Glue

Glue, of course, is a binding substance. In alchemy, a related term, gum arabic, serves as another name for the transformative substance due to its adhesive properties. This life force is referred to by some interpreters as the "glue of the world," forming the intermediate link between spirit and body, and serving as their very connection. Thus, Mercurius is described in the Theatricum Chemicum as a "life-giving force that, like glue, holds the world together and mediates between body and spirit" (CW 13, par. 263). 

The alchemical process involves the logos of separation followed by the eros of unification, symbolizing the integration of disparate elements into a harmonious whole. 

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