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Inner alchemy archives - Is Inner work practical ?Back to alchemy forum page . Back to Inner alchemy archive.Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 From: Dan Denlinger May there be a general consensus that our inner work is, in fact, practical? By this is meant that any psychic, inner work must be reflected in some physical alteration of our vehicle. Here the vehicle is understood as more than merely what is commonly understood as the physical body. We may need only to understand the psycho-physical organism here, the union of body and mind. The important point is that each one affects the other; as, for example, certain thoughts may arouse emotions which in turn follow definite physical effects. Some easy examples are: thoughts of a fearful nature inspire anxiety and may then be followed by definite physical sensations of tension in stomach, throat or muscles; sensual thoughts result in unmistakable physical changes. The question which looms before us then is : "What physical responses result from the contemplation of alchemical symbols?" Before we can begin to grasp this we must surmount a first hurdle. Whereas fear and sexuality are somewhat more concrete and arousing, the contemplation of images is somewhat dryer and what is aroused in us is less easily noticed and more easily obscured. Repeated reading and study of alchemical writings may set the stage for this through familiarity. The images arouse us emotionally, artistically. Our imagination is stimulated. In the interior, still, quiet and largely unknown, the traces of the answer to this first question may slowly form. As we hold the images in our mind's eye and in our heart the libido is raised, distilled, until a suitable liqueur is obtained. This is not the end of our work, but is to be understood as only the beginning. Dan Denlinger From: Adam McLean Date: 20th Dec 1996 >May there be a general consensus that our inner work is, in fact, practical? >By this is meant that any psychic, inner work must be reflected in some >physical alteration of our vehicle... >What physical responses result from the contemplation of >alchemical symbols? I don't think we can readily use the criterion that inner work must inevitably be associated with physical changes. How can we use such an idea? Do we have to take our blood pressure when meditating to make sure we acheived anything? This doesn't make sense to me. The inner part of the human being is surely so subtle that we cannot measure its activities with outer instruments. How can we use outer measurements in judging the results of interior work? Let us reserve physical measurements for physical processes. They are amenable to direct outer measurement. The thesis that the interior life of the soul can be easily measured belongs in the real of groups like the scientologists with their e-meters, or the endlessly pointless experiments in ESP labs. This is an inner alchemy e-mail group. I don't see the point of trying to reduce it and its contributors to discussing only physically measurable responses to contemplating alchemical symbols. Why should we limit ourselves and embrace this agenda? This group pursues inner alchemy, and will investigate this in all its fullness and richness. Adam McLean Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 11:08:11 -0500 From: Gilbert Arnold Well Adam, in all fairness I should say that when my inner lab is out of control my BP goes up. When I meditate, be it using imagery, archetypes, tai chi or aikido a sure sign (in my case) that inner processes are sort of working is a lowering of the BP. Blessings, Gilbert Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1996 From: Dan Denlinger Doubtless, an effort to not appear to be too mystical has succeeded overly well. Indeed, the inner part of the human being is so subtle that it is not to be measured by outer instrument, and no such suggestion emanated from this quarter. As my knowledge of scientology is nil, I am in no position to comment on their meters; but I am confident that interior life is not easily measured. Again the work of the parapsychologists has little application to the work at hand (excepting perhaps some suggestive examples of Kirlian photographs of plant leaves). Any suggestion of a reduction to "discussing only physically measurable responses" is simply not what I meant, at all. Left then with the question of how we can use the idea of the transformation of our physical vehicles through the inner alchemical work, let us inquire. A kite can be a wonderful thing. With a little effort it is made to catch the wind; thereafter it rises on the currents of air, swings, dances and sways: a thing of beauty and an admirable symbol of our aspiration. Should its string break, its relevance to our lives quickly fades. Again, the lotus flower sits on the surface of the water; its roots, the source of its beauty, reside in the muck beneath. As Basil Valentine tells us: "...A rational man must be able to assign a reason for everything, and when he smells a dung heap of a very penetrating odor, he should be able to say why he calls it good dung, and also why a certain person who has partaken of fragrant and sweet-smelling food, gives it out in the shape of highly maloderous excrement. Hence the sage should inquire...how those properties can be turned to good account. For the earth is nourished with stinking dung, and precious fruits are produced thereby. ... But you will ask me why I quote such simple and absurd examples. The example, I confess, smacks of the stables rather than of the drawing-room; but the careful student of Nature will understand me all the better for that reason. He will see that the highest things become the lowest, and the lowest are changed into the highest-i.e., a medicine into a poison, and a poison into a medicine; a sweet thing into a bitter, acid and corrosive substance; and a common thing, on the other hand, into something useful". All this said, the point is that our body, our vehicle (= a medium through which something is transmitted, expressed or accomplished) in its totality is the triune unity of spirit-soul-body. These elements are not separable from each other, except through abstraction, a sometimes deadly thing which cuts concepts off from the flow of life. Our inner life is grounded in our body (this is not to say that it proceeds from the body). As the concepts which pervade our inner life are composed of a manifold of representations,so our bodies are composed of a manifold of cells. Each of these cells participates, collectively, in consciousness. Each of them requires nutrition. Take a common thing, e.g., diet. How is this to be used uncommonly? In yogic teaching we learn of a subtle portion of food, its prana, the extraction of which is initiated only through consciousness.; thereafter, the regular digestive organs do the work. This subtle portion of food directly feeds the the yogi's subtle body. A truly wonderful example of a common thing used most uncommonly! Let us take another common thing, e.g., the leaf of a plant, say kale or collards, which is exposed to the the sun, moon and rain. In fact the function of a leaf is to gather and store solar force. It is no accident that the sun is a timeless symbol of consciousness. Do we recognize no possible connection between our diet and our inner life? Why are all those leafy plants growing at the feet of the artifex and his soror mystica as they wring the water from cloths exposed to sun, moon and rain. Do we imagine this is some physical dew? Do we see no connection to aurum potabile? Do we imagine that the functions of our lungs, kidneys, livers, nay, even our brains, have no connection to our inner life? Perhaps these thoughts are not appropriate to a forum focussed on inner alchemy. On the other hand, practical alchemy is generally concerned with the cooking and grinding of the dead minerals and metals of the earth, and I think such thoughts as these would be most unwelcome amongst such minds. Perhaps a forum on physical or anatomical alchemy is needed. For myself, there is and can be no conflict between practical and inner alchemy: They are both inextricably and most happily embraced. Please do not imagine this is all I have to offer you, as many things grow in my garden. But some simple concepts need to be clarified, so that we may know the uses of good dung and how it may be turned to good account. How do others feel? Blessings, Dan Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 08:50:56 -0800 From: Belle As the yin and yang, wax and wane, ebb and flow, through Eternal Love the ugly is made into the beautiful and back again. Yes for once the practical can be seen as the Spiritual Inner. I feel the Connectedness. Your blessings are most appreciated. Peace, Belle Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 12:22:00 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Patz >From: Dan Denlinger >A kite can be a wonderful thing. With a little effort it is made to catch the >wind; thereafter it rises on the currents of air, swings, dances and sways: a >thing of beauty and an admirable symbol of our aspiration. Should its string >break, its relevance to our lives quickly fades. Indeed. The practical side of inner work is our ability to bring the fruits of meditation to harvest (the world of action). If we cannot do this - if we don't grow by virtue of our work - then our work becomes nothing but an elaborate distraction. Spirituality is a very domestic thing. It begins at home. No matter how wonderful and spiritual an experience might be, we still have to feed the cats and change the cat litter (and the human equilvalents). It doesn't matter if we can turn lead into gold or stop the process of aging if we can't be genuinely compassionate with each other, if we can't realize the inherent sacredness of feeding the cats. And relating to all aspects of our world with an exalted view, I think, reflects the transformative nature of the Stone. Treat people with kindness, respect and a modest amount of trust and they respond in kind. Recognize their essential holiness, it might make a difference for them in ways that we can't possibly know. >As Basil Valentine tells us: > >"...but the careful student of Nature >will understand me all the better for that reason. He will see that the >highest things become the lowest, and the lowest are changed into the >highest-i.e., a medicine into a poison, and a poison >into a medicine; a sweet thing into a bitter, acid and corrosive substance; >and a common thing, on the other hand, into something useful". I like this passage. I think it can be applied quite nicely to our inner phenomena. Too often in our present society we are taught "this is a good thought/feeling", "this is a bad thought/feeling". Valetine seems to be calling us to a neutral, higher ground - where thoughts and feelings are just that, thoughts and feelings. This frees us up for potential transmutation and the realization of gifts that we already have but don't recognize as such. >Why are all those leafy plants growing at the feet of the artifex and his >soror mystica as they wring the water from cloths exposed to sun, moon >and rain. Do we imagine this is some physical dew? Do we see no >connection to aurum potabile? "Let us follow the guidance of Nature: she will not lead us astray" [The Only True Way, 1677] ......or whatever Adam decides. >How do others feel? Our measure of success is qualitative rather than quantitative. As Aesch Mezareph puts it: "For so the true Physician of impure Metals hath not an outward Show of Riches, but is rather like the Tohu of the first Nature, empty and void." Comments? Richard From: Steve Kalec Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 16:55:05 -0500 >Please do not imagine this is all I have to offer you, as many things grow >in my garden.But some simple concepts need to be clarified, so that we >may know the uses of good dung and how it may be turned to good account. >How do others feel? For myself I absolutely feel with you. From what I see in your style of writing and the essence your post offers, I can tell that you must have a beautiful garden growing. I love beautiful gardens, I would love to take a stroll with you through yours. I am fairly new at Alchemy and I am still at the tilling stage of my garden and I am on the lookout for good dung. > For myself, there is and can be no conflict between practical and inner >alchemy: They are both inextricably and most happily embraced. I fully agree, and I could not imagine how and why inner and outer should conflict with each other. The language ( symbols ) used by the Inner and outer consciousness is always one that relates to one an other. One day while I was calcinating the salt residues of Melissa and I was forming it into one bunch, I was struck by what I saw outwardly and what I felt at the same time inwardly.The heat that was being collected inside the formed bunch was revealing itself in red hot fire. A glow was forming in the center of the bunch and it was shining through layers of the salts though cracks and openings to its center. For some reason this became a most beautiful sight. I could have stared a very long time. It attracted me very much,and I realized that there was something within me that was in harmonious attunement with what was happening outside. I realized that an inner fire and heat was being manifested within the center of my being. This has never faded and it is still with me always. Through the practical I have learned how to kindle, fan and control the inner fire. So yes, I hear you when you say that practical and inner alchemy, " they are both inextricably and most happily embraced ". Steve Kalec Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 15:28:37 +0000 From: John France Jon Stephenson I do not wish to deny the importance of the practical laboratory work you refer to, but I feel that you have given me the opportunity to 'come clean' and, in this erudite forum where I have already found much helpful discussion, present my own opinions regarding the issues raised for me by your question, but questions do tend to give rise to questions, so I apologise in advance for perhaps not addressing your question in the direct manner in which it was presented. >. . . .what about the inner work? My suspicion is that >it should be concurrent with the practical work. However, is there value to waiting to start the practical work until a certain inner level has been reached? Or is it better to just dive into the lab work right away? > >If these questions seem basic, please forgive. Holmyard and others report the opinions of many (particularly the earlier) alchemists who were neither committed to the activity, nor, in some cases, convinced of the possiblity, of making the physical object - real gold. This, despite the many well-documented reports of successful transmutations, appears to indicate their lack of interest in producing physical gold either for themselves or (and apparently more usually) for others. My own approach to alchemy is that the practical and the inner work you refer to are one and the same thing, and that in this sense the inner work becomes 'physical' (ie, manifest in the measureable, commonly observable experience we refer to as reality). The physical phenomena we observe are simply the by-products of practical work taking place within the alchemist (the laboratory), an arguement supported in esoteric and mystical traditions where attention is often drawn to the dangers of persuing the container at the expense of the content. In my view this practical work consists mainly of the conscious manipulation by the alchemist of real chemical processes within him/her self in order to produce more highly refined chemicals which will, in turn, affect more refined (ie, more perfected) activities. To me the alchemical discipline lies in confining these enhanced activities to the achievement of perfection or union, initially within the laboratory but ultimately within the, then perfectly perceived, real world. I would welcome comment on this viewpoint -- John France Date: Sat, 22 Feb 97 20:30:50 UT From: Mike Dickman Jon Leaping into lab work - or anything else for that matter - should, in my experience, be done slowly and carefully - much (if I may put it this way?) as one might leap out of bed with a hangover... As to having had a purge-out experience already, good start... Keep looking for 'em... There's more in there than in all the rest put together (cf., e.g., Flamel 'Le Livre de Laveures' ('The Book of Rinsings') and the coniunctio-separatio series in the 'Crowning of Nature' on Adam's web-site). Poncé, as quoted in my own intro to the 'Cantilenae de Phoenice Redivivo' (also on the web-site for the nonce), contends that the alchemist's only real business is in the mine, hunting and extracting "lead", and then purifying it in the laboratory ('the place of work and prayer')... "Gold" is a gratifying result of all one's labour, perhaps, but, in the final analysis, ultimately useless UNLESS one knows how to multiply it ad infinitum, at which point, anyway, it is only put to work in the service and for the wellbeing of others... This, at any rate, is one view. Love, m Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 20:22:49 -0500 From: Kate Ryan My experience has only been with plants. These experiments have only been in producing herbals medicines so far. I have to say that the practical work, which was first with a group of people, which involved timing, commitment, equipment, communal chanting, prayers, drumming, etc was not only ego-freeing ( I was a child of the last of the Victorians), but produced results that actually helped and cured people who believe in me and love me. My next self discipline was to produce herbal medicines on my own with the aid of study, books and hope. As one teacher of Shiatsu I met says, you do it for yourself, and if you actually help someone, thats an added benefit. One again these were tried on myself, friends, family and one or two of the less faint-hearted strangers to my ways. These experiments produce:- commitment, involvement, trust, and responsibility. Consciousness a word I would not use but I find it difficult to replace, is all of the above. The medicine is nothing if the seeking and self involvement is not an integral part of this. I love the word used of refinement, because my fragile experiments involve the trial and error of refinement. I hold myself back from the chemical experiments with a multitude of excuses. Oh, I am too old, I dont have the equipment, I cant do that ( 100 times), and yet we can. I am sure that I am not alone, and that together we can at least start from a known point, like John's practical course, which is so generously on Adam's site for us. It is the overcoming of the known safety to reach into the unkown which actually is not so difficult. I am still not sure if it is laziness, the desire too live off other people's backs or what, but eventually one tires even of these excuses, and takes the dive into the water. There has to be a balance of the reading-dreaming, state, the emotional can I- can't I state, and the actual start of experimentation. When these are brought together, and I cannot talk of what I dont know, but of the pride that my medicines were used, and worked, then I can believe and trust that the refinement of the experiment, trial and error, together with the understanding of the experiment in the refinement of the thinking must achieve something. The word dicipline was used, and the discipline is of self. Here on Adam's site we have people who have been doing practical work for years, and yet they do not turn their backs on us. They have been at this place themselves, and still are, but on a higher turn of the spiral. This is what the practical work means to me at my plant level. With very best wishes, Kate Ryan Date: Sun, 23 Feb 97 13:45:42 UT From: Mike Dickman John (and Jon) My own attitude on this (and, again, I too invite comment) is very similar to yours, John, except for two or three details... The two main traditions I have worked in over the past 35-odd years (to wit, Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the ancient, Nyingma, school of Vajrayana (that is to say 'adamantine vehicle' - socalled 'tantric' Buddhism) and Dzogpa Chenpo ('Complete Perfection', the practice beyond practice at the very apex of all Tibetan schools), and Ch'uan-chen - i.e., 'Complete Truth' or 'Complete Reality' - Taoism) all have an alchemical section - an alchemical as it were "path" - as do manifestly many others, the one's leaping to mind without so much as stopping to think being, for example, Shaivatantra, Sufism, certain currents of Qabalah, and, of course, Hermetic Christianity... The point of this hinges on the word "path", and on the interpretation of what seem to be a chemical, but I suspect is - if not entirely, at least expressly - symbolic terminology... Much of the writings of Chang Po-tuan and Liu I-ming, which, unfortunately, I do not have in the original and would probably not be able to read if I did (although I am in the process of getting them, and am going to try!) revolve around exactly this question... Books I might suggest on the subject are Cleary's translations of "The Four Hundred Words on the Gold Elixir" ('The Inner Teachings of Taoism', Shambhala, 1986) and "Understanding Reality" ('Understanding Reality', University of Hawaii Press, 1987)... It has been suggested that Cleary be read with a pinch of salt; the point, then, is - much as one would with Crowly, but to a FAR lesser extent - to read him with a pinch of salt... What he is saying is absolutely fascinating. I would like to add a brief translation extracted from the writings of my own teacher here... It is taken from the rtsa gzhung (tsa shung, or 'root text') of the spu gri reg phung (Putri Rep'ung, 'The Razor-Sharp 'Kila' that Cuts at a Touch') [The Collected Works of H.H. bDud 'Joms Rin po che, Vol. BA (15), fols. 5-6, pp. 467-469]... For information's sake, the 'kila' or 'p'urba' mentioned in the text is a three-bladed or triangular "dagger" whose unbearably sharp point is the penetrating power of perfectly purified innate awareness, the three sides of the blade representing in their turn the threefold manifestation of this purity in the form of an outward expanding series of 'dimensions' of being, which, when realised and unified, constitute enlightenment.They are: (i) the dimension of pure reality, recognised as being the innate 'emptiness' of ultimate reality in any composite phenomenon, be this subjective or objective, this being considered the quintessence of the awareness, or 'mind' of a Buddha; (ii) the dimension of blissful enjoyment, the radiant expression of ever-arising phenomena, this being the nature of a Buddha's communicative faculty whether as expression or as understanding; and (iii) the all-encompassing expression of this understanding in the form of universal and unsolicited compassionate activity for the benefit of all sentient beings... A trifle 'technical', I admit: excuse me!... The translation... (my notes are numbered and in brackets) "... Fourthly, concerning the 'kila' of substances, he who weilds it is an individual of perfect lineage and powerful vehemence, like sandalwood (*1)... The 'kila' with which one strikes is of silver, gold, copper, iron, or of woods with analogous properties (*2), and is decorated with a head, beneath which there is a knot, a haft or 'waist' of one hand's breadth, after which there is a 'navel' comprising a knot and the head of a 'makara' sea-monster. The point is slightly rounded, square or semi-circular in shape, and it is three bladed (i.e., triangular), lustrous, brilliant and beautiful, sharp, nectareous and maddening, powerfully poisoning as it strikes... Its targets are the eight fears (*3), the six conditions of good fortune(*4), three necessities (*5) and seven degenerations (*6). "The method by which one strikes: in the citadel of the view of one who is in perfect union with reality (a 'yogin'), free of the least trace of contrived meditation and possessed of the very life force of the attitude of compassion, by the skilful means of visualising yourself as the meditation deity, the materials as the sons of the four families, and the target as really being there in reality, extract them as you would a string of jewels from the vast face of a lode of gemstones. "The sign of having hit is that one establishes profundity in one's ability to perform the four compassionate activities of pacifying, increasing, magnetising and subjugation (*7). The error of missing is that you are unable to reverse unfavorable circumstances and assemble conducive ones, or to tame and train those who are unruly, uncultivated and wild and therefore do not protect and spread the Buddhist teachings. The qualities stemming from correctly striking are that neither oneself nor others under one's protection can be harmed by the eight fears, that you possess the six aspects of good fortune and control over the three necessities, while at the same time cutting off the seven degenerations, thus realising what is meaningful for both yourself and others, and, freeing it and its holders from the defect of narrow-mindedness and lowly meanness, you become one who spreads the authentic Buddhist teachings..." The notes to this, then, are as follows: (1) Which, one will note, is not the most aggressive of perfumes... but it IS pretty all-pervading... (2) These metals and:or woods represent the Buddha families of (i) Vajra - 'Mirror-like Wisdom' - purified anger-hatred (ii) Jewel - 'Wisdom of Intrinsic Equal-Nature' - purified haughtiness- pride (iii) Lotus - 'Wisdom of Understanding Each Thing In and As Itself' - purified Desire (iv) Activity - 'Wisdom of the Accomplishment of Activity' - purified envy-jealousy The fifth - central - family is the visualised meditation-deity himself, and he represents the 'Buddha' family, the 'Wisdom of the Absolute Nature of the Expanse of Phenomena', and the purification of the 'root poison', ignorance, which very often masquerades under the guise of what is generally called "knowledge". (3) The eight fears are: fear which is like a lion, analogous to pride; fear which is like an elephant, analogous to ignorance; that which is like fire, analogous to hatred; that like a snake, analogous to jealousy; fear which is like a thief, analogous to wrong view; fear like one in iron chains, analogous to miserliness; fear like a raging river, analogous to desire; and fear which is like a cannibal, analogous to doubt. (4) The six situations of good fortune are extracted from the following ten: being a human; being born in a central (=civilised) country; having one's senses intact; being free of extremes of evil action; having faith in the teachings of liberation; and continuous compassion arising for the plight of others [these are said to stem from oneself; those that stem from others are:] the fact that a Buddha has appeared; that he has taught; that his teachings still flourish; that these teachings have followers. (5) A place to practice meditation; the leisure to do so; and the supplies necessary for protracted retreat (6) The seven degenerations are: degeneration of oneself (aging, stupidity, defilement, etc), of others (as friends, companions, guides, etc.), of the correct point of view (drifting into duality, eternalism, nihilism or unbelief), of moral discipline, conduct, livelihood and of life (in terms of its quality, accessibility and value) (7) Pacifying situations, attitudes and even beings that harm or bring harm, generating wealth and well-being for beings who have none, magnetising or attracting good fortune and vitality for those whose are flagging, and subduing through splendour those negative beings and situatiuons non-susceptible to more the other three gentler means. Okay! After this long squawk (it's now after 2:00; I've been at it since just after 10:00, but then I've always been a slow translator!), my point is: there's not much reference in all this "kila of substances" to anything WE would call substance, process, chemicals, chemical changes or laboratory... And yet, aside from some very rare transmutations of substances and a brief excursion into Rasayana, or exercises in extracting essences (living, for example, on flower- or metallic-essences), this IS the main road of what is dubbed 'alchemy' in Vajrayana Buddhism. Come to what conclusions you will. Respectfully, md. Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 22:18:10 -1000 From: Gary Whiting > From: John France > My own approach to alchemy is that the practical and the inner work you > refer to are one and the same thing, and that in this sense the inner > work becomes 'physical' (ie, manifest in the measureable, commonly > observable experience we refer to as reality). The physical phenomena we > observe are simply the by-products of practical work taking place within > the alchemist (the laboratory), an arguement supported in esoteric and > mystical traditions where attention is often drawn to the dangers of > persuing the container at the expense of the content. In my view this > practical work consists mainly of the conscious manipulation by the > alchemist of real chemical processes within him/her self in order to > produce more highly refined chemicals which will, in turn, affect more > refined (ie, more perfected) activities. As a psychologist who specializes in work with medically-referred patients, I agree with this viewpoint entirely. Most of these clients have stress-aggravated physical difficulties and are failing to "heal" (which our miraculous bodies know best how to do, sans prescription medications) because of countless uncharted biochemical/neurological factors that impede their immune response. I am trained in hypnosis, and in our initial work and use of session-made audiotapes a vas is formed around the massa confusa, which allows for a kind of self-calming that is very much of a piece with feeling "contained" (versus out-of-control). I have found that alchemical imagery does indeed allow for the kind of "tincturing" of inner strife that transmutes not only conscious experience, but measurable effects in the physical system. Using these observations as a springboard, I would like to again engage a topic that has so far gone unresponded to: if we are ourselves to do the "inner work" of alchemy, we must first seek out the lead, the prima materia. That means direct and unflinching confrontation of our own shadow, that part of us that is unseemly and chaotic and unbridled, which Jung has made clear is the "moral task" of the individual alchemical work. Depression, for example, or anxiety are therefore "harbingers" of the work, as are compulsive or obsessive behaviors (which is why Jung knew that alcoholics have first call on a "spiritual solution"--being of the solutio--and why he was so influential in the formation of AA......to acknowledge that you are "out of control" is to know that you must turn toward something higher that will inform your life). Given that these postings are devoted to the "inner work" of alchemy, I had expected more honest talk of what we do when we struggle, individually, with our own "massa confusa", the ways we are a mess, and how we shape this into the alchemical work. This of course is personal rather than scholarly, and this site seems to be almost entirely devoted to the latter. Which is fine,in a way, but I'm just so aware (as I said earlier) of how much the work involves solitariness, the stone as the "orphan's son"; how much of the motivation to do the work involves a dismay at how the world is "corrupt" and how much the panacea is needed. More than dismay: Freud and Jung (as psychiatrists) both became aware of the fact that there is something perverse and grotesque at the core of the human soul. Freud felt that it was civilization's task to contain, repress, inhibit this, but there it was, immutable; Jung knew, with the alchemists, that a spirit is trapped in this unseemly dark form, that instead of locking it up and turning away we must reach out to it and, consciously, help it find the light. Hard to do, given that the lead is poisonous and potentially overwhelming (ask any alcoholic or sex addict) but..."the pearl of great price is found in the dung heap, where few choose to look". Anyone else care to talk about this? Best wishes, Gary W. Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 16:01:09 -0500 (EST) From: Dan John, In a message dated 97-02-22 17:13:37 EST, you write: > My own approach to alchemy is that the practical and the inner work you > refer to are one and the same thing, and that in this sense the inner > work becomes 'physical' (ie, manifest in the measureable, commonly > observable experience we refer to as reality). The physical phenomena we > observe are simply the by-products of practical work taking place within > the alchemist (the laboratory), an arguement supported in esoteric and > mystical traditions where attention is often drawn to the dangers of > persuing the container at the expense of the content. In my view this > practical work consists mainly of the conscious manipulation by the > alchemist of real chemical processes within him/her self in order to > produce more highly refined chemicals which will, in turn, affect more > refined (ie, more perfected) activities. To me the alchemical discipline > lies in confining these enhanced activities to the achievement of > perfection or union, initially within the laboratory but ultimately > within the, then perfectly perceived, real world. Clearly, John, the laboratory of the alchemist is his own "body." Equally clearly, we must understand by this term something more inclusive than what modern science considers the body. The container of this work on one's vehicle is the human "aura," which is formed, in part, by the contents of the psyche. When we awaken our higher centers in the brain through exercise, the currents of the aura swirl around them, due to the established focus of vitality within them. Eventually, our habitual patterns of thought are influenced. In meditation, while our cognitive processes are quieted, we receive subtle impressions of the larger, but largely obscurred, "astral" world, which contains the "physical" world. This is not to say that external laboratory work has no validity; however, I have the organs and systems of the body(s) primarily in mind. When there is real commitment to a (notice the indefinite article: the process is archtypal and COMMON) work, the auric vessel forms. Within this environment, as the cognitive processes naturally draw upward the libido or prana (distillation), through chains of associations which, in this case, diverge widely from the limited sphere of the ego, the nascent higher centers accept this influx as nutriment. The process is not unlike the birth of a star, in which swirling gases concentrate at a point (remember, Kether is in Malkuth). When sufficient mass is achieved the fusion reaction results and radiation of solar energy (essence) ensues. This is analogous the the set of experiences most people will have as they unfold. After this, the higher center, specifically the ajna chakra, is self-feeding and secretes a fluid substance, the nectar,amriti, elixer, moon juice, which initiates other changes in our bodies. The process is generally quite slow; and we are "disadvantaged" because the work takes place on ourselves, as it is an open secret that "man" (the human body/personality) is the first matter and subject of our work. Nothing changes in the world, but our organ of perception is enhanced and we percieve the world anew in the brighter light radiating from our activated ajna chakra. This is the light that is not to be hidden under a bushel basket. But the work begins with manifestations of the four elements within our current world of perception, and our artful manipulation of same. Blessings, Dan Date: Wed, 26 Feb 97 21:55:59 UT From: Mike Dickman Gary In my reply to Jon Stevenson dated 22nd. Feb., it is exactly this latter consideration of yours that I evoke. The final cantilenae of Maier's "Cantilenae Intelectuales de Phonice Redivivo" very clearly drive at just this point as well as it's correlative, the problem of "fool's gold"... I, for one, should be very pleased to take this up with you; Respectfully, md |