Foundation
Alchemy, Inc. was established as a non-profit in 2003. Its programs, workshops and activities are designed to create a culture that nurtures the self-image, self esteem, educational aspirations of urban adolescent youth.
Concept
The concept of Alchemy, Inc. is to create a safe environment to assist in the development of urban adolescents through the telling, discussion, and interpretation of mythological stories and fairy tales told to the beat of an African drum.
Mission
Our mission is to cultivate urban adolescents to develop a sense of personal purpose in life, while utilizing strategies to successfully thrive as members of a family, school, community and world-at-large.
The Meaning of Alchemy
Alchemy’s name is derived from the ancient art of transformation in which medieval alchemists attempted to transform a lower base metal, or prima materia, into gold, called the Philosopher’s Stone. Alchemy works to transform prima materia (urban youth) into the Philosopher’s Stone (the gold inherent within our youth). The alchemist’s work was known as the Opus and it required the alchemist to personally possess certain character traits in order to bring forth the gold. At Alchemy, Inc., we work in a similar fashion to enhance the positive character traits within ourselves and then transfer these traits to the urban youth with whom we work.
Methods of Mythology
We have developed an intense, yet comforting curriculum specifically designed to address issues facing adolescent youth, fathers, professionals and parents. Via these stories participants uncover common themes and basic patterns of development and transformation.
Through dissecting the characters and their universal dilemmas within the myths, learners are provided with a plethora of interpretations designed to assist them in understanding their present situations and how to transform these situations. The stories are designed to increase the use to their imagination, creativity, and critical thinking skills.
We take situations within the myths and determine how obstacles were overcome; we then relate these obstacles and situations to our lives. We offer a safe environment where youth and adults are allowed to heal their psychological wounds while being provided with the cognitive and emotional tools necessary to become self-sufficient.
Healing and the Dream Temples of Aesculapius
In the early days people went to be healed by sleeping and dreaming in temples. These temples were referred to as hospitals.
The technique for healing can be reconstructed by reading these early accounts. First a patient would come to the temple and be greeted by the priest-physician at the gates. There the patient would relate a brief history of the ailment, and he or she would be screened for admission. Probably the patient would then undergo a washing of the body in a sacred spring. This was for both cleanliness and purification of spirit. After this, he or she would make an offering to the gods and would then spend some time in prayer and sacred-song chanting.
During the day attention would be paid to diet and exercise. But at night the “real” work would commence when the patient would recline on a couch within the temple and sleep and dream. Dream healing was considered by ancient physicians to be the highest form and best therapy for the treatment of illness.
-The Dreaming Universe : A Mind-Expanding Journey Into the Realm Where Psyche and Physics Meet by Fred Alan Wolf.
Creating a
Safe Environment
We create a safe environment by following closely the ritual of Aesculapius and other traditional cultures. Our youth are greeted by the adults present. Our drumming is reminiscent of their sacred song-chanting.
In total silence, we then pass around a “substance” in a black and red cover to symbolize the cleansing. While remaining silent, we then pass around a vessel and one-by-one we all blow our dreams and aspirations into the vessel. Then we tell a portion of a myth to the beat of a djembe drum. The youth relate a brief history of their ailment through the discussion of myth. Our youth come to our circles to be healed through our analysis and discussion of myths.
The Healing Power of Drums
When Alchemy, Inc. was started, only our primary facilitator played the drum while telling a myth. One day, one of the students inquired, “Can I play the drum?” Then another asked, and another, and another. So we purchased a few drums at a minimal cost since it was more than apparent that the students enjoyed drumming. It also became obvious that drumming was an ideal means of having them work in cooperation with one another. We purchased a few more drums, a little more expensive than the original set. After some time, or maybe a lot of time, it became even more glaringly inescapable that our youth thoroughly enjoyed drumming. We utilized our recourses and purchased djembe drums from Africa and New York, NY.
Watch to Learn More
In 2014 Alchemy Inc and Six Alchemy Youth were the backdrop to Finding The Gold Within a feature-length documentary
by filmmaker Karina Epperlein
