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Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon IITranslated by Mike Brenner. Copyright Mike Brenner 1997. Permission given to freely copy this, as long as this copyright remains attached.Back to Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon. EXPLANATION OF FIGURE 2 This fire breathing dragon is Hermes' little bird, flying here from the North. It is a celestial creation, consisting of fire and air. Its fire-breathing mouth, therefore, has the power to (1) warm the cold chaotic water, (2) transmute it into a virgin earth, and finally (3) transmute it into a fire-resistant liquid-wax Stone, which is why the Stone is called a Tincture. The dragon wings have 7 indentations, to indicate the seven steps Eleazer said are needed to chop off those wings (after Eleazer's meaning). The first three steps involve progressing the dragon gently and without corrosion through the 3 worlds in turn: the Mundane (solid), the Paradisiacal (liquid), and the Celestial (gaseous). The fourth step represents passing through frequent barriers in the distant islands of the philosophers where the dragon eats himself so full of Earth, that he can no longer fly, as if he wanted to melt everything solid into liquid. In the fifth stage he becomes a prisoner of Saturn's scythe. In the sixth stage, everything turns around, liquid becoming solid again ----- PARAGRAPH 2 If the sublime wisdom of the universe, Prized about all else, Had opened up clearly, As told by Philaleth; and If my mother, Nature, hadn't grayed My colorful Mercury; and If my fiery life were revealed; Then there would be as many Adepts, As there are Sophists now. But God wills The greedy world not to Grasp my nature or Discover my Mercury. So I am only known to those Who God sends to my Master. Who explains everything clearly, And reveals my figure: What to make out of the poisonous dragon, And my solid red brother. EXPLANATION OF PARAGRAPH 2 Physically, mentally, and emotionally turn to the Kingdom in your heart. Only then can you truly understand our overall mother, Nature. Only then can you comprehend the Mercurial Spirit hidden deeply in her innards, which gives life, seed, and soul to all 3 kingdoms. If the innumerable modern pseudo-Adepts would just recognize this, then the world would be full of true masters. But it is hidden from their mundane eyes, that can perceive only the tranistory, that is, physically manifested things like minerals and metals. The One Substance escapes them. They do not recognize the seed and germ of all metals, where the glowing Mercury of nature lies hidden, the seed which the south-wind provides in shining gray, viscous liquid form. Why? Because greedy, self important people, seeking only to satisfy their cravings, are fated to lose this Treasure which the God of Gods gives only to those in tune with nature, seeking with the heart of a child. And only these, not the thousands of sophisticated manipulators, know what to make of this poisonous Mercurial dragon and his accompanying liquid Sulphur and viscous Earth. ----- CANON 2 My species gives me a grey belly, but I'm neither male nor female. Rather, I have both genders. My flesh and blood prove it. My blood is male, my flesh female. The power of both is spiritual. I have both male and female organs. So people call me a hermaphrodite. My treasure is the Earth Element, where there are minerals, metals, and such. Yet I'm nothing that you may suppose. I am One Substance by my nature. In my metal form I am simultaneously hot and cold, wet and dry. EXPLANATION OF THE CANON 2 Here the author points out that the One Substance, is a viscous, gray, hermaphroditic liquid. Its passive, feminine characteristic comes from its liquid state and spirit of Mercury. Its active, masculine characteristic comes from its solid state and spirit of fiery Sulphur. In other words, physically it is Water and earth, but spiritually it is Mercury and Sulphur. The author's second paragraph shows the Substance born in the center of the Earth and brought forth by the South-Wind. The author empowers us with clear words: It is neither mineral nor metal. It is an essence or substance with equal proportions of the characteristics of the 4 elements. Now what can sophists and vain seekers after this mystery say about this atomic Substance, which has a hermaphrodite spirit and body, yet is neither a mineral nor a metal? All their misconceptions are swept away: there is no antimony, vitriol, saltpeter, salt, quicksilver, sulphur, gold, silver, nor other metalic compounds. One Substance only is needed. It encompasses all wisdom. Nature consituted It. The wise use It. Discover it and recognize Its esoteric secrets, lest, in all your science, you completely miss the target. If you have problems understanding these alchemical texts, Adam McLean now provides a study course entitled How to read alchemical texts : a guide for the perplexed. |