R.A.M.S Digital

The latest upadate of the Restorers of Alchemical Manuscripts Society : the complete catalogue and tables of contents of all the books on DVDs or CDs sod by RAMS. You can find it here :

http://ramsdigital.com/downloads/Restorers.pdf

From the latest News Letter :

Readers contact.
Occasionally, the question is emailed if I know of alchemical groups in particular areas where readers live. Numerous searchers come to the R.A.M.S. collection having typed something into an internet engine. Their individual journeys through alchemical landscapes can have little local support or assistance with initial knowledge. A driving passion, as disparate as cancer research or esoteric truth, empowers many readers searching for more than a collection of ancient alchemical texts as much as a catalyist and essential resource as it is. Several readers expect that R.A.M.S. is a front door to a greater community. In truth, this newsletter travels to a diverse collection of global readers established over the years of maintaining a website. All have one thing in common - the ownership of the R.A.M.S. Collection. Except for the quarterly newsletter little contact is continued or utilised. Preference is given to enable readers to progress at their individual pace and path with minimal interuption from R.A.M.S.

Recently, however, a successful introduction of two consenting readers has established a working relationship where once there was only potential. So, a gentle invitation has been included in this newsletter to consider the question of private introductions...

Eternal Lamps

From Martinus Rulandus Lexicon of Alchemy :

UNDYING LAMPS

The search for an unquenchable and ever-burning fire must be included among the quests, and if we are to believe what so many of them have affirmed, amongst the discoveries of the alchemists. Many marvelous accounts are related concerning the existence of everlasting lamps by the hundred and seventy authors who are said to have written on this subject. The discovery of the inextinguishable and enduring fire, like most of the transcendent secrets of alchemy and magic, is attributed to the ancient Egyptians, who hung lamps in the sepulchres of rich and noble persons. Many medieval writers affirm that on the opening of Egyptian and Roman tombs, which occurred occasionally in their own days, these lamps were found still burning but were at once extinguished on the admission of fresh air. The golden lamp wrought by Callimachus for the Athenian Temple of Minerva was replenished but once a year; another in the Temple of Jupiter Ammon is described Plutarch, whom the priests assured that it had burnt continually for years, and though it stood in the open air, neither wind nor water could extinguish it. Baptista Porta describes the discovery of a Roman sepulchre of marble, situated in a small island of the Bay of Naples. On opening it, a lamp was discovered diffusing a brilliant light, which dazzled and overwhelmed the beholders. It was extinguished instantaneously by the wind, but the inscription proved it to have been placed there before the birth of Christ. During the Papacy of Paul III a sepulchre was opened in the Appian Way, and there was found the entire body of a young girl, swimming in a bright liquor, which had so well preserved it that the face was beautiful, and like life itself. At her feet burned a lamp, but the flame vanished upon opening the tomb. This was supposed to be the body of Tullia, Cicero's daughter.
Some years previously a similar lamp was unearthed by a labourer, who, while digging in a field near Atteste, came upon an urn containing another urn, in which last there was deposited one of these miraculous lamps, the most wonderful of all those described in medieval treatises. The aliment of this lamp, says a writer who has treated of the subject, appeared to be a very exquisite crystal liquor, by the ever-during powers of which it continued to shine Mercury. It is at least certain that common substances were adapted in such a manner by the initiates that their natural imperfections were eliminated, and their concealed potencies developed to a high point of manifestation and activity.

The erudite Jesuit, Kircher, affirms that asbestos possesses the marvelous properties attributed by those who have recorded this experiment. He himself possessed a tablet of the substance in question which he used for writing purposes, and was accustomed to clean it by placing it in the fire, out of which it emerged white and shining. What is more to the purpose, he was acquainted with an asbestos lamp which burned for two years uninterruptedly, and was then stolen. He believed the extraordinary petrine substance to be composed of a species of talc, and a material akin to aluminium. The oil extracted from it was said to be a perpetual fuel, but later chemistry has failed to perform this operation; it has equally failed to extract the essential Oil of Gold, which was regarded as the fittest pabulum for the mystic flame, because of all metals gold wastes least when either heated or melted. Incombustible wicks were also made from the loadstone, which was supposed to burn in oil without being consumed, and the mysterious stone Carystios was endowed with the same properties. Another writer has attributed the alleged perpetuity of these flames to the consummate tenacity of the unctuous matter in which they were maintained, and to the exquisitely perfect balance between this and the strength of the flame.


Baptista Porta, having contemptuously noticed numerous experiments for extracting an inconsumable oil from metals, juniper-wood, magnets, etc., propounds as follows his own theory: If a flame were shut up in a glass and all vent-holes stopped close, if it could last one moment it would last continually, and could not be possibly put out. But how the flame should be lighted within a glass hermetically sealed is worth the while to know. Sometimes the old chemical writers give instructions for producing a light which, though not perpetual, has sufficiently extraordinary properties, as for example: Take four ounces of the herb Serpentinet, place them in a sealed vase, and cover them with warm horse manure for the space of fifteen days, when the matter will be transformed into small red worms, from which an oil must be extracted according to the
transcendent principles of the Hermetic Art. With this oil a lamp may be trimmed, which, set to burn in any room, will cast all within it into a slumber so profound that no power can awaken them so long as the lamp continues burning. (-end)
 
Isn't it something marvellous ? Do you see the link with the little red light in the Chruch near the Autel, symbolizing (because now, it is no more effective) the Presence of the Christ ? An Alchemist able to do produce this can perform miracles with this wondrous flame. There is all a Theurgy linked with Fire, in order to bring Awakening, Healing etc. Fire is a door to the Solar Realm. And when a Flame is nourrished by something very pure, the Fire itself become Eternal and of a very high/spiritual quality. Can you imagine the difference between a vulgar candle's fire and an Eternal Lamp's Fire during the last coction in the Magnum Opus ? Don't you think the quality of the Stone, nourrished by this fire, will not be different and extremely Higher ?
In fact such Eternal Lamps are fueled with the Quintessence of the Philosopher Stone, an Oil (Sulfur) able to bear Fire, and because it is corporealized Fire itself, cannot be consumed in anyway, and thus is able to be lighted perpetually. Of course, by Archemy it is possible to create long life lamps, but not Eternal one.
It is also said that some Stones, onces Multiplied, can bring a Light.
Eternal Light can also shine more brillantly (like the Rabbi's one) when an awaken, or spiritual person comes by.
You can see that these Lamps were often discovered in tombs, maybe in link with the idea of a resurection or a protection for eternity, maybe the Soul was beleived to penetrate within the flame and then to find the Paradise or some kind of Life in the Other World (which is indeed possible with such a divine fire). The conservation of the Body of the Little girl is also a demonstration of a very  high kind of Alchemy, which makes me feel very humble toward these ancients Alchemists and Adepts/Theurges, who had no "modern" tools, ovens, glassware, long lasting graphite crucibles... and now that we have all this at hand ... what do we realize ?

Franz Bardon in it's Book on Magical Evocation say about the Lamp :
The magic lamp, known as the so-called laterna magica, is also quite often referred to in many grimoires and in the oldest books dealing with evocations. It represents, in the practice of ritual magic, a very important aid, and the magician will surely want to make use of it in his work. The magic lamp is the symbol of enlightenment, cognition, experience, intuition and the inner light; in short, all symbolic analogies of the light are represented by the magic lamp. Lighting the magic lamp is, from the hermetic point of view, equivalent to lighting the magician's inner light, and having it burn like a flame. Colour, which comprises the quality, vibration and oscillation of the light, is also one of the mysteries of the magic lamp. The quality of a being or of a sphere is expressed by the being's character. The purer and brighter the coloured atmosphere of a being or sphere takes shape and the more it shines and glistens the higher is its intelligence and the purer is its quality. Low or negative beings appear in a dark and cloudy, (that is, an unclean), colour.


To know all this is of greatest importance to the magician practising ritual magic. His enlightenment is symbolically expressed by the lamp.
(...)
The charged spirit, when set to flame, helps create a favourable atmosphere, which will also contribute to bringing about good results.

The spirit-flame may also be charged for clairvoyance or for different operations with the magic mirror, or for other astral magic operations which need no artificiallight. If the magician is operating in a closed room, the lamp may be placed in the magic circle or into a corner of the room. It is most advantageous to fix it in a position above the magician's head, so that the room is evenly illuminated. When lighting the lamp, the magician has to meditate and concentrate on the uniform kindling of the inner light of soul and spirit.

Alchemia, Archimia, Spagyria.

We will see that these three Sciences (Alchemia, Archemia, and Spagyria) are not so distant from one to another and joined together, they are necessary in order to conduct the Magnum Opus and to generate the Lapis Philosophorum.

Archemy :

Archemy is a Science, maybe not so Glorious than the Science of Alchemy, but not to be taken so lightly. Yes it IS a Science, and even an incredible one. Do you know we can create long burning lamps with a modified olive oil ? That we can create "Graduating Oils", in which, precipitated metals are bring to perfection after a moment of maturation ? That we can make perpetual mines of running animated Mercury for the Magnum Opus ? That it is possible to make a such pure and revived lead, that, once melted,it's looking like gold, and once cold, it's covered, not by oxide, because there is no possible oxidation now, but by a kind of green skin ?
That is is possible to predict the climat with a special barometer (Fitzroy stormglass is one kind of), but also, to know if someone, anywhere in the world, is well or not, dead or alive, with a kind of barometer (wet method) or a lamp (dry method). When the flask broke, or the light of the flame do not shine, the person is dead. That you can multiply in quantity, anykind of metal ? Making it grow slowly whitout any effort ! That it is possible to create a growing metallic tree, giving flower and little apples of ... gold, the FamousWomen Alchemist Mme D'Urfée showed one to Casanova when he came to see her for the first time. She said it was only for fun. You can also create special metallic glass, 100% of metal, no kind of salt or anything else in it. These glasses, a blue one and a red one, creating a purple color to the sun, can transmute quicksilver into gold, process that happens in some French Cathedrals during the summer solstice... the Stances of Dzyan, cited in the Secret Doctrine of H.P.Blavatsky are very old documents ... protected by a Particular, (opposite to a universal), this product/matter is able to protect paper or a sheet from oil, fire, water, sun etc etc, making it almost indestructible ! There is also the fabrication of living creatures in all realms, like artificial plants, pearls, gems, living metals (like the tree of Mme D'Urfée), salts, and animals or humans, this is called the Homonculus. This last part seems very "dark", but in fact, this is a very high creation, and a manifestation of the All Power of the Alchemist in this realm, incarnating the faculty of giving LIFE to all realms, alike it's creator ! Manifesting it's own Deity in matter and the world of Illusion. This can lead to a profound awakening and understanding of our own's Nature and Nature Herself. This is the same thing, expected it is in the astral, when a Magus create a Spiritus Familiaris. Tibetan Monks can also use these methods of creating an entity, which lead to the understanding that all that is created is in fact imaginary ... even ourself. The Alchemist is here a Bringer of Life, of Light, an Agent of Fire and not a creator of Darkness since the moment it's intentions are Toward the Divine and it's Manifestation in matter of via Himself. The limit with Darkness here is very fragile ... this is why this part of Alchemy/Archemy is very secret, hidden. This is not a Path for every Alchemist.

All these particulars are very interesting, and can be really helpfull.

And even more, at the end of the Magnum Opus, White or Red, when you want to make your Universal a Particular (because you make an Orientation, Orient = Or in french mean gold) and make a transmutation, you need to know some little things about Archemy if you want to cure metals, and Spagery in order to cure animals and humans.

As you can see Archemia do not stop at the production of Gold (for making money, but also, and foremost, for the Magnum Opus, in order to have Gold for the several process involved). Some texts give recipes (partially veilled sometime, or not very prolific in gold) in order to make a living for the True Seeker of the Stone, because some process are long, and require a constant attention (remember that in 16th century, no hot plate with thermo regulators, no pyrex, only blown glass and firewood) you had to be in the Lab constantly.



No, it's not a Science of vulgar puffers, the later can also do Alchemy for Gold only, and not 'God' only.
We should not consider Archemia as a bastard Science, taken between Spagyria and Alchemia.
Puffers and bad alchemists created a bad aura around this marvellous science. And those who spit on Archemy/Voarchadumia, are simply ignorant persons. Look how much texts are on Archemia in old books, a lot ! An often, mixed with methods for the Metallic Stone.


Spagyria :

Spagyria is a Science of Extraction, in order to make potable Principles by plants or metals, gems, and any kind of animal matters. Creating the Long Life Elixir from the Philosopher Stone, need to master techniques of Spagyria, and mastering some laws of extractions. Spagyria is very close to Alchemy, like Archemy is, but the distinction is made because of the difference between some process, change the process and then you do Alchemy. In my opion, you cannot really learn the Magnum Opus de Alchemia in Spagyria.

It is used for plants (rarely, but making grow faster a seed was also practiced), animals and humans, but since the moment you cure the leprosy of a metal, by graduating it to gold, then you do Archemia. Here Spagyria is more a Science of Mercuries, in order to take out Sulfurs and to make them if possible, maturing.

We call High Spagyria the method of metallic extractions of Sulfurs, in order to make remedies for humans and animals. Spagyria is also used for simple extraction of essential oils of plants by distillations, and also the creation of perfumes.

So yes, two Minor Sciences of importance, at the service  of the Major one, Alchemy.

Alchemists ...

We can only see a book, whereas in the other following paintings we can see far more books (not really well handled). These paintings show different levels in the social rank of the Alchemists. Glassware and books were not cheap, most of it were broken during the process (it was not borosilicated glass !) and the books where in Latin, so you needed some education to read and to understand the alchemical meaning of it. Clay tools like crucible and retort, where cheaper than glass one. But, we can also imagine that the first one is working in Dry or Crucible Way, and the other are working more with Alembics, Distillations, & vessels ...the Wet Way. But maybe here, the Alchemist perfectly knows what he is doing, and do not need a lot of books or tools.

It is not because it's lab is not the nicest nor the richest that the Stone cannot be reached there. The exterior appearance of a lab do not mean a lot in Alchemy, it is the Inner Alchemist that is important.

Click on the images and spend some time looking deeply at each painting, copy them and zoom in and out, change the light and colors, saturation etc. We can discover a lot of details and informations. Also hidden patterns, faces, bodies and symbols on several levels can be seen.

The Alchemist seems here a little bored in reading or simply tired. You can see a big alembic on the background. They all used their fireplace to heat the distillation apparatus. Today it is of course easier, but, is the fire of the same quality ?

Dirt in the lab was also caused by coal and wood for the fire, but also by ashes. An alchemist is mostly concerned about the process, and spend a lot of time working for it, we can imagine that he has no energy for house chores, but here, we only have men's lab, what look like a women's lab ?
In all these paintings it's really messy !

Here they seems to be very interested by a Sulfur in the retort. Maybe a Disciple/Master discussion and initiation. Look at the direction of the light in the painting, we can clearly see that they are gazing through the liquid in order to look at the color, or something in the liquid. I do to this quite often. A sword in a book, in the foreground, maybe an indication of the penetration of the Secret Fire in the Materia.

Who is the Alchemist here ? The collective programing would say "the bearded one!", in the previous painting, the bearded one was showing to the other and it seemed obvious it was him the operator. Now, maybe the old one is coming for a remedy or medicine. In these paintings, we can imagine a lot of things ... but for the moment the obvious thing is that papers, books and retorts are often on the floor !
If we look at the left hand of the oldest man, we can see a flask, or a retort. The fact that he wears an Arabian suit, maybe this indicate that he was living there during a moment and were initiated to Alchemy by some Arabic Master. It is not a Lab here, but an oratory. An oratory is a place where you can rest, study, make some astrology and sky observations, also writing the lab journal.

It is said to be Paracelsus. Well, this guy look more to Nicolas Flamel. My God, how do you treat your books !? Again a play between light and darkness, making an atmosphere of mystery. Again a collective imagery, this is of course false, we really need light in order to see something !

This painting is well known. We can see the attention of the Alchemists looking at the top of the gaz stream. The pressure whole was a very good idea, otherwise the flask would have exploded or been projected through the Lab, spreading out acids maybe and dangerous vapours.

Two apprentices are behind him, in the dark. On the papers, some astrological charts. The Alchemist is also an astrologuer, and we can see some planetary sphere in the paintings. This painting is related to the discovery of Phosphor (surely by urine).

A big space, a lot of tools, books, knowledge, and apprentices looking at the fire... this alchemist is rich. A fish suspended to the roof, maybe showing that the Stone was created. A man, looking at the Lab by a window on the right top hand corner, a curious thing.

What is he looking at ? Someting is happening it the Lab ? A retort coughing ? A new color is coming ? Something broken ? He was reading and resting a little (because you have often backache) and it's attention is drawn by an event.

The atmosphere of the Lab of an Alchemist seems to be always the same. Books and glasswear on the floor, retorts and alembics distillingn only natural light and no candles. You can see that they are reading, or looking at the product they have done, or near the coming product, from the crucible or flask.

Photos, pics, &c ...

I invite you to take a look from time to time to my online photo album, because I add regularly some new images.

http://picasaweb.google.fr/salazius

Enigma

This image is from an old book of Martin Ruland, or also named Martinus Rulandus, known for ti's works about Paracelsus and also it's Lexicon of Alchemy "Lexicon Alchemiae", which you can find here : http://books.google.fr/books?id=BhIOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA328&dq=martin+ruland&as_brr=1&ei=oX1XS-6RJpLoygTx3NTyCA&cd=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Looks like a mix of alchemical symbols, Greek alphabet, and seals of entities from old spellbook.

For example, the X like, can be seen like "10" or an A for the Hebrew letter Aleph, also the sign of crucibulum, crucible, X is also for Talc.

The neptune symbol is generaly used to design a calx of metal.

This triangle can be a special sigil in order to bless or protect the reader, the book, the author maybe. The presence of Saturn and Mercury sigils are maybe showing an astrological or alchemical significance.

Any idea is welcome, but do not storm your brain ... :)

Hello everyone !

Is it another blog about mysterious stuff in a jungle of blogs ? Maybe. I do not pretend being very talky, quantity have not my favours, I prefer nice little things than big messy. Quality before quantity of course, and it is even more true concerning the Art.

What to say more ... I study Hermetics since several years now, I as I love to share I've decided to open this little space. My native language is not english, I ask you to not take care about grammar and style. Only the message is important here.

Enjoy :)

Salazius Hermes D'Artigné.