| Alchemy's OriginAlchemy, according to
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| | an art of transmutation and
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| esoteric writers, is said to be the
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| | precipitation--the changing of base
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| invention of an ancient Egyptian sage
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| | metals into gold. The work of alchemical
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| called Hermes Trismegistus. The "Father
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| | transmutation is designated as "the Labor
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| of Alchemy" lived in an unknown age of
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| | of the Sun." This "Eye of Ra"
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| Egyptian history, though he is thought by
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| | symbolically represents the perfection
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| some Rosicrucian schools to have lived
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| | with which Nature is gradually unfolding
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| during the time of Moses and the Exodus
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| | in her creations. At the physical level
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| of the Israelites. If true, being an
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| | the Sun of Perfection is represented by
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| Initiate of the mysteries of Isis and
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| | gold. Alchemy is the science and art
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| Osiris, Moses must have been tutored by
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| | which hasten the creations of Nature to
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| Hermes himself, which later enabled him
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| | attain perfection at their own respective
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| to carry out his mission and to realize
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| | level. Gold is the perfection attain by
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| his I AM Presence symbolised by the
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| | metals and minerals. Minerals, however,
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| burning bush. The various precepts and
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| | are also following another line of
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| the Ten Commandments of the Lord of Hosts
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| | perfection--that of its ability to
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| revealed to the Israelites by Moses are
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| | sustain life and consciousness. And Man,
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| the first alchemical steps of
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| | the acme of organic life, is evolving to
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| purification and putrefaction. Further
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| | the state where he acquires perfection in
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| steps were later added to the Mosaic
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| | Divine Self-Awareness.From the above it
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| revelation by the Nazarene Master.
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| | can be summarized that alchemy is the art
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| Indeed, the Christ declared that he came
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| | of raising vibrations of an object in
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| not to abolish the previous revelation,
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| | order to hasten its development or
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| but to fulfill it.It is thought by some
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| | evolution into a higher expression or
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| that "Hermes Trismegistus" constituted a
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| | state. The result is perfection of the
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| title assumed by distinguished
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| | object of the transmutation.Alchemy's
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| hierophants of the Mystery Schools, in a
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| | Transmission to ChristendomAlexandria was
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| somewhat similar manner that Zoroaster,
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| | the philosophical capital of Egypt, and
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| the founder of the "Fire Religion" is
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| | perhaps of the whole civilized worlds in
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| regarded by certain scholars.
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| | the early centuries of Christianity.
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| Incidentally, alchemy may also be
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| | Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Alchemy and
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| considered a Fire Religion, or at least a
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| | Hermeticism flowered abundantly; these
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| philosophy, because of its symbology of
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| | philosophies are intrinsically related,
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| fire related to the alchemical
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| | and to comprehend the Royal Art fully,
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| principles, its prerequisite in the art
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| | the student of alchemy is advised by
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| of transmutation, and to the respect and
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| | Master teachers to be familiar with their
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| honor paid to it by alchemists.Jewish
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| | doctrines. Alexandria's Golden Age of
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| mystics identify Hermes as the
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| | occult philosophy did not last long, for
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| antediluvian prophet Enoch, or Idris, as
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| | the reptilian mind of the fallen angels
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| the Muslims call him; while ancient
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| | had seized control of the rising new
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| Egyptians see Hermes as Thoth, the god of
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| | religion of Christianity (no offence to
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| Wisdom, Learning, and Writing. He was
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| | our Christian brothers and sisters). The
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| given this apotheosis along with Imhotep,
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| | philosophical sons and daughters of
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| the great architect under the reign of
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| | Hermes were persecuted and murdered
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| King Zoser of the Fourth Dynasty. It
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| | brutally by Christian fundamentalists and
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| would appear that both men were
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| | fanatics. Fear and hatred were aroused
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| overshadowed by the archetypal figure of
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| | among the masses and the ousting of the
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| Thoth, and were acknowledged as such by
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| | so-called pagan religions from the land
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| both the inner and outer circles of
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| | ensued. One sad event was the cruel
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| initiates of the Mystery Schools. Thoth,
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| | assassination of Hypathia, an illustrious
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| or his Greek counterpart, Mercury, was a
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| | daughter of the Mysteries--the Widow
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| messenger of the gods; and as an
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| | Isis, and propounder of Neoplatonism. She
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| archetypal incarnation of this god,
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| | hardly had a philosophical equal during
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| Hermes lived up to his name by his
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| | her day, and this caused the envy and
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| literary productiveness. Ancient writers
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| | jealousy of a certain priest who
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| declared that the "Trice Greatest" wrote
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| | contrived her murder.During the decline
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| thousands of books on what later became
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| | of the Roman Empire, the Secret Doctrine,
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| known as Hermeticism and Alchemy. It is
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| | or the Ancient Wisdom were passed on to
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| unfortunate that very little of Hermes'
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| | the guardianship of the Arabian and
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| works survived the conflagration and
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| | Persian mystics. The tenets of occult
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| destruction of libraries and books by
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| | wisdom were later incorporated into the
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| Roman and Christian zeal in the early
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| | Muslim faith with its higher aspects
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| dawn of the Piscean Age. The world as a
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| | promulgated secretly in the traditional
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| whole is still ignorant of the great
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| | oral manner in certain sects, Orders, and
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| loss, and it will take some time before
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| | mystical groups such as the Sufi and
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| the invocation is made by the masses for
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| | Dervish Orders, and among the community
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| the Greater Light, for disclosure of
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| | of Druzes in Lebanon and Syria.In the 8th
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| eternal principles that would shine upon
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| | to the 11th centuries A.D., in the era of
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| the paths of men, and consequently, for a
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| | the golden period of alchemic-Islamic
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| full restoration and establishment of an
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| | culture, we hear of eminent names in the
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| occult library of the world, with an
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| | field of the Royal Art, such as
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| archive and database of every known
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| | al-Farabi, Rhazes, Geber and Avicenna.
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| system and tradition of the metaphysical
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| | These men studied the mystery teachings
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| side of life. Although little is known of
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| | and occult wisdom of the Egyptian and
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| Hermes, it is evident through the works
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| | Greek schools. They were most notably
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| attributed to him that he was an
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| | influenced by Hermetic, Alchemic and
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| intermediary of the Wisdom Ray of the
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| | Neoplatonic ideas, and the knowledge that
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| Supreme Being.One of the most famed works
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| | they acquired was synthesized with
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| on Hermetic doctrine written, and in
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| | Islamic and Sufic doctrines. The Sufi
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| concise form, is the Smaragdine Tablet
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| | adepts produced one of the most beautiful
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| attributed to the authorship of Hermes.
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| | symbols of spiritual unfoldment and
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| Its discovery is traditionally believed
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| | progression: the rose. Its symbolism is
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| to have been made by Alexander of
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| | comparable to the lotus adopted by Hindu
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| Macedonia in a cave near Hebron. This
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| | mystics.The Knights Templer was an
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| conqueror of nations who had Aristotle
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| | important link between both East and
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| for a Master, was in search of
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| | West, between Islamic culture and the
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| immortality. Although he failed to attain
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| | world of Christendom. The alchemical
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| his personal immortality, Alexander did
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| | doctrine was passed on by the Sufi adepts
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| uncover a philosophical jewel that would
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| | to these "Knights of the Holy Sepulchre,"
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| have given him what he had sought if he
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| | as the Templers were originally called.
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| had only applied the principles that the
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| | Even the mythical Christian Rosencruez of
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| Emerald Tablet contained. Tradition
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| | Rosicrucianism is said to have acquired
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| relates that the Tablet was wrought out
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| | his occult knowledge from the Sufi
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| of artificial emerald, as a result of
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| | Masters and adepts in Arabia.After the
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| transmutation, with the Hermetic doctrine
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| | days of the disbandment of the Templer
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| embossed on it.Alchemy, as a philosophy
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| | Order by Philip the Fair of France, and
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| and an art in the Western hemisphere in
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| | the death-sentence of their last Grand
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| the past two millenia, existed
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| | Master, Jacques de Molay in 1314, the
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| concurrently in other ancient cultures
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| | surviving Knights sought refuge in
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| and civilizations--it was practiced
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| | various countries; and in England some of
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| intensely by Hindu Yogis and Taoists, in
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| | them founded an alchemical Order which
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| India and China. This parallel growth is
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| | later became known as the "Elder Brothers
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| probably the result of the Great White
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| | of the Rose Cross." It is said that this
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| Brotherhood's periodic presentation of a
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| | Order comprised 33 members and that this
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| spiritual method designed for the
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| | group exists even to this very day in our
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| development of certain types of
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| | computer age.When the believers of Allah
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| temperaments and belief-framework of
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| | invaded and settled in Iberia, they
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| those aspirants belonging to a certain
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| | brought with them the Secret Teachings.
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| era and stage of mankind's collective
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| | Colleges were established that had
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| evolution.Based on this parallel growth
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| | mysticism, metaphysics, and alchemy in
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| of alchemy in the Orient and the regions
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| | the curriculum. With the establishment of
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| of the Fertile Crescent suggested to some
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| | the various schools, the Ancient Wisdom
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| Esoteric historians that alchemy may have
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| | finally took definite root in European
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| had a common origin in that sunken
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| | soil, and it spread gradually throughout
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| continent Atlan, or Atlantis, as it is
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| | the other regions of the Continent. This
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| more generally known. Esoteric Tradition
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| | expansion was no doubt the result of the
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| declares that a handful of the Atlantean
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| | efforts put forth by the spiritual
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| Root Race survived the submergence of the
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| | hierarchy of this planet. Man's evolution
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| land and transmigrated to Egypt, China,
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| | is divided into certain steps, stages,
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| and the Americas. It is reasonable to
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| | and cycles, and these have "time-tables"
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| assume that they brought with them their
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| | or schedules associated with them. It was
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| sciences, art, and culture, which
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| | expedient that the Flames of Truth and
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| influenced the inhabitants indigenous to
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| | Freedom be given to the custodian of the
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| the regions where they settled. This
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| | Islamic world if it were not to be
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| would explain the similarities in the
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| | extinguished by some of the ungodly minds
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| traditions and beliefs of native cultures
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| | of Christendom of the Dark Ages which
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| to be found both East and West.Principles
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| | would have caused a setback to the Divine
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| of Alchemy are the principles that Nature
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| | Plan already established.The deviation
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| herself works with, and thus alchemy,
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| | from the right use of free will by
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| scientifically, existed in the inner
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| | Christian fundamentalists had made them
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| planes long before it was brought down to
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| | unsuitable vessels for the Christic wine.
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| the earth plane by Master teachers. A
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| | In spite of exoteric Christianity's blind
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| study of Nature's mysteries would reveal
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| | attack on th Light that gave it birth,
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| to the discerning student that the higher
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| | the esoteric circle continued its
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| Intelligences, the Elohim, and the Great
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| | existence clandestinely, preserving the
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| Architect of the Universe utilized
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| | secret teachings of Jesus and
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| alchemical principles to precipitate the
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| | transmitting it to a selected few who had
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| starry bodies out of Chaos, out of Cosmic
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| | the vision of the divine plan within
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| Root Substance or "Sunyata," as termed by
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| | their hearts and minds.Idries Shah, the
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| the Buddhist. Qabalists believe that Adam
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| | eminent Sufi of contemporary times,
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| was taught by the angels in Paradise the
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| | mentions in his book "The Sufis," how an
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| art of transmutation, to prepare him for
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| | Englishman, one Robert of Chester, was
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| his "Fall" and his climb back toward his
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| | instrumentally in 1144 A.D., in
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| Monad, toward godhood--his involution and
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| | introducing alchemy to the Christian
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| evolution from a Divine Consciousness to
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| | world by translating an alchemical
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| Divine Self-Consciousness.There is no
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| | manuscript originally written in Arabic.
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| general concurrence among scholars as to
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| | There were many others like him, for
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| the origin of the word "alchemy." The
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| | bearers of the Flame were not few.Levels
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| consensus is that the word is derived
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| | of AlchemyMost of the principles of
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| from the word "Khem," the ancient name
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| | alchemy conveyed to the public were made
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| for Egypt, added to the Arabic article
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| | up of images, mandalas, and jargon. These
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| "al," meaning "the," thus forming the
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| | obscure languages were necessary
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| word "al-Khemy." However, Sir Wallis
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| | considering the era that alchemical
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| Budge is of the opinion that alchemy
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| | science was struggling--struggling for a
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| comes from the Egyptian word "khemein,"
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| | recognition from the masses as a system
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| meaning the "black powder" or "ore" which
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| | of spiritual development in the midst of
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| is presumed to be an ingredient in
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| | ecclesiastical persecution. The mentality
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| alchemy. No matter where it secured its
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| | of the masses of the Middle Ages were not
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| name, the word "alchemy," it would seem,
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| | much different from the time of Jesus.
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| first came into prominence in the Mystery
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| | Ignorance, superstition, and fear still
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| Schools in Alexandria.Purpose of
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| | ruled the day. The letter of the law, as
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| AlchemyBut just what is alchemy, and what
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| | propagandized by Orthodox Christianity
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| role does it play in the promotion of the
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| | were still at odds, and at conflict with
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| welfare of mankind? If alchemy has any
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| | the spirit of the law, as advanced by
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| true value, it must be based upon eternal
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| | enlightened mystics. The inquisition,
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| values, upon the things that support
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| | which lasted for centuries, showed how
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| Heaven's purposes; in other words, upon
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| | far the Church had strayed from the
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| God's plan of humankind's becoming into
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| | original precepts of Christianity. The
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| the true Elohimic image of the divine. If
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| | Christ taught love, forgiveness, charity
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| alchemy simply had an earthly objective,
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| | and kindness; the Church Fathers and
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| masterminds of the Ages would not have
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| | Christian leaders only knew personal
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| concerned themselves with it. It would
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| | ambition, with sadism, and egoism set-up
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| have been considered as something so
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| | upon an unholy pedestal. The personal "I"
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| trivial, so transient, as to distract Man
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| | was worshipped, the "Yekhidah," or the
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| from the real work of extricating
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| | Divine I AM, was forgotten.Neophytes of
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| himself, specifically, from his bondage
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| | the Mysteries were given the keys of
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| to the carnal self, the kama manas, or
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| | interpretation of Sacred literature when
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| animal soul; and generally, from samsara.
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| | they were accepted in the various secret
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| Greed was never the impulse that prompted
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| | brotherhoods. The candidates of
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| the invention of alchemy. It was, is, and
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| | alchemical initiation were noticed by the
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| always will be Man's desire for Truth and
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| | Masters when they had proven their
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| enlightenment of his true nature and
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| | sincerity, and the sacrifices and effort
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| estate that motivates him to seek through
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| | that they had made. To the world at
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| every channel and avenue for that certain
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| | large, the existence of the Masters was
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| something that he subconsciously feels he
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| | unknown and unsuspected, even though
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| had "lost" and which is his to
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| | their presence in the world of men was
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| re-acquire--call it "the Lost Word," "the
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| | hinted at in various alchemical
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| Philosopher's Stone," or "the Holy
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| | manuscripts. It was only in the last
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| Grail," it matters not. Alchemy teaches
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| | century that Helena P. Blavatsky, among
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| Man the principles of regeneration and
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| | others, who brought their existence to
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| resurrection, laws of creation and
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| | the world's attention; and even then, the
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| transmutation; laws that would assist Man
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| | world scoffed and derided at the idea.
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| to regain his former estate lost in "the
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| | This is a little unreasonable, as people
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| Fall." This "Fall" from Paradise
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| | of various spiritual unfoldment and
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| symbolically represents involution of the
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| | mental development may easily be seen and
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| human life wave into physical matter. The
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| | recognized. If some men and women are
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| way back to the Throne of God is
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| | more perfect than others, why should not
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| scientifically called "evolution," and
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| | there be men and women totally perfect
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| the acceleration of the latter is the art
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| | from our human point of
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| of the hermetic gnosis. This Path of
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| | view?Esoterically, when a Master
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| Return is esoterically and graphically
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| | alchemist gave a student of alchemy the
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| symbolised by Jacob's Ladder, and the
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| | "Philosopher's Stone," what was actually
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| paths of the Qaballistic "Tree of
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| | conveyed were the teachings of the
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| Life."The drama of Jesus' life is an
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| | Ancient Wisdom, and a certain yogic
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| alchemical allegory of the steps of
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| | system that when applied and practiced,
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| regeneration and ascension to the I AM
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| | would transmute an initiate into a god.To
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| Presence within, the "Father who art in
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| | the public eye, alchemical icons and
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| Heaven." Orthodox Christianity does not
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| | terminology conveyed no sense whatsoever,
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| recognize or is unaware of this vital
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| | but the mystiqueness of alchemical texts
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| truth, and because of the lack of
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| | and images aroused interest in potential
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| mystical insight among most members of
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| | practitioners of the Royal Art, and it
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| its priesthood coupled with the absence
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| | turned the average person into a seeker.
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| of esoteric truths in the doctrines and
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| | This was perhaps one of the intentions of
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| dogmas of the Church, the average
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| | the authors of alchemical manuscripts.
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| Christian is ignorant and unaware of the
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| | Modern chemistry, feeling a little
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| true message of Christianity--of the
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| | perplexed by alchemical ideas,
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| Light, the Christ substance, and the true
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| | contemptuously considers her sire as a
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| saving blood that Christ introduced to
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| | pseudo-science, in the same manner that
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| humankind. Esoteric Christianity is
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| | astrology is usually frowned upon by the
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| fundamentally an alchemical science and
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| | students of astronomy. Modern research
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| religion; its promulgator was a Master
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| | will in time change the opinions and
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| Alchemist--being taught in the initiatory
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| | prejudicial beliefs of a
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| halls of the Mystery Schools. It is
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| | materialistically-inclined science;
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| related in the Gospels how the Master
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| | already pioneers of quantum physics are
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| transmuted water into wine, multiplied
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| | hypothesising what the Ancient Wisdom has
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| loaves and fishes, and walked on
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| | been teaching for ages.One key to
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| water--all of which were manifestations
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| | understanding alchemy is to determine the
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| of the applied principles of alchemy, the
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| | objectives and the subject of
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| Hermetic philosophy--or perhaps these
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| | transmutation. Without keeping this
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| events were all allegories conveying some
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| | principle in mind, one would be lost in
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| spiritual teaching.Alchemy is defined as
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| | the alchemical wilderness.
|
