The athanor, the furnace of the alchemists, was never about speed or spectacle. It was built to hold a steady flame, a quiet fire that could burn for weeks without faltering. In it, substances softened, mingled, and slowly became something new. For the alchemist, the athanor was as much a mirror of the soul as a piece of equipment: a reminder that true transformation comes not from flashes of brilliance but from constancy, patience, and faith in unseen processes.
The athanor sits on the boundary between what is disappearing and what is emerging. It is a temporary, yet necessary space where new artisans can develop their best work, away from the demands of scale and efficiency.
Today I have opened up the Athanor. It’s a space where we can bring observations from New Artisans and Outside the Walls together into something we can work with to give ourselves direction in a rapidly changing world.
I’ve given it slightly more context in today’s New Artisans post, which you will find here.
I will put up more context in my regular “Outside the Walls” post on Sunday. Until then, I hope you find something useful here.
Richard