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Just a few
decades ago, alchemy was belittled as a medieval superstition. Since then,
however, scientists have been successful, by means of atomic fission, in
producing a transformation of the elements. Now, at last, the possibility of
alchemy has to be admitted in principle. In recent times, psychologists have
begun to embrace alchemy and have reached a certain level of under- Standing
whereby they have come to the conclusion that alchemy was less a process of
physical transmutation than a process of inner psychic transformation of the
human being. On account of this conclusion, alchemy is now being looked upon
in a different light.
It should, however, be pointed out that
modern psychology, especially as represented by C.G. Jung, has not grasped
the central problem of alchemy. C.G. Jung conceives the process of alchemy
as solely and totally psychological, and looks upon it as just a kind of
individuation process, an integration of the contents of the unconscious.
However, alchemy is considerably more than that C.G. Jung and his fellow
psychologists overlook the eminently realistic character of alchemy, which
is interdependent with the "Inner Body," the corpus subtile of the human
being. Jung considers this to be the purely psychological collective
unconscious, even though, upon closer examination, the substantiality of
this corpus sideribus, as it was named by Paracelsus, cannot be doubted.
Concerning the question of alchemy, we are
not dealing with a mere psychoanalytical process, nor are we dealing with a
simple cooking of gold, which alchemy is deemed by many to be. The lead
which the alchemists are changing into gold is not the Pb of the common
chemists, but, instead, the dark Saturnus of the Hermetic philosophers.
Again, this is not the external "celestial or heavenly body" but its inner
astral principle, which is present everywhere in the materia.
When dealing with alchemy, we are not
dealing with the processes of the great outer world, but instead with very
secret microcosmic processes which have formed, since time immemorial, the
central subject of the Mysteries. Therefore it can be said, and rightfully
so, that the Hermetic sciences are the oldest sciences mankind has. It is
probable that these sciences originated from a tradition which even the
ancient Egyptians held in awe, and which they depicted as "secrets of
primeval times."
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The Greeks and Israelites received these
mysteries from the Egyptians, and they were well-kept by them, especially by
the School of the Prophets, which became extinct during the Babylonian
Captivity. Later on, this ancient Hermetic tradition was taken up again by
original Christianity, and it was continued by the first disciples and
apostles as disciplina arcani. The Hermetic science came to the
Neo-Platonist and to the Arabian philosophers from the original Christian
Nazarenes and, through them, reached Europe in the Middle Ages.
As a result of this, several Hermetic
centers were founded in Europe. That is how, in 1429, the Order of the
Golden Fleece came into being. Out of this emerged the Rosicrucians, who did
not initially appear publicly, but remained very private.
It was not until after the Thirty Years'
War that the Rosicrucians established a closer link with the rest of the
world, especially in the form of the purely Hermetic Gold - and Rosicrucianism of 1710. This tradition is being consciously continued in the
present only by our order.
In our present times, there are writings
carrying the name of alchemy which are provided by certain sources and
presented in very appealing covers. These writings have caused, in many in-
stances, a considerable misuse, as they contain the most absurd theories.
Our illuminated order is seeking to redirect these false doctrines through
the publication of this treatise. It is not the intention of our order to
disclose all the secrets of alchemy and to throw them under the feet of the
great crowds of curiosity seekers, speculators and skeptics. Instead, this
treatise is meant to show the few sincere seekers of the hidden wisdom the
right direction wherein one must search for the great elixir. These seekers
will then have a measure, a standard, in their possession to assist them in
differentiating between the writings of the true Hermetic adepts and the
elaborations of the dreamers and charlatans.
Whosoever of the sincere seekers and
students of the Hermetic sciences is called upon will, without a doubt,
sooner or later be in touch with our illuminated order and will receive
further information and guidance which is not contained in these writings
before you. |
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