Re: [BardonPraxis] Bardon's Alchemical preparations

["Rawn Clark" <rawnclark@...>]

Dear Olivier,

>> Great book. Too bad it's so short. Most of the books on Alchemy are
either super-cryptic to the non-initiate or not very useful, <<

Most of the older Alchemical writings are written in a language that
only one who is actively engaged in the laboratory work itself would
have any hope of understanding. The specific images used are references
to actual laboratory events, procedures and results which make perfect
sense as symbols of factual things. In other words, the only way to
truly understand them is to be doing the work yourself, in your own
laboratory.

>> I also read Beat's posts explaining that the Philosopher's Stone
could be realized by the profane regardless of his spiritual maturity
and provided that the proper procedures are followed. So that probably
also explains the secret. <<

Beat is right on with that statement. However, this doesn't negate the
need for artfulness in the laboratory and I would think that without
very well trained faculties of subtle perception, it would be an
immensely difficult (i.e., functionally impossible) task for someone who
had no experience to just work from a recipe book and reach success.

>> Richard, I remember you once posted a message asking the group and
Rawn about the purpose of Alchemy and I don't remember reading the
answer anywhere on this forum!! So if the question is not too
off-topic, what is the purpose of Alchemy, what is transmutation and
what is the relationship to Quaballah?? <<

Alchemy is an aspect of a type of "high" magic that has to do with the
transformation of the Divine Substance. By directly transforming the
Divine Substance itself (Alchemy deals with the direct transformation of
the *physical* aspect of Substance), the Substance is made capable of
manifesting a different essential meaning or a more specific,
concentrated or refined essential meaning.

Alchemy, as I said, is the Art of transforming *physical* substance. In
overly-simplified terms, the material substance is purified and this
purification allows the substance to more clearly manifest/express its
native essential meaning. Of course, the three Philosophic Principles
of Alchemy are treated as vessels of the three Principles of Hermetics
(mental, astral and physical), so the *whole* of physical substance
(i.e., its physical, astral and mental aspects) is addressed in the
transformation.

The highest forms of the magic to which Alchemy belongs directly address
the manipulation of the Divine Substance as it emanates from Kether and
*before* it reaches Binah, while it still exists in its
un-differentiated state (symbolized by the Hebrew Letter 'Vav', which
connects Kether with Binah).

Kabbalistic utterance (i.e, Bardon's "Quabbalah") also pertains to the
direct manipulation of the Divine Substance but here, instead of working
with *physical* substance, it's working directly through color, tone,
sensation and Legality. This is symbolized by the Hebrew Letter
'Daleth' which connects Binah with Geburah. Unlike Alchemy, Quabbalah
is about combining these different aspects of akashic, mental and astral
Substance to create a multi-dimensional causation which *results in* the
desired effect. While both Quabbalah and Alchemy deal with manipulation
of the Divine Substance, they do so in very different ways.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
27 July 2004
rawnclark@...
rawn@...
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