Arcana of Alchemy

Name: Arcana of Alchemy
Start: 2026-09-04
End: 2026-09-04
Location: Embassy of the Free Mind

"Emerald Tablet" (“Tabula Smaragdina”), Engraved depiction in Heinrich Khunrath's "Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae", 1609.

Black-and-white abstract graphic of the letter "i".

What is the secret of Alchemy? Is it truly hidden in plain sight?

Alchemy has never been one thing. It moves through spiritual, psycho emotional, and physical dimensions at once, treating body, soul, and spirit as a single work. This gathering traces ties using the Tabula Smaragdina, the Hermetic engraving long used to frame context, balance, and purification.

From there, discussion becomes experience. Using the Azoth drawing, decoded here in its original form (not the later Rosicrucian version), you will practice a guided imagery piece that explores Active Imagination and its role in alchemical transformation. Images do not merely represent change, they activate it. You will see how a single image can shift behavior instantly, and how this same principle can be carried into everyday life at every level of practice.

The evening closes with an open Q&A & Reception, where John is glad to stay as long as questions remain. Whether you arrive with only curiosity or years of advanced practice, this talk will bring you in theory and practice to the sources of Alchemy.

About the Speaker

John Hernandez is a seasoned mentor in Alchemy and the Hermetic Arts and Sciences, and an audio engineer with deep grounding in ancient history and western esoteric traditions. He is a founder of Domus Hermeticus and Treasurer of the Domus Hermeticus Foundation, bringing years of mentoring to the Alchemy Center of Excellence. For over fifteen years he has served as an examining instructor within Dennis William Hauck's Alchemy Study Program, helping carry that lineage forward with continuity.

John teaches his students to hear the voice of their own inner calling, tuning their personalities to the melody of their purpose so they might dance to their own inner music. Across hundreds of students, he emphasizes practical application, carrying alchemical tools into daily and professional life alike. He also teaches Kabbalah and Tarot, and has trained in Chi Gung (Qigong).

Beyond founding the Alchemy Coaching Institute and several other ventures, John is a musician, producer, and entrepreneur with a genuine passion for wine and food. He recently wrote the foreword to The Coction Chronicles: Food as In Formation by Melusina de Melita, and has authored two papers on Masonic symbolism, remaining actively engaged across the Hermetic traditions.

Format

Talk | Practicum | Reception

17.30 | Doors Open– enjoy a drink in our café

18.00 - 19.00 | Talk, Practicum, Q&A

19.00 - 19.45 | Reception in our café

Date & Time

Friday September 4, 2026 from 17.30 to 19.45

Language

The workshop will be conducted in English.

Price & Admission

€20,- excluding drinks from our café

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Getting There

Address

House with the Heads
Keizersgracht 123, 1015 CJ Amsterdam

Public Transport

A fifteen-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station. Prefer public transport? Take trams 13 or 17, or bus 170, 172, or 174 to the Westermarkt stop. From there, walk back a short distance, turn left onto Keizersgracht, and you will find us on your right after 300 meters.

Bike

Amsterdam is best explored on two wheels, and the EFM is no exception. Ample bike parking is available along the Keizersgracht.

Car

Parking in the area is paid (~ €8,05 per hour), and spaces can be difficult to find. The nearest parking garages are Q-park Nieuwendijk at Nieuwezijds Kolk 18 (650 meters), Q-park Bijenkorf at Beursstraat 15 (950 meters), and Q-park Europarking at Marnixstraat 250 (1,300 meters). You can also park at a P+R location and travel into the centre by public transport.

Upcoming Events

From immersive cultural experiences to distinguished academic gatherings, the Embassy of the Free Mind offers a diverse agenda open to all curious minds.