Exploring Alchemy - Paul Goodall

by

Paul Goodall

On the following slide begin at the centre and follow one of the six black arrows and see where it takes you… On the succeeding slides the viewer should study each one carefully and allow the information to be assimilated.

THE SULPHUR – MERCURY THEORY The art of alchemy is to integrate these two qualities to produce the ‘chemical marriage’ that ultimately leads to obtaining the so called Philosopher’s Stone which is…

INHERENT IN EVERYTHING The Seeds of all METALS

THE SULPHUR – MERCURY THEORY

Q

q

O

MALE

Sulphur - Sun - Fire

S

R

N

Mercury - Moon - Water

GOLD FEMALE

THE SULPHUR – MERCURY THEORY

q FIRE

Q

AIR

r

VOLATILE

S

SULPHUR

WATER

MERCURY

The Sun is its Father, the Moon its Mother,

The Wind hath carried it in its belly, The Earth is its Nurse…

GOLD

Philosopher’s Stone

THE SULPHUR – MERCURY – SALT THEORY

Q

VOLATILE

SULPHUR

S MERCURY

FIXED

Structure Substance Combustibility Agent of Growth Fat

P SALT Fixity Firmness Ash

Vaporous - liquid Penetrating Enlivening Phlegm

q FIRE

Q

r

AIR ACTIVE

PASSIVE

S

WATER

SULPHUR

MERCURY

SOUL

SPIRIT FIXED

THE TRIA PRIMA

P SALT BODY EARTH

THE SULPHUR – MERCURY – SALT THEORY He that knows how to tame and master them by Art,

SOUL

SPIRIT

To couple them together, And to lead them in and out of the forest,

MICROCOSM May justly be called a Master. of MAN For we rightly judge That he has attained the golden flesh, And may triumph everywhere…

“In the Body there is Soul and Spirit.”

BODY ( From the Book of Lambspring, an alchemical treatise )

The Phenomenon of DOUBLE MERCURY MERCURIUS

q

Mercury

r

P

Q

S

DOUBLE MERCURY MERCURIUS – AGENT OF TRANSFORMATION SULPHUR SUN - FIRE

MERCURY MOON - WATER HOLDING UNIFIED CADUCEUS IN EACH HAND

CROWNED SERPENT OF FIRE

VOLATILE AIR IN FORM OF BIRD

SOLAR SIDE

ASCENDING SPIRIT FROM BELOW: MATERIAL REALM SPIRITUALISED

LUNAR SIDE

The action of MERCURIUS and MERCURY SULPHUR

(Quicksilver) ARGENT VIVE

First Mercury

MERCURIAL WATER

FIRE AND WATER COMBINED

MERCURIUS

DOUBLE MERCURY

ONE

ONE

THING

MATTER

MERCURIUS IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE AT ALL TIMES DURING THE ALCHEMICAL PROCESS

SULPHUR

Philosophical Mercury

MERCURIUS

FIRST Mercury

THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE • • • •

Philosopher’s Stone Elixir Vitae Grand Magisterium Red Tincture

}

TO PERFECT IMPERFECTION THROUGH “PROJECTION”

PHYSICAL LEVEL: Transmute base metals into GOLD

METAPHYSICAL LEVEL: Transforming the dedicated Mystic into the ILLUMINED PHILOSOPHER

THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE

In SPIRITUAL ALCHEMY the CUBIC STONE PHILOSOPHERS STONE is a

STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS COSMIC SOUL STABILITY

FORCE

COLOURS and STAGES of the WORK

NIGREDO ALBEDO

BLACK

Contents turn black from Calcination

WHITE

Black matter washed by mercurial water

CITRINITAS YELLOW RUBEDO

RED

Refined later as Peacock stage – multi-coloured Goal of the Work leading to attainment

COLOURS and STAGES of the WORK 1

Calcination

2

Dissolution

3

Putrefaction / Separation

4

Coniunctio

Albedo

5

Fermentation / Reduction

Citrinitas

6

Sublimation + Distillation

7

Coagulation / Fixation

} }

Nigredo

Rubedo

Be aware that there is considerable variation in the order and relationship of these seven stages; some posit twelve instead of seven.

SOLVE et COAGULA Separate and join together

ASCENT

DESCENT

r

q BASE MATTER

HEAT

THE ULTIMA MATERIA or Tincture (red powder) at the end of the alchemical process capable of transforming metals to gold through ‘projection’.

PROJECTION

The Goal of Alchemy

The Path of the Illumined Philosopher Seven Stages of Spiritual Transformation

CALCINATION

Recognition of faults

DISSOLUTION

Engaging with our faults

SEPARATION

Releasing our faults

CONUNCTIO

Union of opposites: the Lesser Stone

FERMENTATION

Initiation

SUBLIMATION / DISTILLATION

Raising of passions and period of introspection

COAGULATION

Attainment

The Cyclical Aspect of the Alchemical Process

ROTATION - CIRCULATION All things return to the Primal Matter

The Philosophers’ Stone

REBIRTH Is identical to the PRIMAL MATTER from which it originates…

ROTATION - CIRCULATION

ALPHA

FIRST

OMEGA

CAUSE BEGINNING and END

FINAL

ROTATION - CIRCULATION

The Philosopher’s Stone is IMMANENT to be found everywhere…

We can make the analogy that God is IMMANENT

The spiritual alchemical initiatory path is the quest to achieve the fullest knowledge of God; in ourselves and nature.

In Spiritual Alchemy acquisition of the Philosopher’s Stone is prerequisite to mystical union with God.

The Ouroborus Symbol

END