text:
Are you sure?
This action might not be possible to undo. Are you sure you want to continue?
Dedication and Acknowledgement
This book is dedicated to the one true love of my life, my darling Nicholeine. Her love and support have buoyed me through the darkest times of self-doubt and fear. Thanks must first be given to Divine Providence for blessing me with success in my efforts. I never had the good fortune to attend classes at the Paracelsus Research Society or the Paracelsus College. The majority of my education in alchemy was transmitted to me through the good auspices of Divine revelation. Sometimes, Divine Providence will choose a different mode of assistance and elucidation. In this respect, I would like to thank all those who have helped me in writing this book. If it had not been for my father letting me use his computer or providing the lab space, the book would never have been written. My mother deserves special thanks: her freezer was always occupied with one gallon containers of vinegar. The house, too, was regularly incensed with the smell of burnt herbs when experiments went awry. Their love, patience and moral support over the last few years have been invaluable. Also thanks to all those customers of Magnum Opus, Inc. who urged me on to write what I had promised to. Special mention must be made here of a few individuals. A deep heartfelt thanks goes out to Hans W. Nintzel, who put up with incessant phone calls from me when I first got started in alchemy; to Russell House, who helped me to keep an even head about the work that I was doing and for giving me some very valuable hints about mineral alchemy; to Henry Hintz who talked with me for hours about alchemy and its theory; J. D. Holmes and Glen Houghton who helped me procure many a valued book; to Canon M. Labrie for editing the second edition manuscript. A great deal of craftsmanship went into preparing the photographic plates of this book. In this regard, let me thank all of the artisans of Everett Studios who worked so diligently on this project, especially Steve Sundlof and Mary Bedell. Finally, thanks must be given to Frater Albertus and Manfred M. Junius for their books, As well asto A. Cockren, Basil Valentine, Eirenaeus Philalethes, Paracelsus, and all the other philosophers who have left to us the gifts of their works to study and learn from.
In this age, we cannot help but be in awe of the exploding wave of discovery. Anyone who is old enough to read these words has seen the technologies and ideologies that were once in vogue replaced by successive generations of inventions, philosophies, and movements. One need only reflect on the magnificent developments in computers, global communication networks, and space travel to find out how voraciously we consume and then take for granted these new technologies. At a social gathering, we might see an eyebrow raised and hear the delighted whispering when the most celebrated physicist of our age is introduced to the guest. Soon enough,
they would be held in as little awe by the partygoers as their discoveries will be in another decade. Each announcement of innovative technology has its moment in the sun and is greeted with momentous excitement, and in the blink of an eye, it is assimilated by a society with a boundless appetite for more and tastier treats. Let us imagine, however, that you are the next guest, making the obligatory round, meeting the little groupings of guests at our party. You are introduced to the host and hostess as -- an alchemist. Surely, the reaction would be quite interesting to observe. Perhaps, your hostess will smile uneasily, and take your extended hand, asking softly, "Did I hear correctly? You are an alchemist?" With practiced tact the host quickly assesses you, looking for signs of intoxication or worse. "How very interesting! Have you made any gold yet? If you have, then I have some investment opportunities that..." It is likelythat the room would become silent, waiting for you to answer. I am acquainted with many students and practitioners of alchemy. They are not the sort of people who generally attract a great deal of attention. Among them are housewives, a psychologist, a retired test pilot, presidents of manufacturing firms, musicians, accountants, surgeons, nurses, computer programmers, steel workers, astrologers, and a chemist. They are from all walks of life, and yet in their basements, or the corner of a garage, they maintain a laboratory that seems quite out of place in this century. We are speaking of men and women of all ages who practice laboratory alchemy. We are not talking about a few lovable eccentrics who merit our tolerance, but rather, about serious students of an age-old tradition. Our present-day technical wizardry has evolved to a state that is truly astounding. It is, mostly, an outgrowth of a generally materialistic science -- a science with no heart, seemingly obsessed with the kind of proficiency that is measured only in gigabyte-persecond transfer rates, and which seems unwilling to expend even a tithe of energy toward improving the spiritual well-being of humanity. There have long been those traditions that embrace a more comprehensive or holistic approach to the development of technology. In such traditions, there is a basic recognition of man, and of all creation, as being at once material and immaterial. The scientist and religionist were reconciled and the adherents of such traditions recognized the need to deal with both the spiritual and mundane, for they viewed the endless variety of creation as expressions of the Absolute. Perhaps, it appears natural for there to be a schism between the demanding disciplines of the hard sciences and the devotional path that is dedicated to the contemplation of the nature of being. There are many whose quest is to attain a unity of these two seemingly disparate paths. If either of these branches of human activity is to produce anything of long-lasting consequence, then they must do so in tandem -- the two must become as one. In this age of technical adeptship, in an age where we have become aware of the global community, we must seek a proportionate evolution of awareness, of consciousness. We must seek to become participants in the evolution of humanity. It is this that every sincere student of alchemy is seeking. John Reid has permitted himself to be introduced as an alchemist, and has extended his
hand to you. You have the opportunity now to pass it off as a jest. Perhaps, you assume there is some surreptitious financial scheme, gold-making plan, or medical quackery that is to be revealed. Certainly, others have encountered just this sort of pseudo-alchemist for centuries. This book has bloomed out of the compost of years of extreme trials and tests, sleepless nights, financial risk, failed attempts, and out of sincere prayer. The stamina and endurance required to see what others have not is monumental. John is self-taught mostly, and this makes his accomplishments more wonderful. It also has meant that his work has novel qualities, and originality will often draw criticism from those inclined to dogmatism. I prefer to think of this book, and the author's gesture, in a different way, as though the book were a small window, just out of reach, that admits a few rays of the morning light into an otherwise unlighted room. Even if we sit and passively enjoy the light, itserves a purpose. Some, for whom the unknown is enticing, could not sit still, but would find a ladder upon which to climb so they might see the beauty that is out of doors. While a fair number will make such a personal effort, and will gaze upon a wondrous vista, only a few in each age will go in search for the door. It is those few, for whom the fragrance of Nature is an elixir beyond compare, those who will seek -The Portal, who will behold the treasure. Russell House at Winfield, IL 1 August 1992
Forward to the Second Edition Gentle reader,
In your hands, you have a small treasure. For in this book many of the secrets of Nature are clearly laid out. You are indeed fortunate, for this one book reveals alchemical methods and ideas which would have taken you years of dedicated research to learn. The author has remained true to his vow of sharing that which has been freely bestowed on him through grace. It is truly rare to find an alchemist who is willing to clearly instruct the neophyte in this devine science. And this author does not just blindly quote the words of those who have gone before him. He teaches from the heart that which he has learned by the path of faith, prayer, work, and hope. Lend him your ear and learn these mysteries from one who has done them. Much of the material in this book is unique. You will not find it elsewhere. Does this mean that it is incorrect because other authors have not said it before? Or could it be that here is stated that which others feared to say so openly? You will have to be the judge of this. But remember, not only is the process of the plant stone here clearly described, pictures are also included to verify the work described. How many of those other treatises have done this? It is not my pupose to turn the student away from the use of other authors. For mans' life
I encourage you to study it and see what may develope within you by its use. May the one true star guide you! Henry Hintz October 18. Within three weeks. Before closing. I would like to point out the master piece in this book. Learn from his unique and unveiled labors. The actor on the 15th of May. Listen to the words of this man who has actually done the work. and the mystic on the 21st. or Opus Minor as it is known. Here you will see the transition of the matter through the colors that was so well described by the ancient alchemists. Yet none of us really knew! Albertus was dead and as far as any of us knew there was no other teacher. for nothing happens by accident. And thank him for being so open when you too have been blessed with the success of your labors. Your work will not nessarily be the same as another's. Our three birthdays were just three days apart. Just remember that the alchemical path is a solitary one. we had convinced ourselves that what we had read was the gospel. Our meeting was just three days after the mystic's birthday. We were fascinated by a strange coincidence. Surely.is too short to learn all the secrets hidden in Nature. One was a struggling actor. There were three of us. Each of us had studied either Albertus. We were all interested in alchemy. The very fact that you hold this book in your hands is important. The searcher had compiled a library of works on alchemy comprised mostly of material written by Frater Albertus and the publications of the Paracelsus College and Research Society in Salt Lake City. While the process for the plant stone is described by others. Jung. We agreed to undertake practical lab experiments in the quest to find out if what we had read in the old books were true or false. Many believe that this work is identical to the Great Work except for the materials being used. Most assert that mastery of the plant stone is essential before the Philosopher's Stone can be accomplished. One must follow the path that is revealed to them by that small inner voice. I believe that if you study this book with an open mind you will be greatly rewarded. you have your path clearly described here. 1993 Introduction We meet outside Magickal Childe in New York City on a pleasant afternoon in May. If this is true. it is more a spagyrical approach than an alchemical one in my opinion. we were meant to work together. You will see the fermentation of the matter as it developes in the sealed vase of hermes. the other a mystic and student priest. We all believed in the validity of what we had read. the searcher on the 18th. the process for the plant stone. the last. We had each other though. In any event. the actor dropped out of the group. Utah. And this book will help to enlighten you in that choice. or Junius. He was after all interested only in the spiritual aspects of alchemy. still searching for his place in life. and our combined knowledge and zeal. But this book opens up the alchemical method for evolving the plant stone. He was convinced that the terminology of alchemy dealt .
as I have proven to myself. the mystic dropped out. and close to a thousand dollars of expense. The mystic would not hear of it. the actor had been right in his assessment of the situation. They started a lab together. I am still that searcher. I suppose much of this sounds like fiction.only with the subconscious. threatening to grow unchecked like a field of dandelions. He would be initiated into a healing system. boring. he would meet his Soror Mystica and the work would unfold grandly before his eyes. An interesting book could be written about those experiences. would he ever meet with success? Or would it end dismally? If failure did come. and expensive. surely what they had read in the old books and recent publications by the college must be true. Slowly. Three months later. A lovely priestess would help rid him of a haunting dark past that had followed him through many incarnations. and that stubborn taurine personality of his. he had become involved with another learning system. The search continues now for the new vistas that alchemy can take me to. Success has been achieved. It will be my life's work he vowed! Yes only himself or so it seemed at the beginning. but the credit for it belongs to Divine Providence and not myself. as the actor and mystic had stated. All that is written is true and not embellished in any way. This I swore before Divine Providence to do. perhaps it was all just spiritual. alchemy was just a spiritual science after all? The searcher had only himself. should success ever be met with upon this royal road to the palace of the King. It is not whether the tenets laid down in alchemical writings are true or false. The searcher pleaded with the mystic. He was tired of looking at glassware trying to imbue the life-force into objects. but not the work on the personality. Many years after my first tentative experiments into making a simple spagyric herbal extract. Let us keep on a bit longer the searcher pleaded. . When an old book was needed that was so hard for others to find. Always a key to one of the many locked doors was given and in time the language and meaning of the alchemist was understood. The seeds of doubt and fear had been planted in his mind. Finally. Sure of the failures that would meet him along the way. Admittedly. would it be because of the inadequacies of his being? Was he pure enough? Would it be because. The work in the lab for the first three years went slowly. waterproofing the walls and asking Divine Providence to bless the place and their efforts. There was. a dual aspect to alchemy. Perhaps. after all. the spiritual and practical part. many times the anticipated outcome was not what came about. It was through prayer and work that light was shed upon the operations described by the old masters. it was a matter of him just picking up the phone and asking for it. The work was too tedious. cleaning the basement of the searcher's house. I leave my record of accomplishments to you as the search continues. This left the mystic and the searcher. That left only the searcher. He was afraid of walking that long road to the alchemist's inner sanctum alone. They are true. but this book is not meant for that. but it is not. it became evident there were forces that came into play far beyond his control.
In closing let me say that it is true when Hermes Trismegistus wrote. True. et Labora! (Pray. "What is below is like that which is above and what is above is like that which is below for performing the miracle of one thing.Therefore. There are many surprises in store for you in this little book and the pictures it contains. or else it could not continue in the form that it occupies and keeps. which are: 1) That the entire universe is divine in origin. bats wing. alchemy is a pseudoscience practiced by old men in musty basements. Alchemy is much more than the pursuit of these frivolous dreams. Substances like the Virgin's Milk or Glue of the Eagle. isolating it so it can be condensed.as originally mandated by God -. we should take a look at the five basic tenets of alchemy. because for the alchemist all matter is alive. and the White Mercury. So please. Alchemy is the search for the QUINTESSENCE! It is all about isolating the vital force of life itself. Some have enough vital force to keep their form. irrespective of the fact of whether they are organic or inorganic. When speaking of an organism reference is being made to all forms of matter found on this planet. and manipulated to conform with the artist's will. the Red Mercury. as in the case of a metal rusting. Therefore Wisdom and Guidance must be sought from the source from which all creation flows. Ora. what is alchemy? To many people. They use ingredients like eye of newt. and the like to try to produce a universal elixir that prolongs life indefinitely as well as transmutes base metals to gold." The processes in performing the herbal work coincides exactly with that of the mineral work as laid down in the old books. cat's liver. purified. The Philosophy of Alchemy The first question one is faced with and surely must ask oneself as one start's on this path is. Lege. . or so it would seem because their decay is so prolonged.while still on this earth in material form. As Cockren points out. this book is not a rehashing of the books before it. Read. or a going over of the history of alchemy. While others have such an abundance of life that they can reproduce or even help to vitalize and stabilize the vital force in other organisms that have become unbalanced. but it is well worth the brain strain. Of course there are different levels of the vital force in all organisms. It is a book written from personal experience and the lessons received in those quiet and still moments during meditation in the lab. This book goes beyond those that I have learned from as it gives the entire herbal processes in a clear and precise way. and Work!) Chapter 1. there is some thinking that needs tobe done on your part. In order to get a better understanding here of what is meant by alchemy being the art of evolution. that you can hold in your hand and see with your eyes. is the art of evolution! It is in a real sense concerned with the elevating of all organisms to the highest level of perfection they can attain -. in short. Alchemy. It produces phenomena as they described. the philosophically prepared body will drink the two Mercuries and rise like dough.
i. Undoubtedly this is partly due to many alchemists (myself included as. regardless of their degree of mental subtlety or material density. one can know the One the All (or as close as the human mind can come to recognizing it) and in fact bring about physical changes and manifestations by a lawful application of the system's rules. by understanding the basic laws that govern their beings and conversely the entire universe may learn to recognize the divine spark of vital energy in all organisms. These five tenets propose there is a system whereby humans can learn about the universe from its subtlest intimations to its grossest manifestations. . Therefore. 4) That humans are a part of the universe. 3) That all organisms are in a state of constant evolution as they continue their synthesis towards perfection. This above all seems to me to lock or trap the mind into a certain mode of thinking. By the former method the mind was forced to concentrate upon the symbols until the psychic seed sprouted and bore the fruit of realization. Yet. Yet one must get started somewhere on this road. so that the three essential are expressed in material form. Also one must not let oneself become seduced with the apparent ease of being told that the three are this or that one thing. and manipulate it to speed up the processes of evolution. it seems to me that the opaque mist that envelops these three essentials is just as thick today as it ever has been. isolate it. so that we may utilize inspired knowledge to aid in our understanding of how to prepare the quintessence of our matter. The Three Essentials All substances created and existent within the universe. purify it. Chapter 2. no matter how subtle or gross they are. are composed of the three essentials of the alchemist. although the degree to which they become manifested in any one life depends entirely upon the individual applying them and the amount of diligence with which they approach their task. let me state in the beginning that my presentation of the three essentials varies . Upon reaching an understanding of tenet (2) the true work begins.e. With a correct knowledge of the art. A lot has been written about the three essentials of the alchemist. It says that by knowing the self.2) That all organisms. they are divine in origin and they can affect all organisms on all spheres of existence by their actions or inaction. I can only hope that my presentation will aid the aspiring alchemist and not throw him or her into utter confusion. have within them the divine spark of life and are interrelated with each other. So let us begin together. which is why I suppose the old ones wrote in such vague terms. one can open the matter-up. It is therefore our task to understand this kinship. the aiding of nature by the art of alchemy to reach its highest point of perfection. plastic picture of these three forces in the mind. Therefore. These statements are true. It is without exaggeration extremely difficult for the beginning alchemist to form a concrete. It is a very difficult thing to try and explain that which transcends words and is known to one more by feeling than thought. 5) That humans. you will see) describing the three by use of symbolism and allegory.
Honey. volatile essential oils. Rest assured that they are most definitely used in plant alchemy. divided by the sidereal distillation of the macrocosmos. Vinegar and Azoth. and. I merely have placed them into what I believe to be their true and proper role. table salt. It probably goes without saying to most reasonably thinking people that quicksilver. Celestial Water. It is said that without this substance no alchemical work can begin or be brought to its perfect end. This first principle is a mere vapor extracted from the elementary earth through the heavenly planets. Yet experience has taught that this statement holds true for the works on plants and animals. MERCURY The symbol of Mercury is the cosmic womb being incubated by the cross of the four elements of creation. Water of the Wise. This sidereal hot infusion. Adding to the puzzle is the fact that the alchemists have described their mercury using all manner of names and physical characteristics. Sendivogius calls it heavenly water. and water-soluble salts obtained from plants are really just vehicles of the three essentials. and Spirit. Sulfur. By examining the physical. Alkahest. Many modern students will wonder what has happened to their familiar. he signifies that it is produced by the action of heat upon moisture. it is well described. Anyone who has done some reading in alchemy will realize that exact instructions on how to acquire or prepare the Philosopher's Mercury is never given." In Collectanea Chemica Eirenaeus Philalethes says "The Philosophers frequently describe this matter. The best one can hope for is to be able to string together the bits of clues left to us by erstwhile adepts. When he says the wind carries it in its belly. figuring thereby its vaporous nature.. Water of Chaos.. When he affirms that which is . volatile essential oil. Salt. The ethyl alcohol. and even the symbols used to represent the three. he only means that the air is its receptacle. Dew of May.. and brimstone are not the basic building blocks of life or the precursors of gold. Some of these are. Soul.. as it were.markedly from other modern writers on plant alchemy. mythological. In alchemy the names given to the three essentials are Body. descends from on high into things which are below. but almost like rain water. and Mercury. not vulgar. In the Lexicon of Alchemy by Martinus Rulandus one can find legions of names to describe the Philosopher's Mercury. When Hermes calls it a bird without wings. much insight into their meanings can be obtained. Generally this statement is thought to concern only the works in the mineral world. Instead one should look to the use of analogy to fathom the secrets one wishes to unlock. When he calls the sun its father and the moon its mother. or respectively. ethyl alcohol. For alchemists the world over this substance is the liquid in the holy grail. Aqua Vitae. ". In fact these substances belong more appropriately in the realm of the four elements rather than the three essentials. Rising up out of the womb is a partial form whose features are not yet determined. if not beloved. and water-soluble salts. In Triumphal Chariot of Antimony Basil Valentine says of the Mercury.
Our Mercury is the numina behind the phenomena of all creation. galaxies etc is nothing more than congealed star stuff or as the alchemist would say condensed spirit. In its most universal form the Philosopher's Mercury is pure energy. store. not manifested. within it. We only call it chaos because all things are inherent. Instead there is actually a stasis within it. Everything else that we perceive as tangible matter. time or even space. Thus the chaos of the alchemist is the power or more aptly put. that which existed before the universe or even the word. The thread that constantly runs through all of these descriptions is the fact that the Mercury is born of a heavenly source." Yet just where are we to begin our search for a tangible physical source of this special water. How are we going to rejoin this dichotomy . In the beginning the universe was formed either by a great explosion. All things being equal. and exists simultaneously in this chaos. It knows not duality. But its subtlety is so profound that the human mind can not perceive it in its true light. We will. The fact that the Mercury is capable of and indeed does progress from a gender-neutral expression to a polar and gender specific relationship is not much talked about in alchemy. Yet this thing is. We know that the light-energy of the sun is the source all life and thus the universal Mercury. Hence in this form it is also neutral. In this regards. be it rocks. from its subtlest intimation to its densest manifestation. it is cold omnipresent and still. length. In my mind it makes no difference which scenario one accepts to be the truth. fish man. it seems that we are still in an inescapable quandary. The chaos of the alchemist is not the chaos of the uninitiated person. the Mercury is described as a water here on earth. width. In the end energy is seen as the first form of all manifestation. wherewith all things are nourished in the vegetable. have to start at the beginning. as a good friend and alchemist once told me. It is that force that has been present since the ancient of days. animals. animal and mineral kingdoms. just as the energy of the sun is. moves.inferior is like that which is superior. destruction. There is no mass confusion of thought and form in this dimension. For our immediate purposes then we will consider the energy of the sun and stars as the power outlets of God. or a word which brought forth light. We can no more see or perceive the Philosopher's Mercury when it is in its most elementary state than we can the mysterious substance called life. In fact this source is aptly named chaos because everything has its creation. and use the energy of the sun. Also. he teaches that the same vapor on the surface of the earth furnishes the matter of rain and dew. the being of God. From its center radiates out rays of energy that carry within themselves the seeds of all creation. trees. as it is in fact. This force is unitary in existence. the chaos of the alchemist is a definite physical substance. This now is what the Philosophers call their Mercury and affirm it to be found in all things. planets. or weight in itself. then this evolutionary migration of expression must be a fact. It has no height. Yet if we are to take the former alchemist at their word and believe that all things proceed from the One. It is incomprehensible and unknowable to the human mind in its normal mode of consciousness. breathes. But how is one supposed to be able to capture. or the photon which produces light.
The philosophers claim that Sulfur. the water seeming to flow like milk from her two breasts. Through coagulation it has then become a tangible essence. above the blue sky. It is through the action of Sulfur that all the terrestrial identifiers are given birth. Fulcanelli says of the two: "In mythology it is called Libethra and is said to have been a fountain of Magnesia. consciousness. shaped like a woman's bosom. and illumination. SULPHUR The symbol of Sulfur shows us the a triangle representing the flame or essence of the spirit connected to and inherent within the four states of matter. Cold winds have passed right through you as if they were malevolent spirits trying to discourage your return but every day you come back. called the Rock. and the empty landscape's shadows that seem to shimmer with the promise of life is Sulfur. The very light that allows you to perceive the beautiful azure sky. energy is transferable from one source to another. smells. the trees are still bare and only moss.of expression? Let us always remember that in nature. You have been there on the days when snow fell lightly and there was a peculiar warmth in the air. The sun's rays fall gently on your shoulders and massage out the stiffness of the winter. You have stood on this stony bluff when the winds wailed and snow fell during blizzards that cut deep into your skin like fiery darts. Near it was another spring. and taste are made by the action of Sulfur. It is the seed that is implanted into the womb to fertilize the ovum. It is now that you realize that you are immersed in the solar Sulfur. You have stood in the freezing rain and fog to watch the forces of nature." Basil Valentine writes: "This water has been extracted from the elementary earth by the stars and the fire which is contained in the air. Now. There is a light coolness in the air. but the area does not look all that different. though different from their Mercury. Both of them issued from a large rock. Things like a substance's virtues. Through it all you have maintained your conviction and visited this spot to see nature at work. It is expansive and penetrating. On beautiful days like this one you can . non the less is related to it and proceeds from the same place. we know that the ancient authors called the matter of the work our Magnesia and that the liquid extracted from this magnesia is called our Virgin's Milk. dead leaves and brown grass are on the ground. You have been coming to this one spot everyday throughout the long cold winter. Beneath you is the water of the lake." Sulfur represents the universal Mercury in its male aspect. It is the first day of spring. The long cold winter is over now. But somehow there is a difference in this day. colors. You look up into the cloudless sky again and realize just how invigorated you feel. Sulfur is looked on as representing soul. But were are we to find this solar Sulfur? Imagine if you will that you are standing on a bluff that stretches out over the water of a lake. This tangible essence encloses a large quantity of predominating sulphur.
There are methods of doing this collecting but they require a great deal of laboratory skill. Both of these waters can be termed Mercury. but finally his joy burst forth! The stream of living water flows at his feet. neither positive nor negative. In another section Fulcanelli tells us ". The gases and subtle water vapors in our atmosphere interact with this energy and delicately condense it into a somewhat tangible form. it gushes out bubbling from the old hollow oak. Here the spiritual is made manifest by being given a physical garment. The energy carried within the rays of sunlight that reaches our planet is loaded with universal Sulfur. In addition. the moon and the stars. .actually feel this fire of life coursing through one's being. Of the search for this mystical water Fulcanelli says in Le Mystere Des Cathedrales "The artist has come a long way. The matter used for attracting this water is of the greatest importance because it will determine the Sulfur to one of the three kingdoms of nature. Also one should be careful that the magnet and water do not come in contact with the ground least it lose the very fiery charge you seek to acquire." In this substance we find a separation of the waters of the firmament and their fixation. which attracts to itself all the influences of the sky. the water is produced by the action of heat upon moisture.. so below." SALT The symbol of Salt is the cosmic egg showing the completed act of creation. Both of these waters are said to be produced or issue forth from the chaos of the sun. we can see the outcome of the circulatory action of "as above." Still further on he tells us that the matter of the work "is a veritable magnet. The sky should be cloudless.. with the aero-sulphureous property. Therefore. The other water then must be the universal substance in its feminine aspect. We have already seen that one of these waters is indeed the condensed starlight of the heavens that contains the sulfurous fire. The Philosophers speak of two waters that are the primary cause of creation. It is these vapors that are the "sidereal hot infusion descending from on high into things which are below. that engrafts on them in a spiritual and invisible manner a certain strength and virtue. though one of them is generally called Sulfur to denote its masculine qualities and the atmospheric conditions necessary for its proper collection. the sun. most philosophers advise us to acquire our celestial water at night. he has taken false turnings and wandered on doubtful paths. It is not like the water from the clouds although it has the same appearance. Here. finally. Or as Hermes has taught. allowing for the clear transmittal of the starlight. in order to transmit them to the earth. the substances used in this method of the work are quite dangerous and can cause death if not handled properly. You would be right except for the fact that it is extremely hard to get the energy to concentrate at this time. The symbol of salt is generally thought of as being neutral." One might think that the best time for collecting this energy is in the middle of the day when the sun's rays are at their most intense. This is the "sidereal distillation of the macrocosmos" that brother Basil speaks of.
Also. the most subtle and ethereal parts of this vapor remain airborne and its denser parts are drawn into the earth to later be exhaled as dew. As we stand on the dry land at the foot of a terrestrial sea. etc. It is from . As more and more clouds appear we realize that the nature of the fire has changed. unseen energy of the sun is clothed in a material albeit diaphanous garment. Heat begins to build up causing the condensed water on the planet's surface to be evaporated. is undesirable. Here we find the invisible fire of the sun clothed in ethereal garments.Yet when dealing with universal qualities one will find that polarities and the meaning of substance's are changed around. Our Sulfur is used for determining our universal body given in abundance by the rain. and prepare these two waters he is in possession of the one substance from which all other forms arise by adaptation. Anyone who is familiar with the Qabalah will realize that this assignation of neutrality and polarity fits perfectly with the supernal triangle. As the cooling effect of night comes. The soft white clouds we see suspended in the air are indeed beautiful. More water vapor rises into the sky to intermingle with cosmic rays. It can no longer be considered an expansive radiant force caught up in those clouds. It is at this point that we are reminded of the symbol of the universal Salt. Slowly we begin to realize that these clouds were born by the interaction of the solar Sulfur and the earth's atmosphere. rocks. Our woman must stay fertile and a virgin. Again we will let nature be our guide in our quest for understanding the One that is many. The laws of what is termed the macrocosmic world do not apply to the particles of energy dealt with in quantum mechanics. For this reason it is best looked at as a feminine entity. If the temperature conditions stay just right the firmament becomes saturated with this impregnated vapor and thick rain clouds fill the sky. this water must be collected so that it falls from the sky directly into the container. Like its counterpart it must be collected without its coming into contact with the ground. When the alchemist knows how to collect. The sun's rays enter the earth's atmosphere and react with it. Instead we feel the confinement and constriction of the solar Sulfur as the clouds fill the sky. combine. This water also carries within it a flame or spark of life just as the ovum in a woman does. We can well imagine that in the days preceding this one a very subtle type of alchemical circulation was going on. Run off from plants. In the case of Sulfur we were not concerned with the quantity of the water obtained as much as we were its quality. In practical laboratory plant alchemy we do not want this water to be determined by the whims of nature. The water that falls during a thunderstorm is much more feminine in quality than the fiery water collected by the condensation of starlight. We have continued with our visits to the lake unbroken for the last few days. It determination is dependent on which one of the three kingdoms it comes into contact with first. we realize that there is another more subtle ocean above our heads. Because this water needs no magnet to draw it from the sky it is not determined to any of the kingdoms of nature. Here for the first time the intangible. It's sort of like the difference between quantum mechanics and mundane physics. In fact it is best collected in glass or plastic containers thereby insuring it retains its fertility. Today when looking up into the sky we see a familiar appearance in a whole new light.
. Their representation of the three is indeed correct when dealing with the spagyric equivalents of the alchemical aspects of the essentials. You will end up with an exalted medicine but not a living one.. He is then able to achieve in a short time a more philosophic manipulation of the elements. But it is a skillful perfect equation of all the elements. Chapter 3 The Four Alchemical Elements ". In the end all things are generated from spirit and return unto it. purification. the alchemist's celestial water. and the mineral salts of a plant for the essential of Salt. nor cold and moist like water. even if she had worked on the matter for aeons.this one water that we derive the four expressions of creation known as the alchemical elements of fire. There is a wide gulf between making a spagyric product and making an alchemical one. The aspiring alchemist should realize that nature is continually stepping down the energy of the spirit so that it can take on material attributes. In alchemy the artist must at some point in his operation capture this spark or flame of life for use in his work.. Hence. Yet starting at this point when trying to achieve alchemical results caused me many years of unnecessary labor. In many writings the three essentials are listed as ethyl alcohol for the Mercury. In closing this chapter I wish to point out again that one is dealing with universal qualities and not mundane ones. But before one begins to take such artistic license it is probably best to start at the beginning. The separation. In the spagyric art one need not necessarily deal with acquiring the spark of life to accomplish the task.. water.." . nor warm and moist like air. so also this One Thing is an indestructible essence. We must remember that just as there are varying degrees of density in the material world. once one knows what one is doing this spark can be added to storebought products. True. and earth. In this way the aspiring student can use the water to produce all other manifestations of the matter that are required. and recombination of the vehicles of the three essentials that nature has outwardly manifested in the individual plant is more than enough. By doing this the alchemist is able to give birth to a more perfect expression of the three essentials than what nature could hope to outwardly manifest. It is neither hot and dry like fire. the polarities and physical manifestations of the three are vastly different from what is normally pictured. too are there varying degrees of subtlety in the spiritual. For this reason I have concentrated my description of the three essentials around this spark's first manifested form. air." ". Let me state again that my presentation of the three essentials differs greatly from that of other modern writers on plant alchemy. In this way the alchemist learns to understand his art.. volatile essential oils for Sulfur. Therefore at different phases of the evolution of matter the three will have markedly different polarities and forms.. My mind had become fixed on the separation of these three substances instead of their generation by art.. nor dry and cold like earth. So.
It is represented by the symbol of the triangle shown above. From day to day the work in the laboratory changes and so too does the relation of one element to another.e. drying. radiant. It is also said to be of a hot and dry nature. One must always look at what they are working with in relation to the other ingredients used. The Water element is described as contracting. it also takes a much lower temperature to fix or freeze this substance than it would take any of the other alchemical elements. namely. In the laboratory.From the book of "The Revelation of Hermes" Interpreted by Paracelsus. Our first element to discuss is Fire. it is destructive. No matter what kingdom we are working in. It tells us two facts immediately:. Now let us get onto the business of the four alchemical elements of the philosophers. and debilitating. These four states of matter acted upon by the three essentials are blended in various proportions to create all physical manifestations of substance. . The Fire element is said to be the first element born during the creation of the universe. The Fire element is described as expansive. the Fire element is the substance that is the most volatile. cold. In the positive polarity of the Water element. Thus. I described the Mercury of the Philosophers as being a universal substance with a dualistic nature. there is one of two universal substances found throughout that kingdom that correlates to the Fire element." and the Big Bang theory tells us that an explosion followed by blinding light was the first physical manifestation in the universe. the plant.e. Let me say here there is no set substance that is one or another of the elements. In one instance.. In its positive polarity. The alchemists say that the three essentials are manifested through the four elements. Let us for a moment look at this triangle. dry . i. and life-giving. In the last chapter. These four elements are symbolic representations of the four fundamental qualities of matter. volatile and fixed. As the substance evolves in the laboratory so too do the elements transmute one into another. animal. In the Bible we read "Let there be light.( 2) its upward-pointing apex tells us that it is volatile and not fixed. When we work in the laboratory there are three kingdoms we can work with. The second element born from the act of creation is Water. warming. In its negative polarity. it boils with a heat less than that required to make any of the other three elements boil. regular water could be considered the water element and in the next it may be the fire element.. and mineral kingdoms.(1) its three points tell us that the substance represented by it is composed of the three essentials:. Conversely. and electric. i.and magnetic. it is nurturing. it is said to influence the building-up activity of all organisms.
we are told. as the decay of winter transmutes itself into the life of spring and the withered vine that puts forth new leaves and produces fruit for the fall harvest. By a process known as oxidation. the Water element is hidden within the belly of the Fire element. the Air element is composed of a dominant quality taken from the Fire and Water elements. It is born. No matter which of the . the Air element is also considered to be made up of the dominant qualities of the two primordial elements. volatile and fixed. Yet alchemy has always taught this. i. In its negative polarity it will produce a disintegrating. our Water element can be formed from our Fire element. does have a fluidity about its motion. If we look at the symbol for the element Air four facts are shown to us by its symbolism:. The two facts we see right away about the symbolism of this triangle are: (1) it is composed of the three essentials. which it got from fire and water: (4) the placement of the horizontal line in the top third of the triangle instead of its midpoint. we have the two energetic forms or principles of Our Mercury.e. In fact. the Water element is the second of the universal substances found throughout the three kingdoms. (2) because its apex is pointing down. This new substance born of the death of its sibling is diametric in its qualities to the original substance. The unobstructed triangle (when compared to that of Earth's) though pointing down does convey this message. Our next element is the Air element. tells us that the volatile substance is of a much lesser quantity than that of the fixed. In this regard. In truth. (1) the element of course is made up of the three essentials: (2) it is of a semi-volatile nature: (3) the horizontal line across the top third of the triangle tells us that this element comes in two forms. Hence. For this reason it is said to be the true essence or consciousness of the matter with which we are working. In the laboratory. This element. In the laboratory. though. it is considered less volatile and therefore fixed when compared to the Fire element. dissolving activity known as catabolism.. We will see later on how these two substances help to form the two Mercuries known as the Red Mercury and the White Mercury. Hermetic lore states the Air element is not a true element in and of itself. by the commingling of the Fire and Water elements. the volatile and the fixed. the task of the Air element lies in controlling the electric fluid and the magnetic fluid of the Fire and Water elements. We are told the elements are not stagnant but transmute constantly one into another. heat and moisture.metabolism. I find it quite interesting that from the death of one element another is born. This element is represented by a downward-pointing triangle.
weight. is the beginning of the Great and the Small works. one can. that of the Earth. the other three elements have been given form. . extract this double soul or consciousness from the matter being worked on. We come now to our last element. Hermetic lore also states this element. by a correct understanding of the art. In the laboratory this earthly substance can be obtained from any of the three kingdoms. The proper manipulations of this substance. and time have been born. like the Air element. after the other three have been placed into it. This emanation. This is because it is made up of the action of the three preceding elements. (4) the placement of the horizontal line tells us that the quantity of the volatile substance is in a smaller proportion than that of the fixed. is not an element proper. Let us for a moment look at the symbol of the Earth element. is limited because with the birth of the earth element space. This symbol also tells us four facts right away: (1) it is made up of the three essentials. one will come to an inescapable conclusion: that the earth element is actually tetrapolar in nature. as well as what was written about the three essentials. It is in fact made up of the dominant qualities of dryness and coldness taken from the two primordial elements. though. Because of its specific quality of solidification. If one considers what has been said about the preceding three elements. measure.three kingdoms one is working with. (2) it is fixed because its apex points downward. (3) the horizontal line in its bottom third tell us that it comes in the two forms of volatile and fixed.
It is strongly suggested to the reader unfamiliar with Albertus's work to read the titles listed in the suggested readings section. For the sake of simplicity. that you can tell a person's exact future. Astronomers say there are nine of them. though. and minutes. we will look at daily and hourly cycles.Chapter 4. immaterial. so that one can use the information in the production of alchemical products. while Albertus claims there are three more planets yet to be discovered. The energies that helped to shape human history--be they material. one can extrapolate that similar events in human history will manifest themselves.B. while considering their positions and angles to one another. nor do I think Albertus meant." Genesis 1:14 I am not going to try to teach astro-cyclic pulsations here (a. It of course is a well-known fact there are more than just seven planets in our solar system. and for seasons. I am not saying.k. and quabbalistic number. grew. the seven period letters. or a combination of the two--repeat or manifest themselves in regular cyclic fashion. This is because each day of our week is ruled by one of the seven planets of the ancients. 6 9 5 8 4 . Table 2 shows the seven time intervals. and for days. What will be attempted in as short a form as possible is to give the salient points about this subject. There are many fine books out from which to learn. Table1 shows the planet. Astro-cyclic pulsations is a term coined by the late Frater Albertus. The following sequence of planets.a. the greatest of which is the free will of the individual(s) in question. Table 3 shows the primary relationships of the planets. days and numbers is the one agreed upon and used by most of the alchemists that I know. each day can be subdivided into seven separate periods. and quabbalistic number. The seven phase cycle deals with the spiritual/mental influences upon terrestrial organisms as revealed by the seven planetary intelligence's of the ancients. and evolved in a cyclic fashion. For our purposes. Anyone not familiar with the production of a horoscope will have to teach themselves this subject. So that each period of the day is ruled by the planet ruling that day with a little tingeing influence placed upon it by its co-ruler for that period. By comparing the energy patterns and events of the past to the energy patterns of present and future times. The Firmament "And God said. It takes very little math to establish which planetary intelligence(s) is operative in any given hour of any day of the week. is a correlation of past events to the energies emitted by the star groups and planets at the time. The seven or twelve phase cycles. Table 1 PLANET Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter WEEKDAY Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Q. we will confine our presentation to the seven planets of the ancients. There are too many variables that come into play for this to be done.L No. astrology). Albertus used cyclic charts to show the energy patterns that ranged over thousands of years down to days. and years. hours. What can be done. All astro-cyclic pulsation charts can be expressed in two manners. weekday. He contended that the universe and all things within it moved. Moreover. let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs.
m. Eight a.m.L. and 6 + 1 = 7. with better circulation resulting: ( 2) a stimulation and promotion of liver functions. . 3:26 a. the qualities of the Venetian intelligence is tingeing those of the solar intelligence.. and you want to know what planetary influence prevails. and 1:43 p. We would first go to table 1 and see that the Q. Table 2 would tell us that 9:00 p.m. and 5 + 5 = 10. The effects that rosemary has on the physical body are: (1) rise in the blood pressure.B. is in time period A..m. is in period E and its Q. we would want to start our tincture on a Sunday while the tingeing influence of Jupiter was present. 1:43 p. More specifically on Sunday between 10:17 a. The answer is arrived at by adding the Q.L No.B.6:51 a.m. One also should keep in mind there are two poles to every cycle. with their corresponding spiritual ones. come under the domain of the Sun and Jupiter respectively. Therefore.m.m. number is 1.L.1:43 p. .m.m.B.m.10:17 a.m.m. Suppose it is Sunday at 8:00 a. . Suppose we were to look at our watch at 9:00 p.B.m. This problem is solved by subtracting 7 whenever the sum is higher than 9. -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 CARDINAL SIN Pride Lust Anger Envy Cunning Lewdness Avarice CARDINAL VIRTUE Humility Substantiality Meekness Benevolence Wisdom Chastity Charity PART OF BODY Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus organs Saturn Gold Silver Iron Mercury Tin Copper Lead Heart Brain Gall Lungs Liver Generative Spleen Let us now look at a few examples of how to use these charts. There is a problem here because to arrive at a planetary influence we have to end up with a number between 3 and 9.Venus Saturn Friday Saturday Table 2 7 3 TIME INTERVAL Midnight-3:26 a.m. Therefore.m. 6:51 a.B. 5 + 5 = 10 and 10 7 = 3.m. While the second half would represent the positive polarity or cardinal virtues of humility and wisdom.8:34 p.number of Sunday (6) in table 1 to the Q. 5:09 p. Now suppose that we wanted to make a solar tincture out of the herb rosemary. This tells us that during this time on Sunday.B. and its Q. number of the time period we are concerned with found in table 2.5:09 p.m. so Tuesday at 9:00 p. on a Tuesday and we wanted to know the planetary influence for that time.m. the first half of the time period in question would represent the negative pole or cardinal sins of pride and cunning. 10:17 a. .L. .L.m.L number for Tuesday is 5. 8:34 p. Table 3 tells us that these physical functions. Therefore. number is that of 5. is under the tingeing influence of Saturn.Midnight Table 3 PLANET METAL PERIOD F G A B C D E Q.
and constellations to our earth. Now let us move onto the twelve phase cycle.One should be careful. planets. The key to being able to tell what is lacking or in excess of one or another's spiritual constitution is in astrology. For the purpose of this book we will confine ourselves to the investigation and use of the daily twelve phase cycle. ruling planets. The following is a review of some basic correspondences of astrological signs to alchemical elements. Table 4 Shows the correspondence to the seven ruling planets of the ancients to zodiacal signs and associated alchemical work when the moon is in that particular sign. of imposing labels onto things. By following certain laws as the moon passes through her phases and by taking into consideration the relation of those phases to the seven cycle. as there is no good or evil in the universe only the lawful actions of creation. polarities etc. Some pride and cunning are as important in the human condition as are humility and wisdom. It is only going to the extreme of either pole that is unlawful and morbid. The moon acts as a reflector of the energy of the sun. Table 4 PLANET MOON POLARITY PHASE Mars + NM Venus 1QTR Mercury + Distillation Moon +/3QTR Sun +/Calcination Mercury Congelation Venus + Sublimation Mars Dissolution Jupiter + Incineration Saturn Fermentation Saturn + Multiplying Jupiter 3QTR ZODIACAL SIGN ALCHEMICAL ELEMENT TYPE ALCHEMICAL WORK Aries Taurus Gemini FULL Cancer Leo NM Virgo 1QTR Libra FULL Scorpio 3QTR Sagittarius NM Capricorn 1QTR Aquarius FULL Pisces Fire Earth Air Water Fire Earth Air Water Fire Earth Air Water Cardinal Fixed Mutable Cardinal Fixed Mutable Cardinal Fixed Mutable Cardinal Fixed Mutable Digestion Fixation Separation Projection Table 5 shows the correlation of one 30 degree sign to its 3 subdivisions of 10 degrees . The twelve phase cycle has its manifestation in the material realm of all terrestrial organisms. as revealed by the influences of the twelve signs of the zodiac. the alchemist can do some pretty amazing things in the manipulation of matter. Everyone who has studied a little astrology knows that every twenty seven to twenty eight days the moon passes through the twelve constellations. material manifestations. though. Balance in all things is the key.
1 .5 Scorpio 17. Leo.. Table 4 gives us the key to work with.5dg 25. Sagittarius.1 . there are twelve dwadashamsas in each 30-degree sign of the zodiac. Table 5 Sign Aries Decans 1-10 degrees degrees Aries Sagittarius 11-20 degrees 21-30 Leo Dwaddahamsas Aries 0.2. Capricorn.5 Virgo 25.0dg 22. etc.20. Thus.5dg 20. an earth sign. deed. were the ruler the progression would be Virgo. For our purposes here we are concerned more with the seven-phase cycle as it applies to the day and hours and the twelve-phase cycle as it applies to the moon. and Aries.0 Libra 27. This is because every action. If we were dealing with the 30 degrees of the zodiac ruled by Leo the progression would be: Leo.10 dg 27.6 Capricorn Gemini 5. First each decan of ten degrees always belongs to the same elemental triplicity wherein it is found.6 . The first dwadashamsa always begins with the same sign found in its decan. The placement of the remaining three dwadashamsaa after the first dwadashamsa of each decan follows the natural progression of the zodiac as laid out in table 4.6 . Finally. The first dwadashamsa of the second decan of Aries is Leo. The third dwadashamsa of the third decan of Aries is Sagittarius.6 Leo 22.12. When using these tables one need not necessarily correlate their actions with that of a traditional horoscope. If Virgo.5. Second the order of placement for the decans always follows the natural progression of the same element in the zodiac starting from the sign ruling the 30 degrees in question. The first decan of a sign always begins with the sign itself.0 30. the first decan of the sign Aries is Aries.1 . the second fire sign follows it and Leo is in turn followed by Sagittarius.17.7.0 Sagittarius Taurus 2.each known as decans and the decans to their 4 subdivisions of 2.15.5 degrees each known as dwadashamsas.6 Pisces . Therefore. 1) The hour that an operation takes place has precedence over all things. The basic guidelines I use for these tables are as follows.6 . The first decan for Virgo would of course be Virgo.0 15.1 . the first dwadashamsa of the first decan of Aries is Aries. carried out on the material plane must first be preceded by a . and Taurus.0 10.1 Aquarius Cancer 7. Therefore with Aries.5 12.5 This setup works for any of the signs of the zodiac.
e. or for some other astrological reason.. . i.thought. for sublimation. when the moon is in the south node. with the sign that it rules in the first house. i. Ideally. d) If (4c) is not possible then the planet ruling the matter should be placed in the sign of its exaltation. etc. With the planet as close to the midheaven as possible.e. For example. The following rules should be used in this order: a) The sign ruled by the planet should be in the first house. An hour of another day in which your planet is a co-ruler. you want to begin a digestion and the moon is in its first quarter but she resides in Leo. she must be in the proper phase so taht her form corresponds to the type of energy she is transmitting. The planet ruling the sign should be on the cusp of the ascendant. c) If (4b) is not possible then the planet ruling the matter should be in the tenth house as close as possible to the midheaven. To begin a digestion you would have to wait until the moon traveled to the third decan of Leo. avoiding any bad aspects to the ascendant. You will then have to compute when the moon enters the ten degrees of the particular sign that corresponds to the decan ruled by the work. she should be in the sign that corresponds with the alchemical work you are trying to accomplish: for digestion the moon should be in Aries. 3a) If the moon is not be in the appropriate sign for the work. in Libra. then chose either another hour of the day in which your planet rules. then she should be in one of its decans. Hence. 1a) If this cannot be done because the moon has not entered her proper sign or phase at the hour you have chosen. This would correspond to any degree between twentyone degrees and thirty degrees Leo. Hence. This sign should occupy the first house with the planet as close to the ascendant as possible. in a zodiacal sign that has the same alchemical element as the work to be undertaken.. The planet ruling the sign of exaltation should occupy the tenth house. Keeping in mind the polarity of the planets to one another. One should also avoid elevation operations such as sublimation and distillation when the dragons tail is shown. you should strive to start any of your operations on the day and hour when the planet ruling your matter has total supremacy. 2) The moon is the reflector of cosmic energies from our sun and the other planets to our earth. ruled by Aries. 3) The moon's position in the sky is important. then the time used for the chart's construction should come from rule 1 or 1a. b) If (4a) is not possible then the planet and sign ruling the matter should be in the tenth house and as close as possible to the midheaven. 4) If you wish to use an exact horoscope for the work. To phrase it better an active engaging of willpower is necessary to mold and shape the subtle etheric energy of the universe. as well as whether or not you are in a positive or negative phase of that time period.
The planet and sign should be placed in the first or tenth houses. Most of the information presented so far can be gleaned from many of the titles listed in the suggested reading section of this book. The aspiring alchemist should at least have a working knowledge of the theory of all three of . correlations between substances and the tree of life developed in my mind. g) Avoid any bad aspects especially those to Saturn. h) Favorable aspects to the sun and moon are to be cultivated. As I have gotten deeper into the lab work. Finally let me say that it is indeed a truth when they say that hermetic science is made up of three disciplines: alchemy. midheaven. After all. i) Worry only about those aspects that affect the work. For those persons who think that I am trying to revive pre-Newtonian physics with a liberal sprinkling of superstition because of the last chapter on astro-cyclic pulsations. f) If (4e) is not possible then your planet should be located in a sign which occupies a house that is favorable to it.. Yet a review of certain basic facts is indispensable when dealing with a subject such as this. and moon. Chapter 5. I did not think it could really help me in alchemy. i. I will not try to write on this subject as I am still trying to master it. It should also have no bad aspects to the planets ruling the ascendant and midheaven. After a while there can be no doubt about the connection between celestial bodies and terrestrial matter.e. it is suggested that they read the works by Lillian Kolisko and Agnes Fayfe.s eye. When a light and sporadic study of this subject was started a few years ago. then the experiments on capillary dynomolysis can be reproduced by the individual. If still more proof is needed. Aspects between these two to the ascendant. sun. astro-cyclic pulsations (astrology) and Qabbalah. I would also like to mention the Qabbalah here. with the planet as close to the ascendant or midheaven as possible. The glyph of the qabbalist known as the tree of life will aid the aspiring alchemist in his/her quest to understand the universe and how the subtlest intimations and the grossest manifestations are interconnected. the sign ruled by the planet that rules the matter. It should have no bad aspects to the ascending degree or the midheaven.e) If (4d) is not possible then the planet ruling the matter should be placed in a sign that has the same alchemical element as the sign ruled by the planet ruling the matter. how could a funny looking glyph impart any useful information. between the planet ruling the matter. Concluding Remarks on Theory Anyone with a little know-how on the subject of alchemy will realize that the information presented in the last four chapters is no one individual's exclusive domain. It is a fascinating thing to see these experiments unfold before one. In the latter case always avoid bad aspects between the midheaven and ascendant.
The great thrill. one. Therefore. comes from actually doing it yourself.00 $2. feel of rain. your first kiss or congress? I would think not. because it brings the subject matter to life in a very personal way.00 $20. Would you have been contented or even wanted someone to always experience or describe your "First's" to you? Would you have wanted them to see and experience for you your first snow.00 $3. For me. we can with wisdom imitate the cosmos at will.00 $10. First. because from childhood I have always been fascinated by the laboratory and its apparatus.the disciplines. This. The following are lists of supplies. sight of death.00 $20. The only way to understand this would be the study of Qabbalah.00 1 Quart Amber Bottle/Cap 5 Quart Corning Glass Pot Clamps & Stands . Experience is the best teacher. In the end. Each of these things no matter how sweet or unpleasant has allowed us to grow by experiencing them.00 $67. if you are meant to be in this science and you have enough persistence. astrology had to be learnd if the work was to run as smoothly as possible. after all. one could start with astro-cyclic pulsations or qabbalah.00 Coffee Filter Paper Cotton Balls Kimwipes Labels Notebook Parafilm Plastic Spoons Stop Cock Grease Total Supplies Materials Quantity Approximate Price 12 1 4 $40. After doing experiments in the lab for some time I realized that at times it seemed that certain procedures were expedited or impeded for some unknown reason. we will need to outfit our laboratory with the proper materials and equipment. is the crux of alchemy. the three will join into one. materials. When checking back over my lab notes a pattern soon emerged that was inescapable and it dealt with the moon.00 $5. Of course. After this. and equipment you will need to do all the experiments in this book.00 $2. to grow in knowledge and evolve through experience so that after some time. taste of sugar. burn of a flame. One need not necessarily start in the lab. This of course led to the question of why planetary positions would affect the outcome of a lab experiment. Supplies Quantity Approximate Price 3 Pkgs 1 Pkg 1 box 100 1 1 1 pkg 1oz $5.00 $150.s own natural predisposition will set one upon the appropriate path with which to start. however. it is nice to have a mentor who will give you a pointer or actually show you how to do a procedure every once in a while. Chapter 1 Lab Equipment Needed Let us move now onto the Practical Applications of the information presented in part one. it was the laboratory work. though.00 $20.
00 Funnels Assorted Sizes 4 $5.00 $1000.00 $622. which are very good but expensive.00 $200.1816 The list of materials and equipment on the preceding page is pretty comprehensive.00 Thermometer Distilling 150 / C 2 $30. filterpaper. and Reliance Glass.8500.00 When you buy your items for the lab. etc. If you live near water you can generally get sand off the beach for free. P. 75/50 Bottom Condenser Lieber 24/40 Joints Condenser Reflux 24/40 Joints Double Joint Expansion Bulb 24/40 Bottom.00 Sand free Stainless Steal Screwdriver 1 $7.00 $15.00 $60.00 $200.00 Plastic Tubing 30 feet $20.00 $200.00 $120.00 Faucet Adapter 1 $30. electric stovetop.00 Materials Total Equipment Quantity Approximate Price Adapter Bent Distillation 24/40 Adapter Connecting 24/40 Adapter Distillation 24/40 Adapter 24/40 Top.00 $2449.00 $20.00 $1760. I have found that the Corning Pyrex muffin forms work very well in the kiln.00 $60. Bensenville IL 60106. For your glassware purchases.00 Mason Jars 24 $20. food processor.00 $60. I ..00 $60. 08360 (609) 692 .00 $80. (708) 766 . kimwipes.00 Graduated Glass beakers 4 $50. or else you can buy it cheaply from a pool supply house. here are two scientific glassware manufacturers.J. P. as long as the temperature does not exceed 600/C.Coors Porcelain Crucibles 100ml 24 $150. Box 825.O.00 $120.O.00 $70. The plastic tubing can generally be bought at a pet store.00 Glass Stir Rods 3 $20.00 Universal Thermometer Adapter 1 $30. Box 729.00 $35. The crucibles need not be Coor's porcelain kind. who can customize your glassware to fit any specifications: Kontes Glassware. 75/50 top Erlenmeyer Flask 2000ml 24/40 Top Food Processor Funnel Separatory Kiln Large Back Heating Pad with Thermostat Large Styrofoam Container Mortar & Pestle Round Bottom Flask 2000ml 24/40 Top Round Bottom Flask 5000ml 75/50 Top Portable Electric Stove Soxhlet Extractor Complete 300ml Triple Beam Balance Misc Equipment Total Grand total 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 2 1 1 $60.00 $40. The prices at the hardware store are a lot cheaper than those at the laboratory/chemical supply store.00 Pyrometer (thermometer for kiln) 1 $50.00 $30. Vineland N.00 $150.00 $80. things like the bottles. can be purchased from your local hardware store. tongs.
A beautiful blue arching flame etched out the fractionating column. 3) When distilling alcohol from wine use a water bath. To make a long story short. grease. though the dangers stem from ignorance on the operator's part rather than nature's. but I was so tired. Patience. of course have a water supply in the laboratory where the work is taking place. your flask may break because of the heat. I have lost much time and money trying to figure out what I was sure would never be forgotten. 2) Never distill to total dryness. 5) Always keep notes. they make great water and sand baths. if heeded. patience ought to be the motto of every aspiring alchemist.s trail through the air. Each individual will of course add to this list as they improvise and come up with their own procedures. Never trust anything to memory. The spirits of wine had gone through five rectifications already.have listed only those things that I have found to be utterly necessary in my day-to-day operations in the laboratory. Therefore. One night in particular I had been working very late. . 1) Distill slowly and fill your distillation flask at least one-third but no more than onehalf full. my fractionating column launched off the distillation flask as if it were a rocket. it sure does not hurt to have it either. The ceiling of my lab as well as my first six months worth of notes caught fire. I also suggest that you have at least four extra of those that are used most often. 6) ALWAYS! ALWAYS! WEAR PROTECTIVE EYEWARE. therefore. These few hints. it must of been two or three in the morning. I was able to save the lab but the notes are in the ether now. This was a big no-no. I can remember clearly how when starting in the lab. go slowly. will help you. You should also have access to electricity. A first year college course in chemistry is excellent to familiarize one with the uses of glassware. immediate results were desired. 7) When handling any caustic substance be sure you can get plenty of cool running water fast in case of a spill onto yourself. is the prime watchword. Because many flasks have been broken. One can also collect a nice assortment of pots and pans of all different sizes from the local Salvation Army thrift store. 4) Keep a fire extinguisher rated for putting out electrical. Never use an open flame or bare electric element to distill any flammable liquid. Let me warn you that this work is not without risk. I had been filling the distillation flask two-thirds of the way all night. The most aggravating thing that can happen is not to be able to continue with the experiment because you broke your one and only flask. 8) While no formal schooling is necessary to do this work. Also a lab coat and protective gloves are good. and alcohol fires near by. You should.
Take the pot with the herb body outside and incinerate it.Chapter 2 Production of Spagyric Herbal Extracts Though spagyric production methods seem simple on the outside they are indeed difficult and time consuming. Take one large Styrofoam container and spread a 1/2. depending on where you have set the thermostat. If any sediment falls decant the liquid from it and caste away the feces. Place the herb into the 5000 ml round-bottom flask. When finished.inch layer of sand evenly on the container's bottom. Turn off the stove and let cool. Grind the ash to be sure there are no solid parts in it. On top of the sand place a large back heating pad that has a thermostat control. To make an inexpensive incubator proceed as follows. Seal the mason jar and place it in the incubator of about 30 degrees C. to digest for twentyone to fourtytwo days. Cut a notch in the top corner of the Styrofoam container for the cord. Take the ash out of the pot and weigh it. Place the ash onto a stove top and continue to heat until it is pure white. Cover the herb with five times its volume of a good white wine or brandy. Take any herb that you like and place it into a mason jar. After some time all of the moisture will be driven off from the herb. This piece of equipment will be one of the essential things that we use in the lab. Pour enough distilled water over the herb so the entire volume of the contents of the flask reaches two-thirds of its capacity. On top of the heating pad place a 1-inch layer of sand. In this way the top of the container will be flush with the edges when you close it. Take the ash out and weigh it. A second method used for the production of spagyric extracts is as follows. Your task is accomplished when the herb body has turned to ash and obtained a light gray color. Take one pound of any herb that you like. Take the herb body out of the first mason jar and place it into a calcining dish or large pot. In this way the water-soluble salts are absorbed by the tincture. Seal the jar and place it back into the incubator of 30/ C to digest for three more weeks. Place the ash into the mason jar holding the herbal tincture. At the end of this time you will have a very dark tincture. You now have a simple incubator to use in your lab. then grind it one more time. At the end of the three weeks decant the tincture from the herb and cast away the feces. Take a half pound of the herb and grind it very fine in your mortar (one also can use a food processor). It will maintain temperatures from 16 degrees C to 44 degrees C. . taking care to shake the jar three to five times a day. you will have made a spagyric herbal extract. We will therefore begin with the simplest of methods for the production of spagyric extracts. It will then start to roast and then incinerate. Repeat this work of sedimentation until no feces fall to the bottom of the container holding your tincture. Let the herb sit out for one week in a cool room so any impurities suspended in the tincture can settle at the bottom of the mason jar. Our first task is to make an incubator for our laboratory. We are ready to begin making a simple spagyric extraction of our chosen herb. Decant the tincture from the herb and store it in another mason jar.
Put the flask into an incubator at 27/ C. In this way we are able to get an almost pure ethyl alcohol. When making our last distillation the alcohol should come over at 76 degrees C. The herb body is taken outside. Add enough distilled water to the flask so the amount of alcohol in the mixture equals 10% to 20% by volume. When no more liquid will come over turn off the heat and water and let the apparatus cool. Place the flask with all of its contents still in it into a large pot. The distillate is poured back into the distillation flask anew each time (after the removal of the phlegm) and distilled again. In a few minutes the water in the pot will begin to boil. The presence of the purified alcohol keeps the new plant material from undergoing fermentation. Take the pot outside and begin roasting the residue. Seal the jar adapter and allow its contents to digest in the incubator for fourteen to twentyone days at a temperature of 35 degree's C to 37 degree's C. Secure the flask to a stand using a clamp and then place enough water into the pot holding the flask so the water line is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches below the lip of the pot. our feces should have become a gray ash. Be sure to record the final volumes of your phlegm and alcohol. Put it into the 5000 ml round-bottom flask. Place the mason jar holding the extract back into the incubator to further amalgamate its separate principles. Empty the contents of the distillation flask into a large pot. This is a sign that the fermentation has stopped. then pour the entire amount of the alcohol distillate over the herb. By this time. In time the bubbles will stop and the matter will fall to the bottom of the container. Take the second half of your herb and grind it to a fine powder. Place the combined ash into the thimble of the soxhlet extractor. About ten minutes after that you will see the impure alcohol condensing and dripping into the receiver. The phlegm obtained from the purification of the alcohol is used to extract the alkaline water-soluble salts from the ash. Weigh the ash and place it into a mason jar for later use. Use a wine fermentation air lock in a cork to seal the flask. While the feces roast we can return to work in our laboratory. in this way an extract of the plant is made. Pour the distillate in the receiver into a 2000 ml round bottom flask. Pour the phlegm containing the water-soluble salts into a crucible or pyrex dish and evaporate the water . Hook up the water supply to the condenser and turn on the heating element. In all. placed into a large pot and turned to ash. Take the air lock out of the flask. In a few days the fermentation of the herb will begin. Decant the darkly colored extract from the herb body and store it in another mason jar. Place the liquid left in the distillation flask into a mason jar for later use. Assemble the rest of the distillation train. After each distillation take the residue left in the distillation flask and add it to the watery residue from the second distillation. Take the distillate that is in the receiver and distill it five more times using only a water bath. it will take about two weeks for the entire process to be completed. Distill off all the liquid that will come over at 85 degrees C. The impure alcohol will come over at 85 to 90 / C. This process is announced by the formation of gas bubbles in the liquid. The ash of the maceration and ash of the fermentation are ground and mixed well.To speed up the fermentation process add a little sugar and brewer's yeast to the mixture. This watery substance is known as phlegm. Use a little stopcock grease to insure easy assembly and proper seal.
the earth could be refertilized (reanimated) with the proper organic substances so the seed planted in it would grow properly. evaporation. Finally grind the salts in a warm mortar and add them to the extract. and scream Ah ha! Your arguments of vitality in substance are ridiculous. that is. What this has to do with tinctures and extracts is this. The next morning scrape the salts out. To preserve this spark the spagyracist and alchemist use only mild temperatures in their operations. weighing. This process of extraction. we now have a spagyric extract. is dead. Though you will never be able to hatch a chicken from it. Every good herbalist knows that the time of planting as well as harvesting is extremely important. Once done. our salts are a pure white (sometimes a bluish tint can be seen). In this way. In the end. and weigh them. This very same molecular configuration shows itself whether the substance is from a natural or synthetic source. calcining. and weighing is done up to two more times.off overnight. They point to the molecular configuration of ethyl alcohol. grind. Yet the forces or energies emitted by our distant neighbors does indeed affect all earth matter. The forces of nature are very sensitive to heat. Nor can a synthetic product engender its own kind. shaking the jar at least five times a day. The salts are then placed back into the crucible or pyrex dish and put into the kiln and calcined to whiteness. While the final concentration of the extract can be brought to a 1:1 ratio. They quickly break down in harvested plants at temperatures above 40 degrees C. . To the modern scientist this talk of life in alcohol would seem to be nonsense. A car cannot operate itself without the conscious direction of human will. we must say that they are dealing with only an empty vehicle. Let them digest for a week or so with your extract. Decant the extract off of any sediment that may have settled on the bottom of the mason jar. Chapter 3 Production of Spagyric Herbal Tinctures Many people feel that an herbal extract as described in the last chapter can be made healthier and stronger by concentrating it. C2H5OH. In this respect the common alcohol one buys at a store. grinding. You can indeed eat and receive nutrition from a boiled egg. These salts are very alkaline as well as hygroscopic. A good analogy is to compare making an herbal extract in the orthodox with the act of boiling and egg. She told me this was done to sterilize the earth of any unwanted bacterial or insect life. For many persons the thought that celestial bodies millions of miles from earth can have any effect on terrestrial matter is absurd. To them. It reminds me of the dirt my mother would dig up out of the ground and bake in the oven before placing it into her plant pots. The temperature of the kiln should not be over 600 degrees C. Thus. This latter fact makes them very useful as a vehicle for cosmic forces. if one is out to create a superior product. the road to this concentration is very detrimental to the cosmic energy that was harvested with the plant at its time of extraction from the ground. no matter how high its proof. by many products being concentrated (even under ultra-high vacuum) the most nutritious kernel or spark is destroyed. This alcohol could be compared with the dark sterile mother of the qabbalist.
In all. Therefore. The distillate is poured back into the distillation flask a-new each time (after removal of the phlegm) and distilled again. it will take about two weeks for the entire process to be completed. because the tincture retains much more life-force. This is a sign the fermentation has stopped. because its seed has been destroyed and its spirit driven off. Hook up the distillation train to the flask using a 2000 ml round bottom flask as the receiver. as revealed by high pressure and gas chromatography. A water bath will be the best method for this distillation. Hook up the water supply to the condenser and then turn on the heating element. It is as far as I know only possible to show the presence of these forces by capillary dynamic studies. then add the skins. the alchemist animates the Mercury. Pour the juice into the 5000 ml round-bottom flask. individual consciousness. Our aim is now to cause a fermentation of the mixture. Distill the soup until no more will rise. in the alchemic view tinctures prepared according to art are always much more stronger than any extract. It must be stressed here that this life-force has nothing to do with the concentration of a substance or what many herbal companies call active ingredients in their extracts. Put a cork into the flask and store it in a cool place until needed later. you know what formative forces are locked up in the herb.to 90 degree C (you can add a few handfulls of sea salt and sandinto the water bath to encrease it's temperature). This acquiring of cosmic spirit is not very hard to do but it does require precision. Thus. Take the distillate that is in the receiver and distill it five more times using only a water bath. To determine the alcohol we are making to a specific herb add 1 or 2 ounces of dried herb (It is really best to use an herb picked by your own hand. In this way we . Pour the distillate in the receiver into another 2000 ml round bottom flask. Press the liquid out of enough grapes to make a half gallon of juice. an herbal extract that has been concentrated by distillation. The dead body is now enlivened and shaped by the intervention of a soul and spirit. is in fact losing on two fronts. Place the liquid left in the distillation flask into a mason jar and save it for later use. The impure alcohol will distill over at 80 degree C. or more aptly put. With the acquisition of this Fire. In two to four days the formation of gas bubbles will announce the start of fermentation.Alcohol prepared by distilling wine lacks the celestial Fire contained in air. Alcohol's grip on the spirit is tenuous at best so great diligence is needed in the special operation of animating mercury. and boast an increased efficacy because of a low alcohol content in direct response to this distillation.) The entire volume of the contents should not exceed two-thirds of the flask's capacity. in this way. It all deals with the proper regulation of the heat. When making our last distillation the alcohol should come over at 76 degrees C. The patterns made by living substances and dead ones as a result of capillary studies leave no question of debate. After each distillation take the residue left in the distillation flask and add it to the watery substance in the mason jar known as phlegm. Put the flask into an incubator at 27 degree's C. Add a little brewer's yeast and sugar and use a fermentation lock to close the flask. In time the bubbles will stop and the matter will fall to the bottom of the container. Distill off all liquid that will come over at 85 degreesC. Turn the heat off and let it cool.
evaporating. using the phlegm of wine as the extrac. When the herb body has obtained an ash gray color the incineration is done. allowing it to digest in the incubator as you continue your work. Place the sterile soup left in the 5000 ml flask and the herb body left in the mason jar into a large pot. Be careful as this tincture will stain your clothing as well as your hands. At the end of two weeks allow the solution to rest in a cool room. This should then be calcined to a pure whiteness at 600 degrees C. There are many ways of making such essences. Decant the tincture off of any sediment that falls to the bottom. Note well: The sediment of clarifications should all be mixed and thoroughly dried. . This process of extracting. Use a soxhlet extractor to extract its water-soluble salts from it. At this point the production of a normal tincture would end. Grind and weigh this ash.can get an almost pure ethyl alcohol. To open it immediately would allow a lot of its volatile goodies to escape. To insure the proper pureness of our matter. taking care to shake the jar three to five times a day.ting medium. Be sure to let the tincture cool down when you remove it from your incubator. and weighing must be done at least two more times. Store these salts in a tightly sealed container. Grind the salts and weigh them. calcining. Dry and save the sediment. They contain only the most volatile constituents of the herb used. This is the simplest way that I know of making a really potent spagyric tincture. Continue this work of clarification until no more sediment appears on the bottom of the mason jar. Take the salts out of the crucible and grind and weigh them. Place them back into the crucible or pyrex dish and calcine them in the kiln for one week at 600 degrees C. They can be redetermined at a later date and used in another tincture. Allow the mixture to digest for two weeks. Pour the phlegm containing the salts into a crucible or pyrex dish and evaporate the water off the salts in an oven overnight. Turn the kiln off and let it cool. When all the liquid is gone the herb body will begin to roast and then incinerate. Pour this alcohol over the same type of herb used to determine the alcohol and let it digest for twenty-one to forty-two days. Once we have gotten our pure water-soluble salts grind them to an extremely fine powder in a warm mortar. Then add them to your tincture. but this is not so for the spagyric one. grinding. Place the tincture into an amber-colored bottle and store in a cool place. In the end. I will give you two methods that are familiar to me. grinding. you will have a very dark tincture that smells strongly of the herb. Chapter 4 Production of Spagyric Herbal Essences Spagyric essences are much subtler than extracts or even tinctures. weighing. Take the pot outdoors and boil off the liquid. Decant and filter the tincture from the herb and store it in a mason jar. there will be a slight fizz upon their addition. Scrape the salts out of the dish using a stainless steel knife or screwdriver. Be sure to record the final volumes of your phlegm and alcohol. Add the salts to the tincture.
The water that was left from the separations of the volatile oils is now poured over the herb. While our second separation of the volatile oils is under way we will gather the oils obtained from the first. Slowly drain off the water.Method One This method is very complicated because it involves the separation of all three of the spagyric essentials. Pour 1000 ml of fresh distilled water into the distillation flask and hook back up the entire apparatus. Save the phlegm from the spirit for later use. When approximately 1500 ml of the water has been distilled over. . When only a little water is left in the separator close the stopcock. After some time you will see the steam clouding up the doublejointed flask as it passes through it. When the body has obtained an ash gray color turn off the heat and let the pot cool. Evaporate the water off the salts in the oven overnight. turn off the heat. Turn the heat on low. Seal up the round-bottom flask with a fermentation lock and place it into an incubator at 27 degrees C. Take the double jointed flask off the distillation flask. Grind and weigh the ash. Reuse this water for all of your subsequent separations of oil from the body. Once you have gotten your pure hygroscopic salt. Take a widemouthed double-jointed flask and place a small piece of filter paper inside the flask over the bottom joint. Grind and weigh the salts. Let the apparatus cool and transfer the water and oil in the receiver into the oil separator. simply open the stopcock at the end of the drain tube. At the end of the week turn the kiln off and let it cool. Our distillation adapter also will become fogged. Pour 3000 ml of distilled water into the flask. By the time youe have extracted oil from 5 pounds of plant material you will have a few mililiters of pure volatile oil. After each subsequent extraction of the volatile oils from the plant body. drying. Repeat the extraction. Distill off the spirit as you have done before and rectify it seven times. Add enough ground herb to the flask so it is half full. The drops will fall into the receiver. Empty the remaining liquid and plant body left in the 5000 ml flask into a large glass pot. pour your rectified spirit over the salts. Drain the water out of the separator leaving the oil behind. When the moisture is gone the herb body will begin to roast and then incinerate. calcining. Take the pot outdoors and boil off all the moisture. After a few milliliters have collected in the receiver you will notice that a colored oil is collecting on top of the water. To do this. Place a 5000 ml round-bottom flask into a sand bath. Grind and weigh the salts then place them into the kiln to calcine at 600 degrees C for one week. use a 2000 ml flask as a receiver at the end of the apparatus. grinding. grinding. weighing. Take the essence-depleted bodyof the herb and place it into the widemouthed 5000 ml round-bottom flask. take what is in the receiver and place it in the oil separator. Set up the soxhlet extraction apparatus and extract the water soluble salts from the ash. At the end of the drip tip you will see water droplets forming. Finally. and weighing two more times. We will need to put our herb through a steam distillation first so we can obtain its volatile oils. This entire process should be done at least three times to insure that the majority of the volatile oils come out of the plant body. In about two weeks our plant body will have fermented and yielded up its spirit. Next hook up the reduction head and the distillation adapter.
Disassemble the distillation train. Take off the condenser and pour the salt solution in the petri dish into the flask. Thus. Place the dried salts in the kiln and calcine for two weeks at 600 degrees C. Incinerate the contents in the pot. Place a condenser onto the flask. One should in my opinion use this product as if they were using a pure essential oil. Take the distillate and pour it back over the herb and repeat the process ten to twelve times. Add enough distilled water to the flask so that 2/3 of the flask capacity is occupied. except that it is not as potent. The water will now smell mildly of the herb. Literally. Let the apparatus cool and then pour it into a mason jar and seal it . At the end of two weeks turn the kiln off and let it cool. cork the condenser and hook up the water supply. Place the flask into a 21 degree C incubator for three . The essential oils contained in the plant are now in the water. Be sure to elevate the petri dish at least six inches above ground on a piece of wood. This circulation should be done for fourteen days. After three to five days take the flask out of the incubator. Add enough rectified spirits of wine to the receiver so its volume equals 7% to 12% of the total volume of liquid in the flask. Take the dish outside at night. Reattach the condenser and rhythmically circulate for another seven days. It is important to regulate the temperature of the flask perfectly or else our herb will begin to ferment. Allow the mixture to digest in an incubator at 30 degrees C for a week. A word of caution here is in order. Because of the high concentration of essential plant oils in this product care must be taken when it is being used. Place enough finely ground herb (approximately 1oz) into a 2000 ml round-bottom flask so only 1/8 to 1/4 of the flask capacity is taken up. and that drop should be properly diluted. Take the salts out of the kiln and weigh them then grind the salts fine and place them into a glass petri dish (you can add a few grams of salt saved from the production of another tincture or essence). Be sure to slightly shake the container three to five times a day. Take the plant residue left in the distillation flask and transfer it to a large glass pot. At dawn take the petri dish inside. Put the glass cover over the petri dish. Heat the matter from 6 am in the morning until 6 pm in the evening. Evaporate the water from the salts overnight in the drying oven. Using a sand bath and gentle heat ( 30 degrees C . it can readily be used without fear of accidental misuse. Create a vacuum and distill off most of the liquid. Save the remaining salts as you did with those left over from the manufacture of the tincture.five days. and leave it out all night. Method Two Our second way of making an essence is similar to the first method. After the last distillation let the apparatus cool.then add your volatile oil. one drop will do you.37 degrees C ) begin a rhythmic circulation of the matter. It will be seen that the essence is now colored yellow and smells strongly of the herb you used. Then allow it to cool overnight and in the next morning begin the circulation again. Place the flask into a water bath and hook up the distillation train. One drop in wine or distilled water will yield the full effects of the plant's medicinal nature. Decant the essence off the undissolved salts. Take the ash out of the pot and extract the water soluble salts from it.
you have completed the second way of making a spagyric herbal essence. Be sure to save the water from the ice plugs. This product is able to extract the spagyric sulfur from plants and minerals in a very short time. Pour the tincture in the receiver into a mason jar marked "tincture of vinegar.tightly. After a few hours you will find a strong-smelling colored water has filled the second container. you will see a honey-like pitch. Take three one gallon plastic containers of red wine vinegar and place them into the freezer without their caps. But only distill off the water and do not make the spirit fly. it is ready. Place them spoonful by spoonful into a crucible and calcine them to whiteness. . Let your essence sit another two weeks and if no more sediment shows itself. This menstruum is really very easy to prepare. The dark-colored tincture that remains after the rectification is to be boiled off gently. A 1/4 teaspoon in a glass of wine or distilled water will lightly scent your beverage and give you a gentle herbal tonic. At the end of this time decant the essence off of any sediment that may have fallen to the bottom of the mason jar. In the beginning you will see the impurities burn away from their bodies and rise as a smoke (use a hood or do it outside). Chapter 5 Alkahest of the Vegetable Kingdom. Repeat this procedure at least seven times and your water will be sharp and very penetrating. Be sure to also save the phlegm left from the rectifications. Use the clear phlegm saved from the rectification of the alcohol to extract the true body of our spirits from the calcined matter. You must switch receivers between the time when all of the water has distilled over and the corrosive spirit starts to come over. Take the sharp concentrated vinegar after its seven rectifications and place it into a distillation flask. In the first is left a plug of frozen water. Take the containers from the freezer and invert them allow the vinegar to drip out of the containers into another one. Distill slowly and you will get a fraction that comes over at 100 degrees C (water) and another that comes over at 103 degrees C and peaks at 105 degrees C (concentrated vinegar). Assemble a distillation train and apply heat. In spagyrics there is a special menstruum called an alkahest. Take one gallon of red wine and rectify it seven times as was described earlier. In the bottom of the container." This procedure should be repeated three more times. Be sure though not to burn the colored tincture by urging the fire to rashly. Allow the vinegar to freeze overnight. It requires only patience and diligence in the work. continue the work of clarification. Pour the water that was left from the ice plugs into the colored tincture left after the distillation. When they have become purified to a snowy whiteness they are ready. Dry this by evaporation until it forms a gum or hardened tar-like substance. Thus. Dry this liquid into a gum or hardened tar as you did the body of its sibling. When completed save the alcohol in a mason jar labeled as such. thereby saving the alchemist much time and labor. Grind both gums to a powder. Allow the jar to stand in a dark cool place undisturbed for two weeks. If sediment appears on the bottom.
The body now spiritualized will always come over with the united spirit. sulfuric. It might seem impossible that such a menstruum could have any effect on quartz. Quartz is composed of silicon and it is one of the least reactive elements on the periodic chart. and hydrochloric have little to no effect on silicon. Distill again and cohobate seven or more times. Take the flask containing the spirit and the body and circulate in rhythm with the sun and moon for fourteen days.The body of the spirits is the base of our operation. When gently heated to remove the moisture of the atmosphere they will turn solid again. Add just enough of the vinegar so nature will find her balance. .. vapor distillation). Many people even go as far as to place crystals into distilled or spring water with the hopes of promoting a transference of the crystals energy into the water. If truly pure they will turn to liquid and leave no trace of solid behind. Add enough phlegm or distilled water to dissolve what is in the retort. Evaporate off all liquids. but during the process the secondary harder substance of silicon dioxide is made. Remove the spirits in the receiver and place them into a well-closed flask. To test their spirituality take them outside on a clear spring day. Calcine the matter left in the retort. This element is attacked only by fluorine and chlorine gas and partially by aqua regia. in a bottle closed very tightly. Let the apparatus cool. Exhale it off gently (i. when they are prepared according to our art. Chapter 6 Oil of Rose Quartz extracted via the Alkahest of the Vegetable Kingdom A word about the use of crystals.e. Let the apparatus cool and then cohobate the spirit onto the body once more. acids such as nitric. Add the rectified vinegar as you did before and distill as you did before. I suppose the above method does posses a somewhat limited benefit to the user. They must be exceedingly pure. People have used crystals and gems for centuries as a means to improve their health and promote the development of psychic powers. But it will be seen from the upcoming formula how far superior the spagyric method is. let the flask cool. Assemble the distillation train. Be sure to put back in enough alcohol to submerge the end of the take-off tube. Add just enough of the phlegm from the alcohol rectification to dissolve the bodies. The end of the take-off tube must be under the level of the alcohol or else you will lose your spirit when it comes over. Heat the distillation flask in a hot sand bath and you will see in the space of an hour or so the body rise and come to unite with the spirit of wine. Keep this operation up until all or most of the body has united with spirit of wine. In fact. this magistery. After the circulation is completed. It will also work on crystals. Into the retort place the body. In the receiver have some of the rectified alcohol. the more oftene the better. It will separate the spagyric sulfur from an herb in very little time. Take the rectified alcohol and cohobate it with its dual body. It is then believed that by drinking the water the individual will ingest the energy of the crystal. Silicon is naturally broken down by oxygen and water. Keep this menstruum.
Set the flask in a cool dark place for two weeks. 190-proof ethyl alcohol. Place the pieces in a crucible and heat them at 600 to 800 degrees centigrade for one hour. It is also a fact that the oils produced are completely harmless and not toxic. I and many friends have used tincture of rose quartz with great satisfaction. The increase in physical and mental energy was unmistakable. In order to perform an extraction of the soul on rose quartz. While not as intricate to make as its alchemical cousin. Be careful of the sharp slivers of quartz because they can cut your hand badly. But make no mistake about it these are not alchemical products. This will cut the extraction time down to one week.Yet the alchemist who follows nature knows how to get to the oil hidden within this protective armor. Dump the contents of the crucible into a steel pitcher containing distilled water. Digest the flask in a 40 degrees centigrade incubator for four to six weeks. One can also indeed extract the soul from all sorts of gemstones using alchemical methods. After twenty minutes drain the water and put the pieces into a warm crucible. The proof of spagyric products not being alchemical is the fact that they can be concocted solely from the manufactured ingredients bought in stores. They contain an amazing amount of the curative virtues of the plant. Note: You can use a soxhlet apparatus under vacuum to perform the extraction of the soul as well. The men who used it also found that it increased their virility. All we need are salts. Break the seal and decant the liquid off of the crystals. Using a pair of tongs take the crucible out while still red hot. At the end of this time your menstruum will be a light yellow to dark orange in color. Use one to two drops in a glass of wine to receive the full effects of the crystal's power. Place the crucible back into the kiln. these stones and their production do teach us some rather valuable lessons. Plant stones made spagyrically are very highly exalted substances. The thick oil left in the distillation flask is the concentrated oil or soul of rose quartz. Place the flask into a water bath and gently distill off your menstruum. spagyric plant stone are still prized by many alchemists. This oil is the soul of quartz and it is a wonderful medicine. After numerous times you will see that the quartz has begun to turn white. Place it into an amber-colored glass and stopper it well. Be that as it may. Grind this quartz to a fine white sand. Place the ground quartz into an Erlenmeyer flask and pour over it your alkahest. Take one pound of rose quartz and break it up into pieces the size of quarters. Allow the flask to cool but keep it sealed. Heat the quartz pieces as you did before and then dump them into water. Place a cork in the flask and seal it with wax. Please note that you schould have the receiver in an ice bath to insure that you lose none of your spirit. . All alchemical products if they are worthy of the name need to go through the stages of generation set down by the old authors. proceed as follows. When it is completely white you will be able to actually break the quartz apart easily with you bare hands. Chapter 7 Production of a Spagyric Plant Stone There are spagyric plant stones and there are alchemical plant stones. Filter the resultant liquid twice and then pour it into a distillation flask. and steam-distilled volatile oils.
or how to go about incinerating. When this is done your stone is finished. Repeat the entire above procedure of roasting and grinding two more times. In the morning around six go out and check the salts. By now all of these procedures should have become second nature to the student.I will not bore the reader with the already familiar instructions of how to separate an oil from an herb. Seal the mason jar and place it in an incubator at 40 degreec Celsius. In fact by now you should be developing some tricks of your own and preferences for modes of operation. Take the still-warm salts out of the kiln and place them in a warm mortar. The only variance is that in the final operation. This procedure should be done on the day of the planet that rules the plant from which the essential oil was obtained.m. if all or most have turned to liquid all is fine. Pour enough of the essential oil over the salts so that there is a slight excess of the oil floating above the salts. Place the crucible into the kiln and set the controls to maintain a temperature of 200 to 300 degree centigrade. Leave the salts to dry in the sun until midday. Using a pair of tongs immediately take the salts out of the hot kiln. and purifying the water-soluble salts of the plant. . Grind the salts fine and weigh them. humid clear nights. on the appropriate day of the following week check the salts. Pour the salts into a warm mortar and regrind them. This roasting of the salts causes their pores to open even wider. The best salt that I have found to use is solar-dried sea salt. add some more. collecting. If they have drunk up all of the oil. When the same amount of oil floats on the top of your salts as you put in a week before. The best conditions for this work are warm. Pour the salts into a mason jar in as even a layer as possible. You can cure your stone by allowing it to digest in the heat of the incubator for six months to a year. The salts will absorb the atmospheric moisture much more quickly this time. At 6 a. the stone at this time will work to separate the spagyric sulfur from a macerating herb. This aspect of the solar sulfur can be increased in these salts by setting them outside at two to three in the morning to deliquesce. and then place them into a crucible. Immediately take the salts outside and place them in a clear undisturbed spot. You can increase the virtue of your stone by grinding it and subjecting it to a gentle calcination. Keep the process up until no more alcohol will go into the salts. When it is time to take the salts outside again turn the kiln off. how to cause the herb's fermentation and rectify the resultant alcohol. Allow the salts to cool in the kiln until 6 a. In this way as they crystallize they suck in and trap more of the sun's energy. Put the stone back through the whole procedure and you will have a wonderful medicine. Slightly overcast nights can also yield satisfactory results. If done properly. The salts should be placed on a plate or Pyrex pie dish. the salts have taken up all they can hold. The salts should be left in the kiln until the appropriate day of the following week. There the salts should remain undisturbed for a week. This salt already contains a considerable amount of solar sulfur because of the manner of its being dried. weigh them. Take the salts inside and grind them fine. turn the kiln off at 12 midnight. Therefore collect your spagyric essentials from any plant you choose or buy them from a store. Begin adding your ethyl alcohol in the same manner as you did the oil. Take the salts from the mortar and place them into a warm Pyrex dish and spread them thin.m.
take the salts outside on a clear spring night around 10 pm. Therefore it seems only natural that we would use the magnet that is the most efficacious in the vegetable kingdom to attract this sulfurous fire from the sky. This is of necessity to allow for the clear transmittal and absorption of the stars radiant energy. snow. DO NOT touch this liquid with your hands or any metal object. Pour the oily liquid immediately into a distillation flask and assemble the distillation train. Let the apparatus cool and immediately pour the water in the receiver into an amber-colored jar and tightly seal it. The process is a simple one. In using these salts we are indeed determining the universal Sulfur collected to the plant kingdom. Once collected take the water inside and filter (thaw first if necessary). or dew before it hits the ground. tells us that when oak is incinerated its ash contains copious amounts of potassium salts in the form of potassium carbonate. Place the salts in a very thin layer inside a glass dish. In order to collect this water place 100 to 500 grams of plant salts that have gone through at least three purifications. until later. exhale off the liquid. It would also be wise to cut away or trim back any tall grass that is in the area where you intend to leave the dish. In this day and age it is a good idea to distill this water at least one time.Chapter 8. Using a vacuum and gentle heat. One was the fact that Mercury seemed to be intimately connected with the wood of the oak tree. Preparing Archaeus of Water Properly collected water contains within it the universal flame of life. When this sulfur or seed is added to the ovum it will immediately determine it and start the process of fermentation. Be sure to elevate it off the ground by about six inches. Of all the above forms of precipitation the best is rainwater that fell during a thunderstorm. Two things struck me about the subject of the Mercury when reading his book. By correctly applying the laws of the art one can rectify water so highly that it will act as a menstruum in all three kingdoms. Potassium salts are one of the most hygroscopic salts available. But what is the manner of this collection? All of the philosophers have been reticent on this point. We will need at least two to five gallons of this precipitation to complete our work. We begin by collecting what I call the condensed star light. They in fact do draw the moisture of the atmosphere to themselves like a magnet. One should do the collecting in a glass bowl or a plastic one. but it requires much time and patience. Let us visit once more the cathedrals of Fulcanelli. or a refrigerator. hail. Secondly. A little bit of research into the constituents of oak. The dish should be in a cleared spot with no trees or other obstructions over it. go out and collect your dish. Place the jar in a cool dark spot. Our next task requires us to collect rain. We have already seen the reasons for this in the chapter concerning the three essentials. in this way we remove the pollutants and acids that fell from the . the description of the material used for gathering the water was that of a magnet. In it you will see that the salts have all tuned or begun to turn into a viscous oily liquid. If you do so you will loose that which you seek to gain. Anyone who has bothered to work through the experiments in this book will realize that the water-soluble salts obtained from plant ash are very hygroscopic. In the morning immediately after the first rays of the sun show.
It is somewhat less in quantity than the previous fractions. If gallon containers were used for the fermentation we will have approximately 1500 ml of water to work with from each container. These two would then be added to the Water and the three added to the Earth. The second 375 ml of water that comes over is called Air of water. It is stored in a tightly sealed mason jar marked as such. As with the first water you collected be sure also not to touch this water with a hand or steel. Our aim is to sweat the elements of the water over one at a time. partly because it contains the undistillable sediment. Cover the containers with cheesecloth or filter paper. That which remains will be of a honey-like consistency. Divide the water evenly among separate large containers of glass or plastic. and Earth.atmosphere with the water. When all is completed store these waters in amber-colored bottles. It is stored too as the first and marked appropriately. Each of the 375 ml will be separated into three divisions of 125 ml of liquid. We would do this for the remaining three elements. The last 125 ml of water would be called the Salt of Fire of water. Our aim is to create a barrier to dust and other contaminants while maintaining a passageway for the free flow of air.. It is used in many advanced works in alchemy. slimy matter appears in your water. leaving at least half their volume empty. Screw the tops on tightly and then seal them with wax. Pour into each the same amount of your Universal Sulfur. The third 375 ml is called Water of water and it too is stored in a tightly sealed jar. Once all four of the elements were reconstituted we would then pour the Fire into the Air. Or we can unite the three essentials of one element together. This substance in fact is said to contain the seeds of life for all three of the kingdoms of nature. In the end. The joining of these waters together can be done in one of two ways.e. we will have twelve different divisions of our water each with its own nature and efficacy for different works. then all of the Sulfurs. The containers should then be placed in a dark. The first 375 ml of water that comes over is called Fire of water. Store this substance in a tightly sealed jar for later use. This substance is called the Universal Gur. It will fall to the bottom of the container when the fermentation is complete. pour the Mercury of Fire of water onto the Salt of Fire of water and then add the Sulfur of Fire of water. This separation. You will be able to tell that this is accomplished when a tan-to brown-colored. We can either pour all of the Mercuries from the different elements together. We would then pour the combined Mercuries into the combined Salts and then add the combined Sulfurs. isolated place that will maintain the heat at around 38 degrees C. Distill over all of the water you can without burning the sediment. This three fold separation is also performed on the remaining three elements of the water namely the Air. The last water to come over is the Earth of water. It is interesting to note that each of these waters can be used separately for different tasks . Here the water should remain until putrefied. we would call the first 125 ml of liquid the Sulfur of Fire of water. and finally the Salts. Water. Pour all of this putrefied water into a 2000 ml exhalation setup. and cohobation should be carried out on our remaining quantities of water. For the Fire element. i. spongy. The second 125 ml would be called the Mercury of Fire of water. purification. Decant this and dry gently under a sun lamp. We now must separate each of the four elements into their three essentials.
Again let us return to the words of Eirenaeus Philalethes in Collectanea Chemica: "All true philosophers agree that the First Matter is a moist vapor.. The high heat used to make the steam causes a breakdown of the alchemical qualities of the water. which serves it for a receptacle. Throughout all of this work of the steam distillation it is very important that you use only the original 2000 ml of water you started with. adhering to the earth. In the lab the separation of the Air element generally proceeds but sometimes follows the extraction of the Fire element. Another of the twelve waters extracts more soluble salts from plant ash than does the others and so on. Pour into each container half of the water used for the extraction of the volatile essential oils. while another speeds it up. which. I am sure their manifold uses could fill a volume in itself. .in the laboratory. Place a fermentation lock into the cask and leave the cask in a 27-degree centigrade incubator until fermentation is complete." Anyone who has taken the time to work through the experiments of this book will realize at once that the description given in the quote above exactly mimics the steam extraction of the volatile essential oils from a plant. and is coagulated by it into an unctuous water. A large plastic five-gallon winemaking cask will serve nicely. where it is joined to a sulfur more or less pure. For example.) We now have our properly collected and prepared celestial water. When you have finished your extractions place all of your collected oils into an amber-colored vial and store it for latter use. raised by the action of the central fire in the bowels of the earth. Take the fermentation locks off of both casks but decant and filter the liquid from only one of them. rectify one of these waters so much that it will begin to act on metals. so all things are produced from this one thing by adaptation. set up the oil extraction apparatus you used in the previous experiments and extract the oils from two pounds of plant material. Who can deny that it is from this water that we shall derive all the different manifestations of our matter. One of the twelve waters seems to retard the spoilage of herbal tinctures. This oil represents the volatile fraction of our Air element. one can. through repeated distillations. Also each of these waters has a specific effect on the human organism. Take the two pounds of oil-depleted herb and place them into two separate containers. Therefore. Place cheesecloth loosely over the second cask and place it in a cool room with good air circulation." Chapter 9 The Minor Opus in Words and Pictures Our first concern is to separate the elements from our plant matter. The key to their uses are to be found in the varying PH of the water. You should know that the work of separating the elements from nature's subjects does not follow he same progression of the elements' generation from the supreme source. Add enough of the universal Mercury to each container so that the water's volume exceeds four times the volume of the plant material. circulating through it pores. (Those who desire to know the PH readings as well as which water will perform a certain task will have to do the work themselves or wait for my next book. meets with the crude air. Or as the ancients have said: " And as all things were produced from One by the mediation of One..
This extraction should be done by a very gentle digestion. which also contains the smells. . rectify it by freezing as you did when making your alkahest. which is our Fire element. Place this substance under a heat lamp and dry to a hard gum. Cover the pot and place it in a refrigerator until needed latter. Perform a seven fold rectification via exhalation on this alcohol and your Fire element will be quite pure. Our second cask should now have started to undergo or even have completed its second fermentation. After the three distillations of your final product are complete place your sharp spirit into an amber glass container and seal it tightly. As was said earlier in the chapter about the elements "the Water element is hidden within the belly of the Fire element". The sign of its manifestation is a skin of bacteria that forms on the surface of the matter. In this way though we are destroying a large part of the seminal virtues of our plant before they are amalgamated to its Earth element. place the clear liquid that you have collected in a tightly sealed mason jar and label it as the Fire and volatile Air element combined. This secondary fermentation of alcohol produces vinegar. you have the fixed Air element. Combine all residual liquids left from the purification of the Water element into one large glass pot. This fixed tincture is nothing more than the second fraction of our Air element. Store it in a tightly sealed bottle for later use. you must separate its volatile portion from the fixed part. The first. which is our Water element. Save the phlegm and colored tinctures in separate sealed containers also. In this way the acid forming bacteria are nourished constantly. Grind this to a fine powder and store it in a mason jar until latter. and medicinal qualities of the herb. In either method. of course. The liquid that has been filtered contains immature alcohol. we are not concerned with damage done to heatsensitive alkaloids because all of the combined substances will go into the kiln for purification. color. Reduce the liquids by boiling until a thick honey like syrup is formed. The second is its tincture. In any event once. If you do not plan on using this intermediary medicine then you can use a soxhlet extractor to obtain the fixed Air. One can hasten the development of this product by inserting the hose of a small air pump underneath the surface of the liquid and by adding some "Mother of Vinager".Place all of the solid plant material along with the substance caught in the filter paper into a large steel pot. During the digestion the Fire element also extracted some of the volatile Air.. that is if one is planing on using the alchemical elixir of the first degree. were the volatile oils extracted from the plant. Once your vinegar is formed. The separation of the volatile from the fixed may be done either by exhalation of the vapors (sweating) which allows the Fire and volatile Air element to come over together. Take the dark fixed Air left in the distillation flask and label it fixed Air of the herb in question. Add to this the tincture left from the rectification of alcohol. Having done this we must use the Fire element to extract the fixed Air from approximately two ounces of unused herb. or we can use a standard distillation setup. In the latter case.
stop the incineration. Once the extraction is complete pour the saline solution into a Pyrex dish and place it into an oven overnight at 100 degree F so the water will evaporate off. Perform an extraction on the ash using the phlegm left from the purification of your Fire element. Place all of them into a large steel pot and take it outdoors and incinerate it.Take all of the solid plant residue left from making the elements and combine them with any sediment caught in the filter papers. When dried. Once the plant has turned to ash. scrape these salts out of the dish and weigh them. Continue this extraction until the phlegm coming out of the drainage tube no longer registers alkaline by litmus test. Note: If you must change water in the flask because it has become too saline you can use regular distilled water. . Grind the ash fine and place it into a soxhlet extractor.
after the calcination of the matter. Anyone who has done some reading of Junius or Albertus will wonder why these salts are not white at this point. I do not incinerate my plant body to a gray ash or even a white one.The salts after their initial extraction and evaporation. . In this way. I prefer to incinerate the matter until it no longer emits smoke when stirred. At this point the color of the matter is still black with a lot of the carbon on it. I get a few more grams of salt.
grinding. The picture shows this elixir after the first conjunction of the fixed Air with the Earth element.The salts are now placed back into the Pyrex dish and the calcination of the Earth element begins. Note: during your final solve and coagula of the salts (dissolution and evaporation) you should use just enough of your universal Mercury to impart back to the salts the flame of life. This flame was lost during the successive solve and coagulas in the sterile water of the phlegm or the ordinary distilled water. and weighing must be done at least two more times. When the Earth will hold no more fixed Air it is dried in the oven overnight. This process of extraction. grinding. The Earth element is now a pure white and is ready to be made into the alchemical elixir of the first degree. calcining. One need only add drop by drop the fixed Air of the plant in question onto the purified Earth element. In the picture the final outcome of the labors engaged in is seen. evaporation. It is really simple to make the elixir of the first degree. weighing. .
When it is even slightly heated it will flow like wax and fill the room with the smell of the herb intensely. By continually imbibing the Earth with its fixed Air. . When the substance is cooled it will harden considerably. If this powder is left out in the air it will soon begin to run and smell strongly of the herb. we can get the elixir to an exalted state. The whole mass in the oven will resemble tar or pitch (looking more or less like the middle right picture). a few grains on the tongue yield the full taste of the herb as well as its medicinal benefits.We now see the elixir dried into a dark brown powder. The elixir is usable in this stage.
The salt will congeal and form a clear to somewhat opaque glass. The elixir will smoke and bubble up considerably. It is this Sulfur which causes matter to continually go through changes. that of the Earth. They are very caustic and will burn your nose severely if breathed in. Place the powder back into the crucible and calcine in the kiln for about three weeks. As the husk is removed from the grain so have we removed the impure from the pure in our subject. But it is the universal Sulfur that animates life's vehicles at varied stages of manifestation. All of our attentions now are to be turned to the proper manipulation of the elements. If I were you. so you must add them spoonful by spoonful. These two also will act as the elixir did when placed into the hot crucible. If you do this carefully you will grow crystals with some of the most beautiful formations you have seen. Take the crucible out of the kiln and immediately pour the fused salts into a slightly heated iron pan or a a warm slab of marble. I would save one-quarter of my elixir of the first degree for use as you move on to to making a Plant Stone. During the grinding. Therefore place your salts back into the crucible and increase the kiln's heat to cause your matter to go into flux. Take the portion of your elixir you wish to turn into a stone and place it spoonful by spoonful into a crucible that is in a hot kiln. When nature in her wisdom makes grass from a dead body it is this sulfur that is responsible for the tearing down and building up activity. This is the Sulfur that breaks down a corpse into its constituent parts. At this point the entire mass will rest in the crucible like cooled igneous rock. Beware not to have it too high or your matter will fly away from you. Grind these salts and put them through seven solve and coagulas using your universal Mercury. In this way by art we are able to cause a more perfect manifestation of the essentials than what nature could have done. All other impurities have been burned away. Only that which is essential remains of your plant. Grind the matter to a fine powder.e. This last Sulfur is always connected to the body of terrestrial matter. At the end of this time your Earth will be a beautiful pure white as shown. Incinerate the Earth element and all of the fixed Air's until no more smoke is seen. The flame of the universal Sulfur will be lost but not the Sulfur of the body. Once all of the elixir of the first degree is in the crucible add the fixed Air of the Fire and Water elements that you dried and ground fine.The next course of action is to refine the Earth element one more time. When this operation is complete we have our last alchemical element. At that time I was following the directions of Albertus literally. Note: Be sure to wear a lab mask when grinding these salts. Take the crucible out and empty it of its contents. For a long time after having reached this point in the operation I was stymied. the first item of which was the . Turn the kiln off and let it cool. If one did this for a period of time they would indeed come up with a crystalline-like substance. you will see shiny slivers of material like bits of crystal. I was adding the alcohol and the essential oils of the herb onto the salts and digesting them. At this point we must suffer our body to die and go through a rebirth. so go slow in this operation. Let it remain in flux until a steel wire dipped in it shows a coating of the salts as clear glass when cooled. As was said earlier it became apparent to me after some time that I would need to follow the directions given by the old masters for completing the Magnum Opus. This is a sign that the body and Sulfur are completely pure. i.
A surprise hit me when I took the flask containing the soul outside to photograph it. I could not elicit this oil from the Earth element. I noticed that the Earth was no longer solid. Then one day a break came and my heart was filled with joy. The red oil of the soul. I knew not whether I was being led by Divine revelation or had just accidentally found the secret. but moved in the flask like wax. moving to a burnt orange color. Then followed digestion of the Earth in the two active elements (fire and air).separation of the True Soul from the Body. also known as the Red Mercury that had come from the Earth. Yet before me was a red oil. Without a doubt I knew that I was in possession of the first essential. . A small shadow of dissatisfaction hung over me. Over time the liquid became darker and darker. which contains the celestial Fire of life within it. because the color of the soul should have been red like the old masters said it would be. The first order of business was to capture a celestial signature onto the matter. The color was now definitely a burnt orange color or that of a dark pumpkin. Concentration of this liquid was done by exhaling two-thirds of its volume. After the extraction of the Soul from the Earth. The process for obtaining this oil was so simple that I wanted to smack myself for being so stupid. When held up to the rays of sunlight the liquid took on a blood red color like that of a liquid ruby. Yet hard as I would try.
I thought it was time to combine the two .My next operation was to acquire the White Mercury. I was able to prepare the Virgin's Milk. Upon volatilizing the White Mercury. When cool it acts like a glue and can be made volatile. This substance indeed looks like milk when warm. Then by using a water bath and a distillation train. This was done by combining the Water and Earth elements. hence its second name Glue of the Eagle.
Until this is done no amount of heat. tears came to my eyes. and raised in incorruption. it is known to partake of the curse which came upon the earth for man's sake. There is much more to this operation than the regulation of the heat. Upon conjunction of the Water and Fire elements onto the specially prepared Body. second part One would tend to think that the conjunction of the three into one would be simple.. ". pounding. The next morning upon opening the incubator and examining the test tube. while also intimating at a special process. To help you in your quest of one day gaining this understanding I quote here the key part of the text in its entirety. Much to my surprise. This . because the substance to be used was in direct contradiction to all the writings of the old masters. I fell to my knees and thanked Divine Providence for the blessing it had bestowed upon me. The next morning the anticipated outcome had been achieved. for the seed of metals is sown in corruption. which can only be separated by a regeneration in Water and Fire..mercuries with the residuum of the volatilization. I must say here that I had done this procedure literally hundreds of times. having in its composition a deadly poison. I immediately tried the experiment over again this time using the Red and White Mercuries. My lab assistant tried the same experiment with no success. Many months of experimentation with different procedures followed but I found myself again at a roadblock.600/ C). The path before me had opened up and was cleared of all doubt. I felt an increase of heat in the test tube. Yet in its obscure wording the text seemed to be saying to use it. it is sown a natural body. One is indeed trying to reach a certain state of friability in the matter but the problem goes further than this (technically speaking all one is doing is roasting the dried.. It is only after the soul of the alchemist matures that this reaction between himself and his matter is achieved. For some reason I decided to seal the tube and place it into a 37 degrees C incubator overnight." I next had to see if the product would work. I had done the experiment at the same temperature and from the same batch of herbs but with no success. The body had drunk the liquids completely and had been colored white and pink like a marble. I pondered the problem and one day while reading Collectanea Chemica an answer that seemed impossible came to me. these three would not combine. and raised a spiritual body. It is only through the grace of Divine Providence that the intricacies of this procedure can be understood. But it was not until the illumination of wisdom from God that I was able to do the operation with understanding and achieve the aspired-for result. They just formed two separate layers no matter how much I tried to unite them they would not combine. unseperated herb at 500/ .. or washing will suffice. When I felt the contents of the tube in my hand it had a creamy texture.
The body will hold more of the two Mercuries than you would think possible. When you have found the proper proportions for your matter simply pour the Red Mercury onto the Philosophical Body followed by the White Mercury. In a few hours you will see that the matter has swollen up considerably. you will find the proper proportions with diligence and patience. Note: It is best to do this incubation in the dark. Yet you do not want to put all that it can hold into the body. or you will be awakened one night by a very loud explosion. Almost immediately you will feel an increase of heat on the bottom of the flask. when carried out properly the matter can become somewhat luminous. If you look closely you will see there is still liquid in the flask. In this respect.is far from the truth. . Here we see the matter about two hours after the conjunction. I advise you to invest in a lot of test tubes and to use the fire and water elements for your experiments. One must first determine exactly how much a specific portion of the body will hold of the two liquid Mercuries. All things being equal. Seal the flask hermetically and place it in a sand bath around body temperature.
This shows the matter after one night of digestion. Notice how much the matter has swollen up. The sides of the matter have begun jutting up into mountains, and they are snow white. In the level middle of the matter, we see that a grayish shadow has formed. Around the side of the flask, we see a yellow colored liquid. The matter has a creamy appearance.
Two days into the process and there is still some yellow- colored liquid around the sides of the matter. The sides of the matter have risen even more. The entire mass has contracted. On the side of one of the edges, we see the appearance of
two small holes. The edges of the holes are darkened.
After about three days all the liquid had been drunk by the matter, though there was no color change in the matter. It would be almost two weeks before the appearance of color in the center and along the inside edges of the matter would appear. What also should be noticed about the difference of this picture is the topography of the matter. In this picture the creamy look of the edges is gone. It is replaced by what looks like miniature mountains and chimneys in the matter. All of this topographical action suggests movement underneath the surface of the matter, or a hidden life about to burst forth. The old masters say that this period of the construction of the stone is one of rest for the alchemist. That, my friends, is far from the truth. While there is indeed no more physical labor, the mental labor one goes through is tortuous. One acts as if one is a new mother, constantly checking on there newborn child throughout the night. You must constantly watch the temperature if you do not want to kill the newborn babe. Also one constantly thinks that one should raise the temperature by just one degree or so. Surely, your mind tells you, if the absorption of the matter happened so quickly there should be some change in the appearance of the matter by now. You are constantly engaged in a mental war with yourself not to urge the fire to rashly. I tell you the first two weeks of conception are truly agonizing.
Three weeks into the process and the matter has not changed perceptibly, though the angle of the shot is different. With close observation, one can see that the chimneys on the surface have moved. The original chimneys have closed up, the new ones are almost closed.
Four weeks have now passed since we first conjoined our essentials. The color change was moving so slowly that I began to doubt if I was really on the right track. The topography of the matter has really changed drastically. The chimneys have closed up and the matter has swelled even more. The entire concave
Some matter was left on the sides of the flask when it pulled away from it.center of the matter has a tan to brown color about it. We are now slightly halfway into our putrefaction processes. The color in the center of the matter has also gotten a shade or two darker. At approximately four and a half to five weeks the matter begins to fall in on itself. Still the temperature must remain constant at where we have first set it. The front edges of the matter also look more crystalline. third part .
Notice now how the matter has sunken into itself. Shows our matter about five an a half weeks into the process of putrefaction. It seems to be seeping up from the bottom of .The darkness in the center of the matter seems to have compressed itself into bands. festering look about it. Our matter has undergone a drastic change in its appearance. From the center radiating out to the edges is the appearance of a darker substance. The top of the matter has a slimy.
Shows the matter three days after the top center had been taken. There is no doubt now that our matter is putrefying. it looks definitely like a rotting substance. From now on the matter would make drastic changes in its appearance every two to three days until the end of the putrefaction cycle.the matter and oozing through the surface. .
. The matter is at this point drowning or bathing in its own blood. That part of the matter that can be seen through the subject's blood looks to be rough and stony. The substance is definitely rotting. There is a dark liquid beginning to well up from within the matter and submerge it. The picture needs no further explanation.Shows the matter at six weeks and one day. At six weeks and three days we see a close-up of the matter.
Our matter has gone completely black and has sunken in on itself.At six weeks and six days the entire surface of the matter is covered with its blood. This is the final picture in the putrefaction series. By continuing to heat the matter a state of dry . Approximately seven weeks has now elapsed. from the congealing blood of the matter. You can still see some detail of the matter in spots that have not gone completely black. The surface of the matter has a shiny tar-like appearance.
during an experiment with my last stone the crucible holding it broke and it flowed all over the floor of the kiln. the last half of the photos showing the color changes of the stone was lost by the photography developing lab. these next three photos. To make matters worse. It takes about two to three weeks for this color to show itself. The stone forming in the putrefaction series was my sixth and last attempt at this process. Shows the stone in the green stage.blackness is achieved. I was unable to redo the experiment because the space that I had been using for a laboratory was no longer available to me. Unfortunately. I would like to make a comment here about the next three pictures. It is only now that we can at last begin to raise the heat gingerly. Be that as it may. . I had then finally figured out how to use the sealed vase of Hermes. do show the color changes one can expect to see. though crude. The stones shown on this plate are not the same as the one shown in the putrefaction series.
The old masters would call this a non-multiplied stone. At this time the stone been taken out of the kiln and ground fine.Shows the stone in the white stage. Shows a completed stone. Its color is a medium beige to light russet. The matter shown in this plate would have to go through at least two more revolutions of the processes to be . The color of the stone really at this point is slightly yellow. This was done to help the color changes take place more evenly. This is because it was taken out of the kiln too late to catch the pure white color.
Y.called a true stone and reach a true red color. immediately elevating them to perfection. then my plea is guilty. I knew the stories of the alchemist were true. USA . it really does have a wax-like consistency. nothing at all is wasted. Mr. this was slightly misstated. It matters not a bit if one is working with plants. Elevation or evolution of matter is the final aim of alchemy. Pelham N.O. 10803. I should have said. is not known to me. It was never my intention to be. So much of this art is delivered to the alchemist through his soul. that small portion that is known is shared lovingly with you. He feels intuitively what to do. If you feel the wording of the last two processes are a transparent attempt at coyness. The amazing thing about this substance is that it will tinge plant salts in flux. Divine Providence has seen fit to bless me with some measure of success in this art. One can see that it is indeed imperative to master the Minor Opus before you do the Magnum Opus. This subject has been presented as I understand it. In truth if one thinks about this process they will see that nature is completely imitated. to aid the student in recognizing and then walking the Path of Return. animals or minerals. Conclusion In writing this book I have fulfilled a promise made it seems an eternity ago. If my explanation of the three essentials and the four elements seems amateurish then I must confess. By doing this the matter is changed drastically. He has designed a graduated course of study composed of the teachings of the Western Inner tradition. The first time the process for the plant stone unfolded before my eyes to completion. though there is still though a long way to go. I felt what the alchemists meant. Reid also prepares customized alchemic herbal extracts for individuals. This is a hard thing to explain but it is true. Even if he has not gotten the nuts and bolts down of certain things. When I wrote earlier in the book that gradually I was able to understand what the alchemists said. While this stone will not make gold it is a treasure nonetheless. We see in the small work an exact mirror of the great work. For freely it was given and freely I shall give. I am surely no adept at this science. The author is very interested in corresponding with persons who are actively engaged in the study of the Hermetic art or are earnestly striving to learn it. All of it. or portray myself as a master in this art. an amateur has written it. Box 223. he KNOWS how to proceed. of course. I have only hoped to inspire others to take up the study of this subject. All things are simply broken down to their first matter and then reassembled by art to a higher form. He may be reached by writing to: P. Nature in her wisdom is simple and acts always the same.
gently. Therefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus. Thence proceed wonderful adaptations which are produced in this way. This thing is the fortitude of all fortitude. THE SMARAGDINE TABLE OF HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. Separate the earth from the fire. its nurse is the Earth. to everyone else. What I had to say concerning the operation of the Sun is complete. What is below is like that which is above. And as all things were produced from One by the Mediation of One. and what is above is like that which is below for performing the miracle of one thing. and descends again to earth. I speak not fiction. and penetrates every solid thing. Remains a belief. so all things are produced from this One thing by adaptation. Its father is the Sun. .That which you have experienced. because it overcomes all subtle things. but what is certain and most true. thus you will possess the glory of the whole World and all obscurity will fly away. Thus were all things created. And known within yourself. Its power is perfect if it be changed into the earth. It ascends from earth to heaven. possessing the three parts of the philosophy of the whole World. and with judgment. the subtle from the gross. the wind carried it in its belly. It is the cause of all perfection throughout the whole world. its mother was the Moon.
Franz Initiation into Hermetics Dieter Ruggeberg 1981.Suggested Readings Albertus. Utah: Paracelsus Research Society. Utah: Paracelsus Research Society 1966 Babbitt. Albertus. Frater Parachemy Magazine 1973 . Utah: Paracelsus Research Society. London: Neville Spearman. Barbault. Inc. Frater The Seven Rays of the QBL York Beach. 1985. Utah: Paracelsus Research Society. Albertus. Frater Gently I Answered and Said. Albertus. Maine: Samuel Weiser. Utah: Paracelsus research Society 1976.1979 Salt lake City. Albertus. Utah: Paracelsus Research Society. Frater Alchemical Laboratory Bulletins 1960 .1972 Salt lake City. . Edwin S. The Principles of Light and Color Citadel Press 1967. Frater The Alchemist of the Rocky Mountains Salt lake City. Armand Gold of A Thousand Mornings. Frater The Alchemist Handbook Salt lake City. Utah: Paracelsus College Albertus. Salt lake City. Albertus. Frater From "One to Ten" Salt lake City. 1975.Fall 1983 Salt lake City. 1974 Albertus. Bardon. Robin Campbell. Frater Essentia Magazine Winter 1980 .
Franz: The Practice of Magical Evocation Dieter Ruggeberg 1984. French. CA. Nicholas: Culpeper's Complete Herbal Chartwell Books. Cockren. Fyfe.Bardon. Llewellyn: The All New A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator Llewellyn Publications Gerber. Franz: Frabato the Magician Dieter Ruggeberg 1982. Culpeper. Inc. Fulcanelli Master Alchemist Le Mystere des Cathedrales Mary Swoder Brotherhood of Life 1984. Agnes Moon and Plant Capillary Dynamic Studies Society for Cancer Research 1975. 1985. Dion The Mystical Qabalah York Beach. A. Inc. George. John: The Art of Distillation Para Publishing 1978. Baron.: Health Research 1963. Franz The Key to the True Quabbalah Published by Dieter Ruggeberg 1986 Bardon. Fortune. Alchemy Rediscoverd and Restored Mokelumme Hill. 1984. Maine: Samuel Weiser. Bardon. 1973. Urbigerus The Golden Manuscripts "Circulatum Urbigerus" Para Publishing Inc. Richard Vibrational Medicine .
Franz: The Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians of the 16th & 17th Centuries Occult Publishing Company 1969. 1963. 1971. Grieve Mrs.N. 1973. Main: Samuel Weiser.: Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy Inner Traditions International Ltd. Gold and the Sun. 1981. . Aryeh: Sefer Yetzirah The book of Creation York Beach. Kolisko. The Total Eclipse of the Sun 20 May 1947 The Anthroposophic Press 1947. The Moon and the Growth of Plants Anthroposophical Agricultural Foundation 1936. Inc. Valentine and others: A Compendium of Alchemical Processes York Beach. Junius. L. 1990 Kolisko. Ingalese. Inc. 1985 Kaplan. Lust. Gluber. Inc.Sante Fe. L. Hartman. N. Manfred M. Richard The Alchemical Tradition in the Late Twentieth Century North Atlantic Books 1979. Inc. Main: Samuel Weiser. John The Herb Book Bantam Books 1974. Richard: The Golden Manuscripts "They Made the Philosophers Stone" Para Publishing Co. M : A Modern Herbal in Two Volumes Neew York: Dover Publications. Grossinger.: Bear and Company 1988. Lacinius Janus The New Pearl of Great Price London England: Vincent Stuart LTD.
Pfeiffer Ehrenfried: Sensitive Crystallization Processes A Demonstration of Formative Forces in the Blood Anthroposophic Press 1975 Philalethis. Synesius: The Golden Manuscripts The True Book of the Learned Synesius Para Publishing Co.Mclean. . 1962. Inc. Rulandus. 1973. 1984. Waite. Martinus: A Lexicon of Alchemy York Beach. Basilus: The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony With a commentary by Theodore Kerckringius London England: Vincent Stuart LTD. 1974. Volpierre: The Golden Manuscripts The Hermetic Art Para Publishing Co. Adam: A Commentary on the Mutus Liber Adam Mclean 1982. 1963. Inc. Valentinus. Main: Samuel Weiser. Eirenaeus and others: Collectanea Chemica London England: Vincent Stuart LTD. Inc. Arthur Edward: The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus in Two Volumes James Elliot and Company 1894.