| Alchemy's OriginAlchemy, according to | | | | precipitation--the changing of base metals |
| esoteric writers, is said to be the invention | | | | into gold. The work of alchemical |
| of an ancient Egyptian sage called Hermes | | | | transmutation is designated as "the Labor of |
| Trismegistus. The "Father of Alchemy" lived | | | | the Sun." This "Eye of Ra" symbolically |
| in an unknown age of Egyptian history, though | | | | represents the perfection with which Nature |
| he is thought by some Rosicrucian schools to | | | | is gradually unfolding in her creations. At |
| have lived during the time of Moses and the | | | | the physical level the Sun of Perfection is |
| Exodus of the Israelites. If true, being an | | | | represented by gold. Alchemy is the science |
| Initiate of the mysteries of Isis and Osiris, | | | | and art which hasten the creations of Nature |
| Moses must have been tutored by Hermes | | | | to attain perfection at their own respective |
| himself, which later enabled him to carry out | | | | level. Gold is the perfection attain by |
| his mission and to realize his I AM Presence | | | | metals and minerals. Minerals, however, are |
| symbolised by the burning bush. The various | | | | also following another line of |
| precepts and the Ten Commandments of the Lord | | | | perfection--that of its ability to sustain |
| of Hosts revealed to the Israelites by Moses | | | | life and consciousness. And Man, the acme of |
| are the first alchemical steps of | | | | organic life, is evolving to the state where |
| purification and putrefaction. Further steps | | | | he acquires perfection in Divine |
| were later added to the Mosaic revelation by | | | | Self-Awareness.From the above it can be |
| the Nazarene Master. Indeed, the Christ | | | | summarized that alchemy is the art of raising |
| declared that he came not to abolish the | | | | vibrations of an object in order to hasten |
| previous revelation, but to fulfill it.It is | | | | its development or evolution into a higher |
| thought by some that "Hermes Trismegistus" | | | | expression or state. The result is perfection |
| constituted a title assumed by distinguished | | | | of the object of the transmutation.Alchemy's |
| hierophants of the Mystery Schools, in a | | | | Transmission to ChristendomAlexandria was the |
| somewhat similar manner that Zoroaster, the | | | | philosophical capital of Egypt, and perhaps |
| founder of the "Fire Religion" is regarded by | | | | of the whole civilized worlds in the early |
| certain scholars. Incidentally, alchemy may | | | | centuries of Christianity. Gnosticism, |
| also be considered a Fire Religion, or at | | | | Neoplatonism, Alchemy and Hermeticism |
| least a philosophy, because of its symbology | | | | flowered abundantly; these philosophies are |
| of fire related to the alchemical principles, | | | | intrinsically related, and to comprehend the |
| its prerequisite in the art of transmutation, | | | | Royal Art fully, the student of alchemy is |
| and to the respect and honor paid to it by | | | | advised by Master teachers to be familiar |
| alchemists.Jewish mystics identify Hermes as | | | | with their doctrines. Alexandria's Golden Age |
| the antediluvian prophet Enoch, or Idris, as | | | | of occult philosophy did not last long, for |
| the Muslims call him; while ancient Egyptians | | | | the reptilian mind of the fallen angels had |
| see Hermes as Thoth, the god of Wisdom, | | | | seized control of the rising new religion of |
| Learning, and Writing. He was given this | | | | Christianity (no offence to our Christian |
| apotheosis along with Imhotep, the great | | | | brothers and sisters). The philosophical sons |
| architect under the reign of King Zoser of | | | | and daughters of Hermes were persecuted and |
| the Fourth Dynasty. It would appear that both | | | | murdered brutally by Christian |
| men were overshadowed by the archetypal | | | | fundamentalists and fanatics. Fear and hatred |
| figure of Thoth, and were acknowledged as | | | | were aroused among the masses and the ousting |
| such by both the inner and outer circles of | | | | of the so-called pagan religions from the |
| initiates of the Mystery Schools. Thoth, or | | | | land ensued. One sad event was the cruel |
| his Greek counterpart, Mercury, was a | | | | assassination of Hypathia, an illustrious |
| messenger of the gods; and as an archetypal | | | | daughter of the Mysteries--the Widow Isis, |
| incarnation of this god, Hermes lived up to | | | | and propounder of Neoplatonism. She hardly |
| his name by his literary productiveness. | | | | had a philosophical equal during her day, and |
| Ancient writers declared that the "Trice | | | | this caused the envy and jealousy of a |
| Greatest" wrote thousands of books on what | | | | certain priest who contrived her |
| later became known as Hermeticism and | | | | murder.During the decline of the Roman |
| Alchemy. It is unfortunate that very little | | | | Empire, the Secret Doctrine, or the Ancient |
| of Hermes' works survived the conflagration | | | | Wisdom were passed on to the guardianship of |
| and destruction of libraries and books by | | | | the Arabian and Persian mystics. The tenets |
| Roman and Christian zeal in the early dawn of | | | | of occult wisdom were later incorporated into |
| the Piscean Age. The world as a whole is | | | | the Muslim faith with its higher aspects |
| still ignorant of the great loss, and it will | | | | promulgated secretly in the traditional oral |
| take some time before the invocation is made | | | | manner in certain sects, Orders, and mystical |
| by the masses for the Greater Light, for | | | | groups such as the Sufi and Dervish Orders, |
| disclosure of eternal principles that would | | | | and among the community of Druzes in Lebanon |
| shine upon the paths of men, and | | | | and Syria.In the 8th to the 11th centuries |
| consequently, for a full restoration and | | | | A.D., in the era of the golden period of |
| establishment of an occult library of the | | | | alchemic-Islamic culture, we hear of eminent |
| world, with an archive and database of every | | | | names in the field of the Royal Art, such as |
| known system and tradition of the | | | | al-Farabi, Rhazes, Geber and Avicenna. These |
| metaphysical side of life. Although little is | | | | men studied the mystery teachings and occult |
| known of Hermes, it is evident through the | | | | wisdom of the Egyptian and Greek schools. |
| works attributed to him that he was an | | | | They were most notably influenced by |
| intermediary of the Wisdom Ray of the Supreme | | | | Hermetic, Alchemic and Neoplatonic ideas, and |
| Being.One of the most famed works on Hermetic | | | | the knowledge that they acquired was |
| doctrine written, and in concise form, is the | | | | synthesized with Islamic and Sufic doctrines. |
| Smaragdine Tablet attributed to the | | | | The Sufi adepts produced one of the most |
| authorship of Hermes. Its discovery is | | | | beautiful symbols of spiritual unfoldment and |
| traditionally believed to have been made by | | | | progression: the rose. Its symbolism is |
| Alexander of Macedonia in a cave near Hebron. | | | | comparable to the lotus adopted by Hindu |
| This conqueror of nations who had Aristotle | | | | mystics.The Knights Templer was an important |
| for a Master, was in search of immortality. | | | | link between both East and West, between |
| Although he failed to attain his personal | | | | Islamic culture and the world of Christendom. |
| immortality, Alexander did uncover a | | | | The alchemical doctrine was passed on by the |
| philosophical jewel that would have given him | | | | Sufi adepts to these "Knights of the Holy |
| what he had sought if he had only applied the | | | | Sepulchre," as the Templers were originally |
| principles that the Emerald Tablet contained. | | | | called. Even the mythical Christian |
| Tradition relates that the Tablet was wrought | | | | Rosencruez of Rosicrucianism is said to have |
| out of artificial emerald, as a result of | | | | acquired his occult knowledge from the Sufi |
| transmutation, with the Hermetic doctrine | | | | Masters and adepts in Arabia.After the days |
| embossed on it.Alchemy, as a philosophy and | | | | of the disbandment of the Templer Order by |
| an art in the Western hemisphere in the past | | | | Philip the Fair of France, and the |
| two millenia, existed concurrently in other | | | | death-sentence of their last Grand Master, |
| ancient cultures and civilizations--it was | | | | Jacques de Molay in 1314, the surviving |
| practiced intensely by Hindu Yogis and | | | | Knights sought refuge in various countries; |
| Taoists, in India and China. This parallel | | | | and in England some of them founded an |
| growth is probably the result of the Great | | | | alchemical Order which later became known as |
| White Brotherhood's periodic presentation of | | | | the "Elder Brothers of the Rose Cross." It is |
| a spiritual method designed for the | | | | said that this Order comprised 33 members and |
| development of certain types of temperaments | | | | that this group exists even to this very day |
| and belief-framework of those aspirants | | | | in our computer age.When the believers of |
| belonging to a certain era and stage of | | | | Allah invaded and settled in Iberia, they |
| mankind's collective evolution.Based on this | | | | brought with them the Secret Teachings. |
| parallel growth of alchemy in the Orient and | | | | Colleges were established that had mysticism, |
| the regions of the Fertile Crescent suggested | | | | metaphysics, and alchemy in the curriculum. |
| to some Esoteric historians that alchemy may | | | | With the establishment of the various |
| have had a common origin in that sunken | | | | schools, the Ancient Wisdom finally took |
| continent Atlan, or Atlantis, as it is more | | | | definite root in European soil, and it spread |
| generally known. Esoteric Tradition declares | | | | gradually throughout the other regions of the |
| that a handful of the Atlantean Root Race | | | | Continent. This expansion was no doubt the |
| survived the submergence of the land and | | | | result of the efforts put forth by the |
| transmigrated to Egypt, China, and the | | | | spiritual hierarchy of this planet. Man's |
| Americas. It is reasonable to assume that | | | | evolution is divided into certain steps, |
| they brought with them their sciences, art, | | | | stages, and cycles, and these have |
| and culture, which influenced the inhabitants | | | | "time-tables" or schedules associated with |
| indigenous to the regions where they settled. | | | | them. It was expedient that the Flames of |
| This would explain the similarities in the | | | | Truth and Freedom be given to the custodian |
| traditions and beliefs of native cultures to | | | | of the Islamic world if it were not to be |
| be found both East and West.Principles of | | | | extinguished by some of the ungodly minds of |
| Alchemy are the principles that Nature | | | | Christendom of the Dark Ages which would have |
| herself works with, and thus alchemy, | | | | caused a setback to the Divine Plan already |
| scientifically, existed in the inner planes | | | | established.The deviation from the right use |
| long before it was brought down to the earth | | | | of free will by Christian fundamentalists had |
| plane by Master teachers. A study of Nature's | | | | made them unsuitable vessels for the Christic |
| mysteries would reveal to the discerning | | | | wine. In spite of exoteric Christianity's |
| student that the higher Intelligences, the | | | | blind attack on th Light that gave it birth, |
| Elohim, and the Great Architect of the | | | | the esoteric circle continued its existence |
| Universe utilized alchemical principles to | | | | clandestinely, preserving the secret |
| precipitate the starry bodies out of Chaos, | | | | teachings of Jesus and transmitting it to a |
| out of Cosmic Root Substance or "Sunyata," as | | | | selected few who had the vision of the divine |
| termed by the Buddhist. Qabalists believe | | | | plan within their hearts and minds.Idries |
| that Adam was taught by the angels in | | | | Shah, the eminent Sufi of contemporary times, |
| Paradise the art of transmutation, to prepare | | | | mentions in his book "The Sufis," how an |
| him for his "Fall" and his climb back toward | | | | Englishman, one Robert of Chester, was |
| his Monad, toward godhood--his involution and | | | | instrumentally in 1144 A.D., in introducing |
| evolution from a Divine Consciousness to | | | | alchemy to the Christian world by translating |
| Divine Self-Consciousness.There is no general | | | | an alchemical manuscript originally written |
| concurrence among scholars as to the origin | | | | in Arabic. There were many others like him, |
| of the word "alchemy." The consensus is that | | | | for bearers of the Flame were not few.Levels |
| the word is derived from the word "Khem," the | | | | of AlchemyMost of the principles of alchemy |
| ancient name for Egypt, added to the Arabic | | | | conveyed to the public were made up of |
| article "al," meaning "the," thus forming the | | | | images, mandalas, and jargon. These obscure |
| word "al-Khemy." However, Sir Wallis Budge is | | | | languages were necessary considering the era |
| of the opinion that alchemy comes from the | | | | that alchemical science was |
| Egyptian word "khemein," meaning the "black | | | | struggling--struggling for a recognition from |
| powder" or "ore" which is presumed to be an | | | | the masses as a system of spiritual |
| ingredient in alchemy. No matter where it | | | | development in the midst of ecclesiastical |
| secured its name, the word "alchemy," it | | | | persecution. The mentality of the masses of |
| would seem, first came into prominence in the | | | | the Middle Ages were not much different from |
| Mystery Schools in Alexandria.Purpose of | | | | the time of Jesus. Ignorance, superstition, |
| AlchemyBut just what is alchemy, and what | | | | and fear still ruled the day. The letter of |
| role does it play in the promotion of the | | | | the law, as propagandized by Orthodox |
| welfare of mankind? If alchemy has any true | | | | Christianity were still at odds, and at |
| value, it must be based upon eternal values, | | | | conflict with the spirit of the law, as |
| upon the things that support Heaven's | | | | advanced by enlightened mystics. The |
| purposes; in other words, upon God's plan of | | | | inquisition, which lasted for centuries, |
| humankind's becoming into the true Elohimic | | | | showed how far the Church had strayed from |
| image of the divine. If alchemy simply had an | | | | the original precepts of Christianity. The |
| earthly objective, masterminds of the Ages | | | | Christ taught love, forgiveness, charity and |
| would not have concerned themselves with it. | | | | kindness; the Church Fathers and Christian |
| It would have been considered as something so | | | | leaders only knew personal ambition, with |
| trivial, so transient, as to distract Man | | | | sadism, and egoism set-up upon an unholy |
| from the real work of extricating himself, | | | | pedestal. The personal "I" was worshipped, |
| specifically, from his bondage to the carnal | | | | the "Yekhidah," or the Divine I AM, was |
| self, the kama manas, or animal soul; and | | | | forgotten.Neophytes of the Mysteries were |
| generally, from samsara. Greed was never the | | | | given the keys of interpretation of Sacred |
| impulse that prompted the invention of | | | | literature when they were accepted in the |
| alchemy. It was, is, and always will be Man's | | | | various secret brotherhoods. The candidates |
| desire for Truth and enlightenment of his | | | | of alchemical initiation were noticed by the |
| true nature and estate that motivates him to | | | | Masters when they had proven their sincerity, |
| seek through every channel and avenue for | | | | and the sacrifices and effort that they had |
| that certain something that he subconsciously | | | | made. To the world at large, the existence of |
| feels he had "lost" and which is his to | | | | the Masters was unknown and unsuspected, even |
| re-acquire--call it "the Lost Word," "the | | | | though their presence in the world of men was |
| Philosopher's Stone," or "the Holy Grail," it | | | | hinted at in various alchemical manuscripts. |
| matters not. Alchemy teaches Man the | | | | It was only in the last century that Helena |
| principles of regeneration and resurrection, | | | | P. Blavatsky, among others, who brought their |
| laws of creation and transmutation; laws that | | | | existence to the world's attention; and even |
| would assist Man to regain his former estate | | | | then, the world scoffed and derided at the |
| lost in "the Fall." This "Fall" from Paradise | | | | idea. This is a little unreasonable, as |
| symbolically represents involution of the | | | | people of various spiritual unfoldment and |
| human life wave into physical matter. The way | | | | mental development may easily be seen and |
| back to the Throne of God is scientifically | | | | recognized. If some men and women are more |
| called "evolution," and the acceleration of | | | | perfect than others, why should not there be |
| the latter is the art of the hermetic gnosis. | | | | men and women totally perfect from our human |
| This Path of Return is esoterically and | | | | point of view?Esoterically, when a Master |
| graphically symbolised by Jacob's Ladder, and | | | | alchemist gave a student of alchemy the |
| the paths of the Qaballistic "Tree of | | | | "Philosopher's Stone," what was actually |
| Life."The drama of Jesus' life is an | | | | conveyed were the teachings of the Ancient |
| alchemical allegory of the steps of | | | | Wisdom, and a certain yogic system that when |
| regeneration and ascension to the I AM | | | | applied and practiced, would transmute an |
| Presence within, the "Father who art in | | | | initiate into a god.To the public eye, |
| Heaven." Orthodox Christianity does not | | | | alchemical icons and terminology conveyed no |
| recognize or is unaware of this vital truth, | | | | sense whatsoever, but the mystiqueness of |
| and because of the lack of mystical insight | | | | alchemical texts and images aroused interest |
| among most members of its priesthood coupled | | | | in potential practitioners of the Royal Art, |
| with the absence of esoteric truths in the | | | | and it turned the average person into a |
| doctrines and dogmas of the Church, the | | | | seeker. This was perhaps one of the |
| average Christian is ignorant and unaware of | | | | intentions of the authors of alchemical |
| the true message of Christianity--of the | | | | manuscripts. Modern chemistry, feeling a |
| Light, the Christ substance, and the true | | | | little perplexed by alchemical ideas, |
| saving blood that Christ introduced to | | | | contemptuously considers her sire as a |
| humankind. Esoteric Christianity is | | | | pseudo-science, in the same manner that |
| fundamentally an alchemical science and | | | | astrology is usually frowned upon by the |
| religion; its promulgator was a Master | | | | students of astronomy. Modern research will |
| Alchemist--being taught in the initiatory | | | | in time change the opinions and prejudicial |
| halls of the Mystery Schools. It is related | | | | beliefs of a materialistically-inclined |
| in the Gospels how the Master transmuted | | | | science; already pioneers of quantum physics |
| water into wine, multiplied loaves and | | | | are hypothesising what the Ancient Wisdom has |
| fishes, and walked on water--all of which | | | | been teaching for ages.One key to |
| were manifestations of the applied principles | | | | understanding alchemy is to determine the |
| of alchemy, the Hermetic philosophy--or | | | | objectives and the subject of transmutation. |
| perhaps these events were all allegories | | | | Without keeping this principle in mind, one |
| conveying some spiritual teaching.Alchemy is | | | | would be lost in the alchemical wilderness. |
| defined as an art of transmutation and | | | | |