The Hermetic Journal - Number 1, Autumn 1978

RMETIC JOURNAL
Edinburgh 1
Edited by Adam McLean
'all m a t e r i a l copyright t h e individu a l contribu-tors. Material not credi t e d , copyk-ight t h e Hermetic Journal.
ISSN
0141-6391
j
Gontents
1
Editorial
3
Heirs and Information
5
Transmutation and Resurrection
Gereth Knight
8
The Golden Chain of Homer
i ? 1
~ of a s e r i e s of 4
15 A S a t a n i s t l s Diary
X e r ~ l a rFeature
13 iilexander Von Suchten
Sweat On a
I!ichael Jones
23
23
30
31
Divinatory Geomancy
Hermef i c Irt
Stephen Skinner
Vision
- The
Brow
- An
- icelley and Dee
Hernetic Izeditation Bo 1
B e g l a r Peeture
-
rke Science of 1 y u r ~ e d a
A iIindu llchemy
S r i Lokanath
34
The Glyphs of the Planets
.idzm 1-cLean
40
.--1chenical iiandz:~ iTo 1
Be,guLar 3erture
42
Revierrs
)
This Hermetic Journal has been
established with t h e s p i r i t u e l
t e s k of a s s i s t i n g i n t h e rediscovcry of t h e wisdom .,:oven into
Hermeticism m d t h e -sarticu!.ar
s p i r i t u a l d i s c i p l i n e of Alchemy.
Ever since t h e r i s e of a science
founded only upon m a t e r i s l i s t i c
considerations, a t t h e mid point
of t h e 17th century, t h e s p i r i t u a l
science a d a r t of Alchemy has been
l e s s an& l e s s understood. A century
l a t e r t h i s gulf between s p i r i t u a l
:risdom and materialism, expressed
i t s e l f through t h e i n d u s t r i a l
revolution, v~hich, ciastructively
transforming t h e structure' of
s o c i e t y t o meet t h e needs of a
nachine driven greed, broke down
t h e t r a d i t i o n a l f o l k wisdom and
nature r i t u a l s which preserved i n
pre-industrial s o c i e t y a connection of t h e people with s p i r i t u a l
being.
The twentieth century has brought
both n e g a t i v i t y and p o s i t i v i t y ,
horrors and wonderful g i f t s . I n
t h e s p i r i t u a l h i s t o r y of occultism,
t h e twentieth century stands out
a s t h e one i n which t h e v e i l was
A Colhction o f S a c r e d ~ a y i c k . C o m
4
he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y 1- I
withdrawn, t h e e s o t e r i c becoming
public knowledge. There never has
been a time i n the h i s t o r y of Man
when so much e s o t e r i c knowledge
was available publicly, as during
our present age, and t h e r e has
never been a time i n t h e h i s t o r y
of Man, when t h i s e s o t e r i c wisdom
was more necessary t o mankind's
future development.
What lived behind t h e i n i t i a t i o n s
i n t o t h e Mystery Schools of the
past, i n t h e exclusive Knighthood
of t h e Holy Grail, i n t h e enclosed
space of t h e Alchemist's laboritory,
t h e closed c i r c l e of t h e ceremonial
magician, t h e Brotherhood of the
Rosicrucians, o r t h e t i g h t l y held
secret of a coven p r a c t i c i n g the
Old Earth Mystery, must begin t o
f i n d i t s way i n t o the exoteric,
begin t o transform outer society.
Of course, t o be r e a l i s t i c , t h i s
vision of t h e r e b i r t h of a society
founded upon s p i r i t u a l wisdom and
principles, i s f o r t h e f a r d i s t a n t
future, but o c c u l t i s t s now, during
the closing years of t h e 20th
century, must begin t o b u i l d the
foundations f o r a new s p i r i t u a l
consciousness~The e s o t e r i c knowledge of t h e past must be transformed through our inner work, and
woven i n t o a form which resonates
with the evolving soul of humanity.
We cannot r e t u r n t o t h e world of t h e
t h e medieval alchemist, nor t h e
knighthood of t h e Grail, nor t h e
splendour t h a t w e s Egypt. But the
task before us i s certain. The
writings, t h e meditative exercises,
the profound s p i r i t u a l impulses
embedded i n e s o t e r i c ideas, muat be
taken hold of and actively examined.
Many f i n e people are a t present
involved i n t h i s e s o t e r i c study and
experiment, and perhaps t h i s is t h e
one d e f i n i t e outer manifestation of
the New Age.
This Hermetic Journal seeks t o
a l i g n i t s e l f with t h i s impulse, and
w i l l seek d i f f e r e n t ways of fosteri n g and sustaining work towards a
reassessment of the much misunderstood Western Occult Tradition.
Hermeticism has of3en been equated
with perverse and i n t e n t i o n a l obscurantism, however it w i l l be t h e policy
of t h e e d i t o r t o seek material and
contributors who a r e honestly t r y i n g
t o communicate. The obscuration of
meaning i n alchemical works is
r e a d i l y understood against t h e background of r e s t r i c t e d thought i n t h e
mediem1 period, but t h i s is not
v a l i d today.
Although t h i s Journal w i l l be focussed on Alchemy it w i l l seek t o open
bridges of understanding t o t h e other
f a c e t s of t h e Hermetic Arts, i n
p a r t i c u l a r , Magi$Kabbalism and NeoPagan ideas.
The e d i t o r i a l policg is completely
independent of any p a r t i c u l a r school
or e s o t e r i c path, and contributions
axe sought and welcomed from many
d i f f e r e n t sources.
It i s a l s o hoped t h a t t h e Hermetic
Journal can become a vehicle f o r t h e
promotion and development of i n t e r e s t
ill; occultism, e i t h e r by p u t t i n g
people i n oontaot- o r by publicising
some a c t i v i t y o r group meeting. The
Editor w i l l be happy t o consider
any suggestions in t h i s direction.
This f i r s t issue should give an
indication of direotion and t h e
perspective of t h e Hermetic Journal,
and it i s hoped t h a t our subscribers
w i l l f i n d i n it something of value.
News & Informat ion
The needs of t h e small number of students of Alchemy f o r t e x t s i n
English, cannot of course, be met bjr t h e established publishers. The
limited edition method of publishing, works f o r a c e r t a i n type of t e x t
but there i s so much s p i r i t u a l l y valuable material t h a t f i n a n o i a l l y
just would not be a viable investment. Many students and c o l l e c t o r s
have, through t h e i r own hard work t r a n s l a t e d t e x t s from Latin, German,
o r French, o r unearthed oopies of manuscripts from public colleotions
i n Libraries. It would be of the greatest help t o the furtherance of
t h e study of Alchemy,-if some of t h i s material could be pooled and
shared amongst those people who could best use it. The Hermetic
Journal would l i k e t o e s t a b l i s h a l i b r a r y of t r a n s l a t e d material or
of alchemical symbols, and i n v i t e s any information which we could
build up i n t o a r e g i s t e r of available material, t o which people
could have access. Given enough i n t e r e s t , i t may eventually be possible
t o make photocopies of these translations. So angone with any positive
suggestions or offere of help with t h i s project please get i n touch.
Also Bans Nintzel, 733 Melrose Drive, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA,
one of our subscribers, p a r t i c u l a r l y asked me t o mention t h a t he
would be i n t e r e s t e d i n entering i n t o private exchange arrangements
with other collectors, i n regard t o alchemical texts.
The MAGICAL CALENDAR of TYCHO BRAHE
Edited by Adam McLean
According t o Eliphas Levi, one of t h e most important documents from
t h e 17th century renaissance of medieval occultism t h a t focussed
around the Rosicrucian movement.
Designed by De Bry, t h e famous engraver who produced the works of
Rsbert Fludd, Michael Maier, etc., t h e Magical Calendar i s a synthesis
of occult symbolism and correspondencies and i s invaluable as a
reference source. In a sense it is t h e 17th century version of
KcGregor-Matherb and ~rowley$777, but perhaps even more valued, a s
it is t h e compilation of a whole t r a d i t i o n r a t h e r than t h e work of
an individual.
This work has b e e n t r a n s l a t e d by Adam McLean who a l s o provides a
commentary and explanation of t h e complex mass of symbolism.
The Magical Calendar of Tycho Brahe w i l l be produced ks a limited
edition of 100 bound copies signed and numbered a t a12 ((25).
It w i l l be available from November 1978 and orders may be placed i n
advance t o Megalithic Research Publications, 12 A n t i w S t r e e t ,
Edinburgh 1, Scotland.
S A T 0
A R EP
T E N E
0 P E R
R 0 T A
During excavations a t Cirencester i n England over the
past fen months, archaeologist Barry J w e s unearthed
a t a supposed Roman s i t e , an amphora with t h e famous
magical a c r o s t i c incised i n t o t h e clay. He dates t h i s
A
f i n d a t t h e end of t h e 2nd century AD, and seems t o
S
suggest t h i s as evidence of e a r l y Christian worship
going so f a r as t o postulate t h a t t h e amphora could have been a
-tressel f o r sacramental wine.
R
0
T
The well known writer Keith Critchlow has recently produced a
marvellovs f i l m e n t i t l e d REFLECTION with t h e assistance of fellow
members of R.1.LK.O.
( ~ e s e a r c hI n t o Lost Knowledge organisation),
and the f i n a n c i a l support of t h e Arts Council Of Great.Britain.
The film shows the r e l a t i o n s h i p of t h e geometry of natural forms
t o t h e underlying e s o t e r i c sacred geometry of megalithic stone
c i r c l e s and Medieval Cathedrals. A considerable amount of time is
devoted t o Chartres Cathedral and i t s mystical maze. The filn hss
many underlying references t o t h e ideas which a r e t h e foundation of
t h e Western Occult Tradition. The f i l m i s i n colour on 16mm stock
with saund t r a c k (music composed by Mike o l d f i e l d ) and l a s t s 56 mins.
Transmutation and Resurrect ion
GARETH KNIGHT @
There has been much renewed i n t e r e s t of l a t e i n t h e Holy Shroud
of Turin which some consider t o have been t h e wrappings about t h e
body of Jesus i n the tomb a f t e r t h e Crucifixion. A recent book,
"The Turin Shroud" by Ian Wilson t r a c e s t h e h i s t o r y of t h i s r e l i c
down t h e ages ( i t may a t one time have been i d e n t i c a l with a
mysterious p o r t r a i t on c l o t h owned and revered by t h e Knights ~ e m p l a r
and reviews t h e current s c i e n t i f i c evidence a s t o i t s origins. There
i s p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t i n t h e way t h a t t h e image i s impressed upon
t h e c l o t h which i s s i m i l a r t o t h e imwes of o b j e c t s t h a t have been
impressed on o b j e c t s a s a r e s u l t of intense atomic r a d i a t i o n a s a t
Hiroshima. I f it i s t r u l y t h e shroud about t h e body of Christ then,
i t might be argued, t h i s othemiise unexplzined image coulZr have been
produced by the process of physical resurrection.
According t o t h e New Testament, the Zesurrection was pre-figured
d u r i n s t h e l i f e t i m e of Jesus by an event knovm a s t h e Transfiguration.
On t h i s unique occasion t h r e e senior d i s c i p l e s , James,John and Peter,
rritnessed upon a h i l l t o p t h e body of Jesus become radiant with l i g h t .
So i:npressed were they that they f e l l doms on t h e i r faces i n awe, and
even nroposed t o b u i l d comnemor&tive s h r i n e s t h e r e , f o r they were
atrc.re of the voice of God comixg from on h i s h and t h e fi,aures of
other p e a t s p i r i t u a l teachers of t h e ~ a s t .They !rere i n s t r u c t e d not
t o do so, hotrever, and t o say nothing about t h e occurrence u n t i l a f t e r
t h e coming pession, though they were not f u l l y aware of t h e impiioa t i o n s of chis statement a t t h e time.
The event so portended, and coming a l t e r t h e physical death of
Jesus, -.cs t h e Resurrection, t h e n a r r a t i v a s of vhich a r e f u l l of
i n t e r e s t . It i s - n e c e s s a r y t o discount on t h e one hand those s t o r i e s
IU: L~bouff h a t t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n rras a phrcical r e s u s c i t a t i o n of Jesus
.rho rras rrounded but not k i l l e d ; 2nd on t h e other hznd t h a t .re a r e
dealing with an a s t r a l or e t h e r i c body a s i n a s p i r i t u a l i s t i c soeance.
A Collection o f S a c r e d ~ a ~ i c k . C o m4 he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
1-5
The physical arguement, apart from t h e f a c t t h a t it makes t h e
whole significance of t h e l i f e of Christ meaningless, o r a t best t h e
biography of a f a i l e d religious/ethical/ p o l i t i c a l reformer, hardly
stands up t o t h e recorded f a c t s , o f , f o r example, t h e centurion
making sure Jesus was dead by piercing t h e chest cavity with a spear.
One may remain f a i r l y well assured t h a t a hard b i t t e n centurion,
consciqus of the punishments i n f l i c t e d by the Roman army on t h e
incompetent or d i s l o y a l , would be unlikely t o botch such a job. Also
it would make l i a r s of a l l t h e d i s c i p l e s who were privy t o the f a c t ,
and t h e s t o r y of t h e i r actions and subsequent l i v e s points t o men
inspired by an experience of astounding uniqueness r a t h e r than cons p i r a t o r s i n a m a s s deception, however well intentioned.
Similarly, t h e astro-etheric theory does not f i t the recorded
facts. To begin with, why did t h e physical body disappear? It would
have been i r r e l e v a n t i n t h e production of any ghost body. Aiso Jesus
appeared i n t h e resurrection body f i r s t on t h e road t o Emmaus and
conversed,in broad daylight, with two of the disciples. No a s t r a l
wraith i s capable of such s o l i d appearance ; nor capable of joining
i n a meal as l a t e r happened ; nor of allowing Thomas t o physically
touch t h e wounds of crucifixion. A t t h e same time, whilst having
these s o l i d properties, it was capable of appearing o r disappearing
a t w i l l , and a l s o of being recognisable or not, a t w i l l , and l a t e r of
ascending i n t o t h e clouds.
Tosether with the Transfiguration t h i s suggests t h a t w b t we a r e
reading about here is n e i t h e r s o l i d physical matter a s we know i t , nor
attenuated matter as i s witnessed i n c e r t a i n c a r e f u l l y controlled
conditions i n the sceance room, but matter i n a d i f f e r e n t form ;
matter t h a t i s raised t o a higher frequency or s t a t e of vibration.
This would be i n accord with the e n t i r e Old Testament t r a d i t i o n
of t h e f a l l of man from t h e Paradisal condition. A t some primeval time
the self-will of man divorcing i t s e l f from accord with t h e W i l l of
God ca-wed t h e whole of matter t o become generally more s o l i d and
coarse, i n t o i t s form a s we now know it. O r , looking a t it i n another
way, it might be s a i d t h a t t h e physical universe a s we know it was
specially created as a habitation f o r f a l l e n man. It i s s a i d i n the
Book of Genesis t h a t Adam and Eve made f o r themselves coats of skin.
In a way t M s might be regarded a s a coarsening or s o l i d i f i c a t i o n of
the vehicles of our expression.
However, by the subsequent Incarnation of the Logos, which i s a
unique event i n a specially chosen race and h i s t o r i c a l environment,
not t o be confounded with t h e periodical appearance of unusually
g i f t e d wise men o r s p i r i t u a l teachers, t h e seed was sown f o r t h e
general r e s t i t u t i o n or resurrection of the whole f a l l e n body of neture,
along with a l l of mankind, as aad when t h e i r w i l l s a r e conformed, i n
voluntary s a c r i f i c e , t o the W i l l of God once again, who now demonstra t e s himself i n Triune form, not only a s Creator Originator and
Father, but a l s o as Saviour by H i s Incarnation, and I n s p i r e r , I n s t r uctor and Comforter by t h e Holy S p i r i t .
The example by which mankind can follow through t h i s process of
transmutation i s figured i n t h e legends about t h e Virgin Nary, which
carry a mythologioal t r u t h t h a t i s a l l t h e more i m p o r t k t and v a l i d
i n t h a t it is grounded i n h i s t o r i c a l r e a l i t y .
A s she who.gave t h e vehicle f o r t h e Incarnation she is t h e Retort
i n which the o r i g i n a l alchemical Philosopher's Stone i s placed along
with t h e ordinarg elements of d a i l y l i f e o r Prima I a t e r i a . A s may be
gleaned from a number of-alchemioal manuscripts, t h e Prima Materia i s
of t h e same substance 26 t h e Retort, and by-the process of accepting
t h e Stone i s transmuted.
Thus Mary, a s f i r s t c i t i z e n of a redeemed humanity, i s r a i s e d
back t o t h e Paradisal s t a t e , a s described i n t h e dogma of her Physical
Assumption i n t o Heaven and Coronation there, which is a l l r a t h e r more
than colourful Roman Catholic p i e t y and superstition.
So i n t h e s t o r i e s of Jesus, t h e Incarnate Logos, and Mary, t h e
exemplary and redeemed human, we have an alchemical process, of t h e
r a i s i n g of leaden matter t o i t s p r i s t i n e golden s t a t e . Thosa familiar
with t h e Q a b a l i s t i c Tree of Life might express it a s a r a i s i n g of
t h e lowest Sephirah, Malkuth, t h e Kingdom, t o t h e p o i n t across t h e
Abyss represented by Daath, where it f a l l s n a t u r a l l y under t h e Crown
of Kether, giving a balanced Tree diagram, with Yesod, a p t l y c a l l e d
t h e Foundation, as i t s proper base.
Even i f one just regards it a s mgrthology, o r as psychological
projection, t h e Christian s t o r y has much deep teaching t o give. To
those who a r e able t o accept it i n i t s physical and h i s t o r i c a l
fulness it becomes very muoh more
a way of l i f e thaf a t t h e same
time is an alchemical process of transmutation, and i n no mere
a l l e g o r i c a l or symbolical way e i t h e r !
-
THE G O L D E N CHAIN O F HOMER
Volatile Spirit of
EARTH
incorporeal.
Spiritual incorporeal Nitre containing the
universal Fire without a Basis or
alkaline Body.
EARTHY
acid spirit
corporeal.
Nitre, or corporified Spiritus Mundi in
earth.
Sulphur 4. Nature, M a k .
Fixed EARTHY
Spiritual Alkali corporeal.
@
Sea salt or corporified Spiritus Mundi in
Water and salt. Nature, FmiaZc.
Primary substance
of all Bodies.
Regnum Animale.
Nitre and salt united.
69
The most volatile.
Regnum Vegetabile
sive Acidum.
Between Volatile and Fixed.
mediator.
Regnun1 Minerale.
Fixed.
The
The volatile spirit is here
downwards.
Pure concentrated
Fixed EARTHY
tincture, Extractum
chaoticum.
The unfermented tincture.
Perfect concentrated
universal Quintessence.
Fernlented and specified with Gold or Sun.
Lapis philosophorum.
THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF HOMER
This remarkable l a t e alohemical t e x t was g r e a t l y respected by many
o o o u l t i s t s d u r i n g t h e l a t t e r p a r t of t h e 19th century. S.L. McOregor
Mathers, t h e i n s p i r i n g impulse behind t h e Order of t h e Golden Dawn,
valued t h e A u r u m Catena most highly and recommended it t o t h e Order
members as a source of alohemical inspiration, however a s he believed
it enshrined powerful cosmic s e c r e t e he would not allow any adept
below t h e grade 7O = 4" ( ~ d e p t u sExemptus) t o study it.
Madgme Blavatsky another great o c c u l t i s t from t h a t period was
instrumental i n having a t r a n s l a t i o n i n t o English of t h e Aurum Catena
printed i n instalment form i n her Theosophical journal LUCIFER f o r
1891. This t r a n s l a t i o n which forms t h e baeis of t h i s s e r i e s on t h e
Golden Chain of Homer waa made much e a r l i e r ( i n 1797) by Sigisnmnd
Bacstrom M.D.,
an enthusiast f o r the Hermefin Arts, who collected and
t r a n s l a t e d much alchemical material. Bacstrom waa i n i t i a t e d i n t o a
Sooietaa Rosae Crucis by t h e Comte de Chaaal i n 1794, and oertainly
sought t o f o s t e r and perpetuate t h e Alohemical-Rosicrucian t r a d i t i o n a l
wisdom by gathering around him a group of pupils, amongst whom he
c i r c u l a t e d a number of alchemical t e x t s t h a t he t r a n s l a t e d i n t o
English. Bacstrom, who spent a deal of time i n London, was thus an
important figure i n e a r l y 19th century Hermeticism.
The Golden Chain of Homer is ascribed t o Anton Joseph Kirchweger,
although some a u t h o r i t i e s consider t h e authorship uncertain suggesting
that t h i s work was written by a Rosicrucian of Utrecht, and t h a t the
o r i g i n a l manuscript l a y i n t h e Imperial Libpary a t Vienna. That as
may be, t h e Aurea Catena was printed under t h e authorship of Kirchweger,
a Doctor of Medicine and Physic a t Ornunden i n Upper Austria, t h e f i r s t
e d i t i o n dated 1723. The work a t t r a c t e d a great deal of a t t e n t i o n and
was studied by Goethe during t h e time he was i n t e r e s t e d i n Alchemy.
The work i t s e l f involves a d e t a i l e d study of t h e nature of t h e
Elements, t h e descent out of Chaos i n t o form, cut of Primordial F i r e
i n t o Earthly Material ( and f o r t h i s reamon was of g r e a t e s t import t o
Madame BlavaCsky, who found many p a r a l l e l s t o her own pioture of
s p i r i t u a l evolution gained more from eastern sources).
The Golden Chain of t e n l i n k s , is an archetypal s p i r i t u a l picture,
a kind of " t r e e of l i f e " , spanning t h e worlds, leading from t h e heights
of s p i r i t u a l Being, t o t h e hardened e a r t h l y form, through a s e r i e s of
t e n stages (thus we can see t h e reason f o r t h e kabbalist Mathers
i n t e r e s t i n t h i s t e x t ) . This we can see a s a Neoplatonio "Great Chain
of Being", and indeed t h e Aurea Catena is referred t o a s the Platonic
ring. It i s a d i f f i c u l t work
being concerned with Cosmic s t r u c t u r e
o r anatomy, but it repays well careful study and contemplation.
,
We have available t h e first 9 chapters and these w i l l continue f o r
t h e next two issues and w i l l be followed i n issue number four by an
essay on t h e symbolism and an attempt t o indicate something of t h e
profound content of t h e Aurea Catena.
THAT IS
A DESCRIPTION O F NATURE AND NATURAL THINGS.
How and from what they are generated and how they are destroyed again, and
what that Subject is which generates, destroys, and regenerates things.
Franckfurt and Lepzic, I 723.
Translated from the German by SIGISMUND
BACSTROM,
M.D.,179;.
Revised from the unpublished MSS. by THOMAS
HENRY
PATTINSON,
F.T.S.
O F T H E GENERATION O F THINGS.
CHAPTERI.
What N a t w is.
Nature comprehends the invisible and visible creaturesof the whole
universe. What we call nature especially is the universal Fire or ANIMA
MUNDI,filling the whole system of the universe; and therefore it is a
universal agent, omnipresent and endowed with an unerring instinct,
which manifests itself in Fire and Light. I t is the first creature of Divine
omnipotence.
Anima Mundi as used here does not mean animal life-principle,
manifested or otherwise; but the cause of what we understand as the
universal lifc principle.
How' all things pvoceed therefrom.
Thus God created first the invisible Fire and endowed it with unerring
instinct and a capacity to manifest itself in three principles.
I. In its original most universal state it is perfectly invisible,
immaterial, cold, and occupies no space ; in this tranquil state it is of no
use to us, yet in this unmoved state it is omnipresent.
2. In its second state it is manifested by motion or agitation into
Light. In this state it was separated out of Chaos, when God said,
Yet it is still Cold. When
Let there be Light, and there was Light
gently moved and agitated it manifests Warmth and Heat, as is the case in
all frictions, and in fermentations of moist things.
3. When collected in a sufficient quantity and violently agitated it is
manifested as a burning Fire.' This continues burning as long as it is
&t
ta xtm*e.When
* -4- that fails it returns
- A* to
".
-c
m d h b H u t a d Light.
F a
-3-
A.
A Collection o f ~ a c r e d ~ a g i c k . C o m4 he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
immaterial,
- - - - -- -- -- - -In its second state of madestation it is visible as Light.
In its third state of Heat and burning Fire it % visible, hat a
burning, and becomes aomewhat matuial; u it occupier room a rprca .
whilst in this state.
..r
.
You have now seen 3 distinct powers of the Universal Sp'irit. But it
possesses still more, and even some inconceivable powers.
W e have told you the Universal Spirit is endowed with an unerring
instinct. Working- by- the most simple and nearest way, it has also, besides
its already mentioned conspicuous qualities, 2 occult powers, via.,
attraction and repulsion, and these two powers are inconceivably great.
W e see various instances of it in Thunder and Lightning, in
Earthquakes, Hurricanes and in the surprising effects of gunpowder.
When God created this universal Fire he gave it a power to become
material, that is to become Vapour, Humidity, Water and Earth,
although that fire in its own universal nature is and remains centrally the
same. Thus ybu see the beginning of the 4 Elements. Burning Fire,
Vapour and Humidity, mixed with cold Fire, constitutes atmospheric Air,
which still more condensed becomes Water, and Water becomes Earth.
Originally it was but one element, Fire. This universal Fire becomes a vapour of immense extent, which by
further inspissation becomes chaotic Water, and out of this Water the
Creator separated the Light, that is separated (or sub-dividcd) the universal
invisible Fire into Light. Thus we see that invisible Fire manifested in two
principles-Light and Humidity. Therefore out of Light and (chaotic) Water
God has created all things.
Water was the first condensation of the universal Fire, which nevertheless in its centre was and remains F i ~ cfull
,
of life and activity, and the
more so as it was assisted (or cpuilibratcd) by its equal the Light, separated
out of it as much as was necessary for the creation of all immaterial and
material Beings, and in succession of time, for their maintenance.
Of the separated Light we have spoken before.
W e have now to consider its first Body, Humidity. Water difTers in
regard to its Density (or sub-division) ; if rarefied to a certain degree it constitutes Air, that is a predominance of-Fire above Water. But if condens;?d to
hroaputhk~dspiddthir\midFin,wK&mirmb
it .bdr e d e n it autic,it becomar immliihteiy putrid, md t h e b y declines
.
V J b a a i t y , .b.lolSB.rpriSdid Z t i r thtr~a96-m.with
.
Water, when deprived of Fire or of animated Air, it becomes putrid and
condenses still further and becomes Earth.
GddXs ordained it sb that the ~ n i spirit;
d by munr d Humidity
drarrldrorLalltbings,beu~#Hdtymk~udlywith~,b
m@@M
d rMsh the S j M t om mften, palehate, gmartc, daboy .rd re$
-to
all thin(F Thb Humidity a Water ia the Body, tbe
&.
But the Spirit or Fire is the operator, the universal ageat, the A r i u d
~ M r ' ~ s ~ - * s p h i t s n d p l m r a f G d d ; thmrirersal
Germ, the genuine agent, the only agent and fabricator of all natural things.
The universal Fire fills that immense space of the universe between the
Heavenly bodies, and as it has a power to become material, it generates a
subtle vapour or invisible Humidity, its first passive principle. It causes
therein a gentle reaction, and a most subtle fermentation takes place universally, and by this reaction the universal acid is everywhere generated,
which we can call nothing else than a most subtle incorporeal Nitre; it is
inwardly fire and outwardly cold.
Thus this spiritual Nztrc or universal Acid we call the second invisible
change of the universal Fire generated out of chaotic invisible Hutnidity; and
as this approaches the atmosphere of the Heavenly Bodies it becomes
gradually more and more material, until it meet an alkaline passive principle wherein it fixes itself and forms native Nitre, so that from universal
spiritual Nitre it becomes material Nitre.
Thus we say not without good reason that the Solar Rays of light are
nothing-else than a most subtle spiritual Nitre which gradually becomes
more and more nitrous as it approaches the Earth, but Sea Salt in the
ocean, animating the atmosphere with fire or life, and thereby giving
elasticity to the air and life and preservation to the water.
W e see between the Firmament and our Earth continual Vapour,
Clouds, and Fogs, which ascend like a transpiration of the Earth ; and are
sublimed upwards by the central heat of the Earth.
This chaotic Water and Vapour, contain and are the first matter of all
things, and although this appears very simple before our eyes, yet it is twofold, as it contains Fire and Humidity. The invisible in the visible-the
Fire or spirit is the agent and the Water the mother or parent.
" ' w u $ f " w h h to Miin at the fountain of secret Wisdom, let him
o k d y d i p r a l l d l e t him a o r i t h t b ; ~ t r a poiat
l
dtntth tothecircum-
1-12
A Collection o f S a c r e d ~ a j i c k . C o m 4 he Esoteric ~ i b r a r ~
~ c a , m d f aever imprint on hirCbmamry,
tht frcraFinunl W*,
or Spirit e n d u d in Humidity, dl thurgr in the mrrfd u a gamated,
prewrwd,dcstrqptd, and regl~~errtedc
Whoever comprehends this will find no difficulty in analysing natural
things. H e may easily volatilize the fixed-and fix the volatile : a putrid
subject he may convert into a pleasant smelling one ; out of poison he
may make a salutary medicine, because he knows that all things proceed
from (211b rwt, and return to :hat root. The distinction is external,
and regards only the modification of the matter, which is more or less
digested or fixed. Therefore the philosophers say that their matter is in all
things. Yet they select subjects wherein the universal spirit is more
abundantly contained, and more concentrated and thus easier to be obtained.
-
Gompetition l Y / U
Announcement
THE HERMETIC JOURNAL in collaboration with ASKIN PWLISHWS LTD
announce an essay competition open to all.
Entrants are required to submit an essay of about 1500 words
in length on either. of the following subjecta t 1) The History of Divinatory Geomancy
2) An Interpretation of John Dee's Hieroglmhia Monad
PRIZES : One for each topic, a copy of Henry Cornelius A=ippa1s
Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy valued at f28.
CLOSING DATE: : All entries should be received by 30th Nov 1978
JUDGING r The judging of entries will be made by Stephen Skinner
of Askin Publishers whose decision will be final.
The winning entries will be published in the Hermetic Journal NO 3.
All correspondence to the Hermetic Journal.
-
-
A Satanist's
Diary
EY HUGO L'ESTRANGE
We a r e pleased t o welcome t h e
distinguished adept of t h e Left
Hand Path, D r Hugo L'Estrange,
as a regular contributor, but
wish t o point out that his views
do not necessarily represent t h e
e d i t o r i a l stance of t h e Hermetic
Journal.
I be6+n t h i s diary a t a time
vhen t h e Black Arts, l i k e a l l
branches of occultism and r e l i g i o n ,
a r e undergoing a process of rapid
chznge i n response t o a changing
a process which I confess
world
-
I view with mixed feelings. Every
time I carry out t h e blood sacrif i c e o r t h e desecration of a Host
I am s t r u c k by t h e r a t h e r sad
thought t h a t these simple outward
tokens of our f a i t h a r e e v e h h e r e
coming t o be regarded a s unnecessary. A l l over Satandom t r a d i t i o n a l
observances a r e on the decline.
Many black magicians, f o r example,
a r e dispensing with the r e c i t a t i o n
of t h e Lord's Prayer i n reverse,
t h e trampling on t h e c r u c i f i x , t h e
r i t u a l deflowering and other such
practices. I am t o l d t h a t some
have even gone so f a r as t o vtz?i.De
t h e Satanic Pact i n red ink instead
of blood. Now of course t h e more
r a t i o n a l s i d e of me knows f u l l
well t h a t my r e g r e t is based on
sentimentality and t h a t our Master
Below does not stand on ceremony.
He r e a l l y doesn't care a f i g how
manyLord's Prayers a r e r a t t l e d
off backwards o r how nany virgins
a r e deflowered as long as h i s
followers continue t o increase and
t o get p r a c t i c a l results. A l l t h e
s a m I cannot help f e e l i n g t h a t it
would be a great p i t y and t h a t o w
f a i t h would l o s e much of i t s appeal
i f t h e old formal observances were
t o disappear altogether.
I console myself with t h e
thought t h a t t h e same developments
a r e taking place t o niuch more
damaging i f f e c t among our enemies.
I f your average Christian i s t o be
!cept purged of e v i l he has t o be
c o n s t v l t l y swilling down t h e castor
o i l of t h e Church's absolution, a d
i f he i s t o remain a f a i t h f u l
servant of the l i g h t he must be put
through a r e q l a r square-bashing
routine of r e l i e i o u s d r i l l . which.
l i k e army drill-should i d e a l l y be'
as absurd as possibie ( Credo quia
absurdum, "I believe because it i s
absurdnv, a s t h a t old p l a g i a r i s t
actually
Saint Augustine put it
of course it was T e r t u l l i a n who
s a i d it f i r s t ) and rooted i n tradi t i o n r a t h e r than reason. Fortuna t e l y f o r us t h e Christian churches
A Colhction o f S a c r e d ~ a y i c k . C o m
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4
he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
1- 15
have l o s t s i g h t of t h i s faof.
Throughout t h e Christian world
doctrines a r e being watered down
t o make them l e s s absurd and theref o r e l e s s convincing, and t h e tradi t i o n a l d r i l l is becoming slaok,
with a consequent l o s s of t h a t
robot-like l o y a l t y so v i t a l t o
Christianity. The l a s t r e a l l y
strong bastion of Christianity,
t h e Catholic Church, which f o r a
long time r e s i s t e d these changes,
is now a t l a s t secumbing and i n
doing so digging i t s own ,qave.
The abandonment of t h e Latin mass
i s bu* one symptom of t h e process.
.hd Archbishop ~ e f z b r eand h i s i l k
are a c t u a l l y helping things along
by acting l i k e buffoons and making
t h e t r s d i t i o n a l i s t case look ridiculous. Heads t h e Devil wins, t a i l s
God loses f
Witness t h e recent hubbub over
t h e marriage of Prince I~Echaelof
Kent t o t h e Catholio Baroness
Marie-Christine von Reibnitz. The
Pope made a brave attempt t o hold
h i s crumbling kingdom together,
but did h i s flock thank him ? I
was almost moved t o celebrate by
ordering a magnum of Louis Roederer
-1
from t h e c e l l a r when t h e
Prince of Wales joined t k e f r a y
I must confess t o boyish dreams of
a s p l i t between t h e monarchy and
t'he church. I always have a sneaking sympathy f o r t r a d i t i o n a l i s t s
l i k e 1;Ionsignor Thomas Winning, trho
accused t h e Prince of "advocating
a woolly type of Christianity" ;
but r e a l l y , Iionsi,gor, I thov-ght
sheep were meant t o be woolly!
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Ano-cher ,gat i f y i n g phenomenon
f o r us i s t h e ,gulf bet~reenr e l i g i o n
and science, which f i r s t begzn t o
a;>pei?r i n about the 17th century
2nd has been widening ever since.
T h i ~i s fortunate because r e l i g i o n
and aEience i n partnership :~ould
form a formidzble enemy t o our
cause. ;&st 2s pleasingly i r o n i c
about t h e present s i t u a t i o n i s
t h a t , while t h e churches believe
themselves t o be making t h e i r
doctrines more acceptable t o
science by making them more "reasonable", science i t s e l f i s moving i n
exactly t h e opposite direction,
namely towards concepts which only
a few years ago would have seemed
l i k e the ravings of a r e l i g i o u s
visionary.
Take t h e good old doctrine of
t h e Virgin Birth. Now today t h e
chances a r e t h a t a progressive
Anglican o r even 'Catholic p r i e s t ,
when speaking t o an i n t e l l i g e n t
person, w i l l say t h a t "between
ourselves" he doesn't r e a l l y
believe l i t e r a l l y i n t h e Virgin
B i r t h but sees it as aepretty
f a i r y s t o r y t o keep I t a l i a n peasa n t s happy. A p i t y t h a t he doesn't
keep abreast of developments i n
science as I do. I f he did he
would know about the discovery th&
q u i t e a few animal species, includi n g c e r t a i n types of l i z a r d , a r e
p e r f e c t l y capable of v i r g i n b i r t h
a s t h e scieno r ~~parthenogenesisn
tists c a l l it. Ahd it is only a
very short s t e p from l i z a r d s t o
human beings. I n short, t h e r e i s
nothing p a r t i c u l a r l y astonishing
about v i r g i n b i r t h , and I am damned
i f I oan see why anyone born i n
t h a t way should think himself a cut
above a l i z a r d , l e t alone a cut
above the whole of humanity.
But t h e point I ' m t r y i n g t o make
i s that science is moving towards
a s e t of b e l i e f s and a jargon and
r i t u a l which have enormous potenti a l f o r r e l i g i o u s exploitation
t h e concept of "black holes" i n
space i s another example. But
fortunateiy t h i s has escaped t h e
notice of our Christian friends.
Talking of black holes reminds me
of t h e description i n Jung*s
Sermones ad Nortuos of our Lord
t h e Devil as "the e t e r n a l sucking
gorge of t h e void". It has been
fashionable among our enemies f o r
.
so long now t o claim that only
-
God i s r e a l and t h a t t h e Devil i s
just an illusion, t h a t I t a k e my
hat o f f t o t h e s c i e n t i s t s f o r
revpaling h i s Lordship t o t h e
t h e more so a s they f a i l public
ed t o f i n d God i n t h e i r searches.
-
The slackening of t r a d i t i o n
which I have described i s also,
as I have s a i d , found i n t h e world
of t h e Left Hand Path, but t h e r e
it is of minor consequence
even
though a few sentimentalists l i k e
myself may r e g r e t it. No, a more
important concern f o r ue a s Satanists is t o a s s i s t man's fundamental
i n s t i n o t s i n t h e i r natural and
healthy r e b e l l i o n against t h e
Church,
-
Recently I have been making my
own contribution t o the war e f f o r t
by t r y i n g out some new black magica l workings. And apropos of this
I must t e l l you about a curious
mishap which turned out i n t h e end
t o have r a t h e r amusing and s a t i s f a c t o r y r e s u l t s . The other day over
breakfast I was joltting down a
s p e l l t o sow discord and aggressivness among a p a r t i c u l a r order of
nuns. I absent-mindedly made my
jottings
t h e names of.demons and
over an
a few magical sigils
a r t i c l e on t h e imminent World Cup
matoh between Germany and Austria.
Then I forgot a l l about it u n t i l a
couple of days l a t e r what should I
read i n my Evening Standard of
June 23, 1978, but the following
item about a nun from t h e order i n
question :
"A nun belonging t o t h e Merciful
S i s t e r s Order sprang a t a coach
d r i v e r a t a motorway cafe near
Frankfurt and half-strangled him
when lie cheered Austria's victorg"
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.
The Devil works i n mysterious
ways h i s wonders t o perform !
Alexander Von Suchten M.D.
The Sweat on a Philosopher's Brow
MICHAEL JONES
@
A short l i f e of Alexander von Suchten o r Sethon appeared i n t h e
anonymous LIVES OF THE ALCEBMYSTICAL PHILOSOPHERS, ondo don 1815). This
volume l a t e r turned out t o have been written by Francis B a r r e t t , author
of THE MAGUS. According t o Barrett,Alexander was a Scotsman who lived
i n a mansion near t o t h e seashore, probably a t Port Seton, a few miles
from =inburgh. I n t h e summer of 1601, a Dutch s a i l i n g ship was wrecked
on the coast and Sethon took some of t h e crew i n t o h i s house and
offered them every h o s p i t a l i t y and medical aid. Later he v i s i t e d t h e
captain, who was among those he rescued, and stayed with him some weeks.
I n Holland he winessed several performances of t h e Great Work, t h e
transmutation of base metal i n t o gold, demonstrated by h i s host, an
Adept. He was naturally bound t o secrecy but did confide i n a l o c a l
Dutch doctor t o whom he gave a piece of the gold which had been
alchemically transformed from lead on 13th March, 1602.
Alexander v i s i t e d Amsterdam and Rotterdam, I t a l y , Switzerland,
and l a t e r Germany, where he i s described by a contemporary a s having
a very s p i r i t u a l appearance, r a t h e r short and very stouf, with a beard
" i n she French style". Jacob Zwinger, a respected German ohemist,
witnessed how Alexander chenged sulphur and lead i n t o gold by simply
applying the Ifpowder of projectionU from a small packet i n h i s possession. This took place i n Basle. Eventually he a t t r a c t e d the a t t e n t i o n
of Christian 11, who imprisoned him i n a tower where he was closely
,parded by f o r t y s o l d i e r s and mercilessly tortured. But he ~rouldnot
$ve up h i s secret.
Michael Sendivogius, t h e apparent author of NOVUbI LUIlEX C I - T I C U M ,
v i s i t e d him while he was l e f t i n s o l i t a r y confinement, h i s t o r t u r e r s
having f a i l e d , and arranged h i s escape. Sendivogius sold h i s own house,
bribed t h e goalers and got them drunic. He then carried Sethon t o
safety, f o r he was unable t o walk a f t e r the torture. Sendivogius had
hoged t h a t Alexander would now t e l l him h i s s e c r e t but was blankly
refused. But two years l a t e r when Alexander died, hi; rescuer obP&iried
the remains of the powder.
Sendivogius l a t e r married ~lexandel?swidow and according t o
A.E. Waite i n TIE SECFflB! TRADITION I N ALCHEMY' (1926) probably s t o l e
~ l e x a r i d e r ~t rse a t i s e s and published them as h i s own. He a l s o used the
powder which had f a l l e d i n t o h i s hands t o perform t h e Great Work.
Eventually it ran out. Another story, however, claims t h a t Sendivogius
only assumed t o have no r e a l knowledge i n order t o avoid t h e f a t e of
h i s teacher. He pretended t o be ill and t o be poor so t h a t he would
be considered a common t r i c k s t e r . Whatever t h e t r u t h of t h e matter i s ,
it is c l e a r t h a t t h e works a t t r i b u t e d t o Sendivogius have behind them
t h e teachings and s p i r i t u a l attainment of Alerander who i n h i s t u r n
was t h e pupil of t h e Dutch captain.
Often t h e legends about the alchemists contain a s much alchemy
a s t h e i r own writings. What a r e we t o make of t h e Dutch ship t h a t is
wrecked on t h e seashore outside ~ l e x a n d e r ' smansion? It i s t h i s t w i s t
of f a t e OF a c t of God which begins t h e whole sequence. The l a t e r
alchemists were aware of a connection between what they c a l l e d t h e
prima materia of t h e i r alchemioal work and the potent image of t h e
s p i r i t brooding over t h e waters with t h e dark e a r t h below described
i n Genesis. This reprisented t h e mysteries of subetanee and transubs t a n t i a t i o n of which they were pupils. Above were t h e s t a r r y waters of
t h e cosmos with t h e s p i r i t brooding over them and below was t h e dark
e a r t h of alchemy, made up of three mysterious substances o r principles,
sulphur, s a l t and mercury.
I n t h e BOOK OF THE THREE FACUDTIES by Alaxsndor we f i n d t h e
following passage :
"When man l e a r n t how, out of water, through corruption and
generation, these t h r e e substances a r e born, he had not yet
found h i s Creator, whose S p i r i t brooded over t h e waters, as
t h e Scriptures say. He therefore takes t h e t h r e e bodies,
narrowly examines one a f t e r t h e other, r e f l e c t s t h a t God i s
since He has
a S p i r i t , i n v i s i b l e t o human eyes aad that
created a l l thinga
He must be a Living Power. Therefore
man takes water, regards i t , f i n d s t h e r e i n nothing but t h e
four elements. Then again taking Sulphur, he finds a l s o
t h e r e i n but the four elements, t h a t is, nothing stable.
sees t h e r e is something more t h e r e i n
Lastly he takes S a l t
than i n Water and Sulphur, yea, he f i n d s two things t
(1) A Water not d i f f e r e n t from t h e former (2) A Sulphur
d i f f e r i n g from t h e former, i.e. a Sulphur which burns not.
The t h i r d t h i n g he found not f o r it vanished from before
his eyes. What should he do? It was gone. Where should he
f i n d i t ? He regarded t h e Water, t h e Sulphur, two f i n e , pure,
white substances ; b u t t h e t h i r d , which had l a i n among them
and joined t h e two together, was departed, and it was t h e
same he had been seeking.
Hence he became very sad, crying day and night unto t h e Lord,
u n t i l he found w h a t he sought. But who shall describe how it
was found? O r what e a r s may l i s t e n t o so great a mystery?
Verily, i n this is contained t h e Wisdom of a l l C e l e s t i a l and
T e r r e s t i a l Things! Here i s t h e same mystery aa when, i n t h e
l a t t e r times, t h e Word was made Flesh, t h e chosen partakers
of which see Heaven open with St. Stephen, and t h e Son of
-
-
-
M a n s i t t i n g a t God's r i g h t hand.
-
-
And
with St. Paul
they
ascend i n t o the Third Heaven. Hence it i s permitted t o none
t o reveal it. Through this mystery t h e Magi have known t h e
Trinity, and t h e Incarnation of t h e Word, and have written
concerning t h e same many centuries before t h e b i r t h of C h r i s t ,
Bu+ w3e t o t h e man who s h a l l reveal this s e c r e t i n any other
way than it has already been revealed! Hence I am t o be
exmsed f o r being s i l e n t concerning this Arcanum, whioh God
reserves f o r His beloved, and w i l l i n His mercy reveal t o
1
those honestly s t r i v i n g f o r t h e same."
Alexander searched within t h e essence of t h e s a l t f o r something
whioh l i n k s together two opposing tendencies. He was convinced t h a t
t h e s a l t contained t h e g r e a t e s t mystery of a l l , t h i s was not a wisdom
of contemplation but an a c t i v e power which could transform matter.
I n t h e same book from which I have qtmted Alexmder describes
three great books which contained t h e Divine knowledge imparted t o
man a f t e r t h e Fall. This howledge was not i n i t i a l l y a knowledge f o r
contemplatipn but a knowlectge f o r working I n i n t h e sweat of h i s brow".
The BOOK OF ASTRONOMY deals with t h e mysteries of the Hater over
which t h e s p i r i t brooded. The BOOK OF MEDICINE deals with t h e power
of a l l t h e things growing out 02 t h e earth, and these two a r e united
by a thicd, t h e BOOK OF THEOLOGY which deals with t h e w a t e r y of t h e
Trinity. Those who studied these books were knoun as "the Magi", t h e
wise teachers of mankind. The s p i r i t u a l knowledge remained with t h e
M a g i and only t h e books passed t o the people. This lead t o a great
deal of misunderstanding. The o r i g i n a l M a g i died and t h e books remained.
The magical books of the astronomers were severely mutilated a s they
wsre passed on. Originally it was not thought t h a t outer sun and moon
influenced man, but t h e sun and moon and planets which adorned t h e
heavens within, where the Creator himself abides. In a s i m i l a x way,
commentaries on the o r i g i n a l books of medicine were written and there
arose a s e c t who called themselves physioians. True medicine died ou-It
and only t h e 'signs1 remained. These signs a r e a l l t h e herbs and
flowers and t r e e s found on t h e e a r t h but they only point t o what i s
needed f o r healing. The e a r t h i t s e l f , according t o Alexander, was
given t o man b$ t h e Magi t o teach him t h e science of medicine. Likewise
t h e theologiane have not received t h e i r wisdom d i r e c t l y from t h e Magi
o r t h e l i g h t of nature, but from theology which has "darkened t h e
s e c r e t s of God t o t h e utmostn. They claim t o be t h e sole i n t e r p r e t e r s
of God but i n f a c t know nothing. Alexander sees t r u e theology a s doing
t h e good, a s a magical a c t i v i t y .
'*You have Moses and t h e Prophets, Christ an& t h e Apostles ;
hear what they say. They speak not with t h e mouth alone, but
with hands and f e e t , with f i r e and water, with s i l v e r and
gold, with s a l t , with s i l k , with velvet, with stone, with
black, with white, with red, with yellow, with wax, and with
o i l , etc. Hear not alone what the mouth says, hear what t h e
water says, what t h e s a l t says. They a l s o speak, but another
tongue. Learn t h i s , and then Scribes and Pharisees w i l l not
2
be able t o lead you astray..
.."
Two testaments, t h e Old and t h e New, alone remain from t h e
o r i g i n a l magical books of theology. They point t o t h e t a s k of finding
God i n a l l creatures. T h i s was t h e key which joined medicine and
astromony. It was t h e l i v i n g s p i r i t of S a l f , o r magical w i l l , . without
which t h e Yater of Astronomy and t h e Sulphur of Medicine remained
only doctrinal. It was t h e l i v i n g creative s p i r i t that brooded between
heaven and earth. We cannot understand theology and u n i t e our thinking
and f e e l i n g llunless C h r i s t e a t s and drinks with us, t h a t is, persona l l y with us a s one man with anothern.
I n Alexander's book A.N EXPLANATION OF THE NATUBBL PEIMSOPBEB~S
TINCTURE OF THEOPHRASTUS PARACEISUS, also included i n t h e G O D E N CASKET,
t h e process i s f u r t h e r revealed. He begins with t r y i n g t o reaoh an
understanding of t h e Creation.
"For God having created a l l creatures and elements out of
one thing, vis., water, it follows t h a t He began making
two things out of t h e o r i g i n a l one thing. The f i r s t He
has taken up on high making of it a heavenly water ; t h e
other was gathered below, and by coagulation became earth."
The alchemist had t o reproduce t h i s s i t u a f i o n i n consciousness. What
ascends on high, the s p i r i t u a l water, is c a l l e d t h e Eagle. It i s a key
t o t h e renewal of man. Alexander quotes t h e Psalm, "Like the eagle
s h a l t thou renew thy youthn. It i s white, transparent and heavenly.
It i s n e i t h e r s o u l nor bady but a universal power of regeneration
dispersed through a l l nature. It i s a c t i v e "in t h e winds of heaven,. in
t h e e a r t h and i n the bosom of t h e wide waterst1. It is both root and
b i r d and can be found imprisoned i n gold.
The other part of t h e water, t h e lower p a r t , has become corrupted
and dry. It i s known a s t h e Lion. The Eagle was hatched out of t h e
body of t h e Lion, the Lion was a kind of egg and t h e Eagle, hatched
i n the warmth, has flown away. It i s now a Lion because it i s sharp
and penetratina. Paracelsus c a l l e d it "an i n v i s i b l e consuming f i r e w .
I n contrast t c t h e Eagle i t s residue i s heavy and descending. It i s
t h e n a t u r a l heat of a l l l i v i n g things. It gave b i r t h t o t h e Eagle, and
died. It is t h e p r i n c i p l e of Sulphur.
The t h i r d p r i n c i p l e , t h e S a l t o r t h e s p i r i t brooding over t h e
water i s c a l l e d t h e * ' g l i t t e r of gold1*. The e a r t h i s gold l e f t i n an
imperfect s t a t e f o r t h e alchemist t o transform.
It i s sometimes c a l l e d "the Lion's bloodt*. This blood has no e x i t
u n t i l t h e body i s opened. This golden g l i t t e r i s so mixed with t h e
e a r t h t h a t it cannot a c t i v e l y work. The t a s k of t h e alchemist i s t o
r e l e a s e it. This involves a Descent i n t o H e l l of t h e Eagle, but t h i s
cannot be accomplished without enduring a process of p u t r e f a c t i o n o r
decay. "There can be no generation with putrefaction1', according t o
t h e alchemical formula. Gradually t h e Lion must l o s e a l l h i s h e a r t ,
blood and strength. As a symbol o f C h r i s t , water and blood flow from
t h e wound i n t h e Lion s side. The blood becomes a kind of golden o i l
i f t h e process is c a r r i e d on by a g e n t l e f i s e . Eventually t h e water
and t h e a i l a r e f u r t h e r purified. They draw near t o a pure fountain
whirh i s described as t h e b e a u t i f u l golden leaves of a golden book.
"Here a r e Adam and Eve naked, f o r t h e i ~eyes a r e opened, and they now
see themselves, what was good and bad i n t h e i r own s ~ b s t a n c e ~ ~
S .t i l l
t h e process i s not complete.
Adam t h e "red mant* representing t h e p u r i f i e d warmth i n t h e
Sulphur is t o be put i n t o a warm bath where he must sleep. During
h i s sleep t h e alchemist c u t s open h i s r i g h t s i d e so t h a t t h e b e a u t i f u l
white woman corrcealed within him may come forth. Later she i s brought
t o him and becomes pregnant. Her f i r s t b o r n c h i l d i s t h e new Adam who
i f fed with h i s young mother's milk w i l l bring s a l v a t i o n u n t i l "the
whole world" w i l l become f u l l of gold, p e a r l s and precious stones.
Sometimesthis process i s described d i f f e r e n t l y and instead of Adam,
t h e red man, a black man who i s trapped i n t h e e a r t h i s rescued by
a young woman who clothes him with a purple robe and teaches him t h e
highest wisdom. She i s describes a s being "adorned with glorious
white wings and golden feathers". She wears p e a r l s on her knees and
her head i s crowned with gold s e t with a s i l v e r s t a r . She is surrounded
by sweet s c e n t s and aromas and on her f e e t she wears golden shoes.
These imaginations a r e q u i t e transparent f o r a s p i r i t u a l process
which has its foundation i n a separation of two things i n order t h a t
they mzy be more deeply q u a l i f i e d and purified, followed by a new
synthesis which takes place i n t h e w i l l . The process i s repeated
again and again i n d i f f e r e n t forms but t h e p a t t e r n remains t h e sane.
Consciousness is not allowed t o remain within i t s e l f but s u f f e r s
a n n i h i l a t i o n i n order t o be reborn a s deed. The alchemist i n t h e 16th
and 17th century faced t h e problem of an ever widening gulf between
a howledge of nature poised on t h e brink of materialism and a r e l i g ious f a i t h become abstrac* and impotent. H i s t a s k was t o l a y t h e seeds
f o r an understanding of man i n which nature and s p i r i t were w a i n
unified. This was t h e l o s t s a l t o r philosopher's stone imparted t o h i s
t r u e d i s c i p l e s by t h e Christ.
You a r e t h e s a l t of t h e e a r t h I' !
1.
2.
A Golden and Blessed Casket of ~ a t u r d sJ b v e l s . Alchemical
writings collected by Benedictus Figulus 1608 inc cent Stuart,1963)
Divinatory Geomancy - An Hermetic Art
STEPHEN S K I N N E R @
Islam, with its s t r i c t doctrine of pre-destination, o f f e r s f e r t i l e
ground f o r the p r o l i f e r a t i o n of systems of divination. One of the oldest
of these i s Goomancy o r ' I l m Ar-Raml, l i t e r a l l y the 'Science of t h e
Sand1. The sand can be used i n several d i f f e r e n t ways ; e i t h e r purely
suggestively by sprinkling i t in c e r t a i n shapes, o r more r i g i d l y by
drawing a number of l i n e s t o derive a geomantic f i g u r e a s i n t h e
geomancy of &.ad B. '811 Zunbul, who l i v e d about 1550, i n whose works
we f i n d mention of the t r a d i t i o n a l pedigree of geomancy.
Zunbul s t a t e s t h a t t h e angel Gabriel appeared before I d r i s (the
Arabic name f o r Hermes ~ r i s m e g i s t u s )and taught him the a r t of gsomancy.
I n t h e usual hermetic t e x t s a revelation i s bestowed on Hermes who i n
passes it on t o h i s son Tat or t o Asklepios ( i n the case of a more
medically i n c l i ~ e d~ e r m e t i c a ) . Such t e x t s form part of a vast corpus of
'Hermetic L i t e r a t u r e 1 , of which t h e Poimandres i s perhaps t h e best known.
From Xernes Trismegistus t h e chain passes on t o the elusive lTum$uml,
allegedly an Indian t o vrhom Hermes taught t h e a r t of geomanoy. Tum3utn
appears t o belond t o legend r a t h e r than t o history, although h i s name
may be the corruption of an actual personage, not necessarily from
India. For Islam, India has t h e same aura of mystery a s Egypt has had
f o r Europe i n more recent years : consequently i f it was necessary t o
give a subject greater authority, an Indian source was invoked by
I s l m i c writers. Moslem t r a v e l l e r s often made a pilgrimage t o India,
and " t o be an Indian, wise i n t h e interpretatiom of secrets" was one of
t h e i d e a l s of t h e Brethren of Purity who obviously influenced Zunbul i n
h i s geomancy. Zunbul even claims t h a t mumls geomancy was " i n the
language of the inhabitants-of Indiav1. The next person i n t h e chain of
descent was Sfalaf al-Barbari who t r a v e l l e d t o India t o study geomancy,
where he copied T_wntum(s t e x t i n t o Arabic. From h i s work Abu 'Abdall-2
idu&mmad az-Zanzti drew on al-Barbarils work t o produce one of the more
's
a r e not known, but
complete geomancies of t h e time. ~ z - ~ a n ^ a t ~dates
it i s suspected t h a t he l i v e d during thc 12th o r 13th century. I n t u r n
Zunbul drew h i s work from t h a t of ~ a n g t i .
Zunl?ulls dates a r e not certain, but as he mentions t h e Sultan
Sulaiman t h e ~ i r s t ( 1 5 2 01566), and a l s o t h a t one of his sons died in
1553, it can be assumed t h a t Zunbul flourished c i r c a 1550.
We see from the t i t l e of Zunbul's book 'A Treatise on t h e Solution
of Problems*, t h a t it intends t o be a praotioal manual of divinatory
geomenay. It i s t h e l a r g e s t of Zunbul*s.books and is divided i n t o 31
ohapters. After o u t l i n i n g t h e h i s t o r y of geomanoy i n h i s preface,
Zuubul ( i n t h e guise of Hermes Trismegistus o r ~ d r i s )explains t h a t t h e
16 figures of geomancy ( G k g l ) a r e allocated t o the 16 houses o r
mansions (buyiit). Zunbul then outlines these 16 d i f f e r e n t f i g u r e s
explaining that t h e primary figure i s Via, o r i n Arabic Tariq (the path
or way). This is t h e primary figure because it contains one dot on each
of its four l a y e r s : these layers correspond with t h e four elements, so
that reading downwards we have :
From t h i s basic f i g u r e of Via ( ~ a r i q ) ,Zunbul s t a t e s t h a t a l l t h e
other figures a r e derived, and a r e l e s s perfect than this prime figure.
Here geomancy, l i k e alchemy, u t i l i z e d a method of mixing t h e elements,
t o form t h e various figures. Thus i f t h e bottom dot corresponding t o
Earth) is removed, and replaced instead by two dofs o r by a l i n e i n
t h e manuscript), we get t h e f i g u r e 'ataba G r i h
which i s Cauda
Draoonis, symbolically consisting of F i r e , g r , Water, but n o t Earth.
Likewise f o r nusra h a r i a , o r Fortuna Minor*: ,which consists of F i r e
and A i r but no Water o r Earth. The other figures which a r e l i s t e d by
Zunbul an i n t h e Table opposite, obey t h e same r u l e s of elemental
construct ion.
.:.
I
The f i r s t four geomantic figures a r e cast in the usnal mvlner and
t h e remainder worked out by addition t i l l you haze a s e r i e s of-16
figures t o place i n t h e houses or mansions (taskin). This t a s k i n i s then
interpreted on t h e b a s i s of t h e a s t r o l o g i c a l relationships between
figures, and with reference t o t h e i r elemental constitutions. This
division of individual geomantio figures i n t o elements is almost unique
t o Zunbul's manuscript, and does not seem t o have been carried through
i n t o l a t e r European developments 02 geomancg, although of oourse whole
individual figures have always had elemental a t t r i b u t i o n s .
I n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t h e most powerful figure i s again t a r i q o r via,
because it includes a l l of t h e four elements. This i s q u i t e t h e reverse
of l a t e r geomantio; i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s when via, the way, was a t t r i b u t e d t o
the fluctuating moon, and became one of the l e s s powerful figures.
Perhaps t h e no~nadioelement in Arab l i f e has contributed t o the importance of t a r i q , an importance not relevant i n sedentary Europe.
Further q u a l i t i e s a r e denoted by t h e position of the dots on t h e
figure, so t h a t from t h e geomanay of t h e Indian Tumtum, t h e f i r s t dot
equates with minerals, t h e second with l i v i n g crea;tures, t h e t h i r d with
plants, and t h e fourth with inorganio bodies ( o r gama'it). Time sequences
can a l s o be detefmined from figures by attritfmting c e r t a i n numbers of
years,months, weeks o r days t o each figure, so t h a t t h e length of a l i f e ,
of a journey, of a dynasty, o r of an appointment can be determined by
geomantic manipulation.
Geomancy-was not only taken by drab t r z d e r s south i n t o Africa, but
also north through Spain i n t h e eleventh century t o Europe, where it
I
Geomantic F i m e s
and rough meanings
Name o f figure
Arabic
Astro
Corr.
La-tin
wrq
via
I
tataba dHyla
caput draconir
I Q-
nu?ra @i&
fortuna minor
q i y y al--&id
paella
bayq
albus
i&hiiC
conjuncti0
nu^ d'a@lila
fortuna major
#
G'\r\
VJ CLte
13 Co.iundt'on
..=
....
N(& FO~+Y~=:
U+
15
l6
t
n
LOSS
,-.
..
-.
..
*b
qabd dZS1
qa?
$rig
aequisitio
clrirsio
0
3+
9
became one of t h e t h r e e o r four great European methods of divination,
l i k e t h e Tarot or Batrolog~r. It is a l s o t h e most e a s i l y apprehended of
t h e four elemental modes of divination ; Pymmancy (divination by F i r e ) ,
Hydromancy (by water), Aeriomancy (by Air), and Geoma~lcy(by ~ a r f h ) .
Pyromanay is f a m i l i a r t o ne a l l , f o r who has not s t a r e d i n t o an
open f i r e and perceived many figures t h e r e i n ? The same term applies t o
vision u s i n g c a n d l e s o r any other flamee, such a s divination from t h e
appearance of a f i r e i n which a s a o r i f i c e i s consumed,
Hydroma,nay works r a t h e r l i k e t h e c r y s t a l b a l l , except t h a t t h e
diviner looks f o r images and visions in t h e d e p t b of pools o r t h e
ebbing and flowing of some n a t u r a l watercourse o r fountain. Omens a r e
also drawn from t h e contortions of molten wax o r lead poured i n t o water,
or the washed e n t r a i l s of s a c r i f i c i a l animals.
Aeriomanoy is divination by t h e shape of clouds, t h e winds, rainbows
and the other phenomena of t h e sky. It is a l l i e d with augury,
Unlike these other methods, Geomancy i s l i k e its element, very down
t o earth, and needs no great natural clairvoyant a b i l i t y , aa does t h e
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e oracles and omens of t h e other t h r e e 'nancies.
Geomancy is t h e a r t of obtaining insight i n t o t h e present o r f u t u r e
by observing t h e combinations of p a t t e r n s made i n t h e e a r t h o r on paper
by a diviner allowing h i s i n t u i t i o n o r l t h e s p i r i t s of the earth1 t o
control t h e movements of h i s wand o r pencil.
Having outlined d i v i n a t o q geomancy i n i t s o r i g i n a l form, it is
worth while b r i e f l y considering t h e more recent applications of the
word t o t e l l u r i c geomancy.
When t h e Chinese science of divining t h e presence of t h e s u b t l e
currents i n t h e e a r t h and t h e i r e f f e a t on man was f i r s t investigated
by Europeans, t h e Chinese term f e n n s h u i was t r a n s l a t e d *geomancyt.
Certainly feng-shui was concerned with t h e earth, but
t h e appropr i a t i o n of a word which applied t o a divinatory technique t o describe
t h i s przotice, was t o say t h e l e a s t very confusing.
Early w r i t e r s on t h e strange art of feng-shui called it geomancy
f o r wanf of a b e t t e r name, f a l s e l y connecting it with t h e system of
divination which i s completely d i f f e r e n t from i t s Chinese sibling.
'Topomancyl o r even Igeoscopy' might have been a b e t t e r t r a n s l a t i o n
of feng-shui which i s t h e a r t of discovering 'dragon veins1, t h e
which the Chinese supposed affected
subtle t e l l u r i c currents of
t h e propitiousness of any p a r t i c u l a r s i t e f o r building o r burying.
IGeorcancyt, i n the Chinese sense has a l s o become a popular term
.Po- studies of t h e subtle counterpart of l e y alignments and megalithic
patterns and s t r u c t u r e s i n B r i t a i n , i n recent years.
Hartmann, Franz
Reg3rdie, D r I
A P r a c t i c a l Guide t o Geomantic Divination,
Skinner, Stephen
Aquarian, Wellingborough 1972
Oracle of Geomancy, ~ a r n e r l ~ e s t i niJew
~ , York 1977
1-26
Geomancp, Rider,London 1913
A Collection o f S a c r e d ~ a y i c k . C o m
4
he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
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THE VISION OF THE FOUR CASTLES
KELLY
AND
DEE
A Vision
East and West, North and South stand four sumptious and
belligerent castles, out of which sound Trumpets thrice.
From every Castle, a Cloth, the Sign of Majesty is cast,
In the East it is red, like new smitten blood. In the
South, lily white. In the West, green garlick-bladed
like the skins of many dragons. In the North, hair
coloured, black like bilberry juice, Four trumpeters
issue forth from the Castles, with trumpets pyramidal,
of six cones, wreathed. Three Ensign bearers, with the
names of God on their banners, follow them. Seniors,
Kings, Princes as train bearers, Angels in four phalanxes,
like crosses, all in their order, march to the central
court, and range themselves about the ensigns.
It Vanisheth
The daszling, shifting formation seems to proceed in a
glorious pageant of colour, and then to rest, frosen into
a minutely exact phantasticon of harmony. Now for the
meaning of this allegory. The Castles are watch towers
provided against the Devil, the watchman in each is a
mighty Angel. The ensigns publish the redemption of
Mankind. The Angels of the Aires, which come out of the
Crosses, are to subject whole countries, without armies,
in this war waged against the Powers of Darkness.
Hermetic Meditation
Number 1
I n t h i s s e r i e s of elementary meditative exercises, no special postures
a r e required but t h a t i n which one is most comfortable, nor a r e anyspecial breathing rwhw used. 1:Ieditation should be undertaken when one
is not too t i r e d , and t h e best s i t u a t i o n i s probably lying down i n a
quiet nearly dark room, and it is e s s e n t i a l t o have privacy and no
p o s s i b i l i t y of being disturbed.
THE PHILOSOPHIC EGG OR RETORT
In the f i r s t part of t h e meditation begin t o explore the way i n which
one's inward being connects with t h e outward world. Follow out i n
consciousness, say, one% hearing of a s l i g h t sound, f e e l one's consciousness raying out towards t h e source of t h e sound, then r e t u r n
inwards. Allow oneself t o become aware of one's body posture, a small
discomfort perhaps, f e e l through one's sense of touch how one connects
with the physical world, and then allow one's consciousness t o withdraw
and follow this back inwards. Continue this with a l l the senses using
the impulses t h a t come t o one through the sense organs i n a natural
do not t r y t o force o r repress these r e a l i t i e s , but follow these
outwards and allow oneself t o r e t u r n inward. One (will begin t o f e e l an
awareness growing of the relationship between ones inner being and onds
perception, and when t h i s a r i s e s n a t u r a l l y i n t h e meditation, begin t o
inward$form a picture of this awareness, a s an Egg o r Flask-Retort.
Picture one's being a s a flask. The outside world can only enter
through the walls of t h e f l a s k , t h e s h e l l of t h e egg. Let one's consciousness look outwards through the walls of t h e f l a s k i n t o the sense
world, and be able t o retnrri inward t o one's soul egg.
As the meditation continues, one w i l l f i n d a r i s i n g q u i t e naturally,
sudden images, jumbled thoughts, d a i l y worries. I n t h i s exercise, do
not t r y t o repress these o r avert one's consciousness from them, but
allow each of them i n turn, t o develop, grow t o f r u i t i o n , and then
watch them dissolve and t h e i r energy dissipate. These images, emotiona l impulses a r i s e out of our unconsciousness, t h e raw energy of our
inner l i f e , t h e background of our being. Picture t h i s i n t h e meditation
a s the most inward content of the f l a s k or egg, a desp i n t e r i o r darkness
out of which these impulses unoonsciously stir. Allow one's being t o
sink inwards, t o immerse oneself i n t h e inner contents of t h e f l a s k ,
then r e t u r n t;o the surface.
One must now begin t o bring Chese two p a r t s of the exercise together,
picturing one's being a s t h e egg or r e t o r t , a dynamic boundary between
t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y of outer perception, and inward streaming unconscious
a c t i v i t y . I n t h i s meditative exercise, one's soul touches upon t h e two
seas i n which one's being has no firm foundation, and through t h i s
inner touching, begins t o contact t h a t s o l i d ground of the soul, which
l i e s between these two realms. Thus one begins t o grow a space within,
a space i n whichonecan work surely with t h e soul.
This is a very simple meditation, and t o t h e i n t e l l e c t it may seem
t r i v i a l , but exercises such a s t h i s a r e e s s e n t i a l i n developing a
contact with t h e ground space of the soul, the Retort, or Philosophic
Egg i n which inner development can occur. I f one w i l l persevere w i t h
it, one can use t h i s exercise as a method of opening and closing a
more extended mediatative working.
THE SCIENCE OF AYURVEDA :
A HINDU ALCHEMY
BY SRI LOKANATH
-
-
Byurveda
t h e Indian Medical Science
is one of t h e eighteen limbs
of Vedanta, and i s therefore a cornerstone of Hinduism. I n i t s doctrine
and practice many curioua correspondences with t h e alchemical science
a r e t o be found, p a r t i c u l a r l y t h a t branch which originated in t h e
Indian sub-continent. Ayurveda ( lit. *longlevity knowledge1 ) is
s t i l l a f l o u r i s h i n g and much used science. The otherwise very secularminded government of India has established a university f o r i t s study,
and throughout India can be found temples t o which a r e attached t h e
p r a c t i t i o n e r s of the medical Shastra.
The theory of t h i s s t i l l e x i s t i n g alchemy i s found i n t h e Tri-dosha
( ~ h r e esubstances) and Sapta-Dhaatu (seven Bodily Elements). Hindu
medicine holds t h a t man i s nourished by breath and by' impressions a s
well a s by food and water. For a substance t o be food f o r the organism
it must contain t h e t h r e e Doshas, which correspond t o t h e t h r e e Gunas
Rajas, Sattvas and Tamas, and t o the Hestern Sulphur, Mercury and Salt.
-
I n t h e alimentary canal t h e r e a r e s a i d t o be t h r e e points a t which each
of the t h r e e n u t r i e n t s become acceptable and accepted by the organism.
The f i r s t of these is a t t h e tongue ( s a l i v a ) , t h e second i n t h e
stomac% and t h e t h i r d i n t h e lower inteatine. What i s n u t r i e n t i n t h e
matter introduced a s food i s ext'racted and goes t o form t h e f i r s t of
t h e seven Bodily Elements o r Dhaatus. The remainder i e excreted a s t h e
t h r e e Eilalas. A 1 1 t h i s can be conveniently summsrized i n t h e diagram.
The highest of t h e n u t r i e n t s i n t h e f i r s t Dhaatu becomes food f o r t h e
next part of t h e food chain i n each individual. This process continues
u n t i l t h e highest Element in the body, Semen, i s produced by this
gradual t a k i n g up of t h e higher elemen* of each substance.
It is a t t h i s point t h a t Breath a s Food Substance enters t h e chain,
and transforms t h e highest of t h e f i r s t octave i n t o the lowest element
of the next octave, t h a t of Breath. From t h e highest element of this
octave comes t h e lowest element of t h e next, o r Impression Octave.
For it is a fundamental t e n e t of t h e Ayurvedic School t h a t what reaches
us a s sound, touch, colour, odour etc., a r e a c t u a l physical substances
which have t h e i r place i n t h e food factory. A t t h i s point it is
necessary t o point out that t h e Russian George Gurdjieff has alluded
t o t h i s process a t great length ( see '1x1 Search of t h e Miraculous1 by
usp pen sky) and many followers of Gurd j i e f f have claimed o r i g i n a l i t y
f o r t h e concept of t h e Food Factory. The l i t e r a t u r e of Ayurveda,
however, gives t h e l i e t o these claime.
Each of these Three Elements in Man's being is assigned a
mechanism, through which it p a r t i c u l a r l y functions. These
y
t h e Nervous System ( ~ a a t a~ a n t r a ) t h e C i r c ~ l a ~ t o rSystem
Yantra) and t h e Kapha Yantra, which consists of a l l f l u i d
t h a t comprised i n t h e Blood System.
,
Yantra, o r
Yantras a r e
(~itta
other than
Food i s s a i d t o be 'cooked1 by each of t h e physiological f i r e s o r @is,
which i n this respect a r e compared t o l i t t l e Suns whioh burn up and
transform t h e nutrient matter i n t o i t s constituent p a r t s f o r use in
t h e organism. And as Bgurveda is closely linked t o and considered a
p a r t of Vedanta (along with Astrology, Grammar, e t c ) then s p i r i t u a l
regeneration along with transmutation of t h e body i n t o i t s highest
possible form is also part of i t s provenance.
Although alchemy i n t h e Western World i s due f o r a revival, it remains
i n India a p r a c t i o a l r e a l i t y . Whilst Western Science moves towards
assimilating t h e Universe through accumulating f a c t s , t h e Hindu Riahis
of Antiquity r e a l i s e d that the Law of Three embraced a l l manifest
existence. This view of t h e Universe regards Man himself a s an element
o r octave i n t h e Universal Food-Chain, and every other substance a s
l i v i n g and capable of transmutation, This view is t r u e t o EIanls
pattern, and t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r r e a l Alchemy.
Literature on Ayurveda is d i f f i c u l t t o come by i n English t r a n s l a t i o n ,
but t h e i n t e r e s t e d reader i s referred t o IAyurveda Sikshaf i n 4 volumes,
edited by Dr. A. Lakshmi Pathi and printed by S h r i Dhanvantari Press,
Bezwada. Other references t o the subjeot may be found in. 'Agni Puranal,
IGaruda Puranal and other general works on Hinduism.
Man's transformation was t h e subjack of i n t e r e s t f o r the Nath Siddhas,
wise men of whom Dattatreya was t h e f i r s t o r Adiguru. The Naths were
and a r e Wise Men who originated Hatha and Laya Yoga. To t h i s day they
practice Alchemy, and succeed i n transmuting t h e body i n t o i t s highest
elements. But perhaps more of t h i s l a t e r !
A Colhction of S a c r e d ~ a q i c k . C o m
4
he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
I
HIS HOLINESS THE ENGLISH PATRIARCH
SHRI DADAJI GURUDEV MAHEN DRANATH
THE AQUARIAN MERLIN AND PARAMAHAMSA
-
5000 YEARS O F OCCULT SCIENCE A N D
ESOTERIC WISDOM H A V E GONE I N T O
T H E M A G I C K C A U L D R O N T O PRODUCE
T W I L I G H T Y O G A T H E E T E R N A L ANGLOI N D I A N SCIENCE.
I
I
A COSMIC CONDENSATION OF HIGHER YOGA, SPIRITUAL ALCHEMY,
MERLIN
MAGICK AND THE WESTERN ESOTERIC TRADITION;
SHRI DATTATREYA AND CH'AN MEDITATION AND THE MILAREPA
MADNESS OF THE BHUTANESE LAMAS WlTH THEIR HIMALAYAN
MOUNTAIN MAGICK AND YOGA; OCCULT TANTRIK TRADITION AND
INITIATION INTO THE SECRET RITES OF THE GODDESS WlTH THE
SHADOW RITES OF THE CULT OF THE NAKED NATHAS; PLUS THE
YOGA MAGICK RITUALS AND DIVINATION OF THE I CHING ORACLE
OF TRANSFORMATIONS.
THE GLYPHS OF THE PLANETS
ADAM MCLEAN
@
Tha planetary symbols w h i c h e e familiar t o ne-ly everyone today,
have a remaskably long histo-.
These well @own symbols w e found i n
the e a r l i e s t preserved d o p e n t s , and any attempt t o identify t h e i r
point of o r i g i n w i l l lead UE t o the doors of the Ancient m t e r y
Schools.
A symbol can only remain integral W i t ha8 an inner l i f e , i f it
M i t e s in a l i v i n g way, idea and form, otherwise twenty f i v e centuries
is plenty time f o r symbols t o undergo d r a s t i c metamorphoses a t the
w h i m s of contemporary changes i n society. Only look a t how the english
language has changed over the l a s t thousand years.
The plaaetary symbols thus have t h i s inner strength, f o r the wise men
of the Mysteries wove the archetypal s p i r i t u a l content into these
glyphs, i n a way which united idea and form. The symbols i n t h e i r
archetypal simplicity oould not change or be modified without losing
t h e i r essence, the inner connection with t h e i r meaning.
Thus i f we can touch upon the inner structure of these symbols something w i l l be revealed t o us of the s p i r i t u a l forces of the planets.
TKE EXOTERIC INTERPRETATION OF THE GLYPHS
This rather limited view of the plenetary glyphs arises out of trying
t o understand t h e . f o m of t h e symlfols through the p a r a l l e l between the
planets and the corresponding Greek-Roman God arohetypes.
becomes
becomes
the reaping hook or s$ckle of SATU8EI-CHRONOS
&
becomes
the Lhunderbolt of JUPITER-ZmS
t h e spear of MARS--
0 remains 0
the sun
Q
the looking glass of VElWS-APHRODITE
becomes
beoomes
t
the oaduceua of MERCURY-
-
These pictures
s i c k l e , thunderbolt, looking-glaaa etc, may have a
c e r t a i n value a s individual memory images but do not provide ua with
a deep i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e glyphs. They lead us always back t o t h e
s i n g l e symbol, they do not build bridges between these archetypal
forms, but emphasise t h e i n d i v i d u a l i t y of t h e image. There a r i s e s a
degree o i inner f r u s t r a t i o n t o t h e o o m l t i s t who works with t h i s
exoteric interpretation, aa he cannot deny i n t u i t i v e l y that t h e
seven glyphs form a united whole, but t h i s p i c t u r e does not lead t o
a grasp of t h a t wholeness.
A Colhction o f S a c r e d ~ a j i c k . C o m
he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
TKE ESOTEXIC INTERPRETATION OF THE GLYPHS
The e s o t e r i c view requires u s t o work with t h e glyph8 slohemically,
t o pursue t h e p a r a l l e l between t h e planets and t h e seven metals, f o ~
out of t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a r i s e s t h e e s s e n t i a l wholeness of these
symbols.
4
6
Jupiter
Tin
mrs
Iron
0 Sun
Gold
Q
Venus
capper
Mercury
Mercury
51
1 MOO^
Silver
We w i l l see t h a t these seven symbols a r e composed of t h r e e simple
u n i t s combined i n various ways
Moon
Earth
Crescent
Croaa
p
.
and we have two simples Sun and Moon, four doubles Mare, Venus, Saturn
and Jupiter, with Mercury a s a t r i p l e symbol.
Also we have two groups of r e l a t e d metals
Group
Moon
Group
The Sun forces, t h e outward raying cosmio l i f e forces, we f i n d on t h e
e a r t h in m e t a l l i c form as gold. Gold i s t h e e a r t h l y r e p r i s e n t a t i v e of
t h e Sun, and a s a pure metal r e f l e c t s a s a warm yellow, it almost has
an inner glow of l i f e , and a s b e f i t s t h e noblest of t h e metals, it is
t h e s o l e metal t h a t w i l l not t a r n i s h , t h a t i s not affected bg t h e
elements. It has however i n i t s pure s t a t e a great softness, being not
completely chained i n form, and indeed it can be beaten t o t h e thinnest
f r a g i l e l e a f and s t i l l remains golden, r e f l e c t i n g light.
I n iron we f i n d t h e cosmic gold forces have 'been overcome by t h e e a r t h
forces. Iron i s outwardly e n t i r e l y e a r t h l y i n nature, dominated by t h e
e a r t h cross. Think only of t h e significance of i r o n i n t h e development
of modern m a t e r i a l i s t i c c i v i l i s a t i o n . The maohine could not t r u l y
become incarnated without iron, thus t h e i n d u s t r i a l revolution and t h e
descent i n t o materialism, i s v i t a l l y connected with t h e cosmic destiny
of thts mars element. Outwardly, i r o n i s given up t o t h e e a r t h nature
but inwardly it s t i l l contains t h e s o l a r foroes, a s inner l i f e forces,
and i n t h i s way can be made t o mimic l i f e , t o produce machines t h a t
have t h e appearance of independent l i f e . Iron has so l i t t l e n o b i l i t y ,
t h a t i n its pure s t a t e i t is most s w c e p t i b l e t o rusting, giving
i t s e l f completely up t o t h e elements. The gold forces a r e held down
by t h e e a r t h l y cross.
I n copper we have t h e opposite t o iron. The s o l a r forces dominate and
r a i s e t h e earthly cross uptrerds away somewhat from t h e earth. Thus
copper can s t i l l reveal a golden glow, somewhat r i c h e r and more
e a r t h l y than t h a t of gold. Copper i s likewise a s o f t metal i n pure
form and i f it is t o be used f o r implements it i s normally alloyed
with other metals i n brass o r bronze, i n order t o oombat i t s tendency
not t o hold form. Inwardly i t s e a r t h l y nature (lower cross) is r a i s e d
a l i t t l e from t h e e a r t h realm, making copper a s a metal open t o r e c e i v ing and holding supra-earthly forcem auch a s e l e c t r i c i t y , and i n t h i s
way complements iron which holds magnetism. Thus when copper and i r o n
a r e brought together i n a p a r t i c u l a r spacial construction, we have
t h e e l e c t r i c motor and generator, t h e means of harnessing the e l e c t r i c a l
forces. Thus t h e lower members of the gold t r i a d , create t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
of mimicing t h e cosmic s o l a r l i f e forces, i n t h e i r e a r t h l y shadow a s
e l e c t r i c a l energy.
-
There is much more one can l e a r n from t h i s understanding of t h e
Gold, Iron, Copper.
relationship of Sun, 1-Iars, Venus
This t r i n i t y is echoed i n our seoond group
-
the Moon group.
S i l v e r , t h e moon metal, with i t s white l u s t r e , i t s more s o l i d hardness
than gold, s p i r i t u a l l y i s more receptive. S i l v e r receives (think of t h e
use of c r y s t a l s of s i l v e r s a l t s i n photography t o hold and perpetuate
an image of t h e l i g h t t h a t f a l l s upon i t ) and r e f l e c t s i t s cold hard
light. It is not so noble a metal a s gold and tarnishes r e l a t i v e l y
easily.
-
I n saturn
lead we f i n d t h e s i l v e r metallic nature immersed i n t h e
earth, c r u c i f i e d i n the e a r t h forces. Lead i s a s o f t metal which
tarnishes very e a s i l y t o a d u l l grey, t h e most given up t o material
forces of a l l t h e metals. It has so l i t t l e inner l i f e force t h a t it
w i l l not even r i n g when struck, and can be melted, gives up i t s s o l i d
form, a t the temperature of a candle flame. One of i t s most important
v i r t u e s a r i s e s out of i t s e a r t h l y nature, t h a t is i t s a b i l i t y t o
absorb harmful radiations such as X-rays and nuclear radiztions.
1-36
Tin the J u p i t e r metal i s closer t o s i l v e r than lead. The moon crescent
triumphs over t h e e a r t h l y cross. Tin has a c e r t a i n hardness compared
with lead and does not t a r n i s h e a s i l y , thus i t can appear.as i f a
precious metal and has been used t o make jewelry. I n comparison t o .
lead t i n has an inner strength which gives t h e tone and q u a l i t y of
sound t o the a l l o y used i n making b e l l s , and organ pipes. It forms a
p a r t i c u l a r l y harmonious relationship with copper i n bronse.
,
Mercury, t h e t r i p l e metal u n i t e s t h e t h r e e 0 , > +, but remains i n the
realm of t h e fluid. Mercury t o the alchemists i s an embodiment of the
t h r e e forces, which has not q u i t e descended i n t o substance-form. The
s o l a r and lunar forces dominate the earthly, cross, thus mercury a s a
metal s t i l l remains i n connection with t h e archetypal cosmic forces,
which brought t h e m r t a l l i c nature i n t o being. Thus i t . i s t h a t t h e
alchemists found i n Hercury a substance which contains a l l t h e forces,
a l l t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s of transformation.
Thus we can see something of the ray i n which the alchemists found
wisdom through concentrated investigation of t h e individual properties
of the metals and how these r e f l e c t a s p i r i t u a l foundation. The metals
a r e part of t h e cosmos brought t o earth. There a r e many other f a c e t s of
t h e i r properties which we could have pursued i n t h i s a r t i c l e , melting
points, chemical valencies, atomic weights and numbers, and these
indications may suggest f u r t h e r l i n e s of investigation t o the reader.
!?e can form t h e diagram, showing
t h e two i n t e r l a c e d t r i a n g l e s of the
s o l a r metals, and t h e i r r e f l e c t i o n
t h e lunar metals, with Mercury t h e
t r i p l e synthesis a t t h e centre. This
diagram brings together something
of t h e e s o t e r i c content woven i n t o
t h e planetary glyphs.
I n t h e planetary glyphs we have
enfolded a profound picture of t h e
r e l a t i o n s h i p between ear%h and cosmos
mirrored i n t h e metallic nature. The
picture presented here can be used t o
investigate other realms of occultism
and has implications f o r a a t r o l o m ,
ceremonial- magical workings, and-the
kabbalah.
For example, t h e r e is a c e r t a i n e s o t e r i o connection preserved.through
t h e glyphs between copper 9 and sunrise, i r o n 6 and sunset and between
and moonrise, lead f and moonset, which can be used i n alohemical
tin
meditation exercises and i n r i t u a l magical forms.
I would l i k e t o append t o t h i s short essay an extract from the teachings
of t h e Reformed Rosy and Golden C r o s g a l a t e 17th century Rosicrucianklchemical Lodgg which w i l l show t h a t the picture I have presented here
was c e r t a i n l y nothing new t o t h e ancient Alchemists.
TEACHINGS REGARDING THE SEVEN METALS
THE REFORMED ROSY AND GOLDEN CROSS
(extracted from A.E.Naite
- Brotherhood of the Rosy cross)
The crescent denotes its lunar p a r t , which is feminine and v o l a t i l e
i n nature. This i s t h e S p i r i t u s Mercurii.
The medial c i r c l e has no point a t t h e centre, si,&fying
the
immature s t a t e of mercurial sulphur s o l i s . This i s t h e Anima Mundi of
Quicksilver.
The cross of t h e Base represents t h e v o l a t i l e body of t h i s metallic
substance. It is the water of QuicksilveP, otherwise Aqua Pernanens.
It i s a l s o t h e Sal Centrale and lenstruum Naturale:
Quiclcsilver i s an immature metal, an extremely v o l a t i l e ens, separated
from a fixed s t a t e as pole from pole.
Mars is i n correspondence with i r o n and t h e sign showing an arrow
emerging aideways from a c i r c l e , s i g n i f i e s t h a t t h e S a l htartis i s
c e l e s t i a l r a t h e r t h a t t e r r e s t i a l , while i t s cross or sign of
corrosion has been broken up i n t o an open angle sgmbalising f i r e . Thus
t h e inward nature of i r o n i s f i e r y , a c t i v e and magnetically a t t r a c t i v e
which indicates i t s place i n Hermetic operations. In the York, t h e t a s k
before t h e Adept is t o purify t h e externally adherent C e l e s t i a l S a l t
from the T e r r e s t i a l Sulphur and locate it within the c i r c l e .
d
The sign indicates t h a t copper i s an imperfect metal, f o r t h e point
of perfection within t h e c i r c l s from which gold cannot e r r has been
removed from the c i r o l e of Venus and has changed i n t o the cross.
This cross s i g n i f i e s t h e corrosive s a l t s which render copper of a
perishable nature. Whosoever oan purify these s a l t s w i l l reduce the
cross t o a point and i f he can place t h a t point again i n t h e c i r c l e ,
he w i l l see t h e sun a t i t s meridian instead of t h e morning star, and
possess a t r e a s u r e of gold instead of venusian copper.
9
The sign bears witness t o the great immaturity of tin. The crescent
indicates t h a t it is e s s e n t i a l l y of lunar nature, while t h e cross
which is t h e sign of t h e Sal Centrale e t fundwentun s u b j e c t i ,
points out that the e a r t h of t h i s metal is meraurial and lunar, the
s a l t a r s e n i c a l and t h e sulphur v o l a t i l e . It follows t h a t the corpus
totum can be brought with considerable faculty t o a s t a t e of l i q u i faction.
4
The s a l t of lead is mercurial and lunar a s a l s o pure and c e l e s t i a l ,
while t h e sulphur is t e r r e s t i a l and solar. It i s said t h a t
( a ) t h e pars S a l i s l i q u i f i e s a l l bodies but can neither f i x nor
render them v o l a t i l e
gold and s i l v e r eolcegt(b) t h e pars Sulphuris devours a l l metals
ed
penetrating them by t h e help of Vulcan l i k e lightning, purifying
and imparting t h e highest splendour but again leaving them.
(d) t h a t Mercury i s coagulated by the fumus Saturni, while vitrmm
Saturni renders it fixed and f i r e proof.
-
1-38
-
The corpus Saturni i s a c t u a l l y a conglomerated and exsiccated Mercury
and can e a s i l y be changed back thereto.
The Hermetic Secret of Saturn is formulated a s follows
a ) S a l t , Sulphur, Mercury
b) Separate these Three Principles i n Subjectum ~ a t u r n i
c ) Make out of t h e S a l t a Menstruum
d) Dissolve the Hercury t h e r e i n
e ) Fix it by t h e principium of Sulphur
Whosoever can perform t h i s operation conjoins t h e two crescents i n
t h e character of Saturn, i n s e r t s t h e cross therein, concentrates the
cross t o a point within the c i r c l e and transmutes f t o 0 .
ti
I
1
The point within t h e c i r c l e denotes t h e s t a t e of perfection. The
Character of t h e Moon. The c i r c l e is broken and t h e missing half
is put inward but t h e point i s s t i l l i n t h e vicinity. S i l v e r is
l i k e unto gold
as woman i s l i k e unto man; but gold as t h e male part
i s hot and dry, while s i l v e r , t h e female p a r t , i s moist and cold. The
imperfection of s i l v e r i s indicated by t h e ease with which it blaokens,
but gold i s f r e e of t h i s f a i l i n g . Gold is t h e Child of t h e Sun, while
S i l v e r i s t h e Daughter of t h e Moon.
The Hermetic Arcanum is t h i s : Communicate t h e male Sperma S o l i s t o t h e
female matrix of t h e Moon, o r i n other words t u r n t h e l i g h t inwards and
draw out t h e inward half c i r c l e . The Artist who does so kindles an
independent f i r e and transmutes -b t o O
,
.
Gold is Principium S o l i s and t h e end of a l l metals, t h e great
n t of Nature i n t h e work of mines. The Character of t h e Sun
0 iandn t e Gold
is t h a t of eternity. The point within t h e c i r c l e of
e t e r n i t y denotes Divinity :-but when the symbol denotes t h e metal the
connotation is imperishable and pure being. The Son of t h e Sun is the
product of profoundly concentrated f i r e b
A Colhction o f S a c r e d ~ a y i c k . C o m
4.he Esoteric ~ i b r a r y
Alchemical Mandala
Number 1
In each i s s u e we w i l l feature a alchemical mandala together with some
commentary and indications on i t s use i n meditation.
A t the centre of a l l t r u e mandalas i s a space i n t o which Man must place
h i s consciousness and i n t e g r a t e t h e symbolism arrayed around t h i s
centre. The mandala before us from the Hermetic Museum an e a r l y 17th
century book was used as an a i d t o meditation on t h e f i r s t seven
mystical numbers.
The number one i s found i n t h e t o t a l i t y , t h e wholeness of t h e symbol
which a r i s e s out of the alchemist conrrciously placing himself a t t h e
centre.
The number two is found i n t h e figures of the King and Queen. The Sun
King i s mounted upon a l i o n which stands on a small hillock. He c a r r i e s
a sceptre and shield. The Moon Queen i s mounted on a whale or dolphin
swimming upon t h e sea. Here we have t h e male and female archetypes.
The number t h r e e appears a s the large t r i a n g l e of S p i r i t u s , h i m a ,
Corpus. The S p i r i t i s connected t o t h e Moon, t h e Soul with t h e Solar
forces, and t h e Body with t h e cube of t h e Earth surrounded by t h e f i v e
other planets, i.e. saturn, jupiter, mars, Venus and mercury.
The number four forms the corners of t h e diagram, with,at t h e top, t h e
salamander of t h e element Fire, t h e b i r d of the A i r element, and a t
t h e lower corners of t h e square t h e Water and Earth elements.
The number f i v e forms t h e pentangle of t h e alchemistls body, h i s r i g h t
foot on t h e earth, l e f t f o o t i n t h e water, h i s l e f t hand holds a
f e a t h e r symbolising a i r , h i s r i g h t a torch or candle of f i r e , and above
h i s head t h e two wings indicate t h e quintessence, t h e f i f t h element,
or t h e s p i r i t .
The number s i x a r i s e s out of t h e outer t r i a n g l e of t h e number t h r e e i n
and S a l t 0 .
combination with the inner t r i a n g l e of Sulphur 9,Mercury
S a l t corresponds t o t h e cube of t h e earth, sulphur t o the s o l a r forces
of the soul, and mercury t o the lunar s p i r i t .
The number seven the f i n a l number i n t h i s s e r i e s i s indicated i n t h r e e
ways i n the s t r u c t u r e of t h i s mandala
by the seven f o l d s t a r of t h e planets
by the VITRIOL a c r o s t i c of seven w o ~ d sl i s i t a Interiors xerrae g e c t i f ando Lnvenies Occulturn Lapidern i.e. v i s i t the i n t e r i o r of the earth,
i n , p u r i f y i n g you discover t h e hidden stone
by the s e r i e s of seven c i r c l e s within t h e angles of the heptagram,
which contain a r e p r ~ s e n t a t i o nof t h e alchemical process a s a cycle
from a death stage through a metamorphosis t o a f i n a l resurreotion.
9,
-
The alchemist working through meditation upon t h i s symbol, begins t o
s t r u c t u r e h i s inner being so that these seven mystical numbers and
t h e i r i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s , stand before h i s soul simultaneously. He
therefore creates within t h e ground of h i s being an independence from
a r i g i d system, an a b i l i t y t o s t r u c t u r e h i s thought and awareness
through a l l systems.
A Colhction $ ~ a c r e d ~ a ~ i c k . ~ 4
o m he Esoteric fibvary
1- 4 1
THE FOURTH BOOK OF OCCULT PHILOSOPiXY
Of Henry Cornelius &pippa
Linited Edition of 500 numbered copies.
Askin Publishers Ltd, 15 Ennismore Avenue,
~8
2 4 0 ~ ~
London 1?4.
'
A much needed facsimile r e p r i n t of t h e very famous Fourth Book of Occult
Philosophy, by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, which uzs t r a n s l a t e d i n t o English
and published by Robert Turner i n 1655. This e d i t i o n has been prepared
by Askin Publishers i n a well bound l i m i t e d e d i t i o n , a s Volume 4 i n t h e i r
well known and much respected Source !forks of Kedieval and Renaissance
I.lagic Series. It c o n s i s t s of 6 short t r e a t i s e s on various aspects of
p r a c t i c a l magic and divination, and includes two works by Agrippa,
'Of Geomancyl and t h e 'Fourth Book', from which t h i s c o l l e c t i o n g e t s
i t s t i t l e . Stephen Skinner argues i n h i s excellent introduction against
t h e widespread b e l i e f amongst academic a u t h o r i t i e s denying t h e authentici t y of t h i s work, however, t h e s e r i o u s o c c u l t i s t has but t o glance a t
these pages t o appreciate t h e e s o t e r i c value of t h e s e writings. It is
uay g r a t i f y i n g t o see, f o r example, t h e complete t e x t of t h e Heptameron
of Peter of Abano. Agrippa's Of Geomanw i s of course t h e c l a s s i c source
work on t h e subject, but Gerard of Cremonals system l i n k i n g Astrology
and Geomancy i s not so well known, but none t t e l e s s valuable. Agrippals
Fourth Book of Occult PhilosopQ a l s o e n t i t l e d Of I~IaagicalCeremonies, i s
remarkable i n t h a t it t r i e s t o lead one t o an understanding of t h e means
of constructing a magical r i t u a l , r a t h e r than presenting a closed system
of r i g i d i n s t r u c t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y valuable a r e t h e i n d i c a t i o n s on t h e
construction of s i g i l s . This work w i l l repay i n t e n s i v e study. Also included i n t h i s compendium is a work e n t i t l e d The Nature of S p i r i t s , i n
t h e form of a dialogue much information i s rebted a s t o t h e nature of
t h e s p i r i t u a l riorld &nd t h e Beings therein. The l a s t t r e a t i s e t h e Arbatel
of Ma&.ck i s a t r u l y remarkable t e x t i n t h e form of seven s e t s of seven
aphorisms, and contains t h e seven Olympian Planetary S i g i l s of Aratron,
Bethor, Phaleg, e t c . , and a d e s c r i p t i o n of these e n t i t i e s . Aphorism 39,
i n p a r t i c u l a r , provides a most c l e a r statement of t h e nature of t h e
Magick A r t and t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of the magician.
This book is e s s e n t i a l source material t o t h e s e r i o u s o c c u l t i s t , we have
no h e s i t a t i o n in commending it t o t h e reader, and we hope t h a t Askin's
w i l l continue t o provide t h i s service of r e p r i n t i n g suoh h i s t o r i c a l l y
and e s o t e r i c a l l y important material.
TEE SWORN BOOK OF HONOURIUS THE MAGICIAN
Edited and t r a n s l a t e d by Daniel J. D r i s c o l l
Limited Edition 450 copies signed and numbered.
Heptangle Books, Box 283 Berkeley Heights,
New Jersey, USA.
8 20.
Daniel J. D r i s c o l l has done occultism a great s e r v i c e i n t r a n s l a t i n g
en6 making p u b l i c a l l y a v a i l a b l e t h e Sworn Book of Honourius t h e IZagician,
prepared from t h e two known manuscripts i n the B r i t i s h Library, Sloane
b!S 313 and Royal blS 17A x l i i . The book i t s e l f i s well presented, s e t
i n old English s t y l e t e x t which preserves an atmosphere of a n t i q u i t y ,
migrated t o 'Justice1. The 'Lovers1 seems completely unconvincing, with
a female figure zhained t o a rock a t t h e mercy of a sea dragon, and
about t o be rescued by some heroic Michael f i g u r e descending from t h e
clouds. Some of these divergencies correspond t o the ddscriptions of
t h e Tarot cards i n Regardie's Golden Dawn, and there seems t o be some
points of connection between t h i s pack and the published examples of
the l i n e drawn o r i g i n a l Golden Dawn Tarot cards found i n t h e papers of
W.B. Yeats. Robert Hang and I s r a e l Begardie have c e r t a i n l y produced a
magnificent s e t of Tarot cards with powerful images and wonderful use
of colour, but it seems questionable as t o whether they have produced
the s e t of cbrds used o r i g i n a l l y by members of t h e Golden Dawn School.
The pack used i n t h e order of the Golden Dawn was copied by t h e members
f o r t h e i r own use, from l i n e drawn o r i g i n a l s by Wathers, whereas t h e
Wang-Regardie designs r e l y not so much on t h e form of the images as on
t h e a r t i s t i c merit of t h e production, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n regard t o colour.
Perhaps t h e publication of t h i s pack w i l l i n s p i r e someone t o get hold
of a complete s e t of t h e manuscript originals.
This pack i s destined t o be a source of controversy among o c c u l t i s t s and
Tarot scholars, and it i s well worth obtaining a copy of t h e deck i f you
s t i l l can, a s it seems t h a t t h e e d i t i o n was f u l l y subscribed.
THE NECRONOMICON Edited with an introduction
by Simon. Barnes Graphics 1977
D i s t r . Askins Publishers
Limited edition 666 copies E34 Ordinary e d i t i o n e18.50
H.P.Lovecraft wrote many s t o r i e s around a common theme, t h e 'Cthulhu
HythoS$ and inspired other authors eg. Robert Bloch and recently
Colin Wilson, t o enter h i s mythology. Central t o t h e Cthulhu ~Nythos
were a number of f e a r f u l ancient magioal t e x t s among them t h e
Necronomicon of t h e Mad Arab, Abdul Alhasred, of which H.P. Lovecraft
wrote a supposed h i s t o r y of the manuscript;. The Editor of the book we
have before us claims it t o be a t r a n s l a t i o n of t h i s ancient collection
of magical t e x t s , taken from an o r i g i n a l manuscript which mysteriously
f e l l i n t o his hands and seems t o be no longer available. The work itself
i s a grimoire, p a r t s of it having great beauty of poetic expression
and coherence of structure, the description of e n t i t i e s , s i g i l s , t h e
Conjuration of t h e Watcher ( ~ o l yGuardian h g e l ? ) have great power
of expression and i f they were contrived, the author c e r t a i n l y has
great understanding of how t o create a magical system. The purity
and coherence of s t r u c t u r e and some s t y l i s t i c points lead one t o
seriously doubt i t s authenticity, together with t h e r a t h e r heavy handed
my-thos.
attempt i n t h e introduction t o surround the book i n a mystery
This book$ claim t o a u t h e n t i c i t y w i l l obviously be a point of controversy among o c c u l t i s t s , and is c e r t a i n l y a c o l l e c t o r s item well worth
possessing. Followers of Crowley w i l l f i n d h i s name of-ken i n t h e
introduction and may detect something of his s t y l e i n the translation.
The Hermetic Journal would welcome any other opinions, comment, or
further information on t h i s fascinating book.
-
while remaining e a s i l y readable. I n t h e f i n e introductory essay, t h e
e d i t o r e s t a b l i s h e s t h e date of this uork i n t h e l a t t e r p a r t of t h e 13th
century. This work should not be confused with t h e Grimoire of Pope
Honourius 111, which i s found i n Waitels Book of Ceremonial EIagic.
The Sworn Book of Honourius is i t s e l f a grimoire, and i n t h i s l i e s its
immense value t o o c c u l t i s t s , f o r although many grimoires a r e f e a r f u l
books t h a t purport t o take one along t h e r a z o r ' s edge of good and e v i l
forces and beings, t h i s work i s of the purest magic. I n t h e descriptions
of t h e preparations f o r t h e r i t u a l working, we see a s e r i e s of s p i r i t u a l
exercises, a l i f e t i m e s work.
Trio t e c h n i c a l matters which w i l l be of great i n t e r e s t t o o c c u l t i s t s ,
a r e f i r s t l s t h i s manuscript provides a f u r t h e r source f o r t h e planetary
archangelic s i g i l s , r:hich o r e consistent with t h e other knoim references,
such a s t h e Heptameron of P e t e r of ibano, and secondly a most important
f i g u r e 2,ppears i n t h i s trorl: c a l l e d t h e Seal Of God. This magical diagrrm
i s d i r e c t l y r e l z t e d t o John Dee's Seal of lemeth, ?ad being d e f i n i t e l y
e a r l i e r muat have been a source which Dee &err upon i n constructing h i s
p e a t Enochian Seal. k eat deal can be learned by studying these two
diapams together, and a l l s e r i o u s students of John Dee's Znochian system
should get access t o t h i s diagram. There may be other f a c e t s of t h i s book
which w i l l throir l i g h t on Dee's magiczl system.
A 1 1 together t h i s i s a most important publication, and we 1004 fonrard
t o other iror!: r:hich .$re hope Daniel J. Driscoll r r i l l bring r'orvard t o
t h e >ublic.
THE GOLDEN DAWN TAROT based upon t h e e s o t e r i c designs
of t h e Secret Order of t h e Golden Dawn. I l l u s t r a t e d
by Robert Hang under t h e d i r e c t i o n of I s r a e l Regardie.
Limited e d i t i o n of 500 packs, signed and numbered.
much publicised t a r o t pack is a v a i l a b l e , of which many
e x q g e r a t e d claims,as t o i t s e s o t e r i c significanoe have been made, and
i t s connection with t h e t a r o t pack c i r c u l a t e d amongst t h e H e m t i o
Order of t h e Golden Dawn members i n t h e l a t e 1890's. Now we can assess
i t s worth on i t s appearanoe r a t h e r than on t h e myth which has grown
t h e numeral cards a r e of r a t h e r conventaround it. The Minor Arcana
i o n a l design, reminding one of medieval woodcut t a r o t s i n t h e i r simpli c i t y , with none of t h e e l a b o r a t e symbolic value of t h e l a i t e deck 3
%he court cards, however, have an i n t r i c a t e interweaving of symbolism
which involves t h e use of colour and t h e appearanoe of symbolic objectswith various r e f l e c t i o n s of t h e four Holy Living Creatures, Bull, Lion,
Eagle, and Man. Although t h e court cards do form a u n i f i e d group, r e f l e c t i n g t h e elements and magical waapons, and have a d e f i n i t e e s o t e r i c
value, t h e minor aroana i s r a t h e r disappointing i n t h i s regard. It i s
t o t h e major arcana we t u r n i n t h e hope of some deeo i n s i g h t i n t o t h e
nature of t h e g r e a t archetypal p a t t e r n s of t h e Tarot. The numbering
a t l e a s t i s e s o t e r i c with Fool 0, and Strength and J u s t i c e transposed
bs i n t h e Waite deckjfrom t h e e a r l y medieval order. The designs a r e well
executed, t h e colour having a c e r t a i n translucency, and we a r e a great
distanoe away from t h e hard sharp forms of a medieval woodcut pa&, i n
terms of a r t i s t i c s t y l e . The symbolic content, however, breaks complete l y from t h e Waite deck, i n f o r example t h e lPooll, i n which is portrayed a young male c h i l d reaching up t o touch t h e blossom on a t r e e with
h i s r i g h t hand, while i n h i s l e f t hand he holds the lead of a l a r g e dog
which stands behind him. Similarly, it is strange t o f i n d t h a t t h e
'Hierophantl holds a small s c r o l l i n s t e s d a f thelHigh P r i e s t e s s ' , who
i s a l s o b e r e f t of t h e two p i l l a r s Joachim and Boaz, which seem t o have
A t last this
-
A c o ( b c t i o ~o f ~ a c r e d ~ a ~ i c k . ~4o mThe Esoteric r a r
1-43