Top 12 Ball Lightning Folklore From All Around World

12. The Elemental Beings of Alchemical Tradition

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Ball lightning appears in the complex tapestry of alchemical knowledge as a form of elemental being or spirit. Often mentioned as obvious depictions of the salamanders—the elemental spirits of fire—middle Ages and Renaissance alchemists named these brilliant orbs Alchemical tradition holds that the four basic elements—earth, air, fire, and water—each with their own class of elemental entities—help to form the globe. Linked with fire, salamanders were expected to show as dancing flames or, in rarer situations, as complete spheres of live fire—a description quite similar to those of ball lightning. Not only as natural abnormalities, alchemists regarded these events as great emblems of the unknown forces operating in the universe. Understanding and perhaps controlling these basic manifestations would, they thought, expose the secrets of nature and help one to achieve the ultimate alchemical goals, including the synthesis of the philosopher's stone or the elixir of life. Many alchemical books describe extensive ceremonies and experiments meant to call or interact with these flame spirits, often combining sophisticated instruments and esoteric substances. A sign of success in their endeavors, the appearance of a ball of fire announced the moment the veil separating the ordinary from the magical was abruptly lifted. This alchemical portrait of ball lightning catches the blend of philosophy defining the alchemical worldview, mysticism, and proto-science. It links the visible world with the sphere of the spiritual or supernatural as well as satisfies the human need for action and relevance in natural events. Though modern science has several theories regarding ball lightning, the alchemical viewpoint still fascinates; it provides a window into a time when the lines between science, magic, and spirituality were considerably less clear.