Alchemist

The Alchemist is a unique piece of fiction the author Paulo Coelho has written about a hero’s quest of religious pilgrimages like the one-Coelho himself took. The author of The Alchemist Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro on August 24th, 1947. Paulo Coelho’s parents committed him to a psychiatric facility. When Coelho was 17 years old and he spent a lot of his youth in and out of institutions and in prison later he went to law school but dropped out as he was experimenting with drugs and playing music. At one point he was jailed for political activism and was even tortured in prison understanding these background pieces of Paulo Coelho his life will help one understand the critical journey and spiritual awakening of the alchemist.

At the onset of the alchemist we meet Santiago he is a shepherd and he has chosen this job because it allows him to travel. This speaks to his curiosity and expanding his horizons by seeing more of the world. Santiago dreams of a buried treasure at the pyramids, he learns a lot through observation and he realizes that he has formed a bond with his sheep that works beyond language, his sheep are also followers content with living moment-to-moment with no real hopes or dreams. He makes an important decision to pursue his visions and seek out his incredible treasure. He meets Malka Tzadik king of Salem who uses magic powers to convince Santiago to follow his dream and live out his personal legend, he also introduces Santiago to the notion of oneness the idea that all things are related. Santiago sells his sheep and sets off for Egypt.

A clever thief robbed Santiago on his first day in Tangier, broken Santiago considers going home and giving up instead he realizes that even though he can’t understand the language and communicate with people. There he decides to continue being an adventurer. Santiago gets a job which is to work for a crystal merchant. After helping the merchant’s business succeed the merchant realizes his own life has been stalled out and unsuccessful because he has been pursuing his personal legend instead he remained contented with things as they are. Santiago crosses the desert by a Caravan where he meets an Englishman who’s an avid reader and seeker of a 200-year-old alchemist who lives nearby Al-Fayoumanoasis. Once the caravan arrives at Al-FayoumSantiago meets Fatima a young woman of the desert and falls in love instantly with Santiago. Santiago also sees an attack on the Oasis by observing two hawks. Due to Santiago’sability to read omens by observing the world around him the Oasis is saved. This also draws the attention of the alchemist himself who takes Santiago under his wing teaching him the principal philosophies of alchemy which is about more than turning metals into gold.

The alchemist helps and guides our hero Santiago but they’re captured and as the ultimate test, the alchemist promises their captors that Santiago can transform himself into the wind within three days, if he doesn’t he offers their very lives. At the main climax of the alchemist, Santiago speaks with the wind and with theSun who each realized that they are all creations of the same hand the soul of all things. Indeed Santiago turns into the wind liberating himself and the alchemists and proving the power of his literal transformations. At last, after all this time Santiago reaches the pyramids and he breaks down weeping at their beauty, however, his quest is not yet at an end. The refugees beat up Santiago but just as they are leaving one reveals to him his treasure buried at a church’s sycamore tree in Andalusia where Santiago’s journey began. He has gone a full circle and by remaining attuned to the Uniting spirit of the universe which guides all things he has achieved his personal legend Santiago discovers his treasure the true treasure which is his home in Andalusia, crying out with joy over the treasures of life experiences his journey has brought him.

One life. Live Boundless