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Alchemy texts archives - Alchemical tradition in SpainBack to Alchemy texts archive.Date: Sun, 06 Apr 1997 From: Maria Thank you very much for the information about Kybalion (to Noel, George, Michal, Dan...). It is my understanding that this message will contribute to the discussion but in an indirect way. The subject of it is mainly the alchemic and esoteric tradition in Spain, unfortunately most references only available in Spanish. Most of the data I submit come from the book: Gargoris y Habidis: Una historia magica de Espana (1985), by Sanchez-Drago, Fernando, Ed. Planeta, Barcelona (Spain). The book is an essay about the unofficial history of Spain that won a National Prize of Literature. Other references (I am sorry, some of them still incomplete- working on it): - Selected works of Ramon Llull (1213-1316) by Llull, Ramon; other author Bonner, Anthony. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, (1985). - The defence of age, and recouery of youth, by Arnaldus de Villanova, d. 1311; other author Drummond, Jonas. Publisher, London, imprinted by Robert Wyer. The University of Arizona Library, Main Library Micro-Film 420 1739:62 - The Zohar in Moslem $ Christian Spain, by Bension, Ariel. Hermon Press, New York (1974). - Escritos condenados por la Inquisicion, by Arnaldus de Villanova; other author Canovas, Elena. Biblioteca de visionarios, heterodoxos y marginados; 2a ser., 10, Madrid: Editora Nacional (1976). - Armesto, Victoria (1971), Galicia Feudal, 2th edicion, Vigo (Espana). - Menendez y Pelayo (1965), Historia de los heterodoxos espanoles, Madrid. - Fuente, Vicente de la,(?) Historia de las sociedades secretas y modernas en Espana y especialmente de la francmasoneria, 3 vol. - Finally I have a reference of a large anonymous book about alchemy of which exist two exemplars at least, one in the National Library in Madrid (La Biblioteca Nacional) and other in the University of Granada Library, the title is "Libro de la Celidonia por separacion de elementos" something like The book of Celidonia by separation of elements'?. The title doesn't make any sense to me in Spanish neither. Now I want to share whith you an interesting (and controversial) theme about the alchemic and esoteric implications of the St. James of Compostela Route. Starting in France it crosses throughout the north of Spain and ends in Santiago de Compostela city (NW corner of Iberian Peninsula). It is full of alchemic symbols everywhere: the stonemason marks carved in the walls of dozens of Romanic churches along the Route that are similar to those used by Egypt, Caldeos and Greek architects; the very staff that the sculpture of St. James holds (since AD 1188) has the form of the letter "tau", the symbol of the pilgrims is the shell that it is too (meanliness coincidence?) the symbol of Venus and believe it or not the gargoyles and sculptures that cover a lot of Romanic churches walls are a very alive summary of "Kamasutra teachings", bestialism, sodomy, obscenities in other words (again the spiny theme). It is said that the purpose was to show to people what not to do, the absurdity of this theory doesn't deserve further discussion. It is well known that during the Middle Ages it was a spiritual route as well as a sort of initiatic path. It is said that important alchemists traveled across it: Nicholas Flamel, Raimundo Lulio, Jacques Coeur, Basile Valentin. Officially the Apostle St. James the Great is buried in the cathedral of that city: "In AD 813 a tomb discovered at nearby Padron (small town close to Santiago de Compostela) was said to have been supernaturally revealed to be that of the apostle St. James the Great martyred at Jerusalem in about AD44, the town that grew up around the tomb became the most important Christian place of peregrination after Jerusalem and Rome during the Middle Ages: (The New Encyclopaedia Britannica- Micropaedia,Vo 9,-Santiago de Compostela). But (here come the most interesting) there are strong pieces of evidence, as well as traditions and legends that let suspects that a very different person is or was buried originally there. In fact it was never an agreement in Spain about who was venerated there, almost every Spanish Historian have doubted in some way about the veracity of the official version. Tired of speculations the archbishop of Compostela ordered archaeological excavations in 1879 that found, surprise! some rests, without name of course. Only after this the Pope Leon XIII confirmed officially the veracity of the legend. The archeology has showed that a paleochristian village existed in Santiago de Compostela well before the 8th century, where someone tomb was worshiped. What kind of magnetism made to surge the third Christian religious city in importance (after Rome and Jerusalem) from a small celtic settlement of secondary category?- Sanchez Drago, 1985). It is probably too, that the St James Route followed ancient celtic migratory paths that conducted to the end of the known world at that time: "finisterre" called by the Romans, beyond that point started the land of the deaths. "It is a strange peregrination what you are doing because as you travel toward the west you are approaching the cult to the deaths" (Walter Starkie, "The Route of St. James). There are reasons to suspect that maybe who is buried there is Priscillian, bishop of Spain and initiator of what was called later Priscillianism heresy: "Priscillian (b. 340, Spain- d. 385, Trier, Belgium, Gaul). Early Christian bishop who was the FIRST HERETIC to receive capital punishment. He founded Priscillianism, an unorthodox doctrine that persisted into the 6th century. Priscilian was condemned in 384 by a synod at Bordeaux, he was judged guilty of SORCERY and IMMORALITY and was executed"- The New Encyclopaedia Britannica- It is a historic data that four years later a group of Priscillian followers traveled to Trier to recover the corpse (he had been decapitated) and to take him back to Spain, following in France the route that would be later the French reach of the St. James Route, the procession stopped in Paris, Orleans, Tours and Bordeaux, later in the South of France disappears the traces. They probably embarked towards Priscillian natal land ("Iria Flavia", ancient name of Padron where the legend says Santiago tomb was discovered a few hundred years later. Doesn't say the legend that (coincidence?) the corpse of St. James the Great arrived to Padron decapitated and in a boat?. Priscillian writings and his defence during the trial sound to me pure hermetic, the concepts are amazingly similars to that expressed in The Kybalion (of course I am not the first to consider hermetics the teaching of Priscillian). He said during the trial that the substance of God participates in plants, rocks and animals, that everything is borned on God`s bosom by conjunction of the male and female principles. In his Hymn to Jesus Christ he wrote: "I am a lamp for you that look at me, I am a door for you that knock at it, you see what I do, don't tell anybody. The word deceited to everybody but I was not completely deceited". His disciple Dictinio proposed an ethic bassed in the Hermetic principle that the truth should be reveled only to those that accep it IN ADVANCE. Priscillian confessed to have practiced magic in his youth, but not any more after his conversion to Christianism. Officially he was accused of consecrating the harvests to the sun and the moon and of throwing a curse against those that would try to damage them. Under torture he confessed three infamies: witchcraft, nocturnal prayers in necked promiscuity with women and intercourses practiced after the liturgical ceremonies. We'll never know the truth taken in account the circumstances of such confession. He could have been initiated to esoteric tradition when he was a student at Bordeaux. His followers went relatively tranquils to the trial, neither of them thought that when the master returns to Spain it would be death. Never in the young history of the Christian church someone had been killed by theologic or ideologic reasons. Priscillian was descendent of a wealthy family, born in the area of Spain (NW corner-Galicia-) with strongest celtic influences (music, folklore in general, population), he probably practiced Christian religion mixed with older pre-Christians practices, that explains why the heresy extended so quick. I hope this data will be useful in the task of following the track of hermetic concepts and biographies of writers. From: calhhh Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 Maria : Regarding Spanish alchemy, you may also want to verify the following address and contact their forum : http://ametista.dgi.inpe.br/aiies Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 From: Maria > From: calhhh > Regarding Spanish alchemy, you may also want to verify the following > address and contact their forum : > http://ametista.dgi.inpe.br/aiies The address really is functioning, information in Spanish about alchemy. Thanks! I have taken only a quick look, interesting but the quality is inferior to Alchemy Web site, in my opinion at least. From: ccalhhh Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 >From: Maria >The address really is functioning, information in Spanish about >alchemy. Thanks! I have taken only a quick look, interesting but the >quality is inferior to Alchemy Web site, in my opinion at least. Dear Maria : My previous reference was not intended in to suggest that the given address was in any way, shape or form "better" than the Alchemy Web Site. Adam's McLean site is without a doubt the most complete alchemical site to my knowledge in terms of the resources available and the services it provides. However, ALCHEMY in my opinion is in many ways a Beautiful Labyrinth, and sometimes in the humblest of corners of its path, there is Truth to be found. When I suggested this site, I specifically proposed to you to contact the FORUM since in it, there are already participating members of 14 different countries, many of them from Spain, and among them I have even seen messages of lovers of the art, that truly are scholars with regard to Spanish Alchemy, in which I thought you were interested. The frequency of participation is quite less active that Mr. Mclean's Forum, but so far I have never seen any message attacking anyone's views or being disrespectful to any other participants. Certainly in that site, there are no gurus, nor magical solutions for inmediate knowledge. I have the greatest opinion of not only this forum and Mr. McLean's web site, but truly and sincerely admire the extremely hard work, profound knowledge, and almost apostolic service that Adam has and continues to contribute to all of us that so cherished with passion this Sacred Art. So in order to put everything in perspective, my suggestion was only a means of providing not, an alternate way, but a complimentary one, specially for those that spoke spanish, given that many of them for language limitations can not make use of the treasures found on this site. Best Regards, ORCIS Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 From: Michal Pober Dear Maria, you wrote: >Now I want to share whith you an interesting (and controversial) >theme about the alchemic and esoteric implications of the St. James of >Compostela Route. Starting in France it crosses throughout the north of >Spain and ends in Santiago de Compostela city (NW corner of Iberian >Peninsula). and much more that was truly fascinating!! i have been interested in the idea of pilgrimage for some years; one inspiring book was was "longing for darkness" by china gailland [sp?] which sought to connect the tibetan buddhist goddess tara with the black madonna. part of the text described an annual pilgrimage to jasna gora in poland, a monastery where a picture of the black madonna is the most revered icon in poland [and that means pretty well revered!] i recently met someone who had made the santiago da compostela pilgrimage and had already been forming a strong desire to do likewise, before knowing any of the information which you shared. now my interest is redoubled (at least!) and it has even become a serious practical possibility that i could find the time and energy for an undertaking of this kind. if you or any other member has easy access to more information, both of the kind which you have already elaborated and also nuts and bolts info. about routes and so on i would really appreciate it. if its information that is outside the scope of interest of the forum i can be reached by e-mail at: michal@terminal.cz thank you! in exchange i'll keep you posted along the way about significant discoveries and experiences.. ps i would envision a departure date at the earliest the beginning of october, and obviously seasonal factors would be relevant. perhaps next spring would be more sensible. perhaps there is a traditional time to make the journey also? Michal Pober From: calhhh Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 Dear Maria E. Castro de Moux and other forum members : Within the context of the increasing interest in Alchemy as evident in many countries, there certainly are many new SPANISH written books being published on alchemical matters. For example, EDITORIAL INDIGO have just published : - LA TURBA DE LOS FILOSOFOS - AURORA CONSURGENS - EL JARDIN DE LAS RIQUEZAS (George Aurach) - INSTRUCCION DE UN PADRE A SU HIJO ACERCA DEL ARBOL SOLAR Given that the name and addresses of spanish editorials may be of interest only to a few members of this mailinglist, I will be glad to be of help by supplying this data to anyone who would contact me directly. Also, spanish speaking people may visit AIIES Home page at http://ametista.dgi.inpe.br/aiies where some alchemical material is available on line. Also may subscribe to an alchemical forum that runs indistinctly on spanish and portuguese by sending a message to forumalq@bambam.dgi.inpe.br writing on the area of " Subject :" the word SUBSCRIBE Just as a matter of record, I will also like to say that this message is in no way a commercial anouncement, since the internet references mentioned are not commercial endeavors nor offer any material nor service for sale whatsoever, nor I am personally related in any way to any editorial or publishing business of any kind. Given however that spanish alchemical material is not as widely available as english or french material, it is my pleasure to be able to assist others on their search. Best Regards to all, Orcis Date: Mon, 19 May 97 From: Maria Moux Following are the last books that I bought in Spain on alchemy: 1) de Luanco, José Ramón. La alquimia en España. Escritos inéditos, noticias y apuntamientos que pueden servir para la historia de los adeptos españoles. Barcelona: Ediciones Obelisco, 1995. ISBN 84-7720-418-7. Luanco was a contemporary of Menendez Pelayo. It includes information on alchemy and alchemists in Spain, plus the following texts edited from manuscripts and out of print editions. Contents of original works: Letter of the 20 Cordoban sages to D. Enrique de Villena (possibly from the 17th century. Anonymous.). From an anonymous Catalan ms, in parchment, dated 1687, contains alchemical procedures. No title. Letters from the King of Aragon Pedro IV (15th century) to his son Juan I, discusing alchemy. Letters from Juan I (15th Century) of Aragon paying Jaime Lustrach for alchemical services. Stanzas on alchemy by don Luis de Centelles. Several chapters providing information on Spanish alchemists. 2) García Font, Juan, Historia de la alquimia en España. Barcelona: MRA, 1995. ISBN: 84-8865-04-X. A History of alchemy in Spain. Well researched. Links to philosophy, theology and science. Cordially, María E. Castro de Moux |