CHAPTER OVERVIEW
The Philosophefr Stone and the Elixir of Life
• The Solar and Lunar Stones
• Psychic Centers and Awakening the Inner Alchemist
Alchemy is often called "the Royal Art" and is considered to be the pinnacle of Hermetic practices. Its goal is to perfect the human personality through a series of chemical and metallurgical operations, which, if successfully completed, are seen as a material demonstration of an achieved interior state. Like the siddhas of yoga or the charismen of the New Testament, various abilities at transmutation become available to adepts as they climb the Hermetic ladder. Among the best known of these abilities are the power to transmute one metal or mineral into another; the power to cure disease through the creation of a universal medicine, or panacea; and the ability to live a long life, nearing immortality by human standards, through creation of the Elixir Vitae.
Just as a talisman of paper, metal, or stone binds a certain amount of planetary energy to it for a specific purpose, the alchemical Elixir of Life is the etheric life force in a liquid state of matter. The alchemical Stone of the Wise (or Red Stone) is the etheric life force in a solid state of matter. Each is the maximum amount of energy possible stored in a minimum quantity of liquid or solid matter. The Elixir of Life is related to other spiritual liquids as well, including the Noma of Zoroastrianism, soma of the Vedas, ambrosia of the Greeks, and cinnabar in Taoist alchemy.
Alchemy traditionally has shown itself to pose three expressions or aspects: metallurgical-chemical, physiological-homeopathic, and ethical-spiritual. The language of medieval and Renaissance spiritual alchemy in Germany demonstrates this progression in the injunction that each "philosopher" is to be transformed from a dead stone into a living Philosophical Stone. By making himself into a "living Stone," each alchemist becomes the lapis philosopher ("Stone of the Wise"), which in turn can act in the world as a panacea (Greek for "all-healing") on others. This plusquarnperfectur, or perfection, exists on all planes of matter and consciousness. It heals bodily ills as well as moral and ethical ills and restores the user to a state of spiritual grace, if not outright purity.
Each alchemist thereby becomes a focal point of energy, a small sun in the universe of humanity, whereby simply being physically close to him or her can allow a certain change in consciousness and physical health. The alchemist radiates life just as the sun radiates light-and from light, life and consciousness arise. This is critical, for at this point, the alchemist no longer administers healing products or medicines, but instead, he or she is the healing medicine. The very presence of the alchemist heals.
We have seen in earlier experiments that the relationship between energy, matter, and consciousness form a triad that exists to varying degrees in everything. The spectrum of energy and matter exists in its own domain, and from its constant operations, consciousness arises. After a period of time, consciousness gives way to self-consciousness, and its relationship with matter and energy move from the chaotic and unpredictable to the orderly and predictable. It is through this ability to apply consciousness to the relationship of matter and energy that practical occultism is possible. If it were not so, the use of both active imagination in magical ritual and material experiments in alchemy to create change in the material world, via the principle of "As above, so below," would be self-delusion.
The four elements form the etheric-material base that gives rise to the three essentials. Of the elements, fire plays the most significant part, for "etheric fire" (i.e., energy) gives rise to self-consciousness; it is the foundational energy for human consciousness as well as the means of transforming matter from raw to refined states:
The colors black, white, and red play important parts in the stages of material transformation.
Black, or negrado, is death.
White, or albus, is calcination, the purification of the body.
Red, or rubeo, is the perfection of the reunited body and consciousness (salt and sulphur).
Yellow is sometimes mentioned as an intermediary stage between the white and red stages and represents perfect fecundation.
What makes alchemy different from many other occult arts is hinted at in the color red. Red is the reuniting of the consciousness and the body. It is enlightenment in the world, and not escape from it. The Red Stone permeates all creation and anchors the energies of the cosmos into the physical life.
It may be coincidence that with these four colors we have the four colors of Tibetan Buddhism as well. However, it is important to know that some old schools of Buddhism place their doctrinal origins in Egypt. The Bon tradition, the oldest of the Tibetan religions and indigenous to that land prior to the arrival of Buddhism, claims three places of influence for its doctrines and practices, one being modern Persia.
Persia was invaded by the Aryan people (hence the modern name Iran), who came from the Caucasus Mountains, the area now known to be the home of Sanskrit, "the mother of all languages," giving some physical connection to these ancient traditions. There is also evidence that people from the Caucasus may be the source for Egypt's mystery teachings on some level. Evidence also suggests that this region of the world may have been home to the primordial tradition sought by so many students of esotericism.
The colors can be used to designate a degree of perfection of a particular alchemical product, with black referring to something in its "natural" state, white being a medicine that strongly affects the body and etheric forces, and red being a product that affects primarily the consciousness of the recipient but also, as a result, emotional, etheric, and physical well-being. These two Elixirs or Stones are known as the White Elixir or Stone and the Red Elixir or Stone. This gives us two levels of products: one mainly physical, and one aimed at the spiritual. There is a third product, little spoken of, called the Fire Stone, which affects the spiritual on a highly transcendental level. Little is known or written of this Stone, and it may refer to a perfection on the plane of consciousness related to Saturn (Binah), just as the Red and the White refer to the Sun (Tiphareth) and the Moon (Yesod) respectively.
An excerpt from a 1928 Rosicrucian manuscript on alchemy by Francis Mayer, a well-known student of Hermetic philosophy, states:
As the colors indicate, the process is the same as followed in the Work for the Stone, where first the black developed and out of it in succession the white and the red, as the work progresses through the elemental, the sidereal [astral] and the mental worlds. The elixir used for medical purposes and to rejuvenate the body is the second elixir, white or red, both of them obtained by circulations and imbibition,. White and Red, like moon and sun, are essentially the same in alchemy as substances, except the lunar white is less fiery, is cooler and less intensive, more moderated as is the red or solar elixir, the potable gold. The circulations are made through the seven so-called planets and imbibed substance is what is known as higher or zodiacal element, in plain language, aether [vital life energy], reaching us through the constellations.
Now in alchemy, the zodiac and the planets are considered as located in the organism of man, including the auric bodies, the vital [etheric], sidereal [astral], even the solar [mental] bodies. In consequence of this duplicity, i.e., physical and hyper-physical, of our organism complicated by the fact that it functions on four planes, the ancients were reticent and left it to the initiator to reveal the exact locations of stars and planets in the body, because it could be understood by the practitioner only, who is familiar with hyper-physical organisms and planes of consciousness. Moreover, they knew by experience that unskilled handling of this delicate and complicated machinery may cause transitory or even permanent malfunctional disorders.
And further on:
So while it is still difficult to find the exact actual locations, it has become an open secret that the planets and the zodiac of the sun as well as of the moon [psychic centers] are centered in or around the brain, the spine, the glands and the diverse plexus. Also that these organs are in more or less constant and intense intercommunication with the circumambient aether. Consequently, the seven circulations and following imbibitions by which the white and red elixirs are produced, mean in plain English but circulations of our vital energy, our fixed power, through different plexus and glands, also brain and spine, as well as the reinforcing of this energy by imbibitions from the circumambient aether, our volatile mercury, which by the operation is drawn in, becomes assimilated, coagulated and fixed in our organism.
The indicated fact that the sun, moon, and mercury have to be united, informs the alchemist, that, in the operation, the solar plexus as governor of all the other plexus, and the gonads (the testicles or the ovaries according to the sex of the operator) as governor of the other glands, also the glands in the brain are the main factors. Thus, these circulations energize through the solar plexus, the whole sympathetic nervous system, while the glands energized stimulate the production of the hormones, governors of the vegetative part of our life and to a certain extent of our emotional life too. It is not difficult to comprehend that such stimulations performed regularly and in accordance with the methods of Tradition could have curative effects, and when continued systematically were able to keep body and mind vigorous, even to rejuvenate it and prolong life to its natural limits. For our old alchemists were less optimistic than some modern doctors who believe that life in the flesh can be extended indefinitely.
As is well known, the alchemist and the magus had to observe certain self-discipline before they started operations. This consisted of the purification of body and mind, moderation in eating, strict sobriety, abstinence from sexual relations, also frequent meditations and prayers, during at least a whole week before commencing the circulations and imbibitions. The intention of this discipline is obvious. They desired to store up or conserve by saving the vital and especially the generative energy, and to imbue the other organs with it, also to make themselves fit, by purification of body and mind, to attract the aether and to be able to bear the more rapid and intenser vibrations of the higher vitality. The special esoteric prayers were to prepare the inner mind for the expected higher states of consciousness and to attract the primordial aether. Modern medical science [Anthor's note: "Modern" as of the 1920s] which experiments with good results chiefly with the endocrine glands and the gonads to cure and rejuvenate men, could safely endorse these preparations.
But while the operations mentioned did their work on the alchemist himself, in order to have the elixir ready at hand or to administer it to others, it was necessary to embody it into to some substance which could be handled as any other medicine. Paracelsus and Bul- wer Lytton indicate sufficiently how this was done: Certain plants, mentioned only as "Simples," have been gathered, their quintessence taken out in liquid or pulverized form, the curative properties of which were then enhanced by projecting on it, and incorporating into it, the tincture, the reinforced and enobled vital energy of the alchemist.... [Matter] gathered [his] simples ... and out of these made only two groups of medicaments, one for the lymphs and the other for the blood, for according to [alchemical] theory, all diseases originating in the patient are caused by corruptions of one or the other of these fluids. Considering the close relationship between the lymph and the blood as well as their respective colors, the analogy between these two groups of medicaments and the white and red elixir impress itself on the mind....
The author of this manuscript refers to the solar plexus as the master of the other nerve plexi in the human body. In esoteric physiology, the solar plexus is critical because it acts as a tuning fork for the psychic body and distributes energy to the other plexi. The exact location of the solar plexus varies from system to system, with it often being located in the navel as well as near the heart. However, if we look at the function of the solar plexus, we can see that it is located in the area of the stomach. The solar plexus distributes energy-and can even store it-but it does not generate energy. That is left to the other centers. The ability to absorb and distribute energy is crucial from the occult point of view. The idea that the stomach can absorb and distribute energy can be found in Egyptian funeral texts and earlier shamanic legends and practices. Shamans were said to have a white phlegm in the stomach that was their power, and they could spit this out for their students to partake of in a sort of ritualistic cannibalism.
Perceptions of the energies as they are radiated from the solar plexus tend to be more emotional and physical in expression than when perceived from other psychic centers.
Paracelsus states that the Secret Fire (which he calls the Archeus, or Quintessence), also known as cosmic energy in modem terms, is equally distributed throughout the human body. The life energy (Spiritus Vitae) is derived from the Sun's energies as they interact with Earth (Spiritus Mundi) and contains all cosmic influences. It is the cause by which the cosmic forces act upon the physical world and human body. The single most important aspect of the Secret Fire is that it is magnetic in nature and is not limited by the physical body but rather radiates within the cells of the body and around it, forming the human aura. Its predominant geometric characteristic is that it forms luminous spheres when it is concentrated.
In alchemy, there is one essence, the Hyle or Chaos of the alchemists, which divides into niter and salt, which in turn give rise to life and matter; but this is not completely true, as the division is not complete. There is no break between these two extremes of manifestation-one being pure active energy and the other being pure passive energy, or matter. The analogy of keys on a piano is more fitting, as continuity, repetition, and increase or decrease in octave is the Path of Nature.
Just as this apparent division-or more accurately, as we said, discrete concentrations of various levels of life energy-appears on the grand or cosmic level, we see its reflection in our solar system, with the Sun's energy providing both active and passive expressions to each of the planets and the Moon acting as the Sun's "shadow."
In the physical world we inhabit, this polarity is seen in the expression of the elements. In our bodies, it is seen as the two main psychic channels, one active, one passive, both supplied by the same energy, and the various points of concentration of this energy when the channels overlap-or the psychic centers. The process is repeated regardless of the realm, with all beings composed of various degrees of sulphur (consciousness), mercury (energy), and salt (matter).
Archaic occult systems, such as shamanism, and later developments, including Qabala, often used only three principal psychic centers, which correspond to the three critical areas of the body: head, heart, and stomach. On a physical level, life could not be sustained if one or more of these areas were seriously damaged. On a psychic level, they are seats of emotional power and energy. The Sepher Yetzirah assigns to them the three "mother" letters of the Hebrew alphabet: Shin, or fire, corresponds to the head; Aleph, or air, to the heart or chest; and Mem, or water, to the stomach. In alchemy, similar attributions are given: mercury to the head, sulphur to the heart, and salt to the stomach.
In individuals for whom the energies of matter (salt) dominate, concrete ideas will dominate, along with powerful passion and instinct. Violence and criminal activity will not disturb them, and they will have very little energy of self-conscious nature. In individuals for whom the energies of the mind (mercury) dominate, thought and abstraction will come quickly and easily, as well as an interest in esoteric and occult topics. In those whom the energies of Being (sulphur) dominate, religious (particularly devotional mysticism) and esoteric ideas will hold a powerful sway. They are broadly active, and they acquire wealth easily.
The purpose of the brain (mercury) is to act as a bridge, a tool, between self-consciousness (sulphur) and the body (salt). The energies of the body are needed and useful, but they must be purified. If they are destroyed, then consciousness cannot manifest. If they dominate, then consciousness is dramatically reduced. The actions of mercury (mind-brain) must be to constantly unite these two expressions of energy. These attributes are meant to demonstrate that the physical body, when in harmony with the mental and emotional qualities of consciousness, becomes a living Philosophical Stone. They also give us keys for our meditations when working with the ideas surrounding the three essentials. These essentials have specific areas of concentration; however, each psychic center has its own "essentials." For example, salt or matter is assigned to the stomach or navel. This means the psychic centers at and below the stomach are concerned with the material functions of the body. However, to carry this out, they also need energy (mercury) and specific intelligence or direction (sulphur).
In alchemy, hypnosis, and other occult practices, we often notice that the body is subordinate to the subconscious but that they are both identical in function. Our physical body synthesizes and produces a vast array of material substances from the food we give it. When this is of high quality and in ample supply, we are able to be healthy, energetic, and in harmony with our psychic qualities as well. Our physical body has all that it needs to be transmuted into a "living Stone," and our consciousness will transmute with it into a miniature Hermes or true alchemist incarnate if properly directed.
In the same fashion, our subconscious creates for us a synthetic whole based upon the quality of "food" (emotions, images, and ideas) that we "feed" it. As long as we live, they are combined into a single body and state of consciousness. The main place where this digestion, assimilation, and distribution of psychic and physical energy takes place is in the stomach and its attendant organs. From the psychic point of view, this is the solar plexus and nerve ganglia associated with the physical aspects of its functioning.
Salt-The body's salt is derived exclusively from the material world, from the food we eat and liquids we drink. The quality and quantity of food we eat directly impacts our physical health and well-being. The diaphragm controls reparation, and therefore the amount of energy the body takes in. Yet despite poor nutrition, the body is an efficient machine that is also able to extract life energy from the air we breathe.
Mercury-The air we breathe supplies us with the necessary mercury, or life energy (Secret Fire), that animates our physical bodies. To acquire adequate mercury, it is essential to breathe deeply and fully. Schools of meditation use various forms of rhythmic breathing for this purpose, as well as to strengthen and purify the body (salt) so that it can be imbibed with more spiritual consciousness (sulphur). The planet Mercury rules the nervous system, respiration, and communication between the inner and outer consciousness.
Sulphur-Our sulphur is our consciousness. Since our three essentials cannot be completely separated and recombined easily (astral projection and sleep being the exceptions), we must constantly watch our thoughts and feelings so that we generate goodwill and seek to benefit others. Our body responds to the thoughts and feelings we hold. In this manner, the salt purifies our consciousness by giving tangible expression to our feelings. As we hold in our heart, so we are.
The three principles or essentials of mercury, sulphur, and salt must be understood in their macrocosmic and microcosmic interpretations for genuine alchemy (i.e., transmutating power) to be developed and expressed.
The key to success on the alchemical path is simple: be confident and focused in your work; be kind, generous, and helpful to others; be imperturbable in the face of confusion and chaos; and be humble by knowing that all alchemical work prepares us for Illumination, but only inner grace can give it.