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Alchemy Forum 1501-1532From January 25th 1996, the Alchemy forum was restructured and the messages were sequentially numbered. This is an unedited extract of messages 1501-1532.Back to forum archive. Subject: 1501 Serpents Date: Fri, 02 Aug 1996 13:39:01 -0500 From: Logodox >From: et7 >For some private research I am doing, can anyone find links between >serpents and alchemy? Of course there is the Tantric Serpent Power, but >I was thinking of something more abstract? Or from any other >occult tradition? > >$ita The Auroboros (Ouroboros) spelling ? The serpent biting its tail is a common "hieroglyph" or symbol in alchemical drawings. IMHO it represents the functioning of the Prima Materia. Considering the Prima Materia to be the Universal Being (Being: active/passive, action and thing at same time) devouring or circling back upon itself. One of the Ancient Greeks created his Philosophical foundation on this in writing that the "ONE" universal BEING strives to reproduce itself into many (material) forms. Of course, cycles exist thruout nature and Man has patterned many of his metrics on this. This symbol is illustrating something so vastly general and many times removed from the material plane that it is difficult not to ramble in an analysis of its meaning... Some middle-ages alchemical pictures show may serpents emerging from various points in a field or even concentrated in their outflowing from a central source. IMHO this is showing a "fountain" out of which forces or "states" of energy are flowing. Of particular mention of this idea is Jacob Boehme's "Aurora, or Day Star of the Morning" title (roughly) which speaks of a Fountain of 7 Qualities flowing (At once and together) from a central point from the "UnGrund" (the Abyss or state-of-being which is inconceivable). Oddly to me, he describes these 7 qualities as e.g bitter, astringent, etc. in such a way as cause me great difficulty in conceptualizing them. Surely, missed possibly more important meanings of "serpent" symbolism... Best, [email protected] Subject: 1502 Dom Pernety and the Iluminatti of Avignon Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 01:45:56 GMT From: trjorda Could anybody send me information of this Operative Group and their teachings? I am a beginner, interested in Alchemy and its spiritual aspect. I have got a book called Secret Alchemical Ritual of the True Ma�on Academic, from this author and I found it very interesting. The Ritual mentions Metraton, the Intelligence Ruler of the Metals. So it suggests that there is a being in Nature responsible for metal transmutation in Nature and in the man. I would like to understand better this subject. Best wishes TRJ Subject: 1503 A Virtual Goldmine ! From: John Chas Webb Date: Fri, 2 Aug 1996 11:56:56 -1000 Greetings! The article which follows is addressed to the description of John Dee as "a secret agent of the Queen". If you can visualize a group of children in a classroom setting with their hands clasped firmly over their mouths attempting to contain an avalanche of giggles, then this imagery paints a clear picture of the spirit out of which this writing emerges ! To fully appreciate what is about to be revealed it is suggested that you familiarize yourself with the various contributions to the forum regarding the "master work" of John Dee and Edward Kelley. Also, Donald Tyson's article (GNOSIS Magazine #40, summer 1996) about these two characters, (Dee and Kelley), paves a path to understanding why some commentators described john Dee as "a secret agent of the Queen". O.K., here we go ! Edward Kelley, like any typical "underworld figure", uses many names. He is known as Edward Talbot, Edward Kelly and Edward Kelley (can you just visualize the "wanted poster" !) Anyhow, Kelley, the son of an apothecary (premonitions of Kelley the alchemist), who has just had his ears removed as punishment for fraud, finds two spheres each containing a red and white powder. An encripted script accompanys the spheres which Kelley, now also a graverobber, finds near the head of a buried monk. Kelley claims that he purchased these articles from an innkeeper who received them from other graverobbers, however, the earless Kelley is hardly presented as a pillar of truth and his account of finding the articles must be taken with a grain of salt. Now, it should be noted that some commentators say he had only the red powder. Nevertheless, the literary images utilized in "the whole of the telling" reveal that Kelley had "some important part" necessary for the beginning of The Great Work and the discovering of the philosopher's stone. Kelley immediately "sees gold", with which to line his pockets, and then makes a "bee-line" to the front door of John Dee who has an alchemical library. Kelley, who hopes to manufacture more of the red powder, agrees to serve as Dee's "seer" so he (Kelley) can have access to Dee's manuscripts which, he hopes, will facilitate the completion of his scheme. John Dee is an astronomer, cartographer and private astrologer to Her Majesty (Maje, magic, magician) Queen Elizabeth. The Queen, like Dee, is subtly presented as a figure who is possessed of the secrets of Alchemy. Dee has the secrets in the form of writings (his library) while The Queen utilizes the secrets as arcane knowledge (idea) expressed as royalty (physical manifestation) ! In keeping with his station, John Dee is a noble and holy (whole) man who serves his queen with the same fervor with which he serves God. In fact, one type of service is an expression of the other. At this point it can be revealed that John Dee represents "the white powder" (the ash which remains after complete and perfect burning - see also: the ASHmole archives which is another whole laugh riot !) In addition to Dee representing the white powder he also, like The Queen, is a keeper of the secrets regarding The Philosopher's Stone (the library). In the "chain of command" or royal protocol Kelley's access to the Queen (manifest royalty) had to be through Dee. In other words, Kelley had to transmute his red powder by feeding it (mixing) to the white powder. The whole tale is a masterpiece which depicts NOT THE SEEKING BUT THE ACTUAL POSSESSION OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE !!! Kelley (as a perfect paradox) represents the mortal "will" which, as a symbol of the masculine/Mars energy/Red Powder MUST be mixed with its opposite to produce an Alchemical TRANSMUTATION. Kelley's "placing himself in the service of Dee" is a symbol of surrendering one's personal will to the will of a higher (more noble) power. Alchemically, as the RED POWDER (fire) is gradually fed into the water it is transmuted into "WHITE POWDER" or ASH. However, there is something MISSING ! So far the tale reveals the mixing of opposites, the Alchemical miracle of mixing fire with water to create steam or SPIRIT. It is at this point in the story that we are led [ LEAD :) ] to the TRUE IDENTITY OF JOHN DEE ! Kelley, could not go directly to The Queen (royalty) with his red powder. He had to employ an interveening "agent" !!! What is this "SECRET AGENT"? WELL !!! ARE YA READY ? The Queen is a symbol of The High Priestess. The High Priestess is designated as #2 in A.E. Waite's Alchemical Tarot deck (Rider-Waite). She sits between the pillars representing the pairs of opposites and her element is WATER and her additional attributes are revealed by The Moon. (NOTE: The Moon is a magic act/illusion/appears to have light but it is light reflected from the Sun/is ever changing/ and has a side which we cannot "see"). She represents the sub-conscious, the memory, the unknown, the feeling (non-rational) feminine side of the MAGUS/ALCHEMIST. You enter her NOT by an act of personal will but by an act of surrender. In other words, you enter the mystery of the High Priestess by ADAPTATION (SEE ALSO, THE EMERALD TABLET regarding ADAPTATION). As one enters the YIN "her scroll" (manuscript/encrypted writing) begins to unfold. (The High Priestess holds a scroll which contains "THE LAW"). The Law which is then revealed as the process of surrender continues. The Law has its roots in PERFECT JUSTICE and PERFECT KNOWLEDGE. So where does John Dee fit in to this ? Am I gonna deliver the goods as promised and reveal how John Dee was "a secret agent of the Queen"? Of course ! JOHN DEE REPRESENTS THE QUEEN'S EXECUTIONER ! (The executioner ALWAYS wears a mask- a 'secret agent' of The Queen). John Dee is the "executioner" who "placed" Edward Kelley in the posture of A.E.Waite's #12 ! The Hanged Man. This "posture" also is paradoxically entered into voluntarily. The nature of this "posture" is surrender/reversal. Kelley "submitted" to the dictates of John Dee who possessed the Alchemical Knowledge and who, doubtlessly, would introduce Kelley to THE QUEEN. (NOTE: Kelley did then begin to appear in royal social circles after his contact with JOHN DEE). SO WHO AND WHAT WAS JOHN DEE? John Dee was (is) a MASTER ALCHEMIST who embraced Edward Kelley as his student and whose immediate duty was to EXECUTE KELLEY by demanding that Kelley surrender his personal will to the will of a higher power. As each part of Kelley went into DISOLUTION he was drawn closer to royalty and to the divine presences (GOLD). Master John Dee was (like Virgil was to Dante) Kelley's guide through Kelley's personal "underworld" (Please See, Jung and the machinations of the sub-conscious, generally). Dee transformed Kelley from a "rogue" with a "fraudulent treasure map" into a "surrendered being" who moved in Royal Circles (astrology!) and who, ultimately, made contact with the angelic presences. So ! How can YOU do it? Follow the advice of John Dee: Invocation proceeds out of the good will of man, and from the passion and fervency of his spirit he makes contact with the One from whom issues forth all of the diverse forms. Whether these diverse forms issue forth from the mind or from the spirit can only be known by knowing your own soul. Devotion ("Ave") must first dwell in the soul of man before these secrets are revealed. . .* The quotation above is my own interpretation of a small portion of John Dee's writings which are reproduced in the issue of Gnosis mentioned earlier. The Gnosis article also includes all appropriate references to SIGHTED works. With my very best wishes, John Charles Webb [email protected] Subject: 1504 Alchemy today: Coleman / Quantum paradox / UFT From: [email protected] (Ros Bangham) Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 01:45:56 GMT >From: Heileson, Thomas >>When the attributes of things are generated not by things themselves but by >>our perception, we should be able to manipulate these attributes, change >>them etc. >* I am reminded here of concepts voiced/written by Jaz Coleman of the music >group Killing Joke, the idea of "creating one's own reality" which, with >Coleman, was/is linked to a cosmology of other ideas (Numerology, Crowley, >etc.). I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with Coleman's >philosophies; I've discussed him briefly with one listmember, but thought >I'd throw the subject out there. >Thom S. Heileson Hi, Creating your own reality is the (main) theme of the Seth books from Jane Roberts. The Nature of Personal Reality was published in 1974. Regards Ros Subject: 1505 A Virtual Goldmine ! Date: Sat, 03 Aug 1996 06:18:36 -0500 From: Logodox >From: John Chas Webb > Dee, Kelley & Etc. Have enjoyed Your very highly enlightened posts for weeks now! Would You be able to use conceptualizations involving states of energy and or forces in Your descriptions ? Would help to enlighten this writer for sure. Can You present a summary opinion of Plotinus? Mary Anne Atwood, Anna Kingsford, Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, Golden Dawn, Crowley ? Highest regard for Your excellent posts! Best, [email protected] Subject: 1506 A Virtual Goldmine ! Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 10:22:06 -0700 From: Clay Holden As John Dee writes at the top of the title page of his "Monas Hieroglyphica": "QUI NON INTELLIGIT, AUT TACEAT, AUT DISCAT." ("He who does not understand should either be silent or learn.") - Clay Clay Holden Subject: 1507 Franz Bardon From: [email protected] Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 05:24:28 0000 This is my first post to the Alchemy Forum, which I discovered quite by suprise, a few days ago. For some years now, I have been interested in the writings of "Franz Bardon", and wondered if I might find a reference to his works, via a search by Alta Vista. It was very exciting to suddenly find articles refering to "Franz Bardon", within this forum; especially in the light of the subject matter being spagyrical alchemy. I purchased the works of "Franz Bardon" many years ago; feeling particularly drawn to their titles in a book list, without knowing why. These books made a deep and lasting impression on me. I was fairly young when I first read them, and liked the theoretical clarity which they brought to bear on certain phenomena that I wished to understand. Unfortunately, I found the practical exercises very difficult at the time, and after some months, put them aside. About 19 years old at the time, I had great difficulty trying to master the "watching your thoughts" exercise, because sooner or later I would lose myself some of them. : ) Not wishing to proceed to more advanced exercises without having mastered the previous ones, I decided to wait for another time, where perhaps my physical surroundings would be more conducive. Some years earlier at around 16 years of age, I remember being similarly drawn to a book by "Rudolph Steiner" called "Theosophy", feeling that it contained real insight. To me, this book seemed almost impenetrable, but when I later returned to it, I found that I could actually understand it. By analogy, I figured that maybe one day, I would also be able to return to the practical exercises in "Franz Bardons" book, "Initiation Into Hermetics". A few weeks ago, I realized that I seemed to have aquired the capacity to observe my thoughts quite naturally, as a result of a subtle change over a period of years. Somewhat excited by this, I thought that this would be a great time to return to those earlier exercises. Over the years, I have listened out carefully for anyone who had experience of the instruction given by "Franz Bardon", but I have never heard anything. I have often searched on the Internet too, but with no success. It was so suprising then, to sit down at the PC, with my renewed enthusiasm, and suddenly turn up a number of hits. The air was electric as I came across the articles by "Beat Krummenacher" and "Rawn Clark" in this alchemy forum. I could hardly believe it ! I would like to express my sincerest thanks to both these contributors, for bringing "Initiation Into Hermetics" alive for me. I find myself wishing that I had continued my efforts all those years ago. Of all the things that I read in the books by "Franz Bardon", it was the references to spagyrical alchemy, that most captivated me. I later aquired some writings of "Parcelsus", and the work of "Frater Albertus". It seems then to be most appropriate, that I first hear of "Franz Bardon" in this forum. The book on spagyrical alchemy by "Beat", is entirely new to me, and I look forward to reading it. If I may, I have one question that has repeatedly occurred to me over the years, that I would like to ask ... Could anyone clarify for me, the relationship between the four ethers of "Rudolph Steiner", and the four elements in the sense of "Franz Bardon" ? >From Anthroposophical works, I had come to associate the ethers with the four physical elements as follows: Warmth Ether / Fire Element Light Ether / Air Element Chemical Ether / Water Element Life Ether / Earth Element However, I have recently read that the earth element of alchemical tradition, is said to be identical to chemical ether, when applied to the vital body. This was stated by the Rosicrucian author "Max Heindel". This would seem to be in conflict with the qualitative descriptions of these to forces as I have come to understand them ? Thanks, Simon R Knight. Subject: 1508 Dualism Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 23:53:20 -0400 From: Rawn Clark Several days ago someone asked how central a strict dualism is to the alchemists on the forum. Here are my two cents worth on the subject. ;) ***************************************************************** Perceiver --> filter of personal bias --> essential universe. Over-simplified, these are the players in human perception. It is at the level of the filter of personal bias that we "create our own universe". This universe is illusory in that it is composed of and determined by our reactions to what we perceive of the essential universe *through our filter of personal bias* (a reaction to a reaction). It is conversely real in that we experience it and are changed by it. It is self-perpetuating and its relevance to the essential universe varies from individual to individual. Perception through the filter of personal bias produces a polarized vision of the universe. This places us in contention with the essential universe as we try to supercede it with our self-created universe. Relfecting the subconscious binary-logic of the ego's most rudimentary self-defining, we end up experiencing the universe as divided into 'self' and 'other'. The pole of 'other' however, is completely referenced to 'self' and is not a perception of the essential universe...again, it is both illusory and real, a reaction to a reaction. In a path of self-realization, an esential first-step is a scrutiny of one's filter of bias. Only when this filter is known and then set aside, is there a perception of the essential universe itself. Up until then, perception is completely self-involved, revealing more about one's own psyche than the universe. Direct perception of the essential universe is the opposite of "creating our own universe". At the level of the filter of bias, we are separated/separating from the essential universe; but when this filter is set aside, we find ourselves to be within and a part of the essential universe. This shift in perspective allows one to see that 'other' *is* 'self'. In my opinion, this is the level of perception which alchemy and hermetic philosophy speak to. And while both can be tortured into alignment with a strict dualist philosophy, I think doing so discolors the profound treasure they offer. Best to you, :) Rawn Clark 3 Aug 96 Subject: 1509 Surrealism and alchemy Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 14:50:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Josh Apologies for responding so late to this fascinating thread... I wrote a reply but seem to have posted it to a disused listserv. Reaching back even before the surrealists, one would have to give attention to Alfred Jarry's 'pataphysics, the "science of exceptions." More playful and less obviously hermetic than surrealist "science," 'pataphysics certainly seems an early & influential attempt at using scientific means to transcend scientific thought... >The magazine, Analagon, issue 10 (1993) is devoted to this combination, and >features a summary in French of the roots of Bohemian cabbalist thought >and its recent influence on the surrealist group, creating a unique >perspective. (80 pages in Czech). William, what in the world would it take to get an English translation of these 80 pages??? >With respect to Andre Breton, there is, of course, his work Arkan 17 and >Communicating Vessels -- two works that use Alchemical imagery. Breton & colleagues gave some attention to the "surrealist object," in an attempt to establish a "physics of poetry." Objects which are used out of mere *habit* engender an unimaginative mind which increasingly invades the world of human feeling (what would they have made of computers, I wonder??). To overcome this repetitive nature of the objective realm, the "surrealist object" is created by juxtaposing things and images to create a "field of force" in the imagination, liberating the objects from their known lives and returning them to "an uninterrupted succession of *latencies* which are not peculiar to it and which invoke its transformation." (P Waldberg) Further, "the conventional value of this object disappears behind its representational value, which... [emphasizes] its picturesque side, its evocative power." (Breton) The language may be unfamiliar, but I think this is a tremendously fertile beginning for a new alchemical physics..... Does it strike anyone else as such? It would be very interesting to know what alchemical & surrealist cross-fertilizations occurred during Breton & Eluard's pilgrimage to Prague in 1935. /jcs Subject: 1510 Gerhart Dorn Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 19:33:44 -0400 From: Jeffrey I am trying to locate the names of the works of G. Dorn, and to find out if any have been translated into English and finally where they might be purchaed. Can anybody help? Thanks-Jeff Subject: 1511 Dom Pernety and the Iluminatti of Avignon Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 16:55:15 -0700 From: Clay Holden trjorda (TRJ) wrote: >Could anybody send me information of this Operative Group and their teachings? >I am a beginner, interested in Alchemy and its spiritual aspect. >I have got a book called Secret Alchemical Ritual of the True Ma�on >Academic, from this author and I found it very interesting. The Ritual >mentions Metraton, the Intelligence Ruler of the Metals. So it suggests that >there is a being in Nature responsible for metal transmutation in Nature and >in the man. >I would like to understand better this subject. Nothing specific on this group, but traditionally, Metatron is considered to be the Archangel of Kether, the first Sephira on the Tree of Life. The spelling of his name varies (and he is credited with having as many as 105 names), but it is the same intelligence. Also, tradition (see "3 Enoch: The Hebrew Book of Enoch" and elsewhere) has it that Metatron was once Enoch, who "walked with God" (was raised directly to heaven by while still alive), and is thus symbolic of the possibility of the transmutation of matter (from human to divine). Noting that the Sephiroth from Binah to Yesod are attributed to metals, and Metatron placed above them on the Tree of Life, he might well be considered to be the "Intelligence Ruler of the Metals". But this is not a traditional title or office of Metatron as far as I can tell. Does Pernety cite a source for this attribution? For a thorough overview of Metatron's traditional attributes, see the entry in Gustav Davidson's "A Dictionary of Angels", which will also give you references to many further sources should you wish to know more. Hope this is of some help. Best wishes, Clay Clay Holden Subject: 1512 Alchemy today: Coleman / Quantum paradox / UFT Date: Mon, 5 Aug 96 15:26 +0100 From: Waldemar Hammel >From: Heileson, Thomas >>When the attributes of things are generated not by things themselves but by >>our perception, we should be able to manipulate these attributes, change >>them etc. >* I am reminded here of concepts voiced/written by Jaz Coleman of the music >group Killing Joke, the idea of "creating one's own reality" which, with >Coleman, was/is linked to a cosmology of other ideas (Numerology, Crowley, >etc.). I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with Coleman's >philosophies; I've discussed him briefly with one listmember, but thought >I'd throw the subject out there. >Thom S. Heileson >From: Ros Bangham >Hi, >Creating your own reality is the (main) theme of the Seth books from Jane >Roberts. >The Nature of Personal Reality was published in 1974. >Regards >Ros Dear enthusiastic members of the list, I do not know Coleman or Jane Roberts, and there is a little complication I did not mention when writing the above: although the attributes are not >living< in the things themselves but in and during our perception, it is not possible to create whatever reality you want. Our perception works behind the natural given senses. These senses have an evolutionary programmed syntactical structure, and with that they determine what can be received and how it is received. Only by manipulation of the senses (also the basic functional structure of brain is an equivalent for a sense (look Kant�s Aprioris)) the perception can be changed. We see that effect when brain is working under the influence of drugs. The syntactical structure of senses cannot be changed, only perhaps reduced by malfunctions. So our window to reality keeps more or less always the same, but even this sentence is a contradiction, because >our window to reality< is the thing exclusively made by perception. Regards Waldemar Hammel Subject: 1513 Gerhart Dorn Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 11:49:58 -0500 From: Christopher L. Chiappari Jeff, This isn't much, but here's the listing of the only work by Dorn listed in our library. It is a work by Paracelsus which Dorn edited. There is no call number because it's only available through interlibrary loan. Good luck, Chris Author: Paracelsus, 1493-1541. Title: (Avreoli Theophrasti Paracelsi) De summis naturae mysteriis commentarij tres; Microform a Gerardo Dorn conuersi, multoque quam antea fideliter characterismis & marginalibus exornati, auctique. Published: Basileae, ex officina Pernae per C. Vvaldkirch, 1584. Description: 173 (i.e. 147) p. illus., port. 17 cm. Subjects, Medical (Use sm=): Alchemy. Magic. Occultism. Contributors: Dorn, Gerhard, 16th cent., ed. Other titles: De summis naturae mysteriis commentarij tres. Series: German books before 1601; roll 86, item 3. Notes: Microfilm. Cambridge, Mass., General Microfilm Co., 1968. 1 microfilm reel. 35 mm. (German books before 1601, 1968 series, roll 86, item 3) Contents: De spiritibus planetarum.--De occulta philosophia.--De medicina coelesti, siue de signis zodiaci & mysteriis eorum. Christopher L. Chiappari Subject: 1514 Gerhart Dorn From: Jon Marshall Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 09:47:43 -0700 > From: Jeffrey > > I am trying to locate the names of the works of G. Dorn, and to find out if > any have been translated into English and finally where they might be > purchaed. Can anybody help? Thanks-Jeff According to Alan Pritchard's bibliography, the Dictionary of chymical terms in the John French translation of Sendivogius's new light of alchymy is based on Dorn's Dictionarium paracelsi (1583) There is also large and what seems to be reasonably coherent excerpting of a work by Dorn in Marie-Louise von Franz' alchemical active imagination. (I think the work excerpted could be Clavis totius philosophiae chemisticae, but i wouldn't bet on it) jon Subject: 1515 57 Channels with nothing on it ! From: John Chas Webb Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 17:16:49 -1000 Reply to Waldemar Hammel who wrote (edited): Dear enthusiastic members of the list, I do not know Coleman or Jane Roberts, and there is a little complication I did not mention: although the attributes are not >living< in the things themselves but in and during our perception, it is NOT POSSIBLE to create whatever reality you want. Our perception works behind the natural given senses. These senses have an evolutionary programmed syntactical structure, and with that they determine what can be received and how it is received. Only by manipulation of the senses (also the basic functional structure of brain is an equivalent for a sense (look Kant�s Aprioris)) the perception can be changed. We see that effect when brain is working under the influence of drugs. The syntactical structure of senses cannot be changed, only perhaps reduced by malfunctions. So our window to reality keeps more or less always the same, but even this sentence is a contradiction, because >our window to reality< is the thing exclusively made by perception. ************************************************************************** Dear Waldemar please consider the following: The observation of "reality" which you shared with the forum is "the reality as you have set it up". 1) IF we operate in a medium from which ANYTHING is possible, then 2) if we make observations regarding the PRESENT CONFIGURATION OF OUR REALITY and then 3) formulate laws regarding our observations THEN 4) the "laws" which we observe can become our prison because they only describe ONE VARIATION of all possible (infinite) configurations. Alchemically speaking, I can reveal certain metaphysical truths which, I hope, you will find much more liberating. Consider that "the mind/mental focus/rational" is represented by Mercury/quicksilver. Consider that "the self/ego/created self" is represented by sulpher. Mercury/quicksilver coagulates in the sulpher. It loses its mercuriality and conforms to its environment (sulpher). This process reveals a PROFOUND metaphysical principle which is "that the mind takes the shape of the container which it is placed in". For example - "mind" placed in a dog takes on canine attributes - placed in a whale it takes on whale attributes - placed in a human it takes on human attributes with a divine potential. One of the processes in alchemy is to restore Mercury's "mercurialness" by extracting it (through heating) from the sulpher. This process, in a metaphysical way, suggests transcendence. It raises the mind out of the framework of its "container" and enables it to attain "new feeedom". Mercury's laws, while it is in the sulpher, are quite different than Mercury's laws after it has been liberated (extracted) from the sulpher. In the sulpher Mercury has only one option (conform to sulpher), once extracted from the sulpher Mercury has infinite options as it will readily "take the shape" of whatever container it is placed into !!! The "containers" that Mercury/the mind is/are placed into are the ones "created" by your imagination. (image, magic, mage, magus, majesty, imagination). This "reveals" the process by which LEAD is turned into GOLD or by which THE MORTAL MAN (sulpher/lead) is transformed into THE DIVINE MAN (Hermes/gold). We continue to flow ourselves into the images which we hold in our mind/imagination. (Shakespeare - "iron bars do not a prison make"). The essence of what has been written here can be proposed in one Socratic question - "What happens when God says , 'I'm not God' " ? (paradox) The answer is that "the God power" manifests as 'not God' until a new command is issued !!! The alchemical principles of Mercury/quicksilver reveal and confirm this process. Mercury is given shape by the container it is placed into. If you allow yourself to hold something "in a different way" in your mind then, yes your perceptions do change. However, that is only the beginning. If you persist in holding something in your thoughts IN A DIFFERENT WAY then the PHYSICAL REALITY also transforms (gradually) to configure itself to your new picture. This "process" is described in The Emerald Tablet in the portion which refers to ADAPTATION because WE MUST EMPOWER OURSELVES WITH THE COURAGE TO FLOW INTO A NEW CONFIGURATION. First we "create a new picture" this is "masculine/yang" then we merge into the new flow (feminine/yin) to take our new form !!! There are certain NATURAL LAWS with which the Alchemist must first become familiar. Some of these are: 1) "as above, so below", 2) The Law of Justice (ie. you create your own reality) and 3) Nobody goes anywhere until they are loving. This is the "truth" as I presently understand it and I have shared it in the hope that others may find it of some value. "I have 57 channels with nothing on it" - Zen Master Best Regards, John Charles Webb [email protected] Subject: 1516 John Dee's gentle guidance From: John Chas Webb Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 12:57:38 -1000 Reply to Clay Holden: Consider this . . . Regarding John Dee's quotation about "being silent". (as an illustration [perhaps] of "serpents with their tails in their mouths"). In his quotation he is encouraging those who "want to learn "to enter into silence". The most perfect expression of his admonition would surely include a "gender change" somewhere in the quotation or at least moving from a "hard sound" to a "soft sound". Perhaps something like, " Let those who seek the truth enter into silence wherein all truth is revealed". The transition then is from the "masculine" (seeking) to the "feminine" (listening). This interpretation transforms the quote/speaker from a harsh father to a gentle "cartographer" (one who knows the terrain). He is not tellinganybody to "shut up" he is encouraging them "to listen". Best regards John Charles Webb [email protected] Subject: 1517 Thought, Reality, Earth Resonance ! Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 07:45:33 -0800 From: jcomeaux Good post John, Now in my area the local Dena'Ina (South Central Alaska's Indigenous people) legend warns of a time when the thought and the time required to create reality will be drastically shorten. I am told that the earth resonates usually at or around 7.5 kz ? But now I am told its on the rise. Does anyone know the current resonate frequency ? And is there any mention of such an event in alchemy terms and its relation to processing thought? THe Zone, A State of Grace, Dynamic Will, A State of Knowing- whatever you wish to call it. Use this in those tough situations to take control of your reality. You are not a prisoner of your past thoughts. Place your mind in a state indifference to the outcome. This eliminates the fear. Tried and tested on angry mobs of 500, 200, and 40 ( approx figures) men of a different race and one very big Alaskan brown bear. Oh yeah don't flinch. [email protected] Subject: 1518 Gerhart Dorn From: Adam McLean Date: 6th August 1996 As far as I know there are no printed translations of Dorn's works. There are two translations of some of Gerhard Dorn's works in the British Library. MS. Sloane 632. f6 'A treatise of John Tritheme, concerninge the spagyricke artifice, exposed and interpreted by Gerrard Dorney', containing the greater part of Dorn's Speculativa philosophia. [The 'Speculative Philosophia', or second part of his 'Clavis totius Philosophiae Chymisticae', was printed in 12mo, Lugd. 1567.] MS. Sloane 1627. 1f2-49 The Chimicall and arteficiall theoricke and practise of nature; a book verie philosophicall set forth for the commoditie of all such as bestowe ther studie in the true naturall philosophie by Gerrerd Dorne, 1568. I have recently examined the first of these MS. Sloane 632. The text itself is excellent philosophical alchemical material, however, the handwriting is very difficult. I tried to transcribe this item last time I was in London, but it took so long to read each sentence that I realised I would not have time to transcribe even a page or so of the text. Some years ago I did look at the second manuscript MS. 1627, but I cannot remember whether or not the handwriting is easy to read. Perhaps I will have a look at it next time I am in the British Library. Dorn's works are important contributions to the the philosophical aspect of alchemy, and it would be of the greatest value if translations could be made of his works. Adam McLean. Subject: 1519 Another Virtual Goldmine ! From: John Chas Webb Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 10:34:34 -1000 Reply to Logodox who asked: Can You present a summary opinion of Plotinus? Mary Anne Atwood, Anna Kingsford, Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, Golden Dawn, Crowley ? Yes ! Here it is. . . (This is the "below" part) Man is "created" according to "the images and likenesses" which he/she holds in his or her "creative imagination" (God). Any particular manifestation is a "temporary limitation" of the limitless power to which we have access. Some of our "manifestations" require that we "forget" our true identity and passionately embrace whatever adventure we are presently having. Desire is the PRIMUM MOBILIUM :) as it engages creative power. When we "pray for something" we are actually holding up a picture which acts as a template for our "inner sole" :) to use as a creative pattern. When we "forget" that we have a divine heritage we "lose (contact with) our soul", we then have to get jobs and occupy ourselves with survival. ["souls healed while U wait" :) ] This "condition" represents what Moses found when he brought forth energy "to free the slaves". He found "his people" had allowed themselves to be devoured by a "material consciousness" which had led them into the labyrinth of slavery (where matter takes precedence over spirit). This "condition" represents the power of consciousness to BIND ITSELF to whatever it is that it "THINKS ABOUT" for too long. The "whole scenario" depicts power that destroys, power that binds, inverted light, GOLD TURNED TO LEAD. It provides KEYS to interpreting the works of those mentioned in your question (above). This part is the "above" part ("as above - so below). Once it is that "the below" part has lost contact with its inner light he or she MUST THEN CREATE AN IMAGE OF WHAT GOD IS !!!!!! This is the "below rising to the above". This act depicts the creation of God and then begins to put an end to the chaos where "God was disguised" in the "below part" brooding over the "dark vapors" (negative thoughts). To reach to the "above" the "lost child or divine spark" MUST embrace a new set of guiding principles (religion/ethics) thus loosening their bonds to the destructive use of energy and re-binding (religion means to 'bind back') him/her self to CREATIVE, LIBERATING (from matter and pain) activities. The length of time that it takes one to make this transformation is called "karma" in Eastern Philosophy. In fact "ALL OF IT" is a perfect reflection of the perfect principle of justice which is, "you enter into and participate in the 3-dimensional reality according to the quality of your thoughts, words, feelings and actions. The Pantheon of Gods simply provides "templates" for the restructuring of consciousness. Christ taught that "love" will put you into dissolution and held up a template of God as "a loving father". AND if you endure long enough the "messiah" (your inner teacher) will "appear" (manifest) within you. ALL OF IT IS A DIVINE MAGIC ACT. WE CAN NOT "NOT USE THE POWER". ALL OF US ARE HERMES EITHER CREATING GOLD OR LEAD. OUR THOUGHTS HAVE CREATIVE REPERCUSSIONS WHICH PRODCE EITHER PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT RESULTS (GOTTA CONTROL THE MERCURY CAUSE IT CAN REALLY BE POISONOUS !) Here is a divine rule of thumb: Thoughts about "your little self" create coagulation, thoughts about "your divine self" create disolution of the "little self" and "coagulation" (manifestation) of the "higher (more enlightened) SELF". Once we realize "who the dead are" it all becomes a GIANT COSMIC JOKE because EVERY SITUATION can be reversed once it is that we become Mercurial (disolution). So LOVE does, in fact, bring new life, and a dedication and consecretation of "oneself" to helping humanity is a perfect expression of turning divine power into an act of liberation "by turning it to the Earth". This writing will give one GREAT INSIGHT regarding THE EMERALD TABLET and its arcane wisdom. It also (again) provides a key to the interpretation of the works of those individuals and organizations which are listed at the beginning of this writing. You can NOT NOT use the power. If you deny that you have the power it will hide from you according to your command. Paradox - take off your mind and come on in ! Much Love, John Charles Webb [email protected] Subject: 1520 Another Virtual Goldmine ! Date: Wed, 7 Aug 96 23:24 NZST From: Pat Zalewski >From: John Chas Webb> > >Reply to Logodox who asked: > >Can You present a summary opinion of Plotinus? Mary Anne Atwood, Anna >Kingsford, Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, Golden Dawn, Crowley ? > >Yes ! Here it is. . . Sorry John, no cigar Pat zalewski Subject: 1521 John Dee's gentle guidance Date: Wed, 7 Aug 1996 08:45:52 -0500 From: george leake >From: John Chas Webb > Reply to Clay Holden: > Consider this . . . Regarding John Dee's quotation about "being silent". >(as an illustration [perhaps] of "serpents with their tails in their >mouths"). *traditionally, the sphinx is normally associated with the principle of being silent. The serpents with tails in their mouths is a completion metaphor, also implying connections (as in "as above, so below"). -G.Leake, 512-471-9117 [email protected] Subject: 1522 Surrealism and alchemy Date: Wed, 7 Aug 1996 17:17:15 +0100 From: William Hollister Dear Josh, Could you tell me more about Alfred Jarry's pataphysics? I have never heard of it. If that discussion steers beyond the orbit of "alchemy," you might write to me directly (or shall we move over to the fallow surrealist listserve?). >>The magazine, Analagon, issue 10 (1993) features a summary in French of >>the roots of Bohemian cabbalist thought and its recent influence on the >>surrealist group, creating a unique perspective. (80 pages in Czech). > >William, what in the world would it take to get an English translation of >these 80 ? A compilation should be published in the Autumn or next Spring. >Breton & colleagues gave some attention to the "surrealist object," in an >attempt to establish a "physics of poetry." Objects which are used out of >mere *habit* engender an unimaginative mind which increasingly invades the >world of human feeling (what would they have made of computers, I wonder??). "Software is the spirit, always trying to liberate itself from the electronic machinations that produce it." >To overcome this repetitive nature of the objective realm, the "surrealist >object" is created by juxtaposing things and images to create a "field of >force" in the imagination, liberating the objects from their known lives and >returning them to "an uninterrupted succession of *latencies* which are not >peculiar to it and which invoke its transformation." (P Waldberg) Further, >"the conventional value of this object disappears behind its >representational value, which... [emphasizes] its picturesque side, its >evocative power." (Breton). Frederic Jameson quotes from Tolstoy's journal: "I was cleaning my room and, meandering about, approached the divan and couldn't remember whether or not I had dusted it. Since these movements are habitual and unconscious, I could not remember and felt it was impossible to remember -- so that if I had dusted it and forgot -- that is, had acted unconciously, then it was the same as if I had not. If some concious person had not been watching then the fact could be established. If, however, no one was looking on unconsciously then such lives are as if they had never been." Jameson then defines art as a "way of restoring conscious experience, breaking through deadening and mechanical habits of conduct, and allowing us to be reborn to the world in its existential freshness and horror." > >The language may be unfamiliar, but I think this is a tremendously fertile >beginning for a new alchemical physics..... Does it strike anyone else as such? Actually, the whole reason that I am so facinated with the Alchemy Forum is its ability to skirt around the history of literary criticism. I'll take a green lion over a semiotic assault rifle any day. Where is the inspiration in academic deconstruction? > >It would be very interesting to know what alchemical & surrealist >cross-fertilizations occurred during Breton & Eluard's pilgrimage to Prague >in 1935. > Jameson's quote is relevant to that visit. He attributes his perspective on art as defined by breaking "automatization," a concept developed by the Prague linguistic circle. That group met between the wars in a tapestry of merging groups which included the "Devetsil" artists who travelled from Prague to study in Paris, and the "Poetists," who were introduced by Karl Teige. Add to this surface mixture Appolinaire's trip to Prague, and Breton's lecture series, and voila! the Prague surrealists. Spill onto this tapestry the boiling mix of communism, nazis and more communism, and somehow alchemy emerges by the mid 1970s. After their visits, Breton and Apollinaire had both commented on a peculiar star-shaped castle abuting the site of the battle of Bila Hora, just outside of Prague (that battle signified the beginning of the thirty years' war, and possibly the extended sleep of the neoplatonic ideals espoused by John Dee and Giordano Bruno). Breton topped off Arkan 17 with the comment: "My single star lives..." as a reference to the star that shines when a surface mixture has reached a critical juncture. As some Czech surrealists attempt to recreate a collective Bohemian consciousness, they often refer to Breton's image of Prague as the "center of the magical universe." Milan Nakonecny wrote a potentially relevant essay in Analagon 10 entitled Hermetism and Surrealism, relying heavily on M.Carrouges' "Andre Breton et les donnees fondamentales du surrealism," ( Paris 1950). The following quote is a paraphrase of my uncorrected translation from the Czech language (risking tremendous misinterpretation): "Surrealists stand more to to read from Marquis de Sade than from Paracelsus. And for hermetics of the 20th century who are steeped in their quiet internal secrets, the world of surrealism is too noisy, and in which, for spiritually founded beings, too scandalous, political and sexually deviating. Andre Breton asserts that surrealism grows out of a will for the complete liberation of poetry and through it, to avoid subordination to any orthodoxy, including an esoteric dogma." Nakonecny's lengthy essay concludes that there are only a few analogies in common between surrealism and hermetism, but that the two philosphies are certainly in the same neighborhood. I hope this adresses your comments, Josh. yours, William Hollister [email protected] Subject: 1523 Nicholas Flamel Date: Wed, 7 Aug 1996 18:16:44 -0500 (CDT) From: David Roberts Joel Tetard gave a sparkling precis of certain documented aspects of Flamel's life. In Titus Burckhardt's account of the life of Flamel we are told of his acquisition of a book, for 2 florins. On the first page, according to Flamel, it read: "Abraham the Jew, prince, preist, levite, astrologer and philosopher, to the Jewish people, dispersed through God's anger into Gaul, Greetings. D.I." The rest of the page was filled with terrible curses (in which the word Maranatha frequently occurred) against anyone who might read this book unless he be a sacrificial priest or doctor of the Holy Law. What am I to make of this? Is the book referenced above considered apocryphal? Is this anti-Semitic? Flamel & wife were obviously practicising Christians as well as alchemists, so if he made this dedication up for some reason, why? Could it have been to accord some merit to Kabbalistic work, upon which Flamel was indebted? Or does this fine book to which he refers actually exist? And if it does exist, who wrote it? And what about the oral tradition? Just wondering. Best wishes to all, David Roberts Subject: 1524 Nicholas Flamel Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 09:30:51 -0400 (EDT) From: Claude Gagnon > From: David Roberts > In Titus Burckhardt's account of the life of Flamel we are told of his > acquisition of a book, for 2 florins. On the first page, according to > Flamel, it read: "Abraham the Jew, prince, preist, levite, astrologer > and philosopher, to the Jewish people, dispersed through God's anger into > Gaul, Greetings. D.I." The rest of the page was filled with terrible > curses (in which the word Maranatha frequently occurred) against anyone > who might read this book unless he be a sacrificial priest or doctor of > the Holy Law. > What am I to make of this? Is the book referenced above considered > apocryphal? Is this anti-Semitic? Flamel & wife were obviously > practicising Christians as well as alchemists, so if he made this > dedication up for some reason, why? Could it have been to accord some > merit to Kabbalistic work, upon which Flamel was indebted? Or does this > fine book to which he refers actually exist? And if it does exist, who > wrote it? And what about the oral tradition? Just wondering. > > David Roberts As far as I am concerned, that book of *Abraham* never existed. It cannot be the Aesh Mezareph and neither the Ma-ar Mesarepf Qitrin. It is an impossible invention: a Jewish Kabbalistic work written ... in Latin and written during the Bas-Empire romain. For those who can read French; I have demonstrated the apocryphal nature of that book in the Acta of the Colloquium of Paris in 1991 that have been recently published. See: D. Kahn and S. Matton, Alchimie: art, histoire et mythes, Paris-Milan, S.E.H.A.-Arche, 1995; C. Gagnon, Le livre d'Abraham le Juif ou l'influence de l'impossible. Claude Gagnon Subject: 1525 Power Of Positive Thinking Date: Thu, 08 Aug 1996 06:55:19 -0500 From: Logodox John Chas Web: Thanx for Your reply towards summary of Neoplatonics and recent similar authors. Have to agree in the main that the imagination (IMAGE-A-NATION see Henry Corbin) should be directed toward the heaven of possibilities, but with reservations. "The Soul is smothered when trapped within the corpus, but all-powerfull when outside"... Nature does not lend her cooperation lightly and on a whim. There is much more involved than "fanciful" mental conceptions. Looking around the World situation today, it is extremely fortunate that control of Nature (direct linkage) has been nearly lost to man. If the average citizen could alter "natural" laws on a whim, how long would there be a World ? IMHO the Neoplatonics were (reservedly) intimating a long and disciplined process whereby One could re-discover and again empower the "King". The universal being and divine will could be known and followed (rarely). They were highly secretive about the Modus due to the dangers to individuals and Providence... IMHO much can be learned and intuited by viewing Nature as a system, without the vagaries of (subjective) good/evil; without the "touchy/feely" pleasantries of Humandom. A truly "JUST" system would involve "BALANCE" among all the denizens of the system. Indeed we see just that (apparently) in Nature. (Mentioned in some of "Dialogues With His Son Tat). e.g. Ya have a large moth with a large "eye" on its back to scare its predators. Neither it nor its predators have enough intelligence (self-will and knowledge) to have caused this, instead the "selection" laws or form thereof seem to operate over the long term as if a "group" entity was governing the process and making it "fair" i.e. balanced for the good and continuance of all the denizens. While nature's allowance of destruction of individuals and even entire species seems capricious, One must observe the entire picture before judging it. Even every (so far) Human being dies, One should intelligently seek whether or not the "Individual" as such was ever actually a "REAL" thing in the first place (Plotinus). If not, perhaps the portion of the person (Universal Being) that is REAL, ETERNAL, and UNCHANGING does survive and carry some "SETH" memories of various probabilistic existences which occurred/occurring in space/time. Spaced-out and outta here... Best, [email protected] Subject: 1526 Surrealism and alchemy Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 09:26:15 -0500 From: george leake >From: William Hollister >Actually, the whole reason that I am so facinated with the Alchemy Forum is >its ability to skirt around the history of literary criticism. I'll take a >green lion over a semiotic assault rifle any day. Where is the inspiration >in academic deconstruction? *as if literary criticism always involves or includes deconstruction and semiotics... >Jameson's quote is relevant to that visit. He attributes his perspective on >art as defined by breaking "automatization," a concept developed by the >Prague linguistic circle. *isn't that one of the impulses in postmodernist art and literature, i.e. to break out of automatization? Subject: 1527 Theses on alchemy and related matters From: Adam McLean Date: 08 August 1996 R Brzustowicz has been kind enough to download me a listing of theses on alchemy and related matters. I have now transferred this information into a database and have converted this into three files on the web site. There are some really interesting theses in this list. Those who have access to a University Library should be able to order microfilms these theses on interlibrary loan. Adam McLean Subject: 1528 Alchemy and Music From: Adam McLean Date: 08 August 1996 Some months ago there was a short thread on music using alchemical ideas as inspiration. During the construction of a database of Ph.D. theses I found this interesting item. Adam McLean -------------------- Palkowski, Daniel Henry. 'Views of time': an analytical and philosophical commentary. (original composition) (theosophy). Order No: AAC 9232122 ProQuest - Dissertation Abstracts School: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (0054) Degree: DMA Date: 1992 pp: 234 Source: DAI-A 53/07, p. 2155, Jan 1993 Subject: MUSIC (0413) Abstract: My project towards the D.M.A. degree shall consist of a large scale work for chamber orchestra, accompanied by a paper that will treat of the philosophical and analytical aspects of the work. The composition, entitled Views of Time, is a reflection in part of my interest in Theosophy over the past several years. It is in eight sections, which are programmatic 'images' of the four alchemical elements fire, air, earth and water:- Fire I (Flame) - Fanfare. Earth I (Strata) - Process. Water I (Flow) - Ostinato. Air I (Diffusion) - Cadence. Fire II (Lightning) - Stretto. Earth II (Avalanche) - Moto Perpetuo. Water II (Rain) - Berceuse. Air II (Ripples on a Sunlit Pond) - Coda The instrumentation is for double winds, double horns and trumpets, one trombone and tuba, harp, piano, four percussionists playing a wide variety of instruments, and full strings with the addition of a solo electric bass guitar. The Air I portion of the piece combines unusual percussion techniques with electronic sound, realized in real time on computer, using the new MAX programming environment developed at IRCAM. The score is mostly written in standard notation, although Air I uses a new form of graphic tablature which I've used previously in my composition Periodic tables. The paper will consist of five chapters. The opening two chapters will discuss precompositional materials of rhythm and pitch, respectively. The third will take up issues of orchestration and special techniques. The fourth chapter will be a discussion of the electronic and computer elements of the Air I section, and the fifth and final chapter will be an analytical description of the work from beginning to end, giving a measure by measure overview of the music. An additional addendum will close the paper, and will be a discussion of the philosophical nature of the piece, it origins and inspirations, and my original operating procedure towards shaping these inspirations into a musical form. Subject: 1529 Nicholas Flamel From: WTHEISEN Subject: RE: 1523 Nicholas Flamel I don't think that the word marantha would be used as a curse, as it means "Come, Lord Jesus." Subject: 1530 Nicholas Flamel Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 16:07:12 -0500 (CDT) From: David Roberts > From: WTHEISEN > I don't think that the word marantha would be used as a curse, > as it means "Come, Lord Jesus." I know this. The word is Maranatha. And these are Flamel's words (according to Burckhardt & other translations) as he describes the first page of the Abraham book: "...the rest of the page was filled with terrible curses (in which the word MARANATHA frequently occurred) against anyone who might read this book, unless he be sacrificial priest or doctor of the Holy Law." I have not personally seen the book, which some consider apocryphal. I agree the book likely never existed, and is a way for Flamel to introduce others to the Work with some detachment. My own theory is Flamel is describing something in purposively obfuscatory terms. He would know the meaning of Maranatha, I presume. The contradictions might serve as a lure though, to those who are neither priests nor Doctors of Divinity, (but not excluding these either :)) to explore certain of the ideas described in the book. He goes on, by way of invitation, to say: "On the second page the author consoled his people and counselled them to eschew all vice, especially idolatry, and to wait with meek patience until the Messiah should come and conquer all kings on earth and with his people rule eternally in majesty." Best wishes, David Roberts Sun Aug 11 14:08:42 1996 Subject: 1531 Alchemy in Homoeopathy Mireia Cid recently sent me the following note:- There's a book I met last month and I think it's quite interesting: "THE ALCHEMY IN HOMEOPATHY" from Whitall n. Perry ISBN 84-7651-201-5 Please note I have a review of this on the linked sites page of the alchemy web site. Adam McLean Subject: 1532 Surrealism and alchemy Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 00:09:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Josh >From: William Hollister >Could you tell me more about Alfred Jarry's pataphysics? I have never heard >of it. If that discussion steers beyond the orbit of "alchemy," you might >write to me directly (or shall we move over to the fallow surrealist >listserve?). Here's what may be of interest to the alchemy list. Alfred Jarry (1873-1907) -- fin de siecle poet & eccentric, most noted for the Pere Ubu plays. (Nice little presentation of his biography in Roger Shattuck's "The Banquet Years.") Made persistent reference to an imaginary science of "'Pataphysics" (supposedly a contraction of "epimetaphysics"), whose discoveries and inventions depend on a rigorous but anti-logical method. Almost as if a scientific revolution had succeeded, in some parallel universe, under the leadership of Pascal, Kepler, and Rabelais, rather than Decartes and Bacon. 'Pataphysics addresses the laws that govern *exceptions* to rules. In fact, all that traditional science considers lawful is simply "correlated exceptions" or "scarcely exceptional exceptions." 'Pataphysics is deeply involved with symbolic and imaginary properties of objects. It is also an enormous farce, one which Jarry nevertheless takes very seriously. [Gestes et opinions de docteur Faustroll 'pataphysicien] What's the relation to alchemy? Well, at least two groups in the early twentieth century -- the surrealists and the Jungians -- insisted that alchemy had something significant to offer to modern science and culture. (Of course, many other groups took alchemy seriously *as a received and complete mystical tradition*. But the surrealists and Jungians went further, and tried to assimilate it to the dominant and "unassailable" scientific paradigm.) What kind of intellectual tools and structures must be built to harmonize a hermetic view of nature with a logical and mathematical view of nature? 'Pataphysics was, I think, an early and rather wonderfully demented attempt in this direction. The surrealists acknowledged the debt to Jarry; 'Pataphysics appears to be a strong influence on the hermetic and playfully "scientific" aspect of surrealist research. As for Jung and his school, I am struck by the similarity of Jarry's "correlated exceptions" and the "significant coincidences" that define Jung's synchronicity. (And if any graduate student out there is crazy enough to try to trace a connection between Jarry and Jung... my hat is off to you!) /jcs Mon Aug 12 14:53:05 1996 Subject: The future of the alchemy forum The recent problems regarding the Alchemy forum have made me reflect on the future of the e-mail forum as a means of communication, and whether I wish to devote an increasing amount of my time to this task. The forum began as an open mailing group back in June 1995. During the early months there were many excellent contributions from a number of scholars and I enjoyed very much reading the postings and I learnt a great deal from them. However, this open freedom of access proved positive for only a short time and a number of unpleasant manipulative messages began to appear. At that time there was no moderation on the forum so individual members felt they had to reprimand or criticise a contributor whom they felt was getting out of line. After a number of minor incidents there was a chaotic phase in December 1995 and January 1996, when one individual completely disrupted the forum. At this time a number of scholars and people I greatly respected, left the forum in disgust. At that point I decided to re-establish the forum as a fully moderated one, as I felt that would allow me to control the contributions and cut out any inflammatory responses that generate "flames". It also cooled the atmosphere as there was usually some hours delay before messages got posted out. It did involve me in a great deal of extra work. I had to download the mail, read the messages, strip out the E-mail headers, number each message and repost them out sometimes thrice in a day. This seemed to work for a while, but whenever I acted to actively moderate the forum or ask people to cease a particular thread, I got a load of flack from some subscribers, floods of personal letters, some abusive and threatening, and often it became obvious that people were acting in concert to try and brow-beat me into allowing them free access to the forum. In short, the angst and unpleasant messages which formerly were sent out automatically on the forum, now all focussed on me as moderator, eating more and more into my time. The problem contributors, I believe, are basically those who adhere to some particular point of view or belief system, and who see the alchemy forum as a vehicle for the propagation of their views. Often such people have an arrogant belief in their own ideas, and are often inflated with some idea that they are a great master with a mission to accomplish. They rarely have read deeply into alchemy, instead redefining this term to suit their own purposes. They do not take kindly to being told not to post messages to the forum, as they are using the alchemy forum as a mirror to reflect themselves narcissistically - indeed it is obvious that some of these people can be so inflated as to be emotionally unstable. Of course such people have always been attracted to the esoteric and occult arts, and alchemy is no exception. However, I cannot find a way of dealing rationally with such people - they just disrupt positive communication. This is an internet wide problem. Many of the disruptive people appear to be adolescents who do not in any case respect any authority. A moderator becomes in their minds an "evil punishing father" denying them access to a playground. There have been a number of problem subscribers over the past months. Such people often write off-forum to other subscribers and I am concertedly attacked from all sides. The hallucinogenic drugs thread was like this. In short, it appears I cannot control the flow of material to the forum without generating a load of extra work for myself. There are 330 subscribers to the forum at present, if only a small number decide to write to me, and need a reply then I am overloaded. I am no longer prepared to do this, and I have the following solution. * * * The alchemy forum will cease in its present incarnation. It will no longer explore "alchemy in all its facets". That was, regrettably, a too ambitious and idealistic an idea I had when I first set up the forum. Such freedom is just a licence to abuse, and an open invitation for inflated egos. Instead I will orient the forum towards the exploration of alchemy from a scholarly standpoint. The forum will be renamed the "alchemy academic forum", and I will rigorously enforce scholarly standards. I will not enter into discussions as to what is and is not scholarship, people will just have to accept my judgement. The last post on the alchemy forum "1532 Surrealism and alchemy" is an example of the sort of message I wish to encourage. I won't give an example of the kind of message I will not post onto the new academic forum, but there are many glaring examples we can all recognise over the past five months or so. I am taking this action in restricting the forum to a scholarly exploration of alchemy, in order to preserve its long term future. Of course, a number of subscribers will leave, but that is entirely acceptable to me as a mailing list of 330 is really too large. The number of postings will also drop, but I, for one, will be happy with a few good contributions a week than five postings of hot air a day. We will lose a few colourful characters, but I will not regret their going. If anyone wishes to set up an open forum on alchemy they have my blessing, though I suspect it will just degenerate into bluster and chaos. [But, please, anyone intending to do so must not use the title "alchemy forum" as this will only confuse people.] My plan is to harvest the best of the alchemy forum - the informative, generous sharing of information that characterises true communication - and cut out the tares, the dross of game playing, opinionated and self-aggrandising nonsense. A number of the younger contingent will no doubt see me as a boring, old, narrow-minded, limited academic, but this will not bother me as long as I have more time to devote to originating material for the web site. The E-mail addresses will remain the same, but the new academic forum will be much more rigorously moderated. With my best wishes, Adam McLean |
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