Alchemya Institute

Why “Alchemya”?

The name Alchemya carries the essence and vocation of our Institute.
It comes from the Arabic al-kīmiyā’ (الكيمياء), itself derived from the Greek khēmia—a word that has travelled through ages and cultures. Historically, it referred to the art of transmuting metals; spiritually, it evokes inner transformation: finding and revealing the hidden gold, not outside, but in the very heart of one’s being.

By adopting a reimagined spelling—Alchemya—we signal a contemporary reinterpretation of this age-old tradition: open to creativity, dialogue, and experimentation.

Why “Contemplative Studies Inspired by the Sufi Tradition”?

This subtitle was born from a deep need: to speak a language that is accessible, intelligible, and welcoming to the contemporary seeker—whether they are believers or explorers, scientists or mystics, rational or intuitive.

We are neither operating within a closed confessional framework, nor within the confines of a dry academic model.

The term contemplative studies reflects this middle path:

• a rigorous and methodical approach,
• yet one that is rooted in lived experience,
• one that does not aim to “teach a doctrine,” but rather to open a space for inner exploration.

We deliberately avoid linguistic enclosures—those that speak only to “insiders” or to “those who believe like us.”

Our aim is to inspire, to awaken, to provoke a meeting point: between wisdom texts, the intuitions of the heart, and the demands of modern intelligence.

The Sufi tradition is, here, a source of inspiration—not as a dogma, but as a living matrix of transformation and consciousness.

From “Ha Mim” to “Alchemya”: an expanded name

Before becoming Alchemya, our Institute was called Ha Mim.
These two Arabic letters—ḥā’ (ح) and mīm (م)—are far more than initials: they open several chapters (sūrahs) of the Qur’an and, in the Sufi Tradition, carry profound symbolic and vibrational power.

• ḥā’ (ح): the burning, the fire that purifies and transforms

• mīm (م): the roundedness, the circle of conscious and creative speech

Together, they form what we call “the circle of burning consciousnesses“

We chose to move from “Ha Mim” to “Alchemya” to open this vibration to a wider audience, beyond circles familiar with the Arabic language and the Sufi symbology.
Alchemya preserves the spirit of fire and circle, yet gives it a universal language, able to speak to all traditions and sensibilities.

Our mission

The Alchemya Institute exists to offer a path of inner transformation deeply rooted in the Sufi tradition, yet adapted to the language, challenges, and aspirations of today’s world.

Our mission is to:

• Bridge intellectual rigour and living spiritual experience

• Create an open space for seekers of truth

• Encourage critical thinking nourished by love of the truth

• Offer a pedagogy of accompaniment that awakens rather than imposes

• Foster dialogue between traditions to rediscover the Self, the unity of existence, the Whole and the One

Our vision

We believe that spiritual wisdom only has meaning if it speaks to today’s human being, in all their complexity and quest.
We reject dogmatic confinements, elitist models, and paralyzing nostalgias.

We aspire to build a living space where we learn to think, feel, and act differently:

• Where meditation nourishes action

• Where knowledge becomes transformation

• Where spiritual elevation goes hand in hand with ethical responsibility

Alchemya is the art of transforming consciousness—within oneself, in our communities, and in the world.