Aidrian O’Connor 
  
  
Hey Steryl.... 

How’s things? Everything’s pretty smooth on this coast. I’m absolutely wrecked with all the different things that I have going on here, but it’s still pretty fun just to be busy all the time. For the most part, I run around like a freak Monday through Friday, and when the weekend comes I just stay at my friends’ apartment in downtown and just lounge as much as possible. It’s good. 

I never got my last packet back from you. I didn’t include a SASE because I had put two in the packet prior to that one, but maybe something happened.... I don’t know. Hopefully you got it alright? If I don’t get it back by the time this packet comes back, I’ll give you a call and find out what’s up. 

I was tempted at first to break from the Alchemy thing, but decided to stick with it. In fact, that is all that this packet consists of. I’m glad that I did stick with it, because I feel like I have more closure on what I started to learn form my work in the last packet. I’m fairly satisfied with my work in this packet, and hopefully you will be too. It’s pretty left-minded analytical stuff, but I feel OK with that. 

Just so you know, I’m planning on dedicating the entirity of my next (and final) packet to trying to sum up and tie together all the various subjects that I have touched on this semester. I realize that to someone reaading my work, it probably seems like I’m scattered all over the place, jumping from one subject to the next with little regard for continuity. From in here, I can see how all these things are tied together, can see the thread that links one to another, but I spend little time trying to make that connection clear to anyone else. So, I think it’s time to do that. I may pull from a far amount of the work that I did last semester, which is of course stuff that you haven’t seen, but I will try to explain everything as clearly as possible, so that you won’t feel left in the dark. At this point I don’t know if I am going to write the summery in a more analytic or more story-like format - I may do half and half. We’ll see. 
 
Anyway, that’s all for now. Hopefully things are going well for you. 
 
Good Luck! 
 
Aidrian 
  

Keys to Unlocking the Emerald Tablet; 
A Non-Alchemist's Interpretation 

The Emerald Tablet is probably the oldest and most well known of all alchemical texts. According to Adam McLean the Tablet can be traced with fair certainty back to the Caliphate of al-Ma'mun (813-33) in which a book known as "Kitab Balaniyus al-Hakim fi'l-lIlal" (Book of Balinus the Wise on the Causes) was written. The Kitab Balaniyus relates the story of Balinus, who is often associated with Apollonis of Tyna, and implies, if we are to believe Mr. McLean, that Balinus was not the original author but instead found the Tablet already composed. 

As can be read in the text, the author of the Tablet writes in the first person, identifying himself as Hermes Trismegistus, meaning "Thrice Greatest Hermes." It is well known that in Greek and Roman mythology, the god Hermes is analogous with the planet Mercury, and throughout alchemical texts we find the same Hermes - Mercury connotation. In alchemy the correspondence is carried over into the alchemists' understanding of Mercury as representative of perfect balance and unity of opposites. So it would seem that this Tablet is stating that it was written by he who represents the very essence of balance and unity - the god Hermes / Mercury. 

The surname "Trismegistus," or "Thrice greatest" has been interpreted in several ways by various authors. Some claim that this Hermes is master of the three kingdoms of life - animal, vegetable, and mineral. Others claim that he is master of the "Three Disciplines of the True Philosopher," said to be alchemy, astrology, and the kabbalah. Burkhardt attributes the three parts of Hermes' wisdom to "the three great divisions of the universe, namely, the spiritual, psychic, and corporeal realms", while Schumaker claims, "The usual explanation of Trismegistus... is that Hermes was the greatest philosopher, the greatest priest, and the greatest king". No matter which specific definition one chooses, to me Trismegistus is an obvious reference to the number three itself, which is always associated with the force of creativity in it's most pure form. This idea applies more directly to the subject of the Tablet than any of the above interpretations manages to do. 

If we agree that my following interpretation of the Tablet is accurate, then it is clear that the purpose of this Tablet is to describe the creative process in all its forms, as well as describe the balanced and unified nature of all things. The author's name mentioned in the text is thus a specific reference and clue to the reader as to what the Tablet as a whole is dealing with, i.e., balance and unity (Hermes) and the super creative force (Trismegistus) within that balance and unity. 

Whether this little book of simple yet profound wisdom was originally penned by a god or a man is of little consequence in this instance, because the knowledge represented by the Tablet could easily be said to represent the Hermes Trismegistus which exists in every human being's consciousness. In fact, it could be argued that whomever did write this book was wise indeed to attribute the words to something more than a single mortal human name, because the information herein is not the possession of any one person, but instead the property of our race as a whole, the property of nature itself. It comes from a part of the human collective unconscious which any and all can access if so desired, and therefore it makes perfect sense that these are not the words of any one human, but the words of a god. The term "god" is especially accurate if one understands the idea of a god as a greater representative of a collective of more specific archetypes within the human subconscious, as defined in Jungian psychology. 

Without further ado, let's take a look at the text. Various versions and translations of this text abound, but I will use the version offered by McLean in his "A Commentary on the Emerald Tablet." 

The Emerald Tablet of Hermes 

I. I speak no fiction, but what is certain and most true. 

II. What is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below for performing the miracle of one thing. 

III. And as all things are produced from one, by the mediation of one, so all things are produced from this one thing by adaptation. 

IV. Its father is the Sun, its Mother was the moon, the wind carried it in its belly, its nurse is the earth. 

V. It is the cause of all perfection throughout the whole world. 

VI. Its power is perfect if it be changed into the earth. 

VII. Separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently and with judgement. 

VIII. It ascends from the earth to heaven, and descends again to earth, thus you will possess the glory of the whole world and all obscurity will fly away. 

IX. This thing is the fortitude of all fortitude, because it overcomes all subtle things, and penetrates every solid thing. 

X. Thus are all things created. 

XI. Thence proceed wonderful adaptations which are produced in this way. 

XII. Therefore I am called Hermes Trismegistus, possessing the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world. 

XIII. What I had to say about the operation of the Sun is complete. 

Now then, on with the interpretation: 

I. I speak no fiction, but what is certain and most true. 

This doesn't require much interpretation. It was undoubtedly placed here to help convince the reader of the universal truth of the following. This is particularly important here, because many readers would not fully understand the ramifications of what follows upon an initial reading. Indeed, one could take a lifetime, and still be discovering an ever greater relevancy of the text to one's life. 

II. What is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below for performing the miracle of one thing. 

Here we find the first mention of the fundamental law of alchemy - that the two halves of any duality are inseparably linked, and reflect one another perfectly. In this case, the two halves are represented by the terms "above" and "below," which apply particularly to alchemical experiments, where a substance is heated in a closed flask. In that particular instance, "above" would pertain to the subtle, airy region at the top of the flask, and "below" would refer to the gross substance being heated at the bottom. It also has an obvious parallel with the movements of celestial bodies in the heavens and the manifestation of phenomena on the earth. It is important not to limit ourselves to these two specific correspondences, however, because it is all perceivable dualities which this sentence is pertaining to. For but a few of a limitless number of examples, refer to Table One presented in my last packet in the section on the Three Essentials. 

"...for performing the miracle of one thing," makes a pointed statement towards shifting the focus from the two halves of the duality to the whole which encompasses both of them. The miracle spoken of here is nothing other than everything which exists, the miracle of which being that so much diversification, growth, and movement can seem to exist within one unified whole. The idea of one would seem to indicate that there could be no diversification, growth, or movement, and yet there is indeed all three of these things, and more. 

III. And as all things are produced from one, by the mediation of one, so all things are produced from this one thing by adaptation. 

Once again, this speaks of the fundamental unity, but this time focusing more on the idea that the unity is subdividing within itself while still remaining a unity. The adaptation spoken of is the process of subdividing which occurs after a moment of conception has taken place, wherein the one makes the unknowable leap to being split into two distinct halves. Once the initial subdivision begins, the subdivided parts encounter one another, and adapt as a result of the encounter. As a result of this encounter, a further subdivision has occurred, and now there are more subdivided regions to encounter one another and subdivide further. I would say that one of the most obvious examples of this process is the splitting of an egg shortly after fertilization within the womb. What begins as one cell, in the span of a few months becomes an entire being containing literally trillions of cells. And yet, those trillion cells still constitute one - the begin which is their totality. This process relates directly to the possibility of the existence of a universe which is a unity comprised of many distinguishable parts. 

Once again, we must not be limited by one example, because the statements contained in the Emerald Tablet are meant to be universal in scope. Let us shift focus to the moment within a single consciousness when one ceases to perceive the unity, and begins to encounter phenomena through a filter of duality. Once the initial duality is realized, in whatever form it takes, a reference point is established. Prior to this, there was, literally, no reference point to base perception on - there simply was phenomena unfolding. It would seem likely that the initial reference point which is established is that of "this" as opposed to "that," i.e., the individual consciousness becoming aware of itself as separate from the phenomena which surrounds it. Once this reference point is established, it leads to further subdivision and the consequential development of more reference points. This growth continues, multiplying in complexity and detail a million fold, until it reaches the state which is known in modern psychology as the development of ego. 

Of course, in this particular example, the subdivision does not stop once the ego has become developed. If we relate this example back to the diversification of the physical universe, perhaps we can begin to understand how what seems to be such a complex array of physical phenomena is in fact based in a total unity. There seems to be a direct parallel between the complexity of the human consciousness and the diversification of the physical phenomena which it perceives. But does this not make sense if we remember that the inner realm of consciousness and the outer realm of physical phenomena are directly linked, being nothing more than two halves of one whole? As our Tablet states, "as above, so below," or, more direct to this example, "what is inside the consciousness is what is outside the consciousness." 

It is important to note that, although the process of diversification continues apparently to infinity, at some point, awareness of the original unity gradually returns. This is what I defined in my last semester's work on the role of the hero from mythology as the "Post-Adolescent Hero Stage," wherein the ego ceases to be at war with the inner realm of subconscious and outer realm of the physical world, the two of which it straddles as the singular linking factor. The result of the ceasing of this war is that ego's role as constant dominator of consciousness ceases, and consequently the filter of duality, which is a fundamental characteristic of ego, drops away, allowing the conscious perception of unity of the inner and outer realms. This return to unity is not absolute, however, because a balance point is reached. The diversification spoken of above continues (i.e., ego continues to grow), but it only dominates the overall consciousness for short periods. In between these periods, consciousness of unity dominates. In what could be called a perfected consciousness, the two halves (diversified ego and unity consciousness) trade off equally. In this way, yet another duality has been overcome, and a greater consciousness of unity has been achieved. 

It is to this state of consciousness which the Tablet is preparing us for, acting as catalyst for the changing of consciousness from strictly dualistic perception to ultimate consciousness of unity. 

IV. Its father is the Sun, its Mother was the Moon, the Wind carried it in its belly, its nurse is the Earth. 

This statement gives us an introduction to the idea of the four elements. The Sun and Moon here represent the alchemical elements Fire and Water, respectively, and the Wind and Earth are of course the elements Air and Earth. The four examples which are used give specific examples of those parts of the physical world which correspond to the elements, but also serve to convey a more universal sense of what the four states of matter represent. 

Father Sun is a very common symbol in mythologies the world over. It was, quite literally, the Sun which gave birth to and sustains not only life on this planet, but also actually creates the matter which all physical bodies consist of, including the planets themselves. The energy which continually pours out of the Sun acts to inseminate the universe with life, and it is because of this that the active and masculine roles have repeatedly been assigned to the Sun. 

The Moon acts to receive and concentrate the Sun's rays, which it then reflects down to the field of the Prima Materia here on Earth. According to the alchemists, it is the combination of the two types of energy (direct solar rays and reflected lunar rays) that work to create the reality which we perceive. The following quote of Adam McLean gives one of many excellent interpretations for the way in which the Sun and Moon factors can be understood to work: 

The nurse role of the Earth is so obvious that it needs little or no explanation. The Earth is the fertile field where the potential life carried by the Wind from the Sun and the Moon comes to manifestation, where it grows and evolves. Because of this role as fertile field, in many mythologies it is the Earth which takes the role of mother, although obviously the author of this Tablet had something else in mind, and perhaps this is due to the heavy stress laid in alchemy on celestial influence over manifestation of phenomena on the Earth. If we are to truly understand the Earth element, we must take this idea of Earth as nurse into other realms than simply the physical, although I will leave that task to the reader. 

V. It is the cause of all perfection throughout the whole world. 

The perfection spoken of here is, to me, based in the play of the above four elements. The Sun and Moon represent the opposing forces which are continually working off of one another towards a state of perfected balance, and the Wind and Earth are the fields where movement, growth, and evolution towards the balance takes place. This continuous unfolding of the dualistic forces at work is the expression of perfection - that is, although it would seem at times to us humans to be a far from perfect world, that which would seem to be imperfect is in fact an expression of the perfection itself. This brings an almost fatalistic view into the overall philosophy, i.e., that everything happens exactly as it should, according to some greater plan which we could never hope to understand. This fatalistic twist is perfectly acceptable, as long as we don't think that its existence would absolutely cancel out the possibility of free will in the human mind. 

VI. Its power is perfect if it be changed into the Earth. 

Statement VI deals with the idea that, in order for the total potential of creation to be realized, it must find manifestation in the physical realm. This applies rather directly in the idea of a solar and lunar source of all life which comes to fruition on the planet Earth. However, I feel an application of this idea which needs to be stressed to the would-be philosopher of any discipline is that the potential energy of those forms which exist in the internal, mental realm can only truly be realized if they are brought out into manifestation through action in the physical world. Although I have not read evidence of it as of yet, I would not be surprised if this statement also pertaines to some part of the alchemical experiment process which led to the construction of the Philosopher's Stone. 

VII. Separate the Earth from the Fire, the subtle from the gross, gently and with judgement. 

Here we find the first mention of the process which one experiences not only as Philosopher of Alchemy, but also as possessor of human consciousness. The separation of Earth from Fire and subtle from gross is describing the necessity of coming to understand both sides of whatever duality one is perceiving at the time. It is by this separation that one can come to see both sides of a matter clearly, which can then be recombined later to reform the whole with an understanding of that whole which has increased exponentially due to the understanding of its individual parts. As stated in Statement VII, the process of separation must occur "gently and with judgement," which is to say that it is of prime importance not to approach this process with too passionate an attitude, or all will be lost. 

In alchemical experiments, the above statement takes on a much more literal interpretation. The Fire is considered to be the subtle essence of a material, whereas the Earth is the physical body which contains it. The physical body, still containing the essence, is heated so as to cause the essence (Fire) to evaporate out of the body and into the air at the top of the flask, where it is often distilled off into a separate container. It is continuously reiterated that if the alchemist were to apply too severe a heat to the physical body during this task, the subtle essence will be destroyed immediately, rendering the experiment useless. Thus "Separate... gently and with judgement," takes on another meaning all together, yet one which relates directly to the prior example of not approaching the separation of any duality with too aggressive an attitude. 

VIII. It ascends from the Earth to heaven, and descends again to Earth, thus you will possess the glory of the whole world and all obscurity will fly away. 

This continues with a similar idea to that of the last Statement, acting to flesh it out and describe the process more in depth. To understand the two sides of the duality, one alternates from one side to the other, knowing first one before moving on to experience the other. After experiencing the second, you return to the experience the first again, yet in a more full sense because you can compare and contrast due to your knowledge of both sides of the issue at hand. This process continues until you come to understand the two halves of the whole completely, and thus you understand the whole. 

In the alchemical experiments, Statement VIII relates to the circulation of matter within a closed heated flask. Once again, our duality is represented here by the gross physical body and the subtle airy essence. As heat is applied to the physical body, the essence evaporates out of the body and into the air above it. The essence then condenses onto the flask in droplets of moisture, which collect and eventually run back down the flask walls to rejoin the physical body which rests at the bottom. Continued circulations in this manner occur, and this circulation is considered to cause a purification of the matter at hand, the alchemists believing that the unnecessary and impure parts are lost in the repeated evaporations and condensations. 

IX. This thing is the fortitude of all fortitude, because it overcomes all subtle things, and penetrates every solid thing. 

The fortitude spoken here has, of course, many interpretations, but I will deal with only two. The first fortitude which I will deal with is that which relates to the internal state of mind which one experiences as a result of consciously following the precepts of the prior statements made in the Tablet. It is a fortitude because it creates a feeling of preparedness with which one can now approach life. There are no petty issues clouding the matter at hand, but instead there is a very palpable process unfolding which one can experience directly. Note also that the term "fortitude" indicates implicitly that one is being fortified FOR something, that something being the experience of life itself. What this is saying is that the process indicated by the Tablet is not some promise which leads to escaping from the realms which we exist in to some unseen perfected realm of heaven, but instead it is strengthening us to deal with the life which we exist in, here and now. 

The other fortitude which must be mentioned is the fortitude of the physical body which results from ingesting small amounts of the products of alchemical experiments. The alchemists believe that sickness and old age can readily be driven off by the substances which they create in their laboratory experiments, and undoubtedly Statement IX speaks directly to this issue. 

In both cases - or more accurately, in all cases - the latter part of Statement IX points out that the fortitude which results from the process does so because of its ability to overcome fully both sides of a perceived duality. 

X. Thus are all things created. 

This sentence hardly needs interpretation. All life as humans can perceive it grows and evolves because of the previously defined process. An important aspect of this fact is that the process is occurring already, whether we are conscious of it or not - otherwise, there would be nothing being created. By becoming consciously aware of our dualistic understanding, and then by actively becoming a participant in that understanding, we can come to a more full realization of the final product of our dualitistic understanding, that being realization of the unity. We must and do take apart the unified whole which is manifesting around and within us in order to understand it in our human way, and at some point, that process of taking it apart leads back to putting it together again. In this way, we grow and evolve, and by being as consciously aware of this process as possible as it is occurring, we as individual consciousness' become as much a part of the unfolding process as is possible. Thus we acclimate ourselves to the perfection which already exists - not so much by changing what we are or how we live as by changing the way we consciously observe what we are or how we live. There is no great rearranging of one's life which must take place, no extreme measures which must be taken - only a shift in focus of one's consciousness to perceive the process which is already taking place. 

XI. Thence proceed wonderful adaptations which are produced in this way. 

To me this is saying, in effect, "And that is the way things work." The wording is particularly applicable to the attitude represented in the Tablet, furthering the idea of all things which manifest as a continuous stream of adaptation of the original one, and conveying the sense of joy which one can experience in observing the process unfold. 

XII. Therefore I am called Hermes Trismegistus, possessing the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world. 

Here we find the name of the author, which I have dealt with at length in the introduction, and will not waste space reiterating now. 

XIII. What I had to say about the operation of the Sun is complete. 

That is all. Note that the above is called, "the operation of the Sun," suggesting the role of any font of creation in the universe as directly related to the Sun. I feel it is a particularly applicable and beautiful metaphor to consider each individual consciousness as a Sun of sorts, which brings its own light and life to the space which surrounds it. Taking this attitude toward all individuals, including oneself, can lead to a fundamental respect for what a person seems to represent, no matter how what that person creates seems to oppose another person's creation. But that is just something which I have found from spending time with this idea, and another might not discover what I have at all. 
  
  

A Reworded Emerald Tablet 
  
I. There is more to the following than one might expect. The more energy you expend to fully experience and understand these words, the more they will teach you. 

III. Despite the superficial appearance that the universe consists of infinitly varied and individual forms, all of the forms grow from one original source and are still contained within that original source. This source is the fundamental unity of the universe. 

II. It is the nature of the human consciousness to break the unified universe into individual forms so that it can understand the phenomena it experiences. It is also the nature of the human consciousness to use a system of basic duality to effect the division of the unified universe, that is, to view the phenomena it experiences in the light of two separate and opposing categories. However, it is most important to realize that what appears on the surface to be a divided universe is in fact one, and as such, what manifests in one side of a perceived duality will and must manifest in the opposing side. This unified aspect can be experienced by that consciousness which has become aware of the presence of the unified aspect. 

IV. In all creation perceived by a human consciousness, there is the radiant, light aspect and the concentrating, dark aspect, the energies of the two of which combine to create the whole energy of the creation. There is also a spacious aspect which carries the force of the creation before it has taken form, and a solid aspect which receives the energy and gives the creation its form. 

V. The continual process of creation which is the universe, when viewed by human consciousness, seems to work the infinitely varied forms off of one another, which is the cause of movement and growth within the unified universe. Despite the fact that we as humans sometimes perceive the varied forms working off of one another as an ultimate chaos, it is this very working, and the growth and change which it leads to, which is an expression of the perfection of the unified universe. 

VI. The process of creation is only full and complete if it finds its resolution in manifestation within a solid form or action in the physical world. 

VII. In order to perceive the unified aspect of the universe, when all one has to work with is a consciousness which divides that universe into sets of dualities, one must fully submerge oneself in both sides of the perceived duality, so as to gain a full understanding of both sides. By experiencing both sides, which seem at first to be in total opposition, one can come to understand the whole which encompasses both viewpoints fully. However, there is a constant temptation to go about this process with too much zeal and aggression, which leads directly to the disintegration of the positive aspect of this process. Instead, approach this process with a temperate mind, and let the process lead you where it will, instead of trying to forcibly control it. 

VIII. It is the nature of this process, if you let it lead you, that it will take you first from one side of the perceived duality to the other, and then back again to the first, working with each alternation more and more towards the unity which exists between the two opposing fields. Observe this process with patience and you will gradually learn to perceive the unity of all things, which is the true glory of this world. 

IX. The end product of following this process is not an end at all, but instead a beginning. It leads one to the growth of a preparedness for approaching life with, and in fact brings one to a point of being able to fully be a part of one's own life in the truest sense of the term. 

X. The process described above is the process of all creation in the universe, which is constantly occurring in an infinite cycle. It applies to whatever level of perceivable phenomena one wishes to focus one's consciousness upon. 

XIII. That is All. 
  

Additional Notes 

I have retained the roman numerals from the original Tablet so as to ease comparison between the two documents. Note that the order of the statements labeled II and III has been reversed. The reasoning behind this is that I felt that it was important to describe the fundamental unity of the universe before describing the way in which the human consciousness splits it into two parts. Also, I have dropped completely Statements XI and XII. Statement XI was effectively dealt with as part of my Statement X, and I felt that Statement XII had no place in my rendition of the text. 

It is clear to see that I am not simply rewording the original text. I have completely dropped the references to alchemical experiments, found particularly in the original Tablet's Statements II, VI, VII, and VIII. I am instead attempting to focus on the actual experience that a modern individual can witness in their life today, and am trying to word the statements in such a way that they can be found to apply to any situation which a person might find themselves in. 

People today, from my own point of view, are not as concerned with taking life as a "spiritual" or "mystical" experience. They find little spirituality or mysticism in the mundane tasks which they enact daily, or in the challenging situations which arise in their lives. Instead, to them it seems to be more just a process of having to deal with what manifests. So I have attempted to approach the subject in a way that to some degree strips the mysterious aspect, but still imparts the feeling that something more is occurring than initially meets the eye, and it is something which one can become a part of if one so chooses. I feel that my choice of wording is more analytic and to some degree more austere than the original text, but I feel that is appropriate for my target audience (that being the modern individual which is a member of the society in which I live).