#fluidcondensers — Public Fediverse posts

Positive encounters are rare… Weekly Recap 4/13/2026

Whenever we travel to a new place, I’m always surprised by the kindness of others.

Well, okay… I don’t necessarily mean “kindness.” I mostly just mean that I’m surprised when people will greet you, acknowledge your existence, or do something other than immediately pass judgment upon you. That’s probably because I’ve spent the majority of my life living in two of the rudest areas of the entire US: Northern Virginia and South Florida.

But yes, within the past six months, I have had at least one positive encounter with a stranger.

I was sitting in a parking lot, patiently waiting for a spot with my turn signal light on. The current resident of said parking spot was backing out very slowly, pulling forward, making minor course corrections, and then resuming their egress. In the midst of this, another vehicle approached directly across from me. Seeing the soon-to-be empty spot, they similarly stopped and turned on their turn signal, indicating their shared intention to claim the glorious vacancy.

And claim it they could have! Due to the angles, I had to wait for the exiting vehicle to fully pass me before I could move, giving the potential spot poacher an opening to take what was rightfully mine.

Instead of doing that, however, the dude saw me, gave a tiny nod, and then relinquished his claim. As he drove past me, he nodded and smiled.

Now you see… that’s odd for South Florida. Most people will take your spot and then yell at you for it. I fully expected it to go the other way.

I guess there are still a few people left in the world who don’t suck.

Good morning and happy Monday, friends!

• New Video: Highlights from My Book!

It’s been a crazy week—some of it frustrating, some of it good, but all of it very time consuming.

My book got my first 5-star review on Amazon!

I have been told by those much wiser and more experienced than me to ignore Amazon reviews, but I will at least take the win.

Lots of news on the topic of fluid condensers. I made quite a large batch of it, in fact… and some is already headed to the Netherlands. This is my first time shipping a liquid internationally, so I made sure to follow all the necessary regulations. I’m sure it will arrive safely!

If you would like to get in on this condenser party, I made a new Etsy item for it. (Plus, you can also get a signed book there)

On Friday night, one of our coveners taught a class on incense… and we all created something. I made a few little cones.

Look at those happy little cones! They’re almost done drying, but now I’m inspired and I want to experiment with all the different types…

On Sunday, we stopped by the local farmers market for some spices. We saw lots of flowers, had a delicious smoothie, and obtained a large bag of berries.

We also got a crepe, but to be honest with you, it wasn’t the greatest… so I refused to take a picture of it.

If you’re bored today, go check out this highlight clip for Kirk White’s interview, where he talks about handling multiple spiritual traditions.

That’s all for now, friends. Stay tuned for more soon!

Writing a Book is Basically Alchemy

If you’ve spent any time studying alchemy, then you probably already know this—but it’s not just about turning lead into gold.

For many of us, myself included, alchemy is a profound metaphor for personal transformation. But when you really get down into the “Great Work,” you’ll find there’s two main branches that offer rather different perspectives on the Art: Personal Alchemy and Laboratory Alchemy.

One is concerned with the internal—the shifting of the soul and the refinement of character. Spiritual gold. The other is concerned with the external—the physical transformation of whatever substance is in the crucible… which is probably herbs rather than a chunk of gold. Spoiler alert: lots of Alchemy involves herbs.

In my own practice, I’ve found that these things don’t really exist in isolation. They are mirrors of each other. When you do the hard, internal work, the external world begins to shift in response. Likewise, when you labor over the physical craft, your inner landscape changes along with it. It’s pretty much as close as you can get to seeing “as above, so below” happen right in front of you. Admittedly, however, it’s sometimes hard to truly grasp until you’ve lived through it.

Accidental Alchemy?

I’ll be honest: I never actually set out to write an alchemy book.

You can see where my journey started with one of my very first blog posts: What is a Fluid Condenser. And then that became a series of blog posts, which turned into a manuscript, then a book proposal, and then… well, more words than I ever thought I was capable of writing on a single topic. But the point is, somewhere along the way, this project began to exert its own gravity. It transformed.

And as the book transformed, it transformed me!

The process of writing—along with the endless research, soul-searching, and experimental practice—pushed me to seek out knowledge I never intended to uncover. It forced me to become a better practitioner, to think about concepts on much deeper levels, and [hopefully] to become a better writer so that I could have the right words to properly communicate what I had learned. And in that sense, I can safely say that writing a book is, in itself, an act of alchemy. You put the “lead” of your raw ideas into a spiritual fire… and if you’re patient enough, something awesome comes out the other side.

Remember, patience is key…

Introducing…

But I’ve been patient! That’s why I am so incredibly proud to finally announce the release of Fluid Condensers: Unlocking the Mysteries of Gold, Alchemy, and Magick.

This is my very first published work. I’m pretty proud of it, but I’m obviously biased. Some folks got pre-release copies and have already read it, so here’s what they’ve said:

“Like an alchemist seeking the Philosopher’s Stone, Arkadian has brought refinement to the understanding of these vehicles of ethereal and cosmic energies, providing the reader with information that is accessible and applicable.”

–Coby Michael, author of The Poison Path Herbal

“Fluid Condensers: Unlocking the Mysteries of Gold, Alchemy, and Magick by Aerik Arkadian is a true and faithful guide to finding the golden thread. The term “fluid condenser” may be new to you but I suspect that most of you will discover that you already use them. This book will deepen your current understanding and expand your options in your workings.”

–Ivo Dominguez Jr., author of Four Elements of the Wise

“In his debut book, Aerik skillfully weaves the past into the practical now for the everyday practitioner. Unveiling the enigma of alchemy through condensers, it is my fervent belief that this is a ‘must-have’ on every occultists’ collection. Know the past. Learn the theories. Practice your Art. Become elevated in your soul through the transformative, esoteric powers of alchemy.”

–Oracle Hekataios, author of Strix Craft

Oh, right, so let me show you the book.

The cover, which Crossed Crow did an awesome job at designing, is remarkably shiny.

One of the biggest hurdles between moving from pure theory to practice is… well… the practice part. I tried to incorporate a sufficient amount of exercises—28 of them to be exact—to avoid that.

Some are meditations, some involve physically preparing fluid condensers or magickal tools, but all of them are designed to help support the knowledge you’ll be reading about.

If you actually go through them in order, you’ll learn by doing.

And as the name would imply, there’s a giant chapter on gold and the role it has played, not just in magick, but in the world.

Likewise, there is obviously a huge chapter on Alchemy.

But wait, there’s more! Thirteen total chapters. How is that for a magickal number? Plus there are appendices and reference charts in the back for all different types of magickal needs.

“With its collection of recipes and in-depth instructions for the creation of a variety of fluid condensers, I foresee this becoming one of the most often returned to books by magical practitioners of all stripes. It truly is a book worthy of the Great Art.”

–Kamden Cornell, author of The Tameless Path and On Pins and Needles

“Aerik has this wonderful ability to explain abstract magickal concepts, turning them into practical knowledge, and I always leave his classes with an abundance of information and inspirations. He is demonstrating that amazing ability again in his new book. Lightheartedly written, easy to understand even for the absolute beginners, Fluid Condensers is a must-read book for anyone who wants to add some extra oomph to their magickal practices.”

–Eimi OstaraMoon, Poison Path Witch, Honey Bee Steward of Poison and Bee

“It is so nice to see an entire book devoted to the subject and with such depth of coverage. The author places in our hands an invaluable key to the successful practice of both Magick and Alchemy that often passes by unnoticed by many. Here is a full-on book that details both theory and practice with easy to follow instructions from the simple to the complex. The universality of the concept can cross all lines separating Faith, Creed or Lineage because they work. I won’t hesitate to recommend this book to my own students.”

–Robert Allen Bartlett, author of Real Alchemy and founder of The Spagyricus Institute

“Aerik Arkadian provides an exhaustive overview of the magical use of fluid condensers. Full of recipes and practical tips, this book is a must-have for anyone looking to incorporate fluid condensers into their occult practice.”

–Jack Chanek, author of Tarot for the Magically Inclined and Qabalah for Wiccans

So… if that didn’t convince you that it’s worth reading, I don’t know what will!

Here’s some links where you can get it.

I know, I know… that whole alchemy metaphor in the beginning of this post was just an excuse to introduce my book. But guys, I’m really excited about this.

I hope you read it and enjoy it!