Alchemy: The Art of Fire
Beyond appearances and beneath the surface, the process of spiritual alchemy forms the backbone of most spiritual traditions. In Egypt it was known as the "Royal Art", in China it is called Neidan. It's methods can be found in Kabbalah, and are hidden in the stories of the Bible. Wherever you look and by whatever name you call it, its goal is to materialize spirit and spiritualize matter. It's aim is the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, or the Golden Elixir, which enabled the alchemist to transmute and perfect all things, to cure all illness and disease and even grant immortality.
While this all might sound a bit fantastic and paradoxical, Alchemy forms a step by step process towards conscious and willful transformation. As a spiritual process it offers the same promise as all the spiritual traditions that clothe it; to elevate the individual to the realm of the divine and to attain immortality. The immortality offered by spiritual alchemy however is not of the body, but of the conscious awareness of the Soul. Obscured by symbols, spoken of in allegory and passed on by use of metaphors, the language of alchemy has long been one of symbolism.
While this all might sound a bit fantastic and paradoxical, Alchemy forms a step by step process towards conscious and willful transformation. As a spiritual process it offers the same promise as all the spiritual traditions that clothe it; to elevate the individual to the realm of the divine and to attain immortality. The immortality offered by spiritual alchemy however is not of the body, but of the conscious awareness of the Soul. Obscured by symbols, spoken of in allegory and passed on by use of metaphors, the language of alchemy has long been one of symbolism.
Prima Materia: First Matter
In order to take up the Great Work, alchemists sought out what they referred to as the First Matter, which would be used to create the Philosopher's Stone. This was the innermost essence and carried within it the seed of the divine.
In Taoist alchemy they refer to the difference between postnatal and prenatal or post celestial and pre-celestial essence. Working with the right form of energy was attributed to succeeding or failing to produce the Philosopher's Stone/Golden Elixir, so it was critical for the alchemist to find it. The operations within alchemy were then applied to the Prima Materia to make the Stone/Elixir. This ancient alchemist riddle highlights their thoughts on the Prima Materia: "The key to life and death is everywhere to be found, but if you do not find it in your own house, you will find it nowhere. Yet, it is before everyone's eyes; no one can live without it; everyone has used it. The poor usually possess more of it than the rich; children play with it in the streets. The meek and uneducated esteem it highly, but the privileged and learned often throw it away. When rejected it lies dormant in the bowels of the earth. It is the only thing from which the Philosopher's Stone can be prepared, and without it, no noble metal can ever be created." |
V.I.T.R.I.O.L.
One of the main "ingredients" of alchemy was a substance called vitriol and considered to be a kind of liquid fire that was capable of burning away that which was not a part of the essence and described as a necessary ingredient in the transmutation of lead into gold.
However this term itself is an anagram, which gives us further clues as to where the stone and its elements are to be found: Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem. This is Latin for "Visit the innermost of the earth; and by rectification you will find the hidden stone". For the Mystic, the earth is none other than the body itself. VITRIOL is a call inward for a Grail like quest to find our Sacred and Essential Self. The "Blood of Christ", or the "Anointed Blood/Essence". |
Four Phases of Alchemy
The Great Work (Magnum Opus) is often broken into 4 major phases. Each phase marks a major transition in the making of the Stone/Elixir. Compare the Western description with the Eastern description of the same major stages.
Western AlchemyNigredo - Black Phase: This phase is often associated with death and described as the "Dark Night of the Soul". All the matter is covered in darkness and the Prima Matura is hidden within the Mercurial Waters. Once sufficiently refined from the state of Chaos, the Prima Materia begins to emerge as the seed of the Stone. Albedo - White Phase: From death comes the seeds of new life. From the darkness comes the Light. That is the essence of this phase. It is the phase that is the accomplishment of the White Stone and associated with the Lunar Essence and the White Queen. Citrinas - Yellow Phase: Associated with the Solar Light, this is typically depicted as the Solar/Immaculate child. As the Stone begins to become infused with Sulfur, it begins to turn yellow on its way towards the reddening. Rubedo - Red Phase: This is the completion and the attainment of the Philosophers Stone. |
Eastern AlchemyLaying Foundation: This phase is typically seen as a replenishing and refinement of the seeds of the Elixir. The focus here is working to infuse the generative fluids with Vital Breath and Spirit. Once sufficiently refined, the prenatal Essence or Original Essence begins to emerge to bring life to what was "as dead". Transmute Jing into Qi: Once the Original Essence has emerged it is bathed and washed in Vital Breath, the Breath of Life until the two merge to become the Original Breath. Completion of this stage is heralded by visions of a full white moon. Transmute Qi into Shen: When Original Essence, Vital Breath and Spirit begin to coalesce, it forms what Taoists call the "Embryo of Sainthood". This is spoken as being "pregnant in the cinnabar field". This is heralded by Yellow Solar visions. Return Shen to the Void: This is the stage where the Immortal Fetus exits the Cavity of Original Spirit. |
4 Stages of Alchemy; Reverse Engineering Creation
The Alchemists saw the First Matter as the Seed of all Life, and as it grew into the Tree of Life it was responsible for what is referred to as the "Great Transformation". This Transformation is seen as the inner mechanism that accounts for the manifestation of the wide variety of life and its evolution. The cosmologies of the world's Sacred traditions all begin here. And with that, the Alchemists were able to follow this impulse of Creation to become a conscious and willing participant of the process. If we were to look carefully, the Alchemical process of Spiritual development makes use of the reversal of this process. It is here that we find the usefulness of the creation stories and it's place as a Sacred practice.
For example, here is a comparison between the 4 stages and the following line of the Taoist Classic, Tao Te Ching; |
"The Dao generates the One, the One generates the Two, the Two generate the Three, the Three generate the ten thousand things."
- Tao Te Ching, ch.42
1: Laying the Foundation - "the three generate the 10,000 things". Here we are taking the "ten thousand things" (the manifest) and reverting them to the 3 qualities, which are the 3 Primes/Treasures (Salt, Mercury, Sulfur or Jing, Qi, Shen).
2: Transmuting Essence (Jing/Salt) into Breath (Qi/Mercury) - "the Two generates the Three". At this phase, the Inner Alchemical Agent is distilled from the outer alchemical agent, which is the Transmutation of the prenatal/pre-celestial Jing into prenatal/pre-celestial Qi. At this point we begin to sense the subtle, and to experience life on the energetic and astral planes. Here we see the duality of life as we gain direct experience of the inner spiritual worlds, while still existing in the physical world.
3: Transmuting Breath (Qi/Mercury) into Spirit (Shen/Sulfur) - "the One generates the Two". At this point we are seeking to build Unity by a reconciliation of opposites in order to emerge as a conscious Spiritual Being. This is our own inner Immaculate Conception and comes as a unification of the above and the below, the masculine and the feminine, the inner and the outer etc.
4: Returning the Spirit to the Void (Emptiness) - "The Tao generates the One". In the Western Tradition this is akin to the crossing of the Abyss and is where we cross the threshold into the Upper Planes.
- Tao Te Ching, ch.42
1: Laying the Foundation - "the three generate the 10,000 things". Here we are taking the "ten thousand things" (the manifest) and reverting them to the 3 qualities, which are the 3 Primes/Treasures (Salt, Mercury, Sulfur or Jing, Qi, Shen).
2: Transmuting Essence (Jing/Salt) into Breath (Qi/Mercury) - "the Two generates the Three". At this phase, the Inner Alchemical Agent is distilled from the outer alchemical agent, which is the Transmutation of the prenatal/pre-celestial Jing into prenatal/pre-celestial Qi. At this point we begin to sense the subtle, and to experience life on the energetic and astral planes. Here we see the duality of life as we gain direct experience of the inner spiritual worlds, while still existing in the physical world.
3: Transmuting Breath (Qi/Mercury) into Spirit (Shen/Sulfur) - "the One generates the Two". At this point we are seeking to build Unity by a reconciliation of opposites in order to emerge as a conscious Spiritual Being. This is our own inner Immaculate Conception and comes as a unification of the above and the below, the masculine and the feminine, the inner and the outer etc.
4: Returning the Spirit to the Void (Emptiness) - "The Tao generates the One". In the Western Tradition this is akin to the crossing of the Abyss and is where we cross the threshold into the Upper Planes.
The Emerald Tablet
"The Emerald Tablet, also known as the Smaragdine Table, or Tabula Smaragdina, is a compact and cryptic piece of the Hermetic reputed to contain the secret of the prima materia and its transmutation. It was highly regarded by European alchemists as the foundation of their art and its Hermetic tradition." - Wikipedia
The Emerald Tablet is considered to be one of the pillars of Western Alchemy and played a major role in the study of the Art in Medieval and Renaissance times. The origin of the Emerald Tablet is not known, but is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Some consider this to be the same as the Egyptian Thoth/Tehuti. It was a focus of study for notable names like Isaac Newton, Roger Bacon, Albertus Magnus, Aleister Crowley and John Dee. Just as most other Esoteric writings, the Emerald Tablet is written in a cryptic and symbolic nature that requires study and meditation to unravel. The seven stages of transformation in Alchemy are said to have originated from the text, described as Calcination, Dissolution, Separation, Conjunction, Fermentation, Distillation and Coagulation. Each student of Alchemy is encouraged to study and meditate on the text of the Emerald Tablet for themselves as opposed to accepting the interpretation of others. In this way, epiphanies can be made from inner realization as they meditate on the symbolic meanings hidden in the text. |
Emerald Tablet Text
"Tis true without error, certain & most true.
That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing And as all things have been & arose from one by the [meditation] of one: so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation. The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth is its nurse. The father of all perfection in the whole world is here. Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth. |
Separate thou the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross sweetly with great industry.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives the force of things superior & inferior.
By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world & thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.
Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing & penetrates every solid thing.
So was the world created.
From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof the means (or process) is here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world
That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished & ended."
- Emerald Tablet, Isaac Newton translation
It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives the force of things superior & inferior.
By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world & thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.
Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing & penetrates every solid thing.
So was the world created.
From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof the means (or process) is here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world
That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished & ended."
- Emerald Tablet, Isaac Newton translation