V.I.T.R.I.O.L.V.M

Visita.Interiora.Terrae.Rectificando.Invenies.Occultum.Lapidem.Vniversalis.Medicinam

This latin acronym is very famous in the alchemical world. It means : Visit the interior of the Earth, and by rectifying, you will find the hidden stone, universal medicine, sometime it is true (Veritam) medicine, but it is a U and not a V, so I prefer to say "universal".

First of all, we have to visit, not to take something, not to do something, nor seeking for something, but, just to look, to visit the interior of the earth. We have to look deeply at something hidden normally (the interior of), the earth is here the macrocosm and all its microcosm, earth can be understood as a general term for the world and the creation, Nature. So, we have to unveil the laws and mechanisms of the macrocosm.

The first part is the study.

Then we have to rectify, we have to do an action, upon something, in order to have the Stone.

Rectifying is a correction, rectification : to make it right, perfect, able to fit to the purpose of the generation of the Stone. What do we have to rectify, and what do we rectify while visiting the Nature if not our vision of the World and Nature ?

And then, we find the hidden Stone, universal and true medicine ! We find it because we are in the natural path, and no more a cultural one, that prevents us to see and find the Stone (and generate it). It is hidden because it is everywhere, and no one can see it, until one finds it by rectification.

But, in reality, we rectify and then we find the Stone, because it appears after the act of rectification, it appears as a natural consequence, we have to do nothing ! (see Aurora of the Philosophers by Paracelsus, chap XVII).

It is Universal, simply because the Mercury is Universal, and the Vitriol is our Mercury. And it is a medicine, because Light incarnated is the most important thing on earth, it is a blessing, the true blood and body of Christ Principle.

King Solomon's Mines, in the earth of Ophir

King Solomon (Solomon mean 'wisdom' in hebrew), is well known for his temple and wealth, also for some treatrise of magick (Clavicula Salomonis - but I don't think he ever wrote that...).

When the symbols become clearer, and when can figure out a little the Opus Magnum, we can see some links between Alchemy and some sacred texts, like Bible. Bible is said to have stories that are all alchemical, from alpha to omega, Roger Caro, french Alchemist working upon Cinnabar, used it extensively in order to explain the Magnum Opus.

King Solomon was said to have mines in remote countries, having 'red earth', and thus being named 'Ophir' (rich, red earth). It is very close in my opinion to the "Adam's clay", able of life.

Now, Ophir is probably a real place, where mines gave a lot of gold (but, geologist must have found this place by now no ?). Or, Ophir is also a kind of alchemical hint, a place where the earth is full of Sulphur/gold.

In 1 Kings 9:28

They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

2 Chronicles 8:18

And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers, men who knew the sea. These, with Solomon's men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

Are you prepared ?

The Alchemist plays sometime a perilous game with matter. We tremendously and dramatically enhance the inner process of his inner Alchemical cycle.

The Alchemist ... He is not prepared for death or Nigredo. He is not prepared for Vegetatio, he is not prepared for Albedo, and he is not prepared for Rubedo... And he jumps from one to another, sometime from a day to another. This can be a kind of spiritual and psychological roller coaster. You can be dizzy when you are in this movement.

Are we prepared ? Are you prepared for this ? What are the risks ? I never heard about the psychological side of Alchemy when I began practicing it. I heard of it only in the real practical groups of people who knew that sometime, nigredo can push you far. But in Alchemical old books, never we have to look into Jung in order to make a link between the psychological side and the Alchemical cycles.

Remember that a cycle is cyclic. You are now, in one of the cycle, and maybe in one mini cycle in the big cycle. I found that we can be enclosed in three cycles, or even four, like Matriochka... it asks a little of inner analysis in order to 'see' them, and to feel them. For that you can try to study the seasons in nature for example.

Have a nice cycle !