                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                   CHAPTER II
                                        
                                     ALCHEMY
          
          
          Alchemy!   The  name  alone  evokes  mental  images  of  the
          transmutation  of  base  metals  into  gold,  of  mysterious
          chemical  apparatus  and  manipulations  unknown  to  modern
          science.  Thanks in part of course to Disney and Speilberg!
          
          What  were  they really like, these alchemists?   Were  they
          merely  the forerunners of our modern organic and  inorganic
          chemical  sciences?  Were they a group of misguided medieval
          researchers seeking to change lead or mercury into gold?  Or
          is   it   just  possible  that  they  followed  a  spiritual
          discipline  that held out the promise of the transfiguration
          of  the  alchemist himself rather than the  crude  chemicals
          with which he allegedly worked?
          
          As  a  matter of fact, there were alchemists who did attempt
          the transmutation of base metals into gold.  There were also
          alchemists  who  were  the forerunners  of  our  modern  day
          chemists  and there were alchemists who practiced  spiritual
          alchemy.   They truly sought the Philosophers  Stone  (which
          was  simply  a  symbolic stone, not a real one),  and  which
          constituted the transfiguration of the alchemist.
          
          It  is  this  spiritual  transfiguration,  transmutation  or
          projection which interests us.  Not that it really  had  too
          much to do with spirituality in the religious sense, because
          it  didn't.  It was simply a matter of good politics for the
          alchemists  (and just about everybody else!)  to  pretend  a
          religious background to all their researches because if  you
          did not, the church was quite capable of murdering you as  a
          heretic and devil worshipper!
          
          Our interest concerns this spiritual  aspect of alchemy, yet
          since  alchemy  has a peculiar underlying double  format  we
          must  take  into  account  that the chemical  discipline  is
          perceived  as  a sole aspect by the uninitiated.   You  must
          remember  that alchemy is at one and the same  time  both  a
          chemical and a spiritual discipline.
                                        
          Our  interest  is  restricted to  the  spiritual  aspect  of
          alchemy.  An aspect that dates back to a dim and distant pre-
          historic  past when some nomadic Shaman discovered  that  it
          was possible to mentally manipulate the human machine at the
          sub-cellular level.
          
          I  very  much doubt that whoever made the initial  discovery
          thought  about  it in those terms, but they accomplished  it
          anyway  when  either  by accident or by  inspiration,  their
          mental probing affected the chromosomes.
          
          What it actually did was to knock out a couple of genes from
          the  double helix of DNA that helps constitute a chromosome.
          A  couple  of genes that in this case controlled  the  aging
          process.   The immediate noticeable result was that  someone
          went on living, while his or her contemporaries continued to
          age and die in the normal fashion.
          
          This  initial circumvention of physical death provided  time
          for  both  thought  and  continued  experimentation  by  the
          initial  discoverer  and as a result the accomplishment  was
          finally  linked to a specific procedure.  This  enabled  the
          Shaman to replicate the process (at least in some instances)
          and  suddenly, practical immortality was a partly understood
          reality!
          
          Now,  whoever it was who possessed this secret  lived  in  a
          nomadic  hunting society consisting of small, highly  mobile
          units   committed   to   labor  intensive   food   gathering
          procedures.  There was seldom sufficient spare time to carry
          out  a cultural experiment no matter how important it seemed
          to the Shaman.  The end result of this is that the knowledge
          of  the  new  procedure was spread very slowly  in  strictly
          Shamanic circles, if it was initially spread at all.
          
          My  own  guess, chronologically and geographically speaking,
          is  that  the  discovery was made somewhere in  the  African
          continent at a time when humanity was on the verge of making
          the successful adaptation from a nomadic hunting society  to
          an  agricultural society.  Probably sometime within the last
          thirty or forty thousand years.
          
          Within  this  time-slot,  a  group  or  an  individual   who
          possessed  this knowledge, settled in the rich  agricultural
          lands  of the Nile delta, in what was soon to become ancient
          Egypt.
          
          As  the changeover from a hunting to an agricultural society
          proceeded apace, it was paralleled by the emergence of a new
          pantheon   of  Gods.   This  is  understandable,   the   old
          totemistic  tribal  guardians were  lacking  the  attributes
          necessary  in  the new society, so in the normal  course  of
          events new Gods took over in the hearts and minds of men.
          
          This signaled the emergence of a new priestly elite who,  as
          was  the  case with the Shamans, were required to  interface
          between the congregation and their new Gods.  Nothing really
          changes   and   since  the  new  elite  possessed   improved
          intellectual qualities, the changed situation was, from  our
          point of view, a pretty good arrangement.
          
          As  a  matter of priestly practicality, the new elite picked
          over  the  bones  of  the  old religion  pretty  thoroughly.
          Anything  that  appeared to be of value, special  festivals,
          rituals for specific purposes, the odd orgy and so one  were
          quickly  seized upon, worked over a little and  incorporated
          into  the  new theology.  Among these acquisitions  was  the
          procedure that could lead to immortality.
          
          It  is possible to be even more specific and to pinpoint the
          particular group who now held this  secret.
          
          I  stated previously that as the old tribal Gods faded  into
          oblivion they were replaced by a new pantheon.  Ra, the  Sun
          God, Osiris, one of the first of the company of Gods, God of
          the  dead  and the underworld.  Horus, Nut, Isis -  wife  of
          Osiris, and a God named Thoth!
          
          Thoth.   He of the human body surmounted by the head  of  an
          Ibis bird.  Recorder of Souls, Scribe to the Gods, author of
          the Book of the Dead and the Book of Breathings!  It was the
          priestly  college  devoted  to  the  service  of  Thoth  who
          possessed the secret of immortality.
          
          In the formative years of the new religion the initiates had
          their work cut out for them.  Not only did they minister  to
          the  spiritual  requirements  of  their  flock,  on  a  more
          practical level they used the temples of the God as  a  sort
          of  community  center devoted to health care as  well  as  a
          center of learning.
          
          Hard  work and long hours!  Of course, things were different
          after  the  new religion was well established,  but  in  the
          beginning  the priesthood was fighting to consolidate  their
          congregations  as a secure base from which to  expand  their
          proselytizing.  The pay was pretty good and it beat  working
          in the fields!
          
          Under these circumstances everybody had his or her work  cut
          out for them and I would imagine that succeeding generations
          of priests were able to devote only a minimal amount of time
          to   polishing  the  psychological  technique   that   would
          eventually   enable  them  to  obtain  predictable   results
          whenever the immortality technique was used.
          
          Naturally,  the benefits of priestly research  of  this  and
          other  more pressing matters were wisely attributed  to  the
          God rather than his priests.  That kept everyone happy.  The
          priesthood  (whose sinecure was strengthened as  a  result),
          the  congregation  (who were even more  convinced  of  their
          God's  supremacy) and the ruling classes who  were  in  some
          cases able to personally benefit from this research.
          
          By  the time of the inevitable decline and decay of the once
          mighty  Egyptian  civilization,  the  technique  leading  to
          immortality had been developed into an integral part of  the
          spiritual system that we now recognize as Alchemy.   It  was
          reasonably  well  understood  (considering  the   level   of
          medical, psychological and anatomical knowledge of the  day)
          and above all, it was surprisingly simple!
          
          The  Egyptian method was based upon hypnotism  (as  are  all
          succeeding  variations).   The  individual  undergoing   the
          procedure voluntarily placing his or her critical faculty in
          abeyance  while the instructions culminating in  immortality
          were impressed upon his or her receptive sub-conscious.
          
          That  was about all there was to it.  The technique was very
          labor  intensive  but to all intents and  purposes,  it  was
          fully  developed.  No further research was either  necessary
          or desirable and it was not until several thousands of years
          later that even enhancements would become available.
          
          Historically,  the eclipse of an important  and  influential
          culture is paralleled by the emergence of its successor  and
          this  proved  to be the case with the decline of  the  glory
          that was Egypt.
          
          As  the mightiest civilization the world had yet known began
          its   slow   descent  into  decadence  and  obscurity,   the
          democratic city-states of ancient Greece began their  upward
          social  movement that was to culminate in the full flowering
          of the classical Grecian period.
          
          As successors to the spiritual and philosophical heritage of
          a  now  waning Egyptian influence, part of their inheritance
          included  the  arcane  knowledge of the  priests  of  Thoth,
          founders  of  alchemy  and  possessors  of  the  secret   of
          immortality.
          
          By  this  time  of course, such knowledge was  committed  to
          paper  and constituted a body of alchemical knowledge  known
          at  the Corpus Hermetica.  This knowledge, as it related  to
          alchemy,  was  summarized  on an  Emerald  Tablet  that  was
          supposedly   found   in  the  legendary   tomb   of   Hermes
          Trismestigus.
          
          Thoth had recently been incorporated into the Greek pantheon
          as  Hermes  and as a result of the Thoth aspect,  henceforth
          became  Hermes Trismestigus, Hermes the Thrice Greatest,  --
          Priest, Philosopher and King.
          
          Here are the twelve precepts of alchemy:
          
                               THE EMERALD TABLET
          
          1.  In truth, certainly and without doubt, whatever is below
          is  like that which is above, and whatever is above is  like
          that  which is below. To accomplish the miracle of  the  one
          thing.
          
          2.   Just as all things proceed from one alone by meditation
          on  one alone, so also are they born from this one thing  by
          adaptation.
          
          3.   Its father is the Sun and its mother is the Moon.   The
          wind has borne it in its body.  Its nurse is the earth.
          
          4.   It  is the father of every miraculous work in the whole
          world.
          
          5.  Its power is perfect if it is converted into earth.
          
          6.  Separate the earth from the fire and the subtle from the
          gross, softly and with great prudence.
          
          7.   It rises from earth to heaven and comes down again from
          heaven to earth and thus acquires the power of the realities
          above and the realities below.  In this way you will acquire
          the  glory  of the whole world and all darkness  will  leave
          you.
          
          8.  This  is the power of powers, for it conquers everything
          subtle and penetrates everything solid.
          
          9.   Thus  the  little  world is created  according  to  the
          prototype of the great world.
          
          10.   From  this and in this way marvelous applications  are
          made.*
          
          11.  For this reason I am called Hermes Trismegistus, for  I
          possess the three parts of wisdom of the whole world.
          
          12.  Perfect is what I have said of the work of the Sun.
          
          *  Precept 10 has another interpretation, from the  original
          Arabic,  which  I  feel  is  both more  appropriate  and  of
          considerable interest:
          
          10.  This is the way traversed by the sages.
          
          Heavy  going, but required reading in the field.  Study  the
          precepts  well, they will help you to understand  the  truth
          upon which alchemy is based.
          
          As Greek philosophical thought enfolded the body of Egyptian
          hermetic  knowledge, Greek philosophers not only taught  its
          precepts, they put them to practical use.
          
          This  may be readily verified by considering the proceedings
          of  certain of the Mysteries that were fairly common at that
          place  and  in that time.  These Mysteries were composed  of
          the  secret religious rites of a particular God or  Goddess.
          Massively  supported,  they  were  of  great  religious  and
          cultural significance and widely attended by the devotees of
          the various cults supporting them.
          
          As  a  particular example we might consider  the  Eleusinian
          Mystery, which originally centered upon the town of Eleusis.
          It  consisted  of two parts, the celebration of  the  Lesser
          Mystery  at  Agrae, near Athens.  This was followed  by  the
          celebration of the Greater Mystery which took place  in  the
          Telestrion at Eleusis.
          
          Conducted  as always by an elite priesthood, the  thrust  of
          the  Eleusinian  Mystery owes part of  its  content  to  the
          ancient  priesthood of the Egyptian God Thoth.  The  rituals
          of  both  groups held much in common, but in particular  the
          matter   of  immortality  offered  to  certain  wealthy   or
          politically important candidates during their initiation.
          
          The  Mystery at Eleusis continued for several hundred years,
          until the 4th. Century AD when the Visigoths, under Alaric I
          (who  obviously  didn't  know  anything  about  immortality)
          conquered Eleusis.
          
          Unlike  their  Western successors of the  middle  ages,  the
          Greek  philosophers  did not develop a complex symbolism  to
          conceal their art and disguise the depth of their knowledge,
          although  even the ancient Greek Philosophers did not  treat
          the  subject of immortality as openly as this book does  for
          example.
          
          How did they treat the matter?
          
          Plotinus  (204  -  270  AD), whose thought  dominated  Greek
          philosophy until its decline in the 6th. Century,  described
          the  psychological make-up of humanity as  corresponding  to
          the larger world.  His physical body equated to the physical
          world, his soul (the level of everyday consciousness) to the
          world   soul   and   his  higher  intuitive   faculties   as
          corresponding to the intellect.
          
          Compare  the  concepts of Plotinus to the  precepts  of  the
          Emerald Tablet!
          
          He  either  goes  astray or is concealing something  in  the
          remainder  of  his basic teaching, in which he  also  taught
          that  in  most  men  and women, these higher  faculties  are
          dormant.    His  method  of  awakening  them   was   through
          philosophical  reflection  and  aspiration,   which   simply
          doesn't  work.  Probably the remainder of the  equation  was
          taught in secret, or at least, never committed to paper.
          
          Plotinus  did not teach either religious or magical  methods
          (at least, not openly) but there is little doubt that he was
          well  aware of them.  His teachings provide a notably  close
          resemblance  to  later alchemical teachings in  relation  to
          Quicksilver (Mercury), Sulfur and Salt.
          
          In  any  event, the world keeps turning and what goes around
          comes  around.   The Greek ascendancy  in its turn  crumbled
          beneath the hobnailed sandals of the Roman legions (Rome was
          in  an expansionary mood at the time).  Of course, they were
          generally in an expansionary mood anyway, and as one of  the
          results of this expansion, it was the turn of the Greeks  to
          lose their military and philosophical position of leadership
          in the Mediterranean area.
          
          Oddly, Rome was somewhat light on philosophy, although heavy
          on  pragmatism.  The fact is that although they  could  have
          adopted   Grecian  philosophical  thought  (which   included
          knowledge of the immortality principle), they didn't  really
          put forth much of an effort.
          
          One result of this apparent lack of enthusiasm is that it is
          very difficult to know if the Romans knowingly inherited the
          secret  of  immortality or just picked  it  up  by  default.
          There is certainly very little in their writings to indicate
          that they were aware of it.
          
          Ancient Greece, India and China all benefited from and added
          to  the  storehouse  of philosophical  knowledge  that  they
          inherited from a collapsing Egyptian empire.  In particular,
          both  China  and  India developed their own version  of  the
          alchemical tradition.  So did Greece for that matter.   Rome
          never did.
          
          During  the early centuries of the Christian era  Rome  also
          succumbed  to  its inevitable destiny.  The  Pax  Romana  or
          Roman  Peace became a legend and the Empire, in desperation,
          recalled  the  Legions  back from the  provinces  to  defend
          Imperial  Rome herself from the incursions of the barbarians
          who threatened her.  This proved to be impossible and as was
          the  case  with  its predecessors, Greece  and  Egypt,  Rome
          rapidly  fell to become a shadow of her former self  and  no
          longer a power to be reckoned with.
          
          The dimming of the luster of the Roman eagles was matched by
          the  emerging  brilliance  of  the  Arabian  influence.    A
          brilliance  that  increased  in  direct  proportion  to  the
          failure of Roman power.
          
          The Arabian domination of philosophical thought, (as well as
          military and naval ability), rapidly encompassed the already
          ancient Hermetic knowledge that had originated in Egypt.
          
          This   was   seized   upon  immediately   by   the   Arabian
          philosophers, who were so enamored of it that by  the  early
          8th. Century there were several important Arabian schools of
          Hermetic   thought.   All  of  them  produced  a  tremendous
          quantity of very high quality Hermetic research and texts.
          
          I  don't  really know for sure just what word  was  used  to
          define alchemy prior to the Arabian brilliance, but the word
          we  now  use, alchemy, is itself part of the Arabian legacy.
          The  word  'alchemy' is derived from the Arabic (Al  Kimia),
          which in turn is derived from the Greek 'Chemia.'  The  word
          Chemia,  unsurprisingly enough seems  to  have  referred  to
          something like the 'Egyptian Art.'  Full Circle!
          
          One  of the most notable of the Arabic alchemical texts  was
          written  by an Arab known to history as 'Gerber.'  This  was
          his  'Summa  Perfectionis' which exemplifies the  alchemical
          conventions prevalent at that time.
          
          Gerber  stated:   'One must not explain this,  our  art,  in
          obscure  words only.  On the other hand, one may not explain
          it  so openly that all may understand it.  I therefore teach
          it  in  such a way that nothing will remain hidden from  the
          wise  man, even though it may strike mediocre minds as quite
          obscure.  The foolish and ignorant will understand  none  of
          it at all.'
          
          This reliance upon the intellect of the reader to comprehend
          or  not  comprehend the alchemical message was, in  Gerber's
          opinion, sufficient to limit access to alchemical knowledge.
          In all truth it is probably all that was ever needed!
          
          Meanwhile, in western Europe our own alchemists were already
          developing  their version of alchemy and making some  pretty
          determined  efforts to conceal any knowledge they  may  have
          possessed.
          
          Born of the westward flow of goods, knowledge and philosophy
          that  occurred  during and after the crusading  period,  the
          western  schools developed a method of concealing  knowledge
          based  upon  symbolical  allegory  and  misleading  analogy.
          Today,  we are still at a loss to understand the reason  for
          this  paranoia  other  than that the  Christian  church  was
          keeping  a close and jaundiced eye upon alchemical  research
          in what was their prerogative!
          
          The western adepts were, as a result, pathologically jealous
          of  the  knowledge they guarded.  So much so in  fact,  that
          after  a couple of hundred years of development, no one  was
          really sure if western alchemy was a spiritual system or  if
          it  was  a chemical process involving a few simple chemicals
          that could be manipulated to change them into gold.
          
          As  a  result, there was a chemical analogy that  paralleled
          the  spiritual  system  wherein the transfiguration  of  the
          alchemist   was   equated  with  the   production   of   the
          Philosophers Stone, which turned lead or mercury  into  gold
          or silver.
          
          All  very confusing to the semi-literate students of the art
          in  the  early  middle ages!  No wonder!   If  you  are  not
          particularly well versed in alchemy, try taking a few  books
          on  the subject from your local library and see if they  are
          not  initially  confusing!  Try figuring out  the  pictorial
          representation  of the alchemical system and  see  if  these
          latter are not totally confusing!
          
          Essentially,  the  psychological  stages  leading   to   the
          transfiguration  of the alchemist were transposed  into  the
          various  stages of a chemical manipulation.   This  involved
          three  simple  chemicals and two pieces of equipment.   They
          were:
          
          SULFUR - Representing the tendency towards movement.
          
          SALT   -   Representing  the  spiritual   tendency   towards
          inertness.
          
          MERCURY - Which unites the opposites of Sulfur and Salt.
          
          THE ATHANOR - The furnace which applies heat to the Aludel.
          
          THE  ALUDEL  - The alchemical egg, or vase which  holds  the
          chemicals.
          
          This  chemical  set-up has been widely known for  centuries,
          yet  the psychological set-up which is concealed by  it  has
          not..  Or if it has, the knowledge has been restricted.
          
          Nothing  about  alchemy is as simple as it  appears  to  be.
          Both  the  physical  and the spiritual disciplines  proclaim
          that  their  end result is the transmutation of base  metals
          into gold.  Both are correct.  The one is hidden within  the
          other!
          
          I  suppose  that I should at least mention in  passing  that
          while  this chapter is really devoted to spiritual  alchemy,
          that  there  have been some unexplainable successes  in  the
          field of practical alchemy.
          
          More  than  one  alchemist  has claimed  to  have  made  the
          Projection whereby the Philosophers Stone has been  achieved
          and to have physically transmuted base metal into gold as  a
          result.   Further, the old texts speak of an Elixir obtained
          during the physical process that also confers immortality!
          
          Whether  or not this is possible is something that  is  best
          left  to private research.  I will express no opinion  here.
          In  this  book  our interest is restricted to the  spiritual
          aspect.
          
          In the matter of research into physical alchemy it should be
          noted that western texts became more and more symbolical and
          deliberately   confusing  in  describing  the  manipulations
          leading to transformation as time went by.
          
          The   various  references  to  the  'Fire  of  the   Sages',
          'Philosophers Salt' and 'Philosophers Mercury' and the  like
          would   almost  lead  a  researcher  to  believe  that   the
          alchemists  had  developed  a  parallel  table  of   altered
          chemicals completely unknown to the uninitiated.
          
          Nothing  could be further from the truth.  The authors  were
          writing  in code to other alchemists.  There was no physical
          treatment  of mercury, sulfur or salt that could elevate  it
          into a philosophical substance.
          
          When  and if you come across references of this nature,  you
          must understand that the writer was invariably conforming to
          the  conventions of the period, and concealing the facts  to
          which  he was really referring, from outsiders.  As it turns
          out,   once  one  is  familiar  with  this  convention   and
          encounters it in an alchemical text, it is a dead  give-away
          that the author is speaking only of spiritual alchemy.
          
          There is, however, a warning that I would like to share with
          potential physical alchemical researchers.  It is this.  The
          physical  manipulations  in  part  involve  the  use  of   a
          considerable quantity of mercury (quicksilver), one  of  the
          most  deadly  of poisons.  It can be ingested orally  or  by
          inhalation of the fumes after heat is applied.  The  results
          of prolonged exposure can range from a quiet insanity to the
          lethally   spectacular.   For  example,  one  of  the   more
          unpleasant symptoms of mercury poisoning is necrosis of  the
          jaw!
          
          If  you must, then you must but at least make sure that  you
          observe more precautions than the early alchemists did.  The
          fact  that they all too often suffered from an over exposure
          to  mercury can be attested to by many of their manuscripts,
          which not uncommonly bear the stamp of madness!
          
          Something  else you may wish to consider.  One of the  major
          obstacles  to comprehending alchemical texts and  the  early
          books  on  the  subject  is  the fact  that  the  apogee  of
          alchemical thought and the various early texts and books  on
          the  subject,  has long since passed.  The peak  of  western
          alchemical  teaching  and  its  accompanying  influence  was
          reached  several  centuries ago and we, as a  culture,  have
          changed considerably since that time.
          
          A  culture regulates the thought and reasoning processes  of
          the  individual, filtering his or her emotions  and  thereby
          influencing  the  manner in which he or she understands  the
          world.  Ultimately, this filtering effect determines his  or
          her  perception of the world from his or her position within
          that culture.
          
          Our current perception of the world is drastically different
          from that prevailing during the alchemical heyday, hence the
          added interpretation difficulties.
          
          This  may or may not be a good thing.  The abilities of  our
          minds  are limitless and we will, if we apply ourselves,  be
          able to empathize with the old manuscripts, even though  our
          belief system limits both our powers and our talents.
          
          Finally,  whether  or  not  your  interests  lie  with   the
          spiritual or the chemical aspects of alchemy, remember  that
          one does not achieve knowledge of any subject by sitting  on
          the  bed and waiting for the arrival of a Master to come and
          teach you the answers.
          
          It  is  the personal search that lights the way and  whoever
          has  reached this state of appreciation can find clues in  a
          book,  a  conversation or even a movie!  When one creates  a
          need  for something, that something will eventually come  to
          him or her.
          
          Here,  in  the  dying years of the 20th. Century,  practical
          alchemy  is  really  a thing of the past.   There  were  two
          French alchemists who practiced prior to World War II, but I
          have  heard  nothing  of them since.   To  all  intents  and
          purposes then, practical alchemy has reached its end.
          
          Perhaps this is not to be the case with spiritual alchemy!
          
