"Transmutation," writes D.K., "is the changing of one vibration and one vibratory activity into another higher one." Lead, say the alchemists, is low on the evolutionary scale of the mineral kingdom vibrations, while gold is high. Therefore by raising the vibratory activity of lead to a higher vibratory frequency gold can be created. How, you might ask, do we change the vibrational activity of something? First we must remember that etheric matter, and all matter is etheric at its core, is a pattern of energy held in place by a life force of some kind. The vibrational activity of this pattern of energy is changed by stimulating its central germ or atoms into greater activity. This is accomplished by what the old alchemists called 'a projection of the Stone.' This stimulates the etheric seeds to a point where transmutation naturally and spontaneously occurs. In this way its keynote is changed. When this occurs the outer form, which no longer matches the new rate of vibration, disintegrates. It is here that the exiting 'heavenly flyer' needs to be quickly captured, isolated, and 'hermetically sealed' in its own 'ring pass not.' It is here, we are told, that many alchemist fail and the Phoenix rising from the ashes, instead of manifesting into a new form, escapes to the cosmic reservoir of primordial substance.