Can You Identify Your Hidden Stars?
"...he is an extract from all the stars and planets of the whole firmament, from the earth and the elements; and so he is their quintessence."
At the turn of the 15th century, Renaissance man Paracelsus wrote: “Man is a microcosm, or a little world because he is an extract from all the stars and planets of the whole firmament, from the earth and the elements; and so he is their quintessence.”
Romantic, no? For a man whose pen name meant “greater than Celsus–” a genuinely esoteric Roman thinker who lived on earth at the same time as Jesus Christ – it would be safe to assume that Paracelsus felt he had his finger on the pulse of humanity.
As an alchemist, his pursuit danced between science and mysticism. His prose reflected the battle between an alchemist’s inward journey and their fascination with the natural world. Men like him believed in human transcendence. Their visionary minds sought to transform the mundane into the miraculous.
While the Renaissance alchemist may have shrouded several practices in secrecy, we know how many worked tirelessly to transmute metals into pure gold to pursue eternal life or create elixirs to cure diseases or rejuvenate the body.
He also likely followed the cycles of celestial bodies, believing that the stars we gaze upon from Earth could influence not only events but also individuals. His practices fundamentally stood in opposition to several core principles of Christianity. Still, one element (ba dum tss) I’ve always found fascinating about these two opposing systems is that the Renaissance alchemist was likely often a Christian.
These men wanted it all: science, religion, and mysticism. They often engaged in alchemical practices in an effort to better understand God and give glory to Him.
The Renaissance alchemist took an interest in the interconnectedness of all things – after all, we are extracts “from all the stars and planets,” and we are their “quintessence.”
Each of us – yourself included – is the sum of our daily experiences.
Would you do a little thought experiment with me? I promise it’s worth it.
While I was driving from Southern California to Las Vegas, Nevada, alone last weekend to attend my friend’s wedding, I listened to political scientist Brian Klaas’s appearance on
’s Modern Wisdom podcast about chaos theory. He argued, among many other things, that who you are right now isn’t just based on merit but also seemingly random, unpredictable events.Klaas believes that this train of thought reduces a person’s burdensome feelings that their shortcomings are why they are who they are and perhaps why they’re stuck where they’re at. But when you think about the interconnectedness of all things, our identity is really just built from many interchangeable pieces of an algorithm.
I’ve long struggled with feeling out of place, overthinking my existence and worth, and constantly wondering why I feel like a square peg being squeezed into a round hole. So, I easily make the mental misstep of believing that if I want something to happen, I must dig into the details and optimize.
But many outcomes are out of my control. Sometimes, that’s for the best. A single event can alter your life’s events moving forward.
Had I not fallen into the niche social circles I discovered online, I would never have gone on a solo road trip to Las Vegas and clinked champagne flutes in Liberace’s mansion.
Many of life’s events are hidden stars obscured in our busy work – not celebrated and reminisced upon with warmth and fondness.
Had I not wanted an annual pass to Disneyland, I would have never ended up at my part-time candy shop job where I met the man I’d later marry. Had my mother accepted a date from OJ Simpson (true story, by the way,) I wouldn't be typing this right now.
Though the interconnectedness of all things can, of course, derail a person’s life path after tragedy, the concept itself doesn’t dampen my spirits. In fact, I find myself energized and optimistic upon reflection of how little influences make a big difference in my future.
Conversations had, purchases made, steps taken and shamelessly tracked, acts of selflessness and even acts of selfishness… each moment is part of my quintessence, and that of all others around me. So, I encourage you also to take a moment and identify life’s little, random blessings and their immeasurable impacts.
There are so many hidden stars within you, things you carry deep within that could lead you to greatness – and are undoubtedly worth identifying.