You may calcine the salt ahead of time, or you may wait until the planetary hour on the day of the ruling planet of the herb. Some alchemists find that in preparation of the salts, placing a small, fine wire mesh screen over the dish used for calcining will help hold the ashes down. This is important, as the finer, lighter ash will easily blow away, and it is this fine white ash that is important for the creation of a Vegetable Stone. A slow but safe alternative is to place small amounts of the ash in a crucible and to allow the heat from your gas stove to envelop the crucible. You will need tongs, as the crucible will grow very hot.
• Plant salts finely ground and calcined to a pure white or nearwhite color.
• Plant tincture extracted from the plant whose salts are used in the creation of the Plant Stone.
• Clean eyedropper.
• Small ceramic crucible and lid.
• Crucible tongs.
• Heat source, such as a gas stovetop or a small, hand-held blowtorch.
• Wire triangle, preferably with ceramic insulation, to hold the crucible in place as it is heated. This can easily be made from three pieces of thick metal wire (such as that of a coat hanger) twisted at the ends and pressed in at the sides to hold the crucible steady.
• Small container for the newly created Plant Stone to be placed in when completed.
• Patience, patience, and more patience.
1. Carefully read all directions several times prior to undertaking the experiment. Be sure you know every step of the way. Remember: Safety first!
2. If the salt is white or near-white, place it in a heat-resistant dish or crucible on a low heat source. The heat may be modulated, but under no circumstances let it burn or scorch the herb.
3. Slowly, drop by drop, begin to place the tincture into the heated salt until it is completely absorbed. This is called imbibition, or imbibing the Stone with life (mercury) and soul (sulphur). You are, in essence, reincarnating the vegetable power of the plant.
4. Continue this process for as long as you like, or stop after one full hour, either planetary or secular.
5. Begin again either next week or on another day, preferably Saturday, on the planetary hour of the plant. If this is inconvenient, then begin at any hour when the work can be done.
6. Between the phases of imbibition, keep the Stone in a place away from prying eyes and, if possible, sunlight. (Whether it be in the womb or under the earth, many good things like to grow in the dark.)
7. When the Stone will accept no more liquid, place it where you can observe the changes that may take place over the next few months.
8. If possible, store the Stone near a heat source, such as in an incubator or near a gas oven range with a running pilot light, if one is available.
9. If the Stone suddenly jells, quickly pour it out of the crucible into a thimble, as it will harden and be difficult to get out of the porcelain crucible. This hardening is desirable, compared with the softer, easily consumable Stones that may appear.
If the Stone is soft like licorice, then it may be ingested in small slivers under the tongue or with a glass of distilled water. If the Stone is hard, then place it in a glass of distilled water for several minutes so that it may transfer its power to the water, and then drink the water.
If the Stone is perfected, repeated immersion will not degrade or "attack" the Stone. Otherwise, expect it to dissolve over time. It is imperative that you keep a careful record of the days, times, and phases of the Moon during which the work is done. It is strongly urged that work not be done during the "dark phase" of the Moon. New Moon and Full Moon periods are most beneficial, as with most psychic activities or projects.
A low-tech way to make a Stone without the use of open flame is to use an incubator while imbibing the salts over a period of six months to one year. All that you need is a 10- or 15-watt bulb placed inside of a Styrofoam cooler or box. The socket and extension cord can be unscrewed from a standard work light found in a hardware store. These inexpensive lights have silver dishes to reflect the light and clips that allow them to be hung in a variety of locations. Simply cut a hole in the side of the Styrofoam cooler, insert the socket through the hole, attach a "washer" cut from corrugated cardboard to help hold it in place, and you are done. You can also place a brick inside the incubator to hold it in place as well as to hold in heat. Place your crucible on top of the brick and imbibe the salts during the planetary hour of its ruling planet and day. For example, if the herb used is lemon balm, the salts would have to be imbibed only once a week, during the planetary hour of Jupiter on Thursday. Of course, you could imbibe the Stone on additional planetary hours of Jupiter to speed up the process, but this is not required.