CONTINUED PART 5
Rocky Mountain International Alchemy Guild Conference
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THE SEVEN TRADITIONAL METALS OF THE ALCHEMISTS AND THEIR TRANSMUTATION
We can examine how the transformation of our consciousness is depicted through the transformation of these metals.The first stage of consciousness of the ordinary man is represented by the metal lead, whose traditional symbol is the (Cross over Crescent).Here the earth dominates and buries the moon. We can see here that the reflective perceiving nature of consciousness is dominated entirely by the world of the physical senses and instincts. Consciousness is flowing outwards towards the outer world and is far removed from the inner world. We are absorbed in the objective consciousness and are unconscious of our higher natures.
The planet Saturn as the dark planet rules the metal Lead. It is for this reason that in alchemy we refer to the blackness of Lead as the Saturnian darkness of the dungeons of the corpus. This blackness is the darkness of the soul and it is this blackness that must be whitened or purified through the alchemical process. When the black is blacker than black, the raven of the alchemists has marked our path. We should not consider this metal as an inferior metal, for as Jung has said, the essence of darkness is Gold (Light). Saturn or the metal lead is the first on the tree of life of the Cabala to receive the cosmic forces and it imparts its awesome strength to all the other metals.
As the alchemical process is initiated, consciousness is raised as our reflective consciousness is elevated above the level of the ordinary lower man, giving us the stage represented by Tin (Crescent rising above Cross).Jupiter with his thunder bolts of flashing light rules Tin. It is here that we begin to perceive some sparks of divine illumination as we acquire a sense of a Higher Self, that which is the more noble in us, that which is the divine in us. At this level of consciousness the light of the moon dominates the earth and the whitening of the darkness has begun as the Alchemist rejoices knowing that he is on the right path.We here have begun our exit out of the dark night of the soul.
Written by Steve Kalec
Forthcoming Work, Beautiful Alchemy
To be continued with part 6