Insane Things People Have Done Through History to Achieve Eternal Youth

Man is in an endless pursuit to achieve immortality. For as far as mankind’s written history allows us to recall, humanity has always been fascinated in finding ways to extend our lifespan in the hopes of slowing, if not putting a permanent stop, to our body’s inevitable biological aging process. For some, our attempts at prolonging life is limited to the more conventional method of leading a healthy lifestyle by eating nourishing food, exercising and maintaining a positive and tranquil state of mind. 

However, at several points in our past, we find people who have pushed the boundaries of human creativity and imagination in their attempt to gain eternal youth. From a more scientific standpoint that we have today, some of the lengths these individuals had taken during their lifetime to become immortal are not only deemed as completely misguided but could also be regarded as bordering on insanity.  

And so, for this video, let’s enumerate the insane things people have done throughout history to achieve immortality or eternal youth. 

#1 —  Bathing in Sour Donkey Milk

Cleopatra came to be known in history as the last Ptolemaic queen of Egypt and is arguably the most famous member of the Ptolemaic dynasty’s royal line. But other than her role in the Roman political conflicts that eventually led to the downfall of the last dynasty of ancient Egypt, she also gained renown for her striking beauty and irresistible allure. As to how she managed to retain her youthful and brilliant glow, Cleopatra regularly bathed in sour donkey milk. In the ancient times, the donkey’s milk was used as some kind of chemical peel, as the lactic acid it contains peels off the topmost layer of the human skin. The queen was also believed to be fascinated with using other means to maintain and enhance her physical appearance such as utilizing crocodile feces as a rudimentary form of makeup foundation. 

#2 — Drinking the Blood of Gladiators

The Romans were very creative when it came to coming up with various and sometimes revolting concoctions in an attempt to improve their health or extend their lifespan. One example of an unpleasant habit that the Romans largely practiced for centuries is drinking the blood of gladiators. As people who fought to the death for a living, gladiators were highly-regarded for their bravery, strength and vitality. And it was believed that those who would want to inherit a gladiator’s power must drink the warrior’s warm blood in order to consume his essence and soul. In fact, some people who suffered from epilepsy at the time considered the blood of gladiators as an effective cure for their affliction. Their blood was such a hot commodity during this era that people would rush down into the arena and sip a vanquished fighter’s blood straight from his arm or throat to absorb his power. There were also concession stands that made a lucrative living by selling the blood of these gladiators while the blood servings were still warm. 

#3 — Consumption of Immortality Pills & Elixirs of Life

The Western world was not the only civilization interested in finding the answer to attaining eternal youth. Imperial China’s history is also filled with tales of men or groups of people who have dedicated much of their life in concocting immortality pills and elixirs of life that would grant ceaseless existence, be it physical or spiritual. Many Chinese alchemists have dared to make their own formulas of pills and elixirs that could supposedly cease and potentially even reverse the process of human aging. These efforts were largely supported by several emperors as well as members of the noble bloodline who hoped death would not be able to take away their power, influence and legacy. 

The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, for example, was not just known for being the first ruler to unify China; he was also known for his obsession in finding the key to immortality. He sent people away to look in different parts of his vast empire for a “real” Elixir of Life that would grant him eternal life. He even took immortality pills which were formulated by his alchemists. In the end, the emperor died young at 39 years of age and the most likely cause of his demise was mercury poisoning, perhaps from all the immortality pills he, consumed during his brief life. 

Unfortunately, the dream of living forever was not exclusive to Qin Shi Huang. Many other emperors of China that came after him also regularly consumed immortality pills and drank elixirs which contained toxic substances, and instead of extending their lives, these pills and elixirs only shortened the duration of their respective reigns.

#4 — Self-Mummification

Mummification is the process which involves the intentional or incidental preservation of a deceased’s skin, flesh and organs. But not all mummified bodies were preserved after their death; some people in the past deliberately commenced the preservation of their corporeal body while they were still alive in order to achieve a superior and more enlightened state of being.  

“Sokushinbutsu” is an ascetic practice of Buddhist monks largely performed in Japan which is believed to have started sometime in the 11th century. This extreme Buddhist practice of asceticism involved the shunning of all worldly pleasures to the point that the monks would enter a process of self-mummification even while they were still alive. The Sokushinbutsu requires a period of around 3,000 days up to ten years before the entire process is completed by devoted monks. They would have to follow a very strict diet referred to as “mokujikigyo,” which literally translates to “eating a tree.” This means that the monk could not eat anything more than the seeds and resins that could be gathered in the mountains, and must abstain from eating cereals. Eventually, these monks would fast and meditate for longer periods of time until they completely starve themselves, denying themselves even the consumption of liquids. Even in this weakened condition, they would continue to be in a state of “jhana” or meditation until they die. Their dehydrated bodies would become naturally preserved mummies that are still revered and venerated by many followers of Buddhism. Some people today even still regard these mummified monks as very much alive although their bodies are said to be in a deep meditative trance. 

Hundreds of Buddhist monks in Japan attempted to achieve this extreme form of meditative state, but only 24 monks so far were granted the status of being the “Living Buddha.” Eventually, the practice of Sokushinbutsu was outlawed by the government of Japan in the late 19th century although self-mummification in their culture still endured until the 20th century. At present, however, Sokushinbutsu is no longer an advocated Buddhist practice in the country. 

#5 — Drinking Gold Chloride

Among the most notable cases of people who have pursued eternal youth is that of Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of King Henry II of France. The king’s official wife was Catherine de’ Medici but he found much comfort in having the widow Diane de Poitiers as his companion even though she was 20 years older than him. History books wrote of her youthful appearance and her porcelain-like skin that never seemed to fade even as she grew older. 

King Henry II’s mistress took great lengths to ensure that she maintained her physique. She kept in shape by swimming daily, horseback riding and hunting. However, her beauty secret that ensured permanence of her great white skin is her regular consumption of an elixir which contained a mixture of gold chloride and diethyl ether. This concoction was very popular at French court and was believed at the time to be an effective anti-aging treatment for its ability to harness the power of the sun and transfer it to its drinker. 

However, Diane de Poitiers’s obsession with keeping her youthful beauty came at a great cost, as her desire to look forever young and the remedy she resorted to in order to preserve her appearance was the one that slowly and eventually killed her. At age 66, her daily dose of gold chloride indeed made her look half her actual age, but she is also thought to have succumbed to the secondary effect of the concoction – that is, chronic gold poisoning. 

Even in modern times, man remains engrossed in its quest for eternal youth and prolonging human life. Most people have chosen to stick with more conventional methods such as maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, while others have turned to the breakthroughs of medical science for more radical options that would allow them to enhance their beauty and cling onto their youth for as long as possible. The priorities of modern science, of course, are beyond maintaining a person’s young and beautiful aesthetics. The field of medical science is also fixated with making the human body impervious to deterioration by finding a way to permanently suppress cell death and consequently achieve actual physical immortality. 

There’s no certainty when humanity may successfully unlock the secret to eternal life and perpetual youth, but should the time come that we do become immortals, what do you think would life mean for us then if we consciously know that we can never die? Perhaps that is the bigger mystery we should try and answer first.

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SOURCES:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4577860/Man-s-craziest-attempts-history-cheat-death.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_dynasty
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12953616
http://www.allday.com/these-real-people-actually-tried-to-achieve-immortality-2180824159.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_of_Immortality
http://io9.gizmodo.com/7-ways-that-people-died-trying-to-become-immortal-1691947345
http://nifymag.com/the-craziest-things-people-have-ever-done-throughout-history-to-try-and-cheat-death/#.WVcLKoiGPb0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu
http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-gruesome-and-excruciating-practice-of-mummifying-yo-1515905564
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/6865939/French-kings-mistress-poisoned-by-gold-elixir.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1236916/Dying-look-good-French-kings-mistress-killed-gold-elixir-youth.html

The Immortal Count of Saint Germain

Is it possible for men to live forever? Throughout the eighteenth century, there was an unusual character who carried with him an air of mystique which none during his lifetime had arguably ever matched or neared. He was a man of apparent wealth, influence and prosperity, who was known to have come and gone in various royal courts in Europe. He was considered as a person of great interest and influence, and whose heritage was often attributed to Transylvanian royalty. This man is known as the Count of Saint Germain. And some have said that apart from advising the elite governing bodies by day, and dining with the rich aristocracies by night, he was also an immortal who had somehow managed to uncover the secrets to eternal youth.

Aside from allegations that he could live forever, Saint Germain was also known to be a man of obvious wealth. This led some people to believe that he also mastered alchemy and learned the secrets of transmutation, which gave him unlimited access to untold wealth. Throughout his life, he was also lauded for his many abilities and praised for his seemingly endless amounts of knowledge. His involvement with secret organizations further prompted his reputation as some sort of almost-divine esotericist.

Who was this mysterious man? Are the stories that speak of his immortality mere legend? Or could it be possible that he really did discover the path to perpetually evading aging and death?

Who Is the Count of Saint Germain?

source: wikimedia commons

The Count of Saint Germain was a mysterious gentleman who appeared among the European royal families in the eighteenth century, and was known as “Der Wundermann” or “The Miracle Man.” He was reportedly a man of many talent and skills, particularly in fields like chemistry, music, alchemy and magic. While he had no visible means of support, he did not lack in resources either. Depending on which historical and personal accounts you refer to, he has been considered, at one point or another, as a prophet, a charlatan, a healer, a spy and a visionary.

Myths and speculations about the Count of Saint Germain started to become more widespread around the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He is often referenced in Theosophy – which is a collection of mystical and occultist philosophies concerning the presumed mysteries of life and nature, particularly the nature of divinity as well as the origin and purpose of the universe. There are also those who claim that he is the founder of Freemasonry and inspired several of the American Founding Fathers. Some also believe that he had once hid behind the identity and scientific genius of Francis Bacon, and that he was the real writer of most literary works attributed to Shakespeare.

However, in several New Age movements, the Count of Saint Germain is heralded as the Avatar of the Age of Aquarius, and is deemed to be an Ascended Master that is on the same level as history’s greatest spiritual leaders.

Origins

There are a variety of versions regarding the origin, lineage and life of the Count of Saint Germain. His exact date of birth is also unknown but most accounts claim that he was born in the 1690s.

One version regarding his origin and lineage describes him as the son of Francis II Rákóczi, the Prince of Transylvania, by Rákóczi's first wife. There are also claims that he was the illegitimate son of Maria Anna of Pfalz-Neuburg, who was the widow of Charles II of Spain. Another version alleges that he is the illegitimate son of the king of Portugal – presumed to be John V -  by a Jewish mother.

According to some sources, especially those who believe that he is of Transylvanian nobility, Saint Germain was not his real last name. It was reportedly invented by him as a French version of the Latin term “Sanctus Germanus,” which translates to “Holy Brother.”

Life

Saint Germain first came into prominence in the high society of Europe in 1742, when he would have been a man in his forties. Little is known about his life before this time. A dossier on the mysterious Count was created by order of French Emperor Napoleon III in the 19th century but all the documents about Saint Germain were destroyed in a fire, resulting to the loss of irreplaceable information about him. Also, the Count’s own secretiveness has not helped in uncovering the mystery surrounding his life either.

From 1737 until 1742, the Count of Saint Germain was supposedly in Persia studying alchemy. He arrived in Versailles in 1742 before reaching England in 1743 for the Jacobite Revolution. He also went to Vienne to visit Frederick the Great before heading to Edinburgh in 1745. The Count also went to India in the 1750s and when he returned, he earned the favor of King Louis XV and was invited to stay in the Royal Chateau of Chambord in Touraine. He also supposedly spent some time in Russia, Germany and Bavaria.

The Count of Saint Germain reportedly rubbed elbows with the likes of Voltaire, Marie Antoinette, Casanova, Madame de Pampadour, and Catherine the Great. He beguiled royalty and the wealthy with his vast knowledge of science and history, his musical ability, his charm and his quick wit. He was a renowned conversationalist who could flawlessly converse in Swedish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Russian, and was even familiar with Chinese, Latin, Arabic, ancient Greek and Sanskrit. Because of his talents, he was said to have served as a backchannel diplomat between England and France, and is thought to have played some role in Freemasonry.

Despite his many merits, the Count was also said to possess several habits that most people would find odd. According to some accounts, he never ate in public, but he would often be seen drinking a special tea frequently. He also reportedly dropped hints that he was centuries old and that he often made unusual comments about his age. He also spoke of times which have long passed as if he had been there. There were also claims that he could grow diamonds and fix flawed ones.

Death

In 1779, he travelled to Hamburg, Germany, where he befriended Prince Charles of Hesse-Cassel. For the next five years, he lived as a guest in the prince's castle at Eckernförde, and, according to local records, that is where Saint Germain died on February 27, 1784.

The Immortal Life of the Count of Saint Germain

For any ordinary mortal, death would be the end of their life’s story. However, that was not the case for the Count of Saint Germain. Reports arose suggesting that he was an immortal who had discovered the “Elixir of Life” through alchemy, and a prophet who possessed mystical powers.

It is also believed by many that the Count of Saint Germain was an Ascended Master of Ancient Wisdom, making him the head of a theosophical belief system which believes that the wisdom required to eventually unify the spiritual and material aspects of the universe can be acquired through reincarnation. The Count of Saint Germain, along with other Masters, supposedly have achieved the same kind of ascension as Jesus of Nazareth in the Holy Bible. His followers think that the enigmatic man was actually reincarnated over and over again prior to his birth as Saint Germain as various prominent figures in the historical timeline. These figures were all people of great importance, and all of them left a resounding and lasting effect on the history of the world.

Alter Egos & Incarnations

source: pinterest

The Count of Saint Germaine is believed to have adopted numerous incarnations as well as “alter egos,” which include some of history’s most brilliant minds. The first supposed incarnation of the Count is that of a High Priest of the Violet Flame temple, over fifty thousand years ago. He is recorded next as the prophet Samuel from the Old Testament, and then as Joseph, Mary’s husband and Jesus of Nazareth’s earthly father.

One of his most intriguing alleged incarnations, however, is that of Merlin – a counselor in the court of King Arthur and a possible wizard. He is also considered to have been Saint Alban, the first British martyr for the Christian faith, who existed sometime during the 3rd or 4th century. He is also said to have lived as Roger Bacon, Franciscan and philosopher born in the 13th century. Roger Bacon believed in both the Philosopher Stone and in the Elixir of Life. He also amassed a large group of followers because of his passion and intellect. His final and most powerful form was said to be that of Sir Francis Bacon, a member of Queen Elizabeth I’s court.

However, to many ascension followers, the life of the Count of Saint Germain does not end with his incarnation as Francis Bacon. They believe that he continues to be reincarnated, and is currently still alive and living in Tibet with the same youthful physical body she possessed in the medieval period.

The most recent appearance of a man claiming to be the Count was in 1972 in Paris, France. A man named Richard Chanfray appeared on French television to prove his claim that he was Saint Germain, and he apparently turned lead into gold on a camp stove before the cameras. Chanfray later committed suicide in 1983.

So, who was the Count of Saint Germain? Was he a successful alchemist who found the key to achieving eternal life? Was he a time traveler? Or was he just a highly intelligent individual whose impressive reputation eventually morphed into a fantastic legend?

At this point, it is quite impossible to tell. We may never know the truth behind his story as it has been told so many times, in so many ways, that the truth got lost along the way. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the legacy of The Count of Saint Germain endures because of the mystical and esoteric appeal of his life.

And his supposed goal or vision of enshrining the "violet flame" or fleur-de-lis as the threefold flame of God-identity in the hearts of people continues until now to inspire millions of adherents of the New Age religion.

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Sources:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/sro/csg/index.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Count_of_Saint_Germain#Alter_egos_and_incarnations
https://www.historicmysteries.com/saint-germain/
https://www.thoughtco.com/saint-germain-the-immortal-count-2594421
http://www.alchemylab.com/count_saint_germain.htm
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2013/11/comte-de-saint-germain-rosicrucian-ascended-master-or-immortal/
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vida_alien/godseden/godseden11.htm
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/immortal-count-saint-germaine-ascended-master-ancient-wisdom-003125?nopaging=1