A General Look at ALCHEMY Part 2

A medallion on an embroidered imperial robe (above the head of a dragon - not shown), with the White Hare of the Moon, at the foot of a cassia tree, making an elixir of immortality
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Physical Alchemy

Transmutation of one substance into another such as base metals into gold, water into wine, etc., is the physical aspect of alchemy. It is often referred to as the "Greater Circulation." Much charlatanry and quackery became involved with this aspect and many people were cheated by rascals who claimed that they had in their possession the Philosopher's Stone that could affect a transmutation of base metals into gold. Human greed knows no bounds; the poor wish to be wealthy, the rich aims to be wealthier, and with all their efforts, whether successful or not, sorrow and suffering is the karmic result.

Aspirants of the Ancient Wisdom are taught that the world of form is transient and that one's happiness should not be based upon something that is illusory. Illusions do not last and they are not eternal. They bind man to a false sense of human limitation. They enslave man to matter by seducing him to indulge in things that hamper the development of the soul. Truth and the Real are that which is eternal and they are to be found in the "kingdom of God" within us. Unfortunately, most Christians overlook this one of the most important injunctions of the Nazarene Master. The ancient precepts advise us further that the less earthly desires one has, the richer one truly becomes.

The "Lesser Circulation" of the herbal family is also included in this category of Physical Alchemy. The main object of this work is the search for a universal panacea that would cure the ills and sufferings of humanity. This is quite a noble desire should the lucrative aspect and profit motive be absent; it would exemplify the Bodhisattva ideal.

In contemporary times, there are many of those who have claimed to have accomplished a successful transmutation in their laboratories, even teaching the secrets of the art to their ardent followers.

Biological Alchemy

When alchemists realized that they were advancing in age and were no closer to the goal of physical transmutation, they sought a way to stall the process of old age, to regenerate the body, and even to acquire a degree of physical immortality and biological immunity to diseases that humankind is so prone.

With such an object in view, they commenced their search for an "Elixir of Life" that would prolong their physical existence. At the very onset, the search took them to the field of herbalism, for many plants were believed to possess the traditional virtues of the fabled "Fountain of Youth." The Hindu mystics attribute such qualities to the "Soma" creeper. The Chinese Taoists declare that a certain mushroom that they call "lung chih" has the virtue of regenerating the physical body. The Egyptian god Thoth is also said to have described a life-giving mushroom which conferred immortality.

At a later period, however, the discovery was made that the real Elixir lied within man himself, and it had to be manufactured via psycho-biological means. Briefly, this is the work to be undertaken at the biological level.

Psychological Alchemy

Helena Blavatsky (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Psychological, or "Mental Alchemy," is the science of the development of the Mind. Of the four lower bodies, the mental sheath is the only one unstructured, as yet, into an organized body--that is, in most people. In the course of evolution, the mental body will be constituted and coordinated so as to allow the Ego, and the waking consciousness, to function fully in the mental realm. The "Secret Doctrine" of H.P.Blavatsky tells us that in the Fifth Round the mental body is expected to be fully developed. Mental Alchemy accelerates the evolution of the Mind. It permits its practitioner to acquire in the Fourth Round what Nature intends humankind to attain in the next with her somewhat languid process. Mental development entails the development and the refinement of the following abilities, qualities, and faculties:

1) A universal attitude and perspective

2) Imagination

3) Concentration

4) The ability to reason inductively, deductively, syllogistically, analytically, analogically, etc.

5) Mental quietude

6) Abstract thinking

7) Divine thinking

8) Mental receptivity

9) Visualization

10) Discrimination (Viveka)

11) Detachment (Vairagya)

12) Meditation

13) Mental creation Etc.

Before quick progress can be made in developing the above faculties, the mind has to be purged of all the phobias, neurosis, and psychosis that are infecting it; even the guilts, resentments, and sinful feelings torturing one's consciousness. The aspirant is advised to forgive--forgive self and forgive others. The steps of conviction, contrition, confession, consecration, and communion should be adhered to when one desires spiritual unfoldment.

One of the other steps to be taken is the unification of the male and female aspects of the psyche. Psychoanalysis, however, has only touched the outer fringes of the mind with its inner probings.

Mental Alchemy, like the previous categories, is not considered the ultimate goal of Alchemy. They are but stepping stones leading to Transcendental Alchemy. More on Mental Alchemy and the general laws governing transmutation may be read in the Kybalion written by anonymous initiate-writers.

Transcendental Alchemy

All things in their natural unregenerated state are considered dead by alchemists. Man in his natural state is in a state of death. Master Jesus voiced this precept when he declared, "let the dead bury the dead." Transcendental Alchemy raises Man from the "State of Nature, to a State of Grace." The process reunites the sadhaka, the disciple, to the Atma, and later to the Monad in full awareness. This is the "unio mystica" sought fervently by mystics of all Ages. When Man unites with the totality of Life, he factually unites himself with God, for Life and God are synonymous.

Unity with "Tao," Lao Tse's mystic term for the Absolute, results in the realization of one's true Identity and Reality. The individual who is united with the Absolute is a Jivanmukta, a freed being--freed from ignorance, maya, and mortality; human consciousness expands and embraces Cosmic Consciousness in this unified state. Figuratively, the Drop returns to the Ocean, and the Spark to the Flame and Man's essential divine nature shines forth with the splendour of the Sun. This is the destiny of Man--to advance into the Kingdom of God and be all that God wants him to be.

There are various systems of spiritual unfoldment catered to the basic, seven different temperaments of Man, that leads him to his ultimate goal. Transcendental Alchemy is one of these sublime systems. It is essentially yogic in nature. Meditation, concentration, and contemplation are stressed and the work of the previous levels of transmutation is conducive to its successful outcome.

Symbols of Alchemy

Since ancient times symbols have been used to describe something that words were not adequate enough to express. The intellect has its limitations in comprehending spiritual verities. Intuitively, Man feels that the forces of nature are intelligently directed. How and why his human mind is unable to explain. Cosmic principles, though inadequately described verbally by prophets of God, finds its inculcation upon the human mind expressively through symbols and signs.

Symbols are not restrictive, nor exclusive. Minds interpret symbols according to the level of their mental and spiritual development. The child-mind interprets a symbol in one way, while the transcendental mind would interpret it in another.

Most symbols are taken from Nature; others invented by Man, usually take on the form of combined geometric elements. Examples of the former are: the snake, which symbolizes regeneration; the scarabeaus--immortality; mountains--obstacles, etc. Examples of the latter: the Martinist pentacle--the unity of Man and Omneity; the Egyptian ankh--Life and Immortality; the circle--eternity.

Symbols have a certain usefulness in transforming the mind. Whatever man thinks upon, that he becomes. By meditating on symbols, or images representing power, love, holiness, and compassion, for example, through mental induction man unfolds such qualities within his nature.

Personally developed symbols are sometimes used as media for communicative exchange between the waking consciousness and the subconscious mind. This is effected by ascribing a certain attribute to a, preferably, invented symbol by repetitious thought and contemplation upon it. For example, the waking mind may ascribe to lightning as a symbol the meaning of danger by constant focus and suggestion upon it until it is absorbed by the subconscious mind. At a later date, when real danger is present, an intuitive impression with the lightning symbol would flash through from the subconscious to the waking mind, thus warning the individual. This method is also applicable to enrich and enlarge upon symbolic dream content and to induce the subconscious to utilize the newly absorbed symbols which are non-mystifying to the waking consciousness.

Alchemy is very rich in symbolism. The Royal Art itself is sometimes represented by the Pelican and the Phoenix bird. The latter was invented by mystics in Alexandria during its heyday; the former, by a group of Knights Templer in the British Isles.

Alchemical symbols of past ages were designed to reveal, as well as to conceal; to stimulate the mind to awaken from its intellectual-complacency. Alchemical mandalas describe processes of transmutation. Truths, laws, and principles, which are pertinent to an aspirant's spiritual unfoldment, are similarly depicted within mandalas. Such truths were obscured by vague language and inexplicable diagrams for protection from persecution, because truths, for some reason, were, and still are, considered heretical by Christian orthodoxy. In accord with this dire situation, alchemical symbols, as an expedient, took on Christian colouration.

Let us examine the following common alchemical symbols:

1) The Hermaphrodite

2) Dragons

3) The Caduceus

The Hermaphrodite

Modern psychology has discovered that the human psyche possesses both masculine and feminine qualities. The male and female polarities are present no matter what our biological gender. One polarity in the human psyche is, however, usually repressed to the background in the Id, the subconsciousness, to the detriment of the psychological equilibrium and stability of the waking consciousness.

There are hierarchies of development and transformation of both male and female qualities evolving within the psyche. The "lowest" rung of the female hierarchy is the "Harlot," later transfiguring into the "Virgin" of the succeeding rung, and on to the High Priestess" and the "Empress" of the higher stages. The masculine side has its transformation from "Barbarian," to "Knight," "Hierophant," and "Emperor."

The Hermaphrodite symbolically represents the ideal anima and animus in symbiotic conjunction; the highest aspect of the male and female qualities in perfect balance and unity within the psyche. This is the state of unity that every man and woman unconsciously seeks in an external partner. The search for wholeness should really take place within. Man's union with Omneity is preceded by man's union with his alter ego within his waking consciousness.

Any individual with such a coordinated psyche functions balance and creatively in society. An aura of holiness enfolds the person; the world knows the person as a compassionate, wise, and powerful being. He, or she, is the "twice-born."

Esoteric tradition teaches that in a future Root Race individuals will be hermaphrodites. Aside from having an androgynous psyche, man would biologically possess two spinal columns with the cerebra-spinal and autonomic nervous system functioning in a closer relationship. Individuals who are capable of controlling autonomic functions such as the heartbeat is a certain indication of where the biological and physiological aspects of man are evolving.

Dragons

There are many myths and legends concerning heroes slaying dragons that are to be found in the mythology of various cultures. We hear in the Greek myth of Apollo vanquishing Python; Siegfried, St. George, Krishna, Hermes, and many other heroic figures have also had their dragons to slay. There are basically two species of dragons to be found in alchemical mythos: the celestial, and the terrestrial dragon. The latter dragon is sometimes called "the red dragon."

What do dragons represent? Dragons are symbols of raw energy within the psycho-biological organism of man. The terrestrial dragon in the microcosm is the kundalini fire nesting in the Kanda. In the average person, this energy is used mainly in sexual gratification and indulgence in sensual activities. Slaying the dragon symbolizes the tapping of this energy for higher uses of the Ego. The student-hero utilizes the sword, symbolic of the will, to overcome the beast within, does so by directing the kundalini fire upwards toward the brain centres via the channel called Sushumna--stimulating the creativity of a higher order as a result. Illumination is the consequence of the internal marriage that takes place between the negative kundalini force and the higher positive Christic force, symbolised by the celestial dragon, within the Holy of Holies of the sanctum within the cranium. In a symbolical sense, the hero is smeared by a dragon's blood making him immortal. The resurrected Kundalini is sometimes represented by the Phoenix bird.

The individual who has his kundalini raised permanently and hissing through the Third Eye is honourably called a "Naga," a Hindu mystic term for "dragon," or "serpent." With the experience of illumination, the Naga realizes the oneness and unity of life. The Naga is known for his wisdom in his words, action, and behaviour. Master Jesus is presumed to have praised the enlightened Nagas by exhorting his followers to be "as wise as a serpent . . ." Dragons, occasionally, represent the unresolved and repressed energies to be found in the psyche--the "monsters of the id"--such as phobias, neurosis, guilt feelings, and the like.

From the geo-terrestrial angle, dragons represent certain currents of magnetic energy found in certain parts of the earth's terrain. They could perhaps be called "chakras of the planet." They also correspond to acupressure points in the body of man. Ley lines are, likewise, associated with geo-terrestrial dragons. The Knights Templers had certain knowledge in this regard--they knew how to determine the locations of magnetically-charged regions. Such hallowed grounds were chosen as sites for cathedrals, chapels, and temples. Dragons are sometimes associated with the body, soul, and spirit of Man.

The Caduceus

Mystic gurus, when instructing disciples, sometimes adopt teaching devices to train their chelas. The Caduceus is one such device. It represents the major nadis or subtle nervous system to be found in man's occult anatomy.

The Caduceus, or staff of Mercury, is composed of a rod with two snakes intertwined around the rod. The rod represents sushumna, an etheric counterpart of the spinal cord. Within the sushumna there are other subtle nerves, channels of refining energy; they are called by yogis "Vajrini," "Chitrini," and "Brahman." The sushumna extends upwards and outwards into the Overself as the "Sutratma." Pingala and Ida are the two nadis depicted by the snakes. The junctions where the snakes and rod meet are symbolic of the major chakras. Vagabond yogis sometimes carry bamboo staffs with seven knots on it to represent sushumna and the chakras.

Atop of the caduceus, a rod is a knob; a vine creeper is sometimes attached to this knot ending somewhere midway at the staff. The protuberance represents the medulla oblongata with the vagus nerve, the creeper, connected to it. The vagus nerve ends in the thoracic region. Each of these components plays an important role in man's mystic development. They serve various spiritual functions.

Occasionally, a pair of wings is to be found appended to each side of the knob or rod. This indicates that the kundalini energy at the base of the sushumna had been raised and resurrected. Angelic wings symbolize a superior degree of consciousness and mind.

As a whole, the caduceus symbolizes regeneration and enlightenment. It further depicts the attunement of the mind of man with the Cosmic Mind.

In bygone days, in the Mystery Schools, only the adepts and those of a higher standing were worthy enough to hold such a symbolic staff in their hands. Sometimes the caduceus, or versions of it, were magnetized with odic energy and Atomic force. The Thyrsus held in the hands of hierophants of the Eleusinian Mystery School was one rod with such a divine quality impregnated into it. It was primarily designed to stimulate the kundalini fire of the disciples and initiates when their gurus deemed it necessary and appropriate at certain stages of their spiritual growth. The act of impregnating a mystical or religious object with divine influences is called "consecration," or "magnetization."

Some occultists interpret the caduceus as representing the Universal Magickal Agent. This magickal force is used abundantly in theurgic and thaumaturgic operations. Egyptian hierophants were adepts in the application of this force. The laws and principles involved in controlling the agent were transmitted under oath of secrecy to seekers of Light. Apollonius, Pythagoras, and Moses are names that come to mind when considering the display of so-called miracles. These eminent individuals were all initiates of the Mystery schools in the Land of Khem.

Nowadays, the Caduceus is an emblem employed by the medical profession. Only in recent years is this branch of science discovering the subtle energies with which this emblem is silently pointing.

Themes of Alchemy

Alchemy, no matter what its level of application, is essentially psychic in nature. All of the laboratory processes described by alchemists takes place mainly in man's consciousness. Consciousness is the key to transmutation. God-Consciousness is the secret of the Royal Art. Functioning in higher dimensions, the conscious mind in unison with higher levels of consciousness, creates forms of perfection in higher realms, in archetypal worlds. The consciousness operating therein coalesces the necessary electronic particles to bring about a manifestation in the physical world. Consciousness, when in the borderline state, easily experiences and produces psychic manifestations.

The Mind is the creator and director of the dynamism and kinetics of subatomic particles. Out of Cosmic Root Substance, or Prima Materia, the Cosmic Mind and Intelligence fashioned the entire universe. Man, being the reflection of the macrocosm is able to use the same Mind to manifest his designs. Patterns of perfection held constantly in mind becomes living archetypes which stimulate its creator to work spiritually upon his redemption and salvation from bondage to human mortality. We become what we think. Thoughts are living energy, and it is the proper directing of those thoughts by the will that effects transmutation or precipitation. It is declared that thoughts of a divine nature give rise to the vibrations of a Master Soul. Thoughts influence us holistically. Our nerve substances, a composition of the blood, auric energies and radiations, are all affected by the state of our mind, by the thoughts that we dwell on a day to day basis.

Every organism is an embryo of a higher development and expression. Nature is constantly striving to produce perfection. Alchemists believe that it is Man's prerogative to speed up the processes of nature to quickly attain perfection. This spiritual labour is conducted in the laboratory of the soul.

From the Absolute's point of view, we may speculate that everything is perfect, for "everything" does not truly exist--everything is his being. All is God in his omnipresence. God is Immanent and Transcendent. Perfection is a divine quality ever present within Nature and Man. This innate divinity is stressed by spiritual gurus. The "know ye not that ye are gods" precept is emphasized repeatedly.

From the relative point of view, imperfections are to be seen everywhere. Man's earthly mission is to transmute this disordered condition, this cacophony of man's evolving principles by attuning with the rhythm of the Cosmos--with the dance of Shiva.

To understand the esoteric science of alchemy, it is necessary to elaborate upon the above through discussing briefly the following alchemical themes:

1) The Philosopher's Stone

2) The First Matter

3) The Seed

4) Mercury--Sulphur--Salt

5) The Seven Metals

6) The Universal Panacea

7) Fire

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

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A General Look at ALCHEMY Part 1

The original edition of the Emerald Tablet, extracted from De Alchimia, Chrysogonus Polydorus, Nuremberg 1541  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Alchemy's Origin

Alchemy, according to esoteric writers, is said to be the invention of an ancient Egyptian sage called Hermes Trismegistus. The "Father of Alchemy" lived in an unknown age of Egyptian history, though he is thought by some Rosicrucian schools to have lived during the time of Moses and the Exodus of the Israelites. If true, being an Initiate of the mysteries of Isis and Osiris, Moses must have been tutored by Hermes himself, which later enabled him to carry out his mission and to realize his I AM Presence symbolised by the burning bush. The various precepts and the Ten Commandments of the Lord of Hosts revealed to the Israelites by Moses are the first alchemical steps of purification and putrefaction. Further steps were later added to the Mosaic revelation by the Nazarene Master. Indeed, the Christ declared that he came not to abolish the previous revelation, but to fulfil it.

It is thought by some that "Hermes Trismegistus" constituted a title assumed by distinguished hierophants of the Mystery Schools, in a somewhat similar manner that Zoroaster, the founder of the "Fire Religion" is regarded by certain scholars. Incidentally, alchemy may also be considered a Fire Religion, or at least a philosophy, because of its symbology of fire related to the alchemical principles, its prerequisite in the art of transmutation, and to the respect and honour paid to it by alchemists.

Jewish mystics identify Hermes as the antediluvian prophet Enoch, or Idris, as the Muslims call him; while ancient Egyptians see Hermes as Thoth, the god of Wisdom, Learning, and Writing. He was given this apotheosis along with Imhotep, the great architect under the reign of King Zoser of the Fourth Dynasty. It would appear that both men were overshadowed by the archetypal figure of Thoth, and were acknowledged as such by both the inner and outer circles of initiates of the Mystery Schools. Thoth, or his Greek counterpart, Mercury, was a messenger of the gods; and as an archetypal incarnation of this god, Hermes lived up to his name by his literary productiveness. Ancient writers declared that the "Trice Greatest" wrote thousands of books on what later became known as Hermeticism and Alchemy. It is unfortunate that very little of Hermes' works survived the conflagration and destruction of libraries and books by Roman and Christian zeal in the early dawn of the Piscean Age. The world as a whole is still ignorant of the great loss, and it will take some time before the invocation is made by the masses for the Greater Light, for disclosure of eternal principles that would shine upon the paths of men, and consequently, for a full restoration and establishment of an occult library of the world, with an archive and database of every known system and tradition of the metaphysical side of life. Although little is known of Hermes, it is evident through the works attributed to him that he was an intermediary of the Wisdom Ray of the Supreme Being.

One of the most famed works on Hermetic doctrine written, and in concise form, is the Smaragdine Tablet attributed to the authorship of Hermes. Its discovery is traditionally believed to have been made by Alexander of Macedonia in a cave near Hebron. This conqueror of nations who had Aristotle for a Master was in search of immortality. Although he failed to attain his personal immortality, Alexander did uncover a philosophical jewel that would have given him what he had sought if he had only applied the principles that the Emerald Tablet contained. Tradition relates that the Tablet was wrought out of artificial emerald, as a result of transmutation, with the Hermetic doctrine embossed on it.

Alchemy, as a philosophy and an art in the Western hemisphere in the past two millennia, existed concurrently in other ancient cultures and civilizations--it was practised intensely by Hindu Yogis and Taoists, in India and China. This parallel growth is probably the result of the Great White Brotherhood's periodic presentation of a spiritual method designed for the development of certain types of temperaments and belief-framework of those aspirants belonging to a certain era and stage of mankind's collective evolution.

Trismegistos (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Based on this parallel growth of alchemy in the Orient and the regions of the Fertile Crescent suggested to some Esoteric historians that alchemy may have had a common origin in that sunken continent Atlan, or Atlantis, as it is more generally known. Esoteric Tradition declares that a handful of the Atlantean Root Race survived the submergence of the land and transmigrated to Egypt, China, and the Americas. It is reasonable to assume that they brought with them their sciences, art, and culture, which influenced the inhabitants indigenous to the regions where they settled. This would explain the similarities in the traditions and beliefs of native cultures to be found both East and West.

Principles of Alchemy are the principles that Nature herself works with, and thus alchemy, scientifically, existed in the inner planes long before it was brought down to the earth plane by Master teachers. A study of Nature's mysteries would reveal to the discerning student that the higher Intelligence, the Elohim, and the Great Architect of the Universe utilized alchemical principles to precipitate the starry bodies out of Chaos, out of Cosmic Root Substance or "Sunyata," as termed by the Buddhist. Qabalists believe that Adam was taught by the angels in Paradise the art of transmutation, to prepare him for his "Fall" and his climb back toward his Monad, toward godhood--his involution and evolution from a Divine Consciousness to Divine Self-Consciousness.

There is no general concurrence among scholars as to the origin of the word "alchemy." The consensus is that the word is derived from the word "Khem," the ancient name for Egypt, added to the Arabic article "al," meaning "the," thus forming the word "al-Khemy." However, Sir Wallis Budge is of the opinion that alchemy comes from the Egyptian word "khemein," meaning the "black powder" or "ore" which is presumed to be an ingredient in alchemy. No matter where it secured its name, the word "alchemy," it would seem, first came into prominence in the Mystery Schools in Alexandria.

Purpose of Alchemy

But just what is alchemy, and what role does it play in the promotion of the welfare of mankind? If alchemy has any true value, it must be based upon eternal values, upon the things that support Heaven's purposes; in other words, upon God's plan of humankind's becoming into the true Elohimic image of the divine. If alchemy simply had an earthly objective, masterminds of the Ages would not have concerned themselves with it. It would have been considered as something so trivial, so transient, as to distract Man from the real work of extricating himself, specifically, from his bondage to the carnal self, the kama-manas, or animal soul; and generally, from samsara. Greed was never the impulse that prompted the invention of alchemy. It was, is, and always will be Man's desire for Truth and enlightenment of his true nature and estate that motivates him to seek through every channel and avenue for that certain something that he subconsciously feels he had "lost" and which is his to re-acquire--call it "the Lost Word," "the Philosopher's Stone," or "the Holy Grail," it matters not. Alchemy teaches Man the principles of regeneration and resurrection, laws of creation and transmutation; laws that would assist Man to regain his former estate lost in "the Fall." This "Fall" from Paradise symbolically represents involution of the human life-wave into physical matter. The way back to the Throne of God is scientifically called "evolution," and the acceleration of the latter is the art of the hermetic gnosis. This Path of Return is esoterically and graphically symbolised by Jacob's Ladder, and the paths of the Qabalistic "Tree of Life."

The drama of Jesus' life is an alchemical allegory of the steps of regeneration and ascension to the I AM Presence within, the "Father who art in Heaven." Orthodox Christianity does not recognize or is unaware of this vital truth, and because of the lack of mystical insight among most members of its priesthood coupled with the absence of esoteric truths in the doctrines and dogmas of the Church, the average Christian is ignorant and unaware of the true message of Christianity--of the Light, the Christ substance, and the true saving blood that Christ introduced to humankind. Esoteric Christianity is fundamentally an alchemical science and religion; its promulgator was a Master Alchemist--being taught in the initiatory halls of the Mystery Schools. It is related in the Gospels how the Master transmuted water into wine, multiplied loaves and fishes, and walked on water--all of which were manifestations of the applied principles of alchemy, the Hermetic philosophy--or perhaps these events were all allegories conveying some spiritual teaching.

Alchemy is defined as an art of transmutation and precipitation--the changing of base metals into gold. The work of alchemical transmutation is designated as "the Labor of the Sun." This "Eye of Ra" symbolically represents the perfection with which Nature is gradually unfolding in her creations. At the physical level, the Sun of Perfection is represented by gold. Alchemy is the science and art which hasten the creations of Nature to attain perfection at their own respective level. Gold is the perfection attain by metals and minerals. Minerals, however, are also following another line of perfection--that of its ability to sustain life and consciousness. And Man, the acme of organic life, is evolving to the state where he acquires perfection in Divine Self-Awareness.

From the above, it can be summarized that alchemy is the art of raising vibrations of an object in order to hasten its development or evolution into a higher expression or state. The result is a perfection of the object of the transmutation.

Alchemy's Transmission to Christendom

Alexandria was the philosophical capital of Egypt, and perhaps of the whole civilized worlds in the early centuries of Christianity. Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Alchemy and Hermeticism flowered abundantly; these philosophies are intrinsically related, and to comprehend the Royal Artfully, the student of alchemy is advised by Master teachers to be familiar with their doctrines. Alexandria's Golden Age of occult philosophy did not last long, for the reptilian mind of the fallen angels had seized control of the rising new religion of Christianity (no offence to our Christian brothers and sisters). The philosophical sons and daughters of Hermes were persecuted and murdered brutally by Christian fundamentalists and fanatics. Fear and hatred were aroused among the masses and the ousting of the so-called pagan religions from the land ensued. One sad event was the cruel assassination of Hypatia, an illustrious daughter of the Mysteries--the Widow Isis, and propounder of Neoplatonism. She hardly had a philosophical equal during her day, and this caused the envy and jealousy of a certain priest who contrived her murder.

During the decline of the Roman Empire, the Secret Doctrine, or the Ancient Wisdom were passed on to the guardianship of the Arabian and Persian mystics. The tenets of occult wisdom were later incorporated into the Muslim faith with its higher aspects promulgated secretly in the traditional oral manner in certain sects, Orders, and mystical groups such as the Sufi and Dervish Orders, and among the community of Druzes in Lebanon and Syria.

In the 8th to the 11th centuries A.D., in the era of the golden period of alchemic-Islamic culture, we hear of eminent names in the field of the Royal Art, such as al-Farabi, Rhazes, Geber and Avicenna. These men studied the mystery teachings and occult wisdom of the Egyptian and Greek schools. They were most notably influenced by Hermetic, Alchemic and Neoplatonic ideas, and the knowledge that they acquired was synthesized with Islamic and Sufic doctrines. The Sufi adepts produced one of the most beautiful symbols of spiritual unfoldment and progression: the rose. Its symbolism is comparable to the lotus adopted by Hindu mystics.

The Knights Templer was an important link between both East and West, between Islamic culture and the world of Christendom. The alchemical doctrine was passed on by the Sufi adepts to these "Knights of the Holy Sepulchre," as the Templers were originally called. Even the mythical Christian Rosencruez of Rosicrucianism is said to have acquired his occult knowledge from the Sufi Masters and adepts in Arabia.

After the days of the disbandment of the Templer Order by Philip the Fair of France and the death sentence of their last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay in 1314, the surviving Knights sought refuge in various countries; and in England some of them founded an alchemical Order which later became known as the "Elder Brothers of the Rose Cross." It is said that this Order comprised 33 members and that this group exists even to this very day in our computer age.

When the believers of Allah invaded and settled in Iberia, they brought with them the Secret Teachings. Colleges were established that had mysticism, metaphysics, and alchemy in the curriculum. With the establishment of the various schools, the Ancient Wisdom finally took definite root in European soil, and it spread gradually throughout the other regions of the Continent. This expansion was no doubt the result of the efforts put forth by the spiritual hierarchy of this planet. Man's evolution is divided into certain steps, stages, and cycles, and these have "timetables" or schedules associated with them. It was expedient that the Flames of Truth and Freedom be given to the custodian of the Islamic world if it were not to be extinguished by some of the ungodly minds of Christendom of the Dark Ages which would have caused a setback to the Divine Plan already established.

The deviation from the right use of free will by Christian fundamentalists had made them unsuitable vessels for the Christic wine. In spite of exoteric Christianity's blind attack on the Light that gave it birth, the esoteric circle continued its existence clandestinely, preserving the secret teachings of Jesus and transmitting it to a selected few who had the vision of the divine plan within their hearts and minds.

Idries Shah, the eminent Sufi of contemporary times, mentions in his book "The Sufis," how an Englishman, one Robert of Chester, was instrumentally in 1144 A.D., in introducing alchemy to the Christian world by translating an alchemical manuscript originally written in Arabic. There were many others like him, forbearers of the Flame were not few.

Levels of Alchemy

Most of the principles of alchemy conveyed to the public were made up of images, mandalas, and jargon. These obscure languages were necessary considering the era that alchemical science was struggling--struggling for a recognition from the masses as a system of spiritual development in the midst of ecclesiastical persecution. The mentality of the masses of the Middle Ages was not much different from the time of Jesus. Ignorance, superstition, and fear still ruled the day. The letter of the law, as propagandized by Orthodox Christianity were still at odds, and at conflict with the spirit of the law, as advanced by enlightened mystics. The Inquisition, which lasted for centuries, showed how far the Church had strayed from the original precepts of Christianity. The Christ taught love, forgiveness, charity and kindness; the Church Fathers and Christian leaders only knew personal ambition, with sadism, and egoism set-up upon an unholy pedestal. The personal "I" was worshipped, the "Yekhidah," or the Divine I AM, was forgotten.

Neophytes of the Mysteries were given the keys of interpretation of Sacred literature when they were accepted in the various secret brotherhoods. The candidates of alchemical initiation were noticed by the Masters when they had proven their sincerity and the sacrifices and effort that they had made. To the world at large, the existence of the Masters was unknown and unsuspected, even though their presence in the world of men was hinted at in various alchemical manuscripts. It was only in the last century that Helena P. Blavatsky, among others, who brought their existence to the world's attention; and even then, the world scoffed and derided at the idea. This is a little unreasonable, as people of various spiritual unfoldment and mental development may easily be seen and recognized. If some men and women are more perfect than others, why should not there be men and women totally perfect from our human point of view?

Esoterically, when a Master alchemist gave a student of alchemy the "Philosopher's Stone," what was actually conveyed were the teachings of the Ancient Wisdom, and a certain yogic system that when applied and practised would transmute an initiate into a god.

To the public eye, alchemical icons and terminology conveyed no sense whatsoever, but the mystiqueness of alchemical texts and images aroused interest in potential practitioners of the Royal Art, and it turned the average person into a seeker. This was perhaps one of the intentions of the authors of alchemical manuscripts. Modern chemistry, feeling a little perplexed by alchemical ideas, contemptuously considers her sire as a pseudo-science, in the same manner, that astrology is usually frowned upon by the students of astronomy. The modern research will in time change the opinions and prejudicial beliefs of a materialistically-inclined science; already pioneers of quantum physics are hypothesising what the Ancient Wisdom has been teaching for ages.

One key to understanding alchemy is to determine the objectives and the subject of transmutation. Without keeping this principle in mind, one would be lost in the alchemical wilderness. Alchemy is categorized into four levels:

1) Physical alchemy

2) Biological alchemy

3) Psychological alchemy

4) Transcendental alchemy

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

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Has the Philosophers Stone Been Found? Quantum Science Begins to Understand Ancient ALCHEMY

Throughout the 70’s and 80’s Hudson was totally perplexed by a substance he could not identify… Please let me explain. David was a highly successful Arizona farmer and in the 70’s began a gold mining enterprise on his land as a hedge against inflation and to attract various tax benefits. During mining he found what was commonly known to old miners as ‘Ghost gold’…However the more he mined the more accumulated, so much so it was actually reducing his precious metal output therefore he had a vested interest to investigate same. Over the next 10 years his ‘ghost gold’ frustration grew and grew.

An Alchemical Laboratory, from The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This material:

1. When dried and exposed to direct sunlight would ‘explode’ in a flash of intense light but with NO force.

2. Was entirely resistant to any normal form of chemical analysis. He later found they had no real chemistry BUT did have resonance he learnt to manipulate.

3. Was also resistant to normal spectrographic analysis to identify its constituents although in time a method was adopted from Russian spectrographic research to identify it.

4. When purified and heated would lose weight with unchanged volume.

5. On cooling could either gain or lose weight, again with the same volume.

6. At some stages of heating would actually disappear then return when cooled again.

7. Could be made to ‘disperse’ simply by approaching the stuff with the magnetic field surrounding your hand…As you could imagine his frustration knew no bounds.

Patents and Science. During the 80’s things began falling in to place coming via two disparate arenas: Russian Spectrographic analysis and Superconductivity theory. Firstly, during normal spectrographic assays he found the usual method of the ‘30 second burn’ for normal metal determination had to be extended out to the standard Russian method of ‘300 seconds’ for identification. From this he found his ‘Ghost gold’ actually consisted of huge amounts of the ‘Platinum group’ of elements being Rhodium, Ruthenium, Palladium, Platinum, Osmium, Iridium and Gold. However as American precious metal assayists did not believe him, he managed to refine elemental Rhodium whilst convincing the management of General Electric (G.E.) to let him use 'his purified metal' in their Fuel cells and jet engine systems.

He reasoned that if these devices could only work in the presence of Rhodium then if there was metallic rhodium in his refinements, and the G.E devices worked, then this would ‘once-and-for-all’ prove his decades of work. As you can probably no doubt tell, his rhodium did work in these applications.

After he developed a method to isolate all these elements, in 1989, he was in a position to lodge world patents describing his method in at least 7 different European countries and even one in Australia.

‘Strange substances explained’

Secondly, it was one thing to identify his elements, it was quite another to explain their odd behaviour.

During discussions with some leading American physicists, notably the eminent Hal Puthoff, David learned the only thing that could explain their behaviour was the 1970’s discovery of Superconductivity and some late 80’s physicist ‘Transition element’ discoveries. [To jump a long way ahead, Hudson tells that the US Navy, through the use of SQIDS (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) could actually see cells communicating to each other…Hudson suggests it is these ORMUS elements which allow for this communication. Therefore Hudson postulates that as superconductors carry electrons as light then it is LIGHT that communicates one cell to the other (see below)].

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Later, during ‘Thermo-gravimetric’ analyses (a highly specialised controlled heating apparatus) Hudson observed that at different temperatures these elements exhibited ‘odd’ properties (points 4 - 7 above). From these observations he believed he witnessed what physics was beginning to describe as ‘transition metal group (the platinum group fall into this) super deformed nuclei’. What physicists observed was that in various conditions these transition elements actually began to ‘turn-in-on-themselves’ and in this state exhibited no chemical reactivity, defying the normal metallic element behaviour from which they sprang.

This non-interactivity was explained because as the nucleus elongated it began interacting with it’s own surrounding valence electrons thereby blocking reactions to other elements. Physicists also described these metals exhibited ‘ceramic-like powdery’ properties. Hudson/Puthoff later deemed these deformed and non-deformed nuclei metals as going into 2 phases, High and Low spin states and whilst in this state, acted as a single atom- viz: displayed quantum (atomic) properties in the ‘macro’ (physical) form... In Physics this quantum observation is VERY, VERY special.

Further, these High Spin state metals exhibited the weight and invisibility anomalies that could only be explained via Superconductivity theory of which Hal Puthoff’s theories predicted. Also Puthoff predicted these elements SHOULD already exist in nature but orthodox, chemical based science could not prove their existence [Hudson tells us these things do exist in much of the foods we already ingest… Indeed he attributes much of the therapeutic benefits of food juices and herbs down to these elements.]

NOTE: A superconductor essentially is a carrier of light in the form of paired electrons called ‘Cooper pairs’ andexhibits a ‘Meissner’ field -(Like a magnetic field)- the strength of which depends upon the ‘amount’ of cooper pairs the superconductor contains.

Where is this all leading?…Mysticism? All this theory, physics and superconductivity sounded fascinating BUT what was the ‘bigger picture’ here? How could he use these findings, other than simply get rich on it OR go down in the annals of science? In the early 90’s while pondering it’s significance and reflecting on his US$5 million fifteen-year odyssey, he was approached by a relative waving a book under his nose.

The book described a white powder of gold, being an alchemical extract of various transition metals that allowed element transmutation, invisibility and when ingested, immortality. Hudson was conducting limited experiments on a handful of people who were willing to ingest these products also. What they began to experience was described in many ‘Hindu/eastern mystical practices and austerities’ as a profound increase in psychic sensitivity (clairaudience/clairvoyance), seeing light beings, a strange yet intriguing sound was noted about their head and an energetic constriction about their throats and chest. Therefore his research began to touch upon the eastern mystical arts…. Where was this NOT going to lead?

During this period David found himself thrust into a 600+ book ‘read-a-thon’ that inevitably led him on a literary voyage to ancient Africa, ancient Egypt and a history of the Bible. However Hudson had already begun some literary research of his own, into the Pharaohs of the ‘Old Kingdom’ of ancient Egypt. He learnt that not only were they described as Gods and immortal but that they were fed this ‘what is it’ by their High Priests.

Later he construed that many of the Jews of ancient Egypt were actually metal-smiths and through their foundries manufactured their own ‘What is it’ (Monatomics). Also Hudson asserts that when the English found a way into the ‘Great pyramid’ and whilst opening the Kings chamber sarcophagus found it to be empty save for some white powder. Further, he suggests that of all the structure of the great pyramid is found only one word, ‘BREAD’. Also that the mummies of Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom had never been found…Were they actually immortal? Perhaps this is why they were never found!

So many questions. So many possibilities!

Some more recent history.

The above represents a condensed overview of a 9 hr video tape, witnessed by the author some seven times in 1997, Hudson made available through one of his 18 North American lectures in the mid 90’s. The tapes were used to promote his efforts to attract people and their monies, gifts andhelp to start production of a plant to produce these elements in bulk. [To the author’s knowledge, his tapes are not available but there are various abstracts on the net] The author has kept relatively abreast of Hudson’s work through the Internet and other sources only to learn that he managed to raise the monies for plant construction but has been thwarted via various natural events being: In 1998, during construction, there was a major chemical spill and the EPA forced him to relocate, setting him back 18 months and Following this, David had a heart attack requiring 6 bypasses with complications but to all reports has recovered OK.

[To my knowledge, no material has been distributed to members to date.] Our comments. It is the year 2006 and it is my view that Hudson’s work will prove to be profound probably affecting most areas of life, as we know it as well as opening new vistas to the human experience. Further, the quantum sciences of Superconductivity and quantum tunnelling, Bose-Einstein Condensates, and more, will all be needed to explain this emerging branch of physics to describe this ancient alchemy which will further lead to the scientific understanding of mysticism and indeed spirit itself.

Glen Rees BSc, ND. Certified full-time practising Naturopath and spiritual seeker since 1982. For more information please visit http://www.highertruthhealth.com.au

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