Alchemy

[uhhuh]

uh huh have fun with your alchemy :-)

[Yelekiah]

Thank you very much, I certainly will.

[uhhuh]

WHAT THE HELL lol i thought i was done but, I have another question sry but, what exactly can you do with alchemy ? All i've learned is the fake anime crap.

[Yelekiah]

If one studies the Lesser Work that deals with metals, it may not be very applicable in real life. But if you are very spiritual, The Great Work of alchemy can help you with evolving yourself and your understanding of the world around you. You may even learn a lot about symbolism, karma/balance (yin yang, dichotomies), mysticism, and even etymology along the way.

[uhhuh]

oooo i see so alchemy seems to be basically a more paranormal version of philosophy

[Yelekiah]

If you look at it that way. To me it has a lot more latitude than it looks like. I compare it to an iceberg. You only see 10%.

[Shekinah]

There is a massive amount of information here in a short period of time. Thank you.

[Yelekiah]

Thank you so much. As soon as my friend gets back I hope we can discuss metallurgy, etc. There is still a lot more information to go it's actually a little overwhelming. Also, I like your avatar.

[Shekinah]

You're quite welcome.. and the fact that I understood it all pleased me as well... you have a knack for teaching.

[.........................]

*Takes a bow* Thanks for the compliments.

Oh alchemy isn't a major interest of mine at all. But, Psychic abilites and kinesises along with ki and reiki are some things that interest me A LOT i'm also trying to learn how to lucid dream. I don't like the idea of astral projection because it sounds cult like to me but, a lucid dream i see nothing wrong with because it is simply being aware that u are dreaming.

But people are thought to leave their bodies when they dream. As with astral projection, you are leaving it by will. I haven't tried it though.

I have found some information that could be the answer to a couple of questions.

(Source: The Philosophers Stone by Peter Marshall)

The god Shiva is an expression of male energy, while Shakti is a manifestation of female energy. Only on the relative plane in this conditioned world are Shiva and Shakti separate. Together they form a seamless and indivisible whole.

The male practitioners of tantra call themselves Shivas and worship the god Shiva while the female adepts call themselves Shaktis and worship the goddess Shakti. The serpent fire energy of Kundalini Shakti lies coiled in the lower centres of humans. When activated, its energy surges and spirals through the subtle body and its chakras. It rises from the base chakra through the centres situated at the navel, heart, throat and between the eyebrows. Finally, it reaches the Sahasrara on the crown of the head, the white lotus of a thousand petals where Shiva resides as cosmic consciousness.

The union of Shakti and Shiva here releases amrita, nectar of the purest gold, as radiant as the sun, into the vertebra of the neck. It is the drink of the gods, the 'elixir of immortality'. It opens the gateways of the heavens. And it is accompanied by a sense of utmost bliss. 'There are Moon and Sun, and between them is the Seed. This last is that Being, whose nature is Joy Supreme.'

You can go anywhere,

wandering freely

throughout the three worlds.

The dull-hued body

will mellow

and shine.

All impurities

will be removed

and the six chakras

will become visible

to the eye.

The gold-coloured alchemy

will heed your every word.

In the Sleepless Sleep

all subtlety

can be perceived.

Look and See.

[Yelekiah]

The union of Shakti and Shiva here releases amrita, nectar of the purest gold, as radiant as the sun

"Make of man and woman a circle; when you add the head to the tail, you have the whole tincture."

-hermetic saying

Here is a little more on the green lion, or vitriol. Sometimes it was sulphuric acid created by distilling the green crystals of iron sulphate in a flask. When it eats the sun, this is dissolving in gold in my opinion. But this is what one manuscript said of the green lion.

The Green Lion is that Philosophical Mercury so often spoken of in his first beginning, or flourishing, easily avoiding the fire, because it is not fixed, but being fixed it desires it, and expects it and rejoiceth in it...

Moreover the Lion is said to be green in the threefold aspect. First in respect of his attractive power, for here the Central Sun is like to the Celestial Sun and make the world flourishing and green. Secondly, it is called the green Lion, because as yet the Gold is incomplete nor fixed in any body, and therefore is called living Gold. Thirdly, it is called a Lion by reason of its very great strength, reference being had to the Animal Lion, for as all beasts obey the lion, so all metallic bodies do give place to this living Gold.

-The Crowning Nature, 16th century

This isn't the only alchemical "tincture", however. Unicorns represent a feminine tincture.

Animals are also related to colors in alchemy, like the green lion for the greening process. Black is the initial stage.

Blackening - Black Crow, Raven, Toad, Massa Confusa.

Whitening - White Swan, White Eagle, skeleton.

Greening - Green Lion.

Rapid cycling through iridescent colours - Peacock's Tail.

White Stone - Unicorn.

Reddening - Pelican feeding young with its own blood, cockerel.

Final transmutation - Phoenix reborn from the fire.

The blackness is called the head of the Raven;

As soon as it disappears,

A white colour is straightway manifested

-Book of Lambspring

The white color would be a unicorn, alchemically.

It may allude to this portion of text from the same manuscript.

The Sages say truly

That two animals are in this forest:

One glorious, beautiful, and swift,

A great and strong deer;

The other an unicorn.

They are concealed in the forest

I'm still trying to figure out what the deer means though.

Edited December 31, 2005 by Yelekiah

[.........................]

The white color would be a unicorn, alchemically.

I have been wondering why that the unicorn meant. Thanks Yel for answering that unspoken thought. The reason why I have been wondering it is because the English Coat of Arms is a Lion and a Unicorn. The lion is not even a native to England, and the Unicorn is a mythological creature.

I'm still trying to figure out what the deer means though.

In my opinion that would allude to the Horned God, or the Goddess of the Moon/Hunt. These two symbols are ancient meaning both male and female and the pagan tradition of hunting deer. The role has been taken over by the Mercury symbol.

CERNUNNOS and DIANA

Edited December 31, 2005 by Rainbow Rowan

[Yelekiah]

Ok, that makes sense because Cernunnos is in the forest. The dichotomy in the coat of arms is the male lion, and the unicorn as a female. In Latin, unicorn could mean different types of creatures, even a goat with a single horn.

"...goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes..."

-Daniel 8:5

The single horn symbolizes self-knowledge. I compare that to knowledge within one's self, after meditation for example.

[.........................]

I found a great description for these symbols:

[attachmentid=22125]

The lowest symbol which I first took to the the world is actually the alchemical symbol for Vitriol.

Dripping Blood: Cinnabar is the bright red ore of mercury sulfide. Known as "Dragon's Blood," the roasted rocks emit a thick reddish smoke, as pure glistening mercury oozes from cracks. Psychologically, cinnabar represents the hardened habits and terrestrial marriages of soul and spirit that must be broken asunder in Calcination to free the essences with which the alchemist intends to work. The word 'cinnabar' comes from the Persian for 'dragon's blood'. The symbol for Cinnibar, mercuric oxide, is 33 in alchemy texts.

The green dragon devouring the Sun means that the gold was dissolved in aqua regia (royal water), a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids. Also, the gold probably contained copper, which turns the acid blue-green. (A green lion eating the sun can also been used for this representation).

Conjunction is the "fourth operation" in alchemical transformation. It is the coming together of the opposing archetypal forces of the Sun and Moon or the King and Queen. (A naked child symbolizes the innocent soul. In alchemy, the child is the offspring of the King and Queen, the result of their marriage or union. A child crowned or clothed in purple robes signifies Salt or the Philosopher's Stone.)

Edited January 1, 2006 by Rainbow Rowan

[Yelekiah]

A child crowned or clothed in purple robes signifies Salt or the Philosopher's Stone

(The crescent moon above Diana's head represents the Higher Self)

In Roman times, only the emperor was allowed to wear purple robes. For a long time, this color (and gold) has signified royalty and Conjunction in alchemy. Conjunction because of the King and Queen joining, as an alchemical process. Purple is also representing Sahasrara (the thousand petalled lotus), also known as the "royal" crown chakra.

In the Masonic Manual, a purple robe was the emblem of union.

The Star Of David actually signifies the Completion of the "crown". The two triangles represent divine meditation into the Kingdom of God. The upside triangle are the human aspects (three) of knowledge, will, and the action in order to evolve.

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The Star of David also represents the Divine Androgyne.

Note the second star, turned on two ends. It is the same 6-limbed pose as the alchemy woodcut.

[attachmentid=22126]

[Yelekiah]

The square in that picture represents the Four Elements of Creation. The triangles are human aspects, mind body, and soul, etc. The star in general is the Higher Self and a symbol of awakening. The star marks a stage in spiritual evolution until the Crown is awarded. Stars in alchemy represent mental qualities. In Egypt, it was a symbol of knowledge. So it is appropriate that the Star of David would be both the Androgyne and intellect.

The Cross of Lorraine, like the Star of David, is another representation of "as above, so below".

[.........................]

FROM THE SHAMANISM THREAD:

Indian and Chinese also use this kind of transcendal meditation to reach other realms and receive information.

I have read that the Amazonian Tribes use this form of shamanism to cure ills by asking for what plants should be used.

There has been speculation that the knowledge of producing alchemically Egyptian gold and Incan gold could have been obtained through the trance-like states of Shamans or Mages.

[Yelekiah]

There has been speculation that the knowledge of producing alchemically Egyptian gold and Incan gold could have been obtained through the trance-like states of Shamans or Mages.

Egypt isn't a place with a huge abundance of gold compared to southern portions of Africa. So it was once specualted that perhaps the Ancient Egyptians did master the Lesser Work to produce such beautiful works.

As early as 3400 B.C., at the beginning of the historical period, the Egyptians had an intimate knowledge of copper ores and of processes of extracting the metal. During the fourth and subsequent dynasties (i.e. from about 2900 B.C. onwards), metals seem to have been entirely monopolies of the Court, the management of the mines and quarries being entrusted to the highest officials and sometimes even to the sons of the Pharaoh. Whether these exalted personages were themselves professional metallurgists we do not know, but we may at least surmise that the details of metallurgical practice, being of extreme importance to the Crown, were carefully guarded from the vulgar. And when we remember the close association between the Egyptian royal family and the priestly class we appreciate the probable truth of the tradition that chemistry first saw the light in the laboratories of Egyptian priests.

[.........................]

Very interesting considering that the battery was known to also exist in the ancient Middle East and was speculated to have been used in electroplating gold onto cheap silver statues for example.

[attachmentid=22151]

The Baghdad Battery

Edited January 1, 2006 by Rainbow Rowan

[Yelekiah]

Since there wasn't any smoke on the ceilings of the pyramids, people speculated that the Ancient Egyptians didn't use huge torches. It's interesting that limestone can generate electricity. The pyramids were made out of limestone. Furthermore, batteries are not difficult to create. Vinegar or lemons would have worked well for ancient batteries.

[.........................]

Despite what we might think nowadays, there was extensive trade routes in ancient times. So knowledge would also have had a wide network range. There could have been trade between Australia and the Americas in ancient Egyptian times.

[Yelekiah]

If that's true, I think that's how hieroglyphs got on stones in Australia.

And explains how tobacco, pelts, and even cocaine were near Ancient Egyptian mummies.

[.........................]

I have also read that the imagery in trances is similar worldwide. That would explain why we have drawn information from so many different cultures and time periods to answer these questions. It makes me wonder what is going on 'on the other side'...

[Yelekiah]

The Letters of the Latin alphabet were used by the Mystical Knights Templar. Each letter was put together in an order that described a spiritual state of evolution toward becoming a Being of Light.

A - A symbol used to represent a mountain (Higher Meditation), Pyramid (first contact with the pure Nature of God, while in the Heaven Realm). 
B - The Feeder, or the activity of God sending down into the Spirit's Nature Higher Data in order to up-build it. Same as the instinctual directive powers of God. 

source

There is also info on other symbols an gods.