ALCHEMY by David Cherubim

8/13/2019 ALCHEMY by David Cherubim

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http://davidcherubim.net/alchemy.htm

ALCHEMYTHE BLACK ART

By David Cherubim.Copyright 1999 e.v.All rights reserved.

Written in 1994 e.v.

Los Angeles, CA, USA.

!TR"#$CT"!Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

In this scientific and technological age, the ancient Art and Science of Alchemy is looked !onas mere r""ish of the !ast, a dark and fancifl clod !on the sky of history. #et this, Iventre to say, is not the case at all$ and this I shall endeavor to demonstrate to yo throgh%ords of !ractical insight and %isdom, since Alchemy, in or modern school of thoght, is the&re Science of every %ise and !ractical Wo'an %ho lives !on the face of the earth.

Alchemy is com!ara"le to the (reat Sn of the Ages %hich ever shines "right in the infinitesky. It is not the falt of the Sn if %e cannot see it$ it is de to o%n lack of vision. #et the Snever shines "right for those %ho have eyes to see, and in seeing the Sn %e "ecomeenlightened)

*o% the %ord Alchemy is an Ara"ic term consisting of the article +al+ and the adective+khemi.+ Aleister Cro%ley, the eminent (olden -a%n 'agician of the /th centry, stated thatthis %ord means +that %hich !ertains to 0gy!t,+ and that a rogh translation of it %old "e+The Egyptian Matter.+

&raditionally, Alchemy is s!!osed to have originated in ancient 0gy!t. Alchemists, also calledermetic 2hiloso!hers, recogni3e ermes &rismegists, or +Thrice-great Hermes,+ as thelegendary fonder of their oyal Art, and ermes &rismegists is identified %ith the ancient0gy!tian (od &ahti 5&hoth in the Co!tic6. Alchemy is called, among other things, the 7lack

Art in reference to its alleged 0gy!tian origin. It is also called the ermetic Art or ermeticismin res!ect of its legendary fonder.

&he ancient Chinese %ere !erforming Alchemy as early as 8// 7.C. 7t the science ofAlchemy in China %as originally a s!irital system, dedicated to a mystical end$ it %as later inthe corse of history that it took on other forms, %hereas in ancient 0gy!t the Art of Alchemyoriginated as a metallrgical craft. &he teachings of Alchemy as a s!irital science can "e


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fond in the sacred %ritings of the Chinese Sage Lao &3e, %ho %as the fonder of the (rand2hiloso!hy of the &ao. Alchemy !lays a vital !art in esoteric &aoism. It is, in fact, the secrettradition of &aoism, its inner teaching as o!!osed to its oter !hiloso!hy.

In the 7ddhist 'ahayana Avatamsaka Stra reference is made to the alchemical 0liir ofLife. It is %ritten in this Stra: +There exists a Hataka juice or essence. One measure ofthis solution can transform one thousand measures of bronze into pure gold.+ In the

ind Atharva ;eda, %hich is older than 1,/// 7.C., there are also mystical %ords concerningthe 0liir of Life. &he systematic !rocrement of this cele"rated 0liir constittes the 'agnm

&here is a legend %hich claims that Alchemy %as originally the Sacred Art of the Sons of (odmentioned in (enesis "efore the (reat =lood. &hese %ere the +=allen Angels+ or +=allenStars+ of (od %ho mated %ith the %omen of earth and taght them their Sacred Craft. &hereis another legend "ased on (enesis %hich states that A"raham %as the fonder of Alchemy,as %ell as of the >a"alah$ that the Wisdom of Alchemy %as transmitted to his son Ishmael%ho %as "orn from agar, so that the Ara"s and Sfis are the tre holders of the sacred keysof the alchemical Art$ %hereas the >a"alah, %hich %as transmitted to A"raham?s son Isaac,%ho %as "orn "y Sarah, "ecame the sacred tradition of the @e%ish !eo!le.

2tting aside all legend and myth, the actal fondations of the !hiloso!hic !rinci!les ofAlchemy are to "e fond among the ancient (reeks, 7y3antines and Ara"s. &he !rinci!al(reek school for Alchemy %as fonded "y osimos in Aleandria arond the 4th centry A.-.osimos asserted that Alchemy %as the Sacred Art of the 0gy!tians. Alchemy traveled from

Aleandria to 7y3antim in the 8th centry and it %as eventally ado!ted "y the Ara"s. AfterconBering 0gy!t in the th centry the Ara"s contined their alchemical researches, andfrom the th to the 11th centries Alchemy %as introdced to all the contries that theyconBered. =rom the 9th to 11th centries S!ain es!ecially "ecame one of the great ermeticcenters of the %orld.

Alchemists assert the famos &a"la Smaragdina, the 0merald &a"le of ermes, to "e the

chief e!osition concerning their alchemical o!eration "y %hich they achieve the (reat Workof the Sn. Legend has it that this 0merald &a"let %as discovered "y soldiers of Aleanderthe (reat in the hands of ermes? mmmy in the (reat 2yramid of (i3ah, %hich %as,according to legend, the &om" of ermes himself. ermes %as s!!osed to have engravedthe sacred %ords %hich %ere discovered !on the 0merald &a"let. &he earliest record of the!hiloso!hy of the 0merald &a"le can "e fond in the Leyden 2a!yrs %hich dates "ack toa!!roimately D// A.-. and %as discovered in the year 1EE in the tom" of an anonymos0gy!tian 'agician of Ancient &he"es.

Love is the law, love under will.

ALCHEMY:THE BLACK ARTBY #A%# CHER$BM

C"!TE!T&


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CHAPTER I

ALCHEMY IN THEORY

CHAPTER II

ALCHEMY IN PRACTICE

CHAPTER III

DE MAGNUM OPUS SOLIS(ON THE GREAT WORK OF THE SUN)

CHA'TER

ALCHEMY IN THEORYAlchemy is called the oyal Art 5Ars egia6.


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materially by means of the "tone of the "ages.+ istory flly s!!orts the !ossi"ility of this!henomenon. We cannot ignore the e!eriences of those in the !ast %ho have eitherscceeded in this s"lime %ork or %ho have %itnessed it first hand.

Let s, for eam!le, take into accont @ohann 7a!tista van elmont, the famos 7elgian2hysician and Chemist %ho coined the %ord FgasG from the (reek %ord Fchaos.G e claimed tohave !erformed an actal transmtation of mercry into gold, and he recorded and !"lished

this fact in his %ork +&he (arden of 'edicine.+ In 1H1E this scientist %as one day visited "y anne!ected stranger %ho gave to him a fe% grains of !o%der. Concerning this !o%der, vanelmont recorded: +# sa$ and handled the %hilosopher&s "tone. #t $as a saffron-coloured po$der! 'ery hea'y! and it glittered like splinters of glass .+ ;an elmont alsorecorded that the stranger %as seeking to +convince an illstrios scientist %hose %ork is anhonor to his contry.+ ;an elmont %as, indeed, convinced of the validity of the o!erations of

Artisinal Alchemy after sccessflly !erforming a transmtation %ith the !o%der, %hereas he!reviosly denied the !ossi"ility of this !henomenon.

Let s also take into accont elvetis 5@ohann =riedrich Sch%eit3er6, the 2hysicianinordinary to the 2rince of


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and %ho discovered the !art !layed "y oygen in com"stion. 7oyle also financed the!"lication of *e%ton?s +2rinci!ia+ and he has "een called the father of modern Chemistryand the har"inger of the +Scientific 'ethod+. 7oyle himself %as a lover of Alchemy, "t al%aysske!tical at heart, yet he did attem!t to transmte "ase metals into gold, "t to no avail, %hichfact he admitted in 1HH1 in his im!ortant treatise called +&he Ske!tical Chymist+.

'oreover, let s take into accont the infamos Sir 0d%ard Jelly, %hose real name %as

&al"ot. Sir Aleister Cro%ley asserted that he %as &al"ot in a !ast life. &al"ot %as "orn atWorcester, 0ngland, in 1888. After "reaking the la% and having his ears cro!!ed, he de!artedfrom Worcester for Wales %here he !rchased for one !ond sterling an alchemicalmanscri!t and t%o forms of a !o%der, one %hite and the other red, from a man %ho tookthem from the tom" of a Catholic 7isho!. 7eing na"le to nderstand the manscri!t, hesecretly retrned to London and contacted the astrologer -r. @ohn -ee, %ho %as a"le todeci!her it, and "y it they sccessflly !erformed a transmtation. &his reslted in thedevelo!ment of a most !ecliar relationshi! "et%een Jelly and -ee %hich has left its strangemark on history.

*o% Jelly %as not a very modest man, and he sa% no harm in "oasting of his !o%er. e!erformed !"lic transmtations in 2rage, the ca!ital of 7ohemia. As a reslt of this he %asinvited to !erform a transmtation in the cort of the 0m!eror 'aimilian II of (ermany, %ho,"ecase of Jelly?s sccess, conferred !on him the rank of 'arshal of 7ohemia. 7t soon he%as im!risoned "y the 0m!eror for not "eing a"le to make more of the !o%der "y %hich he!erformed his transmtations. -ee, seeking to hel! Jelly, told the 0m!eror that he %oldassist Jelly to make more of the !o%der, and the 0m!eror released Jelly. &hey failed,ho%ever, in their efforts$ and Jelly, ot of frstration, killed a gard and %as again im!risoned"y the 0m!eror. #et in ail he %rote an alchemical treatise called +&he Stone of the Sages+,%hich he sent to the 0m!eror !romising to reveal the secret of the !o%der if the 0m!eror%old set him free. &he 0m!eror, ho%ever, did not "elieve him. Jelly therefore attem!ted toesca!e from ail, "t he only managed to "rake "oth of his legs and t%o ri"s in the !rocess.e died as a reslt of these inries in 189.

*o% %ith regard to 'ystical Alchemy, its formla and o!eration is s!irital and !sychologicalin kind. &he famos 2sychologist Carl (stav @ng and the %ellkno%n (olden -a%n'agician =rancis Israel egardie %ere "oth inclined to inter!ret the o!erations of Alchemyfrom a !rely !sychological !oint of vie%. @ng %rote a %ell kno%n "ook called +2sychologyand Alchemy+ 5198D6 and egardie %rote an illminating "ook called +&he 2hiloso!her?sStone+ 519DE6. 7oth of these athors make it an evident fact in these "ooks that theyenvisage Alchemy to "e nothing more than a !sychological o!eration dedicated to a mysticalend. @ng %as com!letely fascinated "y Alchemy, and he invested an immense amont of histime investigating the sym"ols and !rinci!les of this Art. egardie himself %as an Ade!t of

Alchemy, and thogh he envisaged Alchemy to "e a !sychomystical !rocess of initiation, he

nevertheless did e!ond the seal secrets of Alchemy in his magick "ook +&he &ree of Life+519D6, yet %ith the essential, magical !oint of vie% that this !hysical as!ect of Alchemy isalso dedicated to a s!irital case.

=rom the !oint of vie% of 'ystical Alchemy, the 2hiloso!her?s Stone is not a !o%der or anysort of material o"ect, "t rather is it a s!irital o"ect, "eing a sym"ol of the &re Self. &he'ystical Alchemist, also called the Alchemystic 2hiloso!her, does not seek to manfactrethe 2hiloso!her?s Stone to !rodce the material gold of *atre, "t rather to !rodce the-ivine (old of the S!irit. &o attain the 2hiloso!her?s Stone is, in this !articlar case, theattainment of enlightenment, %hich is the illmination of the ara or Sol of *atre %ith the


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-ivine Light of Sol, and %ith this comes the !o%er to illmine the %orld %hich is the -ivine(old of the S!irit.

&he 0astern System of Jndalini #oga affords s a "asic cle into the interior o!erations of'ystical Alchemy. Jndalini #oga aims at the a%akening of varios centers of !sychic force inthe 0thereal 7ody. &hese are called Chakras. Althogh there is literally a Chakra for everynerve in the "ody, there are seven in !articlar %hich are of vital im!ortance in the Science of

Jndalini #oga. &hese Chakras are sym"oli3ed "y seven Wheels ascending the s!inalcolmn %hich the #ogi endeavors to initiate into %hirling motion, to a%aken their s"tleenergies and vitali3e his consciosness %ith their occlt crrents of !o%er. &his isaccom!lished "y %ay of a%akening the 2rimary *erve Crrent kno%n as the Jndalini orSer!ent 2o%er. &he Ser!ent 5Jndalini6 is a !hallic sym"ol, re!resenting the creative force ofre!rodction or Seal 0nergy. &he Jndalini is Seal 0nergy the Li"ido also calledShakti 52o%er6 in the Sanskrit tonge. It is "y this Seal 2o%er that the Chakras are literallytransformed into verita"le centers of cosmic radiation, illminating the sol, mind and "ody ofthe #ogi %ith the Celestial Light of the Sn.

&he seven Chakras, %hich are also called 2admas or Lotses, are the occlt centers of!sychic energy in the hman "ody. &hey are not really a !art of the hman "ody, "t rathercorres!ond to certain !arts of it, ths %e call them occlt 5secret6. &he Chakras are secretcenters %hich generate 2rana and are a !art of %hat is termed the S"tile or 0thereal 7ody.

As Lotses they eist !side do%n ntil the a%akened Jndalini strikes !on them andmakes them right side !. In this they are slain and transformed, !rified and consecrated. Itis an essential o"ect of the training of the 'agician in the *e%


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Chakra, and Sahasrara is the Cro%n Chakra. In Alchemy these Chakras are linked %ith theseven 'etals called Lead, Iron, &in, >icksilver, Co!!er, Silver and (old. &hese Chakras arealso linked %ith the seven traditional 2lanets of Astrology called Satrn, 'ars, @!iter,'ercry, ;ens, Lna, and Sol.

&he seven 'etals and seven 2lanets corres!ond %ith the seven Chakras as follo%s: Leadand Satrn correlate %ith the 'ladhara Chakra$ Iron and 'ars correlate %ith the

Svadhistthana Chakra$ &in and @!iter correlate %ith the 'ani!ra Chakra$ >icksilver and'ercry correlate %ith the Anahata Chakra 5or alternatively the Sahasrara Chakra6$ Co!!erand ;ens correlate %ith the ;ishdhi Chakra$ Silver and Lna correlate %ith the AnaChakra$ and, lastly, (old and Sol correlate %ith the Sahasrara Chakra 5or alternatively the

Anahata Chakra6.


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em"race of Shakti and Shiva %hich, as yo might gather, constittes the greatest victory inJndalini #oga.

In the Science of Alchemy, the seven Chakras are linked %ith the seven 2lanetary 'etals$Sshmna, Ida and 2ingala are linked %ith the three alchemical 2rinci!les called 'ercry,Sl!hr and Salt$ and Jndalini is linked %ith A+,T-, the SECRET FRE o! Al"hemy%hichis the )rime Age(tof the Caloric

the Sages, is the Serpe(t )o*er%hich transmtes the "ase metals into the 2erfect (old ofthe Sn. A


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ho%ever, is a "lind, "t it is also a cle into the natre of A


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Aa"alah these three 0lements are


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consciosness, or the t%o as!ects of the 2syche, %hich, in other terms, is the cltivation ofharmony "et%een the t%o cere"ral hemis!heres of the "rain %hich are the Sl!hr and'ercry of or nerological system.

Let s no% take into accont the history of the develo!ment of the theory of the socalledAristotelian 0lements %hich !lay sch an im!ortant role in the 2hiloso!hy of Alchemy. &histheory commenced %ith a (reek 2hiloso!her named &hales 5H4/84H 7.C.6, %ho !ro!osed

that all things %ere com!osed of one element, %hich he claimed to "e Water. Anaimines58H/8// 7.C.6, a contem!orary of &hales, agreed %ith his theory, "t !ro!osed that theelement %as Air. eraclits 58DH4/ 7.C.6 !ro!osed that the element %as =ire. 0m!edocles549/4D/ 7.C.6 !ro!osed that there %as more than one element, and that Water, Air and =ire,to %hich he added another element called 0arth, %ere the !rimary elements of the Universe.2lato 54ED4E 7.C.6 !ro!osed another element %hich he said %as the tre 2rimary 0lementof %hich the other for elements %ere made. &his fifth element Aristotle called le.

2lato !ro!osed that le %as the !rime matter of the Universe %ith for fndamental!ro!erties of hot, cold, moist, and dry, and that it %as the com"ination of these !ro!erties in!airs %hich !rodced the for elements. =ire is hot and dry, Water is cold and moist, Air is hotand moist, and 0arth is dry and cold. Aristotle later !ro!osed another fifth element, the>intessence or 0ther, %hich he claimed to "e like fire. &he theory that all things %erecom!osed of these !rimary elements remained strong till the 1th Centry, %hen o"ert7oyle !"lished +&he Ske!tical Chymist+ in 1HH1, in %hich he made a critical eamination ofthe Aristotelian theory of the elements.

=rom the !oint of vie% of modern day science, this theory of the ancients is a closed "ook.7t from the !oint of vie% of ermeticism, this theory is still a sefl tool to "e a!!lied in theo!erations of the (reat Work, !articlarly in that "ranch of ermeticism called 'ystical

Alchemy. &his, as %e shall see, is a most !ractical !oint of vie%, for the a!!lication of thisancient theory takes on a ne% meaning in the %orks of 'ystical Alchemy, since in this "ranchof ermeticism the socalled Aristotelian 0lements are inter!reted in a different light than that

of ancient science, thogh the theory of these elements is still !ro!osed in a similar manneras it %as done "y the ancients.

2tting aside all modern day criticism of this theory, let s each dge for orselves %hetheror not this ancient theory still holds any vale for s today %hen a!!lied to the (reat Work.&he elements of this theory, as they are !ro!osed in ermeticism, are not the elements %hichthe ancients thoght to com!ose the Universe, "t rather do they denote em!irical !rinci!les%hich !lay a vital !art in the constittion of or eistential lives. Let s therefore inter!ret thistheory in the illminating light of meta!hor, and not in the literal sense %hen %e a!!roach it inthis lesson %here it is a!!lied to the !ractical a!!lications of 'ystical Alchemy.

*o% from the !oint of vie% of Seal Alchemy the (reat Work is to manfactre the2hiloso!her?s Stone "y the skillfl a!!lication of the seal act "et%een a man and a %oman.In this material form of Alchemy the sim!le adage holds tre: +#t takes t$o to tango)+ &hisconstittes the fndamentals of Seal Alchemy, %hich %e call


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eagram. &his ancient sym"ol of 0astern origin is com!osed of t%o interlaced trianglesindicating the Union of =ire and Water. It also indicates the nion of the 2hallos and Jteis.&he !right triangle is the 2hallos, %hereas the inverted triangle is the Jteis. And these t%otriangles nited into a single figre sym"oli3e the Child of the 2hallos and Jteis, %hich %e call


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!reviosly e!lained, is sevenfold, having seven !rinci!al grades or ste!s of initiation. 0achone of these initiatory ste!s directly corres!onds to the a%akening of one of the sevenChakras. &he actal alchemical !rocess "egins %ith the =irst (rade of the elator.

In the &helemic Ceremony of the elator, the iero!hant !roclaims the follo%ing to theinitiate: +The $ord 5elator is from the ancient Egyptian 5aruator! signifying 6"earcherfor Hathoor.& Hathoor is other$ise called Het-Heru! that is! the House of Horus. This

House of Horus is *ature Herself! the Temple of the Elements! of $hich you are azealous student.7 'oreover, the iero!hant !roclaims: 75elator is further the title of theassistant of an (lchemist $ho must keep the )ire burning in the (thanor or (lchemical)urnace. The (lchemist of the Operation is the #nner "elf! the (thanor is the humanbody! and the )ire is the "acred )lame of the True /ill. (s a 5elator you must keep this)ire burning in your body and brain! by constant dedication of yourself to the reat/ork of doing your True /ill! that you may fulfill the 2a$ of Thelema .+

Unkno%n to many, the t%entyt%o At of &hoth or 'aor Arcana of &arot sym"olically descri"ea form of a"alistic scheme of the &ree of Life,commencing or alchemical orney %ith the Ser!ent?s &ail at the !lace of At MMI at the 2ath

of &av on the "ottom of the &ree of Life, and %e end at the Ser!ent?s ead at the !lace of At/ at the 2ath of Ale!h at the to! of the &ree of Life. &he Ser!ent em"races %ithin its coils thet%entyt%o 2aths and it ascends from &av to Ale!h. Sch is the 2ath of Initiation "y %hich the'ystical Alchemist can attain the Stone of the 2hiloso!hers to effect the S!reme&ransmtation. &he Ser!ent in this o!eration is, of corse, the S0C0& =I0 of Alchemy orthe Jndalini of #oga %ithot %hich nothing can "e accom!lished.

&here is, ho%ever, another method of traveling the oyal oad, "t concerning this I mstmaintain a certain degree of silence, lest I reveal %hat mst "e discovered for and "y oneself.#et the natre of this secret o!eration is so o"vios that it is like a light that is so "right that it


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makes one "lind. In this tarotic alchemystic o!eration the >a"alistic scheme of the &ree ofLife is not em!loyed in the same manner as it is in the o!eration that is e!lained in the a"ove!aragra!h. It is rather an o!eration that is inde!endent of the system of initiation that isotlined on the &ree of Life, yet it does in fact !artake of the mysteries of this system afteranother manner. 7t this o!eration is only for the fe%, and ths it is concealed "eneath theveil of the o"vios. It is only revealed to them %ho are dly !re!ared to eecte its formla.

&o others it %ill seem a meaningless !ath.Astrology, the Science of the Stars, also has a story to tell s. In this science there are seventraditional 2lanets and t%elve Signs of the odiac. As !reviosly e!lained, the seventraditional 2lanets are linked %ith the seven Chakras of #oga and seven alchemical 'etals,and they also re!resent seven stages in the (reat Work. 'ost sevenfold systems of initiationare "ased on the astrological model of the seven traditional 2lanets. &he alchemical 'etalsthemselves gro% in the "o%els of the earth nder the magical inflence of the 2lanets. In the'ithraic 'ysteries the initiate clim"ed seven metallic ste!s re!resenting his ascent into theseven 2lanetary S!heres, and osimos defined Alchemy as the 'ithraic 'ystery.

&he Signs of the odiac also re!resent distinct stages in the (reat Work, "t there are t%elveof these stages instead of seven. &hese t%elve stages are defined "y the natre of theodiacal Signs themselves %hich have !lanetary and elemental attri"tions. &he Circle of theodiac, called the 2ath of the Sn, is the Circle of Initiation, containing t%elve distinct Signs orstages. Like the images of the At of &hoth, the Signs of the odiac are images of archety!esin the Collective Unconscios %hich can "e systematically evoked and conscioslye!erienced for the attainment of the 2hiloso!her?s Stone.

In each of these methods the !rinci!al theme is the reali3ation of a single o"ect: the &reSelf. Sch is the Indivisi"le Self of the Universe, the


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metals. (old itself is the natral reslt of a !articlar com"ination of the elements. &he othermetals of Alchemy are also com"inations of the elements. 7y etracting and !rifying theelements in the "ase metals, there"y redcing the metals to their !re state of 2rima 'ateria,and then "y skillflly converting the actal !ro!ortions in the com"inations of the elements%hich constitte the life of the metals, the metals can "e transformed into gold.

7y !rifying an o"ect of the =or 0lements %e are left %ith a fifth element %hich %e call the

>intessence and the =irst 'atter of or %ork. In Wo'an this fifth element is called hisherS!irit. *o% in 'ystical Alchemy the elements re!resent the hman senses. =ire is the senseof sight, Water is the sense of taste, Air is the sense of smell, 0arth is the sense of toch, andS!irit is the sense of sond. &he fifth element of S!irit, nlike the others, has a direct link %ithor &re Self, %hich is the Cro%n of or alchemystical %ork. &o attain this fifth element %emst first !rify or de!rogram orselves. &hen mst %e recreate or re!rogram orselves inaccordance %ith or &re Will. When the &re Self is attained throgh its socalled!rification, or, in other %ords, %hen %e rise a"ove the elemental senses, it is then that %eare a"le to !ro!erly recreate orselves, to re!rogram or systems, or to recom"ine theelements to fit in %ith or ne% !ers!ective. 7t first %e mst !rify or systems$ only then are%e trly fit and freely a"le to !ro!erly consecrate orselves to the (reat Work, to re!rogram

orselves in accordance %ith or &re Will, and to effect the S!reme &ransmtation.&o de!rogram orselves is not really an act of elimination "t of !rification. In this case theelemental senses are to "e !rified. &he senses, as commonly a!!lied in the %orld, arematerial in natre, casing an identification of consciosness %ith the material !lane at thee!ense of the s!irital. 7t %e cannot reali3e or &re Self if or senses are "ond to thematerial %orld$ they mst "ecome the vehicles of or &re Self. &he senses mst "e !rifiedand then magically dedicated to the (reat Work if %e are to attain the same$ and thisdedication mst not "e !artial, "t %hole. =or the senses are the instrments %hich %e mstse in the o!eration of the (reat Work$ they are the essential, creative vehicles of or &reSelf %hich need to "e com!letely lstrated and then magically consecrated to the &re Selffor the !ro!er eection and essential flfillment of its &re Will %hich is the attainment of the

(reat Work itself.

What is needed first is for yo to reali3e yor &re Self "eyond yor elemental senses "yeliminating yor identification %ith them and their innmera"le desires, and in this !rofondreali3ation is the very act of !rification. If a Wo'an can %itness something, it means thatheshe is "eyond that thing, for a%areness is transcendence. We are al%ays %itnessing orsenses in the form of desires, sally "ecoming identified %ith them. We take into accont nomeasre of the &re Self %hich is "eyond the senses and desires, "t instead %e "ecomeslaves to or senses. 7t if %e go %ithin and ackno%ledge or &re Self "eyond or senses,and "ecome a %itness rather than an animal, then do %e transcend or senses and gain the!o%er to master them. &he &re Self is the ltimate sorce of the elements, therefore %e

mst "e the &re Self to master them. 7t this does not mean that %e have to give ! orsenses %ith all their delicios desires. It is all a matter of %hat %e are identified %ith, or &reSelf or or desires. We are not or desires, "t they are a !art of or !ersonality %hich is thedivine e!ression of or sol.

&he la"oratory %herein to !erform and accom!lish this alchemystical %ork is natrally the7ody of Wo'an. And since a Wo'an?s "ody is hisher o%n and not another?s, it is a sim!lefact of *atre that only that Wo'an can %ork !on himherself to accom!lish the (reat Work.*o !erson can do the %ork for s$ %e mst all do it "y or o%n individal efforts. 'ystical

Alchemy is a !ersonal science, a s"lime and effective system of SelfInitiation.


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a single individal, can calclate and follo% yor %ay ! the (reat 'ontain of ermeticAttainment. It is entirely a matter of yor o%n !ractical a!!lication and devotion. All essentialgidance is %ithin yo, in the inmost centre of yor heart %here yor o%n oly (ardian

Angel, or Inner Self, resides. &o de!end !on any other thing than yor o%n oly (ardianAngel to accom!lish the (reat Work is to inslt yor Angel %ho is %ith yo to instrct andgide yo. All essential %isdom "y %hich to achieve the (reat Work is to "e ascertained only

%ithin yo$ no%here else %ill yo find the &rth.7t enogh of all this mystical talk) Let s no% tackle the more mndane as!ect of Alchemy.Sch is contained in the ancient Science and Art of Seal Alchemy, %hich %as the greatsecret of the 0gy!tian 'agicians, the (nostics, the

7asil ;alentine %rote: +2et the 2ion and Eagle duly prepare themsel'es as %rince and%rincess of (lchemy -- as they may be inspired. 2et the +nion of the 9ed 2ion and the/hite Eagle be neither in cold nor in heat...*o$ then comes the time $hen the elixir is

placed in the alembic retort to be subjected to the gentle $armth...#f the reat /ork betransubstantiation then the 9ed 2ion may feed upon the flesh and blood of the od!and also let the 9ed 2ion duly feed the /hite Eagle -- yea! may the Mother Eagle gi'esustainment and guard the inner life.+

I %old no% like to !resent to yo an alchemical rital called +&he Ceremony of the Sn and'oon.+ &his rital contains the %hole secret of the (reat Work from the !oint of vie% of thematerial !lane. It is a Seal Ceremony designed to nite the Sn and 'oon to !rodce theStone of the 2hiloso!hers. &his rital is s!ecifically designed for the se of t%o !artici!ants.&hese are the 2riest of the Sn and the 2riestess of the 'oon. In this rital the Sn and 'oonare invoked in the 2riest and 2riestess %ho then nite in ecstasy to !rodce the 2hiloso!her?sStone. It is a &helemic 'arriage Ceremony com!osed "y my o%n hand in the year 1991 e.v."y the magical ins!iration, and nder the giding light, of the Sn and 'oon. As sch, it is aniBe contri"tion to the 'agick of &helema, and it is the first ceremony of its kind to o!enly


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reveal the secrets of Seal Alchemy. =or it is a &re Ceremony of the ose and Cross, onlyto "e nderstood "y those men and %omen of the earth %ho live and "reathe in the SecretSanctary of the (nosis. Sch are the oly 7rothers and Sisters of the osy Cross, %hosenames are %rit %ith "lood in the Stone of 0ternity.

THE CEREM"!Y"( THE &$! A!# M""!

7eing a ital of 'arriagedesigned for the Conoining of

t%o sols in *it and adit.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The Arra(geme(t

o! the Temple

&he &em!le shall "e arranged accordingly. In the centre shall "e the Altar, having !on it aC! of Wine, t%o Cakes of Light, the 'agick Wand, the 'agick 7ell, the oly


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Priestess:5In the West facing 2riest in the 0ast.6ove is the a*/ ove u(der %ill.

Priest: %hat is thy %ill/ , ady o! the 0ightPriestess: t is my %ill to sa"rame(tally 2(ite.

A(d *hat is thy %ill/ , #a( o! the Su(

Priest: t is my %ill to be"ome as ,(e.Priestess: A(d by *hat #agi"& Spell shall *e *or& our %illPriest: By the Spell o! this Ritual3s #ysti"& Seal.

Priestess: A(d *hat shall *e ma&e by this a"t 2(&(o*(Priest: A mysterious ob4e"t "alled the )hilosopher3s Sto(e5

Priestess: Art thou prepared to do thy %illPriest: am prepared to a""omplish the $ra(d #ira"le.Priestess: %ill you ta&e a( ,ath to "omplete this Rite

Priest: *ill ta&e the ,ath a(d *e *ill 2(ite.Priestess: The( seal thy *ords *ith a pre"ious 'iss

A(d so shall *e u(ite i( i(!i(ite Bliss5

&he 2riest and 2riestess go to the Altar and the 2riest kisses his 2riestess on her li!s. &henshall they nite hands a"ove &he 7ook of the La% on the oly Altar, and together they shall

take the


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, Thou Flashi(g Flame o! Eter(ity/Come Thou !orth *e say u(to Thee5

52riest goes to the Soth, traces the Unicrsal eagram of 0arth, and invokes:6

-oly art Thou/ , ord o! the Earth/

Thou ord o! i!e/ our esse("e o! birth5, Thou soul o! all !orms that *e see/Come Thou !orth *e say u(to Thee5

52riest goes to the West, traces the Unicrsal eagram of Air, and invokes:6

-oly art Thou/ , ord o! the Air/Thou ord o! iberty/ to *hi"h *e adhere5

, Thou perpetual Breath o! E"stasy/Come Thou !orth *e say u(to Thee5

52riest goes to the *orth, traces the Unicrsal eagram of Water, and invokes:6

-oly art Thou/ , ord o! the %ater/Thou ord o! ove a(d #ysti"& Rapture5

, Thou i(s"rutable Depth o! the Sea/Come Thou !orth *e say u(to Thee5

5&he 2riest no% goes to the Centre of the &em!le, com!leting the Circle. e then gives theSign of the Cross, and declares:6

-oly art thou/ ye Eleme(ts Divi(e/(vo&ed a(d i(spired to per!e"tly "ombi(e

( this Temple "o(se"rated to oveTo a""omplish belo* That *hi"h is Above5

The (vo"atio( o!the Su( a(d #oo(

&he 2riest and 2riestess no% echange stations, so that the 2riest is facing 0ast and the2riestess is facing West.

Priest:5'akes Unicrsal eagram of Sol and invokes:6

i(vo&e Thee/ , Thou $lorious Su(/To "ome Thou !orth that our %ill be do(e5

et Thy ight illumi(e this Temple#a&i(g true the #agi"& o! this -oly Ritual5

Priestess:5'akes Unicrsal eagram of Lna and invokes:6


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i(vo&e Thee/ , Thou Soul o! 0ight/To "ome Thou !orth that *e may 2(ite5

et Thy ove *or& its #ighty SpellTo ma&e as o(e/ both -eave( a(d -ell5

The Co(4oi(i(g

o! the Su( a(d #oo(

&he 2riest and 2riestess shall no% nite to !rodce the 2hiloso!herGs Stone, that they maydly charge their 'agical Links %ith the invoked Crrent of this Sacramental Ceremony of

Love for the accom!lishment of their Will to Unite. When this is com!lete, let the 2riestconsme the 0liir and administer the same nto his 2riestess.

The Chargi(g o!

the #agi"al i(&s

A !ortion of the 2hiloso!herGs Stone shall "e sed to charge the 'agical Links %hich aredesigned to "ring a"ot the desired magical effect of this oly Ceremony. &hey shall "e

im"ed %ith the invoked force of the Stone. &hese links shold "e in the form of consecrated'agical ings %hich shall "e %orn "y the 2riest and 2riestess as tre tokens of their

consmmation of this Sacramental Ceremony. &he 2riest shall do "est "y tracing the Sigil ofthe 'oon on the ing %hich he %ill administer to his 2riestess, and the 2riestess shall do

"est "y tracing the Sigil of the Sn on the ing %hich she %ill administer to her 2riest.

Priest:5When tracing Sigil of Lna, let him declare:6

This ri(g bless to u(ite my soul*ith the )riestess o! this -oly Ritual5

&he 2riest shall no% kiss the ing and !lace it on the !ro!er finger of his 2riestess.

Priestess:5When tracing Sigil of Sol, let her declare:6

This ri(g bless to u(ite my soul%ith the -igh )riest o! this -oly Temple5

&he 2riestess shall no% kiss the ing and !lace it on the !ro!er finger of her 2riest.

The )ro"lamatio(

o! the Ri(gs o! )o*er

Priest and Priestess:2po( our !i(gers there is #agi"& )o*er/Ri(gs o! a Spell/ by *hi"h *e empo*er,ur %ill to u(ite i( ove a(d iberty 66

A #ysti" delight !or all eter(ity5

Priest and Priestess:


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These Ri(gs o! ove *e do pro"laimAs i(&s o! a )o*er *e do a""laim5By their #agi"& *e e(!or"e our %ayTo *or& our %ill both 0ight a(d Day5

:The )ro"lamatio(o! the 2(io( o! the

Su( a(d #oo(

Priest and Priestess:This *e pro"laim8 that *e are Bou(d

( #ysti"& ove a(d Freedom )ro!ou(d5,ur divided souls are *ed i( E"stasy;

%e are ever 4oi(ed i( ove a(d iberty5

Priest and Priestess:This *e pro"laim8 that *e are ,(e;

( the Su( a(d #oo( our %ill is do(e5%e shall (o* "elebrate *ith %i(e a(d Ca&e

This blessed 2(io( *hi"h *e u(derta&e5

:The Celebratio( o!the Su( a(d #oo(

Priest and Priestess:%e parta&e the Ca&e8 *e parta&e the %i(e;

The bread a(d the blood 66 sa"rame(ts divi(e5

Let the 2riest and the 2riestess no% !artake the Cakes and the Wine. When this is dlyaccom!lished, they shall then declare:

Priest and Priestess:%e revel *ith 4oy i( this a"t o!


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'agick =ormla of the 'ystick Union of the ose and Cross. It is the great e%ard of

5Comment: &he


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D. &hat Alone is &rth$ and this that tho kno%est is a necessary com!lement thereof.

5Comment: &he only valid trth in the Universe is yor &re Self as indicated "y the dynamicmotion of yor &re Will$ and yor !hysical consciosness is a necessary, com!lementary!art of yor &re Self, made manifest for yo to accom!lish its


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Logos, and e is the &hreefold Lord !residing over the alchemical Art. &his is none other thanis oly 7ook for the illmination of the Ade!ts in the generations to come.6

9. e that hath an ear to hear, let him hear the %ondros and melodios s!lendors of ighWisdom, immanent yet concealed %ithin these s%eet celestial %ords of the vast s"tlety ofthe Cro%n of Creation.

5Comment: &he tre teachings of this holy "ook cannot "e fond in the %ords %hich go tomake ! its eternal form, "t can only "e intitively reali3ed "y the interior ear of the S!irit.&hese are the %ondros and melodios s!lendors of the Logos %ho is the Cro%n ofCreation.6

1/. &ho shalt discern the im!erisha"le golden s!lendors of these holy rnes of magick inthe 0ternal ;ision of Wisdom, and %ith the Inner 0ar of &hy S!irit, and also "y virte of acertain key of kno%ledge %hich is n!rononced and nrecogni3ed amongst the men of thislittle %orld of cor!oreal eistence.

5Comment: #o shall intit the interior meanings of this holy "ook in the ageless light andintelligence of the Logos, and "y %ay of yor inner ear, and also "y virte of a certain key ofkno%ledge %hich, %hen discovered, nlocks all the mysteries of a"alah these three Agencies are linked %ith the three S!ernal Se!hirothon the &ree of Life. &hese are Jether, Chokmah, and 7inah. &hese three Se!hiroth are thehidden case of all transformation in the Universe. &hey are a"stract, synergistic,cons!iratorial 2rinci!les %hich cannot "e defined in any concrete or linear terms, for they are"eyond all manifestation, eisting in %hat %e may call +the interior niverse.+ &hese three


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Agencies are the very forces %hich constitte the (reat Work in "oth 'acrocosmos and'icrocosmos, and they are the hidden case of all celestial and terrestrial changes throghthe mlti!lication and ealtation of the s"tle forces %hich are the niversal, centralinstrments of creation.6

18. #et there is "t

1E. &here are also three lesser agencies %hich concentrate and synthesi3e the &hree igherAgencies into the innmera"le %orlds of


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1Eth centry.

Sl!hr, Salt and 'ercry can also "e linked %ith the three (nas or >alities of #oga2hiloso!hy, %hich are the three fndamental modes of 0nergy. Sch are called &amasO2assivityP, aas OActivityP and Sattva O0Bili"rimP. &amas is Salt, aas is Sl!hr, andSattva is 'ercry. &hese corres!ond %ith the At of &hoth called +&he 'ags+OSattva'ercryP, +&he 0m!eror+ OaasSl!hrP, and +&he 0m!ress+ O&amasSaltP. Aleister

Cro%ley, regarding these three 2rinci!les, %rote in N&he 7ook of &hothN: +Sulphur is Activit!Energ! Desire" #ercur is $luidit! %ntelligence! the power of Transmission" Salt is the vehicleof these two forms of energ! &ut itself possesses 'ualities which react on them .+6

19. If tho canst discover the eoteric o!erations of these three lesser !rinci!les of *atre,tho shalt like%ise o"tain a holy glim!se of the &hree igher 2rinci!les of %hich We s!eak.

5Comment: &he three lesser agencies are reflections of the natre of the three igherAgencies of the Universe. Salt reflects the essence of 7inah, Sl!hr reflects the essence ofChokmah, and 'ercry reflects the essence of Jether. &o discover the eoteric o!erations ofthese three lesser 2rinci!les of *atre is, in the ltimate sense, a scientific !rocess. &hemodel of the Atom affords s a %ealth of information in this regard.6

/. 0ach lesser !rinci!le is a sign of the higher, "t after a certain manner most secret andmost mysterios.

5Comment: As !reviosly indicated, the lesser is a reflection of the greater. &hs it is %ritten:+As a&ove so &elow! and as &elow so a&ove! for the accomplishment of the #iracle of The(ne Thing.+6

1.


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5Comment: *ot all are a"le to nderstand these alchemical mysteries, to !ierce the ;eil ofIsis, no matter %hat is said on the s"ect or ho% mch of it is revealed. &hs do I s!eak sofearlessly and o!enly regarding these alchemical mysteries, kno%ing that none maynderstand my %ords %ithot already having in their !ossession the secret keys to thiskno%ledge.6

4. Ah) tho hast not yet trained thy mind to com!rehend the treasres of earth, %hich are not

material %ealth, nor are they material goods$ "t rather are they holy treasres %hich, %henfond, make a man to sell all that he hath for them.

5Comment: &he tre treasres of earth are the treasres of life itself. &hey are incom!ara"lein natre, "eing invala"le elements in the constittion of eistence. Withot these tretreasres there is no life, no creation, no evoltion.6

8. 7t the &hree igher 2rinci!les of the Universe are "eyond these, "eing s"tle, ineffa"leand s!ernal. All three of these greater !rinci!les are eBal in essence to one another$ thereis no difference "et%een them in the measre of infinity %hich they contain %ithin themselves:each one of these igher 2rinci!les is eBally infinite.

5Comment: &he &hree igher 2rinci!les of the Universe are immaterial a"stract energies,

meta!hysical in natre, %hich remain nchanged in their varios com"inations %ith eachother and in the modifications of their manifestations in matter throgh the activity of the threelesser 2rinci!les %hich are their direct reflections on earth.6

H. *o% let it "e nderstood amongst the holy circle of Initiates that in thine o%n oly ose(arden there dominates these &hree igher 2rinci!les of the ;ast Unkno%n of the Celestial7eyond.

5Comment: &he oly ose (arden is, of corse, the hman "ody, the La"oratory orLa"oratorim of

5Comment: Understanding is 7inah, the third Se!hira on the >a"alistic &ree of Life$ Wisdomis Chokmah, the second Se!hira on the >a"alistic &ree of Life$ and the Cro%n is Jether, thefirst Se!hira on the >a"alistic &ree of Life. Sch are the &re Jeys to the (olden 2alace of


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re!resented in &arot "y +&he ermit+. &he ermit holds this Lam! on high that %e maycom!rehend the threefold natre of the (reat Work to illmine or 2ath and make "right or%ays.6

9. Stdy tho %ell this threefold teaching of ermes'ercris&hoth, &hricegreatest'aster of the

5Comment: &he ermit is the image of ermes'ercris&hoth, as one %ho has attained the(reat Work and stands ready to illmine all others "elo% im on the 2ath %ith the threefoldteaching of the ages. #et only those %ho are trly fit for is &eaching can recogni3e isWisdom. &he nfit cannot recogni3e is Wisdom, since they are "lind and st!id, na"le tosee or com!rehend the o"vios, the Light that is even no% !on them.6

D/. &ho shalt also kno% that the &hree igher 2rinci!les of %hich We s!eak are mysteriosrevelations of a more Ineffa"le &rinity of Inscrta"le Unity.

5Comment: &his seems to im!ly a mystery of >a"alistic significance in %hich Jether,Chokmah and 7inah are "t reflections of three higher a"stract conce!ts, called Ain O*othingP,

Ain So!h O&he LimitlessP, and Ain So!h Aor O&he Limitless LightP. &hese are the three ;eilsof *egative 0istence %hich are "eyond the &ree of Life. =rom them, ho%ever, emanate the

three S!ernals, and from these the remaining Se!hiroth.6

D1. *o% the In%ard Work is threefold$ and the


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the 'oon. &hen it "ecomes the ed &inctre of or %ork, the 0liir of Life, %hich transmtes"ase metals into the Living (old of the Sn.

In 0gy!tian mythological sym"olism, this threefold o!eration is re!resented "y the slaying ofintessence. Sch is the mystery of Samson?siddle: +What is sweeter than hone! and stronger than a +ionK+ It is also the mystery of%hich 2aracelss %rote in N&he Arora of the 2hiloso!hersN: + The Son of Hamuel sas thatthe Stone of the Philosophers is Water 1oagulated! namel in Sol and +una, $rom this is itclearer than the Sun that the matter of the Stone is nothing else &ut Sol and +una .+ In 'ichael'aier?s +Chemical Secrets of *atre+, it is %ritten: +The offspring of the Sun and #oon is thePhilosopher*s .ed Stone! floating upon the li'uid in the cruci&le.+ oger 7acon in his +'irror


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of AlBimy+ %rote: +Al'uim is the science that teaches the preparation of a certain medicineor eli)ir which! if it is poured over &ase metals! &rings them on the instant to a state of

perfection.+6

DD. Also the &hreefold Unity A"ove is e!anded into a seven!etalled ose$ and on each!etal there is inscri"ed in fire one of the seven letters of ;I&I

5Comment: In each Se!hira there is concealed a vision and a voice corres!onding to its o%n!articlar natre. &his is the vision and the voice of initiation. And in each vision and voicethere is concealed a divine s!lendor %hich !artakes of the natre of the initiation thatcorres!onds thereto and %hich is ca!a"le of "eing inter!reted and defined in a variety of


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%ays.6

DH. So saith ermes &rismegists, Lord of

ALCHEMY by David Cherubim

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