Plane and its parallels are where the Elemental Self and Conceptual Self of the multiverse overlap.

Thus, life of combined Elemental and Conceptual Selves is capable of naturally occurring upon these planes. This manner of life, often regarded as Nature by druidic traditions, is the only form of life that lacks an Incarnate Self. You will not find life such as this naturally occurring in the Inner Planes unless it had migrated there, or are the direct creations of a god.

In the Outer Planes, one could argue that you will only find conceptualized variations of such life, consisting of a singular Conceptual Self. So the flowers present on the plains of Elysium would not actually be flowers at all, but only the concept of flowers given a material shell. They won't ever wither through a cycle of life, or be found lacking water and nutrients, because they are not the flower as such.

CONCEPTUAL OR ELEMENTAL + INCARNATE

The beings that do naturally occur from the Outer and Inner Planes are typically an extension of the specific plane. Yet given life, autonomy and individuality through an Incarnate Self. Outerplanar beings such as angels and fiends are thus composed of a combined Conceptual and Incarnate Self, where elementals are composed of a combined Elemental and Incarnate Self.

Without a substantial Soul, these beings would not be so easily classified as separate entities from their planes. A fire elemental without a discernible Incarnate Self would simply be a mote of flames, and a celestial without a discernible Incarnate Self would simply be a mote of hope or valor.

It may seem like these beings lack something, consisting of only two selves. However this type of being is capable of manifesting in ways that beings with three selves cannot. Without a need to balance the selves, they can exist as purer expressions of their nature, with no imposition from some other part of the Self. Consequently, their Incarnate Self is completely merged with whichever other Self they might otherwise have.

CONCEPTUAL + ELEMENTAL + INCARNATE

Life that wields all three Selves of the Primordial Trifecta is typically native to the Prime Material Plane and its parallels. Composed of a Mind, Body and Soul. Humanoids, Animals, Reptilians, Dragons and Fey (and even some undead) are all examples of life composed of all three Selves.

This condition is often cited by planar scholars and priests as the duality of mortal life, where body and mind are separate entities, lacking the unifying element of the Incarnate Self. Complicated further by the observation of planar forms of life where the soul is unified into the planar root of the being, either Conceptual or Elemental, but the third lacking in balance.

What this duality of mortal life means, is that the Soul lies interwoven with the already dual nature of Mind and Body that exists upon the Material Plane and its parallels. As such, it does not naturally merge into either one or the other, as is the case with beings from the Outer and Inner Planes.

Plane touched beings also belong to this category, despite having a greater presence of a certain element or concept within their respective selves. This planar influence does not change that they are fundamentally mortal beings, and thus consist of the Trifecta.

UNDEAD, ABERRATIONS, CONSTRUCTS

The Undead are similar to other life from the Material Plane and its parallels, except that it inverts the role that negative and positive energy have in the Elemental Self. This inverted relationship also causes an inverse in how the Conceptual Self interacts with the being, in regards to their motives and mental states.

Moreover, many undead do not have an Incarnate Self, or only the lingering shards of a Soul they once had. And when they do have an intact Soul, it is typically imprisoned and unable to override the other Selves. This typically makes the Undead staunchly rigid in their ways, as if their ability to assert Choice is crippled.

Aberrant life also functions along the same fundamental principles as other life from the Material Plane and its parallels. They have an Elemental and Conceptual Self, with some of them also having an Incarnate Self, and others not.

However, something that defies reasonable observation has warped the subsequent architecture that shapes these aberrations, giving them their namesake. There is either some manner of corruption within their Elemental and Conceptual Selves, or they are drawn from concepts and elements otherwise unfamiliar to the multiverse.

What separates a construct from a machine is the manifestation of Ki, as it moves autonomously where a machine does not. The Elemental Self is assembled from uncomplicated material composites. Added to that is a Conceptual Self that is derived from the genius design of an architect. This Conceptual Self is typically devoid of concepts that are inherent to naturally occurring life, and could hold either a vast intellect or no intellect at all.

Without an Incarnate Self, however, any intellect they might have will never make its own choices. Unsurprisingly, magi sometimes choose to infuse such beings with the Incarnate Self of themselves or another, to grant it sentience.

THE MECHANISM OF ASCENSION

Instinct is derived from the Conceptual and Elemental selves of a being. Surpassing that instinct requires an Incarnate Self. A step beyond that is the state where the Incarnate Self can actively transmute the other selves, thus altering the fundamental nature of a being. This is the mechanism of ascension that exists in all beings with an Incarnate Self, and could be described as the spark of divinity within the Soul.

Mortal masters of Inner Alchemy ascend their mortality through a merger of their Incarnate Self with the other two selves. This achieves a state similar to outerplanar and elemental beings, yet consisting of three natures.

Rakshasa are outerplanar fiends that leveraged their Incarnate Self via illicit rites to generate an Elemental Self that they otherwise would not possess. This allows them to emulate the reincarnating immortality of their god-king.

Genies are wish-granting elemental spirits that leveraged their Incarnate Self through their magical potential, wishing their Conceptual Self into being and becoming the sole elementals that built a civilization.

Any path by which a being ascends beyond their nature, is a path traveled across the Incarnate Self. The most prominent manifestations of this mechanism are the gods. Existing in a state where they host a Conceptual or Elemental Self that encompasses either a large swath, or the totality, of a conceptual element within the multiverse. They are the god of that conceptual element, it is their portfolio, their instinct.

TRANSCENDING THE WHEEL

We stand before the multiverse, a Wheel of concepts and elements that turns solely because our collective, Incarnate Selves pull it forward. Living or dead, mortal or god. The souls of all beings lie tethered to the weight of the Wheel.

Those that accept this imperative are rewarded with deliverance from the plight of their suffering. Consumed, refined and remade are their souls in the next life. Either tortured through Styx, or in the sweet oblivion of Oceanus embrace. Damnation and salvation for a lifetime of pulling the Wheel behind them.

Those that reject this imperative are instead pulled along by the turning of the Wheel, unable to escape the inexorable pull of fate. When death claims them, they are cast upon the Wall of the Fuge. Their souls are mocked and forgotten as they are absorbed into the walls of our prison.

This is the Wheel the gods have fashioned for us. We are either slaves to existence, or are lost to it. However a third Choice is afforded to us; to exist in a manner of synchronicity to the turning motions of the Wheel. To move through life in a way where you do not pull the Wheel behind you, nor are pulled along by it.

By pursuing this cadence of the planes, it becomes possible for the Soul to exist in a state of sovereign liberty. Neither detached from nor attached to the designs of the multiverse. From such a vantage an individual may firmly stand among the Ten Thousand Gods of the Wheel, as an author of their own destiny.

So do not chain your Soul to the spokes of the Wheel, for they will consume you. But do not reject the gods either, as you are one of them. Acknowledge all the gods with equal sincerity, yet abandon the snares of imagined oppositions. Embrace the divinity that lies inherent to your own Incarnated nature.

As above, so below.

There are many paths that can lead you through the Mechanism of Ascension. In the second half of this book we walk the path of Inner Alchemy, and describe its relation to the Primordial Trifecta.

THE SEVEN GATES

For the Self to convert into Ki, it must manifest through a Ki-Gate, sometimes described as a Chakra. Through these gates, the nature of the Self is channeled. It is the Gate that turns the Self into Ki, and from there it naturally circulates throughout the vessel via pathways called Meridians.

When the Ki circulates, a being is capable of either Thought, Action or Choice depending on which gate the Ki is derived from. A living being typically has all of its gates open, and channels Ki through them simply from the virtue of existing. It is the system through which Mind, Body and Soul manifest within the vessel of a being as Thought, Action and Choice.

All beings of the trifecta have seven of such gates, lined along a vertical axis that lies centrally located within the vessel. Numbered from bottom to top, we have: the Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown. With the first three being the Gates of Action, the middle three being the Gates of Choice and the last three being the Gates of Thought.

To further understand the manner in which they are interrelated, consider that the outer two gates, the Crown and Root, are the Volume of the Mind and Body. The adjacent gates, the Third Eye and Sacral, are the Flexibility of the Mind and Body. The gates adjacent to those, the Throat and Solar Plexus, are the Power of the Mind and Body and where they overlap with the Soul. At the center is the Fourth Gate, the Heart, where the Soul manifests into Choice.

The network of meridians in a being varies widely, generally following along the lines of their anatomic nervous system. How much Ki flows through a gate is determined by how cultivated that specific gate is. Partially blocking a gate causes hindrance to the vessel. And if a gate closes entirely, then death or severe disability follow.

GATES OF ACTION

The First, Second and Third Gate are the gates of the Body, and thus the Elemental Self. They are named the Root, Sacral and Solar Plexus, and are the gates of Constitution, Dexterity and Strength.

Ki flowing through these gates is synonymous with the physical performance of a being. These gates are located at the bottom of the axis, in the lower parts of the vessel. They tend to be cultivated by anyone that takes good care of their bodies, and regularly endures the rigors of physical exercise.

Physicians nurture the Root of the sickly, it is the gate through which the stability and vitality of the Body manifest. Without this gate, the Body would simply not exist.

Acrobats cultivate the Sacral, the gate which channels the motion and manner of the Body. Without this gate, the Body would be incapable of movement.

Warriors, Lumberjacks and blacksmiths are each fine examples of those that cultivate their Solar Plexus, which is the raw strength of the Body, and is often called the Gate of Power for this reason.

There exists a natural variation between species in regards to how cultivated certain gates are, by virtue of their intrinsic architecture. Giants are strong, dwarves are hardy, elves are nimble, and so on.

Any manner of magic, poison or technique could target the physical qualities of a being by causing a disruption within these respective ki gates, or the meridians that lead to and from them. A more conventional manner of attack would be to disrupt the architecture of the vessel through plain physical violence.

GATES OF THOUGHT

The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Gate are the gates of the Mind, and thus the Conceptual Self. They are named the Throat, Third Eye and Crown. And are the gates of Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence.

Ki flowing from these gates is synonymous to the mental faculties of a being. They are located at the top of the axis, nominally the head of the vessel. These gates tend to be cultivated by anyone that exercises the mind. Writers, Artists, Scholars, Sages, Wizards and Priests. The Ki channeled from these gates is typically capable of interacting with supernatural forces, such as the Weave of Magic, or the connection to a God or Plane.

The Throat, for instance, is heavily involved in the vocal components of spellcraft, the magic of song and breath of Dragons. It is the gate through which the Mind speaks to the multiverse, the expression of the Self.

The Third Eye is the gate of intuition and lucidity, through which the Mind perceives the multiverse. Its heightened usage is typically defined by navigating a path between the Self of one being and another. Be it between a priest and their deity, a druid and the nature around them, or a monk and their trifecta of selves.

The Crown is the gate through which a Mind comprehends the multiverse and the Self. It lets the Mind understand what it perceives, thus devising ways to interact with it. Psychics project their understanding directly upon the multiverse. And wizards cultivate their understanding in ways that let them grasp for alternative methods of magic, so they do not rely solely on the Throat.

Any manner of magic, poison or technique could target the mental faculties of a being by causing a disruption within either the ki gate, or the meridians that lead to and from it. Alcohol and Enchantment magic are especially infamous for debilitating the Mind. A more conventional manner of attack would be blunt trauma to the head or crushing the throat.

GATE OF CHOICE

The Fourth Gate is named the Heart and is the gate of self-awareness. The Heart is located upon the center of the axis, flanked below and above by the other six, where it synthesizes aspects of both. Sometimes, even those gates just above and below the Heart, as the Throat and Solar-Plexus, will both be included in this category, due to their proximal role in unionizing the above and below.

The cultivation of the Heart is something that all beings with a Soul gradually do throughout their lives. Every single thing they experience adds to further opening the Heart, synonymous with personal growth. A few examples of beings utilizing the Gates of Choice would be the likes of sorcerers, who weave their magic entirely through the Throat, something that outerplanar beings mirror when calling upon their intrinsic supernatural might. Sacred warriors also use them when directly calling forth divine power, despite that they might attribute that glory to their god.

Disrupting the Heart directly is typically an act of the dark arts, be that severing the Soul (Mind & Body Connection), thereby "killing" the being. Or draining Ki from this gate by means of enervating spells. A few other methods and techniques are known that have similar effects. But whenever such a thing does exist, it is often regarded by the fearful as a dark art.

CULTIVATING KI FLOW

In the field of Inner Alchemy, the Flow of Ki is dictated by the component of the Trifecta that it flows from.

Exercise generates flow from the Gates of Action, drawing Ki from the Elemental Self of both the being and multiverse. When drawing a deep breath to regain energy or bolster focus, for instance. Or when using the kinetic leverage of the ground you stand on. These are both examples of how the Elemental Self of the multiverse flows into the Body to synthesize a result. Breathing, in particular, is a cornerstone in many techniques of Inner Alchemy, when involving the Gates of Action.

For the Gates of Thought; abstract ideas, complicated patterns, intense studying, mental visualization and rapid problem solving all generate their Ki flow. When quickly strategizing in a tense situation, or when reading a book. The Mind is collecting information from beyond itself and subsequently applies it. This is the quintessential manner in which the Conceptual Self of the multiverse flows into the Gates of Thought.

The Gates of Choice are partially informed by the Conceptual and Elemental Selves due to the overlapping relation of the Throat and Solar Plexus.

Cultivating the Heart, therefore, ultimately means turning inwards to the Incarnate Self as a synthesis of both, and perhaps neither, the Elemental and Conceptual selves.

Meditation is a common method by which the Heart is cultivated. The Mind is emptied of thoughts, the eyes are closed. The body is sat still without motion. With more advanced techniques tapping into the Throat and Solar Plexus, by means of employing a meditative vocal resonance with one, and actively relaxing the muscles with the other.

PERFORMING INNER ALCHEMY

The foundation of Ki that exists within each part of the Primordial Trifecta is fundamentally endless. So what the practitioner does is cultivate the Seven Gates, to become more apt at drawing that Ki into their vessel.

Alongside that, the practitioner hones their Meridians so they may learn to manipulate the circulation of that Ki. That once it is within their vessel; they may amplify, redirect, combine and control it into a desired effect. The specific gate the Ki comes from loosely defines what it can be used for, so more complicated techniques would use multiple gates in their execution.

The skill of directing Ki through Meridians is acquired purely by manner of repetition and practice. These skills exist in a broad variety of exercises: Letting it circulate between gates. Having it jump past gates. Expanding or shrinking it within the vessel. Directing it to specific limbs. Holding the flow in place or inverting it. Projecting it as a field outside of the vessel, or outward through a specific gate. And so on.

Non-Sentient beings are unable to perform Inner Alchemy, lacking the Fourth Gate renders such beings incapable of circulating a tandem of Mind and Body, as the absence of Soul means no overlapping gates are connecting the selves. This results in the being behaving purely on instinct, without Choice.

Mortal beings of an impulsive temperament are likewise unable to perform inner alchemy, as they consciously choose not to cultivate a harmony between the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh gates.

In this way, Outerplanar and Elemental beings might only have three gates; either the top or bottom three, based on whether they are Conceptual or Elemental. Their Volume, Flexibility and Power are thus derived from a single gate each, rather than two. And their Fourth Gate is inseparably merged into the three gates that they do have. This in turn means that their Inner Alchemy is so different from that of mortals, that it might not even be considered the same discipline at all.