“Attars” by Carol Sill explores several interconnected concepts
The essence gathering becomes a metaphor for the extraction of spiritual wisdom and the distillation of the self, linking the practical art of perfumery with the esoteric traditions of alchemy and metaphysics.
The following themes interweave to create this narrative that is both introspective and expansive, dealing with personal growth and cosmic connections.
Mysticism and spirituality: The novel delves into metaphysical and mystical experiences, reflecting Sill’s background in Sufism and spiritual wisdom.
Alchemy and transformation: The story of personal transformation, is likened to an alchemical process. The incorporation of metaphysics, alchemy, and mysticism in her “private imaginaire” opens the world of spiritual seeking and exposure to esoteric knowledge. This background shapes her approach to finding harmony between the physical and metaphysical realms.
Solitude and self-discovery: The main character is an essence gatherer living in isolation in a driftwood cabin. Her choice to live in isolation in a driftwood cabin in the dunes indicates a past that has led her to seek solitude for introspection and self-exploration. This setting creates a backdrop for finding inner balance and harmony with nature.
Nature and its influence: Set in the California dunes, the novel incorporates the natural environment as a significant element, with drifting sands covering and uncovering events, treasures, and memories.
Imagination and intuition: The story emphasizes the interplay between imagination and intuition, to focus on non-rational ways of knowing and experiencing the world.
Personal mythology: The gatherer compiles a “Book of Secrets,” indicating themes of creating personal mythologies and finding individual meaning. This journey of writing a “Book of Secrets” invokes a process of personal growth and transformation, likely influenced by past experiences. This process reflects the theme of seeking balance between one’s past and present self.
Liminality and hidden realities: The novel is described as “an account of liminal events happening behind the scenes,” revealing an exploration of threshold experiences and hidden aspects of reality. The essence gatherer’s history seems to have cultivated a strong connection between imagination and intuition, which plays out in the dunes where “things aren’t always as they seem”. It is a quest for harmony between rational thought and intuitive understanding.
Challenges from the past: The novel mentions that the protagonist “is challenged by her history,” implying that past events or experiences create obstacles in her journey towards balance. Overcoming these challenges becomes part of the character’s growth and search for harmony.
Friendship and support: Our essence gatherer receives support from friends like Cath, Ella and Gwyneth, highlighting the importance of human connections even in a journey of self-discovery. Such meaningful relationships help her maintain balance and find harmony in her solitary journey.
Historical context: The story touches on the “live and let live” world of the California Dunites, incorporating historical elements into the narrative. This historically rich location provides a cultural backdrop that influences the essence gatherer’s approach to finding balance in her life. It is a setting that contrasts with her own history, creating tension and opportunities for growth.
Poetics and artistic expression: The novel blends poetics with other elements, and can be seen as an exploration of artistic and creative processes.
Metaphysics and Alchemy
In “Attars” by Carol Sill, metaphysics and alchemy are deeply intertwined themes that form the core of the essence gatherer’s journey and the novel’s narrative structure. Here’s how these concepts are interconnected in the book:
Personal transformation: The novel portrays the protagonist’s journey as an alchemical process, where the essence gatherer undergoes a metaphysical transformation. This mirrors the alchemical concept of turning base metals into gold, symbolizing spiritual refinement.
Mystical experiences: The story explores metaphysical and mystical experiences, drawing parallels between the gatherer’s inner journey and alchemical processes. These experiences involve altered states of consciousness and encounters with non-physical realms.
Book of Secrets: She compiles a “Book of Secrets,” which can be seen as both a metaphysical text and an alchemical grimoire. This book is to contain insights, revelations, and instructions for spiritual and alchemical practices.
Nature as a catalyst: The setting in the dunes serves as both a physical and metaphysical landscape. The drifting sands covering and uncovering events and memories symbolize the alchemical processes of dissolution and coagulation, while also representing the shifting nature of reality in metaphysical thought.
Imagination and intuition: The novel emphasizes the interplay between imagination and intuition, which are crucial elements in both metaphysical exploration and alchemical work. These faculties are used to perceive and interact with hidden aspects of reality.
Liminal experiences: The story is described as “an account of liminal events happening behind the scenes,” suggesting a focus on threshold experiences that bridge the physical and metaphysical realms, much like the transitional states in alchemical processes.
Expanded consciousness: As the protagonist’s life “opens to a far wider horizon,” it indicates an expansion of consciousness that is central to both metaphysical pursuits and the alchemical Great Work.
Synthesis of wisdom traditions: The novel blends elements of metaphysics, alchemy, poetics, and mysticism, creating a syncretic approach that mirrors the holistic nature of both metaphysical philosophy and alchemical practice.
By interweaving these themes, “Attars” presents a narrative where the essence gatherer’s personal growth and spiritual awakening are framed within the context of metaphysical exploration and alchemical transformation.
