urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:alkhemy Burning Darkly alkhemy 2005-08-04T02:11:10Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:alkhemy:615 2005-08-01T20:29:46Z 2005-08-04T02:11:10Z <b><i>In truth, without deceit, certain, and most veritable.</b></i><br /><br />The blue-white glow of Truth illimuniates the way. None other than this truth is able to pierce the perplexities of the Great Work. Truth is Magical, and this magic resonates with the clean, pure aura of the essence. Is this the Blue Magic?<br /><br /><b><i>That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing. And just as all things have come from this One Thing, through the meditation of One Mind, so do all created things originate from this One Thing, through Transformation.</b></i><br /><br />Like a system of pulleys, we are drawn inexorably upward, linking ourselves with the essence of perfection, only to return to earth changed from our prior forms. The One Thing brought forth all unchanged, perfected things. From the One Mind do all ideas emerge, and these are made manifest by the One Thing. And from the One Thing are the outer shells transformed (pink), and the inner cores transmuted (red). The unchanged things are those which were beyond the process of Above/Below.<br /><br /><b><i>Its father is the Sun; its mother the Moon. The Wind carries it in its belly; its nurse is the Earth. It is the origin of All, the consecration of the Universe; its inherent Strength is perfected, if it is turned into Earth.</b></i><br /><br />The first two are celestial, above and beyond the reach of our space. The second two are terrestrial, Wind being driven by the currents of the atmosphere. Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. It must be burnt, submerged, sifted and ground. Only once it returns to solidity will it be at its greatest.<br /><br /><b><i>Separate the Earth from Fire, the Subtle from the Gross, gently and with great Ingenuity. It rises from Earth to Heaven and descends again to Earth, thereby combining within Itself the powers of both the Above and the Below.</b></i><br /><br />Derive and divide the tangible from the intangible, with greatest care for its fragility. When the Matter returns to Earth from its journey it brings the completed product of union. Therefore it must be set in motion to create a full process.<br /><br /><b><i>Thus will you obtain the Glory of the Whole Universe. All Obscurity will be clear to you. This is the greatest Force of all powers, because it overcomes every Subtle thing and penetrates every Solid thing.</b></i><br /><br />Like the Tao, the One Thing cares not for the trivialities of normal matter, because its essence pervades all things animate and inanimate. It comprises time and space itself and permits us to see beyond the limits our physical senses to behold a Universe beyond our imagination. <br /><br /><b><i>In this way was the Universe created. From this comes many wondrous Applications, because this is the Pattern.</b></i><br /><br />The Pattern, that connects spirit to body, tree to mountain, carves the landscapes and filters the skyscapes. It is the rhythym of all Creation, the pulse of the Universe.<br /><br /><b><i>Therefore I am called Thrice Great Hermes, having all three parts of the wisdom of the Whole Universe. Herein have I completely explained the Operation of the Sun.</b></i><br /><br />Hermes Trismegistus is the engima. The man who represents the god who traverses boundaries, leading us down into the dark heart of the earth. Who is the mediator between this world and the next, the Messenger of the Gods. And he represents the god of wisdom, who combined the powers of magic with the knowledge of science to create a harmonious balance of ideas. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:alkhemy:283 2005-08-01T03:05:17Z 2005-08-01T03:12:44Z The fifteenth and final plate of the 17th century manuscript <i>Mutus Liber</i> contains the Philosopher's Stone within a sealed flask, with its alchemist creators sealing their lips and pointing to the details above. They offer the following passage:<br /><br /><center><b>Ora<br />Lege Lege Lege Relege Labora<br />et Iuvenies</b></center><br /><br />Ora. May I have the courage to see the Great Work through. Only I understand the Mystery to which the Great Work will be applied.<br /><br />Legeo. SS has provided me with a wonderful introduction to the fundamentals, but i must be certain to examine everything carefully before I can go on. This is always the most challenging obstacle for me. After it, EM, and the works of the Masters to aid me with their experiences.<br /><br />I found <i>Secrets of the Alchemists</i> again for a moderate examination of the Ripley Scroll, as well as a primer on Chinese alchemy and the lesser known alchemical works of Europe.