My name is Nathan Mutanda Chukueke. I was born in Manhattan, New York City in 1959. We started this site in 2000 using directnic.com. The concept of social alchemy is ancient. We can find it in the threads of history. Its general idea is that living things change and hopefully grow better when their existence in social environments that are nurturing by design, but not manipulating and abusive toward one social needs.
We should mention that I am not a scientist or scholar. My background professionally, culturally, or nationally has influenced my interpretation of the concept of social alchemy, although it not a science based one.
While I came up with the term on my own, others have done the same before me and I’ve seen afterwards . Again, in my case what influenced concept coming together was the fact my experiences and associations.
My mother Pearlease Alston was a psychiatric social work supervisor in New York City. She exposed me to the New York City world of social welfare, the NAACP and civil rights movement growing up in Brooklyn.
My grandfather was Ralph Wilder, a master Carpenter, member of Freemasons and Elks of Charleston in South Carolina. His son Allen Wilder was a member of the Alpha lodge of Freemason in New York City. They were care taker of some of my recreational time as a young man in living New York and summers in Charleston. In my time spent with them, I saw the meaning and aesthetics of the craft. Within this were aspects of the multiple dimensions of human interaction. There seemed to be honor in the tradition of workmanship. In the creating and nurturing physical and social structures, we can learn much about oneself and the world in which we exist.
It was of my grandfather, my uncle and mother’s influences that led to fellowship with one of the Rosicrucian organizations and other orders. From the Rosicrucian, my grandfather Mr. Wilder and Asian metaphysical studies, I have developed some notions of social ethics and brotherhood.
Being fortunate enough to have grown up in New York City, I have studied classical Chinese and Japanese martial arts over the decades. In America and Asia I have explored Taoism and Buddhism, as they relate mind, body and culture. Some of the oldest yoga organizations in America exists in New York City, and I have benefited from experiences with them. The resources of these groups have improved my knowledge of Hindu Hatha and Jnana yoga. It was useful to learn how they have influenced esoteric western metaphysics and theoretical social structures.
Then my own experiences of world travel, decades of associations with New York and Hong Hong arts and writing scenes has influenced my perceptions of various things I interact with daily.
Then the Gnostic and Christian group I’ve associated with have also affected how I see and interact with the world. In some ways, we could say, I am a product of a type of Invisible college, as if such things really existed.
The nurturing of my journey has also been aided by my conversational discourse and sharing with friends Howard O’Brien, he was an amazing writer, who passed away too young. Then my martial and asian metaphysical brother Stephen Hunter Laurette, gave support and deep fellowship with our debates, consensus of opinions and collaboration on various projects.
Then what I read, shared and TRIED to experience, have greatly build the path that I have traveled and veered away from at times.. I am not a scholar. My path has been one of an alchemist. What I have read has been tempered with learning more about my own biology, including DNA, family medical history, public health environmental impact and the social dynamic of various interdependent societies and cultures.
For some, they walk one of the inner paths of an alchemist. In internal alchemy the transmutation of gold is not a object, it is the CONTINUOUS transformation of being that is the real goal. There are no physical compound of lead or mercury only the cultivation of being.
This is a online listing of some of the material that I have read and at times need to revisit.
NOTE: When I can I list free online versions of text LINK or chukueke.libib.com