The Hermetic Journal - Number 11, Spring 1981

The Hermetic Journal - Number 11, Spring 1981

THE HERMETIC JOURNAL
ZFT'
FEXL.?IC J0W:LL i c publiohei.
qusz-cerl:?
12 ~ a t i p cS t r e e t
Cdinburgh 1
&%tee by Adam iiclean
cop:,rignt t h e indivibu a l contribu-cors. K ~ t e r i not
~ l crecii t e 8 , cgpyrignt t h e iierrnetic Journcl.
. A-il
mzterizl
J
r
Editorial
Contents
1 Editorial
3 News and Information
5 The Astral
Light1 the Prime kterial
t h e Universal MercW
Michael Watson 0
13 Whither Magic
?
Stephen Skinner @
15 Some Hermetic Reflections
on t h e "Earth Mysteries"
Swami Prem Sudheer @
19 The Rosary of the Philosophers
Adam McLean @
27 Constructing a
Magical F1rror
According t o The Art of m i m
Adam McLean O
34 Squaring t h e Circle of 13
P a t r i c i a Villiers-Stuart@
36 Some Notes on t h e Work of
Louis Kervran
Adam McLean @
38 Alchemical Mandala No 11
Regular Feature
40 Hermetic Meditation No 10
Regular Feature
Perhaps one of t h e g r e a t e s t problems
facing those who work with e s o t e r i c i s m and s p i r i t u a l ideas, i s how t o
incarnate this i n outer action.1 have
received a number of enquiries about
how exactly one u n i t e s esotericism
with action i n this present age. The
illumination t h a t comes from esoteri c s t u d i e s , the c l a r i f y i n g l i g h t this
often th-ows upon some of t h e profound problems of l i f e , can be experienced very strongly, so t h a t an i m pulse a r i s e s i n us t o a c t t o change
outer circumstances i n s o c i e t y ,
among our fellow men. However a g r e a t
b a f i l e r seems t o e x i s t i n this sphere
and those who rush headlong. a t it are
often deeply h u r t , and come t o f e e l
rejected and disillusioned.
It may be t h a t t h e time i s not e n t i r e l y r i g h t f o r such overt a c t i v i t i e s .
O f course, there w i l l always be those
strong souls who tackle society headlong. In previous ages they were
burnt a t the stake for heresy, now
tney a r e p i l l o r i e d by being made t o
appear a s fools.
-
If we look carefully a t t h e generatdiscern s
ion we U v e within, we
2
d e f i n i t e difference from the previous
one which came t o maturity i n t h e
1960's, an& if we look ahead we ca?
sse the seeds of the next generation
forming, a generation t h a t w i l l come
t o maturity a t the opening of t h e
T k r d Millenium. This new stream of
11-1
s o u l s will have ari important r o l e
t o play f o r t h e f u t u r e of humanity.
Tie eeneration that came t~ maturi t y i~t h e 1960's had a c e r t a i r .
~ a r m i crelationship t o t h e Second
World War. Tne norror of that conf l i c t , anc t h e inhuman f o r c e s t h a t
came t o t h e f o r e among t h e a r c h i t e c t s of t h a t tragedy, together
h t t h t h e focussing of human energ i e s i n t o weapons of mass destructi o n , t h e atomic bombs that havegiven
man f o r t h e first time the potenti a l f o r destroying l i f e on this
p l a n e t , of taking from t h e Earth
her d e s t i n y , her mantle of l i f e ,
a l l this forced t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n
of t h e guaxdian S p i r i t u a l Beings
i n t o human U s t o r y . They could do
l i t t l e d i r e c t l y without i n f r i n g i n g
upon t h e sphere of human f r e e w i l l ,
except t o work from t h e s p i r i t u a l
s i d e , a t the threshold of i n c a r nation. Here they chose s o u l with
a c e r t a i n openness t o s p i r i t u a l
r e a l i t i e s , t o i n c a r n a t e during
this immediate post-war period.
This n s the generation of t h e
1960's. TNS generation had an
openness t o s p i r i t u a l r e a l i t i e s , t o
exploring unconventional n y s of
being, t o experiment with new soci a l forms and communities. They
brought a new c u r r e n t of hope, wiih
t h e i r ' flower power' , however,
s i n c e many of t h e s e s o u l s were
pressed t o o soon i n t o incarnation
t h e i r s p i r i t u a l v i s i o n soared far
above t h e realms of possible practi c z l r e a x t i e s . Many became victims
of c u l t s , and o t h e r s sought t o
escape i n t o a dream realm through
dnys, wnere t h e i r s p i r i t u a l perceptions could be experienced i s o l a t e d from t n e outer horrors of
t h e i r l i f e . However much this generatior. f a i l e d ir. outer terms, a
s p i r i t u a l seed was s o m , and among
other t h i n g s we witnessed t h e r e bi-rth of i n t e r e s t i n t h e e s o t e r i c .
.2
Ye have t o recognise that during
this present generation we cannot
work i n this previous stream. WE
must work with t h e seed from t h a t
age.This seed mustlz nourished i n
the darkness that has come i n t o
o u t e r s o c i e t y , i n t h e n i h i l i s m , tk
cynicism, the negative s o u l - l e s s
outer worlc. Those whose destiny
it has been t o have an i n t e r e s t i n
t h e e s o t e r i c must work t o p r o t e c t and
nourish this seed.
The generation t h a t w i l l come i n t o
maturity, toward t h e end of this century, a t the end of t h e Second Milleni u m , w i l l be profoundly a f f e c t e d with
this s p i r i t u a l impulse of' the Millenium. We can already see this i n t h e
formation of strange c u l t s and millenialist movements with apocalyptic
overtones. These s o u l s w i l l be e n t i r e l y open t o new impulses, new d i r e c t i o n s . They w i l l inwardly experience
themselves a s standing a t the end of
one age and a t t h e beginning of a new
e r a . They w i l l need guidance, f o r they
w i l l not f i n d a d e f i n i t e d i r e c t i o n
from within themselves, and here our
seed w i l l need t o grow. Then those who
have worked with t h e e s o t e r i c w i l l
have t o take a s t e p i n t o t h e outer
p u b l i c realm and work openly, f o r
g r e a t p o s s i b i l i t i e s w i l l then be
a v a i l a b l e f o r a transformation of
o u t e r society.
The present age of the 1980's w i l l be
experienced a s a kind o f winter, an
o u t e r darkness when those who hold t h e
e s o t e r i c t o be of value, must work t o
germinate and p r o t e c t t h e seed. This
seed must be nourished with t h e setreams
of t h e mystery wisdom, s o t h a t it can
wax and grow strong. Thus we must
delve i n t o t h e p a s t seeking t h e old
t r a d i t i o n s , transforming and making
them suit t h e new soul conditions of
t h i s age.
The o u t d u r z o l d h g in s o c i e t y a€ttLs
p o t e n t i a t y that lies within e s o t e r icism w i l l come i n t h e n o t too d i s t a n t
f u t u r e , and we w i l l a l l have t o stand
up and be counted, and t r y t o weave
t h e fragments of kzisdom we each have
gained i n our s o u l s , i n t o t h e f a b r i c
of those times. It i s t h e destiny af
a l l . o f us s t u d e n t s of t h e e s o t e r i c , t o
a c t a s the t e a c h e r s a t t h e end of t h e
Second Millenium and t h e beginning of
t h e Third, and i f we look this r e a l i t y
s t r a i g h t i n t h e f a c e , we should be
profoundly moved a t the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
t h a t l i e s with us.
News & Infor mat ion
-
FOfi SALE
The o r i g i n a l t y p e s c r i p t d r a f t s of "THE MAGICAL DILEMMA OF
VICTOR m G " by Jean Overton F u l l e r (c 1960) &to. Some 2000 s h e e t s ,
typed on one s i d e only, some with manuscript corrections and additions.
In i t s o r i g i n a l form the book was t o be e n t i t l e d "The Wisdom and the
Folly" and i t s s t r u c t u r e was q u i t e d i f f e r e n t from t h a t of the f i n a l
version. Throughout t h e t e x t of these e a r l y d r a f t s t h e r e i s a g r e a t deal
of information n o t used i n "The Magical Dilemma" and they c o n s t i t u t e an
important source for f u r t h e r research i n t o the l i v e s of Victor Neuberg
and A l e i s t e r Crowley
f300 o r near offer. Mr. P.C. Rowe, 18 B o d d i s h
Farm Road, South Ascot, Berks SL5 9EQ.
-
One of my subscribers has recently acquired a number of copies of a book
on Alchemy published i n India which w i l l not be r e a d i l y available t h r o w h
normal boik&ores. The work i s INDIAN ALCHEMY o r RASA~ANA by S. &hassan, published by Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi, 1979. The book
explores t h e physical and Soul aspect of alchemy p a r t i c u b r l y through
healing, and o f f e r s a most i n t e r e s t i n g glimpse a t t h e Indian Alchemical
philosophy. A l i m i t e d number of copies are available fmm,
Dennis P Sullivan
303 E. Henrietta Road,
Rochester
New York 14620
U.S.A.
a t a p r i c e of $10 per copy, and I suggest purchasers add an e x t r a $2 t o
cover postage charges.
One of my e a r l i e s t and most f a i t h f u l supporters has recently opened a
second hand book s t o r e , which among other things w i l l s p e c i a l i s e i n
alchemical and occult books, and he should have a g r e a t d e a l of i n t e r e s t i n g m a t e r i a l f o r s a l e . The bookstore i s called,
TIGER' S TALE
63 'dashington S t r e e t ,
Santa Clara
9509
U.S.A.
He may be w i l l i n g t o d e a l by mail order.
THE CHALICE UET"T'RES 1981 'Healing through a Marriage of Opposites'
k r i l l be held a t t h e Commonwealth I n s t i t u t e i n London on May 9th.
Adam McLean K i l l be contributing t o the programme of l e c t u r e s with a t a l k
oc t h e Alchemical marriage. Leaflet enclosed with this issue.
The Astral Light, the Prime Material
and the Universal Mercury
Michael Watson @
The a n c i e n t view of tine cosmos was of a plexus of s t e l l a r influences
t h a t e i t h e r originated or modified a we-existing universal f l u i d .
The a s t r a l l i g h t i s understood here i n the context of a universal
non-pihysical f l u l d from which a l l physical and indeed non-physical
t h i n g s o r i g i n a t e . The a l c h e d s t s called it the c e l e s t i a l gold and it
w a s considered by them a s the f i r e of nature, the fundamental source
of l i f e , and o r i g i n of t h e Universal Mercury. (1)
It i s n o t a new concept t h a t the matter from which dreams and thoughts
a r e made i s real. F ~ r t h e r m o r e ,they are rcade from the same a s t r a l
l i g h t condensed on t h e form of the dream o r thought. This condensation
c l o t h e s t h e image rendering it v i s i b l e t o t h e mind.
The a n c i e n t occult view i s t h a t a l l creation i s nothing but a dream
of t h e Creator clothed i n densified a s t r a l l i g h t , t h e primvy female
p r i n c i p l e of tine universe. It i n p l i e s t h a t physical matter i s a l s o
a s t r a l l i g h t , condensed upon various p a t t e r n s o r forms. ~ t i o n a l &
physical substance i s i n an imprisoned s t a t e caused by an "arsenical
sulphur" o r dragon. The o r i g i n a l pure matter i s regarded a s polluted
and it i s seen a s t h e purpose of alchenly t o f r e e matter from this
r a d i c a l contamination. A t the same time the alchemist himself undergoes a p u r i f i c a t i o n . See A l i p S ~ iand Jacob Eohme f o r a discussion of
the above, Ref (2). The elevatior. of both t h e alchemist and matter
t o t h e i r fundamental s t a t e , the o r i g i n a l uncontaminated condition, by
means of alchemical manipulatioc, suggests t h a t t h e matter and t h e
alchemist are i z some way closely coupled together. The chasacter of
.
this i n t e r a c t i o n and i t s f a r reaching consequences i s the nub of
aichemy. Ye w i l l t a k e t h i s up again s h o r t l y , but f i r s t we w i l l discuss
some o t h e r a s p e c t s of the a s t r a l l i g h t .
It h s been suggested t h a t the f r e e c ~ n d i t i o nand imprisoned o r bound
condition 0,' t h e a s t r a l l i g h t constitutes a p o t e n t i a l difference.
Furthermore, t h a t t h i s potentLa1 difference i s the source of t h e l i f e
force. (3) This p o t e n t i a l difference i s analogous t o e l e c t r i c i t y and
indeed it i s suggested t h a t the e l e c t r i c a l p o t e n t i a l i s a secondasy
manifestation of t h e more f u n d a m e n ~ lbound and f r e e s t a t e of t h e
a s t r a l lip:.
A t t h e physical l e v e l the a s t r a l l i g h t i s always bound
but with Zff e r i n g degrees of freeaom. From the a c t i v i t y which a r i s e s
when tne a s t r a l l i g h t moves from the bound conditior. t o a f r e e r cond i t i o n we g e t chemical a c t i v i t y . The whole of the electrochemical
s e r i e s arises from the r e l a t i v e bondage of the a s t n l l i g h t . It theref o r e appeers t h a t the movement of t n e a s t r a l l i g h t i s electromagneti s m . When the a s t r a l l i g h t i s bound, a s always i n physical conditions,
it i s l a t e n t . When however it can sprlng i n t o the f r e e condition, l i f e
and consciousness appear i n it.
This may seem of l i t t l e relevance t o alchemy a t t h e physical l e v e l .
The significance i s t h a t t h e astral l i g h t i n i t s f r e e form i s t h e
t r a n s f o r m i r ~agent o r t h e s e c r e t f i r e . This i s the only agent capable
of purifying m a t t e I a d i c a l l y .
Because of the way our physical measuring systems f u n c t i o n , t h e a s t r a l
l i g h t can only be d e t e c t e d i n its bound form. To d e t e c t t h e f r e e
a s t r a l l i v i n g d e t e c t o r s a r e needed. Such a d e t e c t o r i s t h e dowsing
pendulum where the human body a c t s a s t h e s e n s i t i v e agent.
I n p r a c t i c e it seems t h a t some a s t r a l U g h t does escape i n t o t h e f r e e
s t a t e whenever p w s i c a l a c t i v i t y occurs. This is the odylle of Reichenbach. ( k ) From Reishenbach it appears t h a t the a s t r a l l i g h t flows
i n t o t h e f r e e s t a t e a s a flame. Because no physical energy i s involved
i n this process t h e flame i s undetectable. I n the l i f e process reg&eB as a mazifestation of t h e p o t e n t i a l d i f f e r e n c e between t h e bound
and f r e e s t a t e of t h e astral l i g h t , t h e l i v i n g mattar is t h e c i r c u i t
o r c a t a l y s t needed t o r e l e a s e the a s t r a l l i g h t from i t s imprisoned
condition. A s such t h e l i f e process does w h a t t h e alchemist attempts
t o do with mineral substance. The l i v i n g substance a s t h e c i r c u i t
between t h e f r e * and bound s t a t e s achieves this transformation through
t h e s e c r e t f i r e of nature it contains. ( 2 ) The s e c r e t f i r e i s f u e l l e d
by t h e "arsenical sulphur" of matter which being ccmsumed l i b e r a t e s
t h e a s t r a l l i g h t and t h e form that it contains. This f i r e i s passed on
from parent t o progeny and once extinguished it i s , a s f a r a s we know,
extinguished f o r ever.
The alchemist nas faced with t h e t a s k of finding a method of using
his own s e c r e t f i r e , derived e n t i r e l y from his owl person. He found
t h a t a c e r t a i n substance had t h e property of a t t r a c t i n g his own psychicenergy and accumulating it. Provided t h e alchemist met c e r t a i n
requirements of a moral nature his own densified psychic f o r c e would
i g n i t e t h e s e c r e t f i r e i n the physical matter of his s u b j e c t and start
t h e process of l i b e r a t i o n of t h e a s t r a l l i g h t of the substance. The
psychic f o r c e j u s t mettioned i s the e t h e r i c double of the alchemist.
The e t h e r i c double i s condensed a s t r a l l i g h t woven on 2 p a t t e r n deri v e d , frore other t h i n g s , t h e g e n e t i c code. The e t h e r i c energy i s
r e a Z i l y released by anyone i n good health. The mesmerists were.the
first t o bring this f o r c e t o general a t t e n t i o n d u r i w the last century. They found that simple concentration and hand contact were enough
t o convey it. Regarding t h e personal psychic f o r c e of the alchemist
an8 the mesmeric metho6 a s t h e main adjunct i n t h e physical work, Mrs
Atwood d e a l s a t length i n r e f . (5).
Although it i s easy t o g e t t h e condensed a s t r a l l i g h t from o n e s e l f ,
it i s not so easy, t o f i n d t h e magnet f o r it. This magnet, a r e d
substance, has t h e property of so condensing the p a r t i a l l y densified
a s t r a l f o r c e originating from the operator a s t o render it phvsical.
For tine alchemist, the physical material chosen f o r the magnet had t o
r e p l i c a t e his om. e t h e r i c structure. B a s i l Valentine (6), mentions
t h e occult l a w of the a t t r a c t i o n of two l i k e s and Karl Schappellar (3)
t h a t , f o r a t t r a c t i o n , t h e two l i k e s should be i n an unlike condition.
Of course we a r e speaking of a s i m i l a r i t y a t an e t h e r i c l e v e l even i f
one of t h e substances i s physical.
To t h e alchemist, man was made i n the image of God and was therefore
a microcosm. It follows that i f the matter r e p l i c a t e s the e t h e r i c and
a s t r a l struckure of man, it r e p l i c a t e s the a s t r a l and e t h e r i c s t r u c t ure of t h e universe. A s such it was considered as a piece of t h e
o r i g i n a l u n i v e r s a l l i g h t condensed and imprisoned a t the physical
l e v e l by t h e a r s e n i c a l sulphur. The a s t r a l l i g h t derived from t h e
alchemist i n purifying t h e matter l i b e r a t e s an emanation. This emana t i o n , due t o t h e n a t u r a l sympcrtfUl t h a t e x i s t s between it and the
W e m i s t , e x e r t s a purifyingeffect on the alchemist also. The alchemist undergoes, psychologically, a transformation process.
I n support of this view, here is a quote from Canseliet's introduction
t o F u l c a n e l l i ' s "Les Demures Philosophales" (8),
"The alchemist must u n i t e himself with this v i r g i n , body and
s o u l i n a p e r f e c t indissoluable maxriage i n order t o assume
with her t h e primordial s t a t e of innocence
The artist
r e c e i v e s much i f not a l l from this r a d i c a l union by t h a t
intimate s p i r i t u a l and physical harmony with the material,
t h a t i n s p i r e s and guides his research t h o u g h an exchange of
fluids. "
.....
F'urther on, t h e same author continues,
"The c a b a l i s t i c environment presents the woman salamander a s
t h e most b e a u t i f u l because she is constituted of universal
f i r e , p r i n c i p l e of a l l movement i n nature of which she i n h a b i t s
t h e highest sphere..
.."
Quoting t h e Abbot Montfaucon de V i l l a r s , the t e x t continues,
"One must purify and e x a l t the element of f i r e t h a t is within
us and augment the tone of t h i s slack cord. One does not have
t o do more than concentrate the f i r e of the world by means of
concave mirrors within a globe of glass. This L t h e a r t i f i c e
a l l t h e a n c i e n t s have kept s e c r e t , and the dlvine Theophrastus
discovered. The dust of the sun forms i n this globe and PCi f i e s i t s e l f by i t s own action. With the admixture of other
elements and being prepared according t o the art it becomes i n
a s h o r t time superlatively adapted t o e x a l t the f i r e t h a t
dwells within us making us become, so t o speak, of a f i e r y
nature. "
It is c l e a r from other pasts of the "Demeures" t h a t the mirror of t h e
art is t h a t r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e above e x t r a c t . This i s the s t a r t i n g
material and i t i s called a mirror because it i s a r e p l i c a of man's
e t h e r i c s t r u c t u r e . Since man was regarded a s a microcosm, the sBarting material became a n image of the cosmos. The f i r e of the world
i s t h e a s t r a l l i g h t cantained within the operator. A l l p u l l (2), r e f e r s
t o mar. a s being t h e p r i n c i p l e magnet a t t ~ r a c t l wthe as'sal l i g h t from
t h e universe. A s such, augmenting t h e tone of the slack coni i n the
t e x t above must s i g n i f y increasing t h e f o r c e of t h e c e n t r a l magnet
within t h e alchemist, whether t h e l i g h t i s derived from the food t h e
alchemist ezzs, the m a t e r i a l uneer r e s e a r c h o r the atmosphere of t h e
e a z i o r a t w a c t e d from t h e supsrphysical.
Jung (7) coxsidered t h e whole of the alchemical process a s psychologi c a l , being a process of i n t e g r a t i o n between the alchemist and his
own unconscious contents. W h i l s t admitting t h a t a t t h e i n i t i a l s t a g e s
t h e alchemist does s u f f e r t h e same s o r t of pychological disturbance
t h a t Jung wlls t h e individuation process, the a i m of t h e alchemist
uas d i f f e r e n t . The p u r i f i c a t i o n of t h e man himself and simultaneously
t h e material was done i n order that he might individuate nature which,
l i k e himself, he regarded a s i n a f a l l e n condition. This regeneration
of t h e s p i r i t u s mundi e n t a i l e d a s previously mentioned t h e l i b e r a t i o n
of matter i n t o i t s o r i g i n a l f r e e s t a t e . This gave t h e alchemist t h e
reward of being a b l e t o gain access t o t h e a s t r a l o r e t h e r i c mechanism
by which everything i s made. The knowledge of how God made t h e world
was a v a i l a b l e t o t h e alchemist, provided he successfully completed t h e
whole process. The alchemist s t r i p p e d away t h e seven v e i l s of Diana,
s o t o speak, u n t i l he could behold her naked. The stupendious compexi t y of whzt tiney saw made it d i f f i c u l t t o bring this knowledge i n t o a
physically r e a l i s a b l e form, with the exception of one o r two fragments
of knowleQe t h a t make up t h e occult t r a d i t i o n . A t t h a t time they did
n o t have a conceptual framework capable of handling w h a t they saw. I n
a sense mo6ern science has s t a r t e d t o produce an i n t e l l e c t u a l framework capable of handling this type of problem. Science proceeds blindl y by making models, t h a t i s t o say, images of Diana. But t h e world
of science i s r a d i c a l l y contaminated ; Diana i s covered with f i l t h
although i n t e r n a l l y as p e r f e c t a s ever f o r those who wish t o seek her.
Objectivisction without a d i s c i p l i n e d subjective element l e a d s t o
science without conscience.
To achieve knowledge of t h e o u t e r world by inner means, t h e alchemist
was obliged t o work with r e a l matter. N c a n e l l l shows a t l e n g t h i n
t h e sectior. "The Salamander of Lisieux" (8), t h a t t h e s t a r t i n g matter
o r mine of i n i t i a l mercury of t h e philosophers i s made by art. It i s
constructeC of two bodies. What axe t h e s e two substances t h a t combined
produce the magnet of t h e philosophers, t h e substance t h a t a t t r a c t s
from t h e alchemist his e t h e r i c f o r c e ? Of course no one i s s p e c i f i c ,
but we know since t h e time of Mesmer and Reichenbach t h a t one of t h e
most powerful a t t r a c t o r s of t h e e t h e r i c f o r c e o r condensed a s t r a l
l i g h t i s tine metal i r o n . This i s not s u r p r i s i n g when one considers
t h e connection between t h e a s t r a l l i g h t and electromagnetism mentioned above.Tne w e t i c p r o p e r t i e s of i r o n both physical and e t h e r i c a r e
not by ciance. F u l c a n e l l i , one of t h e c l e a r e s t authors on this' subj e c t , discusses i n t h e final pages of t h e s e c t i o n "The Man of t h e
Woods", the relevance of Lron t o t h e process,
"We w i l l content ourselves t o a t t r a c t a t t e n t i o n t o this p o i n t
of i r o n whose s e c r e t p r o p e r t i e s change the i n t e r n a l nature of
our magnesia, s e p a r a t i n g , ordering, purifying and r e u n i t i n g
t h e elements of t h e mineral chaos."
fie c o n t i n u e s ,
"7Hp c o n t r a c t i o ~ iof F d P i s tine 3Lzt. of l i g h t , t h e s p r i n g , t h e
m o r n i w , tin? sta-t, t h e arigir: of t'he day, t h e a u r o r a , t h e a i r .
I n greek T p i s t h e support o r v e h i c l e of l i g h t . The dark
naves emanating from tine sun become luminous
means of t h e
v i b r a t i o n of t h e atmospheric a i r . The e t h e r o r t h e sky ( d ~ 8 1 ) ~ )
i s t h e p l a c e of t h e e l e c t , t h e domicile of pure c l a r i t y . Among
a l l t h e bodies that maintain t h e
e a t e s t proportion of t h e f i r e
o r i l l t e n t l i g h t i s i r o n ( r i 6 l l p o ~ b e knows how easy it i s t o
draw o u t , simply by means of an impact, t h e i n t e r n a l f i r e under
t h e form of a b r i l l i a n t spark. It i s important t o t r a n s m i t this
a c t i v e f i r e t o t h e p a s s i v e s u b j e c t ; it a l o n e has t h e p o t e n t i a l
t o modify t h e cold and s t e r i l e complexion of t h e s u b j e c t , renderi n g it a r d e n t and p r o l i f i c . It i s c a l l e d by t h e sages t h e green
l i o n , a l i o n savage and f e r o c i o u s
c a b a l i s t i c a l l y X i i d T - $7?.
....
,
T h i s l a t t e r phrase s i g n i f i e s t h e e t h e r i c n a t u r e of t h e f o r c e of tine
green l i o n . T h i s passage i s a s t r o n g h i n t t h a t i r o n couples t h e physical t o t h e e t h e r i c .
If we t a k e i r o n as one of t h e components then w h a t i s t h e o t h e r ? The
e t h e r i c f o r c e i s c a l l e d t h e antimony of t h e s a g e s ( 5 ) . B a s i l Valentine
( 6 ) mentions a l l t h e then known p r o p e r t i e s of antimony sulphide and
t h e m e t a l , b u t a t a double l e v e l . One l e v e l concerns t h e p h y s i c a l
p r o p e r t i e s and t h e o t h e r l e v e l seems t o be about t h e e t h e r i c a n t i m ony. Why g i v e t h two t h i n g s t h e same name i f t h e r e were n o t a c l o s e
connection between them ? Those i n t e r e s t e d w i l l make up t h e i r ow.
mincis, b u t it i s worth drawing a t t e n t i o n t o two cu.rious f a c t s about
this problem. F u l c a n e l l i devotes f o u r pages i n t h e "Demeures" t o sayi n g t h a t antimony s u l p h i d e i s n o t t h e s u b j e c t of t h e philosophers.
T h i s i s of course t r u e when one regards t h e s u b j e c t o r s t a r t i n g
m a t t e r of t h e philosophers as a c o m p o a o r mixture. Remember that
t o t h e o l d a l c h e m i s t s , a compound o r mixture of substances was a
d i f f e r e n t substance i n s o far as it displayed pro-Derties not found
i n t h e p a r e n t bodies. For example, from t h e alchemical viewpoint
water d o e s n o t c o n s i s t of hydrogen and oxygen s i n c e water d i s p l a y s
p r o p e r t i e s n o t e v i d e n t i n e i t h e r of t h e gases. The whole i s g r e a t e r
t h a n t h e sum of i t s parts, t h e r e f o r e it i s a fundamental substance i n
i t s own r i g h t . Then t h e a l l o y of it and i r o n , c a l l e d by t h e a l c h e m i s t s
t h e r e g u l u s , would be a new substance because it has a number of prope r t i e s n o t d i s p l a y e d by e i t h e r o f t b parent bodies. C a n s e l l e t , i n a
commentary t o t h e Mutus U b e r mentions F u l c a n e l l i ' s disco^-se on
antimony s u l p h i d e as not being t h e s t s r t i n g matter of t h e a l c h e n i s t .
fie s a y s t h a t s t u d e n t s should te on t h e i r guard s i n c e t h e Master may
be t r y i n g t o d e f l e c t t h e a t t e n t i o n of t h e unworthy from having and
e a s i l y understood b a s i s fron! which t o start work.
~
The second c u r i o s i t y i s t h a t F u l c a n e l l i ' s r e c i p e f o r t h production
of t h e s t a r t i n g matter ( t h e g r i f f i n o r astral s t o n e ) i s very similar
t o b a s i l V a l e n t i n e ' s r e c i p e f o r t h e production of s t e l k r e g u l u s of
antimony.
F i r s t t h e F u l c a n e l l i t e x t , (1)
"If yoc however h + s h t o possess t h e g r i f f i n that i s our a s t r a l
s t o n e , e x t r a c t % from it i t s a r s e n i c a l gangue, t a k e two parts of
v i r g i n e a z i t h a t i s our scaly dragon an2 one p a r t of s i l v e r
whicc i s t h a t v a l i e n t knight armed with sword and lance. Ares
i s more vigorous t h a n a r i e s an8 must be used i n smaller quantity.
Pulverise, and add one f i f t e e n t h part of t h e t o t a l of t h a t pure
s a l t , white and admirable, nashed many times and c h y s t a l l l s e d
t h a t you have of necessity t o know. Mix together intimately and
ther, taking example from t h e gikvious passion of Cur Lard,
crucify with t h r e e p o i n t s of i r o n s o t h a t t h e body d i e s and
can subsequently be reborn. Having done this, eliminate t h e
gross sediment from t h e corpse, grind and t r i t u r a t e t h e bone
mixing a l l on a low f i r e with a rod of s t e e l . Tirow i n t o this
mixture t h e half of t h e second s a l t e x t r a c t e d from t h e dew t h a t
in t h e month of May f e r t i l i s e s t h e e a r t h and you will obtain a
body cleaner than t h e f i n s t . Repeat this technique t h r e e times
and you w i l l have reached t h e mine of our mercury and have climbed the first rung of t h e ladder of t h e sages. When Jesus was
reborn on t h e third day a f t e r his death, an angel, luminous and
dressei! i n white,occupied t h e empty tomb. "
Now f o r t h e Valentine r e f e r e n c e (11)
,
" W e two p a r t s of hungarian antimony and one part of s t e e l ;
melt with f o u r parts of burnt tastar i n an i r o n b s i n such as
those i n which goldsmiths r e f i n e gold. Cool, take out t h e re@us, remove all i m p u r i t i e s and s c o r i a pulverise f i n e l y , add t o it,
having a s c e r t a i n e d its weight, t h e e times as much burnt tastar.
Melt and pour i n t o a basin a s before. Repeat a third time, and
t h e regulus becomes highly r e f i n e d and b r i l l i a n t . I f you have
done t h e fusion groperly, which i s a point of g r e a t importance,
you w i l l have a b e a u t i f u l star of b i l l i a n t white. The star i s
as d i s t i n c t a s i f a draughtsman had t r a c e d it with a p a i r of
compasses. "
The star i s mentioned by both F u l c a n e l l i and P h i l a l e t h e s as s i g n i f y i n g t h e b i r t h of a new p r i n c i p l e . The obvious connection with t h e
b i r t h of Jesus and t h e appearance of t h e star of Bethlehem is mentioned s e v e r a l times by F u l c a n e l l i . This antimonal star i s a major f a c t o r
i n pointing t o antimony as one of t h e components of t h e s t a r t i n g
matter.
Concening t h e s a l t which F u l c a n e l l i mentions, and t h e -t
tar* of
Valentine, there i s another salt t h a t can be used i n t h e formation of
t h e regulus of antimony and t h a t is s a l t p e t e r . Lemery (12) g l v e s a
r e c i p e i n which one e i g h t h part of s a l t p e t e r i s used i n s t e a d of t h e
one f i f t h (one f i f t e e n t h part of t h r e e ) part used by F u l c a n e l l i . It
seems U e l y that s a l t p e t e r was used i n F u l c a n e l l i ' s recipe. There
a r e a l s o i n d i c a t i o n s that this salt i s e x t r a c t e d and prepared i n a
s p e c i a l hiay.
To summarise : the astral light o r i g i n a t i n g from t h e alchemist i s ,
when condensed, t h e u n i v e r s a l mercury of t h e philosophers. Because of
i t s o r i g i n it can a c t on matter a t a l e v e l hasdly conceived by modern
science. The magnet i s an a l l o y a f a n t i m o n y and i r o n which it r a d i c a l l y
p u r i f i e s . The whole ?ewer of alchemy o r i g i n a t e s from what t h e condensed v i t a l f o r c e can do.
REFERENCES :
(1)
The Hermetic Triumph i n La P i e t r a F i l o s o f a l e by George Ranque
Edieioni Mediterranee, ROIM 1973.
(2)
Jacob Bohme
The Incarnation of Jesus C h r i s t , Constable 1934.,
Alipuli , Epistles
J .W. Hamilton Jones London 1953,
Also i n I t a l i a n , Le Epistole d i A l i P u l i , Edizioni Mediterranee,
Roma 1979.
(3)
The Physics of the Primary S t a t e of Matter, C.U. Davson, Elverton
P r e s s 1953.
(4)
Physico-Physiological Researches on the dynamics of Magnetism,
E l e c t r i c i t y , Heat, Light, C r y s t a l l i s a t i o n and Chemism i n r e l a t i o n
t o t h e v i t a l f o r c e , H. B a i l l i e r e 1850
P r a c t i c a l I n s t r u c t i o n i n Magnetism, J.P.F. Deleuse, H. B a i l l i e r e
(5)
A Suggestive Inquiry i n t o Hermetic Philosophy , Ws. M.A. Atwood.
Originally published ir, 1918 by T a i t , but recently r e p r i n t e d by
t h e Yogi Publication Society ISBN 0-911662-64.-2.
(6) The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, B a s i l Valentine with Commentary
by Theodore Kerckingius and t r a n s l a t e d from the Latin by A.E.
Uaite,
(7)
James E l l i o t and Co., 1893.
The Collected Works of C.G. Jung,Vol 12 Psychology and Alchemy,
Vol 13 Alchemical S t u d i e s , Vol 14 Mysterium Coniunctionis.
(8) Demeures Philosophales by Fulcanelli , 1965 Jean-Jacques P a w e r t ,
P a r i s 1965. Also i n I t a l i a n , Le Demore F i l o s o f a l l , W i z i o n i Medit e r r a n e e , 1973. A l l t h e references i n the t e x t were taken from t h e
I t a l i a n version.
(11) Reference 6, page 175.
(12) Lemery , quoted i n Reference 1, La p i e t r a F i l o s o f a l e page 116, i n
t h e chapter e n t i t l e d t h e Unknown Energy.
Whither Magic ?
Stephen Skinner@
I have always been concerned with the presenration of the b e s t techniques of t h e magical t r a d i t i o n , a t r a d i t i o n which has been done a s
much d i s s e r v i c e by well-meaning w r i t e r s who d i d not know t h e i r subj e c t as by i l l - m e a d % people who have s t r i v e n t o supress it.
I t was therefore a g r e a t pleasure t o see the magical r e v i v a l of t h e
19601s, it was even more pleasing t o see t h a t the u p s u r g e i n i n t e r e s t
i n magic d i d not evaporate i n t h e 1970's
It does not do t o make predictions f o r coming decades, but it i s
r a t h e r alarming t h a t i n t h e last few years a c t i v e i n t e r e s t in magic
has, i f not a c t u a l l y waned, not r e a l l y consolidated its position.
Such t r e n d s axe always b e t t e r viewed with hindsight but there i s a
s t r i k i n g p a r a l l e l between the last two decades and t h e a c t i v i t y of
t h e t u r n of t h e last century when t h e Golden Dam and the Theosophi c a l Society together with a number of other groups, poured l i f e i n t o
a wax supervene. After which i n t e r t h e body of magic only t o have
e s t i n t h e o c c u l t only r e b u i l t i t s e l f slowly a f t e r the depression.
...
To take a longer h i s t o r i c a l view, look closely a t the mid-seventeenth
century. This masked a turning point i n popular (and profound)
thought. I n t h e eaxly decades of the century science and magic were
t h e common i n t e r e s t s of t h e same people, both f l o u r i s h i n g a s t h e
s t r e n g t h of r e l i g i o u s sanction declined i n the squabbles of Protesta n t churches and t h e i r f i g h t with Rome.
I n t M s f e r t i l e s o i l two things happened. Magic t u n e d inwards and
hid i t s l i g h t , science formed such boi?ies as t h e Royal Society t o .
d i s c u s s and explore s c i e n t i f i c phenomena. Those i n t e r e s t e d and promi n e n t i n both, such a s E l i a s Ashmole, chose t o p r i v a t e l y discuss
magic and publicly discuss science. I t was an uncertain time with a?
h i t h e r t o u n h e d of p o l i t i c a l unrest and Ehgland's only c i v i l wax
since William t h e Conqueror. w t e understandable t h a t magic hid i t s
l i g h t under a bushel whicn obscured it f o r t h e next three an& a h a l f
centuries.
fieanwhile science m d e such inroads i n t o popular thinking and p o l l t i c a l
support t h a t it became t h e niling genius of t h e age. Kings ceased t o
support magic and d i v i n e r s , and government took up tine support of
s c i e n t i s t s . Givet? h i s t o r i c a l precedents, a very reasonable response
by those i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e occult a r t s .
b u t t o r e t u r n t o the p r e s e n t , t h e o c c u l t has once again secure& a
place i n popular thinking. Is it now t o be &sudssed a s a two-decade
wonder, witnout e s t a b l i s h i n g i t s own "Royal Academy" which w i l l carry
it through t h e next t b i e e c e n t u r i e s a s a r e a l past of c i v i l i s a t i o n ,
o r is it t o be l o s t from s i g h t again f o r t h e Gods' know how long ?
Far be it from me t o suggest t h a t w h a t t h e o c c u l t needs i s an acadew
i n the i n s t i t u t i o n a l and beaurocratic sense, r a t h e r I hope t o see
those s o fax t e n t a t i v e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n t o t h e physical ( o r a t l e a s t
e t h e r i c ) b a s i s of f a m i l i a r o c c u l t phenomena become part of t h e canon
of accepted f a c t .
To speed this, it is e s s e n t i a l t h a t t h e r e l e v a n t information becomes
widely a v a i l a b l e t o a range of s k i l l e d minds who, perhaps working on
a l t o g e t h e r varying l i n e s of approach w i l l each i n some small measure
be a b l e t o confirm t h e o b j e c t i v e v a l i d i t y of phenomona which a r e well
known t o t b s e who have worked i n t h e o c c u l t f i e l d f o r any l e n g t h of
time. To promote this dissemination I have i n some small measure
through my books and through Askin Publishers attempted t o make a s
much of r e a l worth i n this f i e l d a v a i l a b l e a s f a s t a s possible, but I
have been hampered by t h e medium. It has o f t e n been s a i d t h a t t h e
medium i s t h e message but i n this case t h e medium has slowed down
t h e propagation of t h e message by making i n d i v i d u a l books t o o expens i v e f o r some, and n o t w e l l enough d i s t r i b u t e d f o r o t h e r s . This
unfortunately, i s t h e p i c e paid f o r disseminating information i n t h e
conventional manner, especialy when l i m i t e d demand f o r c e s s h o r t
p r i n t -runs.
After much thought an2 many misgivings Askin has
t h e medium and i s c u r r e n t l y girding up its l o i n s
v e r s i o n s of t h e g r e a t cl;rssics of magic n o t only
t o make them a s widely a v a i l a b l e t o everyone who
broker. t h e bounds of
t o i s s u e microfilm
t o preserve them but
needs o r wants them.
It i s planned t o i s s u e a much v a s t e r list of t i t l e s than could ever
have been achieved through t h e conventional medium of t h e press. Each
98 pages f a l l s on one film card and c o s t s about M.00. They can be
posted U c e ordinary l e t t e r s r a t h e r than incur t h e excessive c o s t s
of p a r c e l post and can be s e n t anywhere i n t h e world within t h e week.
-
This means t h a t t h e b e s t m a t e r i a l w i l l now flow much more f r e e l y
it remains i n t h e hands of those o c c u l t i s t s who use it t o e s t a b l i s h
t h e o c c u l t , now i n such a way t h a t it never commits t h e e r r o r of hidi n g i t s wisdom i n f e a r of s e c u l a r o r r e l i g i o u s persecution, a s it d i d
f o u r centu--ies ago.
Now before t i e explosion of t h e s i x t i e s and t h e impetus of t h e sevent i e s i s l o s t , magic must consolidate i t s p o s i t i o n and move forward.
It i s o p t i m i s t i c t o hope t h a t various and r i c h s t r a n d s of occultism
w i l l ever p u l l t o g e t h e r , but it i s n o t u n r e a l i s t i c t h a t they may help
t o e s t a b l i s h each other i n much t h e same way t h a t physics, chemistry
and b i o l o u a r e i n p r e s e n t l y separate but amicable camps.
Some Hermetic Reflections
on the "Earth Mysteriesn
Swami Prem Sudheero
On February 1st was, and still i s , celebrated the ancient F i r e F e s t i v a l
which marks the t r a n s i t i o n from winter t o spring. It i s a l s o the f e s t i v a l of Brighid, o r Bride, beloved Goddess of the G a e l s , who presided
amongst other t h i n g s over healing-wells, and Bridewell o r Brideswell
are names which still appear on our B r i t i s h maps. This seems a propiti o u s time t o turn our a t t e n t i o n t o Brighid and the Waters of HeaUng,
t o see i f there was an "alchemical" kind of awareness discernable i n
those ancient times before Christianity became dominant i n these i s l a n d s .
Where "Brighid, t h e f a i r and tender, her hue l i k e the cotton-grass,
rich-tressed Maiden of r i n g l e t s of gold" walked by t h e sea-shore, t h e r e
sprang a t her f e e t t h e blooms of the Dandelion, each flower a golden sun
whose r a y s spread out i n every direction and, beneath, the green l i o n ' s
t e e t h which give this plant its name i n the C e l t i c lands of France and
B r i t a i n . Around t h e Maiden swoops the Oyster-catcher, a bird which could
with j u s t i f i c a t i o n join the crow, the eagle and the peacock, f o r t h e
colours of i t s plumage axe black, white and r e d , the t r i p l e colours of
the Work. T i s i s unlikely t o be an accident, f o r we have here a r e f e r ence t o t h e processes of time, a s conceived in the C e l t i c world. Black,
the darkness of t h e i n i t i a l Chaos, i s the night-time with which t h e
C e l t i c day began, t h e winter e a r t h i n whose darkness the seeds of t h e
new season's growth are hidden. Then follows the Whlte-ness of daylight
when al3 t h a t was developing i s brought t o i t s f i n a l s t a t e , revealing
it inherent p o s s i b i l i t i e s . Likewise, i n the " l i g h t half" of the C e l t i c
year t h e f i e l d s grow "white unto harvest". A t last, as the sun s e t s
Red, the f i e r y path over the Western waves t c t h e realm of S p i r i t is
revealed. We need n o t be surprised t h a t a S c o t t i s h w r i t e r of the l a s t
century describe2 a t r e e beside a sacred well i n Kirkcudbight thus I'
"from a d i s t a n c e it seemed t o be decked with blossoms o r leaves of
black, white and r e 2 " ( ~ h e s ewere pieces of c l o t h hung t h e r e by those
seeking healing).
Often t r e e s a r e associated with the sacred wells I the Well of Braemou
i n Moray has within its l i t t l e stone enclosure two Elder t r e e s I t h w e
i s t h e seeming accident of t h a t tall, i s o l a t e d Laburnum t r e e which
stands by t h e last of the Edinburgh healing wells from which water i s
a v a i l a b l e t o a l l , t h e Well of the Holy Rood. Where the rnotif of t h e Tree
i s rLssing it may even be supplied i n stone. I n Edinburgh, a l s o , i s the
& e l l of S t Triauana, i t s ne&eval well-chamber reconstructed ol? t h e
o r i g i n a l plar.. The s t r u c t u r e i s six-sided and from the centre r i s e s ,
l i k e a stone t r e e , a hexagonal p i l l a r which branches t o provide t h e
r a d i a t i n g arches t o support t h e roof. A t t h e Well of t h e Holy Rood,
the n a t e r i s contained within an e x a c t l y s i m i l a r chamber, but i n mini a t u r e . Since t h e pipe supplying the water i s f i x e d t o t h e p i l l a r , one
might almost be viewing a model of a mercurial fountain such as can be
found i n t h e Rosarium.
We axe l e f t , however, with a puzzle : why should t h e number s i x be
a s s o c i a t e d with water? It would be tempting t o invoke another alchemical
image : t h a t of the s i x planets/metals surrounding t h e flowing mercury,
but t h e symbolism i s l i k e l y t o be more fundamental. The e d i t o r of this
Journal introduced me t o t h e six-fold c r y s t a l l i n e symmetry of b a s a l t i c
rocks i n t h e neighbourhood of these wells ( s e e Hermetic Journal No 1 0 ,
The Alchemy of the Earth Forces by Adam ~ c ~ e a n y) e, t this i s a property
of E a r t h and one i s s t i l l l e f t with the question of its "appropriateness"
t o Water. For a teaching s t o r y which connects t h e Maiden with t h e Holy
Water we need t o c r o s s t h e Western Ocean t o t h a t Land-beyond-the-sunset,
North America.
The legend of t h e S t a r Maiden (Tarot u s e r s please note!) t e l l s how t h e
"Star nater" f e l l t o Earth and formed shining lakes. From these t h e
Maiaen took portions and gave one t o each of t h e people t o w e n , hanging
from a necklace. T i star-water prwidec! a l i g h t which enabled t h e people
t o see each other t r u l y . However, they were not ready f o r this d e p e e of
understanding and t r i e d t o destroy the pieces of star-water by throwing
them i n t o the f i r e . Water i s the element of i n t u i t i o n and clairvoyance,
and i s t a c i t l y acknowledged t o confer Vision even i n t h e Ctnistian
t r a d i t i o n where it i s used t o annoint the "thM-eye" centre.
When t h e water f a l l s from heaven i n the n a t u r a l world it i s sometimes i n
t h e form of a myriad of t i n y six-pointed stars ; t t p s e snoxflakes owe
t h e i r shape t o t h e s o l i d , o r "ea.rth",state of water
the symmetry of
t h e c r y s t a l of i c e . We come f u l l c i r c l e then, f o r t h e Well of S t Widuana was once famed f o r its value i n healing diseases of t h e =,and a
s i x f o l d s t r u c t u r e ms made f o r it. Curiously, the former Abbey of Holyrood, close by t h e well of t h a t name, was founded a s t h e r e s u l t of a
vision.
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It i s t h e s p e c i a l character of these holy m t e r s , not only t o f a c i l i t a t e
physical healing, but a l s o t o promote the wholeness which can come from
seeing i n t o t h e i n n e r world
Water signifying the flow of communication
between Microcosm and Macrocosm. Where t h e sacred waters well up from
unknown depths, they bring with them "in solution" essences of t h e E a r t h
both physical and e t h e r i c , which the C e l t i c peoples revered a s an invaluable a i d t o wholeness of body and s p i r i t . It i s s t i l l open t o us t o
b e n e f i t from this heritage.
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The Rosary of the Philosophers
Adam McLean o
The Rosarium Philosophorum, first published i n L a t i n i n 1550, i s recogn i s e d a s one of t h e most important t e x t s f r o r t h e middle period of
European Alchemy. It was e x t e n s i v e l y quoted i n l a t e r alchemical l i t e r a z u r e , and t h e i d e a s it introduced influenced and i n s p i r e d g e n e r a t i o n s
of l a t e r a l c h e m i s t s . The Rosarium i s s t r u c t u r e d around a s e r i e s of
twenty symbolic woodcuts, introducing a s e r i e s of i d e a s r e l a t i n g t o
e a c h f i g u r e , and supporting t h e s e i d e a s by quotation from w e l l known
alchemical a u t h o r i t i e s . The t e x t shifts c o n s t a n t l y between t h e p h y s i c a l
wack with s u b s t a n c e s and t h e i n n e r work upon t h e Soul, s o much s o that
a t c e r t a i n p l a c e s i n t h e t e x t one does not q u i t e know t o which realm
t h e work r e f e r s . F o r t h e purposes of this commentary Z do n o t i n t e n d t o
work through a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s of t h e t e x t , b u t r a t h e r t o pursue an
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e s e r i e s of twenty woodcut i l l u s t r a t i o n s , which
have borne t h e r e p u t a t i o n of t h e Rosarium i n t h e absence of a t r a n s l a t i o n . Some of t h e s e woodcuts axe very w e l l known and have been used as
i l l u s t r a t i o n s i n many r e c e n t books on symbolism. It m u s t be emphasised
t h a t w h a t i s p r e s e n t e d here i s only one i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e symbolism.
T h i s i s by no means e x c l u s i v e of o t h e r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , which may be
e q u a l l y v a l i d i n that t h e y look a t t h e s p i r i t u a l r e a l i t i e s of t h e Rosarium s e r i e s from a d i f f e r e n t perspective, and t h u s throw f u r t h e r l i g h t
on t h e m a t t e r of t h e symbolism. Alchemy d e a l s wfth flow and change and
cannot be encompassed i n t h e hard r i 6 i d f o s s i l s of i n t e l l e c t u a l f o m h
The twenty i l l u s t r a t i o n s a r e axranged f o r this i n t e r p r e t a t i o n as i n t h e
d i a g r a m . Here we have a t r i a d of i l l u s t r a t i o n s 1-2-3 i n t r o d u c i n g u s t o
t h e Prima Materia, t h e substance of t h e work of transformation, then i n
4-10 we s e e t h e first process of transmutation leading t o t h e c r e a t i o n
of t h e White Stone, this being followed by t h e p e r a l l e l transmutation
of 11-17 which l e a d s t o t h e Red Stone. Then i n 18-19-20 we have a f i n a l
p i c t u r e of t h e Er~dof t h e Work.
The opening t h r e e i l l u s t r a t i o n s t o t h i s p r o c e s s , i n d i c a t e t h e realm
w i t h i n which this transformation occurs and i n t r o d u c e s t h e Prima Materia. Me i n t e r p r e t this s e r i e s as a process f o r t h e i n t e g r a t i o n of t h e
t h r e e f a c e t s of man
t h e Body, Soul an8 S p i r i t . I n our p r e s e n t s t a t e of
e v o l u t i o n t h e s e f a c e t s do not work t o g e t h e r i n harmony. There axe p o l a r -
-
i t i e s and v a s t eulfs between t h e d i f f e r e n t realms within our being. It
i s tine &A&. of alchemical transmutation t o u n i t e these f a c e t s i n a new
naxmony, i n t o a perfected s t a t e of being where Body, Soul and S p i r i t
mutually i n t e r p e n e t r a t e and work together. Man's soul i s t h u s the-bridging element between t h e outer realm of t h e Physical body and t h e s p i r i t ual world. This bridge must be b u i l t out of i n t e e a t i n g t h e primal pola r i t i e s of tine s o u l , s o t h a t it becomes both a vehicle o r v e s s e l f o r
t h e s p i r i t and tine master and moulder of t h e physical realm.
I n i l l u s t r a t i o n 1, we have a p i c t u r e of man's inner s o u l world. I n the
lower part of the s o u l we see a t r i p l e fountain which pours f o r t h t h e
t h r e e f o l d soul-substance
t h e V i r ~ i ns' Milk ( t h e feminine receptive
lunar f o r c e s i n t h e soul), t h e S p r i w of Vinepar ( the masculine sharp,
p e n e t r a t i n g solax f o r c e s i n t h e s o u l
and t h e Aaua V i t a e , t h e water of
l i f e ( t h e inner source of s o u l energies). ~ h e s e - t h e streams p o w forth
from t h e head of t h e f o u n t a i n , a t t h e c e n t r a l point of t h e s o u l , and
s t r e a n d o m merging together i n t h e basin a t t h e lowest part of t h e soul.
This v e s s e l contains t h e primal substance of t h e soul f o r c e s , t h e Inner
Mercury,the Mercury of t h e Philosophers, t h a t i s one and y e t is composed
of t h e s e t h r e e streams.
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There i s a d i r e c t connection here with t h e Indian e s o t e r i c t r a d i t i o n of
Tantra. The Virgin' s Milk corresponds ( i n the p i c t u r e presented in Indian
Tantricism) t o t h e I d a Nadi, t h e Moon Breath o r stream of 1una.x f o r c e s
i n t h e s u b t l e body of man, while t h e Vinegar of t h e Fountain r e l a t e s t o
t h e Pingala liadi, t h e Sun Breath o r stream of s o l a r f o r c e s within. The
Water of L i f e t h u s corresponds t o t h e Kundalini energy flowing i n t h e
S u s h m a o r c e n t r a l channel. Indeed, we have here i n our first i l l u s t r a t i o n , a western alchemical equivalent of t h e e a s t e r n p i c t u r e of UA~ZZ'S
i n n e r s o u l r e z h with t h e Chakras. The Ida and Pineala streams.or
breaths, s e p a r a t e from t h e c e n t r a l channel, between t h e t a s a l and sexual
c e n t r e s an& merge a g a i n a t t h e brow c e n t r e . These two b r e a t h s o r streams
of i n n e r polh-isea energy, represented here by t h e two cloucs r i s i n g
from t h e base of t h e v e s s e l , encounter and a r e r e - i n t e g r a t e d by t h e
double-headed hragon i n t h e upper s o u l , t h e brow Centre of Tantrioism
( t h e two-petalled l o t u s ) .
Thus we have here a p i c t u r e of the unintegrated s o u l realm of W . The
t h e e streams pour down from t h e h e a r t c e n t r e i n t o t h e lower s o u l world,
b u t a r e c u t o f f from a balanced d i r e c t connection with t h e upper s o u l ,
t h e realm of t h e s o u l t h a t can touch upon t h e s p i r i t u a l . The only conn e c t i o n w i t h this upper s o u l i n i t i a l l y i s through t h e unintegratedpolari t y of Ida and P i n g a l a , t h e l u n a r and s o l a r streams within t h e s o u l .
We a r e reminded of t h e important f i g u r e i n T a n t r a , t h e Goddess Chinnamasta h%th t h e severed head, from whose c u t neck pours t h r e e streams,
which are r e c e i v e d by two p o l a r i s e d s o u l f i g u r e s . The Goddess Chinnamasta a l s o s t a n d s upon t h e male and female elements of t h e s o u l u n i t e d
i n an i n t i m a t e embrace, and we shall s e e that this f u r t h e r r e l a t e s Tant r i c i s m t o our Rosaxium s e r i e s .
The t a s k of t h e alchemist working through this Rosarium p r o c e s s , i s
f i r s t l y t o r e c o g n i s e t h e elements of t h e primal m a t e r i a l , t h e l u n a r and
s o k s t r e a m s , and t h e I n n e r Mercury of t h e s o u l f o r c e s , then begin t o
work with t h e s e through m e d i t a t i o n s , b r i n g i n g them i n t o a new s y n t h e s i s
and making t h e s e i n n e r f o r c e s a v e h i c l e both f o r t h e experience of t h e
S p i r i t and t h e mastery of t h e P h y s i c a l world.
Thus i n i l l u s t r a t i o n 2, t h e r e i s p i c t u r e d a p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n a s King and
Queen of t h e s e s o l a r and lunar f o r c e s . The Sun King and Moon Queen, have
t o be recognised by t h e alchemist a s a r c h e t y p a l p o l a r i t i e s w i t h h his
s o u l and t h e y must be brought i n t o a new r e l a t i o n s h i p . These p o l a r i t i e s
meet and t o u c h , though a t this i n i t i a l s t a g e , t h e i r encounter i s very
r e s t r a i n e d and d i s t a n t . A s Jung p o i n t s out i n his commentary t o t h e s e
i l l u s t r a t i o n s , they g i v e each o t h e r t h e i r l e f t hands i n union. The l e f t
( s i n i s t e r ) b e i n g t h e &k o r unconscious s i d e of t h e i r being. Thus they
a r e u n i t e d i n t h e unconscious a s p e c t , i n t h e d e p t h s of t h e lower s o u l .
T h e i r r i g h t hands, t h e more conscious s i d e of t h e i r being, p r o f e r two'blossomed f l o w e r s t o each o t h e r , and this meeting i n consciousness i s
t h u s more r e s t r a i n e d and distant. However, from above, from t h e h i g h e r
s p i r i t u a l realm i n d i c a t e d by t h e S t a r , a b i r d descends bearing a f u r t h e r
TWO-blossomed f l o w e r and b r i n g s a s t r o n g e r u n i t y i n t o t h e p i c t u r e . Thus
even a t t h e beginning of t h e work, t h e alchemist w i l l have h e l p from t h e
s p i r i t u a l world. A s he t e n t a t i v e l y begins t h e t a s k of u n i t i n g t h e i n n e r
p o l a r i t i e s , s p i r i t u a l h e l p w i l l descend t o h i m a s a g i f t , a s p i r i t u a l
grace. F o r t h e i n d i v i d u a l alchemist this w i l l p o s s i b l y t a k e t h e form of
p e r c e p t i o n s , perhaps i n s p i r a t i o n a l &reams, and p o s i t i v e r e a l i s a t i o n s
that g i v e h i m an i n n e r s e c m i t y , a s u r e n e s s t h a t he i s on t h e r i g h t path.
In i l l u s t r a t i o n 3 , t h e process moves om s t a g e f u r t h e r . The c o x t c l 6 t h e s
of t h e King and t h e Queen, t h e v e i l s of consciousness, have been taken
o f f , and t h e two p a r t i c i p z t i n g f o r c e s o r a r c h e t y p e s i n tine s o u l (Jung
c a l l e d t h e s e tB Animus and ~ n i m a )car, for t h e first time see each o t h e r
c l e a r l y . A t this s t a g e t h e i r g e s t u r e changes and they g r a s p each o t h e r ' s
p r o f e r r e d branch (which now i s s i n g l e blossomed). The s o l a r Ydng holds
o u t his branch i n his r i g h t hand an8 t h i s i s grasped by t h e r i g h t hand
of t h e Queen, while h e r branch p r o f e r r e d by h e r l e f t hand is r e c e i v e d by
t h e l e f t hand of t h e King, and from above t h e dove still b e a r s i t s u n i f y -
i n g bm.nct. Tne s c r o l l above the Sun kin^ s t a t e s , 'O Luna, l e t me k thy
husband' , wKle Luna s a y s , ' C S o l , i must submit t o thee' , and tne dove
bears the i n s c r i p z i o n , ' I t i s the S p i r i t which v i v i f i e s ' .
Tne two archetypal f a c e t s of the s o u l are here p r o f e r r i n g t o each other,
i c t h e f o r n of flowers, an aspect of t h e i r f o r c e s . On the l e v e l of human
s e x u l i t y , these correspond t o c e r t a i n poiasised energies of t h e e t h e r i c
boay t h a t a r e the basis of sexuality. 31 Eksterr, Tantricism, t h e s e f o r c e s
were q u i t e openly used a s the foundation f o r a c e r t a i n type of s p i r i t u a l
e x e r c i s e , and a similar workdng with the sexual f o r c e s was a l s o one mt
of t h e alchemical t r a d i t i o n , though it was never s o openly s t a t e d . The
Rosarium s e r i e s , however, g e t s very close t o a d i r e c t statement of this
e s o t e r i c knowledge.
h here i s not space here t o go i n t o a d e t a i l e d i n v e s t i g a t i o n of this o c c u l t f o u d a t i o n of s e x u a l i t y and this w i l l be l e f t
f o r a f u t u r e publication on the s u b j e c t . )
We have now reached t h e stage where t h e p r i d archetypal e n e r e s within
t h e s o u l of t n e alchemist ( t h e Animus ~ n i m a ) have been polarised then
brought th-ough his i n n e r work i n t o a kind of r e l a t i o n s h i p necessary f o r
t h e r e a l t a s k of t h e i n t e g r a t i o n process t o commence. We now see the
beginning of t h e meeting and transmutation of t h e s e f o r c e s one i n t o another. This takes place through two cycles of transformation involving
seven s t a g e s (Compare with The Crowning of l a t n r e and t h e Splendor
s o l i s ) . 'l7-e f i r s t , p i c t u r e d through i l l u s t r a t i o n s 4
10 g i v e s r i s e t o
t h e White Stone, the i n n e r mastery of t h e l u n a r f o r c e s , while t h e second
seen i n i l l u s t r a t i o n s 11 17, produces the i n n e r mastery of the solar
f o r c e s i n t n e soul, i n t h e pmparation of t h e Red Stone.
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-
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Each of these processes has the same archetypal form, a s i s p a r a l l e l e d
i n t h e i l l u s t r a t i o n s . These seven s t a g e s can be analysed a s follows :
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1 An e n t r y i n t o t h e v e s s e l of transformation,
2
X conjunction of t h e two primal archetypal f o r c e s ,
3 Their merging i n t o an hermaphrodite i n a death o r nigredo stage,
4
The e x t r a c t i o n o r ascent of one f a c e t of t h e s o u l i n t o the
Spkitual realm,
5 The descent of a s p i r i t u a l dew o r essence from above,
6 The r e t u r n of t h e extracted s o - d f o r c e s ,
7 The f i n a l f o r n a t i o n of t h e Stone pictured a s t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n of
t h e hermaphrodite.
The opening two s t a g e s of each o f t h e s e processes a r e p r e p x a t i o n s , ard we
see that t h e r e i s a r e v e r s a l of the order between t h a t d t h e first cycle
( i l l u s t r a t i o r . 4 being th descent i n t o t h e v e s s e l and 5 the conjunction),
and t h a t of t h e second cycle ( i l l u s t r a t i o n 11 being the Cor.junction and
12 t h e aescent i n t o the new rectangular vessel). The f u r t h e r f i v e i l l u s t r a t i o n s 6 each cycle p i v o t around the c e n t r a l experience o f t h e descent
of t h e s p i r i t u a l dew f r ~ ma b w e ( i l l u s t r a t i o n E f o r t h e Uhite Tincture,
and 15 f o r me ~ e c ? ) ,and t h e other f o u r i l l u s t r a t i o n s i n each cycle r e l a t e i n f u n t o each o t h e r a s follows :
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4
x5
11
12
-
6
7
6
9
10
13
14
15
16
I
17
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Iiuring t h e first c y c l e of transformatior. ( 4
10 ) it i s t h e l u n a r
f o r c e s t i t a r e workee upor, t o y i e l d t h e White o r Lunar Stone. Tinus
a f t e r t h e e n t r y i n t o t h e v e s s e l , we see i n i l l u s t r a t i o n 5 t h e Coitus
of t h e male and female w i t n t h e male uppermost. L a t e r i n this c y c l e ,
t h e male s o u l f o r c e s s e p a r a t e and r i s e i n t o t h e higher r e g i o n s 05 t h e
s o u l and l e a v e t h e female f o r c e s belon, t o be transformed i n t h e v e s s e l
of t h e unconsciousness, and through this transmutation t h e hermaphrodite
a r i s e s as t h e Lunar Stone.
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I n t h e second c y c l e of transformation ( 11 17 ) it i s t h e s o l a r
f o r c e s t h a t a r e worked upon y i e l d i n g t h e Red o r S o l a r Stone. Thus i n
d i s t i n c t i o n from t h e first c y c l e (and i l l u s t r a t i o n 5) we s e e i n i l l u s t r a t i o n 11 t h e C o i t u s with t h e female s o u l f i g u r e on t o p as t h e a c t i v e
agent. F u r t h e r t h e female s o u l f o r c e s s e p a r a t e o f f i n t o t h e h i g h e r s o u l
realms and t h e male f a c e t i n t h e c r u c i b l e of t h e unconsciousness i s
transmuted i n t o t h e S o l a r Stone i n t h e r i s e n henaaphrodite of i l l u s t r a t i o n 17.
Once t h e s e two c y c l e s of transformation have been passed, t h e a l c h e m i s t
has g a i n e d i n n e r mastery over t h e l u n a r and s o l a r c u r r e n t s of his s o u l ,
t h e feminine and masculine f o r c e s within his being, t h e y i n and t h e yang,
t h e I& and P i n g a l a Nadi's of Tantricism, and i s no l o n g e r unconsciously
moved and swayed by t h e e x t e r n a l archetypes o f King and Queen, b u t now
b e a r s t h e s e w i t h i n his being as a conscious r e s o u r c e of t h e s o u l , e n e r g i e s t h a t he can tap and use as he wills.
k ' i t h this s t a g e , t h e a l c h e m i s t has achieved an experience of t h e White
S t o n e , the i n n e r foundation f o r working consciously w i t h t h e l u n a r f o r c e s
of his being, and he has a l s o gained t h e Red Stone, t h e i n n e r ground
upon which he can s o l i d l y begin t o work with t h e s o l a r f o r c e s of his
being. He t h u s s t a n d s upon t h e t h r e s h o l d of a h i g h e r and deeper experi e n c e of his being. However, t h e s e two Soul T i n c t u r e s o r S t o n e s , founda t i o n s upon which he can s o l i d l y s t a n d ir. his i n n e r encounter w i t h m 4 t h e
two f o r c e s t r e a m s of his s o u l , do n o t i n c o r p o r a t e t h e i n n e r Mercury, t h e
l i v i n g and f l o w i n g e n e r g i e s of t h e s o u l , that we p i c t u r e today as t h e
unconscious, t h e mysterious dark i n n e r source of t h e s o u l f o r c e s . The
b e i n g of t h e a l c h e m i s t d u r i n g t h e hermaphrodite s t a g e s has dipped i n t o
t.Us w e l l of his being, b u t has never e n t i r e l y p e n e t r a t e d deep i n t o i t s
mystery. However, this experience i s necessary f o r t h e complete i n n e r
development of t h e a l c h e m i s t , and it i s p i c t u r e d i n i l l u s t r a t i o n 18 a s
t h e Green Lion devouring t h e Sun. The sun here r e p r e s e n t s a l l t h a t t h e
a l c h e m i s t has s o d i l i g e n t l y won f o r his consciousness, through working
this p r o c e s s of i n n e r development. The Green Lion i s t h e devouring, d i s s o l v i n g a s p e c t of t h e unconsciousness. h he a l c h e m i s t s drew here an a n a l ogy w i t h Aqua Regia, t h e g r e e n i s h t i n g e d a c i d t h a t a l o n e could d i s s o l v e
m e t a l l i c Gold.)
The a l c h e m i s t must be prepared t o make this s a c r i f i c e of Ns conscious
achievements t o t h e dark w e l l of his unconscious b e i n g , i f he i s t o f u r t h e r t h e p r o c e s s of i n t e g r a t i o n , f o r o n l y i n t h i s way can he f u l l y encomp a s s this realm and m i t e t h e t h r e e streams t h a t pour from t h e fountair?
i n t o t h e v e s s e l of t h e lower s o u l ( I l l u s t r a t i o n 1 ) .
A similar i n n e r t a s k must
be undertaken with r e g a r d t o t h e upper s o u l
r e a l m , and this i s p o r t r a y e d i n t h e penultimate i l l u s t r a t i o n , where we
s e e t h e being of t h e a l c h e m i s t r e c e i v i n g a crown from t h e upper t h r e e
s t r e a m s of t h e F a t h e r a s p e c t (body), t h e Son-Christ ( s o u l ) and t h e Holy
S p i r i t . Tine alchercist must agair. make an ego s a c r i f i c e this time ir, r e s pect t o h s upper soul. Iie must be preparee nere t o receive the blessing
of t h i s s p i r i t t h a t pours i n t o his upper s o u l and recognise t h a t the
source l i e s outside his being. I f ne were a t this stape t o i d e n t i f y h i s
s e l f k",th t r i s stream of s p i r i t , he would be overwhelmed with egoisc,.
Tne alchemist t h u s experienced though
t h e s a c r i f i c i a l g e s t u r e s towards
his lower an& upper s o u l ( f i g u r e s 18 and 19), the t r u e s p i r i t u a l ego
t h a t r e s i d e s x i t h i n his 'wing, and which r e c e i v e s its e s s e n t i a l foundati o n from the u n i t i n g of the Body, Soul and S p i r i t f a c e t s i n both t h e
upper and lower soul realms.
So, with t h e f i n a l i l l u s t r a t i o r , , t h e alchemist i s seen having achieved
a kind of r e s u r r e c t i o n which i s p a r a l l e l e d with t h a t of C h r i s t . In t h e
Green Lion stage he descended deep i n t o t h e dark inner mysteries of his
s o u l , a s C h r i s t descended i n t o Hell, but has returned with renewed energ i e s i n a r e s ~ ~ e c t i obody
n
bearing t h e mystery of t h e upper t r i n i t y .
This i s t h e t r u e transmutation. Those who have gone through this experience are fundamentally changed, having undergone a s e l f i n i t i a t i o n t h a t
p a r a l l e l s t h e inner experiences t h a t were gained through i n i t i a t i o n i n t o
t h e ancient Mysteries of Greece, Egypt o r B r i t a i n .
The s e r i e s of i l l u s t r a t i o n s i n the Rosarium o u t l i n e s a process f o r t h e
i n n e r conscious encounter, sepaxation, p u r i f i c a t i o n , reconjunction and
harmonisation of t h e male and female f a c e t s of the s o u l , and working
through such a process brings about an i n i t i a t i o n of t h e alchemist. The
various blocks t o t h e f r e e flow of t h e s e inner energies a r e t h u s removed
and t h e alchemist i s a b l e t o experience l i f e more f u l l y , having both a
l i v i n g perception of t h e s p i r i t u a l and t h e a b i l i t y t o express his being
c r e a t i v e l y ir. his encounter with t h e physical realm.
A s I indicated
i n my commentary t o The Crowning of Nature, there would
have been a d e f i n i t e physical alchemical process i n which this s o u l development aspect was embodied. The Crowning of Nature has an even more
extended s e r i e s of 67 i l l u s t r a t i o n s , and it bears a d e f i n i t e r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e Rosarium, i n t h a t f o r example, t h e r e i s t h e preparation of
the White and t h e Red Stone through vaxious cycles of transformation,
although th Crowning of Nature works t b o u g h the Elemenhs and t h e
E t h e r s , while the Rosarium i s founded upon t h e p o l a r i t i e s of Sun and
Moon, masculine and feminipe.
This p h y s i c s process would be undertaken by t h e alchemist and would a c t
a s an ongoing meditative e x e r c i s e , each change within t h e flask r e l a t i n g
t o t h e inner transformation of t h e Soul. The transformations i n the
flask and those i n t h e alchemist's i n n e r l i f e would be linked ' synchroni s t i c a l l y ' , mirroring each other. The s e c r e t s of such alchemical experiments were of course closely guarded, and it i s . d i f f i c u l t t o f i n d defi n i t e c l e a r i n s t r u c t i o n s i n many t e x t s , h o w e v e r , I f e e l sure that i n time
and with p a t i e n t work, it may be possible t o uncover some of the s e c r e t s
of t h e s e processes. The Rosarium c e r t a i n l y provides a key and a s t a r t i n g
point f o r suon i n v e s t i g a t i o n s .
Constructing a Magical Mirror
According to the Art of Cyprian
Adam McLean
o
I include this e x t r a c t from a r a r e Fenaissance work of magic, t h e A r t of
Cyprian, a s it presents i n a r e l a t i v e l y c l e a r nay a method of working
u i t h a magical mirror. There a r e a l s o e number of s i g i l s of considerable
e s o t e r i c value which I have not seen elsewhere, which a r e c a l l e d i n t h e
t e x t t h e Great Seal of Solomon, sol om or.'^ Pentacle, Mortagon, Ring and
Girdle. This work i s found i n t r a n s l a t i o n , bound together with t h e
famous Heptameron of Peter of Abano, ir. a manuscript of Frederick Hockl e y , an8 t o t h e b e s t of my knowledge has never before been published.
Hockley (1809
1885) was an e s o t e r i c mason and a c o l l e c t o r of o c c u l t ,
primarily magical, material. Upon his death, t h e s a l e of his l i b r a r y
p r w i d e d e s o t e r i c i s t s such a s Westcott, Blavatsky, Mathers and Waite,
with a wealth of source material, and it can be no exaggeration t o say
t h a t Hockley, through his c o l l e c t i n g and t r a n s l a t i n g of this r a r e magical m a t e r i a l , p r w i d e d t h e fourhation f o r t h e occult movement of t h e
c l o s i n g decades of the nineteenth century. ( I n partic*,
t h e r e have
been a number of attempts t o l i n k Hockley with t h e Cypher Manuscripts
from which the iiarmetic Order of t h e Golden Dam i n i t i a t i o n s t r u c t u r e
was synthesised. )
-
The Art of Cyprian i s a work of white magic, and ir, p a r t i c u l a r unfolds
a 'Christiar.isedl system of magic. From purely i n t e r n a l evidence and
comparing it u i t h s i m i l a r w o r k s , one might suggest t h a t it was written
i n t h e mid- s i x t e e n t h century, during the period of t h e Christian
Kabbalism of Pico d e l l a Mirandola, Reuchlln, Francesco Giorgi, and John
Dee. The 'Art' of Cyprian i s t h e r a i s i n g of s p r i t s through a s e r i e s of
what amounisto extended praynrs, a l l af a Christian-IiabbaUstic o r i e n t a t i o n , and i n t h e p a r t i c d l a z section I have e x t r a c t e d , t h e operator
p r o j e c t s his consciousness i n t o a magical mirror or g l a s s , and thus
g a i n s a connection with s p i r i t u a l f o r c e s . We can view this a s a s e r i e s
of e x e r c i s e s f o r t h e r a i s i n g of consciousness. One wonders i f John Dee
had access t o a copy of this work, when he began his famous occult
experiments i r s w i n g i n M s shew stone i n collaboration with Edward
Kelly.There c e r t a i n l y i s a
q obvious p a r a l l e l i n the use of the magic
ni- or and t h e Pentacles and c i r c u l a r r i n g s of s i g i l s .
One s u r e l y must dismiss any d i r e c t connection with t'ne t h i r d century
S t Cypriar the Hagiciar of Antioct, whose name one suspects i s used here
t o r e f l e c t t h e c k i s t i a n orientatior. of the Kab'oallstic magic t h a t i s
presenteB ir. the t e x t . Perhaps it might be of i n t e r e s t t o r e c a l l the
legend of S t Cyprian of Antioch and J u s t i n a :
-
Cvprian, a n a t i v e of Antioch uas brought up i n t h e mysteries of I d o l a t r y , astrology and w i c . In hopes of making discoveries i n t h e s e arts
he t r a v e l l e e t o Athens, Mount Olympus, Memphis i n Egypt, Cnalaea and
t h e Indes, and he was i n the e a r l y p a r t of his l i f e strongly a n t i c h r i s t i a ? . A t t h a t time t h e r e l i v e d i n Antioch a lady c a l l e d J u s t i n a ,
whose beauty drew all eyes upon her. She was born of pagan parents but
was e a r l y converted t o c h r i s t i a n i t y . A young pagan c a l l e d Aglaides f e l l
i n love with h e r , but finding himself unable t o win her t o his w i l l ,
applied t o Cyprian f o r t h e a s s i s t a n c e of his magical arts. Cyprian was
no l e s s enamoured of t h e lady than his f r i e n d and he t r i e d every s e c r e t
with which he was aquainted t o conquer h e r r e s o l u t i o n , and nin her f o r
himself. J u s t i n a , aware of these a r t i f i c e s and s p e l l s being used a g a i n s t
h e r , invoked t h e power of the Virgin Mary t o her a i d . Cypriar. invoked
t h e highest power of t h e Devil h i m s e l f , but his spell rebounded and he
found himseTX attacked by t h e power of h i s own conjuring. This brought
h i m i n t o a s t a t e of gloolny melancholy, and be f i n a l l y sought t h e advice
of a p r i e s t c a l l e d Eusebius, through whose m i n i s t r a t i o n s CypAsn nas
converted t o C h r i s t i a n i t y . Later Cyprian was promoted t o t h e priesthood
and eventually became Bishop of Antioch. During t h e persecution of
Diocletian a g a i n s t t h e spread of c h r i s t l a n i t y , Cyprian and J u s t i n a were
martyred by being b e h e a d e d . ( ~ h i swould be around 305 AD.).
The legend of Cyprian t h u s i n d i c a t e s a c h r i s t i a n i s i n g of t h e pagan magical t r a d i t i o n , and we note a pasdLlel with t h e e d e r f i g u r e of Simon
Magus. It i s i n t e r e s t i n g t h a t Cyprian's conversion i s e f f e c t e d by tine
soul f i g u r e of J u s t i n a , while Simon M a g u s i n f a c t h a . a wow. c a l l e d
Heler. as his a l l y and helpmate i n his magical s t u d i e s and p r a c t i c e s .
Perhaps thgse legends were popularised a t t h e same time a s p o l a x i t i e s
of t h e two sou?. experiences of the feminine
the p u r i t y of the c h r i s t i a n J u s t i n a who converts Cyprian, and the h a r l o t Helen who holds Simon
i n t h e suay of magic. The e a r l y churchmen were not averse t o drawing
up legends makAng such r a t h e r unsubtle propaganda points. However the
legends may be i n t e r p r e t e d , the name of Cyprian captured t h e essence of
tine c h r i s t i a n i s e d magician, and thus it was appropriate that h i s name
was a s s o c i a t e a with this t e x t of c h r i s t i a n magic.
-
The following i s e x t r a c t e d from an o r i g i n a l manuscript of Frederick
Hocitley :
-
F i r s t of t'n9 a x t of t h e Glass w r i t t e n by t h e g r e a t king Solomon who
was a most siciLful workman i n this science. If thou w i l t t h a t any
s p i r i t obey thee and show thee t h e f u l l t r u t h of every doubtful matter,
first thou kzt t o prepare t h y s e l f a s t o thy work a s it may take good
e f f e c t and go f o n a r d , then thou w i l t begin this s e c r e t and t r u e
experiment, then first thou must above a l l t h i n g s arm t h e e a s followe t h . This work i s t o be begur! and taken i n hand the f i r s t Monday that
t h e new Moor. showeth herself and i n t h a t day and t h e Ftiday and Satd a y d t h a t week following thou must f a s t with bread and water and
keep t h y s e l f a l l that week c h a s t e , q u i e t and g e n t l e i n words and d e e d s ,
and every day w i t h a l l d i l i g e n c e and devotion h e a r t h e s e r v i c e of God
throughout and r e a d t h e first c h a p t e r of t h e Gospel of S t Johii, i n t h e
beginning w a s t h e word, with t h e confessor very devoutly, and a b s t a i n
from s i n and a l l e v i l works, and when thou w r i t e s t t h e c h a r a c t e r s and
f i g u r e s as t h e l i k e as before t The first i s c a l l e d t h e Great S e a l of
Solomon, t h e second i s c a l l e d his Pentagon, t h e t h i r d Mortagon, t h e
f o u r t h his Ring, t h e f i f t h his G i r d l e .
These holy, mighty, venerable, and godly names have such s t r a n g e v i r t u e s as whosoever h a t h them w i t h h i m s h a l l have power mightily t o
command a l l s p i r i t s and t o bind t h e m according t o his p l e a s u r e , provided always t h a t he observe due and appointed t i m e s of working. Then
whatsoever he shall demand s h a l l be answered with c e r t a i n t y . The worke r s h a l l call t h e s p i r i t s first and c h i e f l y t h e t i m e s by t h e i r prope r names and a f t e r w a r d s s h a l l conjure them w i t h t h e c o n j u r a t i o n f o l l owing, b u t first he must p r e p a r e t h e s i g n s b e f o r e mentioned and keep
them a b o u t h i m c l e a n l y , h o n e s t l y , and c h a s t e l y , and i f he f a i l s o t o
do his working may bring some p e r i l .
The p r e p a r i n g of t h e Characters and F i g u r e s must be a f t e r this manner.
And first of t h e I n k which t h e f i g u r e s must be made w i t h a l , and if you
K i l l t h e y s h a l l p r e v a i l . Take Frankincense, Nyz-rh, Thymyam, and burn
t h e s e t h r e e f o r t h e y g i v e a g r e a t and t h i c k smoke i f you do it under
a b a s i n t h a t i s f a i r and c l e a n , s o as t h e smoke may hang t o t h e
b a s i n ' s bottom, which black smoke r e s e r v e , t h e n t a k e myrrh and diss o l v e it i n wine and w i t h t h a t 'wine temper t h e s a i d fume, o r smoke,
o r s o o t , s o gathered and make an i n k , and Kith this i n k w r i t e t h e
f i g u r e s and c h a r a c t e r s and t h e c o n j u r a t i o n s on v i r g i n parchment made
of g o a t h b , o r vellum, and on no o t h e r . And i f t h e s e t h i n g s be done
i n c h a s t i t y and pureness, t h e y s h a l l have good v i r t u e and e f f i c a c y .
The v i r t u e of this first i s t h a t i f any s p i r i t were i n any g l a s s , and
any of t h e s e f i g u r e s l a i d upon t h e s a i d g l a s s , t h a t then t h e s p i r i t
should n o t depaxt till t h e f i g u r e were removed. And t h a t when thou
w i l t Mnd o r conjure any s p i r i t , thou must bind t h e S e a l of Solomon
a b o u t t h y r i g h t a r m , t h e Pentagon and Mortagon about t h y head, and t h e
G i r d l e about t h y b r e a s t . Thou hold a l i t t l e myrrh and frankincence
under t h y tongue and c a l l what s p i r i t thou w i l l and he w i l l p r e s e n t l y
without d e l a y come and obey t h e e i n what he may.
But first t h o u oughtest wise and t r u l y t o weigh w i t h t h y s e l f what
t h o u w i l t demand and t h a t with g r e a t wisdom, and t h a t thou f e a r n o t
them. And t h o u no s p i r i t can h a m t h e e by any means, n e i t h e r i n body
o r s o u l . Of this a s s u r e t h y s e l f , as long a s thou h a s t about t h e e t h o s e
godly f i g u r e s s o prepared and consecrated. Now i n t h e name of God l e t
u s go t o this t r u e and approved work. Go upon a Saturday and buy a
c l e a r , f i n e and fair g l a s s and carry it home w i t h t h e e i n t o t h y s e c r e t
chamber a n 3 be t h e r e alone. Then t a k e a new bodkin and d i v i d e t h e
s a i d g l a s s i n t o f o u r e q u a l parts, but first lay t h e g l a s s about with
v i r g i n wax about two f i n g e r s broad and thou f o r m and d i v i d e t h e same
as f o l l o w e t h 1-
I n this manner m u s t your g l a s s be fashioned, and spread over with wax
and divided i n t o equal parts a s is described i n this f i g u r e , and their
names orderly s e t down, a s i n this f i g u r e is before m e n t i ~ n e d ~ u d a s i s
before mentioned be i n clean l i f e , fumigate t h e s a i d g l a s s with frankincense, n ~ r r r hand mastic, and then keep this g l a s s i n a f a i r new
.
l i n e n c l o t h till you need t o use it.
'dhen thou will l e a m t o work by the saiC g l a s s the t r u t h of any question asked, r i s e on Saturday before the Sun, and say the c o n f i t e o r and
hear divine service devoutly, and s p r i n k l e t h y s e l f with holy water,
and say the creed, t h e p a t e r n o s t e r , and t h e Gospel of S t John P r i m a t i v e , the l i t a n y and t h e c o l l e c t s throughout. Afteruards, sign thys e l f with t h e sign of t h e c r o s s f i r s t on thy forehead, then on thy
mouth, last on
b r e a s t , and every time say sigm s a n c t i c r u c i s d e i
i n i m i c i s n o s t r i s l i b r i a nos deus n o s t e r , Amen.
tw
Then place the g l a s s before t h e e towards t h e e a s t and when thou u i l t
begin t o read say f i r s t 0 cross + marvellous, the purger of wounds,
the r e s t o r e r of h e a l t h + God,nhich is the c r o s s of thy son our Lord
Jesus C h r i s t hath +&en away t h e s i n s of t h e world, a s s i s t us t h a t tie
never be overwhelmed with t h e d e c e i t s of t h e Devil whlch have been
redeemed by his precious passion, Amen.
Again say + the r i g h t hand of t h e Lord hath done mighty t N n g s + t h e
r i g h t hand of the Lord hath e x a l t e d me + t h e r i g h t hand of t h e Lord
hath done mighty things. I shall n o t d i e but l i v e and show f o r t h t h e
works of the Lord + Amen.
Thus srnen thou hast s a i d , and s e t the s a i d g l a s s towards the e a s t with
a loud voice pronounce t h i s conjuration following, h t f i r s t takegold,
frankincense, and myrrh !underneath thy tongue, saying + I r ? :he name of
the Father + and 3f the Son + and of the Holy Ghost + Amen.
I c o n j u r e you four worthy p r i n c e s of t h e e a r t h , you a n g e l s which have
power t o r e v e a l s e c r e t s unto man, you which r u l e t h e four q u a r t e r s of
t h e e a r t h , I g a t h e r you t o g e t h e r , I c a l l you and a d j u r e you whose
names are w r i t t e n i n t h e g l a s s + by t h e F a t h e r Abba + by t h e Soxi
Kuka + and by t h e Holy Ghosth-~eumaton, t h a t you have, understand and
hear my v o i c e and that p r e s e n t l y you appear b e f o r e m e i n this g l a s s
t o obey and s a t i s f y my d e s i r e . Again I conjure you by t h e U v i n g God +
by t h e t r u e God + by t h e Holy God + and by his holy honour + that you
q u i c k l y appear without delay and be obedient unto me + I conjure you
by t h e honour of t h e commandements of ourJ e s u s C h r i s t , by t h e
homw of t h e body of our Lord J e s u s C h r i s t , by t h e honour of our Lord
J e s u s C h r i s t , and by t h e h o n o u r d t h e b l e s s e d and e v e r l a s t i n g v i r g i n ,
and by t h e honour of a l l t h e S a i n t s and chosen of God, I say unto you
P r i n c e s ; come, come, come, come, a l l , a l l , a l l , a l l , without any
d e l a y o r s l a c k i n g , w i t h a l l your w a i t e r s , and appear u n t o me and u s
i n t h e f o m of a n g e l s , and appear unto u s i n a l l g e n t l e n e s s w i t h your
f u l l s t r e n g t h . Which done look i n t h e g h s s , and t h e s p i r i t s w i l l
appear meekly u n t o t h e e and t o t h y f e l l o w s . Afterwards bow downtoKmk
them, and s a y you a r e welcome h i t h e r t o obey me. Then t h e y w i l l thank
you a a f t e r w a r d s s a y , 0 ye f o u r worthy Kings, sit down i n peace i n
your c h a i r s t o obey u n t o me and choose out one amongst you t h a t s h a l l
g i v e t o me and t o my f e l l o w s t r u e answer of every doubt t o be i n q u i r ed and show u s t h e c e r t a i n t y of our demands without a l l falsehood o r
d e c e i t . Amen.
I c o n j u r e t h e King of t h e E a s t , Z o r a s a b a l l , which d w e l l e s t i n t h e E a s t
part because thou art t h e most worthy and n o b l e s t among t h e r e s t of
thy f e l l o w s , and t h e r e f o r e I choose t h e e o u t t o g i v e me t r u e answer
of every doubt. I conjure and a d j u r e t h e e and t h y f e l l o w s + by God t h e
F a t h e r + and by tine most Holy God + by t h e King of might + by our
Lord J e s u s C i r i s t who s u f f e r e d f o r a l l people, by t h e I n c a r n a t i o n of
our Lord J e s u s C h r i s t , by his holy n a t i v i t y , by his circumcision, by
his holy baptism i n J o r d a n , I conjure you p r i n c e s by his holy p a s s i o n ,
and by b i t t e r n e s s of h i s p a s s i o n , and by a l l t h e holy words which t h e
body of our Lord J e s u s C h r i s t hallowed, by his holy r e s u r r e c t i o n , by
his worthy and wonderful ascension + and by his sending of his Holy
S p i r i t , and by a l l t h e holy words of t h e Gospel + which our L& J e s u s
C h r i s t b o t h taupfxtand preached + and by t h e f e a r f u l day of Judgement,
and by t h e holy Virgin Mary, t h e mother of God + and by t h e i n v e n t i o n
and e x a l t a t i o n of t h e Holy Cross + that you obey me, f u l f i l my d e s k e ,
t h a t you show and d e c l a r e unto me and my f e l l o w s t h e whole t r u t h of
a l l t h i n g s that I s h a l l demand without falsehood o r doubtfulness.
Again I c o n j u r e , b i n d , and charge you by t h e holy i n v i s i b l e T r i n i t y ,
and by t h e seven s e a l s of God, and by t h e c a n d l e s t i c k s t h z t a r e always
placed before t h e s e a t of Almighty God, and by t h e four crowns of God,
and by t h e t h r e e c h i l d r e n within t h e middle of t h e burning furnace
s i n g i n g p r a i s e s unto t h e Almighty God, by t h e twenty f o u r e l d e r s , by
t h e twelve a p o s t l e s , and by t h e p r a y e r s of a l l t h e holy martyrs, by
t h e p a t i e n c e of t h e P a t r i a r c h s and Prophets, by t h e pureness of t h e
holy V i r g i n , and by t h e devoutness of a l l holy widows and a l l t h e holy
Confessors and s e r v a n t s of God, and by a l l t h e m e r i t s of a l l t h e
S a i n t s and chosen of God + t h a t you obey me and f u l f i l my d e s i r e , and
that you show and d e c l a r e unto me and my f e l l o w s t h e whole t r u t h of
a l l t h i n g s that I shall-demand without falsehood o r d o u b t f u l n e s s +
an6 t n u s 2 command you by a l l t h e holy and glorious names of God +
the Almighty and by t h e g r e a t S e a l of Solomon, by his Pentaeon and
Mortagor. an?, by his Ring and Girdle + by a l l the names of c r e a t u r e s
whlcn are printed and w r i t t e n t h e r e i n , t h a t without delay thou declare
and show t o me and my f e l l o w s present t h e t r u t h of a l l t h a t I shall
demand + and this I command you by God t h e Father, tb Son and t h e
Holy Ghost. Amen.
And when thy works a r e ended according t o thy r e q u e s t , proceed a s
followeth r
0 ye Princes and Angels of powers, you have f o r this time s a t i s f i e d my
r e q u e s t s and opened t o me and my fellows by t h e help of t h e high God.
Now I f u r t h e r r e q u i r e you, t h a t you f o u r kings of t h e four parts of
t h e world be f u r t h e r ready t o help me a t a l l my n e c e s s i t i e s , for t h e
performance whereof l a y your hands on your heads swear t o be obedient
unto me whensoecer I s h a l l have need of you t h a t presently you w i l l
a p p a r unto me by your heads, and by a l l t h e powers of t h e a i r , and
by t h e g r e a t Seal of Solomon, and by a l l t h e holy names and chmact e r s writter. t h e r e i n , i n this I command and conjure you. Amen.
Then give them l i c e n c e t o d e p a r t , but first make t h e s i g n of t h e
cross on thy forehead with t h y thumb and say + the r i g h t hand of t h e
Lord hath done mighty things + on thy mouth, saying, t h e r i g h t hand
of t h e Lord hath e x a l t e d + on t h y b r e a s t , saying, t h e r i g h t hand of
t h e Lord hath done mighty t h i n g s , I shall n o t d i e but l i v e and declare
t h e wondrous works of the Lord. Amen.
Then s a y , C ye f o u r kings depart i n t h e v i r t u e of our Lord Jesus
C M s t without h u r t i n g of any man o r woman t o your own places +
Behold t h e sign of t h e Holy Cross + depart a n y you wicked s p i r i t s ,
t h e Lion of the Tribe of Juda, t h e r o o t of Jesus. Tie Key of Daniel.
A l l e l u jah.
It i s hoped t o be a b l e t o pubUsh t h e complete t e x t of The A r t of
Cyprian a s one of t h e Magnum Opus Hemetic Sourceworics S e r i e s .
S E A L O F SOLOMON
R I N G O F SOLOMON
PENTAGON AND MORTAGON O F SOLOMON
G I R D L E OF SOLOMON
Squaring the Circle of 13
Patricia Vi lliers - Stuart Q
This well known illustration i s ,&nblem XXI in Michael Maier's Atalanta
Fwiens. 1617. I t is there accompanied by a aotto -4hich i s a luotation
from the 3osar%umPhilosophorum :-
11- 34
>om a man and a ;roman make a c i r c l e ,
-%om t h i s ,make a square, then a triangle,
?inally 3 c i r c l e , m d you . w i l l have the ?:hiiosoMrs' Stone.
..
.
.
1
. .- . .
..
-.
8
..
. .
The archetypal Man and Woman stand on a square of 1 3
surrounded by a c i r c l e o f r a d i u s 13.
The t r i a n g l e which endompasees t h e square & c i r c l e
i s i t s e l f determined by a c i r c l e whose r a d i u s i s
t h e diagonal of a r e c t a n g l e of 7 x 35.
7X35d7'1X7
1 x 7 diagonal vaa sacred t o t h e a n c i e n t Egyptians.
( s e e Schvaller de Lubicz: The Temple of Man)
1 x 7 diagonal = diagonal o f 5'
3 x 4 x 5 t r i a n g l e ' s hypotenuse = 5
1 x 7 diagonnl with t h i s hgpotenuse can make
angle.
+
Doctor John Deo shovs a nFlaster's Cyrclen with radiue
( B r i t i s h Musem monuacript)
=
13.
The diagonal inner c r o s s i s formed by diagonals of t r i p l e t
t r i a n g l e 5.12.13
11-35
Some Notes on the work
of Louis Kervran
Adam McLean O
In an a r t i c l e i n 'La Revue Censrale des Sciences' P e r i s , of J u l y 1960,
Louis Kervran then Director of Conferences a t the University of P a r i s
described experiments proving t h e e x i s t e n c e of the transmutation of some
elements 2: b i o l o g i c a l means. Further d e t a i l s were given by h i m i n a
book 'Transmutation Biologiques' ( W o i n e , P a r i s 1962). These experiments involved measuring t h e weight of Potassium and Calcium i n dry
see& and ir. germinated seeds. these seeds during germination being
i s o l a t e d from contact with Potassium o r Calcium i n t h e i r environment,
say thr0uf.k. t h e water or a i r . Thus any measured increase i n t h e weight
of t h e s e eioments could onLv be explained by some transmutation occuring
i n t h e l i v i n g plant.
These p ~ b l i c a t i o n swere received d t h scepticism by some p h y s i c i s t s
because such transmutations were not explainable within t h e l a w s of
Pnysics ti11
admitted. However, o t h e r s c i e n t i s t s were t o confirm
K e r n a n ' s findings. Among these were Prof. D r . HisatokJ Komaki, chief
of t h e Labmatory of Applied Microbiology a t a Japanese University,
Prof. Baxanger, Head of t h e Laboratory of Chemiczl Eiology i n t h e Ecole
Polytechnique i n P a r i s . J.E. Zundel, a t that time Director of a paper
company hai-in6 a chemical a n a l y s i s l a b o r a t o r y , pointed out t h a t i n ger-minating e t s , t h e r e was M increase of Calcium of sometimes more t h a t
10% ir. a nedium containing no calcium. From where was t h i s Calcium
6orived S X e m a n suggested from Potassium, because of a decrease of
Potassium (E) q u m t i t a t i v e l y equal t o t h e increase ir. Calcium ( ~ a ) and
,
ha gave ti followtng formula i n 1960 8
-
"K1'7
-+ ',H-
-7
(+
2
.
0.0o~5a.m.~)
After m a ~ yexperiments, hundreds of analyses of t e n s of thousands of
g r a i n s o r _rlar.tsJ .E. Zundel (then Chemical Engineer of t h e Polytech-
~ i c m
School of ~ u r i c h )corfirmed these f i n d i n g s ir. a l e c t u r e i n 1971
a t t h e French Academy of Agriculture (Bull No. Li, 1972). lie had then
used chemical and physical m ~ t h o d sof a n a l y s i s . Later i n 1979, Zundel,
using t h e mss spectrometer a t C.N .R. S ( t h e Microanalysis Laboratory
of t h e French Kztional S c i e n t i f i c Research c e n t r e ) , and neutron a c t i v a t ion mass vslysis a t t h e Swiss I n s t i t u t e & r Nuclear Fiesearch i n V i l l i g e n
( ~ a r g a u ,) confirmed t h e i n c r e a s e f o r Calcium of 61% rC, 2% (average f o r
both l a b o r a t o r i e s ) that i s a b s o l u t e l y beyond any s t a t i s t i c a l d i s p e r s i o n .
(Tnere was a l s o an i n c r e a s e of 2% f o r Pnosphorus and 36%f o r Sulphur).
Transmutation of t h e Elements i n Oats i n The plane tar^.
See t h e a r t i c l e
A s s o c i a t i o n f o r Clean Energy Newsletter Volume 2 , Number 3, ~ u l y / ~ u g u s t
1980. So it i s now beyond doubt t h z t transmutations of a few elentents
a r i s e as a p r o p e r t y of t h s metabolism of l i v i n g m a t t e r , t r a n s m u t a t i o n s
obtained i n peat q u a n t i t y a t a low energy.
-
Recently a p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n f o r this phenomenon w i t h i n t h e framework
of modern p h y s i c s h a s been evolved by h'ench p h y s i c i s t Oliver Costa de
Beauregard, P r o f e s s o r of T h e o r e t i c a l Physics a t t h e I n s t i t u t de Physique
Theorique Henri Poincare (Facdty of S c i e n c e s , p a r i s ) who i s a l s o D i r e c t o r of t h e Centre National de la Reserche S c i e n t i f i q u e (C.N.R.S.). Costa
de Beauregard s u g g e s t s that such transmutations n e i t h e r t a k e s p l a c e
through s t r o n g i n t e r a c t i o n s , nor through electromagnetic f o r c e s , b u t
through t h e weak i n t e r a c t i o n . This t a k e s p l a c e through t h e n e u t r a l
c u r r e n t of t h e i n t e r m e d i a t e v e c t o r boson, t h e s o c a l l e d ZP p a r t i c l e
r e c e n t l y d i s c w d by p a r t i c l e p h y s i c i s t s . K e r n a n ' s r e a c t i o n f o r a
b i o l o g i c a l t r a n s m u t a t i o n from Potassium (K) t o Calcium (Ca) i n germina t i n g o a t s i s t h u s explained as being i n i t i a t e d by n e u t r i n o c a p t u r e
(from cosmic r a y s ) and t h e weak i n t e r a c t i o n f o l l o w s mediated by t h e Z o
n e u t r a l c u r r e n t ( t h e Z0 probably e x i s t i n g as a v i r t u a l p a r t i c l e ) :40
++
Y
+ : H + + ::K+
-r o -+a' Oj m C 7
l o~a
It would seem that t h i s formula has brought t h e r e a l i t y o f t h e s e t r a n s mutations i n t o t h e t h e o r e t i c a l framework of modern physics. We t h u s s e e
t h a t i n l i v i n g m a t t e r t h e r e n o t only occurs t h e chemical r e a c t i o n s
(Electromagnetic ~ o r c e s ) photosynthesis i n v o l v i n g t h e a b s o r p t i o n of
photons of l i g h t from t h e sun, b u t a l s o weak i n t e r a c t i o n s that can
e f f e c t t h e n u c l e a r s t r u c t u r e of m a t t e r , a c t i v a t e d through t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n of cosmic energy i n t h e form of n e u t r i n o s t h a t stream down upon
t h e e a r t h from t h e d e p t h s of t h e Universe. A f u l l anaxeness of t h e consequences of t h e s e i d e a s should have a profound i n f l u e n c e upon many
domains of modern s c i e n c e , not l e a s t i n A p i c u l t u r e , D i e t e t i c s and
Healing.
+
I n my a r t i c l e on The E t h e r s and t h e Fundamental Forces of Physics i n
t h e Hermetic J o u r n a l Number 9 , I pointed out that t h e weak i n t e r a c t i o n
bore a r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e Transforming E t h e r known i n e s o t e r i c i s m .
Indeed, I t h e r e r e l a t e d that this ?ransforming E t h e r "promotes t h e mult i p l i c i t y of forms w i t h i n t h e m a t e r i a l realm through i t s t r a n s m u t a t i v e
q u a l i t y of e t h e r i c f o r c e
Thus with Louis Kervran's profoundly important work we s t a n d upon t h e t h r e s h o l d of a t u r n i n g p o i n t i n t h e P h y s i c a l
s c i e n c e s , and we seem t o have t h e meeting ground between contemporary
?hysics and a n e s o t e r i c Science of t h e Ethers. One can only hope t h a t
such r e s e a r c h i s f u l l y followed up and t h e profound i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r t h e
p r e s e n t r i g i d view of t h e mechanism of l i v i n g m a t t e r a r e n o t missed.
Indeed can it be that t h e transmutations of t h e a n c i e n t a l c h e m i s t s may
again g a i n s c i e n t i f i c r e s p e c t a b i l i t y ?
".
I n p r e p a r i n g this s h o r t a r t i c l e , I have *am. from published m a t e r i a l
from v a r i o u s s o u r c e s , b u t f o r t h e b a s i s of t h e a r t i c l e I am indebted t o
Louis Kervran's a m t r a n s l a t i o n of a r e c e n t l y published a r t i c l e on his
work.
Number I I
Alchemical Mandala
This engraving of matt hie^ l.'leri=. f i r s t appeare6 i n J.Danie1 Mylius' P h i l osophia Reformats of 1622, though it i s more f a m i l i a r from i t s r e p r i n t i n g
i n t h e Musaeum Hermeticum o,E 1625. It shows u s a mandala centred upon the
Tree of t h e s o u l , beneath which an olc! philosopher i s i n s t r u c t i n g a young
knight. They r a i s e t h e i r l e f t hands i n g r e e t i n g , i n d i c a t i n g t h e e s o t e r i c
purpose of t h e i r meeting. This philosopher i s t h e Wise Old Man within u s
a l l , while t h e Young Man i s the explorative, i n v e s t i g a t i v e realm of t h e
soul f o r c e s within u s t h a t seek enlightenment, t h a t q u e s t s a f t e r t h e
wisdom of t h e s p i r i t . The Old Man leans upon a s t a f f , his long experience,
while t h e Young Nan, a s i f a knight on the q u e s t , bears a sword, a weapon
of t h e i n t e l l e c t t o arm h i m on his explorations.
Between t h e s e two f i g u r e s stands t h e Soul Tree, bearing t h e Sun, Moon and
t h e f i v e p l a n e t s . This i s t h e realm which t h e being of t h e alchelcist must
p e n e t r a t e , t h e seven sphexesof t h e planetary f o r c e s i n t h e s o u l which he
must t r a v e r s e and i n t e g r a t e . He a l s o must bring together t h e King and Queen
archetypes of t h e male and female f o r c e s i n t h e s o u l , and t h e Four Elements
Earth, and t h e F i r e breathing salamander, on the l e f t ; and Water, and
A i r represented by t h e b i r d , on the r i g h t .
-
Around t h e Tree we see t h e most important aspect of this mandala, a repr e s e n t a t i o n of t h e i n n e r process a s taldng place through seven sta.ges :-
T i first s t a g e i s a death/nigredo where t h e s o u l bird i s seen perched upon
a s k u l l . Thus a death/nigredo stand a t t h e beginning of t h e work, and a
separation occurs between the soul and t h e body i n t h e process. A t t h e
second s t a a e , t h e s o u l b i r d gazes a t i t s r e f l e c t i o n i n t h e dead eaxth realm.
Through t h e nigzedo, those f a c e t s of the hush of t h e old s o u l f a r c e s t h a t
M V ~ d i e d , a r e transformed and mirror back t o t h e s o u l an essence of i t s
being. I n t h e t h i r d s t a g e , two soul b i r d s descend and begin t o r a i s e this
dead essence of t h e s o u l i n t h e fm of t h e b i r d corpse. They r a i s e t h e
essence of t h e s o u l t h a t i s anchored i n the e a r t h realm towards the higher
s p i r i t u a l realm. A t t h e f o u r t h stape a turning point is reached, when t h e
dead corpse of t h e s o u l element anchored i n t h e e a r t h realm i s s p i r i t u a l i s e d i n t o a crown. The s o u l b i r d s which can s o a r within t h e a l c h e m i s t ' s
being t o t h e highest s p i r i t u a l sphere, axe u s e l e s s t o his consciousness
unless they can i n c a r n a t e this s p i r i t i n a m a t e r i a l form. Here they have
transformed t h e dead s k u l l of t h e first s-e,
through t h e bird-corpse,
i n t o a crown. This crown i s brought i n t o t h e lower regions of t h e s o u l ,
by t h e p o l a r i s e d f o r c e s of t h e two s o u l b i r d s t h a t have been operating
during this c e n t r a l p a r t of t h e process, and i n t h e f i f t h stape it i s
planted i n t h e eaxth of t h e soul and begins t o grow. Here t h e s p i r i t u a l
p o t e n t i a l i t i e s i n the crown begin t o reveal themselves a s a l i v i n g presence
i n t h e s o u l . The s i x t h s t w e s e e s t h e formation of the two Soul T i n c t u r e s ,
t h e Red ( s o l a r ) t i n c t u r e represented by t h e r o s e blossoms, and t h e White
( ~ u n a r )t i n c t u r e represented by the Unicorn. These t i n c t u r e s o r Stones a r e
t h e permanent incarnation i n t h e s o u l of these archetypal s p i r i t u a l
energies. F i n a l l y , t h e seventh stape i s reached with t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n of
t h e body here seen a s a female f i g u r e . The alchemist r e t u r n s t o full consciousness i n t h e body, bearing withir: h i m t h e essence of this process.
A s this has been woven i n t o his being, he i s represented a s female i n form
We note t h e p o L a r i t i e s of t h e s t a g e s :
OKE : t h e ~ e a t h / ~ i g r e d o
~3
: t h e Resurrection
-
-
TWO : t h e mirroring of t h e Soul
u
SIX : t h e Soul Tinctures
THREE : t n e r a i s i n g of t h e corpse
t h e descent and p l a n t i n g of t h e seed
a: The
Elevation t o the S p i r i t and
11 -39
creation of t h e &own
c-)
I
Hermetic Meditation
Number 10
Over tine last ten i s s u e s , we have worked through a s e r i e s of meditative
e x e r c i s e s t i t used c e r t a i n techniques wUch involved experiencing one's
inner being ir. p a r t i c u l a r ways o r through the use of s p e c i a l symbols.
That p a r t i c u l a r work cari be extended i n d e f i n i t e l y and hopefully enough
i n d i c a t i o n s have been given t o enable the reader t o construct exercises
f o r himself. But t h e time has come t o change d i r e c t i o n somewhat i n Our
meditztive work. The a n c i e n t alchemists meditated upon processes i n t h e i r
r e t o r t s , an& worked t o inwardly hxmonise t h e i r being with outer processe s i n nature. They meditated upon processes i n the n a t u r a l world beaxing
this i n t o t i i substance of t h e i r souls. Thus they read the book of nature.
W i t h t h e acriving of spring i n the northern hemisphere, this i s a good
time t o begin such meditative exercises.
Our first meditation i n this s e r i e s involves working with t h e f o u r eleme n t s . The technique given here i s a development of the Solve e t C o a m .
I t shoulci be performed i n t h e r e t o r t of n a t u r e , i n contemplation of t h e
n a t u r a l world, and involves beaxing t h e essence of t h e o u t e r s p i r i t u a l
f o r c e s across t h e threshold i n t o t h e inner realm.
Seek out sone phenomenon of nature t h a t r e f l e c t s the nature of the
element one is t o contemplate. For A i r , perhaps the r i s i n g of smoke from
a f i r e , a mist slowly forming, o r those processes of cloud formation that
occur a t a discernable r a t e . For Water, t h e seashore, waves beating on
rocks, o r perhaps f i n d a l i t t l e stream or n a t e f a l l . For E a r t h , sit beside
a rock f a c e , o r a quarry, o r some particulas f e a t u r e of landscape. F i r e
i s more sub--le, although i n outer nature t h e r e a r e c u r r e n t s of waxmth
flowing through phenomena, through p l a n t s , gathering a c e r t a i n parts of
t h e landscape, perhaps it would be b e s t a t first t o meditate before a
real fire.
Find oneseE a spot t o sit or otherwise be comfortable and be able t o
observe t h e phenomenon one has chosen. This meditation has two parts, two
cycles, ax outand an inward phase. These should be repeated a l t e r n a t e l y untLl ones i n n e r s o u l f e e l s filled.(One cannot r e a l l y overdo such
an exercise f o r ones concentration w i l l f a i l once one i s inuaxdly f i l l e d ) .
Duzing t h e outer Solve Phase, with open eyes dissolve one's conscious
outward i n t o the phenomenon, f e e l a s i f one i s touching, merging with
t h e sounds of the stream, t h e b r i g h t f l a s h i n g of & w a t e r s , allow oneseE t o almost f l o x i n t o t h e outer phenomenon. Then once one begins t o
reach a point of outward s a t u r a t i o n , withdraw this experience inwasds,
closing t h e eyes, separating from t h e other senses, descending i n t o the
inner soul depths, bearing t h e essence of the outer phenomenon one has
chosen, say iiater, and touch this inwardly with one's inner v i s i o n of t h e
Water element. This is t h e Coagulation Phase. Then once one reaches a
c e r t a i n s a t i a t i o n allow one's consciousness t o t u r n agair. outwards i n t h e
Solve phase. One w i l l f i n d t h a t through this exercise one bears across
t h e threshold of one's consciousness a s p i r i t u a l essence of t h e phenomenone, and one w i l l inwardly come t o f e e l a l i v i n g connection with t h e
Elements. One can of course work through a l l f o u r Elements i n sequence,
and one w i l l through this exercise very r a p i d l y become anare of the
gradations
the elements and t h e terms Earth of F i r e , Water of A i r ,
e t c , ~511
no longer be merely i n t e l l e c t u a l a b s t r a c t i o n s , but w i l l be l i v ing r e a l i t i e s .
Please r e s i s t the temphiion t o perform these exercises outside of
nature. I= i s e s s e n t i a l t o work with n a t u r e , and e n t e r i n t o a r e l a t i o n s h i p with her through this working. It cannot be done i n one's own head.
11-40
Keviews
THE HTDDm ART t A Study of Occult Symbousm i n A d
205 I l l u s t r a t i o n s 21 i n colour
by Fred Gettings
s t u d i o V i s t a 1978
HE 176pp M2.95
CDlstr~buMb3 W.H . S m r t ~ \ )
Fred Gettings is becoming well known and respected f o r a number of
books he has produced on the subject of symbolism. His main f i e l d of
i n t e r e s t and r e s e a r c h i s t h a t realm where Art merges i n t o occultism,
where artists have consciously worked t o give expression t o e s o t e r i c
wisdom. I n this l a v i s h l y i l l u s t r a t e d and b e a u t i f u l l y designed book, he
explores s e v e r a l s t r a n d s of this expression of occult symbolism i n A r t .
He d e a l s i n t u r n with the zodiac and its expression i n medieval cathe d r a l building, t h e varLous representations of t h e heresy of t h e two
Jesus c h i l d r e n , and t h e underlying hermetic philosophy t h a t i n s p i r e d
g r e a t p i c t u r e s of t h e Renaissance, here he focusses e s p e c i a l l y on
B o t t i c e l l l ' s Primavera and i t s hidden geometry. He then explores t h e
h e r e t i c a l occult a l t e r n a t i v e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e F a l l of Man myth,
which sought t o f r e e man from t h e crippling bonds of t h e then prevelant
e c c l e s i a t i c a l philosophy of the o r i g i n a l s i n . Gettings r e v e a l s t h a t
XL"bists such a s Hemi met de Bles and Hieronymus Bosch sought t o present
i n t h e i r work the a l t e r n a t i v e perepective of various Adamite s e c r e t
s o c i e t i e s which preserved an occult bisdom of t h e t r u e s p i r i t u a l nature
of human s e x u a u t y . Gettings then follows this e s o t e r i c stream working
within Art through i n t o more modern times, v i a Willism Blake, Mondrian
and Kandinsky (who he shows t o have been fundamentally i n s p i r e d through
his i n t e r e s t i n Theosophy and ~nthroposophy). Fred Gettings shows i n his
l a s t chapter t h a t occult philosopw s t i l l works behind t h e imagination
and e q r e s s i o n of many present century artists, and he e s p e c i a l l y r e v e a l s
how Max E r n s t ' s enigmatic painting Of This Man S h z l l Know Nothing bears
within it t h e essence of c e r t a i n occult ideas expressed through t h e same
kind of hidden geometry t h a t was shown t o have l a i n behind t h e medieval
and Renaissance paintings. The t h e s i s presented here w i l l be of t h e
g r e a t e s t i n t e r e s t t o students of hermetic philosophy, a s one can see
q u i t e c l e a r l y how t h e occult wisdom d i d not j u s t remain i n t r o s p e a v e l y
bound within t h e s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s , but through t h e work of various
artists was broadcast t o t h e wider world. I found this book a v i t a l
and e x c i t i n g exploration of a f i e l d almost untouched by contemporary
A r t h i s t o r i a n s , and one can only hope t h a t Fred Gettings' i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
of these works w i l l have some influence upon A r t h i s t o r i a n s i n t h e f u t ure.
-
THE PSYCHIC GARDEK
P l a n t s and t h e i r Esoteric Relationshi=
k-itin Man by M e m e Uyldert
PB 1 5 % ~ &375
Tnorsons Publishers L t d 1980
I n my r e v i e q i n the Hermetic Journal No. 9 , of MeUie U y l d e r t ' s previous
work Metal FFagic (published by Turnstone P r e s s ) , I expressed my admlra t i o n f o r this i n t e r e s t i n g and o r i g i n a l gathering of m a t e r i a l on t h e
occult p r o p e r t i e s of metals. I n this present book, she has again given
u s some most valuable i n s i g h t s , this time i n t o t h e e s o t e r i c p r o p e r t i e s
of p l a n t s , i n p a r t i c u l a r seen i n r e l a t i o n s h i p t o man. I n t h e first
part of t h e book, she looks i n g e n e r a l a t various a s p e c t s of t h e e s o t e r i c s i d e of t h e p l a n t Pcngdom, examining i n t u r n , t h e i r harmony t o t h e i r
environment, p l a n t s t h a t have s p e c i a l kinship and grow together harmoniously and those which antagonise each o t h e r , t h e Moon rhythms i n t h e
p l a n t world, the r a d i a t i o n s t h a t work i n t h e p l a n t kingdom, t h e use of
dowsing rods of p l a n t material, t h e alchemical transmutations t h a t t a k e
place i n l i v i n g substance, t h e nature s p i r i t s that work i n t h e p l a n t
kingdom, an6 the use of p l a n t s i n healing. The second part of t h e book
i s a d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n of 28 p l a n t Souls, t h e essence working within
a p l a n t family o r group. This s e c t i o n is of e s p e c i a l value and o r i g i n a l i t y . The book c l o s e s with a meditation, and a s h o r t chapter describing
man's s p e c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p with trees.
THE 1981 LUNAR CAISNDAi3 Edited by Nancy Passmore
Luna Press, Box 511 Kenmore S t a t i o n , Boston, M
a 02215, U.S.A.
~ P P
$6.25
This booklet presents a d e t a i l e d calendar of t h e t h i r t e e n l u n a t i o n s of
1981, ~
~ together
n i n gone convenient volume, ashonomical and mytho l o g i c a l material a s s o c i a t e d with t h e Lunas Year. A s h o r t introductory
s e c t i o n g i v e s d e t a i l s of t h e a s t r o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s of t h e Moon's presence i n t h e twelve s i g n s , t h e cycle of t h e Moon and i t s impUcations
f o r gardening and f e r t i l i t y . The bulk of t h e booklet i s taken up by a
calendar of the l u n a t i o n s , with f u l l ephemeris f o r the Moon t h o u g h each
'month' o r lurar c y c l e , along with which i s presented infonnation on t h e
cycle of f e s t i v a l s and t h e Tree alphabet calendar a s described by Robert
Graves i n his 'White Goddess'. A most i n t e r e s t i n g and u s e f u l gathering
of information r e l e v a n t t o the l u n a r year.
AXHEm 8 t h e Philosopher's Stone by Allison Coudert
Uilawood House 1980 l a r g e format PB
238pp E5.95
many black and white i l l u s t r a t i o n s
A f i n e introductory survey of t h e realm of Alchemy d r a m primarily from
present day commentators, r a t h e r than from o r i g i n a l source material.
This book both looks a t various h i s t o r i c a l p e r s o n a l i t i e s i n t h e t r a d l t ion
Flamel, Charnock, Helvetius, e t c . - and a l s o focusses on c e r t a i n
f a c e t s of Alchemy. I n general Allison Coudert seems most open t o a
Jungian approach t o t h e subject. A s u b s t a n t i a l portion of this book i s
devoted t o exploring t h e Chinese Alchemical t r s d i t i o n , perhaps t h e
a u t h o r ' s s p e c i a l f i e l d of i n t e r e s t , and here we see presented material
which i s not so well known. Hopefully, this book through i t s broad sweep
will help t o introduce people t o t h e v a s t domain t h a t l i e s within
Alcheny aqd lead them t o explore and i n v e s t i g a t e the s u b j e c t f u r t h e r .
-
ALCHEMICAL HIEROGLYPHICS by Nicholas Flammel
Heptangle Books, P.O. Box 283, Berkeley Heights,
HB 89pp Line i l l u s t r a t i o n s $12.SO, $7.00
N.J. 07922, U.S.A.
An important alchemical item from Heptangle BOOKS,this i s a r e p r i n t of
t h e extremely rare 1890 e d i t i o n of k'.Wyn Westcott, which i n tun? was a
r e p r i n t of t h e 1624 English e d i t i o n of Eirenaeus Orandus. The t e x t has
been e n t i r e l y r e s e t and e x c e l l e n t l y printed and bound, and includes
Westcott's s h o r t but perceptive Preface t o t h e work. Nicholas.Flamme1
(1330-1418) was one of t h e most renowned of t h e e a r l y alchemists, and
i n t h e legend of his l i f e it i s t o l d how he, while a poor s c r i v e n e r ,
came a c r o s s a mysterious book containing t h e hieroglyphic i l l u s t r a t i o n s ,
which s o i n s p i r e d h i m that he dedicated the r e s t of his l i f e t o f i n d i n g
the key t o i t s mystery. Indeed, it i s recounted i n t h e legend that he
w i ~ t h ea i d of his wife Perrenelle eventually achieved t h e summit of t h e
work. The Alchemical Hieroglyphics of Nicholas Flammel purports t o be a
version of tNs manuscript, and although s c e p t i c academics w i l l dismiss
it a s a 16th Century f a b r i c a t i o n , t h e t e x t and i l l u s t r a t i o n s a r e of
profound e s o t e r i c value and this book w i l l be e s s e n t i a l f o r any s t u d e n t
of t h e t r a d i t i o n . One can only xi& that now this important m a t e r i a l has
been published someone might undertake the t a s k of providing a commentary on Flammel's work. This i s d e f i n i t e l y one of t h e most important
alchemical sourceworks published i n recent years.
PSYCHOLEY AND ALCHEm by Carl G . Jung
Routledge and Kegan Paul 1980 PB 571pp
270 i l l u s t r a t i o n s
E5.95
It i s most g r a t i f y i n g t o me t o see Jung's c l a s s i c work on Alchemy now i n
paperback, both because i t s publication i n d i c a t e s a growing i n t e r e s t i n
alchemical i d e a s , and a l s o that this extremely cheap paperback e d i t i o n
makes his work avadlable t o those who cannot a f f o r d t h e high p r i c e s of
s p e c i a l i s t publications. Whether oneagrees with Jung' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of
alchemical symbolism o r n o t , this book i s invaluable a s it p r e s e n t s a
mass of source m a t e r i a l , not l e a s t t h e 270 i l l u s t r a t i o n s and Jung's
own t r a n s l a t i o n s of e x t r a c t s from alchemical writings. Jung was a b l e t o
present a p i c t u r e of Alchelqy which was broadly acceptable t o t h e present
r a t i o n a l i s t consciousness of the 20th Century, but a t t h e same time
remaining open t o t h e mystery of t h e Great Work. Of all J u n g ' s alchemica l n r i t i n g s , this present volume i s t h e most approachable, being a very
broad survey of various f a c e t s of alchemical symbolism t h a t Jung found
resonating with pschological concepts and inner experiences that arose
i n his p a t i e n t s (and his own) psyche. I f e e l this t o be an e s s e n t i a l
book f o r anyone with a s e r i o u s i n t e r e s t i n t h e alchemical t r a d i t i o n , f o r
whether o r n o t one adopts a Jungian a p p o a c h , t h e r e is s o much crammed
i n t o these 500 odd pages t h a t w i l l be of value i n one's research. I
myself o f t e n consult this book and use it a s a reference work, t h e
extremely thorough index making this easy, while the extensive b i b l i o graphy alone i s of g r e a t value. Highly recommended t o beginners and
specialists alike.
MCiERT 1NDIA.K MAGIC: AM) FOLUORE by Margaret Stutle?.
iioutiedge and Kegan ? a d 1980 & I l l u s t r a t i o n s 190pp W
~ 6 . 9
Tbis uork., t n e r e s u l t of much painstaking and scnolazly reseaxch, i s subt i t l e d "Arl Introductioc". Nevertheless, it i s r a r e l y t h a t one f i n d s such
a wealth of information concentrated i n t h e moderate space of l e s s than
two h u n b 6 pages. The Atharvaveda, a sacred t e x t from which much of
t h e information has been drawn, was put t o g e t h e r around 1400 BC, but
c o n t a i n s records of magical p r a c t i c e s thought t o be very much o l d e r ,
reaching back perhaps t o t h e f o u r t h millenium B.C. The author has c l a s s i f i e s her m a t e r i a l under t e n headings, each chapter presenting charms
( s i c ) used f o r a p a r t i c u l a r purpose. This makes t h e book q u i t e easy t o
r e f e r t o , although t h e i n c l u s i o n of customs and r i t u a l s t o ensure t h e
growth and f e r t i l i t y of p l a n t s and animals under " C h a r m s f o r Prosperity"
may n o t be immediately obvious. The value of t h e book i s increased by
t h e f r e q u e n t p a r a l l e l s drawn between Indian magic and t h a t of t h e
a n c i e n t Middle-East and Egypt. The author c a s t s h e r n e t wider than this,
however, and r e f e r e n c e s can be found t o t h e folk-lore of C e l t s , West
A f r i c a n s , N d h American I n d i a n s , Lapps and many o t h e r peoples.She has
zchieved t h e condensation of s o much m a t e r i a l by ommitting t h e a c t u a l
invocations, prayers and mantras used f o r given r i t u a l purposes I t h e
r e a d e r i s r e f e r r e d f o r t h e s e t o appropriate sources through a wide
ranging Bibliography. Many God and Godiess names are included i n t h e
t e x t , nonetheless. The book should a l s o be u s e f u l f o r t h o s e studying
symbolism ; f o r example, t h e r e a r e r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e a s s o c i a t i o n s of
v a r i o u s metals. Lead i s i n i m i c a l t o demonical f o r c e s , Gold ensures e t e r n a l l i f e , Iron i s r e l a t e d t o v i r i l i t y , and Copper belongs t o t h e materi a l realm. There a r e r e f e r e n c e s t o d i f f e r e n t kinds of b i r d s , and t o
megalithic stones. For most r e a d e r s this w i l l probably be a book f o r
dipping i n t o , and f o r t h e r e f e r e n c e s h e l f , but a t a p r i c e of only £6.50
it seems t o o f f e r remarkably good value.
Swami Prem Sudheer
THZ DOUBLE HELIX OF THE M I N D by Stan Gooch
Wildwood House 1980 250pp HEi £7.95
Over tine p a s t few y e a r s Stan Gooch has w r i t t e n a number of books -The
Paranormal, Guardians of t h e Ancient Wisdom, t h e Neanderthal Question,
etc.
wi-Act seek t o f i n d a common ground between e s t a b l i s h e d materiali s t i c science and t h e occult. I n this present volume he i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e
nature of tine trrain and explores i n some d e t a i l t h e implications of t h e
i e f t / ? i g h t c e r e b r a l hemisphere p o l a r i t y which has been mirrored by some
w r i t e r s a s t h e ~ r , a l y t i c / ~ y n t h e t i c~, b j e c t i v e / ~ u b j e c t i v e~, o g i c a l / ~ n t u i t i v e p o l a r i t i e s of t h e psyche. Stan Gooch i n d i c a t e s that this s i m p l i s t i c
p i c t u r e i s ao longer tenable and suggests a s an expansion of this t h e s i s ,
that t h e t r u e mirroring of this p o l a r i t y i s found p h y s i c a l l y incasnated
i n t h e C e r e ' m / ~ e r e b e l l u m s t r u c t u r e s of t h e brain. Although his specula t i v e s t y l e of m i t i n g may not be acceptable t o many t r a d i t i o n a l thinke r s , t h e r e a r e many challenging i d e a s i n this book t h a t w i l l repay f u r t h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o c , and he c e r t a i n l y presents those who seek t o g r a s p
ar. occult physiology of man's inner being with some important m a t e r i a l
with wMch t c work and explore f u r t h e r .
-