Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho

A Real-World A Real-World AlchemistAlchemist

Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho

Born in Rio de Born in Rio de Janeiro, BrazilJaneiro, Brazil

Always wanted to Always wanted to be a writerbe a writer

Worked at Worked at various various professionsprofessions

Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho "I always knew,” "I always knew,”

he says, "that my he says, "that my Personal LegendPersonal Legend, , to use a term from to use a term from alchemy, was to alchemy, was to write.“write.“

He was 38 when He was 38 when he published his he published his first book.first book.

Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho Dropped out of law Dropped out of law

school in 1970school in 1970

Traveled through Traveled through much of South much of South America, North Africa, America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe. Mexico, and Europe.

Successful career as Successful career as popular songwriter. popular songwriter.

Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho 1974 imprisoned 1974 imprisoned

short time by the short time by the military dictatorship military dictatorship then ruling in Brazil.then ruling in Brazil.

1980 walked the 500-1980 walked the 500-plus mile Road of plus mile Road of Santiago de Santiago de Compostela in Compostela in northwestern Spain. northwestern Spain.

Paulo CoelhoPaulo Coelho Coehlo achieved Coehlo achieved

a self-awareness a self-awareness and spiritual and spiritual awakening that awakening that he later he later described in described in The The PilgrimagePilgrimage. .

FableFable Short narrative makes a Short narrative makes a

moral pointmoral point

Traditionally by means of Traditionally by means of animal characters who act animal characters who act like human beingslike human beings

Legend about supernatural Legend about supernatural or mythical characters or or mythical characters or eventsevents

AllegoryAllegory

A representation of an abstract or spiritual A representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material formsmeaning through concrete or material forms

What is What is ALCHEMY?ALCHEMY?

Alchemists have 2 main goalsAlchemists have 2 main goals

Medieval scientists practiced Medieval scientists practiced alchemy, hoping to produce gold alchemy, hoping to produce gold from less valuable metals. (Turn from less valuable metals. (Turn metal into gold)metal into gold)

Alchemists also desired to Alchemists also desired to develop potions, known as elixirs, develop potions, known as elixirs, to ensure good health and extend to ensure good health and extend life spans. (The Philosophers life spans. (The Philosophers Stone and/or The Elixir of Life)Stone and/or The Elixir of Life)

Where did alchemy come from?Where did alchemy come from? Founded in Egypt, alchemy was Founded in Egypt, alchemy was

practiced throughout the practiced throughout the Mediterranean regions and as far Mediterranean regions and as far away as Chinaaway as China

They believed that all objects They believed that all objects consist of water, air, fire and earthconsist of water, air, fire and earth

Early alchemy was controversial Early alchemy was controversial and was opposed by many rulers and was opposed by many rulers and religionsand religions

Science or Witchcraft?Science or Witchcraft?

Alchemists hypothesized Alchemists hypothesized that because the earth that because the earth created gold from imperfect created gold from imperfect metals that they should be metals that they should be able to replicate this able to replicate this processprocess

Early alchemy was Early alchemy was associated with magic and associated with magic and astrologyastrology

Nicholas Flamel ~ 1330-1417Nicholas Flamel ~ 1330-1417

Nicholas Flamel who lived in the Nicholas Flamel who lived in the fourteenth century, focused on fourteenth century, focused on producing a philosophers’ stone producing a philosophers’ stone which he believed could magically which he believed could magically convert substances into precious convert substances into precious metals such as gold or silvermetals such as gold or silver

Flamel supposedly converted Flamel supposedly converted mercury into gold in 1388 and lived mercury into gold in 1388 and lived to be 116 years oldto be 116 years old

The Alchemist The Alchemist by Paulo Coelhoby Paulo Coelho Personal Legend = Personal Legend = Your DestinyYour Destiny

There are 4 obstacles to There are 4 obstacles to overcome before you can overcome before you can achieve your Personal Legendachieve your Personal Legend

1.1. People tell you that your dream is People tell you that your dream is IMPOSSIBLE to achieveIMPOSSIBLE to achieve

2.2. LOVELOVE3.3. FEAR OF DEFEATFEAR OF DEFEAT4.4. FEAR OF REALIZING THE DREAMFEAR OF REALIZING THE DREAM

The AlchemistThe Alchemist

Paulo Coelho once Paulo Coelho once said that “Alchemy said that “Alchemy is all about is all about pursuing our pursuing our spiritual quest in spiritual quest in the physical worldthe physical world as it was given to as it was given to usus. “. “

The AlchemistThe Alchemist

Personal Legend = Personal Legend = DestinyDestiny

Our job is to pursue Our job is to pursue our personal legend our personal legend despite the many despite the many distractions placed distractions placed in our pathin our path

Lessons of Lessons of The AlchemistThe Alchemist Trust your heartTrust your heart

Read the seemingly Read the seemingly inconspicuous signsinconspicuous signs

Understand that as Understand that as you look to fulfill a you look to fulfill a dream, it looks to dream, it looks to find you, if you let itfind you, if you let it

““A Dream Deferred”A Dream Deferred”by Langston Hughesby Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry upDoes it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore—Or fester like a sore—

And then run?And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over –Or crust and sugar over –like a syrupy sweet?like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sagsMaybe it just sagslike a heavy load.like a heavy load.

Or does it explodeOr does it explode

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

““What a man thinks of himself, that is which What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate.”determines, or rather indicates, his fate.”

““Go confidently in the direction of your Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”

The Story of NarcissusThe Story of Narcissus Once upon a time, there was a boy called Narcissus. He was Once upon a time, there was a boy called Narcissus. He was

the son of a god and he was very, very handsome. Many the son of a god and he was very, very handsome. Many women fell in love with him, but he turned them away. One women fell in love with him, but he turned them away. One of the women who loved Narcissus was a nymph called of the women who loved Narcissus was a nymph called Echo. Echo could not speak properly - she could only repeat Echo. Echo could not speak properly - she could only repeat what was said to her, so she couldn't tell Narcissus that she what was said to her, so she couldn't tell Narcissus that she loved him. One day, when Narcissus was walking in the loved him. One day, when Narcissus was walking in the woods with some friends, he became separated from them. woods with some friends, he became separated from them. He called out "Is anyone here?" Echo replied "Here, Here". He called out "Is anyone here?" Echo replied "Here, Here". Echo stepped forward with open arms, wanting to cuddle Echo stepped forward with open arms, wanting to cuddle him. But Narcissus refused to accept Echo's love. Echo was him. But Narcissus refused to accept Echo's love. Echo was so upset that she left and hid in a cave, until nothing was so upset that she left and hid in a cave, until nothing was left of her, except her voice.left of her, except her voice.

Story continued…Story continued…

The Maiden, a goddess, found out about this, The Maiden, a goddess, found out about this, and she was very angry. She made Narcissus and she was very angry. She made Narcissus fall in love with himself. When Narcissus fall in love with himself. When Narcissus looked at his reflection in a pond one day, he looked at his reflection in a pond one day, he fell in love. He stayed on that spot forever, fell in love. He stayed on that spot forever, until he died one day. Where he died a flower until he died one day. Where he died a flower grew, and that flower is called a Narcissus.grew, and that flower is called a Narcissus.