ALCHEMY-PART II
Paracelsus, the most celebrated of the alchemists of the Middle Ages, thus mystically speaks of his art:
"If I have manna in my constitution, I can attract manna from heaven.Melissa is not only in the garden, but also in the air and in heaven.Saturn is not only in the sky, but also deep in the ocean and Earth.What is Venus but the artemisia that grows in your garden, and what is iron but the planet Mars? That is to say, Venus and Artemisia are both products of the same essence, while Mars and iron are manifestations of the same cause.What is the human body but a constellation of the same powers that formed the stars in the sky? He who knows Mars knows the qualities of iron, and he who knows what iron is knows the attributes of Mars.What would become of your heart if there were no Sun in the Universe? What would be the use of your 'Vasa Spermatica'[*] if there were no Venus? To grasp the invisible elements, to attract them by their material correspondences, to control, purify, and transmute, them by the ever-moving powers of the living spirit--this is true Alchemy."[*] Astral germs of subjective life forms:--it is the latent, "to be".
Thus, in a very few simple words, we find this master of the art revealing the whole arcana of that mysterious science, which has for its chief object and goal, the discovery of the "philosopher's stone," which confers upon its fortunate possessor the blessings of immortal youth.Therefore, we cannot possibly do better in the commencement of our present study than, to minutely examine each particular sentence and endeavor to discover his true meaning, which, like all mystical writing, is so apparent, yet cunningly concealed, as to excite the student's admiration."If I have manna in my constitution, I can attract manna from Heaven." The manna here spoken of does not specify any particular thing, but is of universal application, and is simply used as an unknown quantity, like x, y, z in mathematics.But, ever since the days of Paracelsus, half- initiated mystics and bookworm occultists, have endeavored to discoverwhat this manna really was.Some, the more spiritual, were of the opinion that, it was spiritual power, or purity of spirit; others imagined it to mean special magnetic qualifications, similar in nature to the so-called gifts of modern spiritualistic media.The concealment of the truth is unique, and consists in its very simplicity; and, when correctly expounded, should read: "I am the microcosm, and all the visible and invisible universe dwells within me, so that whatsoever power I have in my constitution, I can attract its correspondence from Heaven." Paracelsus must have smiled to himself when he wrote "If I have manna," etc., because his whole writings strive to prove man the miniature of Deity.Further along, he explains himself by pointing out the real Law of Correspondence, thus: "Melissa is not only in the garden, but also in the air, and in Heaven.Saturn is not only in the sky, but also deep in the ocean, and Earth." The illustrations are beautiful, The life of the plant, the "anima floralis," pervades the atmosphere and the interior states of spiritual life, where it becomes in the highest degree beautiful, and beneficial to the soul.A reference upon this point to "The Light of Egypt" Vol., I, may not be considered out of place.Upon page 74 it is written: "The flower that blooms in beauty, breathing forth to the air its fragrance, which is at once grateful to the senses and stimulating to the nerves, is a perfect specimen of Nature's faultless mediumship.The flower is a medium for the transmission to the human body of those finer essences, and of THEIR SPIRITUAL PORTION TO THE SOUL; for the aroma of the flower is spiritualized to such a degree as to act upon the life currents of the system, imparting to the spiritual body a nutriment of the finest quality."Thus, here is where the knowledge of the alchemical attributes of plants, as applicable to man, can be most beneficially utilized.Plants and flowers, whose attributes and aromas harmonize with the complex organism of man, should be selected for the house and garden, for, they are mediums to transmit the finer essences and aromas to the spiritual constitution of man; the plant to the physical, and the aromas and essences of the flowers to the soul.
Antipathies in plants and flowers would bring a similar evil influence, as the discords of the antagonistic human magnetism.It would not be soapparent, but more subtle, yet nevertheless effective in result.
Our attention is next drawn to the planet Saturn, which, we are informed, is not only shining in his starry sphere of the heavens, but is also buried in the ocean depths and embodied in the stratas of the earth.It is almost needless to add that, our author refers to those substances naturally Saturnine in their quality of life and expression, such as lead, clay, and coal, among the minerals, and various deadly plants among the flora, the chief of which is the aconite or monkshood, so significant of Saturn and the isolated, monkish hermit.After some repetition, in order to impress the truth of correspondences, our author exclaims: "What is the human body but a constellation of the same powers that formed the stars in the sky?" Truly, what else? for, "he who knows Mars knows the qualities of iron, and he who knows what iron is knows the attributes of Mars." Could anything be plainer? We think not.
From the foregoing, which a long experience and much critical investigation and research have demonstrated as true, we cannot avoid the conclusion that Alchemy, equally as well as every other science, religion, or system of philosophy formulated by man, resolves itself, ultimately, in all its final conclusions, into the one universal parent of all wisdom.
