The Alchemical Process (Two of Two)

“The Wind carries it in its belly.”

Starting with the Albedo Phase, Separation isolates the various components of the substances. This sifting is similar to panning for gold. For the Spirit, this is the stage of discernment where the person works to reclaim their essence.

“Its nurse is the Earth.”

The process of Conjunction comes next. The alchemist brings together the sifted elements to form a new element. (If this fails, the alchemist has to start over.) In alchemy, it is the marriage (conjoining of two opposite components) of the King and Queen, which gives birth to the Child of the Philosophers. If the Child is a stillborn, then the impurities have not been purged.

For the person spiritually, they have rejoined with their shadow. Now empowered and whole, the person has the “intelligence of the heart.” Not yet enlightened, they strive for transcendence, in the next Phase -the Rubedo.

The Lesser Marriage has now been achieved, creating the new element of the Lesser Stone. For alchemists, this is a major achievement. But they will move on to the greater goal of achieving the Great Marriage and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Conjunction is the link between the Below and the Above. The work of the Below is now completed. The alchemist chooses to move forward to the work of the Above.

“Separate the Earth from Fire, the Subtle from the Gross, gently and with great Ingenuity.”

The operation of Fermentation has two stages – Putrefaction and Fermentation. The substance is left to rot (Putrefaction). After it sits for a while, “new life” (bacteria or living energy) is introduced by the alchemist, then fermentation can begin. For a person, this is the “dark night of the soul,” since this process kills and then rebirths the self. With the final cleansing (the Purgation of the Stone), a new being emerges – Rebis, the Hermaphrodite with two heads.

“It rises from Earth to Heaven and descends again to Earth, thereby combining within Itself the powers of both the Above and the Below.”

Distillation filters out the impurities of the matter. The liquid is condensed through repeated boiling and condensation to reduce it to its essence. For a person, they go through a repeated pattern of truth finding to lessen the gap between their inner and outer realities. Eventually, the unborn self emerges from the power of the life force.

“Thus will you obtain the Glory of the Whole Universe. All Obscurity will be clear to you. This is the greatest Force of all powers, because it overcomes every Subtle thing and penetrates every Solid thing.”

The final step, Coagulation, is the Great Marriage. Conjunction is the combination of the male and female, while Coagulation is the two being mixed and balanced. The body becomes the spirit and the spirit the body. The person is united with the Divine, thus the Philosopher’s Stone is created.

Part One can be read here:    The Alchemical Process (One of two)

The Alchemical Process (One of two)

The focus of alchemy is the transformation and unification of the body with the spirit. This could be thought of turning base lead into transcendent gold. The Emerald Tablet describes the process of the Great Work, which is the alchemist becoming one with the universe.

To obtain this transformation, the alchemist undergoes three phases – Nigredo (Black), Albedo (White) and Rubedo (Red). The Nigredo Phase is broken down into the operations of Calcination and Dissolution, which uses the elements of fire and water. The Albedo Phase has the Separation and Conjunction operations, which entails the elements of air and earth. The final phase, the Rubedo is divided into Fermentation, Distillation, and Coagulation. At the end of this phase, the alchemist exists on all levels of reality, merging with the Truth.

Dennis Hauck refers to these processes of the Three Magisteriums. Focusing on the Below, The First creates the Lunar Stone, the body’s life force. Albedo is the connection between the First and Second Magisteriums. Focusing on the Above, the Second creates the Solar Stone, the perfected mind. The Union of the two creates the Third, which is the Stellar Stone, the Universal Spirit.

“Its father is the Sun.” (Note 1)
The first step in the long process of the Great Work is Calcination. Physically, the substance is heated over an open flame. The purpose for this is to activate the inner and outer fires. The impurities of the materials are burned away. For the mind, the false selves are burned away from the alchemist, who lights their own inner fire.

“Its mother the Moon.”
Dissolution is the elimination of the dross, created in Calcination, by water. This brings the material into a purer state. For a person, this is working through their melancholia, which entails a lot of tears. (Note 2) The Dissolution Step is difficult for a person to get through but necessary.

“The Wind carries it in its belly.”
Starting with the Albedo Phase, Separation isolates the various components of the substances. This sifting is similar to panning for gold. For the Spirit, this is the stage of discernment where the person works to reclaim their essence.

Notes:

Note 1. Tiffany Lazic in “The Great Work” suggests associating each operation with the Emerald Tablet.

Note 2. In the “Idiots Guide to Alchemy,” Dennis Hauk writes, “Instead of running to Prozac, the true alchemist must work with the darkness and suffer through it in order to emerge transformed. By bringing this threatening material to light in therapy … the alchemist rises above the poisoning vapors.” (p. 135.) Prozac saved my life and aided me through my major depression. I believe this bias against medications for the malfunctioning brain is unnecessary and cruel.

Works Used:
Alchemy Lab, “Alchemical Theory: A Look at the Basic Principles of Alchemy.” 2019. Web. https://www.alchemylab.com/alchemical_theory.htm, <accessed 11 September 2019>.

Bartlett, Robert Allen, “Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy.” Ibis Press: Lake Worth (FL). 2009.

Gillabel, Dirk, “Alchemy.” Date unknown. Web. soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/alchemy%202.htm, <accessed 11 September 2019>.

Hauck, Dennis William, “Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy.” Crucible Books: Sacramento (CA). 2013.

—, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Alchemy.” Alpha Books: New York. 2008.

Lazic, “Tiffany, “The Great Work.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2015.

Babylonian Months: February and March

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Since the Babylonian year starts at the Spring Equinox, the period starting from the Winter Solstice could contain from three to four months. The lunar months of the Babylonian calendar have to fit within the solar year of equinoxes. The fourth month (intercalary) was usually inserted by a decree from the King.

In Sumer, the twelfth month was called “Sekigku,” (The Month of Grain Reaping). This was the time of the barley harvest, which happened everywhere in Mesopotamia. The Festival of Barley Consumption started mid-month and ended at the full moon. The Grain Goddess, Ashnan was given offerings, and the Beer Goddess, Ninkasi was praised. Ninkasi, the Babylonian Goddess of Beer   Modern Sumerian Polytheists will celebrate with bread and beer, giving thanks for both Goddesses.  God of the Month: Ashnan of Babylon

In the Standard Mesopotamian Calendar, the month is called “Addaru.” According to Astrolabe B, in the month of Addaru, “the vast fields of Ningirsu (Lord Flood) the sickle is not left behind.” When the reaping is done, the Barley Consumption Festival starts. People feast, visit each other, and play table games. Ninurta/Ningirsu of Babylon

Meanwhile, preparation for the Festival of Dumuzi is underway, which happens at the end of the month. Offerings of fruit, cheeses, honey, and oil are placed on boats, and sent downstream. The boats fetch Dumuzi from the Netherworld, so that He can prepare for his marriage to Inanna. Dumuzi (Tammuz) of Sumer, Shepherd Husband of Inanna

The Festival of the Carnelian Bed celebrates the marriage of Ninlil (Lady Wind in the Grain) and Enlil (Lord Wind). Since Addaru is the month of Enlil’s happiness, hymns are sung before the Bed. Then beer, incense, and goat meat are offered for the happiness of these Two Gods. Ninlil of the Gods of Sumner

The Standard Mesopotamian Calendar has a nineteen year cycle. One month is added in the 17th year before the Autumn Equinox – Ululu 2. In the 19th year, one month is added before the Vernal Equinox, Addaru 2. Each month has 29 or 30 days, which gives a year of 354 days. Therefore intercalary months are needed to keep the lunar calendar in sync with the solar year. These months usually had the festivals held in either Ululu or Addaru.

Why Neptune’s Dolphins: Dealing with Generational Trauma

Odin, the Norse All-Father, recruited me into Polytheism. Since outside of Odin, no other Norse God seemed interested in me, I questioned my baffling experiences. Later I found out that there is a Group of Gods (Sekhmet, The Morrigan, Odin, Hekate, and Dionysus.) who recruit people into Polytheism. (Recruiting Gods will often leave the person once they become a Polytheist.) However at the time, I was frustrated and disappointed at having no rapport with anyone.

During my struggles, I attended different rituals held by other Polytheists. When I went to a Roman one, I met Neptune. During this rite, I felt a 1,000 volts of electricity coursing through me. My head was on fire and my hair stood on end. Neptunus Pater (Father Neptune) made Himself known to me. I was welcomed into the Roman Pantheon of Gods. I felt as if I had come home. Later, I realized that the Roman Gods wait before introducing Themselves to practicing Polytheists.

It turns out that my family had a long relationship with Neptune. For generations, they thrived in union with the sea. Mariners, boat builders, and fisher folk received their livelihood from the ocean. However, like all reciprocal relationships, both sides require sacrifices.

The rupture with Neptune came when my grandfather’s father lost his entire family in a horrific storm. They were fishing on Georges Bank in the Atlantic at the time. Following the news, his sorrowful mother made him (her youngest) promise never to go to the sea again. She cursed it for destroying her life. Afterwards, she would chide laughing or happy people with, “Remember you were born to die.”

After that, his father took to farming and was miserable. He passed that misery onto his family and to future generations. Since we are not independent of our ancestors, this transgenerational trauma becomes a part of us. The sickness in my family came out as abuse and addiction.

Since ever I could remember, I disliked dolphins. I could not abide people gushing over these ill-tempered bullies. Dolphins symbolized the deep trauma of my family losing an entire generation. Instead of saving the drowning men, the dolphins acted as psychopomps guiding them across the water to the Afterlife. Neptune had wanted his offerings from my family.

After years of living inland, my father settled us next to the sea. Then the healing could begin. In middle age, my father discovered joy in puttering about in his small sailboat, a blue J. Sailing in the Long Island Sound between New York and Connecticut, he had fun. Sailing with him was an exercise in not caring if we were lousy sailors or not. We had finally made peace with the sea.

Repairing my family’s relationship with Neptunus Pater has been healing for me. The trauma that my family carried is now dissipating. My relationship with Him now is one of sacra gentilicta – keeping rites for the God of my family. It is my sacred duty to make offerings on behalf of my family including the Ancestors lost at sea. I have weekly devotions to Neptunus Pater, and an annual rite during the Neptunalia in July.

Ritual is an ideal way of healing transgenerational trauma. It offers a container to hold the grief. By reconnecting with Neptunus Pater, He allowed me to move the trauma from the present to the past. Stoicism had allowed my family to survive this tragedy. We never mentioned their names again. I released the trauma through radical inclusion by acknowledging those lost at sea.

Meanwhile, I have also made peace with the Dolphins, His Messengers. I forgave Them for not saving my family, and understood that guiding my family to the Afterlife was equally as important. The name of the blog is our reaffirmed relationship with each other.

“Sea Fever” by John Masefield (1878 – 1967, English)

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Works Used

Patricia Kathleen Robertson, “Connect With Your Ancestors.” 2017. Peaceful Possibilities Press: Calgary (CAN).
“Let Your Tears Flow.” 2017.
“Step Into the Light.” 2019

The Magic Resistance: Emotional Intelligence

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Before blogging further about the magical workings and ethics of the Magic Resistance (to Trump), I need to discuss a few concepts. My perspective on the Magic Resistance is that Trump is an emotional trigger for the participants. Their emotions have hijacked their rational thinking. This has compelled them to become more extreme in their morality (i.e. good versus evil). Therefore their magic has become rooted in themselves and their passions.

With emotional intelligence, a person can sort out what is often ethically dense and complex. The definition of “emotional intelligence” is “the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others.” There are three skills involved: the ability to identify your emotions, the ability to harness them to problem solve, and the ability to manage them. After my brain injury, I had to relearn all three. When the damaged parts of my brain are irritated, I become furious with everyone around me. The difference between actual anger and physical irritation was something that I needed to know.

Drs. Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves in “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” discuss what an emotional trigger is. The first reaction to any event is always an emotional one. No one has control over that occurring. (They do however have control over how to handle what comes next.) The more intense the emotions, the more they will dictate person’s actions. Hence a trigger is something that generates a prolonged emotional reaction.

“Emotional hijacking” happens when a person’s thinking is overpowered by their emotions. What occurs is that the brain’s amygdala takes over the neocortex. How to deal with this is to first to be aware that it is happening. The following quotes by Michael Hughes (Note 1.) are examples of emotional hijacking among the Magic Resistance.

Quotes from Michael Hughes:
“Donald Trump will not go down without a nasty, messy fight, and his brainwashed cultist supporters are as deeply up their God Emperor’s ass as ever. They can do a lot of damage on their way into the ash heap of history.”

“But I, and others, have felt the need for something we can do daily to enhance and further empower our resistance and accelerate the removal of the current criminal kakistocracy.”

“As many have noted, there is also a vital need to nourish ourselves and refill our energetic reservoirs, which have been severely taxed by the daily firehose of horror from Cult 45 and the pedophile-defending GOP.” (Note 2.)

An aspect of practicing magic is self-mastery. Critical thinking is important to understand when and why to do magical workings. This is why I believe that every magician should have emotional intelligence. Discernment and detachment is more effective than rage in doing magic.

Notes:
Note 1: Michael Hughes wrote “Magic for the Resistance.” He came to fame for his public (on-going) working, “Mass Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him.” Many of my friends who participate in this mass spell are friends of his.

Note 2: These quotes are from Hughes’ writings at Medium.com. https://medium.com/@michaelmhughes

Works Used:
Bradberry, Travis and Jean Greaves, “Emotional Intelligence 2.0.” Talent Smart: San Diego. 2009.
Hughes, Michael, “Magic for the Resistance,” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2018.
Mayer, John, “What Emotional Intelligence Is and Is Not,” Psychology Today. 21 September 2009. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-personality-analyst/200909/what-emotional-intelligence-is-and-is-not.
—, “What is Emotional Intelligence,” Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-intelligence.

Other posts in this series:

Lessons from The Magic Resistance: Rituals and Trauma

Lessons from the Magic Resistance: Collective Trauma