Summary: The Four Elementary Qualities - The Four Elements - The Three Principles of the Philosophers - The Two Metals of the Wise men - Chrysopeia or the Philosopher’s stone
Alchemy is the study of the Energy of the Matter.
Spiritual Alchemy is the study of the Energy in the Form.
The alchemist is the man who frees the energy from the matter.
The Spiritual alchemist is the man who frees the Energy from the Form.
D. O. M. A. (Deo optimo maximo Artista)
«In our sky we can see two beautiful lights. They show us, as I say, the two lights of the great sky. Join them both as a woman is led to her man, so that the matrimonial status is happily created in you. The change of the elements happens after this, gradually and with measure, so that the form and the nature of the circle softly shows its forces».
|
|
The hermetic terminology uses words and expressions that don’t have direct relations with their equivalent in the profane language. It is therefore necessary to define what we mean by some essential words, which are the names of the elements constituting the First Matter and its evolution towards the final stage: Gold, symbol of perfection in the metallic life.
In order to understand the alchemic language we suggest the consultation of the "Alchemic Glossary".
The Four Elementary Qualities
The Coldness, origin of fixation, is expressed with a total or partial absence of vibration, whose effect is to coagulate and crystallize the Matter, destroying the principle of expansion which is in the heat (conservation). Its action is therefore astringent, fixating, slackening and crystallizing.
The Humidity, origin of femininity, is translated with a vibration of an attracting nature, changeable, instable, softening, emollient, relaxing and moistening which, penetrating the atoms, divides the homogeneous ones and joins the heterogeneous ones, causing the involution of the Matter or its disgregation. Its action is moderating, softening, emollient and dispersing.
The Dryness, origin of reaction, is manifested with a vibration of nature aimed at retaining. It is irritating and it holds the impulse given. Its action is contracting.
The Heat, origin of masculinity, is expressed with a vibration of an expansive kind, dilating, rarefying, that causes the evolution of the atoms. Its action is vitalizing, stimulating and dynamic.
In man these four qualities give:
Coldness – impassibility, skepticism, egoism and desire for absorption.
Humidity – passiveness, variation, assimilation, passive desire for subjugation.
Dryness – reaction, opposition, retention, passive desire for domination.
Heat – expansion, enthusiasm, action, active desire for persuasion.
«The Lord made the World with weight, number and measure.»
The Four Elements
Earth – The reacting action of the Dryness on the Coldness divides it and, by opposing to a total fixation, it turns it into an Element Earth, concentrating and receiving principle.
Water – The refrigerating, coagulating, atonic and fixating action of the Coldness on Humidity makes it thicker, heavier and turns it into Water, principle of circulation.
Air – The expanding, dilating and rarefying action of the Heat on Humidity turns it into Air, principle of the molecular attraction.
Fire – The reacting action that retains and the irritating one of the Dryness on the Heat turns it into Fire, principle of violent and active dynamization.
In man these four elements give:
• Earth. Restlessness, quietness, discretion, caution, tenderness, content and egoism; concentrate, pretentious, diffident, ponderating, authoritative, studious and solitary spirit.
• Water. Passiveness, indolence, disgust, tiredness, carelessness, submission, laziness, inconsistency, versatility, unconsciousness, uncertainty, shyness and fear.
• Air. Amiability, courtesy, helpful character, cleverness, subtleness, initiative, readiness, assimilation, ingeniousness and harmony.
• Fire. Violence, authority, ambition, enthusiasm, presumptuousness, pride, irritability, ardor, fervor, courage, generosity, passion, generosity, impetuosity and vanity.
|
«The First Matter.
I am the dragon and I drive the mortal poison out of the body.
The red lion loves me always and I am a great friend of the green lion.
Many recognize me and call me the egg of Nature: I fly away if I am not fixed well and with measure. I have many forms, colors and figures; I have with me the power of man and woman.
The form of the body suits me and I also re-create all metals».
|
The Three Principles of the Philosophers
The Sulfur Principle.
The Heat contained in Fire and Air generates a hot, fecundating and fermenting principle called Sulfur. It is the masculine principle of every germ; taste and the fundamental color red originate from it. In man it corresponds to the Spirit.
The Mercury Principle.
Humidity contained in Air and Water generates a steamy, subtle, mutating and generating principle. Mercury is the feminine principle of every germ; odor and the fundamental color blue originate from it. In man it corresponds to the Soul.
The Salt Principle.
The Dryness contained in Fire and Earth generates a dry, cohesive and coagulating principle called Salt. It is the principle of unification of Male and Female as well as the result of their ůnion. Form, weight and the fundamental color yellow originate from it. In man it corresponds to the Body.
These are the Three Constituting Principles which, in the vocabulary of the Alchemic Tradition, constitute the Near Substance of Beings and things.
The Two Metals of the Wise men
Silver of the Wise men, also called Mercury of the Wise men, in opposition to the Mercury of the Philosophers, which precedes it from the stage of the Mercury of the Mad men, the vulgar quicksilver or philosophical Silver. It results from the absorption of a certain quantity of the Sulfur principle and the Mercury principle; even easier, from the absorption of a proportional quantity of vulgar gold and a determined quantity of the Mercury principle. This vulgar gold must not have undergone exaltation or transfusion. In one word, it must not have been re-melted or joined to itself. It must be virgin.
Gold of the Wise men, also called Sulfur of the Wise men, in opposition to the Sulfur of the Philosophers that precedes the stage of the Sulfur of the Mad men, which is the vulgar sulfur or philosophical Gold. It results from the absorption of a certain quantity of the Salt principle and the Sulfur principle; even easier, from the absorption of a proportional quantity of vulgar silver and a certain quantity of the Sulfur principle. This silver, most of all, must not have undergone exaltation or transfusion. In one word, it must not have been re-melted or joined to itself. It must be pure. These two Operations are the result of a series of cooking processes: “multiplication”.
Chrysopeia or the Philosopher’s stone
The Chrysopeia is obtained from the slow cooking of the Philosopher’s Egg (matrass) in a bath of sand. Inside the Athanor it originates from the Amalgam and from the co-destruction of the Gold of the Wise Men and the Silver of the Wise men.
