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THE ROSARIUM PHILOSOPHORUM’S WOODCUT CARVINGS:

An Esoteric and Kabbalistic Analysis

William John Meegan

INTRODUCTION

I have been meaning to post this analysis of the Rosarium Philosophorum for some time now but always there was a project on the horizon that prevented me from seeing that idea come to fruition. Of course I had to rework my original paper, which is quite long with numerous endnotes. So I trimmed it somewhat omitting all the endnote and other diagrams, which I have discussed in other papers on this forum; however, I have left the essentials of the analysis as originally envisaged.

I should point out from the outset that I have renamed all eleven plates: woodcut carvings, to coincide with my thesis so that the reader can readily follow the logic of the analysis.

I first became interested in these Alchemical Woodcut Carvings because Carl G. Jung did a psychological analysis of his own on them (The Psychology of the Transference: Vol. 16), which I found in his collective works. When I first saw these images they were in black and white and not in the color format I use in this analysis. Unlike CG Jung my analysis is not psychological; rather, it is an Esoteric and Kabbalistic analysis. I make no claim to understanding Alchemical jargon; however, I do believe that Alchemy is a reworking of the Sacred Scriptures, Astrology, Kabbalah and Esotericism, etc., etc. When I first saw these images (1985) the first plate literally struck me as being a commentary on Genesis. That is how quickly I saw its meaning. After my analysis on the first two images the rest were quite easy to analyze because slowly from one plate to another symbols were disappearing so the storyline became quite effortless to understand and to assimilate.

It surprised me somewhat that those others whom took an interest in these Alchemical Woodcut Carvings did not comment on many of the apparent nuances in the symbolism that is evident in the eleven plates (there are actually twenty-plates; however, 12-20 are redundant to the first

eleven). From my perspective they threw out the baby with the bathwater. Of course I could readily see how that could happen. CG Jung was writing from a psychological perspective and Adam McLean was writing from a purely alchemical viewpoint. From their perspectives I probably threw the baby out with the bathwater. I am not experienced or an expert in either of their fields of study; thus, I am not qualified to comment upon their work. I can only submit my analysis and hope that the reader enjoys it and can take something from it.

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THE MERCURIAL MANDALA FOUNTAIN: The Sacred Scriptures: the Word of God Made Flesh

“As above so below” should be the first impression that one receives when viewing this

image [Figure 1] for the reason that its entire makeup exudes that old occult maxim.

This image embodies in pictorial form the foundations of the sacred scriptures: the Word of God made flesh. “As above so below” is not necessarily a mirroring imaging process as humans tend to understand that concept. It is, and yet, it is not mirroring imaging simply because the divine does not explain to the dullard word for word outwardly its message to the world. The individual that eternally seeks spoon feeding tends towards the mirror imaging literal-minded explanations as to what God’s message is to the world. This is linear thought where the individual is eternally following his or her nose with a literal interpretation in mind (tunnel vision) when reading the sacred scriptures rather than having any kind of abstract and/or symbolic thought in relationship to that same material.

THERE ARE THREE CONCEPTUAL PARTS TO THIS FIRST ALCHEMICAL WOODCUT CARVING

The two serpents (Michelangelo portrait the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as having two serpents wrapped around it: in the sixth panel from the altar wall on the Sistine Chapel ceiling) are creating the universe with the four main elements: fire, earth, air and water depicted by the outpouring of gaseous vapors that the four stars personify. These two serpents are further personified in the symbols of the Sun and Moon: they are creating a new heaven and a new earth within a gigantic symbol of the first letter of the Torah: BETH, which is interpreted as a container, meaning the universe is a vessel: it contains the Word of God.

It is through the psyche’s abstract understanding relative to the spiritual union of the opposites (Transcendent Function) that the individual, not the actual cooperation of the opposites themselves (physically, psychically and emotionally the twain shall never meet), is somewhat enabled in understanding his or her place in the world. Know that when the sacred scriptures speaks to the psyche of the individual reading its texts the bible is speaking to the individual not to a fellowship and/or a congregation. In this manner the ‘reader’ may understand that his or her being is all there ever was is or ever shall be in God’s creation; yes, the individual is the center of God’s spiritual creation. The individual’s soul may not be the center of the material creation; however, the soul is the center of God’s spiritual creation. The Genesis Creation Account, as is the entire bible, is speaking to the individual about the spiritual vision it has received if it had been so graced by God. If the reader had not receive said vision then only that soul’s pure honest DESIRE can possibly obtain it for him or her

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otherwise the creation process cannot commence. The fact that the STAR is present between the Sun and the Moon is indicative of the union of the opposite, which can only unite in the psyche of the individual abstractly integrating them. This is, in essence, what Catholicism speaks of in the Eucharistic Mass when the priest offers the wafer-host: Eucharist, to the individual by speaking to the congregation as a whole.

Notice how the vapors from out of the mouth of the serpents coil into seven swirls inferring the 3½ coils of the Kundalini Serpent. The concept of the Kundalini Serpent alone points to the spiritual vision being spoken of here. These two serpents are merely regurgitating back to the soul/psyche what the individual (initiate: for the individual is self initiated) has sent forth to the spiritual powers. In regurgitating back to the soul/psyche that which it sent forth commences a one on one relationship with God; however, God by gracing the soul/psyche with a vision has, for all intent and purpose, given the soul/psyche all it can possibly give it. It is now up to the soul/psyche to deal with it. Yes, the Kundalini Serpent is expressed explicitly, on the esoteric level, in the first chapter of Genesis.

The Sun (Yahweh), Moon (Elohym) and Star (PEI פ = Star of David): are the symbolic personification in anthropomorphic form of the Trinity: God, which brings about the process of creation: they are not the process they are what cause the process to commence. In this image the Trinity: Sun, Moon and Star are at once contained and uncontained. The serpents demonstrate they are uncontained, and yet, the Sun, Moon and Star are contained in the four square image.

The fountain symbolically represents the creation process in terminology that humans can comprehend. The entire fountain is a tribute to the Trinity and its creation process (vision) given unreservedly to the initiate that deserves it. 1. The three spouts emitting water (symbolic to the serpents’ vapors) 2. The waters: sun, moon and star combined 3. The basin: Zodiac; three Quadruplicities: i.e. Trinity. 4. Three impelling paws (not compelling or grasping claws) touching the earth: the Trinity’s influences

on the individual. 5. This fountain is analogous to a torus a symbol of a galaxy where the galactic core represents the

central obelisk and its three spouts. The separation of the opposite, which is here represented by the two serpents could not have

commence without mediation of the divine. The undifferentiated vapors emanating from the mouths of the two serpents ending in the production/concretization of four stars points to the fact that they collectively symbolically represent the lone star: each doing it own version of mirror imaginings, which represents the Most High God. This undifferentiated substance from the empyrean can be, to human comprehension, nothing more than chaos within a container: i.e. the different vapors, contained within the universe, would be expected to commingle: thus becoming undifferentiated [see: Figure #3 and its commentary]. However, in viewing the two serpents it can be seen that one is masculine and the other is feminine. This is determined not by the fact that one symbolically represents the sun and the other the moon but rather from the head and facial features of the serpents. The serpent depicted above the moon is depicted as somewhat gentler than the one over the sun.

Those that study word and image scenarios in Alchemical images to determine what the esoteric science has to offer should maintain that nothing is written in sacred literature or etched into a graphic illustration unless it has a meaning to the overall understanding of the text or image. There is no appropriate wording or designs to fill in space. For example: one serpent has one tongue (Patriarchal) and the other a fork tongue (Matriarchal). When it is realized that this image is depicting a graphic illustration of the sacred scriptures then the single tongue is declaring that

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interpretation of the text of the sacred scriptures is literal and the fork tongue serpent is declaring no there are two meanings: literal (BETH) and esoteric (PEI). Both are telling the truth from their individual perspectives. The single tongue serpent gives 100% of its mindset to the literal interpretation, whereas, the fork tongue gives 50% to both the literal and 50% to the esoteric interpretation: for with the literal (Patriarchal perspective) there would be no esotericism denoting the sun and moon or male and female or any other opposite’s relationships. Another nuance from this same two serpent symbol is the fact that the female serpent is dominant in this image for she is up front and the other serpent (masculine) is in the rear so to speak. These two serpents, where the female is dominant, depict the emergence of the opposites [see: Figure #2 and its commentary] otherwise this entire ‘Mercurial’ Fountain Mandala would never have been conceived alchemically: this is why the Torah has the Elohym (feminine) as the creator rather than Yahweh.

The next thing that is noticeable about the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain [Figure 1] is the four stars creating the squared perimeter or outer boundaries of the concepts being expressed within this alchemical image. Four is the number for limited or finite thinking or man trying to compress the infinite into his way of thought: as in squaring the circle which happens to have a great deal to do with this image. The inner structure of the image: the fountain is round as in a circle. Nonetheless, the four stars have been objectified and solidified from the mist of the undifferentiated vapors belching from the mouths of two serpents, which in turn emanates from the lone star in the central upper region above the fountain.

The four-square star configuration also symbolizes the creation of the first four days of creation that represents the LIGHT (207) of the Kundalini Serpent.

The reason for humans having a limitation to their thought process, on an individual level, is because if there were no limitations life in the phantasm of the soul/psyche, conjuring the material world into existence, would be impossible. There is no other way for the individual to experience cognitively the infinite nature of God. Humans on an individual level have only a finite perimeter of knowledge and within that context each human can only access a very limited amount of that knowledge at any given time. This is similar to a ‘motherboard’ in a computer, where the buffer-zone can only access so much data at any given time; however, within the context of the immediacy of human thought trying to express the infinite the soul/psyche can only express itself within the confines of the finite data in its buffer zone; thus, the individual’s thoughts are forcibly compressed into words that cannot possibly or satisfactorily convey what is intended. This is why humans are everlastingly misinterpreting each other intentions.

From the fact that the two serpents are belching out gaseous materials which coalesce into stars, which are exact images of the central star between the Sun and Moon points to the fact that there is a higher spiritual force impelling the opposites to symbolically speak of it in symbols: this higher spiritual force is the Unknown God, which Saint Paul speaks of in his epistles. This monotheistic God of Christianity, which is symbolized as the Trinity. There is simple no way of truly knowing this Unknown God other than indirect evidence.

This brief outline above relating to the “Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain is quite a

recognizable pattern (empyrean = star, two serpents and four stars); 1 to 2 to 4: septenary not only found in CG Jung’s and Edward F. Edinger’s writings when they discuss the birth of consciousness but also from the central core of the Old and New Testaments: Zechariah 14:4 (Mount of Olives is cleaved in half and then into four parts: east and west, then to the north and south). This is also found in the first letter of Genesis: BETH ב, which in its spelling has a Gematria value of 412 that is a transposition of the numbers 1, 2 and 4. This symbolism is additionally elaborated on with the obelisk and round fountain symbolism. At the top of the obelisk is a Lotus Flower,

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which represents the DOT. The obelisk represents the LINE and the fountain represents the CIRCLE, which again symbolizes the birth of consciousness.

Only a person that understands the deeper esoteric and Kabbalistic nature of the first chapter of Genesis could have known to depict the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water (four stars) as coming from the mouth of God. That is nigh unto an impossibility to envisage not only from a translated text of the Hebrew but even well educated Jews that read and write Hebrew on a daily basis are unaware of this nuance in the text. The white area surrounding the Hebrew alphabet’s second letter BETH ב [first written letter of the Torah] depicts the seventeenth letter: PEI ֵּפ: which symbolically represents ‘mouth’: as in the mouth of God. PEI ֵּפ in turn, when scribed, shows the white area in its folds to be a BETH ב: second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which symbolically means ‘house: i.e. container’. The world beyond the mouths of these two serpents is represented by the four nuclear forces: electromagnetism, weak bosons, strong gluons, and graviton: i.e. fire, earth, air and water. Anything preceding these two mouths: two serpents and lone star represent the empyrean; God: the Trinity in its creative mode.

Another nuances coming out of these four stars belching from the mouths of the two serpents is that each pairs of stars symbolize two of the six directions; otherwise, why have two stars flanking the vapors coming out of each of the serpent’s mouth. The masculine (sun) serpent’s two stars would represent east and west because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west and the feminine (moon) serpent’s two stars would represent it opposite north and south. The lone star between the Sun and the Moon leaves the impression of being singular, which of course it is not. We are merely in this Mercurial Mandala Fountain image the spiritual side of the vision not the materialistic side; thus, it can be understood that behind the lone star is another star. Remember that behind the written letter PEI is the letter BETH and vice versa and I believe that this is what is being implied here. This would make the two stars envisaged in the center of the Sun and the Moon as representing the two directions up and down. This additionally would imply that the center of this septenary would represent the MONAD: i.e. the unknown God. This entire paragraph goes to the discussion on the first word of Genesis: BERESHITH.

The four elements (stars) belching from the mouths of these two serpents should not be taken to represent a square nor is the fountain to be seen as a circle. On a two dimensional surface it may appear that this is so but looking at this image in the light of the concept of a three dimensional reality it can be easily seen that the sphere is within the cube. In the Zohar there is a reference to the first word of Genesis: Bereshith’s six letters representing the six ordinal directions:

i.e. east, west, north, south, up and down that, in and of themselves (though the Zohar does not

expressly state the names of the direction nor that BERESHITH has six letters), would create a cube or a sphere denoting the time/space continuum. The math is not too difficult to perform. Since Beth is the first letter #2 the radius of the square is two, the diameter is four, and four squared is sixteen: 42 and cubed is sixty-four: 43. The math of the sphere: pi x diameter x 4 to obtain the surface area of the sphere = 50.26... Thus the volume of the sphere: 33.51... is not equal to the volume of the cube (I leave the math on that problem to the reader and they’ll see where it takes them). There can only be whole words, verses and chapters in the bible: not portions thereof. Thus it is found that the surface of the sphere: 50.26... represents symbolically the 50-chapters in the book of Genesis and the volume of the sphere: 33.51... when this quotient is reversed and the decimal point is removed from the equation the calculation symbolically points to the 1533-verses found in the 50-chapters of the book of Genesis. Thus the concept of the cube and the sphere in the Rosarium Philosophorum is no mere whim. This also answers the question concerning the squaring of the circle. This is a highly sophisticated method to

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communicating this esoteric science across the epochs of humanity history and it is also is a way of authenticating the document veracity and authenticity. This is a powerful method [magic if you will] of writing a document the uninitiated would be out of his or her depth to fathom.

Beneath the two serpents figure in this image are the Sun and the Moon, which symbolically represent these reptiles. Jung and Edward F. Edinger envisaged these serpents as cold blooded and heartless and not warm blooded as human feeling. This idea should be taken as cosmic law coming directly from the empyrean. The spiritual and cosmic universe would not survive if spiritual and cosmic law changed on a subjective emotional whim. The Zohar says that Yahweh [Yud י] represents the Sun and Elohym [Aleph א] represents the Moon. More of that will be explained in the second image. In this ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image the lone Star is between the Sun and Moon, which is represented in the three water spouts in the fountain. Here the fountain’s three water spouts (symbolically Trinity) obviously comes from the same source (empyrean) that has three different purposes [three persons in one God] that pour into the one basin of water: cosmic ‘material’ universe. Nevertheless, the image of the fountain gives off the impression of being self-sustaining; however it is not. Of course a normal everyday fountain in the midst of a city is not self-sustaining for the water is constantly being refreshed as is the cosmic ‘material’ universe being constantly refreshed by the empyrean. The fountain implied this through the three water spouts. In other words this alchemical image literally says the cosmic ‘material’ universe is not self-sustaining as does the first letter of Genesis: BETH. If the entire material universe was to blink out of existence it would all begin again through the MONAD, which is what BETH and PEI combined symbolize.

The creation of the universe depicted by the belching vapors from the mouths of the two serpents is reenacted symbolically in the fountain’s symbolism: this is a redundancy, and yet, an example of the age old maxim: as above so below; however, the Star between the Sun and the Moon infers a third ‘unseen’ serpent. It has already been hypothesized that there is a star behind the Star between the Sun and the Moon. This means that there has to be gaseous vapors between those two stars as there is between the four-square stars. The fact that there are three water spouts coming out of the obelisk symbolically validates that idea.

The fountain represents the symbolic gathering of the empyrean’s dynamic forces condensed into a coherent whole that can be understood by the use of the soul/psyche’s cognitive abilities. The fountain is a way of expressing that creation process: the fountain does not depict the empyrean: God emitting divine substance into the material universe in a devil may care attitude; rather, the inclusion of the fountain suggests that there is an intelligent purpose behind the process. There are three examples of the Trinity summarized in this first image each expressing the same concept differently: 1. The two serpents: Yahweh and Elohym belching vapors into the material universe, which

denotes the first example of the opposites. It is the empyrean that spurs or initiates the two serpents into action. This will be understood as the commentary continues. Note that this is not the first and only account of the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Each time that God answers an initiate’s prayer this process is called forth for those that have been given a psychic numinous luminosity (vision): born again.

2. The Sun (Yahweh), Moon (Elohym) and Star (Empyrean: God). This will be discussed further in the second image.

3. The three spouts in the fountain: three different color waters. The basin demonstrates that the belching vapors from the empyrean concretize into

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Astrological constellations, which more than infers that the whole of the infinite material creation is represented by the Zodiac. Therefore, it suggests that the material universe is the container that holds within its grasp the Eucharist: divine substance. The constellations of the Zodiac represent the chalice at the Catholic Mass.

This woodcut carving image and the Genesis creation account denotes quite clearly that God can be comprehended indirectly through the process of understanding the symbolism of mythology that cloths His divine Word. This is an awesome concept because it suggests that the symbolism that esoterically cloths the process of creation is analogous and equal to the so-called material universe that contains the divine substance. This more than infers that the soul/psyche is that container: the universe and the world as each individual knows it is in actuality the psychic envelope of the soul/psyche.

In the prologue of the Zohar there is a fanciful tale concerning how the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet coming before the Lord of the Universe to have the world made through one of them. The Zoharic text narrates how each of the letters of the alphabet is rejected for one reason or another: good or ill until the second letter: BETH of the Hebrew alphabet arrives on the scene and is chosen as the perfect candidate/conduit. Aleph the first letter is mysteriously not given an audience before Beth is chosen, yet, the text says Aleph was chosen to head the Ten Commandments. Actually, Aleph is the key to why Beth was chosen. Aleph when spelt out is Aleph-Lemmed-Pei. This would read Al-Pei or El/Pei or mouth of God. This is because El: the Most High God of Melchizedek King of Salem of the Old and New Testaments is in the empyrean, whereas, the mouth is the portal [liken to a spout?], whatever that may be, to the cosmic ‘material’ universe. The word Aleph has the Gematria value of 111, which is the numerical value of all three letters: Aleph #1, Yud, #10 and Qoph #100 that has the common denominator #1, which are the letters of the Holy Trinity. This letter Aleph is most likely where Catholicism obtained its concept of the Trinity because it is well worked out in the reading of the first verse of Genesis from the first word of Genesis. The first verse of Genesis was conceptually structured from the nuances in the first word: BERESHITH long before it was penned in detail. When the first word of Genesis: BERESHITH is analyzed from the text of the original Hebrew the story outlined in the prologue of the Zohar concerning the legend of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet comes to life as the source for the myth in the Zoharic text; thus, once the Genesis Formula is read and understood it can be seen that the waters of the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain is sent back to its original source just as the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are sent back into the empyrean: God for recycling. In every sense the Waters of Creation are the Souls that come into the world.

It must be understood that the concept CHRIST (Christ symbolizes the Star between the Sun and the Moon) is the controlling factor in all that has to do with the Old and New Testaments for without His intercession there would be no religion anywhere in the world. To demonstrate this in the Judeao Christian Scripture it is worth pointing out that the last four letters of the Hebrew alphabet spells out the word CHRIST in Greek using Hebrew letters: Qoph ק, Resh (ר), Shin (ש), Tav (ת): spell out krst-CHRIST.

Since the letter PEI ֵּפ exudes the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet: BETH ב then it should be looked at more closely. Each of the 22-Hebrew letters and the five final letters totaling to 27-letters are grouped according to their own common denominators: i.e. BETH #2 ב, Kaf all have the same common denominator of two: #2. Each of these #200 ר and RESH ,#20 כletters is interchangeable, exactly as was seen with Aleph א, Yud י and Qoph ק with the

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common denominator of one: #1. It can only be surmised that this is why these three letters with the same common denominator of #2 are the first letters depicted in the Torah. Not that they were the first but actually depicted visually or abstractly first. All the Hebrew letters should be conceptualized as seeds having their own seed within themselves. BETH is spelt: BETH-YUD-TAV and RESH is spelt RESH-ALEPH-SHIN. When BETH opens up to be impregnated RESH is inserted as a new Heaven and a new Earth: thus the word BERESHITH is formed. In fact it can be said that the entire Old and New ב רא שי ת Testaments are commentaries on the first letter of Genesis: BETH ב or should it be PEI פ (actually it is both: combined)?

Now that it has been demonstrated that PEI ֵּפ is the mystical first letter of Genesis it must be understood that it is the governing factor in the Old and New Testaments. Since PEI ֵּפ (the 17th Hebrew letter) means ‘mouth’ this implies 32-teeth that reside in the mouth coupled with the knowledge that the seventeenth Tarot Card: is the Star. Is it not interesting that the 18th and 19th Tarot Cards are the Moon and the Sun respectively? The Star sitting between the Moon and the Sun is precisely what depicted here is in the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain’s alchemical image. Yet, at the beginning of the Torah before a letter is actually written there is an implied significance to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life [32-teeth in the mouth] and the Star of David via the letter PEI ֵּפ itself. In the main body of the text of the first chapter of Genesis the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and the Star of David is much more highly developed esoterically. The 32-Elohyms used in the text of the first chapter of Genesis when placed in sequential order give off the pattern of these graphic images. The Elohyms in the categories they are listed under when 180° from another aids mapping the graphic images into the text; &, the actual structural frame of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life was literally worked into the text by the ten Sefirahs. All of this is here discussed only to demonstrate the sophisticated nature of the esoteric science being dealt with.

There is so much that has to be understood about the first word of Genesis BERESHITH as well as the first chapter of Genesis as a whole before this ב רא שי ת Alchemical ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image can be fully understood; however, I will not rehash what I have place in other writings but will touch on them generally.

It was mentioned above that the Yahweh and Elohym represent the Sun and Moon respectively. In fact the entire first chapter of Genesis brings this point out about the Sun and Moon quite clearly as having to do with its overall text. There are 434-Hebrew words in the first chapter of Genesis. There is but one letter in the Hebrew alphabet that has that numerical value 434 and that is Daleth, the fourth letter, which symbolically means ‘Door (Christ said I am the door)’. Couple this information with the pattern of 31-words in the first day of Creation and 38-words in the second day of creation, which totals to 69-Hebrew words. Both the third and fourth days of creation have 69-Hebrew words. This totals to 207-Hebrew words in the first four days of creation. The word ‘light’ in Hebrew has a total Gematria value of 207. In the first four chapters of Genesis there are a total of 1449-Hebrew words: 1449 / 69 = 21'. The twenty-second group of 69-words is found in the first chapter of Genesis: there are 69-groups of words [142-words = septenary] held together by 80-hyphens: 434 – 69 = 365: Solar Year and 434 – 80 = 354: Lunar Year. Hyphens really have no direct meaning other than to separate words. The hyphens get their glory from the group of 69-words just as the Moon gets its glory from the Sun as the esoteric science obtains its glory from the surface text of the sacred scriptures. The inference is that the surface text represents the intellectual ‘literal’ realm of Yahweh (Sun) and the esoteric knowledge of abstractions is of Elohym’s (Moon) realm: this twain of

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literalism and abstractions can never meet: they will always be at war and the victor will assimilate the other just as the dominant personality exerts itself in any marriage: this concept is also seen in the surface text of the Torah in relationship to the esoteric science’s married to the text. It should be mentioned that the fifth and sixth days of creation have a combined total of 206-words, which coincide with the 206-bones in the human body. The first two verses of Genesis have 21-words; however, the first word of Genesis can be seen as two words: BERESHITH = ‘created six’, thus pointing to the 22-letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The inference here is that the 207-letters of the first four days of creation that represent LIGHT intermingling with the 206-words, which represent the skeleton of the body. Also, the 434-words plus 1-additional word would equal 435 or the aggregate of 29, which is symbolically the number of Saturn, which the Israelites believed ruled their land. There is much more to this than I am willing to get into here.

The word Yahweh has a Gematria value of #26 that reduces to the lowest common denominator of #8 and Elohym has a Gematria value of #86 that reduces to the lowest common denominator of #5: these two numbers #5 and #8 are a set in the sequence in the Fibonacci sequence concerning the Golden Ratio, which has to do with all organic life on earth: hence this is the foreshadowing of the human, vegetable and animal kingdoms. In the creation and maintaining of the cosmic material universe organic life was already foreordained before the foundations of the earth. Combined Yahweh #8 and Elohym #5 totals to #13, with a lower common denominator of #4: symbolically Door #4 or Water #40: as in waters of creation: symbolically the waters of the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountaini. This is why the breath (spirit) of God coming from the MOUTH (Pei) of God brooded over the face of the waters in the second verse of Genesis. Combined the forces of creation [Yahweh and Elohym] will not interact unless the spirit or breath of God [third aspect of the Trinity] moves over the still waters: as in initiating action. Unless there is a consensus in the Trinity as to how the opposites are to interact there cannot be a material creation. This is why creation is depicted as a fountain in this alchemical image: so that it can be envisage as the divine waters being continuously replenished. Thus God: Trinity is the sole cause of the creation of the opposites. To create a universe of opposites organic life had to be the prerequisite for creation. The only thing that creates life is the interaction of the opposites otherwise there would be no creation to speak of or to maintain. Thus here it has been established that humanity: Adam was not created for the world but rather the world was created for humanity: Adam. When the nuances in the Sun and Moon symbiotic relationship is considered the initiate can envisage why mathematics is cold. When the Moon is out during the night time hours the universe can be studied mathematically objectively; however, the warmed of the Sun implies organic life: subjective thinking because the universe is hidden behind the glare of the Sun during the day time hours: out of sight out of mind.

The basin of the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain is quite unique for it stands on the earth on three animal paws: nature. With the sun and the moon above and the sky between the earth and the water, they depict the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water as suggested by four stars squared. The six stars on the front side of the basin infer six stars on the backside of the basin, which infers that the basin is in fact a symbolical representation of the Zodiac. Therefore, the basin is a collection or circle of animals as is the Zodiac cycle. Since the basin’s legs are depicted as animal paws touching the earth it suggests that the Zodiac impels but does not compel: they are not grasping claws. The three paws suggest that the Trinity takes on anthropomorphic tendencies by immersing/ concretizing itself symbolically into the

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mythology of Astrology. This is further collaborated by the fact that the three spouts pours water: or let’s say the empyrean’s substance into the basin, which flows to the outer rim concretizing into the mythology of Astrology/Zodiac. The empyrean’s substance or primordial ooze would therefore be the hierarchal circle of angels emanating out from the empyrean: God’s creative abode. The number three as in three spouts, three paws and the Trinity in relationship to the symbolism of the Zodiac implies Quadruplicities: Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable interlaced with the Triplicities of Astrology: Earth, Air, Fire and Water (four). This ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain is going out of its way to point to the Trinity immersing itself into Astrology, which is abhorrent to the majority of modern Christians. This is because few people know or understand what Astrology is. It is not a fortune telling tool though it is a predictive tool for it is conceived abstractly from mathematics. Astrology merely aids the initiate into decoding the esoteric science embedded mathematically and symbolically into the world literature. As a predictive tool an initiate can foresee patterns that must emerge somewhere in the immediate text. Astrology is a byproduct of the Universal Mathematical Matrix: The Prima Materia (Perennial Matrix). Astrology is not an invention of humanity; rather, it is a gift from God that enables humanity to know and understand God on, at least, an individual basis.

THE SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: The Emergence of the Opposites

In the SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites’

alchemical image [Figure 2] found in the Rosarium Philosophorum there are many features that augment the interpretation of the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image. In the Genesis text this would be an example of Elohym outwardly appearing to be dominant; however, both Yahweh and Elohym actually have equal status: 50%/50% where neither is in control though Yahweh seems to be in the position of authority. This is the ideal state of existence in the material world: the New Jerusalem that Saint John talks about in Revelations. This is a perfect example of the first verse of Genesis: ‘the separation (creation) of the heavens and the earth’. This image is an extrapolation or further personification of the Sun, Moon and Star as seen in the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image. It is in fact a commentary on the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image; however, here there are features that are not readily seen by a literal observation.

The first thing that catches the eye and the imagination is the fact that the Sun and the Moon have been personified into human (anthropomorphized) forms. Therefore, without all the pomp of the regal garments indicating royalty as King and Queen what is displayed in this image is the small compact area just above the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain: no more than the Sun, Star and the Moon. It is just that portion of the previous image that is being conceptualized and discussed visually in this second

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image. The dove is merely the messenger (symbolically the star) sent by the empyrean. The Moon personifies Elohym and the Sun represents Yahweh. The King and Queen in royal garments indicate that the esoteric science via the symbolism of mythology has been brought to the highest levels of civilization. Why else personify the Sun and Moon using human form and clothing? Here as in the previous image and Genesis text the concept that the divine is wrapped is swallowing clothing: symbolism of mythology is clearly expressed.

In the bible when the names of God: Yahweh and/or Elohym are used it is in the names of those aspects of the Trinity working through human beings. Human beings are basically angels of these aspects of the Trinity each individual is most comfortable with. Those individuals that are basically conservative would be pro Yahweh and those basically liberal would lean towards the Elohym side. It is known that all human beings owe their allegiance and philosophy on life in some degree or other to one of these two opposing ideologies. All that that would nuance is embossed upon the Emergence of the Opposite image. However, there is a great deal more behind the image and these obvious aspects have to be discussed up front before continuing.

The SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image shows the Sun and the Moon co-creating a six directional device with the aid of the empyrean: the Dove or Holy Spirit. Thus the three aspects of the Trinity appear to be working outwardly in unity to assemble this device. There can be no doubt as to what the device is: the time/space continuum. This has been discussed previously in the ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain image knowing that this point of the commentary would be reached. At that time the commentary focus upon the Zoharic data in relationship to the six letters of the Hebrew word: BERESHITH Notice also that the six directional device denoting the time/space .בשארית continuum points inferentially to the central part of the device giving it a seventh direction: septenary connotation.

Here the focus will center on the SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image and the actual construct of the Hebrew word BERESHITH. Granted this additional evidence will not be any more compelling than the previous data; however, it will demonstrate that ancient writers were very careful about their proofs by being redundant. Redundancy is the hallmark of science. Also this additional commentary on data already discussed will demonstrate the many different ways that the text of the Torah and alchemical woodcut carvings can be analyzed to give up their secrets.

First when viewing the construct of the Hebrew word BERESHITH it is found from the outlined above that it is constructed of two letters of the Hebrew alphabet joined as if one of them was pregnant with the other. Yahweh: the Sun had already been associated with the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Yud י and Elohym represents the Aleph א. As it can be seen BETH: ב י ת has the Yud י between the Beth (old heaven) and the Tav (waters), which makes these two letters equidistance from the Yud. If BETH represents East and Tav represent West then what is had here is symbolism of a static universe: nothing is happening. Time is at a standstill or it can be said that the Sun is at high noon: at its Zenith. Now view the second word in the construct of the Hebrew word BERESHTIH. This word RESH ר א ש has Aleph א sitting equidistance between the RESH ר (new heaven) and the Shin ש (new earth): putting the Moon at its Zenith; however, when these two letters BETH ב and RESH ר are merged where BETH opens itself to make room for RESH the Yud י in the word BETH ית...ב is found at the far West, left hovering above the waters: TAV in the word BERESHITH ת

as in the Sun setting in the West. When this is pictured in the mind the beginning of a בשארית

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new day was dawning because the Sun is in the West and night time has arrived. In each day of creation as narrated in the first chapter of the Genesis’ six days of creation it says ‘it was evening and morning’ for each day of the week. In other words night time came before the dawn of the new day. The fact that the Sun had set and a new day had dawned demonstrated that creation already was in existence long before the first day of creation was penned in the Genesis 1:3-5; surface text. For who else could have uttered that fateful scream in the night “let there be light” if not the Sun seeking to shine where its conception of darkness now reigned.

Notice when viewing the first word of Genesis: BERESHITH that the first בשאר ית two verses of Genesis can be easily read into it:

BETH ב reads “in” and RESH ר means “first – beginning”. These first two letters BETH ב and RESH ר combine to form the word BERESHITH in (the)“ בשארית beginning”.

RESH = RESH-ALEPH-SHIN ר א ש when spelt out: Resh ר is interpreted as Heaven for it has the numerical value of #2 (its lowest common denominator) as seen in the second day of creation and Shin ש is interpreted as Earth because its numerical value is #3 as seen in the third day of creation. Aleph א represents God separating the Heavens and the Earth; thus, RESH would represent the Garden of Eden (Heaven). In other words the soul/psyche (earth) is being separated from its own imagination (the heavens). The soul/psyche is permanently in the empyrean and can never be outside of God’s abode; however, the soul/psyche is allowed to wonder imaginatively into all realms of thought.

When looking at the word BERESHITH is literally seen א the letter Aleph בשאר ית sitting between Resh ר and Shin ש. Remember that Elohym is symbolically the Moon separating North from South or separating the Heavens and the earth and this is simultaneous to the Sun setting in the West. This separating the heavens and the earth implies that the heavens and the earth were previously together and needed to be separated. This can be envisaged when it is realized that the Sun before completing its journey across the sky drenches the earth with its light obscuring the constellations of the Zodiac (heavens) as if the entire light of the heavens descended to earth during the day time period.

This would indicate that the authors of the scriptures were symbolically criticizing and critiquing religious and secular totalitarianism. This is very similar to Martin Luther complaint against the Catholic Church during the High Middle Ages: Renaissance period or the USA criticizing the USSR or vice versa.

What is really being said in the word BERESHITH is that in the word בשארית RESHITH (beginning) Elohym was separating the Heavens and the Earth . That is an important concept to grasp. The text of the verse does not say “in the first”; rather, it says, “in the beginning”. The letter BETH represents the translation “IN ”; whereas, the next five letters in the word BERESHITH reads RESHITH as in “IN RESHITH ”.

BETH ב and RESH ר and Aleph א the first three letters of the Torah spell out BARA ב ר א, which is interpreted to mean “to chose, select, separate, create”. The text is literally saying that within the word RESH ר א ש “Elohym separates the heaven and the earth”. One of the great nuances in the reading of the word BERESHITH is to בשארית realize that: both Yud י and Aleph א flank Shin ש and Aleph א and Qoph ק flank Beth these latter two letters (Beth and Resh) combine to symbolize the plural word :ר and Resh ב ‘heavens’ (old and new heavens: Testaments). The Old Testament is the Heaven and Earth combined and the New Testament is the Heavens and the Earth separated.

To know this particular nuance the initiate would have to know the secret to the Genesis

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Formula. For when Aleph and Yud work together and Aleph and Qoph work hand in hand the text reads as if only Elohym is creating and not the entire Trinity working in unanimity.

In the text of the first verse of Genesis the word “beginning and end את is used twice: for these two Hebrew letters represent the beginning and ending of the Hebrew alphabet. This word is used 26-times in the first chapter of Genesis but is never translated. The first verse of Genesis literally reads:

“In the beginning Elohym separated the beginning and ends of the heavens and the beginning and ends of the earth”.

Thus the word Elohym as one of the members of the triune Trinity takes on all three attributes of the Trinity at once in the first word of Genesis. This then extrapolate out to the reading of the first verse of Genesis.

The word BERESHITH also can be translated as ‘separated six’ as the ב שארית Zohar indicates. This interpretation from the Zohar made no sense until this commentary was being written when this opportunity to break down the word BERESHITH again presented itself. So far the above five point have gone from Beth to Yud but Tav has yet to be dealt with. The translation ‘separated six’ could very well refer to separating the six letters of BERESHITH. A very interesting nuance presented itself that was never considered before. The last three letters of BERESHITH ב ר א - ש י ת deals with just the second verse of Genesis.

Another very important nuance that comes out of this word BERESHITH and its writing the first verse of Genesis, which I will not go into in this paper, is that the ‘separated six’ interpretation of the word BERESHITH has everything to with separating six months of the year from six signs of the Zodiac or is that vice versa? Know that in this case Heavens represent materialist idols (symbolized by the Calendar Year): i.e. false conceptions of God and the Earth represent the soul/psyche (symbolized as the Zodiac signs); thus, “Elohym separated the soul (the earth) from its idols (the heavens)”. Here it in the first verse of Genesis it should be realized that there is a plurality of heavens being inferred. There can only be one Garden of Eden: i.e. Heaven. There can never be more than one Garden of Eden; hence, in the case of the first verse of Genesis the plurality heavens represent idols: multiple of heavens.

Notice that in the word BETH: ב י ת the earth does not reside just as the number two and its derivatives will not be found in the empyrean.. This is because BETH: ב י ת symbolically represents totalitarianism where the individual rights are sacrificed for the needs of its raison d’être. The raison d’être is all that matters. It is essentially the Garden of Eden. This is why in the second verse of the Torah it states that “the earth was without form and void (tabula rasa: i.e blank slate).” The word ‘earth’ here represents the individual soul/psyche, which is submerged in the waters (collective unconscious) without being allowed to express itself. The word six ש י ת represent the last three letters of Bereshith. And they represent: i) SHIN ש: the Earth ii) Yud י: the spirit of Elohym iii) Tav ת: the waters.

Thought Tav ת has the symbolic value of ‘mark’ Tav ת is also associated with the letters Daleth (4, Door) and Mem (40, Water). Each of these letters is interchangeable because they each have the same common denominator of four. The second verse of Genesis reads:

“And the earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep and the spirit (wind or breath) of Elohym move (brooded or pouted) over

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the face of the waters”. This breath of God comes directly from the PEI ֵּפ [mouth of God]. The breath of God

(from the empyrean) moves the Sun into action to stirs things up: i.e. evaporating water to bring rain (rain is pain: darkest before the dawn to bring about DESIRE in the soul) to effect change. A great deal seems to be written into this verse that was not previously taken note of elsewhere. That would be a false reading of the evidence. Previous interpretations of the word BERESHITH give evidence to every part of this second verse. The Sun setting in בשאר ית the West places the earth in darkness, which makes it without form and void. Standing on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean looking towards the West it must have appeared symbolically as if the Sun (spirit of Elohym) when setting was brooding over the face of the waters.

Between these two words/verses from the first word of Genesis: BERESHITH is the knowledge from other researches that the first verse of Genesis represent ב שאריתScorpio: eighth sign of the Zodiac and the second verse represents Sagittarius: the ninth sign. These are the only signs with arrows and they intersect creating a cross: the center directly over the area of the Galactic Core. It is known that in the center of these two signs of the Zodiac constellations is the galactic core. This nuance implies the center of the galaxy and/or the center of the time/space continuum: the center of the device held by the Sun, Moon and Dove in this alchemical woodcut carving: the center being the singularity. Remember the Sun holding the rod going from east to west is not either of these directions symbolically: symbolically it is the empyrean creating the universe. Just as the Moon creating the north and south directions is also symbolically the empyrean as is the Dove that symbolizes creating the up and down directions. These three are one inferring the seventh direction in the center of the time/space continuum device. Thus it is being expressed in these woodcut carvings and the book of Genesis that the Trinity: God creates the time/space continuum; however, what is being specifically expressed in this alchemical image and the Genesis first two verses as commentary on the word Bereshith is that the triune God holds the soul in its embrace: outside of the material creation. It would appear that within the singularity: that is the individual’s soul the triune Trinity is making it into its image and likeness.

Another interesting nuance coming out of this image is the flowers that the Sun and Moon give each other. The King is red garment gives the Queen red flowers and the Queen white gives the King white flowers. They are each giving the other ‘themselves’; curiously though, is this not what each of the opposite always do? What has changed? The fact that both the King and the Queen is willing to receive from the other is what has changed. Normally, opposite would not deign to accept anything from its opposite. It is either my way or the highway kind of mentality. This new cooperative spirit is what brought forth the dove. This cooperative spirit is what Catholicism calls the Eucharist and Carl G. Jung calls the Transcendent Function. What resulted from this giving of each other to the other is what the Dove contributes: the third option.

Notice that the last word of the first verse of Genesis: earth is the first word of the second verse. Revisit in the mind-eye the concept of the word BERESHITH broken בשארית up into its constituent parts. It should be understood that the earth (soul/psyche) is flanked by both Yahweh and Elohym: meaning that each is proselytizing this new convert that has just emerged from the Waters of Creation (see third day of creation). In the Torah it has Elohym separating the heavens and the earth. In the Jewish Targums it has Yahweh making the heavens and the earth. So it is quite obvious that the opposites have diametrically opposite ways of looking at the same ideas and concepts. The initiate should be extremely cautious in

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attempting interpretations of the sacred scriptures. Just imagine in the mind-eye the first two verses of Genesis in relationship to the three

dimensional device in the alchemical woodcut carving: merge them as one expressed idea. This is implying that the word ‘earth’ and what it represents in the Genesis text and the alchemical woodcut carving is the singularity.

The word ‘earth’ symbolically represents the individual’s soul. This is why Christ says in the New Testament, “what have you gained if you gained the whole world and lost your very soul?” Having the fixed material realm: i.e. BETH: ב י ת wash over the mind is literally losing one soul. This basically is a redundancy on the first two words/letters of Genesis: BETH and RESH because in producing the four dimensional reality the galactic core can be inferred from the center of the Sun, Moon and the Star creating the four dimensional reality: the center of the cube or sphere: the singularity. What was attempted in the above was to demonstrate that the word BERESHITH can be continuously broken down to find as many words and nuances in sequence as possible to envisage that the text of the first two verses of Genesis were written into it, and/or, it is almost as if the six letters of BERESHITH were continuously sliced and diced so-to-speak in order to deplete the word of all its possible meanings and then from that material write a terse but coherent text.

Humans are not normally taught that individual words have this kind of power to contain so much data; however, when it is viewed properly it is actually BETH: ב י ת the first letter of Genesis that held that power to construct the text. If one thinks further about the text it can be envisage that it was the mystical letter PEI פ, which generated the text: i.e. BETH: ב י ת. Most important to understand about the sacred scriptures is that all aspect of it from Genesis to Revelation has both a secular and an esoteric interpretation mimicking the symbolic paradigm that BETH: ב י ת and PEI פ inaugurated.

Ultimately the initiate has to envisage that the message of the text is from the empyrean, which the scribes of Genesis used the garments of the world (histories and mythologies) to cloth it in. There are many more nuances in the first word of Genesis but it is not proper to go into them in this paper. The most significant of these additional nuances is the reality that all six days of creation can be read directly from the first word of Genesis. Thus the first chapter of Genesis is merely an amplification of the first word of Genesis: i.e. the first letter of Genesis: BETH: ב י ת. Each day of creation can be seen broken down in the word BERESHITH similar to how the above first two verses of Genesis was envisaged.

The six-directional device in [Figure 2] the SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites is without a doubt a symbolical representation of the creation of the spiritual and material universe; however, as with all symbols there is a great deal more to its meaning than the obvious. The fact that both the Sun and the Moon and Dove each hold a rod with two roses (?) may imply the Rosé Croix symbol. That is of course unsubstantiated guesswork; however, each of these flowery rods is pointing in a different direction indicating that the Sun and Moon and Dove are governed by their own characteristic traits. The rods are in this image stiff and strong. The rods are not wilted and sodden as will be seen in other images. The Sun and Moon are not necessarily working in concert though the outward appearance would indicate a cooperative effort is in play; but, notice the colors of the roses on these three rods are the same colors as the waters coming out of the three spouts in the fountain. This further validate that the Sun and Moon represent two of the three personalities of the Trinity. The Dove coming from the empyrean is an interesting innovative technique to emulate the Genesis symbolism creating the same concept. As in the word BERESHITH where

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Yud, Aleph and Qoph were all utilized under the name of Elohym so to in THE SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image the Sun, Moon and Dove are all three person in one Trinity. It is still Yahweh/Sun separating East from West and it is Elohym/Moon separating the North from the South, however, the Dove steps into the picture to furnish a symbol that does not so obviously imitates the Genesis text. Yet, it is realized that each personality of the Trinity has its own agenda and appears to work in unity so too does each human being have a right to pursue his or her interest appearing to work in harmony within the societal mores. This is the symbolism behind this three dimensional device. Everybody in society is doing his or her own thing, going in every conceivable direction (harmonious chaos), but from a divine perspective.

This three dimensional device is actually quite an extraordinary symbol because it implies that no matter what our personal agenda in life is the world has a different agenda and in addition the spiritual realm has its own agenda; thus, indicating there are many forces against the individual plans for life; however, this symbolic device is also suggesting that the soul/psyche can work in harmony with the other opposing agenda to its own benefit.

The next thing to point out in THE SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposite image is the fact that the Sun and Moon are holding each other’s left hand under the three dimensional reality of the material universe {real ‘conscious’ world}. Therefore, it would seem that the left hands suggest knowledge of the collective unconscious realm. This more than suggests that both the real world and the empyrean are known and that it is the empyrean that sustains creation. This implies that both these aspects of the sacred scriptures are known and are seen from the literal as well as the esoteric point of view. Yet, they are never to be brought together in any interpretive fashion: each is to be interpreted from its own perspective: surface text is interpreted literally from what is consciously known, whereas, the esoteric science is interpreted esoterically from the empyrean’s point of view. The King and Queen suggest archetypes of the masculine and feminine psyche and knowledge that the psyche is what creates the opposites. If Yahweh represents the body and Elohym the psyche then the Dove would be the spiritual impetus that animates the life-force in each person (Virgin Birth). Yahweh represents the surface text of the sacred scriptures, whereas, Elohym represents the esoteric nature coded to the text and only the empyrean: God can quicken knowledge of his word. Without the cooperation of the dynamic forces of the Trinity the true interpretation of the sacred scriptures can never be known.

There is another nuance seen in these three sets of flowers and that is that the dove is placing his rod with two flowers over the left hand of the King as to reinforced the idea of a patriarchal world; however, the dove is only there because of the cooperation between ego-consciousness (Sun) and the unconscious mind (mind). If this cooperation did not exist between the opposites there would be no dove to validate the king’s authority: i.e. sovereignty.

This is one of the confusing aspects of the symbolism of the Sun. The sun, by itself, symbolizes an ego-centric individual: i.e. it being the center of the solar system; whereas, the spiritualized sun in harmony with the unconscious mind: i.e. moon becomes one on one with the cosmic spiritual universe. This is why King Herod was seen as the sun (ego-centric) and Christ is often symbolizes as the sun: Cosmic Consciousness.

When looking at the position of the six flowers on the three rods: two flowers each pair denotes sending forth the BETH to create with; thus, all three are on the same page so to speak. This is a valid interpretation since each direction goes in a straight line, which denotes

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the number two. When a line is drawn from the six ends of the three rods the Star of David emerges. This is reminiscence of how the Star of David was coded into the Genesis Formula and the main body of the text of the first chapter of Genesis and the Star of David is codified into the Zodiac/Calendar year.

THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:

The Reunification of the Opposites: The Birth of Darkness THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Reunification of the Opposites: the

Birth of Darkness image [Figure 3] found in the Rosarium Philosophorum is a perfect example of ACAUSAL TIME. In actuality this image should have been the first to appear in the text of the sacred scriptures. As in the Genesis text so to in these alchemical images cause follows the effect. In the first chapter of Genesis Bereshith continuously repeats itself demonstrating that there is a new heaven and a new earth constantly on the horizon. This is because creation without maintenance reverts back to the first letter of Genesis: BETH without divine guidance. For example :ב י ת numerous civilizations have fallen and have been reclaimed by nature. The European Dark Ages demonstrated that civilized people can lose their culture: reading, writing, mathematics, industry, art, etc., etc. and revert back to the savage. This is precisely what the Torah and the alchemical images are saying with this archetypal image; however, it also says fear not for there is always a new heaven and a new earth on the horizon. This is not to say that such an eventuality would not be about an upheaval or Armageddon in the psyche, which is what the outer façade is all about: symbolically the splitting of the atom or the divorce process. Getting on the other side of that internal turmoil is what life is about in bringing forth the new heaven and the earth (Death, where is thy sting).

This image is a reminder of Yahweh Elohym’s statement to Adam and Eve, “ who told thee thou was naked”. Going from regal garments to total sensuality and unkempt hygiene (look at the woman’s hair). What decent woman let’s herself go like that?

Anybody can argue any side of an argument (Möbius strip) and make evil look good and/or make good to appear evil (this is precisely how lawyers are trained in law schools). So in looking at THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Reunification of the Opposites: the Birth of Darkness image the initiate has to evaluate it in relationship to the commentary already aired out above. This would appear at first blush to be the ideal marriage but nothing can be further from the truth. Anyone that has had an intimate relationship knows that the sexual lore attenuate to or almost to the point of disappearing quite quickly. Always one of the partners ends up emerging as the dominant personality in the relationship and the other can do nothing but submit to the dye that has been cast. The Queen in this figure says she

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will submit to the king symbolically Yahweh and this is the archetypal pattern to a patriarchal marriage: 51%/49% preferably 100%/0%. Whether that marriage is a vocation or a substance addiction or any other addiction the world has to offer it is the dominant factor in the individual’s life. The fact that the couple is naked indicates that all known factors are on the table: so to speak. She knows his dictatorial demands and she is willing to submit to them just as an addict is willing to submit to the demands of substance abuse. No matter what the ism that dominates an individual’s life (psyche) he or she has no excuse not knowing all the factors in the relationship whether it’s with an individual or to the state government: Communism, Nazism, Democracy: i.e. Plutocracy, Socialism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or whatever addiction or obsession one is a prisoner too.

Contrast the MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Reunification of the Opposites: the Birth of Darkness image with THE SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image. In the SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image the Queen is her own person and both are fully cloth indicating there is mystery and diversity in this highly cultured marriage. The Queen goes her own way the King goes his own way which is indicated by the rods. This marriage is divinely sanctioned by the Dove. This indicates that God will not interfere in the affairs of humanity unless the individual calls upon Him.

The King and Queen in the MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Reunification of the Opposites: the Birth of Darkness image are each holding the rods with both their right and left hands, which indicates that they have consciously and unconsciously merged heaven and earth and within that context (BETH: ב י ת) is the whole of their existence. Notice also how the dove rod goes down the center of both the King’s and Queen’s rods, where previously the dove rods went off to the left in favor the King. There is no greater universe that surrounds them and there are not infinite possibility awaiting them. They are trapped in a world/prison of their own choosing. The flowery rods are wilting and the psyche is descending deeper and deeper into barbarism: a descent into hell. Note that the King and Queen no longer hold hands and they are each working independent of each other. The two flowers are joined as one flower symbolizing the reunification of the opposites. Even the dove’s flowers have united into one. This is in reference to Christ’s statement “what thou bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” Remember that the first verse of the Judeao Christian Scriptures: Genesis 1:1; is “In the beginning Elohym separated the beginning and ends of the heavens and the beginning and ends of the earth”. The whole purpose of the creation account in Genesis and the Rosarium Philosophorum woodcut carvings is to demonstrate the process of separating the heavens and the earth. Apparently once the descent into oblivion begins it cannot be altered without divine intervention: this will be seen more clearly below.

What the King and Queen symbolize, in this Figure 3, is the bringing together the opposites: heaven and earth melding together into an unrecognizable form: the two has become one. There is no more mythological garbs clothing the divine and thus the esoteric science is wilting almost to the point of non-existence: it is as if the flowers have been reinterpreted. The star (numinous) is gone out of this image indicating the divine has fled. The dove symbolizes Christ’s mandate that what is bound on earth is bound in heaven. Notice how even the dove’s rod is wilting as if it is merely thought of as tradition rather than spirituality. Also there are no longer two flowers on each rod: only one remains on each of the three rods. It does not take a great imagination to know which half of the equation has been lost. You guessed it: the Esoteric

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Science is no longer known: only the exoteric is of any value. The fact that the flowers have melded into one indicates that the King and Queen think themselves to be religious as in imitating the MONAD; hence, they turned their knowledge into a belief system as witnessed in organized religions.

Where previously the flowers were stiff and vibrant here they have lost their vitality. Ask yourself the reason why this is happening. First of all the first written letter into creation is BETH, which symbolizes the number two. This means that all of the material creation has to come through the auspices of the letter BETH (2). Yes, we know that the letter PEI (80); thus, BETH (2) and PEI (80) = 82 = 10 = 1. This would bring about a false interpretation to how creation comes into being. God gave humanity, on an individual level, the world to live in and now here in this woodcut carving it is shown that man has determined how he wants creation to come about. This is how the war in heaven came about between the opposing angelic forces.

The soul/psyche is supposed to live in the world in a spiritual state of mind. This may represent Beth and Pei working in harmony; however, this cooperation should not be misinterpreted for the totality of spirituality. For negating the world and/or the body in favor of 100% spirituality is in fact diabolical evil. This is going against the mandate of God. In the many times that I have read the Adam and Eve story I have flitted back and forth between believing that Eve was evil or she was very spiritual. Both of these interpretations come out of that same mythological story and neither of them are wrong interpretations. Eve sin was that she loved God so much that she wanted to become like God as the serpent indicated.

Here in this woodcut carving the MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Reunification of the Opposites: the Birth of Darkness it can clearly be seen that Eve (queen), which represents the unconscious mind (waters of life) wants both her mate Adam (king = ego-consciousness) and herself to be 100% spiritual (in other words water-logged). Notice the punishment that Adam and Eve received. The very thing that Eve was frightened of is the very thing she ended up enduring. Eve did not want to be controlled by ego-consciousness; yet, Yahweh banishes both Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden into the desert. The desert is ruled by the sun, which symbolizes an ego-centric individual. Yahweh represents the sun demonstrating that the ego itself is what casted Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. It is kind of humorous when you think about Adam and Eve becoming water-logged because their hiding in the Garden of Eden would have been beneath the foliage.

The symbolism of the sacred scriptures of the world is so complex, in so far, as their having multiple nuances that each symbol appears to have an infinite depth. There is only so far beneath the surface of each symbol that should be researched otherwise chaos will ensue.

To further emphasize the reasons for creation it would be best to repeat part of the above commentary on THE SEPARATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: the Emergence of the Opposites image.

As it can be seen BETH: ב י ת has the Yud between the Beth and the Tav, which makes these two letters equidistance from the Yud. If BETH represents East and Tav represent West then what is had here is symbolism of a static universe: nothing is happening. Or it can be said that the Sun is at high noon: at its Zenith: the soul has become totally ego-centric.

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DESCENT INTO THE ABYSS: Acquiescence to Darkness

The descent into the abyss is always done with good intention and reasoned argument. This is

what this fourth image depicts in DESCENT INTO THE ABYSS: Acquiescence to Darkness. Sitting in the fountain illustrates compromise with reasoned arguments as is depicted in all marriages. However, what marriage endured half a century without both partner looking like twins: one starts a sentence and the other completes it. This is what is found in the five thousand sects of Christianity. One person starts a following and every follower repeat the logic of the founder’s arguments. The world is absent of any true knowledge of the esoteric science has turn life on earth into a dog-eat-dog world. Everybody is seeking some kind of solace and is willing to compromise their opinions not to unset the status quo: for all intent and purpose this is a DESCENT INTO THE ABYSS: Acquiescence to Darkness.

This particular image is reminiscence of Yahweh resting on the seventh day from all His works. When the sun is at its zenith it is siesta time and a time to play and rest: it is for all intent and purpose the false idea of the Garden of Eden: true light. The previous image merges the opposites once again and after that strenuous work of course it is time to rest: no need for constant vigilance.

The fountain or is that a well? appears to be an oasis in the desert and yet the king and queen are still seeking 100% spirituality, which makes Eve (queen) dominant in the relationship.

Notice how the Sun and Moon images have left the scene as if to indicate that the sacred scriptures are a product of man rather than the divine. There is no longer the obelisk with the three spouts emitting divine waters. The flowers have become more saturated as if they have become one with the waters basin: no longer a fountain. A whole new interpretation of what the sacred scriptures are all about is now dominating the scene. Astrology is very opaquely referenced via the hexagonal basin, which implies the Star of David; however, it is not hexagonal because the basin has seven sides. It is in the shape of a heptagon, which points to them seeking the birth of a new consciousness.

The fact that the dove’s flower is also saturated demonstrates the mandate of Christ is still somewhat in effect: what thou bounds on earth is bound in heaven. By holding the time/space continuum device as seen in the last image it as if the message that they are living life as if the unconscious mind is in control and that ego-consciousness is very weak. In that kind of state the individual cannot have any kind of an individual will nor independent ideas.

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THE BAPTISM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Total annihilation of the Divine: Embracing the Darkness

This woodcut carving is most interesting because it shows the ideal blissful union but for all intent and purpose it cuts out God completely. There is no more the directional device indicating some kind of order and control. The dove representing the divine is gone and humanity is left to itself. Both the sun and moon are submerged in the waters indicating that the soul/psyche is drowning in the unconscious. What is left is a totally sensual world where the aboriginal natives are in control of the planet.

What is left is Yahweh in control of the false Garden of Eden without divine interference. Remember that it is the consensus of the entire Trinity that makes life more abundant. The coupling of the king and queen demonstrate that each has individual choices but are clinging to each other for support. The Sun and Moon indicated that they represent the waters of life. Being contained within the enclosed lake: similar in design as the letter: BETH indicates the embrace of the status quo. This is what most people do in the world: agreeing and going along with the status quo. This is the order of the day and there is nothing wrong with that. If your life is good and without pain then enjoy yourself there is no reason to change up to have a new experience; however, life will become quite static and unchanging. There will be no perception of darkness or anything amiss. All will be well with the world. For all intent and purpose this would be liken to life in the Old Testament, without Christ. Just obey the laws of the status quo and all will be well with the world. This is the beginning of addiction and obsession: even John the Baptist saw something wrong with this picture of life.

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THE TWO BECOME ONE: The Living Dead: Everlasting Darkness

How can one put into words the boredom of life everlasting? Notice how in each of these last

three images the tomb is shape differently. The first is a heptagon: seven sided fountain, the second is a lake enclosed by a haphazard rock shape and the third is now in a square like tomb with six sides. Life in civilization’s status quo is liken to living like a zombie: the living dead. Everything is done by rote. There is nothing new under the face of the sun. The king and the queen have become one in their misery. The fact that they live within the laws of the community: the four (six) square like-tomb is indicative to the restrictions that govern their lives. The king and the queen don’t even look at each other anymore that is how complacent they have become with each other. It is the life of two people that have become bored with each other and have no way of escaping each other. They are not only locked within the laws of civilized beings: status quo but they are imprisoned with the addiction or habit (not love) of each other’s presence.

They have one body with two heads as if one cannot go without being with the other. Each is virtually a ball and chain to each other. The sun and the moon are no longer distinguishable.

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THE ASCENT OF PRAYER Desires (Needs not necessarily wants)

A very interesting deviation or should it be said variation from the last image is the appearance of breast on the couple in the tomb. This is as if the masculine principle that dominated the previous image is now acquiescing to the feminine principle and prayer is sent forth. The feet of the couple seem to want to stretch further then the tomb: it is as if the female is showing her strength by her leg being longer than her mates. The breast also points to the woman’s dominance.

This image is demonstrating that the couple is going beyond what is mandated of them similar to how the Babylonians built the tower to God when it was not required of them to effect change in their lives. The enforced enlargement of their being//body indicates that though they need change in their lives they want to hold on to what they have. They want to remain in the status quo and still want the benefit of change: something that is totally opposite to what their prayer indicates.

The woman is deliberately looking away from her mate indicating that there is no cooperation between them. It is her way or no way. Change is coming about through her because their confined existence is now too limited for her needs. This seen by her long legs going beyond the limits of the tomb to represent the edge, which original fountain pointed to the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Her prayer is indicative of her reaching out religiously.

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THE AGONY AND THE PAINS OF LIFE

Darkest Before the Dawn: Every Conceivable Wicked Imagination of Man

Of course the divine will not answer willful prayers for they are not prayers of submission to God

but rather a list of needs, which is not necessarily what their outward active lives indicate they want. The agony and the pains of life will continue endlessly until change is affected. The rain in this image indicates pain. Even the tomb is revamp somewhat. It is more squared with a better pedestal as if material changes would somehow bring about change. Is one allowed to mandate of God that which he or she is not willing to sacrifice? It would seem that man is willing to do anything from a materialist point of view rather than to seek out the will of God. They seem to be paler in complexion but their feet are still extended indicating the prayers are still the same old rhetoric. How can prayers be answered if the outward façade of existence has remained the same and inward existence has not changed? They are both looking the same way not at each other. The male is not so obstinate as in the previous image. The woman’s leg is somewhat shorter as if she is willing to compromise but it still goes beyond the limits of their habitation.

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PRAYERS ANSWERED: The Baptism of Christ

Born Again: Birth of the Christ Child

This is a very interesting image because of the profundity in which the changes in the couple are depicted. The cherub coming from the clouds is indicative of prayers answered. But for what reason have this soul’s/psyche’s prayers been answered?

First of all we see that the tomb has been put back into its original shape as seen in THE ASCENT OF PRAYER.

Second we see that the couple has shrunk back to normal size and are not trying to stretch themselves beyond the existence of their lives. Also they are once again cooperating because the woman has her breast and the man has his.

Third: is seen in the death and burial of the old psyche of this couple symbolized by the bird in the ground and the other bird symbolized a new way of thought. Note that the prayer originally sent was a dark hair cherub and it went straight up; whereas, the cherub answering their prayer comes at them sideways as if to indicated that they are not going to get what they asked for but rather what they really need.

So it would seem as if the cycle of prayer is being demonstrated in these last few images. God does not answer prayers unless there is an indication of remarkable change in the individual. They initially send forth their materialistic needs not spiritual wants. This answering of prayers is analogous to the individual being born again. The spiritual idea of God is now in the bosom of this individual. There is no difference between the birth of Christ depicted in this image and the birth of Christ to Mary of Nazareth. Mary represents the psyche and Joseph represents the body of the individual and the Christ Child represents the spiritual idea of God come to the individual.

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THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE EVERLASTING Life Lived More Abundantly

Triumphantly the soul literally rises from the death of the living dead. No longer in a tomb

as if to say he has the ability to flit in and out of any experience he wants. This is represented by wearing wings and standing on the Moon. The Sun does come out but the new day always begins with the Sun setting.

In one hand he holds the chalice of Christ, which contains the Eucharist: the Triune God.

In another hand the couple holds the Kundalini and the Tree of the Life and the Zodiac/Calendar year cycle are represented by the tree of thirteen leaves. The bird is a representation of the psyche’s new way of thought given to couple in the previous image where the new bird buried the old.

The thirteen leaves on the tree represent also the Closing of the Mystic Circle.

This image has returned to the symbolism of the Mercurial Mandala Fountain with its depiction of the three serpents representing the Trinity, the Zodiac represent the basin of the fountain and the Kundalini serpent represent what initially inaugurated the four square creation. The fact that these images are seen here indicate that the alchemist artist knew of the esoteric science embedded in the first four chapters of Genesis. It is this one image that initially brought to the fore the alchemist’s source had to be the first chapter of Genesis. This image also demonstrates that no one can grasp the esoteric science codified to the sacred scriptures without having his or her prayers answered.

The couple is given wings to soar into the heavens. They are no longer bound to the earth surface. The bird represents a new raison d’être.

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THE EUCHARIST: Christ Rising

From the Tomb of the Sacred Scriptures

Christ rising from the tomb of the sacred scriptures is not a new idea. It has always been known that the tomb of Christ is the sacred scriptures; however, this image implies that the life of the individual is the tomb of Christ. Here Christ is seen carrying his cross as if to say that dying on it is an eternal process. The cross is the staff of life to Christ for without his death he cannot rise nor can the individual change his life unless Christ rises from the dead. Notice how the halo around Christ’s head is the Moon. This I believe is the true symbolism of the halo. For knowing that the halo represents the Moon points to the mandate of Elohym in the first chapter of Genesis. This image is symbolically the same as the previous image only it is expressed in different garments. The flag points to the Knight Templar, which could mean Onward Christian Soldier or everything the templar stood for. Christ coming out of the tomb is quite a statement. I am surprised that I did not see this before studying this image. Christ coming out of this tomb is essentially saying that the individual does not have to live in the tomb to live life more abundantly. Here the individual is instructed to live life outside of the tomb: sacred scriptures. Yes, you can carry the cross and flag of Christ but you don’t need the tomb anymore if you understand its esoteric message.

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CONCLUSION These alchemical images were and are a teaching tool for the mystery schools of the past and

present. The purpose of the mystery school is to instruct as to how to read, write and portrait the esoteric science as codified into the sacred scriptures and artworks of the world.

Unlike modern man’s method of reading at the speed of summer-lightning the ancient taught that meditating on what one read even if it is just a few chapters of the sacred text could take a lifetime.

The process of unraveling the first word of Genesis to read the first two verses into it, which includes all its varied nuances not to mention reading the construct of the six days of creation as an additional breakdown of the first word of Genesis demonstrates how to portrait in graphic detail the same process. The breaking down of a graphic image into its constituent components uses the same process as used to breakdown an individual word of the sacred text: contrasting the techniques of using word and image.

To speculate as to what the esoteric science means in the ultimate reality one could say that as spiritual beings living out existence in the material plane of existence seems to be analogous to the wealthy jet-setting or globe-trotting around the world. This could possibly be the only manner spiritual beings can experience existence; whereas, the esoteric science appears to be an ULTRA-FAIL-SAFE system ingeniously codified into the material creation that educates the individual soul so that he or she can return to the source for recuperation before beginning the cycle of incarnation again. Personally, I believe the only true purpose for life is to experience and enjoy it. When it becomes too overbearing this Esoteric Science, Kabbalistic Teachings, Gnosticism, Alchemy and the teachings of the world’s religions are there for the soul/psyche to get to know him or herself again.

The esoteric science is a highly sophisticated mathematical and grammatical system of thought that comes directly from the empyrean that forces one to reason along these lines. Researches into this esoteric science more than suggest that there does not appear to be any other reason for existence in the material world outside of experiencing it. What other reason would a spiritual being come into this world? Here in the material world there are infinite variations of the esoteric science spanning the cultures of high civilizations to the indigenous aboriginal cultures around the world. The soul can choose to experience any one of the infinite variations throughout the history of humanity. Though it sounds science fiction the empyrean could be a portal to any of the eons throughout humanity history. Birth into any one of these epoch of human history into parentage, culture and education sets the mental stage for the life that is to be experienced. The system apparently wipes the intellect of the soul as a blank slate (tabula rasa) coming into the world as a cautionary measure so a devious purpose cannot be the reason for an individual seeking to experience creation. From what humans experience after coming into this world it has the appearance of being very much like an itinerary in a travel agency. Individuals can choose the time of year, destination and conditions as if one choosing to experience a particular kind of vacation. Now view the birth of a new born baby and ask yourself what attracted this soul to this time, parentage and culture? It would seem that the ultra fail-safe system: the esoteric science is available in all times and climes if the environment is just too horrendous to continue in the life chosen. Thus the unspoken prayer to God is one’s deepest desire to know Him and thus the esoteric science is made available to that particular soul.

A cautionary warning should append this paper. From the deep logic and reasoning devoid of emotion and subjectivity that one must apply to these researches to envisage this esoteric science suggest a most cold blooded or reptilian attitude toward existence in the material world: note the reptiles depicted in the first woodcut carving The ‘Mercurial’ Mandala Fountain: consider ‘Adam

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made into the image and likeness of God’. There are indications that an initiate can grasp this science to such a point that his or her environment can be manipulated. An amoral person could and probably has taken advantage of this knowledge, in past times, for his or her own benefit and to the detriment of others. This may well be the foundation as to the code of secrecy that is the foundation of the mystical teachings throughout the ages. One’s internal deep desire to know God and the continuous vetting process throughout would filter out any ulterior motives to learn this esoteric science but what would be the consequences of an amoral uninitiated learning the techniques of this science from an indirect source: such as this paper? One would think that the vetting process would still dominate the teachings and understanding of this science: as of this moment the question stands open for discussion.

There are twenty woodcut carvings originally associated with the Rosarium Philosophorum: this paper is a commentary on eleven of those images: the same Jung and Edward F. Edinger commented on. If one was to view the other nine woodcut carvings they would be seen basically as variants of the first eleven. There are small and great difference between the two sets. The second set has stronger and more complex symbolic image depicting basically the same concepts as the first eleven: i.e. the Sun dominating the tomb denotes the descent back into the letter BETH where totalitarianism rules. Another obscure image is that of the Green Lion (envious of itself) eating the Sun. This would symbolize that such a totalitarian state would turn on itself: the lion represents the Sun: evil always destroys itself.

The purpose of this paper was to discuss the basic reasons for the descent and the renascent or transmutation process of the soul descent into hell: BETH and its rebirth: RESH back into the light of God as outlined in the Rosarium Philosophorum Alchemical Woodcut Carvings and the Genesis text.