The Mountain of the Philosophers

Transcription

1 The Mountain of the Philosophers Now we will consider the symbol that appears in page 9 the AMORC version of the book. This plate shows a drawing representing a symbolic mountain and carries the title "Mons Philosophorum" (The Mountain of the Alchemists). There is text on both sides and at the bottom of the figure. We will first analyze the text that is at the right and left of the figure and then we will concentrate on the symbolism of the text under the figure and the figure itself. At the end, we will attempt a meditation on the meaning of the plate. Most of the text at the right and left of the figure is self-explanatory. "The art is just, true and certain to the Man who fears God and is Assiduous, And behaves Rightly towards all natures. This sentence is a restatement of the basic principles of the alchemical work, which involve the need for patience, the seeking divine guidance to understand the secrets of the Alchemical art, the need of appropriate behavior towards all parts of Nature (i.e. all parts of human constitution, including the physical, psychic and spiritual or cosmic components of human nature). The art makes him a lord, not a servant, Do not make haste, stay on the right track, so thou wilt have much profit and much joy. The Alchemical Art makes the human a Master of Life, by reaching understanding and Illumination. But this process cannot be rushed too much in the desire for results. As a natural process, it has to be allowed to proceed at its own pace, as the germination of a seed or the gestation of a baby. Patience and observation of the laws of Nature, will bring the Alchemist much happiness and joy. If God grants many things in thy life, give plentiful to the poor, be faithful and silent about the art. The results (the Philosopher's Stone) are to be achieved only by a privilege granted by God, thus the Sacred nature of the Alchemical Art. When such results are achieved, the adept will be aware that many in Humanity live in poverty of such light and such knowledge, and it is the obligation of the adept to bring as many of such "poor" to the study and practices of the Alchemical Art. 1

2 But since the Art has to be achieved only by Divine Revelation (i.e. by developing the inner senses to be able to hear the voice and guidance of the Master Within) the alchemical adept is to attract other seekers into the Quest without revealing any of the secrets of the Art (so that the seekers can find the secrets by themselves). For this is surely God's will, keep truth and faith, think of me, so thou will be free from all evil". In this Quest, the seeker is to realize that the Law of Silence of Alchemy is divinely ordained (and a requirement to force the disciple s quest inward instead of outward). Keeping the faith and thinking about the Adepts who have achieved the Philosopher's stone should be enough to keep the seeker in the Path and away from any dangerous deviations. MONS PHILOSOPHORUM The title of the plate "Mons Philosophorum" means "The Mountain of the Philosophers". The word "Philosopher", however, in the Alchemist language, means "an Alchemist", since the alchemists were known as the 'Philosophers of Nature". The proper translation of "Mons Philosophorum" is then "The Mountain of the Alchemists". The figure represents a mountain with several symbols, displayed in such a way that the mountain itself (and the ascent to such mountain) is a process symbolical of the Alchemical process itself. figure of a woman behind him at the entrance of the cave. There are symbolic animals around the mountain (the hare, stags, snails and a big fly). On the mountain itself there are other animals, such as a hare, a bear, two boars and a lamb. On top of the mountain, on a red, square castle, the figure of an angel beckons the seekers and calls them on the Mountain Quest. The explanation of the editor of the collection of plates (S. K. de R.) reads: "The male principle, the seed at the beginning of the work, is sometimes called the Old Man. Here, in the bowels of the earth, he weds the female principle; at the summit stands a beckoning angel (volatile) in a red castle (fixed). In studying the plate, we will proceed as if we were ascending the Mountain, from bottom to top. BOTTOM OF THE PLATE AND ENTRANCE TO THE MOUNTAIN At the bottom right of the figure we read the number of the year This number links the plate with the Rosicrucian movement, specifically with the Rosicrucian Revival in Germany during the 17th century. During 1604 were discovered the constellations of the Swan and of the 2

3 Serpent, to which reference is made in the "Fama Fraternitatis", and during the same year the crypt of Christian Rosenkreutz was "discovered" by the Rosicrucian brethren of the third generation. The opening of the Vault of Christian Rosenkreutz was symbolic of the reopening of the Rosicrucian activities in Europe and the regeneration of the teachings of the Rosy Cross which were contained, in a codified and secret manner, inside the Vault. A further implication of the connection of the Mountain with the opening of the Vault is that the Mountain, like the Vault, has an occult teaching to give to us, that is to be revealed by study and meditation on its symbolism. The Mountain and the Vault are both "messengers" of the sacred story of the evolution of the human soul! The bottom text begins to explain the knowledge that the plate is supposed to bring: _The soul of men everywhere was lost through a fall, and the health of the body suffered through a fall, Salvation came to the human soul through Jesus Christ_. The soul, or divine part of mankind, was lost to the objective consciousness during the "fall", or the process of incarnation in a physical body. The health of the physical body suffered through the loss of the knowledge of mankind's Divine Origin, or the "illusion of separation". The recovery of the consciousness of the Soul is to come through the offices of the Inner Self (in the Christian tradition, the Inner Christ or the God Within) when the Alchemical Wedding is fully achieved. The health of the body is recovered through the Philosopher s Stone, or the True Medicine. To produce the Philosopher's Stone, it is necessary to first find the "Prima Materia", the raw material that is then subjected to the alchemical transmutation process. This is the secret of the secrets of alchemy and no alchemist dares to reveal such secret, which is concealed in allegory and described in very vague terms. The text further explains that the nature of the "Prima Materia" is described, in a hidden form, in the painting. To further analyze the symbol of the old man, let's consider the drawing itself. The old man is sitting naked on the trunk of a dead tree at the entrance of the mountain, barring the entrance into a cave that penetrates into the earth at the base of the mountain. In one sense, the old man is a guardian to the entrance and could be interpreted as the "guardian of the threshold" or the "terror of the threshold". The two figures at the left represent the "sophist", or the "philosophers of the intellect", which laughed at the alchemist's quest and paid attention only to their vain games of the mind. One of 3

4 the sophists, is represented as blindfolded and walking straight towards the mountain, but unable to see and understand the symbols. The other sophist is represented, with a ridiculously large feather on his hat, looking for shining objects on the ground and loaded with a bag that carries only material objects. The third figure, to the right, represents the seeker, the true disciple of the Art, who has been following the hare and is being guided by it to the entrance of the Mountain. These three characters are representative of three attitudes of mind that are prevalent and were known by alchemists since antiquity. The first sophist has allowed only the intellectual side of his mind to guide him. In modern terms, such type of person would be called "left brained", with excellent abilities for logic and analysis, but completely out of touch with the emotional, intuitive side of his being. This person will miss the entrance to the mountain, even if he/she stumbles against the mountain's wall! The second sophist ignores all realities, other than those concerning the objective senses and the material world. Other forces and emotional energies within have no meaning, because for him/her there is no reality beyond the material world. Such a person would not even look for the entrance to the mountain. The third character represents the successful alchemist and mystic. Through the development of the inner perception and by paying attention to his/her inner intuition (the hare ), is being guided by the "still small voice" to the entrance of the Mountain and will stand testing for initiation! The hare is symbolic of the "Prima Materia" (always elusive in the alchemical literature!) and is also symbolical of the intuitive senses. Just as the hare is very sensitive to noise, and will run away if one does not stay quiet and silent, so are the intuitive, inner senses. It is said that only in the silence of a calm, quiet heart, one can hear the teachings of the "Master Within". Reviewing the process at the lower part of the plate, we could say that the Mountain represents a sacred space that is surrounded by a magic circle (the circular wall). To enter the sacred domain of the mountain, it is necessary to confront the Guardian of the Threshold / Saturn and to enter through the "cave", a dark passageway where we would experience the inner forces of the "earth", our own physical body. To find or reach the entrance we have to evolve by outgrowing the stages of the "brainy intellectual". It is important that we put aside the belief that "one knows it all". Like the second sophist, we must not allow ourselves to be misled by by acknowledging only that which is connected with the material world. For, if we are to become disciples of the alchemical 4

5 discipline, each of us must listen to our inner voice of our intuition and emotional self, and we must accept this guidance which, in turn, will guide us to the entrance of the magic _Mountain of the Philosophers_. THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE MOUNTAIN "At the right is to be seen hare representing the art of chemistry, marvelously white, the secrets of which with fire's heat are being explored. To the left one can see freely what the "Clavis artis" (the Key to the Art) is; one cannot be too subtle with it, like a hen hatching a chicken". After the journey to the inner parts of the earth, we come to the first level of the mountain inside the exterior wall. There are two symbols, to left and right of the mountain. Note that the text indicates that the hare is at the right, while it appears at the left of the observer. This is not a mistake, it is another hidden symbol. The Mountain is "on the other side of the mirror", the magic domain, Alice's Wonderland! We are observing its mirror image, as if when we see ourselves in the mirror, now we see the Mountain and not our body. The Mountain has become a symbolic representation of the human being, through the _switch_ of a subtle detail. The hare and the hen are interpreted as two opposite modes of operating with alchemy 9. The hare represents the nimble and fast mode of operation, and indicates that the alchemist has to be prepared to move rapidly and progress at very fast pace. To the right, the hen, depicted as nesting on her clutch, represents the patient application of the "gentle fire" of the alchemist, because it is is so gentle, resembles the warming of the eggs by the hen. The reference to the hare being "marvelously white" is a reference to the purification of the "Prima Materia", the secrets of which the alchemist has to explore "with fire's heat". It may be useful at this stage to remind the students that the interpretation of "fire" as "concentration" is quite common in the mystical literature. "In the midst of the mountain, before the door stands a courageous Lion in all its pride, whose noble blood the monster-dragon is going to shed; throwing him into a deep grave, out of it comes forth a black raven, then called "Ianua artis" (the art of the entrance), out of that comes "Aquila alba" (the white eagle). The Lion figure controls the center of this entire plate. The lion is used to symbolize that part of human consciousness that is called the objective consciousness, or the physical self of the human being. This consciousness is attached to the physical and is necessary for physical survival in the 5

6 material plane. An important quality of this Lion is the Pride of the material consciousness. It can be said that the Lion represents the test of the spiritual pride and is indicative of the attitude of the advanced mystical student who believes that he/she has attained a high level of progress, based solely upon his/her intellectual achievements in the path. Such student believes that "I am more advanced in my studies and I know better". This attitude can considerably delay the progress of a student on the path. Towards the left of the lion, a monster-dragon is shown at the entrance of the cave. The monsterdragon has been used to symbolically depict the unconscious urges of the human soul. The Dragon is a creature that is feared because of its power and strength and is used in the alchemical literature as yet another representation of the Prima Materia. In fairy lore, such as in the legend of St. George and the Dragon, the motif of combat with a dragon is very common,. The combat takes place, the dragon is killed and out its parts something important is created. The Monster- Dragon is part of the human psyche and represents the unbalanced forces below the level of consciousness. In the figure, the Dragon and the Lion are indicative of two polarities of consciousness: The Lion representing objective consciousness and the Dragon the unconscious. In alchemy, these two would, at this stage of the ascent, complete the alchemical triad and the treatment in the alchemical vessel can be carried out. The three essences of alchemy are the Salt (represented by Saturn and the depth of the earth in the cavern behind), the Sulphur (represented by the Lion and the emotional self) and Mercury (represented by the Dragon or the mercurial serpent of the depths). The 'grave" of the text is representative of the alchemical alembic, which is shaped like the "womb" of the beginning, and the "grave inside the earth" at the end of life. The black raven represents the stage of nigredo, or the "Dark Night of the Soul". This is a stage that is like a death for the mystic, but is at the same time the Gate of Entrance to the illumined state, as indicated by the name "Ianua artis", the arts of the Gate. The white eagle represents the stage of Albedo, or the faint light of dawn that marks the end of the Dark Night of the Soul and is a prelude to the Golden Dawn of the Illumination experience. UPPER PART OF THE MOUNTAIN 6

7 "Even the crystal purified in the furnace will quickly show you on inspection Servum fugitivum (the fugitive servant or stag), a wonder-child to many artists (alchemists). The one effecting this all is "Principium laboris" (the principle of work and labor). The upper part of the diagram begins at the level of a second circular wall or "tower", which shows an entrance door, guarded by a lion and "soul birds". This second wall marks the entrance to the "inner circle" or to a higher level of initiation. In addition, this wall marks a further separation from the world of matter and the senses and serves as entrance to a still higher level of spiritual evolution. At both sides of the entrance, we see the symbols of the purification processes that the disciple has to undergo. To the left, we see the image of the Sun and the Moon taking a bath in a barrel filled with water. To the right, we see the distillation process taking place in a furnace. This purification of the soul or "matter in the vessel" is vital before we can further continue with the process entering the door which leads inside the inner wall. The alchemists spoke of a purification which required one to "wash by fire and burn with water". "Washing by fire" refers to the purification that takes place by distillation via the heat of the furnace. This distillation involved a process of "circulation", through which the distilled vapors were condensed and continually distilled. This process was supposed to add potency to the matter being distilled. The "burning with water" refers to the breakdown of the matter when is coming in contact with dissolving acids or alkalies. Such a process can actually "burn" chemically if not handled properly. From the mystical and spiritual processes of soul alchemy, the process of washing by water refers to an external purification of the mystic_s body, perhaps through diet and healthy living, and the use of specially magnetized water. The purification "by fire" may refer to processes of concentration and meditation, through which there is an "ascent" and a "descent" of levels of consciousness, symbolized by the distillation and circulation processes of the alchemist. At both sides at the top of the second inner wall we see what becomes of the substance purified through these processes. To the right, we see that the vapors from the furnace and the alembic are "condensed" in the form of crystals, exactly three crystalline six pointed stars. The vapors from the alembic are referred to as the "Servum fugitivum", or the volatile essence that is light and vaporizes easily leaving no residue (that is why it resembled a stag running away!). These vapors are condensed and fix themselves on top of the tree, in the form of the three alchemical essences; sulphur, mercury and salt, in its purified form. 7

8 For the figures to the left we have an explanation in the lower text: "On the right hand in the barrel are Sol and Luna (Sun and Moon, the two polarities of Self), the intelligence of the firmament. The Senior plants in it Rad. Rubeam and Albam (the Roots that are the Red and White Tincture). Now you proceed with constancy and "Arbor Artis" (the Tree of the Alchemical Art) appears to you, with its blossoms it announces now "Lapidem Philosophorum" (the Philosopher's Stone). Over all, the crown of the glory, ruling over all the treasures. The old man plants a tree in the basin where the Sun and the Moon, the polarities, have been purified, and the Tree of the Art inhales through its roots the purified essences of the two polarities, the "Tinctures" of the White and Red essences. When the tree blossoms, a seven pointed star appears, which represents the essence of the Seven metals of alchemy, the Philosopher's stone. On the uppermost part of the mountain we see a house, where the alchemist is now pausing. This, according to tradition, is the "House of the Holy Spirit", or the residence of the Rosicrucians in the Fama Fraternitatis. Having achieved the goal of the alchemists, the symbols of the Orb (and of Vitriol) and a crown of glory rule over the Mountain. To the left, the symbol of the union of the opposite forces, the Sun and the Moon having reached conjunction, symbolizing the end of the process. "Be diligent, peaceful, constant and pious, pray that God may help thee. And if you attain, never forget the poor. Then thou wilt praise God with the legion of the angels, now and forever" The final sentence repeats the advice of being constant and diligent. The student is encouraged to keep in mind that to understand the secret of the Mountain, meditation and divine inspiration are necessary. If you achieve the goal, it is your obligation to motivate others to achieve it by themselves. Then, as the reward for your achievement, you will count yourself in the number of the blessed, the Cosmic Hierarchy, now and forever! 8