The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

1st published in 1988

Think about the PEOPLE HE MET: Old King, Gypsy Woman, Thief, Merchant, Englishman, Alchemist And the OTHER GUIDES/TEACHERS: Sheep, Glass, Desert, Love? What LESSONS did he (and you) learn?

We talked about taking journeys (rambles, treks, walks, trips) and why some people feel the wanderlust need and others don’t. We heard about K.’s journey on El Camino this past summer. It was interesting and inspiring to hear about her journey: alone and with others; through country farm land and along city highways; and from ancient ruins to modern buildings.


We thought about following your authentic path. In the book, the main character traveled, met people, changed his path, and then ended up at home.

• Your path may lead you home; it may lead you somewhere else
• It may be a straight path; it may meander
• It may be toward the same goal all along the way; it may change along the way
• Sometimes, you can’t see three steps in front of you; you can only see one step at a time
• As you travel along your path, there may be a need to return to family and familiar people and things, as we move forward

We reflected on what reading about the journey meant to us.

• The book made some of us want to travel and live (or at least visit) with cultures in unfamiliar settings and languages.
• Traveling is a chance to live in the moment and not worry about every day mundane things.
• When traveling, you are thinking about basic things (where will I eat?).
• Being in a new place means “my head is open.”
• Do you open up and talk more when traveling and meeting new people compared to being at home?
• When we travel (through life? To places?), we can let things go…

Below are some highlights and summaries from the book.
LESSONS

• Old King taught him to have faith in destiny
• Universal language of omens
• The language without words is about noticing omens (and following them)
• Eternal optimism
• Finding (and sticking to) your personal legend
• The universe conspires to help one reach their personal legend
• Learning the language of enthusiasm – move through life and do tasks with love and purpose
• Learning that courage is essential to understanding the language of the world
• The secret of the future is here in the present
• When god reveals the future, it is because he wants it to change
• Alchemy – soul is the world transformation
• Elixir of Life – give eternal life
• Philosopher’s Stone – makes gold from lead
• Did he teach the sheep (e.g. to follow his sleeping patterns) or did he learn from them (e.g. he rose early like they did)?
• One important lesson is to learn confidence
• It’s not what enters one’s mouth which is evil, it’s what leaves it…
• Wherever your love is, there you will find your treasure, then everything you learn along the way will make sense…

The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes

Think about what the author says about DNA evidence and how it makes/breaks other theories (like those related to farming becoming more popular than hunting/gathering).

Sykes wrote really well about the science of mitochondria, DNA, and genetics. It was very understandable and enjoyable. The writing style reminded me of Malcolm Gladwell with the humor and explanation of details on somewhat complicated research. C. shared the research she has seen at her M.I.T. lab and how his explanations of machines and reports simplifies their complicatedness.

Below are some highlights and summaries from the book.
Ancient Man
Cro Magnon man and Neanderthal could probably mate, but they would create infertile offspring.

Mitochondrial DNA
Scientists had only classified people by blood groups until mitochondrial (maternal) DNA was discovered and proven effective. Regular DNA focuses on the individual, mitochondrial DNA relates groups of people who are descendent from a particular female. Golden hamsters were one of the first creatures to be identified as having ALL descended from four hamsters (one female and three males) captured in the wild and domesticated. All hamsters are descendent from this original female.

When the bones of a family were discovered and suspected to be of the Russian Romanovs, DNA evidence was used. All the children were related to the mother (as would be expected), but did that mean it was the Czar? The Czarina had a living royal relative. The Czar is related to Queen Elizabeth’s husband (who happens to have a very, very rare mitochondrial DNA strand, not common at all in most of Europe). Both men, after negotiations, donated DNA. The DNA matched and proved it was indeed the Romanov grave. The two missing younger children were probably burned and bodies left at the fire site, when the others were put into the mass grave nearby.

12K years ago, Japan was settled.

Evidence supports four clans in the Americas, one from Polynesia.

Hawaiian DNA has BOTH Asian and American mitochondria, so were they from a group (like the Kontiki showed) who came from the Americas against the wind? Or were they from Asia through Polynesia traveling with the wind? Well, DNA evidence shows them to be predominantly Asian, but they may have picked up one Native American woman, whose DNA has survived in the gene pool.

Seven Daughters
Measuring the mutation rate is hard. The Ice Man starts it, and there are seven clusters which have become known as the “clan mothers.” More than 95% of all Europeans fall into 7 clans. Clans create equity; it is no longer the princess or the pauper, the slave or the lover/wife? It is who is the ancient mother who birthed at least TWO daughters who survived into the present. In another 1000 years, it may be another set of mothers, living at this time.

URSULA – She was a hunter/gatherer, lived in a cave, used stone tools, feared the cave bear, lived concurrently with Neanderthal, and has modern descendants in western Britain and Scandinavia.

There was no mass exodus from Africa. Laura left Africa and the whole rest of the world is made up of her descendants.

25K years ago, XENIA lived on a cold tundra where Bison and Wooly Mammoth roamed. She lived in a hut and followed migratory animals. She used flint and a spear thrower. She roamed Britain and France in a band. 6% of Europeans are descendent from her (1% of Native Americans).

20K years ago, HELENA lived during the ice age when the sea level was 100m lower than it is today. She saw reindeer, created art and painted in caves (Lascoux), did ceremonies, and lived in cliff dwellings. 47% of Europeans are descendant from her.

17K years ago, VELDA lived in the middle of the ice age after Helena. She was an artist and a carver and lived in Spain. She is related to the Sammii and 5% of Europeans are descendant from her.

17K years ago, TARA lived in Italy. She was contemporary to Velda and lived in a wooded forest on an island. She ate mussels and had a maritime economy with mussels and boats. 9% of Europeans are descendant from her (mostly in Ireland).

JASMINE lived in the near East. She farmed and domesticated goals. She had more children and 1/5 of Europeans are descendant from her.

KATRINE knew the wolves. 6% of Europeans are descendant from her.

Farming
There has been a long-standing belief that farmers moved into the territory of the hunter/gatherers, but DNA evidence suggests that the h/g’s evolved and the technology (the IDEA) of farming moved into their niche. It was not an invasion, but the Paleolithic descendants who stayed and farmed, spreading the idea.

Conclusions/Summary
There is no such thing as a genetically pure classification system which would divide folks into different races. Mitochondrial DNA is 10,000 years old and predates any perceived tribal differences.

Although there are 7 clans in Europe, there are at least 26 other clans in the rest of the world (13 are in Africa). Worldwide, Africa has only 13% of the world population, but 40% of the clans.