Sorcerer's Stone: A Beginner's Guide to Alchemy

«My initiation into the art of alchemy took place when I was a graduate student at the University of Vienna.» — el arranque de la introducción: Hauck sitúa su iniciación en la biblioteca de la Universidad de Viena, entre manuscritos latinos y alemanes

«But it was not the fancy typestyles that grabbed my attention. It was the deeply meaningful pictures that fascinated me.» — lo que lo retuvo, dice, no fue la tipografía de los impresos sino sus imágenes

«It was obvious that the alchemists were connected to their subject matter in ways a modern chemist could never hope to understand. Alchemy was obviously a lot more than just a precursor to chemistry.» — la tesis de partida del libro: que la alquimia excede a la química y que el vínculo del alquimista con su materia es de otra clase que el del químico moderno

«He confessed his family were members of the Solificati and considered themselves sorcerers not chemists. But his primary interest was applied alchemy and laboratory work and not "witches' work." He said he had apprenticed in southern France in the Silent Tradition of alchemy.» — lo que le declaró el alquimista con quien lo pusieron en contacto en Viena: familia de los Solificati, que se tenían por hechiceros y no por químicos, interés en la alquimia aplicada y aprendizaje en la Silent Tradition del sur de Francia. La voz es del interlocutor, referida por Hauck

«Alchemists of that tradition worked with "rejected" substances like dirt, sea foam, dew, brackish water, and urine.» — las materias que Hauck adjudica a esa tradición: las sustancias despreciadas

«The guiding concept was that these three levels of reality— physical, mental, and spiritual—were the tools of the alchemist» — el concepto rector de su aprendizaje: los tres planos —físico, mental y espiritual— como herramientas del alquimista. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *using all three simultaneously in the work*, es decir, la maestría consistiría en usarlos a la vez

«It not only made my mind more fluid, alive, and aware of deeper forces at work behind everything, but it freed my spirit from the shackles of my own ego.» — el efecto que Hauck adjudica a esa técnica, en primera persona

«I had to learn to let the truth work through me and not from me. A subtle difference perhaps, but it was not until I became transparent to the principles that they took root and started to grow and come alive within me. Any plans, schemes, fantasies of power or fame, or just old fashioned pride would immediately short circuit the entire process.» — la condición que enuncia para practicarla: transparencia a los principios, con el orgullo o la fantasía de poder como cortocircuito del proceso

«Alchemy only works— as the alchemists keep telling us— if the principles are “living.” The Sorcerer’s Stone of the Solificati is worthless unless it is alive.» — la condición de vida que pone a la práctica, y de la que sale el título del libro: la Piedra del Hechicero de los Solificati no sirve si no está viva

«In other words, you cannot change the world with dead words from a dead part of you. Alchemy spreads though the process of seeding and multiplication, like any other life form.» — cómo entiende la propagación de la alquimia: por siembra y multiplicación, como una forma de vida

«The writhing blob of matter was known as the First Matter, and it represented months of hard work roasting, pulverizing, dissolving and breaking down materials said to contain the mysterious essence.» — la Primera Materia con que abre el capítulo 1: meses de tostar, pulverizar y disolver materiales que se tenían por portadores de la esencia

«believed that once they had isolated enough First Matter, they could purify it and produce the magical Philosopher’s Stone that would in turn perfect anything. Of course, just how to accumulate and purify the First Matter was the greatest secret in alchemy.» — el objetivo que adjudica a los alquimistas —purificar esa materia hasta la Piedra Filosofal— y el secreto que, dice, nunca se explicitó: cómo acumularla y purificarla

«The alchemists believed the life force was like a subtle substance that could be separated from living things and used to impart health to others or even give life to inanimate objects. Many famous alchemists claimed to have created little beings (called the homunculi) by infusing the life force into flasks of chemical compounds.» — la doctrina de la fuerza vital separable, y la creación de homúnculos que, según Hauck, muchos alquimistas se adjudicaron

«One ill-fated British alchemist used to demonstrate the affinity of mercury for gold by sticking his big toe in a saucer of mercury while holding a gold coin in his mouth. Within a half-hour, the coin was coated with a silvery layer of mercury that had traveled through his blood. Unfortunately, he was only able to perform the feat a few times before he died of mercury poisoning.» — la anécdota con que ilustra el riesgo del oficio: el alquimista británico que demostraba la afinidad del mercurio por el oro con el dedo gordo del pie. Hauck no lo nombra

«This tub was known as the “digester,” in which materials were allowed to rot and break down by an alchemical operation called Putrefaction.» — el digestor del laboratorio, donde la materia se dejaba pudrir bajo la operación que llama Putrefacción

«This is where the alchemist recorded the results of his experiments, using not only measurements and the written word but bizarre diagrams and drawings of eerie creatures and mythological figures intended to capture the experience on as many levels of interpretation as possible.» — por qué, según Hauck, el cuaderno del alquimista lleva diagramas y criaturas además de medidas: para capturar la experiencia en tantos niveles de interpretación como se pueda

«Distillation purified even the foulest liquid and also concentrated the strength of whatever essences were present. Not only could one make alcoholic spirits and essential oils using distillation but also produce specific herbal tinctures and elixirs as well.» — lo que adjudica a la destilación en ese laboratorio: purificación, concentración de esencias y producción de tinturas y elixires

«This tent or tabernacle formed a private meditation space for the alchemist, and as much work was done within this sacred tabernacle as was carried on in the laboratory. Alchemists spent many hours in solitary contemplation, attempting to purify and focus their minds.» — el tabernáculo del laboratorio: Hauck sostiene que se trabajaba tanto en ese espacio de meditación como en la mesa

«Hidden somewhere in the meditation area of the laboratory could usually be found the alchemist’s incubator. This insulated, copper-clad wooden box was perhaps the most sacred spot in the lab. The sealed container, kept warm by the fermenting matter within, was where the alchemist directed his thoughts and visualizations.» — la incubadora: caja de madera forrada de cobre y caliente por la propia fermentación, donde el alquimista dirigía pensamientos y visualizaciones

«However, if anyone other than the alchemist touched or even looked upon this box, all was lost. In the beginning, the subject of the alchemist’s work was easily corrupted by another’s impure thoughts, which is why the alchemist always kept his work secret – even from other alchemists.» — de dónde saca Hauck el secreto del oficio: la materia sería corruptible por el pensamiento impuro ajeno, y de ahí que el alquimista ocultara su trabajo incluso a otros alquimistas

«To alchemists, consciousness is a force of nature that can be harnessed and purified through prayer and meditation and then added to the experiment just like a chemical ingredient. This esoteric part of the experiment is absolutely necessary and explains why many alchemical experiments cannot be duplicated in a chemical laboratory.» — la afirmación central del capítulo 1: la consciencia como fuerza de la naturaleza que se añade al experimento igual que un reactivo, y la razón que da de que muchos experimentos alquímicos no se repitan en un laboratorio químico

«Chemistry operates by rearranging atoms like so many billiard balls – a methodology much too crude for the alchemist. From the alchemist’s viewpoint, chemistry is an artificial science that deals only with the external forms in which the elements manifest.» — cómo distingue química de alquimia: reordenar átomos como bolas de billar sería, dice, demasiado tosco, y la química se ocuparía solo de las formas externas de los elementos

«In other words, the alchemist’s attitude has a lot to do with the outcome of the experiment. This idea is very similar to the Observer Effect, a proven tenet of quantum physics, in which the expectations of the experimenter have been shown to influence the outcome of experiments in nuclear physics.» — la analogía con que Hauck justifica el peso de la actitud del operador: la compara con el efecto del observador de la física cuántica

«Yet somehow, the alchemists knew that consciousness was the tool through which man could access that invisible level underneath our everyday reality.» — lo que adjudica al saber de los alquimistas: la consciencia como instrumento de acceso al nivel invisible de la realidad

«The key to this whole magical process was the conscious connection or “correspondence” the alchemist was able to forge between his own mind and the “mind of nature” as expressed in the experiment.» — cómo define la *correspondencia*: el vínculo consciente que el alquimista forjaría entre su mente y la *mente de la naturaleza* manifiesta en el experimento

«The alchemist’s idea of the “mind of nature” was very similar to our modern notion of evolution. Over time, nature seems to be perfecting itself.» — el paralelo que traza entre esa noción y la evolución moderna: la naturaleza se estaría perfeccionando con el tiempo

«In the words of the modern French alchemist, Jean Dubuis: “Alchemy is the art of manipulating life, and consciousness in matter, to help it evolve, or to solve problems of inner disharmonies.”» — la definición que Hauck toma del alquimista francés contemporáneo Jean Dubuis; la formulación es de Dubuis, no suya

«The alchemists believe that everything carries the energetic seed or pattern of its own perfection, and it was the job of the alchemist» — la semilla de perfección que adjudica a toda cosa. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *to resurrect these essences of perfection that are trapped in matter*: la tarea sería resucitar esas esencias atrapadas en la materia

«In the alchemical view, matter is alive and the metals grow naturally in the earth's interior furnace by alchemical processes that act on the First Matter.» — la doctrina del crecimiento de los metales en el horno interior de la tierra, que él enuncia como visión alquímica

«The alchemist's task, therefore, is to speed up nature's work by perfecting the metals in the laboratory.» — de ahí deriva la tarea: acelerar en el laboratorio lo que la naturaleza haría sola

«What makes humans different from ordinary matter is that we can consciously participate in our own process of perfection. In fact, we all participate in alchemy whether we know it or not.» — la diferencia que pone entre el humano y el resto de la materia: participar conscientemente del propio perfeccionamiento, se sepa o no

«According to this deeper tradition, the gold of alchemy is hastened perfection in the highest sense – the divinization of matter and of human beings.» — cómo lee el oro alquímico: no metal, sino perfección acelerada y divinización de la materia y del hombre

«So, in the final analysis, alchemy is an art that can only be practiced by those who are in possession of the artist’s tools – the inspired presence and purified imagination necessary for creative» — el límite que pone a su propia definición: sin presencia inspirada e imaginación purificada, el arte no se practica. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y cierra con *transformation*

«Only the person in whom the creative force has awakened can in turn awaken it from its slumber in matter and cause new forms to be generated.» — y el corolario: quien no tenga despierta la fuerza creadora produciría, dice, un aborto alquímico aunque siga bien el procedimiento

«The alchemists believed the Emerald Tablet was an artifact brought to Egypt by mysterious visitors over 12,000 years ago. The tablet contains the essence of alchemical philosophy and has been credited as the source of both alchemy and the scientific method.» — lo que adjudica a la creencia de los alquimistas sobre el origen de la Tabla Esmeralda —traída a Egipto por visitantes hace más de doce mil años— y la doble paternidad que se le atribuye, la de la alquimia y la del método científico

«Nearly every medieval alchemist had a copy of it hanging on his laboratory wall and constantly referred to the secret formula it contained.» — el uso que le adjudica en el laboratorio medieval: copia colgada del muro y consulta constante

«“The Emerald Tablet,” said noted Jungian author Dr. Edward Edinger, “is the cryptic epitome of the alchemical opus, a recipe for the second creation of the world.”» — la valoración que cita del junguiano Edward Edinger; la formulación es de Edinger

«Esoteric scholar John Matthews wrote: “Whatever one chooses to believe about it, there is no getting away from the fact that the Emerald Tablet is one of the most profound and important documents to have come down to us. It has been said more than once that it contains the sum of all knowledge – for those able to understand it.”» — la de John Matthews, a quien presenta como estudioso esotérico; también es voz ajena citada por Hauck

«Explorers of consciousness Terence McKenna believed that the Emerald Tablet contained “a formula for a holographic matrix” that is mirrored in the human mind and offers our species its only hope for future survival.» — y la de Terence McKenna, que leía la Tabla como fórmula de una matriz holográfica; Hauck la refiere sin suscribirla en esos términos

«The Emerald Tablet is organized in seven rubrics or paragraphs. They are called rubrics (from the Latin rubeo, meaning “red”) because, in the Latin translations, the first letter of each paragraph was highlighted in red ink.» — de dónde saca el nombre de las rúbricas: del latín *rubeo*, por la inicial en tinta roja de cada párrafo en las traducciones latinas

«It should be noted that when the tablet refers to the “Universe,” it is talking about the material universe in which we live. When it speaks of the “Whole Universe,” it is referencing not only the material universe (Below) but also the spiritual universe (Above).» — la clave de lectura que impone al texto: *Universe* sería solo el universo material, y *Whole Universe* incluiría además el espiritual

«In truth, without deceit, certain, and most veritable. That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing. And just as all things have come from this One Thing, through the meditation of One Mind, so do all created things originate from this One Thing, through Transformation.» — las dos primeras rúbricas de la Tabla Esmeralda en la versión que el propio Hauck presenta en el capítulo 1; la obra tiene ficha propia como `tabula-smaragdina`, y esta es la redacción de este volumen, no la de aquella

«Its father is the Sun; its mother the Moon. The Wind carries it in its belly; its nurse is the Earth. It is the origin of All, the consecration of the Universe; its inherent Strength is perfected, if it is turned into Earth.» — la tercera rúbrica en la misma versión

«Separate the Earth from Fire, the Subtle from the Gross, gently and with great Ingenuity. It rises from Earth to Heaven and descends again to Earth, thereby combining within Itself the powers of both the Above and the Below.» — la cuarta rúbrica, la del precepto de separar lo sutil de lo grueso

«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.» — la quinta rúbrica

«In this way was the Universe created. From this comes many wondrous Applications, because this is the Pattern.» — la sexta rúbrica, la del Patrón

«Therefore am I called Thrice Greatest Hermes, having all three parts of the wisdom of the Whole Universe. Herein have I completely explained the Operation of the Sun.» — la séptima y última rúbrica, donde el texto se firma como Hermes Tres Veces Grande

«The second rubric presents the Doctrine of Correspondences, which describes a vertical relationship between the realm of spirit Above and the realm of matter Below. This is the so-called Vertical Axis of reality, which the alchemists felt they could enter in their meditations.» — su lectura de la segunda rúbrica: la Doctrina de las Correspondencias como Eje Vertical de la realidad, en el que los alquimistas creerían poder entrar por la meditación

«A wonderful example of experiencing the Vertical Axis is a work in the Corpus Hermeticum called the “Divine Pymander” (or “Divine Mind”). It is allegedly written by Hermes Trismegistus and describes his meeting with the Divine Mind and what it revealed to him about the nature of reality.» — el ejemplo que da de ese eje: el *Divine Pymander* del Corpus Hermeticum, que él consigna como adjudicado a Hermes Trismegisto con la reserva de *allegedly*

«The alchemists have usually interpreted the One Thing to mean the First Matter or Universal Life Force, and this rubric describes its characteristics.» — cómo dice que los alquimistas leyeron la Cosa Una: como Primera Materia o Fuerza Vital Universal

«The first two sentences of this rubric present the Four Elements in the order of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Associated with each of these elements are the first four operations of alchemy: Calcination, Dissolution, Separation, and Conjunction (see Chapter 13).» — la correspondencia que traza entre los Cuatro Elementos y las cuatro primeras operaciones: Calcinación, Disolución, Separación y Conjunción

«The fourth rubric is the most mystical part of the Emerald Tablet and seems to be telling us how to enter the spiritual realm Above. It also describes the last three alchemical operations of Fermentation, Distillation, and Coagulation (see Chapter 13).» — y la de la cuarta rúbrica con las tres últimas: Fermentación, Destilación y Coagulación

«The seventh and last rubric, identifies the author of the tablet as “Thrice Greatest Hermes.” Hermes is the Greek name of Thoth, who in the Roman tradition was known as Mercury. His Latin name is Hermes Trismegistus, which means “Thrice Greatest Hermes.” Hermes (or Thoth) is thrice-greatest because he has gained knowledge on all three levels of reality: the physical plane, the mental plane, and the spiritual plane. He is now free of the cycle of rebirth and exists outside time.» — cómo lee la firma de la Tabla: Hermes es el nombre griego de Thot y Mercurio el romano, y el *tres veces grande* le viene, dice, de haber ganado conocimiento en los tres planos

«It is best not to over-analyze the Emerald Tablet but rather seek a deeper connection with its truths by reading it many times until it begins resonating with you in some way.» — la instrucción de lectura que da: repetición hasta la resonancia, antes que análisis

«It seems that just about every alchemist from Albertus Magnus to Isaac Newton had their own personal translation of the tablet.» — y cómo justifica que cada quien reescriba el texto: de Alberto Magno a Newton, dice, cada alquimista tuvo su propia traducción

«It is called the Tabula Smaragdina, which is Latin for “Emerald Tablet.” Created by artist Matthieu Merian, it was first published in 1618 in Daniel Mylius’ Opus Medico-Chymicum (“The Medical-Chemical Work”).» — el grabado que propone contemplar en el Experimento 1. Los nombres van tal como los imprime el troceo —*Matthieu Merian*, *Daniel Mylius*—, sin cotejo con el facsímil

«The engraving (see Figure 1) depicts the birth of the Philosopher’s Stone as it leaves heaven (the spiritual realm above) and enters earth (the material realm below).» — qué dice que representa el grabado: el nacimiento de la Piedra al pasar del cielo a la tierra

«The engraving is in the style of a mandala, in which one focuses on the center of the drawing (the Stone) and tries to incorporate all the surrounding images and symbols in one vision of truth.» — y cómo propone usarlo: como mandala, con el foco en la Piedra del centro

«In the Above, the larger Sun of the One Mind, whose rays encompass the whole universe, rises behind the Sun of Heaven or what is known by Hermeticists as “Mind the Maker.”» — su lectura de la mitad superior del grabado: el Sol de la Mente Una detrás del Sol del Cielo, que los hermetistas llamarían *Mind the Maker*

«The three smaller Suns floating amongst the angels represent the three heavenly substances or principles expressed as the Holy Trinity.» — los tres soles menores como las tres sustancias celestes bajo forma de Trinidad

«The alchemists were very careful not to appear blasphemous and often concealed their symbols in Christian terms. Any alchemist of the time would immediately recognize these as the alchemical principles of Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt respectively.» — la razón que da del ropaje cristiano de esos símbolos —evitar la acusación de blasfemia— y lo que un alquimista de la época habría reconocido debajo: Azufre, Mercurio y Sal

«Known as the Three Essentials, they were spiritual forces at work on every level of reality» — los Tres Esenciales como fuerzas espirituales activas en todos los niveles. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *and are explained in more detail in the next chapter*

«Known to alchemists as the Red Lion, he symbolizes the fiery, masculine energy of the Work.» — el León Rojo del ángulo inferior izquierdo: energía ígnea y masculina de la Obra

«Known to alchemists as the “Fugitive Stag,” he is a symbol of volatile forces of transformation in the Work.» — y el Ciervo Fugitivo del lado lunar: las fuerzas volátiles de la transformación

«Thus the rising elements of Fire and Air represent spiritual or psychological processes, whereas the sinking elements of Water and Earth are physical or bodily processes.» — la partición que hace de los cuatro elementos: Fuego y Aire como procesos espirituales o psicológicos, Agua y Tierra como corporales

«The alchemist has cut the chains of unknowing that tied Sol and Luna to their duality and balanced the powerful forces of their separate sexualities. He has seen through the Clouds of Unknowing, gained his freedom from instinct, and realizes the powerful influences of the archetypal powers Above.» — qué le adjudica al alquimista hermafrodita del centro: haber cortado las cadenas que ataban a Sol y Luna a su dualidad

«As indicated by the Fire and Water emerging from the mountain behind their tails, these two lions represent the Sulfur and Mercury of alchemy, which are the forces of soul and spirit respectively.» — los dos leones de una sola cabeza como Azufre y Mercurio, es decir, alma y espíritu

«That line, which is the Cosmic Axis or vertical axis of reality, connects the alchemist through gold and the central Stone directly to God.» — el Eje Cósmico del grabado, que según su lectura enlaza al alquimista con Dios pasando por el oro y por la Piedra

«The sixth sphere contains a message written in Latin that warns: “You must find the four grades of Fire of the Work.”» — la advertencia latina que lee en la sexta esfera concéntrica; el texto latino no se transcribe en el volumen, solo su traducción inglesa

«The seventh and innermost sphere contains a central upward-pointing triangle of Fire, which is the purified consciousness that is at the heart of the Stone.» — el centro del grabado según su lectura: el triángulo de Fuego como consciencia purificada en el corazón de la Piedra

«The Emerald Tablet implies that if we can connect with this higher reality through the purification of consciousness, we can alter physical reality by changing the higher spiritual archetype on which it is based.» — la consecuencia operativa que saca de la Tabla al abrir el capítulo 2: purificar la consciencia permitiría alterar la realidad física cambiando su arquetipo espiritual

«This revolutionary concept is described in the dictum “As Above, so Below.” That is the basic idea behind all alchemy and magic, and it had its origin in ancient Egypt.» — el dictum en que resume esa idea y el origen egipcio que le adjudica, común —dice— a toda alquimia y toda magia

«According to legend, the first alchemist was Thoth, who lived in Egypt during a time known in the ancient texts as Zep Tepi, when godlike beings roamed the earth and shared their knowledge with mankind.» — la leyenda con que abre el hilo dorado: Thot como primer alquimista en el Zep Tepi. Hauck la marca como leyenda

«Thoth (or Tehuti, as he was known to the Egyptians) was part of a “Group of Nine” who arrived in Egypt with an advanced spiritual technology that enabled them to manipulate matter.» — el Grupo de los Nueve que, según ese mismo relato, habría llegado a Egipto con una tecnología espiritual capaz de manipular la materia

«His symbol was a pair of serpents twisted around a central staff (the caduceus). Since snakes are symbols of the life force in most ancient cultures, there is a remarkable similarity between Thoth’s caduceus and the structure of the DNA molecule, the double-helix of proteins that is the blueprint of all life.» — la semejanza que traza entre el caduceo de Thot y la doble hélice del ADN; la enuncia como similitud notable, no como identidad

«The legend continues to about 10,000 BC, when Thoth, knowing a great flood was about to envelope the planet, sealed his scrolls inside a great stone pillar as a kind of time capsule of wisdom for later generations.» — la continuación de la leyenda: los rollos sellados en un pilar de piedra ante el diluvio

«He also inscribed a succinct summary of his teachings on a gemstone tablet and sealed it in another great pillar. These two pillars survived the Great Flood and were later discovered by Egyptians.» — y la tablilla de gema con el resumen de sus enseñanzas, sellada en un segundo pilar

«He called them the “Pillars of Hermes.” (Hermes is the Greek name for Thoth.)» — el nombre que Hauck adjudica a Heródoto para esos pilares. La visita de Heródoto a Egipto la data el volumen en 400 a. C.

«The demise of Egyptian alchemy began when the Romans took control in the first century BC. The Romans considered the alchemists a dangerous group of freethinkers and tried to suppress their activities. Finally, worried that alchemists were planning to fund a rebellion, Diocletian (Emperor of Rome 284 - 305 AD) ordered the destruction of all alchemical writings in Egypt.» — cómo data el fin de la alquimia egipcia: control romano, sospecha de que los alquimistas financiaran una rebelión y la orden de destrucción que adjudica a Diocleciano

«Fortunately, a mystical group of Christians, known as the Nestorians, smuggled many of alchemical manuscripts into Persia and shared them with the Arabs.» — la vía de salvamento que propone: los nestorianos pasando manuscritos a Persia y compartiéndolos con los árabes

«In fact, our word “alchemy” comes from the Arabian phrase "al-khemia," which literally means “from the black soil of the Nile Delta.”» — la etimología que sostiene para *alquimia*

«Thus, esoterically, the word “alchemy” really means “from the First Matter.”» — y la lectura esotérica que le añade, apoyada en que *khem* habría designado la Primera Materia en el limo del delta

«The earliest surviving copy of Thoth’s Emerald Tablet is in an Arabic book from 650 AD, which was later translated into Latin in Spain.» — cómo data el testimonio más antiguo de la Tabla: un libro árabe del 650 d. C. traducido después al latín en España

«The universal alchemical principles concealed in the tablet were considered so powerful that they were kept secret from the common people and expressed openly only in private oral teachings. In books, they were concealed in arcane drawings, secret ciphers, and contradictory terminology, so that only initiates could understand them.» — por qué, según él, los principios se ocultaron: reserva a la enseñanza oral privada y, en los libros, cifras y terminología contradictoria

«Geber (Jabir ibn Hayyan) was so careful to conceal the true principles of alchemy that his works rarely made sense, and the term “gibberish” originally referred to his writings.» — la etimología que propone para *gibberish*, derivada del ocultamiento de Geber

«He introduced new operations in alchemy and explained the transformation of metals in terms of idealized substances he called Sulfur and Mercury.» — lo que adjudica a Geber en doctrina: explicar la transmutación con dos sustancias idealizadas, Azufre y Mercurio

«These were not the common elements of the same name but universal or archetypal qualities common to all things.» — y el límite que pone a esos nombres: no son el azufre ni el mercurio comunes, sino cualidades arquetípicas

«Maria Prophetissa (also known as Mary the Jewess), who lived around 300 AD, invented several important alchemical devices, including the “Bain Marie” or Mary’s Bath, which is double-boiler system that evenly distributes heat to substances undergoing transformation.» — las alquimistas del Oriente Medio que nombra; a María la Judía le adjudica la invención del baño María

«She is also famous for his mystical cry: “One becomes two, two becomes three, and by means of the third and fourth, it achieves unity; thus the two are but one.”» — el axioma que le atribuye. El troceo imprime *his* donde el sentido pide *her* (sic)

«“Alchemy is a science teaching how to transform any kind of metal into another through the use of the proper medicine,” noted Roger Bacon in his Mirror of Alchemy.» — la definición que cita de Roger Bacon; la formulación es de Bacon y el volumen la toma de su *Mirror of Alchemy*

«Medieval alchemists believed that if you changed the signatures (physical characteristics) of substances, you also changed their “sophic” or archetypal properties. In the Emerald Tablet, this principle is described as “As Below, so Above.”» — la doctrina de las signaturas: cambiar los caracteres físicos de una sustancia cambiaría sus propiedades arquetípicas, y eso es lo que Hauck lee en el *As Below, so Above* de la Tabla

«Thus, if you were able to change the gray color of lead into a yellowish hue, you were on your way to making gold. Of course, this seems very simplistic to us, but it shows how important the concept of signatures was to the alchemist.» — el ejemplo con que la ilustra —del gris del plomo al amarillo del oro— y la reserva que él mismo le pone: le parece simplista, y solo lo trae para mostrar el peso del concepto de signatura

«By working with the metals so closely and paying such attention to their physical properties, the early alchemists were aware of the regularity of properties that is reflected in the modern Periodic Table, in which the characteristics of the elements repeat in an eightfold cycle.» — el paralelo que traza entre la atención alquímica a las propiedades de los metales y la regularidad de la tabla periódica

«“The metals are similar in their essence, and differ only in their form,” summarized Albertus Magnus. “One may pass easily from one to another, following a circle [or cycle].”» — la formulación que cita de Alberto Magno; los corchetes son del volumen

«The alchemists' attempts to transform base metals into gold also resulted in the discovery of acids, alcohols, and hundreds of new compounds. Alchemy became the leading intellectual movement in Europe, even to the point where some universities started replacing the works of Aristotle with texts attributed to Thoth and Hermes. Even clerics of the Church became practicing alchemists. It was the heyday of alchemy.» — el saldo que atribuye a esa búsqueda: ácidos, alcoholes y cientos de compuestos nuevos, y una alquimia convertida en movimiento intelectual dominante en Europa

«One of the best documented cases of an alchemist succeeding in changing lead into gold during this time was that of Nicolas Flamel.» — por qué introduce a Nicolas Flamel: lo presenta como el caso mejor documentado de transmutación de plomo en oro

«The strange facts of Flamel’s life are available for anyone to consider, and all the public records relating to his life are still intact: his birth certificate (born 1330; died 1418), his marriage contract to his wife Pernelle, his last will and testament, deeds of his generous gifts of properties to charity, and commissions of monuments to his memory.» — en qué apoya esa documentación: partida de nacimiento, contrato matrimonial con Pernelle, testamento, escrituras de donación y monumentos, todos —dice— conservados

«In viewing these records, it becomes obvious that this poor bookseller, who worked out of his home in Paris, suddenly became very rich and started giving away large sums of money and valuable property to those in need. His explanation was that he had discovered the ancient alchemical secret of making gold.» — el hecho que le parece incontestable en esos registros —el enriquecimiento súbito de un librero pobre— y la explicación que el propio Flamel daba

«He even dreamed of an angel coming to him and promising him that he would one day find the book. “Look well at this book,” she told him. “At first you will understand nothing in it – neither you nor any other man – but one day you will see in it that which no other man will be able to see."» — el sueño del ángel que Hauck le adjudica a Flamel, con la promesa del libro; la voz citada es la del ángel dentro del relato de Flamel

«According to Flamel, the book had an ancient binding of worked copper, on which were engraved curious diagrams and certain characters, some of which were Greek and Hebrew and others in an unknown language. The pages of the book were not parchment but were made of the bark of young trees that were covered with script written with an iron point. The pages were divided into groups of seven and consisted of three parts separated by a page showing a strange and unintelligible diagram. The edges of the book were covered in gold leaf, and the title page listed the author as “Abraham the Jew – Prince, Priest, Levite, Astrologer, and Philosopher.” There were curses against anyone who read the book who was unworthy of its contents, and every page carried an unknown word (Maranatha!) that seemed to be a warning of some sort.» — la descripción del libro que refiere a partir de Flamel: encuadernación de cobre labrado, hojas de corteza, autor consignado como *Abraham the Jew* y la palabra desconocida *Maranatha* en cada página

«“Once I had this beautiful book in my possession,” wrote Flamel in his Book of the Hieroglyphic Figures, “I did nothing but study it night and day, learning very well all the operations it described, but not knowing with what material it should be started. This caused me great sorrow, kept me in solitude, and made me sigh incessantly. My wife Pernelle, whom I loved like myself was greatly astonished at this, so I showed her this beautiful book, with which, the moment she saw it, she fell as much in love as I, taking extreme pleasure in contemplating the beautiful covers, engravings, images, and portraits, of which figures she understood as little as I did. Nevertheless, it was for me a great consolation to talk about it with her, and to consider what could be done in order to find out their meaning.”» — la cita larga que da del *Book of the Hieroglyphic Figures* de Flamel; la voz es de Flamel, y en ella aparece su mujer Pernelle contemplando el libro

«After twenty-one years, Flamel had still not understood the book, and he made the desperate decision to travel to Spain to seek the help of Jewish scholars who had fled there to escape persecution in France.» — los veintiún años de incomprensión que le adjudica, y el viaje a España en busca de eruditos judíos

«Flamel had copied a few pages from the book, and the man had recognized some of the script as ancient Chaldean and translated several pages. That was enough for Flamel to begin translating the remaining pages, and in another three years he and his wife had finished the complete translation.» — cómo cuenta que se destrabó la lectura: un erudito reconoció parte de la escritura como caldeo antiguo y tradujo unas páginas; Flamel y su mujer habrían completado el resto en tres años

«According to his diaries, he strictly followed the instructions of Abraham the Jew and changed a half-pound of mercury first into silver, and then into pure gold. Simultaneously, wrote Flamel, he accomplished the same transmutation in his soul.» — la transmutación que le atribuye siguiendo las instrucciones de Abraham el Judío, y la simultaneidad que Flamel habría declarado entre la del mercurio y la de su alma

«After only three transmutations of mercury into gold, Flamel was rich beyond his dreams, yet he kept none for himself. Instead, he established houses for the poor, founded free hospitals and schools for the blind, rebuilt statues and monuments, renewed abandoned cemeteries, and endowed churches throughout France.» — el destino que da al oro obtenido: casas para pobres, hospitales gratuitos, escuelas para ciegos, cementerios y iglesias

«He realized that love of gold metal could destroy him, and he closed Abraham’s book and never shared it contents with anyone. He felt that the transmutations had started a greater spiritual gold growing within him and his wife Pernelle that was worth more than any material possession.» — por qué, según Hauck, Flamel abandonó la fabricación de oro: un oro espiritual que le parecía de más valor

«His stone shows a bright sun above a key and a closed book in the middle of various figures. Many have taken it to mean that Flamel chose not to share the key to alchemy with an immature and impure world.» — la lectura que muchos harían de su lápida, y que Hauck refiere sin suscribirla

«One of his descendents named Dubois demonstrated what he called his ancestor’s powder of projection in the presence of Louis XIII and successfully transmuted leaden balls into gold.» — el episodio del descendiente Dubois ante Luis XIII, con la pólvora de proyección del antepasado

«According to reports of the time, no body was found and this only compounded the mystery.» — el dato con que cierra el misterio: abierta la tumba de Flamel, no había cuerpo. Lo consigna como *reports of the time*

«About this time, the iconoclastic alchemist Paracelsus (1498-1541) appeared on the scene and cleaned up the philosophical underpinnings of alchemy. He expanded Geber’s Sulfur-Mercury theory by the addition of Salt as the third member of what he called the Tria Prima (Three Essentials).» — cómo sitúa a Paracelso: ampliando el modelo Azufre-Mercurio de Geber con la Sal, hasta la Tria Prima

«The definite association of Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt with spirit, soul, and body (respectively) was made by Paracelsus.» — y qué le adjudica en concreto: fijar la correspondencia de Mercurio, Azufre y Sal con espíritu, alma y cuerpo

«“Know, then,” he stated in his authoritative manner, “that all the seven metals are born from a threefold matter, namely, Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt, but with distinct and peculiar colorings. Mercury is the spirit, Sulfur is the soul, and Salt is the body. The soul, which indeed is Sulfur, unites those two contraries, the body and the spirit, and changes them into one essence.”» — la cita de Paracelso con que lo respalda; la formulación es de Paracelso

«Paracelsus named this First Matter of life the Archaeus, meaning the “oldest principle” present in the body. The Archaeus has a magnetic nature and radiates within and around living bodies.» — el Arqueo: la Primera Materia dentro del cuerpo, de naturaleza magnética, que Hauck adjudica a Paracelso

«Cardinal de Richelieu heard of the demonstrations and imprisoned the man for questioning. The cardinal eventually condemned the man to death and seized all his property» — el desenlace que refiere: Richelieu manda encarcelar y condenar al descendiente y se queda con sus bienes. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *including the book of Abraham the Jew*

«Undaunted, the cardinal built an alchemical laboratory at the Chateau of Rueil, which he often visited to study the manuscript and to try to understand the sacred hieroglyphs and rediscover the secret of creating gold.» — y lo que le adjudica después: un laboratorio en el castillo de Rueil para descifrar el manuscrito

«After Cardinal de Richelieu died, the book itself was never found, although copies of the drawings had been made and were widely circulated.» — la suerte final del libro según su relato: perdido, aunque con copias de los dibujos en circulación

«"The Archaeus is an essence that is equally distributed in all parts of the human body," he wrote. "The Spiritus Vitae (Spirit of Life) takes its origin from the Spiritus Mundi (Spirit of the Universe). Being an emanation of the latter, the Archaeus contains the elements of all cosmic influences and is therefore the cause by which the action of the cosmic forces upon the body."» — la cita de Paracelso sobre el Arqueo que Hauck reproduce: el Spiritus Vitae naciendo del Spiritus Mundi. La sintaxis del cierre queda incompleta en el troceo y se conserva (sic)

«By introducing Salt, he refocused the attention of alchemists to the problems of the real world of matter and human suffering. He began a new era of alchemy that emphasized the use of the metals and minerals as part of medicine, and alchemists became more like pharmacists than philosophers.» — el efecto que adjudica a la Sal paracelsiana: alquimistas vueltos hacia la materia y el sufrimiento, más farmacéuticos que filósofos

«Almost single-handedly, Paracelsus rescued alchemy from the puffers and gave it a new orientation in the service of mankind. As the founder of iatrochemistry (from the Greek words for “medicinal chemistry”), Paracelsus added minerals, metals, and chemical compounds to the physician’s arsenal of herbs and plants.» — y el papel que le da como fundador de la iatroquímica, con los minerales y metales incorporados a la farmacopea

«Despite his contributions to scientific method, however, Paracelsus always believed that alchemy was a form of magic and too much reliance on intellect instead of intuition would spell disaster for the world.» — la reserva que Hauck consigna en el propio Paracelso: alquimia como forma de magia, y el exceso de intelecto sobre intuición como desastre

«"Magic,” he explained, “has the power to experience and fathom things which are inaccessible to human reason; for Magic is a great secret wisdom, just as reason is a great public folly."» — la sentencia de Paracelso con que lo respalda; la formulación es suya

«His real name was Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, but he took the Latin name “Paracelsus” (meaning “Beyond Celsus”) to show that he surpassed the great Aulus Celsus, a revered Roman physician who wrote the first European medical text in 1478.» — el nombre y el seudónimo según los imprime el volumen, con la explicación de *Beyond Celsus*. La fecha de 1478 que da para el texto de Celso corresponde a su impresión, no a su redacción, y se consigna tal cual

«Paracelsus was so confrontational in discussing his ideas that his middle name (Bombastus) became synonymous with the loud and self-reverent speaking style of “bombastic” persons.» — la etimología que propone para *bombastic*

«To attract more people to his lectures, Paracelsus spoke in the common language (German) instead of scholarly Latin.» — el gesto docente que le adjudica: enseñar en alemán y no en latín

«In 1523, he caused a great scandal by publicly burning the works of the Arabian alchemist Avicenna and the Roman physician Galen to show it was time to move beyond their orthodox ideas.» — la quema pública de Avicena y Galeno que le atribuye, y con qué sentido

«In 1527, while teaching at the University of Basil, he presented a lecture to the medical faculty in which he accused them of killing their patients with their “dangerous cures” and challenged them to burn their outdated textbooks, to “get off the couch and get to work” experimenting for new and better methods of healing.» — el enfrentamiento con la facultad de medicina que refiere. El troceo imprime *University of Basil* por Basilea (sic)

«In the same treatise, he claimed that after the Great Flood, Noah discovered Thoth’s tablets on Mount Ararat and the teachings of Thoth were passed down to Abraham and became the common foundation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.» — y la genealogía que sigue en ese mismo tratado: Noé hallando las tablas en el Ararat y la enseñanza pasando a Abraham

«According to Paracelsus, the Three Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were really alchemists following the ancient Egyptian path of wisdom.» — los Reyes Magos leídos como alquimistas, que Hauck adjudica a Paracelso

«Although chastised for his presumptive arrogance, Paracelsus was truly an egoless man furiously focused on higher truths who dedicated his life to finding the “chief and supreme essence of things.”» — cómo lo defiende: hombre sin ego, dedicado a la esencia suprema de las cosas

«An alchemist might discover the “wonderful and strange effects” of this substance but such effects were not to be mistaken for the Thing Itself. According to Paracelsus, its exact nature was “impenetrable even to the wisest of the Magi.”» — el límite que Hauck consigna dentro de la propia doctrina de Paracelso: los efectos no son la Cosa misma, y su naturaleza sería impenetrable

«Finally, at the age of 43, he died under mysterious circumstances in his hotel room. His body was quickly buried before anyone could examine it, and it was rumored that physicians from faculty of the University of Vienna had hired an assassin to silence him.» — la muerte de Paracelso y el rumor del asesinato pagado por la facultad vienesa, que Hauck refiere como rumor

«yet Sir Isaac Newton, the famous mathematician and scientist, spent most of his time pursuing alchemy. He wrote over a million words on the subject that have never been published because, after his death in 1727, the Royal Society deemed them "not fit to be printed."» — el Newton que le interesa: el que dedicó el grueso de su tiempo a la alquimia y cuyo millón de palabras la Royal Society juzgó impublicable

«The papers were rediscovered in the middle of the twentieth century and most scholars now concede that Newton considered himself first and foremost an alchemist.» — el redescubrimiento de esos papeles y la lectura que Hauck adjudica hoy a la mayoría de los estudiosos

«One of his servants wrote: "He very rarely went to bed until two or three of the clock, sometimes not till five or six, lying about four or five hours, especially at springtime or autumn, at which time he used to employ about six weeks in his laboratory, the fire scarce going out night or day. What his aim might be I was unable to penetrate into."» — el testimonio del criado sobre los horarios de laboratorio de Newton; la voz es del criado, sin nombre en el volumen

«At the height of his career, instead of accepting a professorship at Cambridge, he accepted a position as Director of the Mint with the responsibility of securing and accounting for England's repository of gold.» — el dato biográfico con que insinúa —sin afirmarlo— la transmutación: la Dirección de la Casa de Moneda en lugar de la cátedra

«Newton was a traditional alchemist in the sense that he accepted the idea that alchemy originated with Thoth in ancient Egypt. He prepared his own translation of the Emerald Tablet and kept it hidden safely in his laboratory.» — en qué lo llama alquimista tradicional: aceptaba el origen egipcio de la alquimia y tenía su propia traducción de la Tabla Esmeralda

«"Like all European alchemists from the Dark Ages to the beginning of the scientific era and beyond," noted Michael White in Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer (Addison Wesley 1997), "Newton was motivated by a deep-rooted commitment to the notion that alchemical wisdom extended back to ancient times. The Hermetic tradition—the body of alchemical knowledge – was believed to have originated in the mists of time and to have been given to humanity through supernatural agents."» — la cita que trae de Michael White, *Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer*; la formulación es de White

«By 1669 Isaac Newton's lifelong work in alchemy had focused almost entirely on antimony, a metal that was to remain near the center of his thoughts for the rest of his life.» — el antimonio como centro del trabajo alquímico de Newton desde 1669

«There is a legend that antimony was first named by Basil Valentine, who secretly added the poisonous metal to the food of Dominican monks in order to determine its effects on humans. A natural emetic, Figure 3. The alchemist’s work in the laboratory required prayer and meditation, as well as practical experimentation. (Heinrich Khunrath, Amphitheatrum Sapentiae, 1602) the antimony made the monks vomit and suffer from severe nausea. He therefore named the metal “antimony” meaning “anti-monks.”» — la leyenda etimológica de *antimonio* que adjudica a Basil Valentine y a los monjes dominicos; la marca como leyenda

«The alchemists named this peculiar signature of antimony after the Regulus, the bright double star near the heart of the constellation Leo. The name is derived from the Latin regulus, meaning “lesser king.”» — de dónde saca el nombre del régulo de antimonio: la estrella Regulus del corazón de Leo, y el latín *regulus*

«Because the regulus of antimony combines readily with gold (which is true King), it became important to the process of refining the precious metal and an object of considerable experimental interest to seventeenth-century adepts.» — por qué importaba el régulo: se une con facilidad al oro, y por eso al refinado del metal precioso

«The term "starred' was used by Newton in its most literal sense. For if the antimony has been properly purified, it forms long and slender crystals. During cooling the crystals in turn form triangular branches around a central point, taking on the aspect of a silver star.» — qué significa *starred* en la receta de Newton: los cristales del antimonio purificado formando una estrella de plata. El troceo abre con comilla doble y cierra con apóstrofo (sic)

«Newton found in the star signature of antimony the possibility of gaining cosmic knowledge in connection with the heavens.» — lo que Hauck sostiene que Newton buscaba en esa signatura estrellada: conocimiento cósmico

«It was thus his alchemical work with antimony that guided Newton’s interest in light and the gravity of heavenly bodies. By 1675, he began publishing his breakthrough papers on light and gravity.» — y la tesis fuerte del pasaje: que el trabajo con el antimonio orientó el interés de Newton por la luz y la gravedad

«unequivocal statement that the Egyptian god Thoth was in fact Adam, and the Pillars of Hermes were not pillars but stone tablets that contained the secrets of nature written in the sacred language of hieroglyphics.» — la tesis que adjudica al *Aurora of the Philosophers* de Paracelso: Thot identificado con Adán y los Pilares de Hermes convertidos en tablas de piedra con los secretos de la naturaleza. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente al arranque de la frase, que empieza *He began his popular treatise, Aurora of the Philosophers, with the*

«Like Nicolas Flamel, Newton recognized that through the numerous “eagles” (distillations), the crystalline structure of the regulus was progressively adjusting and rising in a set pattern towards a cubic fundamental matrix. The cubic structure is the most perfect of the crystals having perfect right angles and equilateral triangles in its arrangement. This matter is the seed risen to its highest purity.» — las *águilas* o destilaciones repetidas, y la matriz cúbica como límite de pureza del régulo

«In fact, distilling the regulus amalgam more than nine times generally leads to an explosion. In this behavior of the regulus, one can see the seeds of Newton’s mathematics of progression and limits, his theory of “fluxions” (calculus).» — el segundo puente que traza entre el laboratorio y la ciencia de Newton: el límite de las nueve destilaciones y las matemáticas de progresiones y límites

«Despite his fascination with antimony, the regulus was not the goal of Newton’s work. He looked upon the star as a most promising step in the creation of the Philosophical Mercury, the Material Prima or First Matter from which all substances are formed.» — el fin al que Hauck subordina el antimonio en Newton: el Mercurio Filosófico o Primera Materia

«As confirmation of his work, the Cauda Pavonis (Peacock’s Tail), the multicolored tail of the peacock prophesized by ancient alchemists as the work came to a close, unfolded before Newton's very eyes. Nicolas Flamel had experienced the same thing while manipulating the regulus amalgam with gold and silver.» — la Cola de Pavo Real como señal de término, que adjudica por igual a Newton y a Flamel

«"I know whereof I write,” Newton penned, “for I have in the fire manifold glasses with gold and this mercury. They grow in these glasses in the form of a tree, and by a continued circulation the trees are dissolved again with the work into a new mercury. I have such a vessel in the fire with gold thus dissolved, but extrinsically and intrinsically into a mercury as living and mobile as any mercury found in the world. For it makes gold begin to swell, to be swollen, and to putrefy, and to spring forth into sprouts and branches, changing colors daily, the appearances of which fascinate me every day. I reckon this is a great secret in Alchemy."» — la cita larga de Newton sobre los árboles de oro que crecen en sus vasos; la voz es de Newton

«However, Newton was fearful that the secret would leak out into the world and cause fearful political and social consequences, since mankind was not yet ready for such power.» — el motivo del secreto que adjudica a Newton: consecuencias políticas y sociales para una humanidad no preparada

«In 1676, after fellow member of the Royal Society Robert Boyle disclosed he had discovered a special mercury that grows hot (incalescent) when mixed with gold, Newton was afraid Boyle had made the same discovery. He wrote him a letter cautioning him to keep everything secret» — la ocasión de la carta a Robert Boyle: el mercurio incalescente que Boyle declaró haber hallado

«"It may possibly be an inlet to something more noble, not to be communicated without immense damage to the world if there should be any verity in the Hermetic writers, therefore I question not but that the great wisdom of the noble Author will sway him to high silence till he shall be resolved of what consequence the thing may be either by his own experience, or the judgment of some other— that is of a true Hermetic Philosopher— there being other things beside the transmutation of metals, if those great pretenders brag not which none but they understand."» — la carta de Newton a Boyle tal como la reproduce el volumen; la voz es de Newton, con su recomendación de alto silencio

«In this respectful but pleading letter, we see that Newton was no common puffer but a spiritual alchemist of the first caliber. He truly believed that if the gates of wisdom were breached, the spoils of alchemy would go to vulgar materialists. Flamel and Newton, like all true adepts of alchemy, revered the Divine Plan.» — la lectura que Hauck hace de esa carta: Newton como alquimista espiritual y no como soplador

«The fascination with gold during the Middle Ages produced a new class of mercenary alchemists known as “puffers,” who sat at their furnaces constantly fanning their bellows, hoping to produce gold by working with external fires and never calling forth the inner, magical “secret fire” of the initiated alchemist.» — de dónde saca el nombre de los *puffers*: alquimistas mercenarios que soplaban el fuelle sin convocar el fuego secreto

«Using only physical methods and trickery, the puffers convinced princes and kings to finance their endeavours, although not a few went to the gallows when they were unable to produce more gold than they consumed. A few heads of state, such as Frederick of Wurzburg, actually maintained special gilded gallows for hanging alchemists.» — el destino que les adjudica, con la horca dorada de Federico de Wurzburgo como caso

«The puffers’ laboratories can still be seen in Prague in the Zlata Ulicka (“Golden Alley”), which dates back to the time of emperors Maximilian II (1564-1576) and Rudolph II (1576-1612).» — el lugar que señala como resto material de esa fiebre: la Zlata Ulicka de Praga

«alchemists, seduced by the allure of multiplying gold, degenerated into quacks and charlatans, and eventually brought alchemy into disrepute.» — el desprestigio que atribuye a esos alquimistas; el tramo arranca después de *Mercenary-*, palabra que el impreso parte al final del renglón

«England and several other countries banned alchemy and prohibited the circulation of gold and silver created by alchemists.» — y las prohibiciones que siguieron en Inglaterra y otros países

«Modern chemistry actually arose from the erratic work of the puffers in the Middle Ages and did not originate with from the Hermetic teachings passed down from ancient Egypt.» — la genealogía que propone para la química moderna: sale de los sopladores y no de la enseñanza hermética

«French historian Albert Poisson noted in his History of Alchemy (1891): “Scholasticism with its infinitely subtle argumentation, theology with its ambiguous phraseology, astrology so vast and so complicated, are only child’s play in comparison with alchemy.”» — la valoración que cita del historiador francés Albert Poisson; la formulación es de Poisson

«True alchemy could simply not survive in the new atmosphere of materialism and industrialization, because the key to success in the ancient art lay in being able to work simultaneously on all levels of reality – not only on the physical level but on the psychological and spiritual as well. The alchemist’s laboratory was a sacred place “between worlds” that could not be entered without becoming psychologically purified and spiritually energized, and things took place in the alchemist’s laboratory that could never be reproduced in a chemist’s lab.» — la razón que da de esa incompatibilidad: el laboratorio alquímico como lugar sagrado *between worlds*, al que no se entra sin purificación

«“The key to life and death is everywhere to be found, but if you do not find it in your own house, you will find it nowhere. Yet, it is before everyone's eyes; no one can live without it; everyone has used it. The poor usually possess more of it than the rich; children play with it in the streets. The meek and uneducated esteem it highly, but the privileged and learned often throw it away. It is the only thing from which the Philosopher's Stone can be prepared, and without it, no noble metal can ever be created."» — el acertijo del siglo XVII con que abre el capítulo 3 sobre los principios; el volumen no nombra a su autor

«The Renaissance alchemist George Beatus describes its power and also warns about its misuse: "I am a poisonous dragon, present everywhere and to be had for nothing. My water and fire dissolve and compound. Out of my body you shall draw the Green and Red Lion, but if you do not exactly know me, you will destroy your five senses with my fire. I give you faculties both male and female and the powers of both heaven and earth. I am the Egg of Nature. I am dark and bright; I spring from the earth and come out of heaven. I am the Carbuncle of the Sun. I am a most noble, clarified earth by which you may turn copper, iron, tin, and lead into most pure gold."» — la descripción que cita del alquimista renacentista George Beatus, en primera persona del dragón venenoso; el nombre va tal como lo imprime el troceo, sin cotejo

«Another characteristic of the answer to the riddle is that it is something that can only be discovered and understood by first going within our own "house," which could also be our own body or mind. This thing is so mysterious and ineffable that it really cannot be spoken of directly at all. The only way to truly understand it is indirectly, through its corresponding signatures within our own bodies» — el segundo rasgo que deduce del acertijo: la cosa solo se descubriría entrando en la propia casa —cuerpo o mente— y solo indirectamente, por signaturas. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *and souls*

«German alchemist Heinrich Khunrath said: "This is the true Light of Nature, which illuminates all the God-loving philosophers. It is in the world, and the whole edifice of the world is beautifully adorned and will be naturally preserved by it. But the world knows it not. Above all, it is the subject of the great Stone of the philosophers which the world has before its eyes and yet knows it not."» — la cita de Heinrich Khunrath sobre la Luz de la Naturaleza; la formulación es de Khunrath

«Medieval alchemists frequently referred to this thing as "the cornerstone the builders forgot." In other words, it is something important that is not an integrated part of our current civilization.» — la fórmula medieval que recoge —la piedra angular que los constructores olvidaron— y cómo la lee

«The ancient Greek alchemist Zosimos realized that the answer to this riddle, once known and purified, becomes the much-sought-after Philosopher's Stone. You can see the similarities in his description of the final goal of all alchemists: "In speaking of the Philosopher's Stone, receive this stone which is not a stone, a precious thing that has no value, a thing of many shapes that has no shape, this unknown which is known by all."» — la descripción de la Piedra que atribuye a Zósimo: piedra que no es piedra, cosa preciosa sin valor. La formulación es de Zósimo según el volumen

«When the AlchemyLab.com website first appeared on the Internet, it required visitors to enter the answer to this riddle before gaining entry to the web. The problem was that no one was getting into the website, so the creators had to open the site to everyone.» — la anécdota con que mide la distancia del lector moderno al acertijo: nadie entraba al sitio

«Among the thousands of wrong answers were a few that came very close, such as imagination, love, light, consciousness, thought, sun, moon, time, energy, ether, god, joy, spirit, soul, heart, blood, chaos, fire, water, air, earth, sulfur, mercury, salt, quintessence, and the stone. Even such answers as urine, menses, manure, and dirt would be considered by alchemists to be fitting responses.» — la lista de respuestas que da por cercanas, incluidas la orina, la menstruación, el estiércol y la tierra

«well be considered as radiating into the center, which gives them the character of attraction rather than the character of emission." It is likely at this point that the concept of gravitation "in which the lines of attraction run in to and converge in a center point" may have occurred to him.» — el origen alquímico que Hauck propone para la gravitación newtoniana: las líneas del régulo estrellado leídas como atracción hacia un centro en vez de emisión. Lo enuncia como probable, no como establecido; el tramo continúa la frase que en la plana anterior dice que Newton observó que las líneas parecían irradiar desde el centro de la estrella

«Key"). This amazing document is the culmination of years already spent in the meticulous study of the star regulus in the hope of extracting Philosophical Mercury from common metals.» — el escrito de Newton que nombra —*Clovis*, glosado en el volumen como *La Llave*— y lo que le adjudica: años de estudio del régulo estrellado para extraer Mercurio Filosófico de los metales comunes

«new breed of materialistic alchemists (who came to be known as “chemists”) who subscribed to the spreading philosophy of Descartes that separated body and physicality from spirit and soul and denied the existence of such occult (hidden) forces as alchemical correspondences, chemical synchronicities, and invisible influences.» — el lugar en que sitúa a Boyle: la nueva estirpe materialista que acabaría llamándose química, alineada con Descartes y negando las fuerzas ocultas. El tramo empieza en la plana siguiente a *Boyle was one of a*

«textbook (Basic Characteristics of Chemicals) was published in 1789 alchemy had degenerated from a practical path of spiritual perfection into a competitive race for commercial products to put up for sale on the economic merry-go-round.» — cómo data el fin de la alquimia europea: el manual de química de Lavoisier de 1789 como umbral, con la disciplina convertida en carrera comercial. El tramo continúa la frase abierta en la plana anterior

«As far as the alchemists were concerned, there was only one correct answer to the riddle and it was the “First Matter.” However, that is like answering a riddle with another riddle. The First Matter is the most nebulous concept in alchemy and very difficult to define in everyday terms.» — la respuesta que da al acertijo del capítulo 3, con la objeción que él mismo le pone: contestar con otro acertijo

«The Lexicon of Alchemy (Martin Ruland, 1612) lists over eighty definitions for the First Matter (Prima Materia). The alchemists themselves never fully agreed on what it was, and there are at least two hundred different descriptions in the literature.» — el desacuerdo que consigna dentro de la propia tradición: más de ochenta definiciones en el léxico de Martin Ruland y al menos doscientas descripciones en la literatura

«The reason the First Matter is so hard to describe is that it is everything and it is nothing. It is the primordial chaos, the infinite cornucopia from which the myriad of all created things emerges.» — cómo define la Primera Materia: todo y nada, caos primordial y cuerno de la abundancia

«It is the Anima Mundi (Universal Soul) and the very body of nature. The primordial matter focuses the archetypal powers that form minerals and metals, vegetables and animals, and everything that exists. All forms are hidden within its depths, and it is therefore what philosophers call the true principium or beginning of all things.» — su identificación de la Primera Materia con el Anima Mundi y con el *principium* de los filósofos

«The reason our culture has rejected the idea of the First Matter is that its first characteristic is that it exists in a state between matter and energy, between manifested and unmanifested. Our materialistic world has no room for such a gray area of reality. For us, things are either real or unreal.» — por qué, según él, la cultura moderna la rechaza: existiría entre materia y energía, y no hay lugar para esa zona gris

«In ancient Egypt, the First Matter was the subject of the Emerald Tablet, which referred to it as simply the “One Thing.”» — la equivalencia que propone: la Cosa Una de la Tabla Esmeralda sería la Primera Materia

«Priestly alchemists denoted the First Matter with the hieroglyph known as “kh,” which looks like a circle with two wide horizontal black bands running through it. This symbol of the First Matter is the first hieroglyph that makes up the Egyptian word “khem,” which is the root of our word “alchemy.”» — el jeroglífico *kh* que adjudica a los alquimistas sacerdotales como signo de la Primera Materia, raíz de *khem* y de *alquimia*

«The easiest definition is “black matter that is alive” but what exactly is that? Most language experts have translated it as “placenta,” while others feel it might mean “fertile dirt or “living black soil.”» — las lecturas que refiere de ese signo —placenta, tierra fértil, suelo negro vivo— y la reserva con que las trae

«In ancient China, philosophers referred to the First Matter as the “Tao,” which is an equally difficult term to describe. The Tao is the unborn origin of the universe, the chaotic source of all that exists neither in heaven nor on earth but in-between.» — la equivalencia que propone con el Tao de la filosofía china

«It is described in the Tao te Ching: “There is a thing confusedly formed, born between heaven and earth. Silent and void, it stands alone and does not change, goes round and does not weary. It is capable of being the mother of the world.”» — el pasaje del Tao te Ching que cita en apoyo; la voz es del texto chino en la traducción que el volumen usa

«The Eastern symbol, the Tai Chi (or Yin-Yang diagram) shows black and white semicircles in an endless spiral of changing into one another, each containing the seed of the other.» — el Tai Chi como figura oriental del carácter cíclico de la Primera Materia

«In the West, the symbol of the First Matter was the Uroboros (or Ouroboros), the snake or dragon eating its own tail. Sometimes two serpents (or dragons) were shown, with a lighter, winged serpent above and a darker, walking serpent below.» — y el Uróboros como su figura occidental, a veces desdoblado en serpiente alada y serpiente que camina

«Psychologist Carl Jung commented on this symbology in his Mysterium Conjunctionis: “In the age-old image of the uroboros lies the thought of devouring oneself and tuning oneself into a circulatory process, for it was clear to the more astute alchemists the Prima Materia of the art was man himself. The uroboros is a dramatic symbol for the integration and assimilation of the opposite, i.e., the shadow. This feedback process is at the same time a symbol of immortality, since it is said of the uroboros that he slays himself and brings himself to life, fertilizes himself and gives birth to himself.”» — la lectura del uróboros que cita de Carl Jung en *Mysterium Conjunctionis*; la formulación es de Jung, e incluye la tesis de que la Prima Materia del arte era el hombre mismo

«The ancient texts never described directly, only teased the initiate into accepting it without actually ever naming it. The adepts said that it was the alpha and omega, the beginning and end of all things, everywhere to be found, always available, easily directed by thoughts, yet overlooked by the masses as useless.» — cómo describe el modo de decir de los textos: nunca directo, siempre insinuado. La frase queda sin complemento en el troceo (sic)

«Because the First Matter was said to be present in every human being but rejected by most, literal-minded alchemists searched for it in cisterns and manure heaps, or in the night sweat of the elderly, even in the urine of young boys and the menses of pubescent girls, where it was thought to be purer than in adults.» — las búsquedas literales que refiere: cisternas, estercoleros, sudor nocturno de ancianos, orina de niños y menstruo de púberes

«Knowing that the First Matter could be corrupted by thoughts, the savvy alchemist most often searched in the in the bosom of nature herself, in the distant forests and mountains for quiet sacred sites where he suspected it had accumulated.» — la alternativa que adjudica al alquimista avisado: buscarla en sitios sagrados y apartados, para que el pensamiento ajeno no la corrompa

«Then, by the light of the moon, he dug a deep hole to expose the virgin soil, which he hope still contained traces of the First Matter. He carefully shoveled the sacred earth into a gunny sack and lugged it back to his laboratory.» — el procedimiento de la tierra virgen excavada a la luz de la luna

«Sometimes, on cool spring nights, the alchemist drove wooden pegs into the ground and spread flax cloths over them to collect the morning dew, believing that in the process of condensing from the air, the pure moisture would trap traces of hidden matter that coagulated in the darkness of» — y el del rocío recogido en lienzos de lino, con la creencia de que la condensación atraparía la materia oculta. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *the night*

«According to the ancients, the First Matter has a fourfold structure which they attributed to the existence of four archetypal forces or elements of creation which they named Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.» — la estructura cuádruple que adjudica a la Primera Materia: los cuatro elementos como fuerzas arquetípicas

«Obviously, the Four Elements of the alchemists are not our everyday ideas of earth, water, air, and fire, which are only the physical expressions of their respective archetypes.» — el límite que pone de inmediato: los cuatro elementos no son la tierra, el agua, el aire y el fuego cotidianos, sino sus arquetipos

«“There are four common elements,” wrote Polish alchemist Michael Sendivogius (1566-1636), “and each has at its center another deeper element [the archetype] which makes it what it is. These are the four pillars of the world. They were in the beginning evolved and molded out of chaos [First Matter] by the hand of the Creator; and it is their contrary action which keeps up the harmony and equilibrium of the mundane machinery of the universe; it is they, which through the virtue of celestial influences, produce all things above and beneath the earth.”» — la formulación que cita del alquimista polaco Michael Sendivogius; los corchetes explicativos son del volumen

«As archetypes, the elements are beyond any rational explanation and must be experienced to be understood.» — la condición de conocimiento que impone: los arquetipos se experimentan, no se explican

«French philosopher Gaston Bachelard (1884-1962) concluded that the Four Elements resulted from “material image-making” or “the materialization of imagery” within the One Mind of the universe.» — la lectura de Gaston Bachelard que trae: los elementos como materialización de la imaginería

«“Earthly joy is riches and impediment,” he said. “Aquatic joy is softness and repose; fiery pleasure is desire and love; airy delight is liberty and movement.”» — y la cita en que Bachelard reparte los goces de cada elemento

«In Answers from the Elements, Sufi alchemist Rumi describes the elements as expressions of the love of the universal soul for the divine spirit: “Last night I asked the moon about the Moon, my one question for the visible world, Where is God? The moon says, I am dust stirred up when he passed by. The sun: My face is pale yellow from just now seeing him. Water: I slide on my head and face, like a snake, from a spell he cast. Fire: His lightning – I want to be that restless. Wind: Why so light? I would burn too if I had a choice. Earth, quiet, impregnated: Inside me I have a garden and a bubbling spring.”» — el poema que atribuye a Rumi, a quien llama alquimista sufí; la voz es de Rumi en la versión que el volumen reproduce

«The ancient Greeks did a lot of philosophizing about the nature of the First Matter (which they called hyle), and it from that thought the doctrine of the Four Elements emerged.» — el término griego *hyle* como nombre de la Primera Materia, del que haría surgir la doctrina de los cuatro elementos

«formalize these principles was Empedocles, a Greek philosopher and healer who lived around 450 BC. In his Tetrasomia ("Doctrine of the Four Elements"), he stated that all matter is comprised of four roots (or elements): Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.» — a quién adjudica la primera formalización: Empédocles y su *Tetrasomia*, con los cuatro elementos como raíces. El tramo empieza en la plana siguiente a *The first philosopher to*

«According to Empedocles, Fire and Air are “outwardly reaching” elements, reaching up and out, whereas Earth and Water turn inward and downward. In his view, and that of later alchemists, the elements are not only material substances but also spiritual essences.» — la dirección que Empédocles daría a cada elemento, y el punto que a Hauck le importa: que no son solo sustancias, sino esencias espirituales

«“Hera rules the fruitful earth,” he wrote. “Hades the central fire, Zeus the luminescent air, and Persephone the mollifying water.”» — la adjudicación de un dios a cada elemento que cita de Empédocles

«The elements were animated through the interaction of two great living energies Empedocles called Love and Strife (Eros and Eris).» — las dos energías que animarían los elementos según Empédocles: Amor y Discordia

«Aristotle (350 BC) further developed the theories of Empedocles by explaining them in terms of their qualities. In his view, the elements arose from the interplay of the ideal (or archetypal) properties of hotness and coldness, and dryness and wetness. Fire (dry and hot) and Water (wet and cold) are polar opposites, as are Earth (dry and cold) and Air (wet and hot).» — cómo describe el desarrollo aristotélico: los elementos como interacción de lo caliente y lo frío con lo seco y lo húmedo, en dos pares de opuestos

«Wet (moistness) is the quality of fluidity or flexibility, which allows a thing to adapt to its external conditions, whereas Dry (dryness) is the quality of rigidity, which allows a thing to define its» — cómo define las dos cualidades primarias aristotélicas: lo húmedo como flexibilidad que adapta y lo seco como rigidez que define. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *own conditions*

«Air is hot and moist and seeks to ascend, but its moist component blocks the full ascent of the Fire principle, as indicated by the horizontal line in the triangle. Thus Air is suspended in time and space, caught between the extremes of the Above and the Below.» — por qué el aire queda suspendido entre el arriba y el abajo: su humedad frenaría el ascenso del principio ígneo, y eso es lo que representa la línea horizontal del triángulo

«Earth is cold and dry and seeks to descend, but its dry component blocks the full descent of the Water principle, as indicated by the horizontal line in the triangle. Thus Earth is suspended in time and space and is what the alchemists would call the least volatile or most fixed of the elements.» — y por qué la tierra es el más fijo de los elementos: su sequedad frenaría el descenso del principio acuoso

«Another Greek philosopher, Hippocrates (400 BC), added his own spin to the theory of the elements by applying them to human psychology. He viewed the elements as bodily fluids he called “humors”» — el paso de los elementos a la psicología que adjudica a Hipócrates: los humores corporales

«Water is associated with the Phlegmatic humor of phlegm, which represents the clear fluids of the body carried by the lymphatic system and secreted by the mucus membranes. The phlegmatic person is cold and wet in Aristotle’s terms and tends to in touch with their feelings and can be moody and brooding. The Water Element is associated with dissolution, diffusion, union, and transformation, and people in whom the Phlegmatic humor is predominant tend to be flowing and flexible, letting their feelings guide them, and oriented toward emotional harmony.» — la del Agua con el flema, y el temperamento flexible y guiado por el sentimiento que le adjudica

«Air is associated with the Sanguine humor of the blood, which distributes oxygen throughout the tissues of the body. The word “sanguine” refers to a ruddy complexion in which the blood flows close to the skin. Oddly, Hippocrates had no idea that the blood distributes “air” through the body, yet he made the connection using ancient esoteric doctrines and his own intuition. Sanguine people tend to be very changeable and even flighty, perhaps a little irritable yet basically optimistic, and full of personal integrity.» — la del Aire con la sangre, con la observación de que Hipócrates no podía saber que la sangre distribuye aire y aun así habría hecho la conexión por doctrina esotérica e intuición

«Earth is associated with the Melancholic humor of black bile, which probably refers to waste products associated with digestion such as the stools, from which useful energy has been removed leaving only the dregs of matter behind. Melancholic people tend to be apathetic, passive, stubborn, sluggish, rigid yet practical. Since Earth is the principle of structure and materialization, the Melancholic humor is dominant in the person who focuses on physical reality and tends to exhibit the qualities of perseverance, inflexibility, realism, and pragmatism.» — la de la Tierra con la bilis negra y el temperamento melancólico, práctico y perseverante

«Carl Jung’s theory of personality types is clearly derived from the humors of Hippocrates. The four basic Jungian types are each associated with a humor: feeling (Fire, Choleric), thinking (Water, Phlegmatic), intuition (Air, Sanguine), and sensation (Earth, Melancholic).» — la filiación que adjudica a los tipos junguianos: derivados de los humores hipocráticos, con una equivalencia por tipo

«By combining the polarities of introversion (a person focused on inner feelings and thoughts) and extroversion (a person focused on outer relationships and external objects), Jung developed eight personality types.» — cómo describe la construcción de los ocho tipos junguianos

«Jung saw the Four Elements as archetypes existing in the collective unconscious and thus present in everyone. Jung considered Fire and Air the active, masculine elements and Water and Earth the passive, feminine elements.» — lo que adjudica a Jung sobre los elementos: arquetipos del inconsciente colectivo, dos activos y masculinos y dos pasivos y femeninos

«In other words, this indwelling fourfold structure of our personality originates from the creation of ego out of the chaos of the unconscious, just as the fourfold structure of the universe was created by the action of the One Mind on the First Matter.» — el paralelo que traza entre la formación del yo desde el inconsciente y la del universo por acción de la Mente Una sobre la Primera Materia

«In alchemy, as in psychology, the goal is to develop a balance of the elements within the individual. Even Empedocles noted that those who have near equal proportions of the Four Elements are more intelligent and have the truest perceptions of reality.» — el fin que declara común a la alquimia y a la psicología: equilibrar los elementos, con Empédocles como precedente

«According to Jung, when two opposing elements encounter each other in the personality or are brought to the surface in a situation, there are three possibilities: 1) they may generate psychic energy; 2) they may neutralize each other; or 3) they may combine or unite.» — las tres salidas que adjudica a Jung para el encuentro de dos elementos opuestos en la personalidad

«In alchemy and psychology, the third case is the most profound, for the union of opposite elements is the Conjunction of Opposites (Coniunctio Oppositorum), the creation of a higher unity and transcendence of conflicting polarities.» — y cuál le importa: la unión de opuestos como *Coniunctio Oppositorum*

«All the elements originated by impressing these qualities on the First Matter, and one element could be changed into another by altering these qualities. For instance, when the qualities of moist and cold are imposed on the First Matter, the element Water results, but if we boil Water, it is changed into Air (steam) by substituting the quality of hot for that of cold.» — la mecánica aristotélica de la transmutación de elementos que expone: cambiar una cualidad convierte un elemento en otro, y hervir el agua la vuelve aire

«This procedure is based on Aristotle’s Square of Opposition (see Figure 6 on following page), which depicts all the relationships between the qualities and the elements. The elements form a cross within the square, and each element is composed of two qualities shown in the corners of the square. Thus, Earth is dry and cold, Water is cold and moist, Air is moist and hot, Fire is hot and dry.» — el Cuadro de Oposición que usa en el Experimento 2, con las dos cualidades de cada elemento en las esquinas

«The “natural” circulation of the elements in the square begins with the process of adaptation (Water), and continues through expansion (Air), production (Fire), and retraction (Earth). The same pattern of movement through the elements can be seen in many elemental rotations, including the seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall), the ages of man (childhood, youth, maturity, old age), and the cyclic rise and fall of nations and ideas.» — la rotación natural que propone —adaptación, expansión, producción, retracción— y los ciclos en que dice reconocerla: estaciones, edades del hombre, auge y caída de naciones

«First, movement is in a clockwise rotation starting at Fire. This is where the work of alchemical transformation begins. You will notice that as you move through the square, each element follows its dominant quality. Therefore Fire is predominantly hot, Earth is predominantly dry, Water predominantly cold, Air predominantly moist. The turning square is an elemental rotation driven by the qualities: hot on the top, dry on the descending side, cold on the bottom, and moist on the rising side.» — la primera regla del cuadro: rotación en el sentido del reloj desde el Fuego, cada elemento siguiendo su cualidad dominante

«“It is clear that generation of the elements will be circular,” explained Aristotle, “and this mode of change is very easy because corresponding qualities are present in adjacent elements.''» — la formulación de Aristóteles que cita en apoyo; el troceo cierra con dos apóstrofos en vez de comillas (sic)

«Third, the qualities are inversely proportional to each other. That means that the higher the intensity of an earlier quality in the rotation, the greater the rate of increase in the following quality. Or alternatively, the higher the intensity of a later quality in the rotation, the more the preceding quality decreases. For instance, increasing hot increases dry but decreases moist. Or looking at the elements, heat causes Earth to lose its rigidity or dryness and melt (become more flexible or moist), which makes it Water. Further heating decreases the cold of the Water and increases its hot quality, which makes it boil and turn into Air (steam). When Air is heated, its moisture is reduced, and it rises higher into Fire. When Fire becomes cold, it loses its heat and becomes Earth (ashes) again.» — la tercera regla, con el ciclo completo de tierra fundida en agua, agua hervida en aire, aire enrarecido en fuego y fuego enfriado en ceniza

«Fourth, whenever there are two elements with a common quality, the element in which it is not dominant is "overcome" or "conquered" by the one in which it is dominant. This property is known as the Cycle of Triumphs and was first noticed by alchemist Raymond Lully (1229-1315).» — la cuarta regla, el Ciclo de los Triunfos, que adjudica a Raimundo Lulio. El nombre y las fechas van como los imprime el troceo

«According to this scheme, Fire overcomes Air, Air overcomes Water, Water overcomes Earth, and Earth overcomes Fire. Generally, the more subtle (or spiritual) element overcomes the grosser (or more material) element.» — el orden de triunfos que resulta, y el criterio que lo explica: lo más sutil vence a lo más grosero

«in cholesterol as a bi-product of digestion and energy transformation in the body. Aristotle would say the Choleric force is hot and dry. Choleric people therefore tend to be energetic, active, moving, “on» — la correspondencia Fuego-cólera-bilis amarilla, que él explica por el colesterol como subproducto de la digestión, y el temperamento activo y entusiasta que le adjudica. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *In Hippocrates’ system, Fire is associated with the Choleric humor of yellow bile, which is carried*, y sigue *fire”, and enthusiastic*

«In psychology, we also find the four humors expressed as the personality variables in the popular Meyers-Briggs test. In the Luscher Color personality profile, the Fire color red is has the qualities of excitement, activity and self» — las supervivencias modernas que señala: el test de Meyers-Briggs y el perfil de color de Luscher, con un color por elemento. El nombre *Meyers-Briggs* va tal como lo imprime el troceo, y el tramo se corta antes de *confidence* para no unir la palabra partida por el renglón

«Second, direct transformation of opposed elements into one another is not impossible. We can move around the square, but not across it.» — la segunda regla: no hay paso directo entre opuestos, hay que rodear el cuadro. El troceo imprime *is not impossible* donde el sentido y el resto del párrafo piden *is not possible* (sic)

«they have no common quality, however, Water can be transformed by first changing into Air or Earth. Then, the Air or Earth is transformed into Fire.» — el rodeo que propone para pasar del Agua al Fuego: primero a Aire o Tierra. El tramo continúa la frase abierta en la plana anterior

«It is even possible to work in reverse (counterclockwise) rotation, which is known as the Death Rotation. The alchemist and Byzantine emperor Heraclitus (600 AD) described the process thus: “Fire lives in the death of Earth, and Air lives the death of Fire; Water lives the death of Air, and Earth lives the death of Water.''» — la rotación inversa o Rotación de la Muerte, con la fórmula que el volumen adjudica a *the alchemist and Byzantine emperor Heraclitus (600 AD)*: la formulación es la de Heráclito de Éfeso, y el troceo la pone en boca de un emperador bizantino del siglo VII; la grafía va tal cual y sin cotejo

«In his book Purifications, Empedocles uses the reverse rotation to cleanse the soul of broken promises, crimes against humanity, and other bad karma. The process must be repeated in numerous rebirths and lasts for “thrice ten thousand years.”» — el uso purificatorio que adjudica a las *Purificaciones* de Empédocles: limpiar el alma a lo largo de renacimientos

«The Quintessence of the alchemists is often described as the Fifth Element, not because it was considered one of the elements but because it was beyond the elements in both form and function. It was seen as something new and wonderful in creation that transcended the limitations imposed by the Four Elements.» — por qué llama Quinto Elemento a la Quintaesencia sin contarla entre los elementos: estaría más allá de ellos en forma y función

«“The Quintessence is a thing,” wrote Isaac Newton, “that is spiritual, penetrating, tingeing, and incorruptible, which emerges anew from the Four Elements when they are bound together.”» — la definición que cita de Newton; la formulación es suya

«Like Pythagoras before him, Paracelsus believed the Quintessence is what the stars are made of and that within every living thing there exists a hidden star that was that thing’s Quintessence.» — la doctrina de la estrella interior que adjudica a Paracelso, con Pitágoras como antecedente

«Another symbol is a pentagram inscribed in a circle, dividing it into five equal sections. The pentagram symbol is thought to represent the body of man.» — el pentagrama inscrito en círculo como signo de la Quintaesencia y del cuerpo humano

«In Chinese alchemy, the Fifth Element is Wood, which is a product of the plant kingdom and things that grow. In Taoist alchemy, the Quintessence is known as chi, an unseen energy that flows through the body and can be accumulated and directed in moving meditations such as performed in Tai Chi and Chi Kung. In Tantric alchemy, the Quintessence is the kundalini sexual energy coiled like a sleeping serpent at the base of the spine. In Hindu alchemy, the Quintessence is the spirit of breath known in Sanskrit as prana.» — las equivalencias orientales que propone para la Quintaesencia: la Madera china, el *chi* taoísta, la *kundalini* tántrica y el *prana* hindú

«This is very similar to the Western concepts of pneuma (Greek) and rauch (Hebrew).» — y las occidentales que les hace corresponder. La transcripción hebrea va tal como la imprime el troceo, *rauch*, sin cotejo

«In all these traditions, both East and West, there is only one thing that the Quintessence can be. It is the life force itself.» — la identificación que sostiene: la Quintaesencia es la fuerza vital

«Most alchemists believed the Quintessence had nothing at all to do with the Four Elements, but rather emerged from an even more primordial state known as the sacred Trinity or the Three Essentials.» — de dónde la hace emerger: no de los cuatro elementos, sino de los Tres Esenciales

«It was Paracelsus who first organized the Three Essentials of Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt into powerful universal tools that gave alchemists great insight into the nature of reality.» — a quién adjudica la organización de los Tres Esenciales

«These three principles emerge from a common source, the First Matter, and are indistinguishable from their source in their powers of transformation. They also appear at the end of the Great Work as principles integrally bound up in the Philosopher’s Stone,» — de dónde salen y adónde vuelven los tres principios: de la Primera Materia a la Piedra Filosofal. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana

«The serpent represents the Three Essentials, for “the Stone is single in essence, but triple in form.”» — la fórmula con que resume esa unidad triple, y la serpiente de tres cabezas que la simboliza

«The Three Essentials are further defined by how they behave in fire. Sulfur is seen as what fuels the fire or what is changed in the fire. Thus, oil, fat, wood, and coal are all forms of Sulfur. Mercury is what goes unchanged or what is released or evaporated in the fire, and it is associated with the smoke, moisture, and light issuing from a fire. The new principle of Salt exhibits a fixed nature that resists the fire and is found in the ashes.» — la definición operativa de los tres principios por su conducta en el fuego: lo que arde, lo que se evapora y lo que queda en la ceniza

«As Paracelsus put it: “The fire is Mercury; what flames and is burnt is Sulfur; and all ash is Salt.” In the burning of wood, for instance, Sulfur is that which is consumed in the fire; Mercury is the hot vapors that rise from the fire; and Salt is the ashes. Just as a plant yields the Three Essentials when it is decomposed, so do all things break down into their essential components. Even human beings consist of Salt (body), Mercury (spirit), and Sulfur (soul).» — la fórmula de Paracelso y su aplicación al hombre: Sal cuerpo, Mercurio espíritu, Azufre alma

«In the most general terms, Sulfur is the fiery, solar, active, yang, masculine principle that gives us our individual identity or soul. It mediates between body and spirit and blends them into a unitary presence that liberates the soul bound up in matter and eventually perfects its inner nature.» — cómo define el Azufre: principio solar y activo que da identidad o alma y media entre cuerpo y espíritu

«Mercury is the watery, lunar, passive, yin, feminine principle that represents the universal spirit or life force in all things.» — cómo define el Mercurio: principio lunar y pasivo, espíritu universal en todas las cosas

«It should be noted that Mercury is feminine only in relation to Sulfur. When Mercury mediates between Sulfur and Salt, it acts as the mother of the Stone, the carrier of the new life. In all other instances Mercury is considered androgynous or hermaphroditic (literally, Hermes + Aphrodite).» — el límite que pone de inmediato a esa feminidad: solo lo es frente al Azufre, y en los demás casos el Mercurio es andrógino

«This Original Mercury is for many alchemists, in East and West, the First Matter that all alchemists seek.» — la identificación que consigna sin arbitrar: para muchos alquimistas el Mercurio Original sería la propia Primera Materia

«Salt is actually the key to alchemy, the beginning and end of the Great Work. It is the imperfect matter at the beginning of the experiment that has to be destroyed and dissolved to release its essences, which are reconstituted into the more perfect form at the end of the experiment.» — por qué llama a la Sal la clave de la alquimia: es la materia imperfecta que se destruye al principio y la forma perfecta que se reconstituye al final

«Salt is seen as the child of the marriage of the King (Sulfur) and Queen (Mercury), the son of the Sun and Moon.» — la genealogía simbólica de la Sal: hija del Rey y la Reina, del Sol y la Luna

«For modern alchemists too, the Three Essentials are the guiding principles of their work. Salt still represents matter, but Sulfur is seen as energy or emotions, and Mercury is the connecting principle of light or consciousness. Today,» — cómo traduce los tres principios el alquimista moderno según él: Sal materia, Azufre energía o emoción, Mercurio luz o consciencia. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana

«Einstein’s equation of the universe (E=mc2) is as valid in alchemy as it is in modern physics. Energy (E) is Sulfur; Mass (M) is Salt; and the speed of Light (c) is Mercury.» — la correspondencia que propone entre la ecuación de Einstein y los Tres Esenciales

«In fact, if that little “c” in Einstein’s equation stood for “consciousness” instead of “light,” there would be no difference between alchemy and modern science.» — y el condicional con que la acota: la identidad valdría si la *c* significara consciencia y no luz

«"Learn to know what is alchemy,” Paracelsus tells us, “that it is only that which makes the impure pure by means of fire. Though not all fires do burn, it is however only fire and continues to be fire."» — la definición de alquimia que cita de Paracelso: lo que hace puro lo impuro por medio del fuego

«Fire was the most important element to the alchemists for it was the agent of change, the revolutionary first step in any transformation.» — el lugar que da al fuego: agente del cambio y primer paso de toda transformación

«The alchemists recognized four grades of Fire with which they could work.» — los cuatro grados de fuego que distingue, del más material al más espiritual

«"The Elementary Fire, which is the fire of our stoves," wrote alchemist Antoine-Joseph Pernety in 1758, "is impure, thick and burning. This fire is sharp and corrosive, ill-smelling, and is known through the senses. It has for its abode the surface of the earth and our atmosphere and is destructive; it wounds the senses, it burns, it digests, concocts, and produces nothing. It is external [to the alchemist] and separating."» — la descripción del Fuego Elemental que cita de Antoine-Joseph Pernety; la formulación es de Pernety y los corchetes son del volumen

«According to Pernety, the purest grade of fire is the fiery power of God’s will. He described it thus: "The Celestial Fire is very pure, simple and not burning in itself. It has for its sphere the ethereal region, whence it makes itself known even to us. Celestial Fire shines without burning and is without color and odor, though it is sensibly exhaled. It is gentle and known only by its operations."» — y la del Fuego Celeste, que según esa cita alumbra sin quemar y solo se conoce por sus operaciones

«One was the Central Fire hidden within matter at its very center. Central Fire is the fire of creation, the embedded Word of God, in all manifested objects.» — el Fuego Central escondido en el corazón de la materia, que llama Verbo de Dios incrustado en los objetos

«Alchemist Benedictus Figulus describes the Quintessence further in his book The Golden Casket: "For the elements and their compounds, in addition to crass matter, are composed of a subtle substance or intrinsic radical humidity, diffused through their elemental parts, simple and wholly incorruptible, long preserving the things themselves in vigor. Called the Spirit of the World, it proceeds from the Soul of the World [First Matter]. This is the one certain Life filling and fathoming all things, so that from the emanations of sentient beings, there is formed the One Living Machine of the Whole World.» — la definición de Quintaesencia que cita de Benedictus Figulus en *The Golden Casket*: el Espíritu del Mundo procediendo del Alma del Mundo. La formulación es de Figulus y el corchete que glosa *Soul of the World* como Primera Materia es del volumen

«fecundates [fertilizes or brings to life] all subjects natural and artificial, pouring into them those hidden properties that we call the Fifth Essence or Quintessence. But this Fifth Essence is created by the Almighty for the preservation of the Four Elements of the human body, even as Heaven is for the preservation of the Universe. Therefore is this Fifth Essence a Spiritual Medicine, which is of Nature and the Heart of Heaven and never of a mortal and corrupt quality that makes all life possible. It is the Fount of Medicine, the preservation of life, the restoration of health, and in this may be the cherished renewal of lost youth and serene health be found."» — la continuación de esa misma cita de Figulus en la plana siguiente: la Quinta Esencia como Medicina Espiritual y fuente de salud. Los corchetes son del volumen

«Central Fire [within matter] is pure in itself, it is mixed and tempered. It engenders and enlightens sometimes without burning, and burns sometimes without giving any light. It is invisible and therefore known only by its qualities. The Central Fire is lodged in the center of matter; it is tenacious and innate in matter; it is digesting, maturing, neither warm nor burning to the touch."» — la continuación de la cita de Pernety sobre el Fuego Central: invisible, tenaz, innato en la materia y conocido solo por sus efectos. Los corchetes son del volumen

«There is yet a fourth grade of fire, and it was the primary fire with which the true alchemist worked. They called it their "Secret Fire" because of its invisibility, and they went to great lengths to disguise its true nature.» — el cuarto grado, el Fuego Secreto, y la razón que da del ocultamiento: su invisibilidad

«"The fire of the sun could not be this Secret Fire," Pernety notes. "It is interrupted, unequal, and does not penetrate. The fire of our stoves, which hinders the union of the miscibles and consumes the bond of the constituent parts, could not be the one. The Central Fire, which is innate in matter, cannot be that Secret Fire so much praised, which causes the corruption of metallic germs, because the heat which engenders is internal and innate in matter, and that which corrupts is external and foreign to matter."» — la vía negativa con que Pernety lo define descartando los otros fuegos; la formulación es de Pernety

«Actually, the Secret Fire is part of the life force of the alchemist himself. Says Pernety: "This heat is very different within the generation of the individuals of the three kingdoms; the animal possesses it in a much higher degree than the plant." From these clues, we can discern that the Secret Fire is actually the life force itself the Quintessence of matter.» — la identificación que sostiene Hauck: el Fuego Secreto sería la fuerza vital del propio alquimista, es decir, la Quintaesencia

«In his book Alchemy, Franz Hartmann states that we all carry the Secret Fire within us: “The Secret Fire of the alchemists is sometimes described as kundalini, the serpentine working power in the body of the acetic. It is an electric, fiery, occult or Fohatic power, the great pristine form which underlies all organic and inorganic matter. It is an electro-spiritual force, a creative power which, when aroused into action, can as easily destroy as it can create. This is the reason why the secrets of alchemy cannot be divulged to the idle-minded or curious, and why only those who have gained the power to control their own self may be told how that power can be aroused in man."» — la cita de Franz Hartmann que trae, con la equivalencia entre Fuego Secreto y *kundalini* y la razón que da del secreto: solo a quien domine su propio yo se le diría cómo despertar esa fuerza

«"In allegories and fables," remarks Pernety, "the philosophers have given to this Secret Fire the names sword, lance, arrows, javelin, etc. It is the Fire which Prometheus stole from heaven, which Vulcan employed to form the thunderbolts of Jupiter, and the golden throne of Zeus."» — los nombres alegóricos del Fuego Secreto que Pernety enumera, incluido el fuego robado por Prometeo

«The Secret Fire is the breath of God, the Fifth Element, the Quintessence, the Original Mercury, and the First Matter. They all carry its great secret, a subtle force the alchemists tried to accumulate, control, and direct.» — la serie de identificaciones con que cierra el capítulo 3: aliento de Dios, Quinto Elemento, Quintaesencia, Mercurio Original y Primera Materia son para él lo mismo

«As one Sufi alchemist put it: “All the qualities of a good spiritual alchemist can be found in the person who can cook an egg perfectly.”» — la sentencia con que abre el capítulo 4; el volumen la adjudica a un alquimista sufí que no nombra

«The cook, like the alchemist, transforms matter through the application of fire. The cook dissolves, emulsifies, aerates, separates, macerates, blends, coagulates, and works through the same operations. And like alchemists, cooks add a deeper part of themselves to their “Opus.” For every key idea in alchemy, there is a corresponding representation in the kitchen.» — la equivalencia que sostiene entre cocina y laboratorio: las mismas operaciones y los mismos elementos

«In the kitchen, the Four Elements find their most general expression in the four natural food groups. Nurturer Foods (milk, nectars, soups, sauces, teas, eggs, beverages, and some vegetables) carry the signature of the Water Element, whereas Hunter Foods (meat, fish, and spices) are of the masculine Fire Element. Cultivator Foods (fermented foods, harvested fruits and vegetables) are created from skills given by the Air Element, while Gatherer Foods (grains, nuts, roots, berries, and some vegetables) are gifts from the Earth Element.» — los cuatro grupos de alimentos que hace corresponder a los cuatro elementos

«Furthermore, each of these food groups is related to one of the Four Humors in people. The melancholic Earth humor’s brooding connection with nature and stubborn attention to the land is seen in the Gatherers.» — y el paso siguiente: cada grupo de alimentos ligado a un humor

«In planning a meal, the higher cook must consider not only the hidden properties of the physical foodstuffs but also the bodily, mental, and spiritual makeup of the persons who» — lo que exige de quien cocina: atender al temperamento de los comensales y no solo a los alimentos. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *are going to eat the food*

«In the simplest case, for instance, angry or hyper individuals might be fed a diet high in Water Element foods to calm them down, but lethargic or depressed persons should eat Fire Element foods to energize them. Worldly persons should eat mostly of Air Element foods to spiritize them, while an intellectual or overly religious person should eat a diet of Earth Element foods to ground them.» — las dietas correctoras que propone según el temperamento dominante

«The goal is not to neutralize the powers of the personality but to balance those forces into a resilient and whole individual.» — el límite que pone a esa dietética: equilibrar, no neutralizar

«The Fifth Element in food is that part that carries the etheric or spiritual essences of the material food, its vital force or Quintessence. The Quintessence of a meal is the sum of the ineffable spiritual and psychic essences that are introduced into a meal by the cook.» — qué llama Quintaesencia de una comida: lo que quien cocina introduce en ella

«One of the primary rules of alchemical cooking is that the preparer’s attitude is part of the hidden components of the meal. Or as the alchemists would say: “Everything carries the signature of its creator.”» — la regla que enuncia para la cocina alquímica, con la fórmula que adjudica a los alquimistas

«No matter how hard the fast food chains try to capture the image of wholesomeness in their advertising, they will never succeed in replacing a mother’s cooking because industrial food preparation simply has no intrinsic or transcendental value.» — la consecuencia que saca contra la comida industrial

«The importance of proper attitude in preparing alchemically active substances was emphasized by the French alchemist Michel de Notredame (1503-1566). He is better known simply as Nostradamus, whose amazingly accurate predictions have astounded the world. Michel actually gave part of the credit for his abilities to the following recipe, which is taken directly from his personal notebooks. He believed his “Clarified Ruby Jelly” made him clairvoyant and increased his psychic powers.» — de quién toma la receta del Experimento 3: Michel de Notredame, que habría atribuido a esa jalea parte de sus facultades

«Nostradamus warns that the crushed cherries and juice must fall into the sugar directly from your hands or else the esoteric energy will be lost. His method is designed to allow the sugar to absorb the fruit’s essence immediately and acquire its purest signature.» — el detalle ritual que Hauck subraya en la receta: la fruta debe caer al azúcar desde las manos, o se perdería la energía

«“My jelly may be given to a prince or noble lord,” wrote Nostradamus, “or also to someone with a severe fever or who does not feel well, and such a person will find that it is invigorating and exceptionally pleasant. And if you make it as I have described here, without doubt it will turn out excellent.”» — el cierre de la receta en voz de Nostradamus, con la indicación para enfermos y nobles

«“Spagyria,” said Paracelsus, “teaches you to separate the false from the true.”» — la definición que cita de Paracelso

«First the plant is reduced to its most basic signatory essences, and then the essences are further purified and recombined to make an entirely new compound. According to alchemical philosophy, this is simply provoking the natural evolution of matter, exalting substances to their most perfect or truest and most universal expression.» — el procedimiento espagírico en dos tiempos, que él lee como aceleración de la evolución natural de la materia

«These inner essences or “strengths” carry the archetypal signatures of the plant – what Paracelsus called its “star.” By the Doctrine of Correspondences (“As Above, So Below”), a plant’s inner star or essence is closely related to the stars above in the heavens.» — la *estrella* de la planta que adjudica a Paracelso, ligada por correspondencia a los astros

«Paracelsus invented the word by combining the two Greek words spao (tear apart) and ageiro (gather together). So the term» — la etimología de *espagiria* que adjudica a Paracelso: *spao*, desgarrar, y *ageiro*, reunir. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *spagyrics really means to tear apart and bring back together again*

«That is, tear apart to reveal the essences and then bring back together in a higher or more purified form. The object of spagyrics is to isolate the living essences and underlying signatures of something.» — el sentido operativo que le da: desgarrar para revelar las esencias y recomponerlas en forma más pura

«Although allopathic in approach, spagyrics is more holistic than either allopathy or homeopathy. It seeks to balance forces in the body by working on all levels, invoking the signatures of plants in the Below and the corresponding planetary forces in the Above, as well as requiring the conscious participation of both the patient and the practitioner, who represent the forces “In-Between.”» — dónde sitúa la espagiria frente a alopatía y homeopatía: alopática en el método pero holística, y exigiendo la participación consciente de paciente y practicante

«Unlike nearly every other type of medicine, true spagyrics are considered living essences that grow stronger with age and maintain the characteristic ability to “adapt” to changing conditions.» — el rasgo que la distingue de toda otra medicina según él: esencias vivas que ganan fuerza con el tiempo

«The lofty goal of alchemy is to gain wisdom and understanding of matter and perfect it on all levels, but the object of spagyrics is much more directed to the present human condition and the problems of everyday life.» — la diferencia que fija entre alquimia y espagiria: aquella busca sabiduría sobre la materia, esta atiende la condición humana presente

«Historically, Paracelsian spagyrics is the precursor of the iatrochemistry (“healing chemistry”) of the 1600s from which our modern commercialized practice of medicine was born.» — la genealogía que traza de la espagiria paracelsiana a la iatroquímica del XVII y de ahí a la medicina comercial moderna

«A spagyric medicine is prepared by deliberately “opening up” the plant and separating it into all three of its primordial components of Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt. It is the work of the alchemist to separate and recombine these three basic principles as often as necessary until they are in perfect proportion and harmony with each other.» — el procedimiento espagírico: abrir la planta, separar sus tres principios y recombinarlos hasta la proporción justa

«In general, Sulfur or soul is the energetic essence of something, the individual qualities that differentiate one object from another.» — cómo define el Azufre en el reino vegetal: la esencia energética que individúa

«In plants, Sulfur resides in the essential oils, which are the most concentrated aspects of a plant's chemistry and properties, and the carrier of scent, which is the most etheric attribute of the plant kingdom. Essential oils, which burn slowly like a fuel, are the expressions of the Sulfur of plants.» — dónde lo localiza en la planta: en los aceites esenciales y en el olor

«In general, Mercury is the spirit, mind, light, or animating life force of something. Mercury is the spirit and vital force of light, the spark that animates a being with life. In plants, Mercury is found in the "spirit" or alcohol, its “volatile juice” derived by fermentation or added as part of the processes of extraction. In lab work, Mercury is the intermediary life force that brings the Sulfur and Salt together, acting from the middle to connect the other two levels and to keep balance overall.» — cómo define el Mercurio y dónde lo localiza: en el alcohol o *espíritu* de la planta, y como intermediario que une Azufre y Sal

«Salt is the form that locks the other two principles of Sulfur (soul) and Mercury (spirit) in manifestation, allowing the more subtle levels of being to exist and act in the physical world. In this sense, the Salt level is a purified container for higher levels of energy and gives it a physical form. In plants, the Salt level resides in the mineral components and hard structural tissues (stalks, roots, leaves) that are reduced by fire to ashes.» — cómo define la Sal: la forma que fija los otros dos principios, alojada en los minerales y tejidos duros que el fuego reduce a ceniza

«In order to accomplish this, the spagyric work, like the Great Work of alchemy, always takes place simultaneously on all three levels of reality (the physical, the mental, and the spiritual). To make a spagyric compound, it is not only necessary to perform the mundane laboratory operations but also be involved with the proper mental attitude, as well as appeal to spiritual powers operating Above.» — la exigencia que pone a todo trabajo espagírico: los tres planos a la vez, laboratorio, actitud mental y apelación a lo alto

«The motto of the alchemist in his laboratory is Ora et Labora (“Pray and Work”). Like the alchemical laboratory, the spagyric laboratory is considered a sacred space where the product is prepared in place that Paracelsus would call “in the stars.” Every effort is made to protect that space from profane or earthly influences.» — el lema que adjudica al alquimista y el carácter de espacio sagrado que da al laboratorio

«Paracelsus followed the teachings of the Emerald Tablet in all his work and in accordance with the Doctrine of Correspondences, he taught that the astral energies of each visible planet travel to earth from that planet and affect the things on earth in predictable ways. Each planet's archetypal energy affects some plants on earth more than others, depending on the inherent astrological and planetary signatures of the individual plant.» — la doctrina astral que adjudica a Paracelso: energías planetarias que llegan a la tierra y afectan a cada planta según su signatura

«This two-way current of interaction follows the principle of "as Above, so Below" and “as Below, so Above,” and is termed “sympathy.”» — cómo llama a esa corriente de doble sentido

«For instance, each planet rules an organ or organ system in the human body and by extension, its diseases. Similarly, each planets rules herbs and plants that support the organ or balance it with the corresponding planetary archetypes.» — la correspondencia planeta-órgano-enfermedad-hierba en que apoya la práctica

«All aspects of spagyric processing, including the harvesting of the plant, cutting and sifting, drying, wetting of the herb with alcohol, to the inclusion of its salts and other separately extracted materials, should take place during the times ruled by the proper planet, using charts which were originally devised by Paracelsus' teacher, Trithemius.» — la sujeción del trabajo a los tiempos planetarios, con tablas que el volumen adjudica a Tritemio como maestro de Paracelso

«The simplest planetary chart is the Mercury Level Chart, in which a single planet rules each day all day. A mercury-level preparation is directed towards disturbances and depletions of the life force, and to attune a spagyric to the Mercury Level, a highly refined alcohol is used for extraction, which is elevated before use in a called spiritualization. Spiritualization is a method of circulating the material worked on, making it volatile and then condensed in cycles, so that it opens up, becomes more subtle and can receive the universal life force, and then close again and hold that life force.» — la Tabla de Nivel Mercurio y la operación de *espiritualización* del alcohol que describe: volatilizar y condensar en ciclos para que reciba la fuerza vital

«To attune a spagyric medicine to the physical or Salt Level, a concentrated extract is made with all the mineral components extracted and included in the remedy. To accomplish this, all the plant matter that would have normally been discarded is burned to an ash. From that ash is extracted the clear or white Salt that contains important physical characteristics of the plant such as minerals and alkaloids.» — el procedimiento del Nivel Sal: calcinar lo desechado y extraer de la ceniza la sal blanca

«By separating, purifying, and recombining all of the physical and subtle aspects of the plant in a way that is a continuation of its natural growth process, a medicine is created which contains all of the plant's attributes in their natural proportions and relationships, but in a living form elevated far past what is possible in nature.» — el resultado que atribuye a la operación completa: la planta con sus proporciones naturales pero elevada más allá de lo que la naturaleza logra

«Once a spagyric medicine is prepared, there are three ways to use it. The first uses planetary sympathy to support a bodily system. Such “sympathetic” preparations focus on a specific problem by using that organ’s or ruling planet to alleviate symptoms. The second method uses planetary antipathy to oppose the progress of disease in the body. This traditional allopathic approach uses a substance that produces opposite symptoms. The third method is constitutional tonics, which are specially made medicines based on the astrological and psychological signatures of the individual. The tonic contains the correct mixtures to enhance the healing response from the person’s» — los tres usos que distingue: simpatía planetaria, antipatía alopática y tónicos constitucionales según la signatura del individuo. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *own body*

«ability to produce more alcohol than any other plant, and because of this, grapes are considered alchemically to be the plant with the highest life force. An old alchemical saying is that "all plants aspire to be grapes."» — por qué recomienda alcohol de uva: la vid tendría la fuerza vital más alta de todas las plantas, y de ahí el dicho alquímico que cita. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Grapes have the*

«To attune a spagyric preparation to the Sulfur Level, the essential oils are extracted separately using steam distillation and other alchemical methods.» — el procedimiento del Nivel Azufre: destilación por vapor de los aceites esenciales

«extracting the oils use solvents, harmful chemicals, or substances with improper signatures. This would contaminate the subtle attributes of the plant’s innermost being.» — la prohibición que pone al Nivel Azufre: nada de disolventes ni sustancias de signatura impropia, que contaminarían lo más íntimo de la planta. El tramo continúa la frase abierta en la plana anterior con *It is crucial that none of these methods of*

«The Sulfur Level Chart changes each hour, (beginning at sunrise) and each planet rules several periods in a single day.» — la Tabla de Nivel Azufre y su cadencia horaria

«preparation is directed toward deep-seated disturbances of the soul and the astral body» — a qué dirige esa preparación: perturbaciones profundas del alma y del cuerpo astral. El tramo arranca después de *sulfur-*, partido al final del renglón

«Infusions are a simple way of extracting the active principles of herbs through the action of hot water.» — cómo define la infusión dentro de la escala de preparados espagíricos

«Decoctions are a step beyond infusions in that the material is harder to extract and the plant parts must be boiled longer. After cooling down and separating the remaining solids from the liquid, decoctions can be taken hot or cold. Syrups are infusions or decoctions thickened or flavored with sugars.» — y las decocciones y jarabes, un grado más allá

«Tinctures and elixirs are preparations that capture the deepest essences of plants. Most of the volatile components of medicinal plants and herbs are soluble in alcohol. The preparation of a tincture begins by immersing dried or fresh parts of plants in a “menstruum,” which is what the alchemists called the dissolving alcohol used.» — qué llama tintura y qué es el *menstruum*: el alcohol disolvente de los alquimistas

«Elixirs are a more complete form of extract that includes the plant salts. Elixir literally means “from the ashes,” and making an elixir involves adding the purified ashes (or Salt) from the extracted material to the tincture to resurrect the “higher body” of the plant.» — la etimología que da de *elixir* y la operación que la sostiene: devolver a la tintura las cenizas purificadas para resucitar el cuerpo superior de la planta

«First, no tincture at any time during processing or administration should touch metal, especially aluminum. The archetypal powers of the metals quickly overcome the delicate energies of tinctures.» — la primera regla que pone a las tinturas: no tocar metal

«Aluminum is considered an “energy sponge,” and the manmade metal is held in very low esteem by alchemists.» — y el caso extremo del aluminio, al que llama esponja de energía

«Another point to remember is that the storage temperature of tinctures should never reach more than 105F (40 C), or the hidden “spark” that animates the tincture might be driven away or destroyed.» — el límite térmico que fija para conservarlas

«Sometimes, in a process known as “reanimating the Mercury,” life-force is projected into the tincture from the alchemist to try to restore the animating spark.» — la operación de reanimar el Mercurio: proyectar fuerza vital del alquimista a la tintura

«In the alchemical view, tinctures prepared according to the art of spagyrics are considerably stronger than any chemical extract, because the tincture is able to retain life-force.» — la ventaja que reclama para la tintura espagírica frente al extracto químico

«Always keep in mind that the phrase “haste makes waste” was originally a motto of the alchemists.» — el refrán que adjudica como lema a los alquimistas al abrir el Experimento 4

«Remember that the alchemist is an integral part of any alchemical experiment. His or her purity, attention, and concentration affect the quality of the product.» — la condición que repite en la práctica: la pureza y la atención del operador entran en el producto

«Never use methyl alcohol, methylated spirits, isopropyl alcohol, or any other kind of non-potable spirit to make tinctures, as these will produce poisonous compounds!» — la advertencia práctica sobre el disolvente, que es también de seguridad

«Ideally, naturally fermented grape wine is used for the menstruum, and even then, the alchemist distills the wine several times further to increase its potency. Absolute grape alcohol (200-proof or 100%) is the best menstruum.» — el menstruo que prefiere: vino de uva fermentado y redestilado, y en el mejor caso alcohol absoluto de uva

«Commercially prepared alcohol and even alcohol prepared by distilling lacks an essential ingredient that the alchemists called Celestial Fire, which has been driven off by the heat of distillation. The Celestial Fire is one of the four grades of fire with which the alchemist works and is carried by the element of Air.» — el defecto que atribuye al alcohol destilado: haber perdido el Fuego Celeste con el calor

«The acquisition of this spirit, which becomes a kind of living intelligence in the experiment, is achieved by pouring the alcohol into an open bowl or bottle and warming it very, very gently.» — cómo propone recuperarlo: abrir el alcohol al aire y calentarlo apenas

«The alchemist assists by meditating to bring the celestial spirit into the alcohol while opening its soul of the alcohol. In fact, since body heat is sufficient at this stage, all you need to do is cradle the open flask in your arms or lap during meditation.» — y la parte que pone el operador: meditación y calor del propio cuerpo

«Lemon Balm or “Melissa” was a favorite of Islamic alchemists and has been grown in the Mediterranean area for many centuries. Women there wore sprigs of Melissa around their necks to show they already had lovers and were faithful to them.» — la planta del experimento y el uso amoroso que le adjudica en el Mediterráneo

«The alchemist Avicenna recommended the sweet smelling herb for heart problems, and Melissa is used today as a tranquilizer (prescribed for psychiatric problems), treatment for cold and flu symptoms, and antiviral for cold sores.» — el uso médico que adjudica a Avicena y los actuales que enumera

«Begin the extraction in a convenient planetary hour of the ruling planet, which for Melissa would occur immediately after sunrise on Thursday and reoccurs that day in the 8th, 15th, and 22nd hour after sunrise.» — cómo fija la hora planetaria del trabajo para la melisa, regida —dice— por Júpiter

«At the selected hour, start with meditation or prayers that these mysteries may be revealed to you and that a sacred place may be created in your heart and laboratory.» — el arranque ritual que prescribe antes de tocar la materia

«This is the beginning of the maceration operation when the material is ground to a powder. The finer the powder, the more Sulfur will be extracted.» — la maceración y la regla práctica que le pone: cuanto más fino el polvo, más Azufre

«During this phase, focus on the idea that you are releasing the divine power in the herb as well as within yourself. It is important that you spend some time with the herb in close physical contact, as well as in contact with your personal energy field and the planetary counterparts in your psyche and body. If it is necessary to machine grind the herb to a powder (with a coffee grinder or other appliance), make sure your personal connection with the plant is already well established.» — la instrucción mental que acompaña la molienda, y la condición que pone si se usa molinillo eléctrico

«enfleurage. In steam distillation, the oil is extracted by the action of hot steam and then selectively condensed with the water from which it is separated. In the second method (expression), the oil is extracted by pressure or centrifugation. In the third method (solvent extraction), the oil is dissolved in a volatile solvent that when evaporated leaves a heavily natural wax substance from which the oil is separated. Enfleurage is a longer process involving the dissolution of the oils in animal fat and its separation using alcohol.» — los cuatro métodos de extracción de aceites esenciales que describe uno por uno; el tramo abre en la plana siguiente a la enumeración *steam distillation, expression, solvent extraction, and*

«The dormant soul of the distilled wine is now resurrected and quickened by the intervention of spirit. This is called “Animating the Mercury” and is the final crucial» — el nombre que da a ese paso, Animar el Mercurio, y por qué lo tiene por crucial. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *step in preparing the menstruum*

«In alchemical terms, the coloration (or tincturing) is the extraction of the Sulfur or soul essence from the Salt plant matter by the Mercury (spirit or alcohol) medium.» — cómo lee la coloración de la tintura en clave de los Tres Esenciales: el Mercurio extrae el Azufre de la Sal vegetal

«Remember, that this is your “Philosophical Child” and must be treated with love and respect. Let no one else handle the jar. Each time you handle it, treat it as a physical representation of your own inner soul.» — cómo llama al frasco en maceración y el trato que prescribe

«It is the attitude of the alchemist, even more than the operation itself, which makes the process divine. This attitude is literally transferred to the matter being acted upon, just as if it were a patient receiving magnetic or spiritual healing.» — la afirmación que repite en cada experimento: la actitud pesa más que la operación y se transfiere a la materia

«When the final product is then consumed, we are taking into ourselves a veritable consumable talisman.» — y qué resulta de eso al ingerirlo: un talismán consumible

«This liquid (the tincture) contains the Sulfur or soul of Melissa (its essential oils and vegetable fats) along with its Mercury or spirit (alcohol and some small amount of water).» — qué contiene la tintura terminada según su análisis: el Azufre y el Mercurio de la melisa

«The remains of the plant material you save from making the tincture is an essence-depleted mass, which is known as the feces and phlegm or the Caput Mortum (literally, the “dead head”).» — el nombre que da al residuo vegetal: *Caput Mortum*, cabeza muerta

«The alchemists discovered that if you heat the ashes for prolonged periods (over a week) at high temperatures (above 1100F or 600 C); the ashes turn snow white and finally transform into a deep red color.» — lo que adjudica al calcinado prolongado: cenizas blanquísimas que virarían al rojo profundo

«The next step is to mix the tincture extract and the Salt. This act should be performed be during the correct planetary hour on the planetary day ruling the herb, which for Melissa is on Thursday at the times already noted in the previous experiment.» — la conjunción del elixir y la sujeción de esa mezcla a la hora planetaria de la hierba

«If the tincture is still living, there should be a slight fizzing sound.» — la señal por la que dice que se reconoce una tintura viva

«It is extremely important to understand the sacredness of the elixir operation. This is nothing less than the regeneration of the plant in a new incarnation, the resurrection of the dead salts through the sacrifice of life force by the tincture.» — cómo entiende la operación del elixir: resurrección de las sales muertas por sacrificio de la fuerza vital de la tintura

«Some alchemists combine this aspect of spagyrics with kabalistic or astrological invocations, similar to what is done magically for talismans, to intensify the rejuvenating effects even further.» — la práctica ajena que consigna sin suscribirla: invocaciones cabalísticas o astrológicas añadidas al elixir. La grafía *kabalistic* va como la imprime el troceo

«The elixir is the basis of stories of alchemists living for hundreds of years.» — el origen que adjudica a los relatos de alquimistas longevos

«According to Hermes Trismegistus, whom the Greeks viewed as the author of the Emerald Tablet, the planetary forces are present in everything around us, including our individual personalities.» — de quién hace depender la Escala de los Planetas: de Hermes Trismegisto, a quien los griegos habrían tenido por autor de la Tabla

«That is to say, we reach enlightenment by conquering – understanding and controlling – the archetypal energies represented by each planet as it is expressed in the heavens, and correspondingly, within our own bodies and personalities. Before we can return to our true home in the stars, we have to severe the chains of the planetary forces.» — en qué consiste ascender esa escala: entender y dominar la energía arquetípica de cada planeta, y romper sus cadenas

«The archetypes of the seven planets were thought to grow in the earth as the seven metals, which are transformed through the four grades of Fire. This is depicted in Figure 11 shown above left. It is from German alchemist Basil Valentine's Occulta Philosophia, published in 1603.» — los siete metales como crecimiento de los siete arquetipos planetarios en la tierra, con el grabado que atribuye a la *Occulta Philosophia* de Basil Valentine

«The highest and purest signatures of these forces can be found in the planets themselves, in their physical structure, and in the myths and feelings mankind has intuited about them.» — dónde busca las signaturas más puras de esas fuerzas: en los planetas mismos, en su estructura física y en los mitos

«Saturn is the first step on the Ladder of the Planets. It is farthest from the sun of all the visible planets (888 million miles) and represents the galactic starting point on our journey in from the stars.» — por qué empieza por Saturno: es el más lejano de los planetas visibles y el punto de partida galáctico del viaje

«Had Saturn been able to attract more mass to its core, it would have transformed into a star and our galaxy would have had two suns. But now ancient Saturn sleeps, having lost its bid to become a star.» — la imagen astronómica con que introduce el sentido alquímico de Saturno: el planeta que no llegó a ser estrella

«According to alchemical philosophy, it is up to mankind to return to Saturn to redeem the planet and complete its transformation into light. But this time the “star” into which Saturn will transform will be completely new “matter,” on a higher level of reality than has yet been achieved in our galaxy. In other words, the dark matter of Saturn will be perfected or “spiritized” and reborn. The evolution of consciousness in the human species is the seed of light that will transform our whole galaxy. When that seed arrives at Saturn, the Great Work will be completed.» — la tarea cósmica que adjudica a la filosofía alquímica: redimir a Saturno y completar su transformación en luz, con la consciencia humana como semilla

«Saturn stands for the cosmic law that limits or defines manifestation. It is the limit of the parameters of existence and the foundation of all.» — qué principio le adjudica: la ley cósmica que limita y define lo manifestado

«Saturn marks boundary on the Ladder of the Planets between the personal and the transpersonal.» — el límite que marca en la escala entre lo personal y lo transpersonal

«For that reason, Saturn acquired a dual reputation as both a protector of the status quo and the initiator of profound transformation. Saturn was considered the place where created matter first manifested and represented its most primitive or primordial state.» — la doble reputación que le adjudica: guardián del statu quo e iniciador de la transformación profunda

«In myth, Saturn (as Chronos) was imprisoned by his father in a deep cave while still a child. Chronos conspired with his mother to overthrow his father and ended up castrating him with a sickle. Chronos then became king of the Titans and ruled just as ruthlessly as his father. When he heard a prophecy that his own children would dethrone him, he ate them at birth.» — el mito de Crono que recoge para explicar la signatura de Saturno

«The black crow is the messenger bird of Chronos and also symbolizes the beginning stage of alchemical transformation, which is the Black Phase (the Nigredo). This is a period of state of “darkness over light” and “matter over mind.”» — el cuervo negro como ave de Crono y como primera fase de la obra, la Nigredo

«The cipher for Saturn (and lead) can be interpreted as a downward-pointing sickle with a horizontal line through the handle (L) that represents the earthly plane of manifestation. The lunar crescent blade is completely beneath the cross of earth, which symbolizes the soul suffocated beneath the earth, trapped in the darkness of the body.» — cómo lee el signo de Saturno y del plomo: la hoz lunar bajo la cruz de la tierra, el alma sofocada en el cuerpo

«the form of a stone, which he later vomited out to become Jupiter (see Figure 13). Thus Jupiter (or Zeus) escaped being eaten by his father and eventually overthrew Chronos and all the chthonic (“heavy or dark”) powers, whom he banished to the darkness of the underworld.» — la piedra vomitada que se vuelve Júpiter, con la que Hauck enlaza el paso al planeta siguiente. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *But his wife fed him the child in*

«The positive qualities evoked by Saturn are patience, diplomacy, practicality, seriousness, the work ethic, endurance, self-discipline, and an understanding of cause and effect.» — las cualidades positivas que adjudica a Saturno, frente a la lectura solo restrictiva del planeta

«But Saturn is perhaps the only planetary archetype that can control the forces of darkness, give form and function to the otherwise amorphous, chaotic, and ambiguous influences of the universe. Saturn establishes order and sequence.» — la función que le reconoce: dar forma a lo amorfo y poner orden y secuencia

«It is not so much a cold, cruel, restrictive force as it is a chance to embody and make something real that only exists in the uncreated state, hidden in the darkness.» — la corrección que hace a la fama de Saturno: no tanto fuerza cruel como ocasión de hacer real lo que solo existe sin crear

«For that reason, Saturn was the most important planet to the alchemists, and they thought of it as the beginning and end of the Great Work. Within the darkness of Saturnine energies are all possibilities for change and healing.» — por qué lo declara el planeta más importante para los alquimistas: principio y fin de la Gran Obra

«An early cipher for Saturn was “Rx,” which alchemists wrote on a slip of paper and prescribed as a cure. Their patients actually ate the piece of paper with the sigil of Saturn, which the alchemists had “animated” with magical intent.» — la etimología que propone para la *Rx* de las recetas médicas, con el papel comido por el paciente

«Still, Jupiter is considered the great “benefactor” of the solar system and thus represents the principle of divine grace.» — el principio que adjudica a Júpiter: la gracia divina

«Jupiter’s light and expansive presence in the solar system balances the heavy and contractive influence of Saturn. Esoterically, the Giant Red Spot that floats around on the surface of the planet represents the necessary attitude of revolt, the essential Martian anger that enabled the son of Saturn to overthrow his father and become the ruler of Mount Olympus.» — cómo equilibra Júpiter a Saturno, y la lectura que hace de la Gran Mancha Roja como cólera marcial necesaria para la revuelta contra el padre

«Jupiter thus represents the light and energy without which the soul would remain imprisoned within the Saturnic darkness of matter. Hermetically, tin is linked with the planet Jupiter.» — qué le adjudica en la obra: la luz sin la cual el alma seguiría presa en la oscuridad saturnina, y el estaño como su metal

«Jupiter was the great god of rolling thunder and no metal reproduces his hallmark better than a shaken sheet of his metal tin (as a sheet of tinfoil), which playhouses still use to simulate thunderstorms.» — la signatura acústica que enlaza a Júpiter con el estaño: la hoja de estaño que aún imita el trueno en el teatro

«In Rome, he was commonly known as Jupiter Pluvius, the “Heavenly Father Who Rains.” His function was to fertilize the soil with his seminal moisture.» — el epíteto romano que recoge y la función fertilizante que le adjudica

«In India, Jupiter takes the form of Indra, the god of fire and lightning, who in Scandinavian tradition is represented by the god Thor.» — las equivalencias que propone para Júpiter en otras tradiciones

«In direct opposition to Saturn, it produces a state of mind over matter. This is a world of creativity, music, divination, good luck, wealth, sexuality, and moving out of the darkness of the Black Stage of Nigredo.» — la oposición que fija entre Júpiter y Saturno, y la salida de la fase negra que le adjudica

«Astrologically, Jupiter is primarily linked with Sagittarius, the centaur with his bow and arrow. The centaur is a half-man, half-horse and symbolizes the person who has grown above his instinctive state and who has gathered social values and wisdom.» — la lectura del centauro sagitario como quien ha crecido por encima del estado instintivo

«The third stop on the Ladder of the Planets is Mars. Mars is considered the brother of earth, and the two planets share many characteristics. They have the same axial tilt (24 degrees) and the same axial rotation,» — cómo introduce a Marte: hermano de la tierra, con el mismo eje y la misma rotación. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana

«Originally, the glyph for Mars was a circle with a cross on top, symbolizing matter over spirit, but over the years that small cross became an arrow that represents the aggressive, thrusting nature of its planetary energy.» — cómo explica el cambio del signo de Marte: de la cruz sobre el círculo a la flecha

«March (the month of Mars) is the period when the Sun enters the sign of Aries (from Ares, the Greek word for Mars). This is the time of year when day and night are equal, the point where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic during the spring equinox. It is here that we begin a new solar cycle of the Zodiac, and Aries (with his ruler, Mars) is the sign that provides us with the energy to do this.» — el enlace de Marte con el equinoccio de primavera y el comienzo del ciclo zodiacal

«In alchemy, this is the period when the Great Work begins and the fire and energy we generate during this period is what propels us through the next twelve solar months of transformation.» — y lo que eso significa en la obra: el momento en que empieza el trabajo y se genera el fuego que impulsa el año

«Mars, as the powerful God of War and exoteric ruler of Aries, is considered by many esotericists to be the cosmic troublemaker. In fact, the other Roman gods did not like Mars, and in Greece, he was not much cared for either. In their myths, Venus was always coming to Mar’s rescue.» — el lugar incómodo que da a Marte: el alborotador cósmico, mal querido por los otros dioses. La grafía *Mar’s* va como la imprime el troceo

«Esoterically, the red planet governs the animal soul, passions, and the survival instinct. Martian qualities reinforce the ego and individuality, strengthen will, and help surpass previous limitations.» — qué gobierna Marte según él: el alma animal y el instinto de supervivencia, y qué refuerza: el yo y la voluntad

«In older astrological systems, Mars was considered a "malefic" indicator, bringing ill health and problems. It was thought that our circumstances were the result of planetary influences outside of ourselves and during the warlike transits of Mars we could expect to suffer. Only recently have astrologers begun to see in Mars a redeeming value.» — el cambio de valoración que consigna en la astrología: de maléfico a planeta con valor redentor

«Through Mars (as action and energy), we create our karma and through Saturn (limits and lessons), we fulfill it or make it manifest.» — el reparto que propone entre Marte y Saturno: uno crea el karma, el otro lo cumple

«Although its true face is never seen, Venus is the brightest planet in the sky and appears as both the “evening star” and the “morning star.” Esoterically, the veiled planet represents refinement of the senses, the arts, mystical love, desire and earthly relationships.» — qué representa Venus para él, empezando por la paradoja de un planeta velado que es el más brillante

«Venus is associated with two astrological signs. Taurus represents the sensual part of Venus, while Libra is focused on relating and connecting with persons and subjects. In earthy Taurus, the attracting and beautifying power of Venus is displayed more in possessions and money, while in Libra the trend is toward more toward art and harmony in all things.» — el reparto de Venus entre Tauro y Libra

«While Venus is the undisputed exoteric ruler of Taurus, Vulcan, the alchemist’s creative God of the forge, is the esoteric ruler. The enlightened Taurus, with Vulcan, sees through the veil of matter into the energetic principle that underlies, interpenetrates and sustains all manifestation.» — el regente esotérico que adjudica a Tauro: Vulcano, el dios herrero al que llama dios alquímico

«Roman temples to Venus were actually schools of instruction in sexual techniques taught by harlot-priestesses known as venerii. Their techniques were meant to teach spiritual grace (called venia) through exercises similar to Eastern Tantrism.» — lo que sostiene sobre los templos romanos de Venus y las *venerii*; la afirmación va como la imprime el volumen, sin fuente citada

«The romantic city of Venice was named for the goddess, and our word “veneration” literally means to pay homage to Venus.» — las etimologías que propone para Venecia y para *veneración*

«In her Nature Goddess aspect, Venus is associated with animals of the forest and was once known as the “Lady of the Animals.” Adonis, the Horned God who appears as both hunter and the sacrificial stag he hunts, fell in love with Venus when he saw her bathing nude in a stream in the forest. Our word “venison” actually means “son or follower of Venus.”» — el aspecto de Señora de los Animales que adjudica a Venus, con Adonis como dios cornudo y la etimología que propone para *venison*

«The religion of Venus, just as in the Hermetic tradition of alchemy, promised a “sacred marriage” (the Conjunction) through which the initiate could escape the cycle of rebirth and be reborn on a whole new level of reality.» — el paralelo que traza entre la religión de Venus y la alquimia hermética: las dos prometerían un matrimonio sagrado que libera del ciclo de renacimientos

«In his alchemical masterpiece, Metamorphoses, Ovid described how he wished to die in this way: “Let me go in the act of coming to Venus; in more senses than one, let my last dying be done!”» — la cita que atribuye a Ovidio; el volumen la adjudica a las *Metamorfosis* y llama a la obra pieza maestra alquímica, sin dar libro ni verso

«Sexual imagery in alchemy almost always refers these deeply transformative Venus’ energies, to the Venus metal copper and the mysteries of Conjunction.» — la clave de lectura que da para la imaginería sexual de la alquimia: remite a Venus, al cobre y a la Conjunción

«Known to the Greeks as Hermes and the Romans as Mercury, the namesake of the metal Mercury was considered to be the messenger of the gods and also the patron god of alchemy.» — el lugar que da a Mercurio: mensajero de los dioses y patrón de la alquimia

«As Hermes, one of his duties was to conduct souls of the dead to the underworld, and perhaps this is why Hermes was also believed to have magical powers over sleep, dreaming, and altered states of consciousness.» — la función psicopompa de Hermes y el poder sobre el sueño y los estados alterados que Hauck le enlaza

«Mercury the god is in fact considered neutral or androgynous. This is because Mercury, which is responsible for the mind and the nervous system, reflects and registers everything in its environment and does so in a non-personal or non-polarized manner.» — por qué llama andrógino a Mercurio: registra el entorno sin polarizarlo

«The concept, "Messenger of the Gods" has deep meaning, for without the interaction or connection between the personality and the soul, there would be no intelligent life force present to interact with. It is the archetype of Mercury that creates this link.» — el sentido que da a *mensajero de los dioses*: sin ese vínculo entre personalidad y alma no habría fuerza vital inteligente con la que tratar

«According to medical astrology, Mercury rules the blood circulation, the breath, transfer of nervous signals, thinking processes, lungs, arms and hands, the senses as organs of communication.» — lo que la astrología médica adjudica a Mercurio según él

«Mercury has a higher octave and it is the planet Uranus. Uranus embodies the force we call the intuition. In order to gain access to the intuition that can reveal insights and knowledge beyond the linear progressions of facts or data we must first develop a strong vehicle to contain it.» — la octava superior que le adjudica —Urano y la intuición— con la condición que le pone: hace falta antes una mente equilibrada que la reciba

«While most moons are tens of thousands of times less massive than their planets and are made of the same minerals, our Moon is only 80 times less massive than the earth and composed of entirely different minerals. For these reasons, most astronomers consider our Moon another planet and view earth-moon as a double planetary» — el argumento astronómico con que respalda que la Luna sea un planeta. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *system*

«Oddly, the alchemists were exactly right in believing the Moon was another planet.» — el acierto que reclama para los alquimistas en ese punto

«Meno is a Greek word meaning “moonpower” and is connected to our words “menstruation” and “menopause.”» — la etimología que propone para las palabras del ciclo femenino

«In many areas of the world, including India, planting and agriculture are still governed by the 13-month lunar calendar, because it is believed this cycle most closely matches the cycle of growth and decay on our planet.» — el calendario lunar de trece meses que dice vigente en la agricultura de varias regiones

«Egyptian priests called the Moon the “Mother of the Universe,” and Luna became the Queen of alchemy.» — los dos nombres que recoge para la Luna: Madre del Universo entre los sacerdotes egipcios y Reina de la alquimia

«In Tantric alchemy and Kundalini yoga, the Silver Chakra is the Forehead, which in terms of anatomy is often interpreted as the pituitary gland (the bi-lobed master gland in the forebrain).» — la correspondencia que traza entre el chakra de plata y la hipófisis

«The alchemist saw the Sun as the King and consort to the Queen Moon, and in another of amazing alchemical synchronicity, the Sun and Moon appear to be exactly the same size in the sky. Since the Moon is physically 400 times smaller than the Sun but also 400 times closer than the Sun, they seem to be the same size from an observer on earth. When a total solar eclipse (or complete alchemical conjunction) occurs, the lunar disc exactly and completely covers that of the Sun.» — la sincronía que llama asombrosa: Sol y Luna del mismo tamaño aparente, y el eclipse total como conjunción alquímica perfecta

«In Tantric alchemy and Kundalini yoga, the Gold Chakra is the Crown, which in physical terms is often interpreted as the pineal gland (a pine-cone-shaped phallic appendage at the center of the brain).» — y la del chakra de oro con la glándula pineal

«It is the Gate of Brahman, the escape hatch to the supraluminal realm where the individual emerges completely from the confines of time and space. Duality disappears, and the alchemist is finally one with the universe in which the divine is experienced directly as a state of being. One achieves a true understanding of all things on all levels.» — el término del ascenso según él: la Puerta de Brahmán, con la desaparición de la dualidad y la experiencia directa de lo divino

«The Sun and its metal represent the Christ or Osiris consciousness in man, as well as Hercules in his aspect of monumental strength.» — las figuras con que identifica la consciencia solar

«“Each celestial body,” noted Pythagoras in 550 BC, “produces a particular sound on account of its movement, rhythm, or vibration. All the sounds and vibrations together form a universal harmony in which each part, while having its own function and character, contributes to the whole.”» — la formulación de la música de las esferas que cita de Pitágoras

«In what esotericists call the Law of the Octave, energetic archetypal vibrations follow the same pattern as the musical octave.» — la Ley de la Octava con que ordena la escala planetaria

«The octave is a seven-stepped process that raises the vibration of the first note on the scale to a new incarnation at a higher vibration. In Western music, there are seven notes (DO, RE, ME, FA, SO, LA, SI) that increase in tone to an eight note (“DO”), which is a return to the first note on a still higher scale. Thus, the entire octave runs from “DO to DO” or from the beginning to the end, which is the beginning taken to a higher level.» — cómo describe la octava: siete pasos que devuelven la primera nota en un nivel más alto

«The Law of Octaves is universal, and it is recognized in many philosophical systems including the I Ching, the Fourth Way, and chess as a mini-world view of gamesmanship. In chemistry, the Law of the Octave is expressed in the Periodic Table, where every eighth element repeats the characteristics of the first.» — los sistemas en que dice reconocer esa ley, entre ellos el I Ching, el Cuarto Camino y la tabla periódica

«The Ladder of the Planets is another example of the Law of Octaves. The overall pattern of harmony in the universe is a seven-stepped formula for transformation embedded in our solar system.» — la aplicación que hace a la escala planetaria: una fórmula de transformación en siete pasos incrustada en el sistema solar

«The eighth note is the beginning of a whole new octave of creation that represents our leaving behind the grosser materiality of the planets and experiencing the more subtle matter of the spiritual universe.» — qué sitúa en la octava nota: el paso de la materialidad planetaria a la materia sutil del universo espiritual

«That is why the alchemists considered Saturn and our return to Saturn as the most important part of the Great Work of alchemy.» — por qué Saturno es a la vez principio y fin de la escala: es la nota que abre y cierra la octava

«They created hundreds of arcane treatises and complicated diagrams on the subject. Yet, surprisingly, none of these mystical tomes caught the essence of the ancient teachings more clearly than a single motion picture directed by a modern alchemical genius by the name of Stanley Kubrick.» — la afirmación con que abre su lectura de *2001*: ningún tratado antiguo habría dado con la enseñanza tan claramente como la película de Kubrick

«Few people could explain what was happening in the film because the true plot and meaning are based on the esoteric principles of alchemy. 2001: A Space Odyssey is an ingenious journey of transformation on the Ladder of the Planets of the alchemists.» — su tesis sobre la película: la trama y el sentido se apoyarían en principios alquímicos y la cinta sería un ascenso por la Escala de los Planetas

«Kubrick studied alchemy and was even rumored to have lived in a former alchemist’s castle in England, and it now appears that he intended his film to be a Sorcerer’s Stone of transformation for the general populace.» — lo que adjudica al propio Kubrick, distinguiendo el estudio de la alquimia del rumor sobre el castillo, y la intención que le atribuye

«Filmmaker and author Jay Weidner was the first person to recognize the deeper mystery in the film. In a review published in January 2001, she wrote:» — a quién adjudica la primera lectura alquímica de la película. El troceo imprime *she* al referirse a Jay Weidner (sic)

«“In a secret that seems to never have been seen by anyone, the Monolith in the film has the same exact dimensions as the Cinerama movie screen on which it was first projected in 1968. This is only apparent if one sees the film in its wide-screen theatrical format.» — la observación de Weidner sobre las proporciones del Monolito y la pantalla Cinerama; la formulación es de Weidner

«Completely hidden – from critic and fan alike – is the fact that Kubrick consciously designed his film to be the Monolith. Like the mysterious Monolith, the film projects images into our heads that make us consider wider possibilities and ideas. Like the Monolith, the film ultimately presents an initiation, not just of the actor on the screen, but also of the audience viewing the film. The transformative Monolith (literally, the “One Stone”) is the Philosopher’s Stone of the alchemists, and Kubrick is revealing that he understands the Great Work.» — y la conclusión que Weidner saca: la película misma sería el Monolito, es decir, la Piedra Filosofal

«Using powdered silver nitrates, glued onto a strip of plastic that is then projected onto the movie screens of our mind, Stanley Kubrick has proven himself to be the ultimate alchemist-artist of the late twentieth century.”» — el cierre de la cita de Weidner, con Kubrick como alquimista-artista

«Suddenly, to the stirring music of “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” by Johann Strauss, scenes appear of a lunar eclipse taken from outer space just beyond the moon.» — cómo lee la apertura de la película. El troceo adjudica *Así habló Zaratustra* a Johann Strauss (sic); la pieza es de Richard Strauss

«The sun and moon are in conjunction, a merging of planetary energies the alchemists saw as a celestial marriage.» — qué ve en esa alineación: la conjunción de Sol y Luna como matrimonio celeste

«There will be three chapters in the film that correspond to the three stages of alchemical transformation. This first chapter is the Black Stage (Nigredo), during which the inferior aspects of the subject at hand are destroyed or sacrificed.» — la correspondencia que traza entre las tres partes de la película y las tres fases de la obra

«The next morning, the ape men awake to find a rectangular black Monolith standing upright in the middle of their camp. It is a flawlessly crafted object the likes of which they have never seen. One of the ape men hunches closer to the Monolith and timidly brushes his fingers along the perfectly smooth surface of the Monolith. Something numinous has occurred, and this is a profound moment in human history.» — la escena que lee como umbral: el contacto del homínido con el Monolito

«We are witnessing the dawn of consciousness in our species.» — lo que dice que se ve en esa alineación de homínido, Monolito, Sol y Luna

«In this one audacious moment, Kubrick tells us that all of history is meaningless. He dismisses all of civilization as if it were insignificant in relation to a greater process going on in the universe.» — cómo lee el corte del hueso a la nave: para él, Kubrick declara insignificante toda la historia frente a un proceso mayor

«Except for our tools becoming larger and more sophisticated, not much has really changed in the human soul in three million years. We are still in the Black Stage of alchemical transformation.» — la consecuencia que saca: la humanidad seguiría en la fase negra

«We have assimilated the solar masculine spirit on the planet and it has led to great technological advances, but our lunar feminine soul has been pushed away in the process. The key to transformation, as any alchemist knows, is the union of solar and lunar forces, the sacred marriage of the sun and moon. Instead, there exists an estrangement between them, and correspondingly, between our own spirits and souls.» — el desequilibrio que diagnostica en la película y en el presente: espíritu solar asimilado y alma lunar apartada

«Instead, we are immersed in a soulless, technocratic world of human design, full of plastic food, contoured furniture, and devices for remote communication. Even the characters appear wooden, emotionless, shallow and arrogant.» — cómo describe el mundo humano de la segunda parte de la película

«According to alchemy, the end result of the Black Stage is that the “soul departs from the body.”» — la fórmula alquímica con que sella esa lectura

«This astonishing and liberating discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence is something the military-industrial complex decides must be kept secret from the people. The status quo must be preserved at all costs.» — cómo lee el secreto sobre el hallazgo lunar dentro de la película

«It might as well be a scene from a secret meeting of Egyptian priests, or the medieval Church, or any fundamentalist group that seeks control over people rather than encouraging them to experience truth directly.» — y con qué la compara: cualquier grupo que prefiera el control a la experiencia directa de la verdad

«This is the second phase of alchemical transformation, known as the White Stage (the Albedo), in which the true essences of the substance at hand are revealed.» — la fase que hace corresponder con la segunda parte de la película: la Albedo o fase blanca

«The only presence that seems to have a soul and any awareness is HAL, the ship’s computer, whose initials stand for “Heuristic Algorithmic Learning” system.» — la paradoja que subraya: el único con alma aparente en la nave es la computadora

«This is Kubrick’s way of warning us that we are putting too much trust in machines, and if you go up in the alphabet to the next letters in HAL, it spells IBM.» — la advertencia que adjudica a Kubrick y el juego de letras que refiere

«From the alchemical viewpoint, all our machines are “bicycles built for two,” for anything we create carries our life force and the more creative energy we put into it, the more alive it becomes.» — la lectura alquímica que hace de las máquinas: llevarían la fuerza vital de quien las hace

«The alchemists believed that any inanimate object could develop a mind of its own if enough creative energy were projected into it. By the same token, every created thing carries the signature of its creator, and if its creator can be a murderer, so can the animated thing.» — y la consecuencia con que cierra: si el creador puede ser un asesino, la cosa animada también

«It should be noted that in the original script and Arthur C. Clarke’s novelization of the movie, the destination planet is Saturn not Jupiter, but the special effects department was unable to come up with a convincing model of Saturn and its complicated rings. After much anguish, Kubrick reluctantly agreed to substitute Jupiter in the film only.» — el dato de producción con que sostiene su lectura: el destino era Saturno en el guion y en la novelización de Arthur C. Clarke, y el cambio a Júpiter fue por límites de efectos especiales

«We have worked our way up the ladder to awareness and reason, now we return to the beginning to manifest a higher consciousness in a new body of higher material vibration, what Paracelsus called the Star or Astral Body, the body of light.» — adónde lleva ese regreso a Saturno según él: a manifestar una consciencia superior en el Cuerpo Astral que adjudica a Paracelso

«Chapter three of the film, “Beyond the Infinite,” begins with ominous, almost psychedelic music. This is the third phase of transformation, the Purple-Red Stage (the Rubedo), in which the substance at hand is perfected.» — la tercera fase que hace corresponder con la última parte de la película: la Rubedo

«Astronaut Bowman is now the mythic Odysseus, who locates the Golden Fleece that is the Stone, the mysterious Monolith.» — cómo lee al astronauta: un Odiseo que halla el Vellocino, es decir, la Piedra

«Alchemically, Bowman is the “man with the bow” represented by the constellation Sagittarius.» — el juego de nombre con que lo enlaza a Sagitario

«One of the great alchemical secrets is the existence of a Black Sun at the center of the Milky Way galaxy that feeds spiritual energy to ours and other solar systems.» — el Sol Negro del centro de la galaxia que adjudica a los secretos alquímicos

«Scientists have recently discovered that the source of all the stars in the Milky Way is an enormous reservoir of energy, possibly an infinite Black Hole, at the center of the galaxy.» — el paralelo astronómico que le pone, enunciado como posibilidad

«In other words, the light is coming from Below, from Bowman himself. We are in Bowman’s mind, which has “cracked” open.» — cómo lee la iluminación de la habitación final: la luz viene de abajo, del propio personaje

«This is Hermetic Reality, where his thoughts have wings and instantly change his future reality without regard to bodily movement.» — qué llama Realidad Hermética: el pensamiento cambiando la realidad sin mediación del cuerpo

«It is a sign that his illusions are starting to shatter, and he is coming to the realization that he is trapped in a jail designed by his own consciousness. It is a prison that awaits us all.» — cómo lee la copa rota: la cárcel que la propia consciencia construye

«Finally, he sees himself lying helpless in a bed, and he becomes that. Extremely old and hairless, he is tightly wrapped in a golden blanket and looks like a big chrysalis or larva.» — la imagen de la crisálida con que describe el final del personaje

«That last few seconds of true understanding is all it takes to trigger Bowman’s quantum leap in consciousness. His decrepit body turns into pure light, until he is enveloped in a circular vessel of glorious white light» — el salto cuántico de consciencia que le atribuye, disparado por unos segundos de comprensión

«Momentarily, an embryo of light with a living human fetus within it appears. This is the Starchild, the alchemical rebirth of Bowman’s soul on the journey through the planets and the coagulation of the Philosopher’s Stone.» — cómo lee al Niño de las Estrellas: renacimiento del alma y coagulación de la Piedra

«The Starchild is the Philosopher’s Child that has been created through the purification of the archetypal forces within us, or as the alchemists would put it, through the “fusion of the planets.”» — y la fórmula alquímica con que lo nombra

«As the alchemists would say: “It takes a seed of gold to make gold.”» — el dicho con que cierra la lectura de la película

«They believed that the metals had the same “virtue” as the corresponding planet, that a single spirit infuses both the planet and the metal. In other words, the planet was a celestial manifestation and the metal a terrestrial manifestation of the same universal force.» — la relación planeta-metal que adjudica a los alquimistas: un solo espíritu en dos manifestaciones

«Therefore, the metals are the purest expression of the planetary energies in the mineral kingdom, which is the basis for material reality on earth. The next stage of evolution on our planet is the plant kingdom, and the alchemists assigned a metal and its corresponding planet to describe the characteristics of every known herb, flower, and plant.» — cómo extiende esa doctrina al reino vegetal

«In human beings, the alchemists referred to the sum total of the cosmic signatures of the metals as a person’s “temperament.” Originally, that word referred to the metallurgical process of “tempering” or mixing different metals to produce certain characteristics in an alloy.» — la etimología metalúrgica que propone para *temperamento*

«Lead was said to carry all the energy of its own transformation, and it was that hidden energy that the alchemists sought to free. To the alchemists, the ancient metal was a powerful “sleeping giant” with a dark and secret nature that encompassed both the beginning and end of the Great Work.» — el respeto que adjudica al plomo pese a ser el más bajo de los metales: gigante dormido con la energía de su propia transformación

«Alchemists depicted lead in their drawings as the god Saturn (a crippled old man with a sickle), Father Time, or a skeleton representing death itself. Any of these symbols in their manuscripts meant the alchemist was working with the metal lead in the laboratory or a leaden attitude in his accompanying meditation.» — cómo leer las figuras de Saturno en los manuscritos: señalan plomo en el laboratorio o actitud plúmbea en la meditación

«So radioactive decay is really a Saturnic process that introduces a new characteristic in the metals – that of time. All the hyper-energetic metals beyond lead are trapped in time to inexorably return to lead.» — la lectura saturnina que hace de la desintegración radiactiva: introduce el tiempo en los metales

«Geologists measure the age of radioactive rocks by how much lead they contain, and the age of the earth is estimated by taking lead isotope measurements. In many ways, lead carries the signature of Father Time.» — el argumento con que enlaza el plomo al Padre Tiempo: la datación por isótopos de plomo

«In fact, the chemical symbol for lead (Pb) is from the Latin word plumbum, which means “liquid silver.”» — la etimología que da para *plumbum*. La glosa *liquid silver* es la que imprime el volumen

«In the smelting of silver, lead plays an important role by forming a layer over the emerging molten silver and protecting it from combining with the air and splattering out. The volatile molten lead covering is gradually burnt away, until only the pure silver metal “peeks out” (in the smelter’s terminology) in a stabilized form. Thus, lead protects and even sacrifices itself for the nobler metals.» — la copelación leída en clave moral: el plomo que se sacrifica por los metales nobles

«The Hermetic interpretation is that the symbol is basically the cross of the elements that depicts the division between the Above and Below or spirit and matter. The lunar crescent of the soul is below the cross, representing the manifestation (or entrapment) of soul below in matter.» — cómo lee el signo de Saturno y del plomo: la creciente lunar del alma bajo la cruz de los elementos

«Despite these associations with the noble metals, lead itself never makes it to such heights among the metals. The silvery luster of fresh cut lead quickly fades, as if it were “dying” before your eyes.» — el límite que pone al plomo: su brillo se apaga en cuanto se corta

«Furthermore, alchemists considered lead to be “hydrophobic” or against the life nourishing archetype of water. Lead ores lack the slightest water content and tend to form machine-like structures.» — el carácter hidrófobo que le adjudica y las estructuras maquinales que le atribuye

«(respectively Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Sun) corresponds to a note on the musical Octave. On earth, this same pattern is expressed respectively in each of the seven archetypal metals (lead, tin, iron, copper, mercury, silver, gold).» — la doble serie con que ordena los capítulos siguientes: siete planetas, siete notas y siete metales. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *As we have seen, each position on the Ladder of the Planets*

«The most common ore of lead is galena, which also contains the noble metals silver and gold. Galena is lead sulfide, a favorite of rock collectors because of its distinctive cubic shapes, characteristic cleavage, and high density.» — el mineral con que abre la descripción del plomo, y los metales nobles que lo acompañan

«Lead is truly a destroyer of light. It is added to high-quality glassware (lead crystal) to absorb light reflections and make the glass clearer. Lead salts in glass are not changed by light but change light itself by absorbing it. Incoming light in lead crystal meets with high resistance, but once it is within the glass, light is immediately absorbed or dispersed without any reflected light escaping.» — la signatura que le adjudica: destructor de la luz, que la absorbe en vez de reflejarla

«Sheets of lead are also impermeable to all forms of light, even high energy X» — la impermeabilidad del plomo a toda forma de luz; el tramo se corta en el guion de fin de renglón de *X-rays*

«and gamma rays, which makes lead the perfect shield against any form of radiation and is why it is used to transport and store radioactive materials.» — y la aplicación que enlaza con esa signatura: la pantalla contra toda radiación

«Indeed, one of the signatures of lead is its ability to “dampen” or absorb energy. Unlike other metals, when lead is struck, the vibrations are immediately absorbed and any tone is smothered in dullness.» — la segunda signatura: la capacidad de amortiguar toda vibración

«Ultimately, lead corresponds to the galactic Black Hole that absorbs all forms of radiation and light.» — la correspondencia cósmica con que cierra esa serie

«Lead reacts with more chemicals than any other metal, however, instead of producing something new and useful, lead “kills” the combining substance by making it inert, insoluble and unable to enter into further chemical reactions.» — cómo lee la reactividad del plomo: no crea, mata volviendo inerte lo que toca

«Lead has the same effect in the plant kingdom. It accumulates in the roots and slows down the “breathing” process in plants. Young plants are adversely affected by even the smallest amount of lead in the soil.» — y el mismo efecto en el reino vegetal

«Lead is poisonous and accumulates over time in the bones of the human body, where it cannot be flushed out. It has also been found in high concentrations in gallstones and kidney stones. The old alchemical graphic for lead – a skeleton – was grotesquely appropriate.» — la conclusión que saca del saturnismo respecto del viejo emblema del esqueleto

«There are many research studies linking lead exposure to anger and violence, especially in adolescents. One recent study of all counties in the United States conducted by Colorado State University revealed that the murder rate in counties with the highest lead levels were four times higher than in counties with the lowest levels of lead.» — el estudio que cita sobre plomo y violencia; el volumen lo adjudica a la Colorado State University sin más referencia

«The alchemists knew that Fire is lord over lead, for the metal has a low melting point and is easily separated from its ore by roasting in an open flame, and the metal itself melts in a candle flame.» — la relación de plomo y fuego que adjudica a los alquimistas, apoyada en el bajo punto de fusión

«Many lead salts reveal a whole rainbow of brilliant colors, with the solar colors of yellow, orange, and red predominating. This is why lead has been used in paints for so many centuries.» — el fuego escondido del plomo que ve en el color de sus sales

«So, the wonder of lead is that hidden deep inside the gray, dead metal is a tiny, eternal spark that is the seed of its own resurrection. In the eyes of alchemists, this makes lead the most important metal despite its unattractive darkness. For dull lead and gleaming gold are really the same things, only at different stages of growth or maturity.» — la tesis del capítulo: plomo y oro serían lo mismo en estadios distintos de maduración

«The Secret Fire inside lead is really the alchemical basis for transforming lead into gold, and correspondingly, gives mankind hope for its own spiritual transformation. That tiny spark of light in the darkest part of matter makes resurrection part of the structure of the universe.» — el alcance que da a esa chispa: la resurrección como parte de la estructura del universo

«Lead unites two contrasting forces: rigid heaviness and revivifying inner fire. Archetypically, the lead process is concerned with death and resurrection.» — los dos polos que reúne el plomo, y el proceso que le corresponde

«Greek myth says that after death our soul is put on a scale, and the weights of the scale are made from lead, the metal that carries Saturn's signature.» — el mito griego con que refuerza la asociación del plomo y el juicio de las almas

«Lead is used in magical rituals, spells, and amulets to promote contact with deep unconscious levels (the underworld), deep meditation, controlling negativity, breaking bad habits and addictions, protection, stability, grounding, solidity, perseverance, decisiveness, concentration, conservation, and material constructions (buildings).» — los usos mágicos que le adjudica

«The strange connection between lead and Saturn has been documented by modern scientists, who have shown that lead compounds react differently depending on Saturn’s position in the sky. For instance, solutions of lead nitrate produce the greatest weight of crystallization (or manifestation) during February, when Saturn rules the sky, and the least during June, when Saturn is barely visible.» — el respaldo experimental que alega para esa correspondencia: la cristalización del nitrato de plomo variando con la posición de Saturno; el volumen no da la referencia

«For example, lead sulfate solution rises 60% higher on strips of filter paper during conjunctions of Saturn with Mars than at other times.» — el segundo dato que aduce, sobre las conjunciones de Saturno con Marte

«NASA is even considering a series of astrochemical experiments to see if the Saturn-lead effects become more pronounced in outer space.» — y lo que dice que la NASA estaría considerando; la afirmación va como la imprime el volumen, sin fuente

«pyrophoric (“fire containing”) and easily catches fire or erupts spontaneously in flames. When made into a fine powder, lead metal must be kept in a vacuum to keep from catching fire. Otherwise, it ignites and burns down to a bright yellow ash, revealing its deeply hidden solar signature.» — la prueba física con que sostiene la signatura solar oculta del plomo: el polvo pirofórico que arde hasta una ceniza amarilla. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Finely divided lead powder is*

«Continue gazing upon Saturn and place a piece of lead metal in your hand. You should be able to feel a strange resonance building. That eerie, cold vibration is not your imagination. It is what alchemists refer to as the “call of lead.”» — el ejercicio del Experimento 6 y lo que dice que se siente al hacerlo: la *llamada del plomo*, que él declara no imaginaria

«Similarly, the lead tempered person is like an acid-proof container that stores up caustic feelings and anger. Phrases like “acid tongued” and “vitriolic” have their origins in this alchemical process of storing negative emotional energy.» — cómo traslada la signatura química al carácter: el temperamento plúmbeo como recipiente de emociones cáusticas, con las etimologías que propone para *acid tongued* y *vitriolic*

«On the psychological level, lead is symbolic of a person’s inertness and unwillingness to change. There is a denial of all higher or spiritual energies, and the alchemists often portrayed the leaden person as lying in an open grave or hopelessly chained to matter in some way.» — qué llama temperamento de plomo: inercia y negativa a cambiar, con el emblema de la tumba abierta

«Leaden people are stubborn, unyielding, and often control other people by making them wait. They must always be right, rarely accept blame or admit to being in error, and have no real regard for the truth of a situation. They may be religious but not spiritual. They tend to be suspicious of genius and inspiration, which they will often attribute to fantasy, They feel threatened by freedom of thought and expression, and sometimes use ridicule or try to “push people’s buttons” to control it. They tend to be very uncreative, judgmental, and smug.» — los rasgos que enumera de ese temperamento, incluido el control por la espera y la desconfianza del genio

«On the other hand, leaden people are grounded, earthy, and practical. They are good friends during times of bereavement – a rock of support at funerals and deathbeds.» — el otro lado que le reconoce: gente arraigada y sostén en el duelo

«Therefore, Saturn’s children can be very reactive and excitable instead of lethargic, as they try to escape from their prison of matter.» — la corrección que hace al tópico: los hijos de Saturno pueden ser excitables y no letárgicos, por huir de su cárcel

«As soon as bright, fresh lead metal is exposed to air, it forms a dull-gray oxide layer called the “litharge” that resists any further chemical interaction. In alchemy, air is associated with spiritual energy, and lead reacts to it by instantly forming a barrier or blocking it. Likewise, one of the distinguishing characteristics of someone with a lead temperament is their lack of interest in spiritual ideas.» — la correspondencia que traza entre el óxido que aísla al plomo del aire y el desinterés por lo espiritual

«Their favorite color is often red, and unconsciously, they are seeking the alchemical element of Fire. Fire is one of the Four Elements that represents activity, energy, creative thinking, and transformation.» — el remedio que propone y que la persona buscaría a ciegas: el elemento Fuego

«In the laboratory, the changes in the metal and in the alchemist take place simultaneously. Otherwise, there can be no real transformation.» — la condición que repite: metal y alquimista cambian a la vez o no hay transformación

«The alchemists transmuted the Lead temperament using the Fire operation of Calcination, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 14.» — la operación que asigna al plomo: la Calcinación

«Physically, lead and Saturn rule the bones, teeth, spleen, and slow chronic processes such as aging. The therapeutic effects are contracting, coagulating, drying, and mineralizing.» — las correspondencias médicas del plomo y de Saturno

«Saturnic or leaden energies are needed for those who have a hard time finishing projects or for those with plenty of ideas but never realize them.» — para quién receta energías saturninas

«Generally speaking, any other elixir mixed with a Saturn elixir will be earthed, which makes them of great value when working on physical plane phenomenon. Their physical therapeutic properties become refrigerant, anti-pyretic, sedative, styptic, and astringent.» — el efecto que adjudica a la mezcla de cualquier elixir con uno de Saturno: quedar aterrizado

«For instance, if one mixes a saturnine elixir with a mercurial one, the alchemists believed it would release knowledge contained in secret magical manuscripts or in ancient hermetic traditions, because the Saturn-Mercury vibration contains all hidden knowledge of an esoteric nature within it.» — la mezcla Saturno-Mercurio y lo que dice que los alquimistas le atribuían: abrir el conocimiento oculto

«In the “like cures like” philosophy of homeopathy, lead is used to treat sclerosis, the hardening of bones and arteries, which is the hallmark of old age and signature of lead. The homeopathic name of lead is Plumbum metallicum.» — el uso homeopático que consigna, alineado con la signatura de endurecimiento del plomo

«Native tin is known as stannum, which is the Latin word for tin and also gives the metal its chemical symbol (Sn).» — la etimología del estaño con que abre el capítulo 7

«Tin is a shiny, silvery-white metal that is malleable, somewhat ductile and sectile, and seems like a perfected form of lead to the casual observer. In fact, the Romans called tin Plumbum album or “white lead.”» — cómo lo presenta: forma perfeccionada del plomo a ojos del profano, y el nombre romano que recoge

«Tin resists weathering and does not oxidize, and tin utensils buried underground or lost at sea in sunken ships shone like new when rediscovered after hundreds of years.» — la resistencia del estaño a la intemperie, que él usa como signatura

«Tin has a highly crystalline structure, and due to the breaking of these crystals, a "cry" is heard when a tin bar is bent. Unlike lead, tin has pleasing acoustic effects and is used in the making of bells.» — el *grito del estaño* al doblarse y su uso en campanas, frente al plomo que apaga todo sonido

«The sickness of tin was called the “tin plague” and was the scourge of tin roofs during Europe’s frigid winters. The mysterious effect was first was first noticed as “growths” on organ pipes in European cathedrals, where it was thought to be the work of the devil to disfigure god’s work.» — la peste del estaño y la lectura diabólica que dice que se le dio en las catedrales europeas

«The distribution of tin on earth follows an ecliptic at an angle of 23.5 º to the equator that is an exact track of the orbit of Jupiter slicing through the planet. Even stranger, these jovian forces seem to form tin veins that zigzag through the rocks in a lightning bolt pattern. This is no haphazard effect, but an astonishing confirmation of Jupiter freeing the metals from their Saturnic prison on earth.» — el argumento geológico con que sostiene la correspondencia Júpiter-estaño: las vetas siguiendo la órbita del planeta en zigzag de rayo

«Goethe was just one great alchemical philosopher who believed this. “A remarkable influence proceeds from the metal tin,” he wrote. “This has a differentiating influence, and opens a door through which a way is provided for different metals to be formed from primeval rocks.”» — la formulación que cita de Goethe en apoyo; la voz es de Goethe

«Tin has a surprising affinity for silica and shares its crystalline structure. In the jovian ring on our planet where native tin is found, the metal lies in silica veins of quartz and granite. In the body, high concentrations of tin and silica are found in the boundary layer of the skin, and tin reacts with silica acid in many of the “shaping” processes of growth.» — la afinidad estaño-sílice que traslada del mineral al cuerpo

«In the Middle Ages, sick people were served food on a tin plate and drinks in a tin vessel to help them regenerate and recover their strength. Today, we know that tin acts as a bactericide and pesticide.» — el uso medieval que refiere y el respaldo moderno que le pone

«In the individual, lead absorbs the inner light or insight necessary for personal growth and blocks all outside “radiations,” such as attempts at spiritual instruction by others. Because psychological lead absorbs both the deeper vibrations of intuition and higher spiritual energies and aspirations, the person with a lead temperament is uninspired, unimaginative, and lacks that creative spark so» — cómo describe el efecto del plomo psicológico: absorbe la intuición y bloquea toda instrucción espiritual ajena. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *necessary for positive change*

«of bones after breaking, strengthening the skeleton, osteoporosis and atrophy of the bones, stimulation of the spleen, drying tissue, reducing secretions and discharges, stopping bleeding, reducing fever, increasing patience, and stopping visions and an overactive imagination.”» — el Aceite de Plomo y la lista de dolencias que el volumen le adjudica, entrecomillada; el tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *The alchemists made an Oil of Lead that was good for “growth*

«Psychologically, the focus of the tin temperament is on sensuality and there is a greater interaction with others than seen in the leaden person. Still, most of the control at this level comes from unconscious impulses.» — qué llama temperamento de estaño: sensualidad y trato con otros, pero gobernados todavía por el impulso inconsciente

«Only by fully integrating the contents of the personal unconscious, can tin be successfully transmuted into a higher metal.» — la condición que pone para transmutarlo: integrar el inconsciente personal

«Repressed feelings form knots or blockages in our bodies that cause symptoms of armoring reminiscent of the “tin man.” These blockages have both a psychic and a physiological reality, and often it is necessary to seek outside assistance or achieve great inner objectivity in removing them.» — cómo describe los bloqueos del sentimiento reprimido, con la imagen del hombre de hojalata

«Jovial people are often inflated, expansive, and can be seen as overly spiritual. They tend to talk endlessly about obvious or mundane things and can be perceived as thoughtless, shallow, and even licentious.» — los rasgos que enumera del temperamento jovial

«They have access to spiritual forces but are unable to control them because of lack of depth and presence. Finding their soul mate, working relentlessly with alchemical techniques, learning to relax deeply, and meditating to find their genuine identity, are methods of transforming the tin temperament.» — el diagnóstico y el remedio que propone para ese temperamento

«Tin is used in magical rituals and spells to promote abundance, prosperity, success in business and in legal matters, stimulation, attracting what you desire, energy, healing, regeneration and rejuvenation.» — los usos mágicos que adjudica al estaño

«Standard amulets and talismans for tin are usually made of pewter and charged with Jupiterian energy. Such energy is said to be transmitted by lightning and the thunderbolt, and in Tibetan ceremonies, the dorje (meaning “thunderbolt”) is the stylized magical instrument of these powers.» — los talismanes de peltre y el *dorje* tibetano como instrumento de esa energía

«The alchemists transmuted the Tin temperament using the Water operation of Dissolution, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 14.» — la operación que asigna al estaño: la Disolución

«Jupiter rules growth, the metabolic system, the liver, the tongue, saliva, and the enrichment of the blood from food.» — las correspondencias médicas de Júpiter

«Tin carries the preserving qualities of Jupiter. Flowers last longer in tin vases, and food has been preserved in the tin cans (actually a thin layer of tin on iron) for over a century. Beer (ruled by the jovial Jupiter) is said to taste best from a tin mug.» — la signatura conservadora del estaño, ilustrada con las flores, la lata y la cerveza

«The alchemists made an Oil of Tin that was used to treat the liver (jaundice, hepatitis, cirrhosis), certain types of eczema, liquid ovarian cysts, inflammatory effusions, pleurisies, acne, water retention, and certain types of obesity. This oil was said to be excellent for someone "loosing shape." The oil was also used as a sweat inducer, wormer, antispasmodic, cathartic, and laxative.» — el Aceite de Estaño y las dolencias que le adjudica; el troceo imprime *loosing* por *losing* (sic)

«The polar (opposite) metal to tin is mercury, and Oil of Tin was said to be an excellent antidote for mercury poisoning, and likewise mercury was said to balance the bad effects of tin.» — la polaridad estaño-mercurio y los antídotos recíprocos que declara

«The homeopathic form of tin is called Stannum, a remedy which is said to strengthen and regenerate muscle and brain tissue. It is also a remedy for the joints and connective tissue of ligaments and cartilage.» — el uso homeopático del estaño

«Iron is the second oldest metal known to man (after lead) and was known in prehistoric times. Genesis says that Tubal-Cain, seven generations from Adam, was "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron."» — cómo data el hierro y el testimonio bíblico que aduce: Tubal-Caín en el Génesis

«A remarkable wrought iron pillar nearly 25 feet high, dating to about 400 AD, remains standing today in Delhi, India. Corrosion to the pillar has been minimal despite its exposure to the wet weather since its erection.» — el pilar de hierro de Delhi como prueba de la resistencia del metal

«Our word “iron” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "iren,” although that word is derived from earlier words meaning "holy metal," because it was used to make the swords used in the Crusades.» — la etimología que propone para *iron*, derivándola de un término que traduce como metal sagrado

«The symbol for iron is Fe, which comes from the Latin word for iron (ferrum). The root of the Latin word means “to create, to form, to bear forth."» — la etimología de *ferrum* y el sentido que le da

«In iron we recognize the male and active character of the war-god Mars, building and conquering in a new and sometimes hostile world.» — el carácter que adjudica al hierro por su planeta

«Native iron is quite often a misnomer as natural pure iron is not necessarily "native" to earth, since it rarely occurs on the earth's surface by terrestrial processes. It is mostly found in the form of meteorites that have impacted the earth's surface.» — la observación que le importa: el hierro nativo llega sobre todo en meteoritos

«Iron has an unusual relationship with carbon and readily combines with it to form a nobler and stronger metal known as steel. European alchemists noticed this effect when they accidentally dropped bits of charcoal into molten iron. The iron hungrily “devoured” the charcoal to produce what we now call cast iron.» — cómo cuenta el hallazgo del acero: carbón caído por accidente en hierro fundido

«The alchemists viewed these secondary metals as earthly spirits or “brothers of iron” and named them accordingly. Cobalt was associated with the “kobolds” or mischievous gnomes who live deep in the earth and help or hinder miners according to their whims.» — los *hermanos del hierro* que adjudica a los alquimistas, empezando por el cobalto y los kobolds

«Nickel was associated with the “nixies” or underwater spirits. The alchemists viewed it as the “watery brother” of iron who expressed itself in the shiny liquid surface of the pure metal and in the sea-green compounds it produced, such as Green Vitriol.» — el níquel como hermano acuático del hierro

«Manganese is the “fiery brother” of iron and produces red to flaming violet salts. Added to iron, it produces extremely hard and “dry” steel.» — y el manganeso como hermano ígneo

«Shiny chromium is iron’s “sister” and restores the shiny liquid look of pure iron to steel.» — el cromo como hermana del hierro

«Jupiter-Mercury combinations produce insight into the philosophical principles of any system and their part in the cosmic scheme and provide an intuitive understanding of the great spiritual masters. This particular herbal mixture also produces a lightheartedness and gaiety, which can be very useful to those with a predisposition to depression or gloominess. The physical properties of such a mixture are anabolic and antispasmodic. If mixed with a solar herbal eider, it is said to give the alchemist access to the highest plane.» — el efecto que adjudica a la mezcla Júpiter-Mercurio y a su combinación con una hierba solar. El troceo imprime *eider* por *elixir* (sic), y repite este párrafo y los dos que lo rodean casi palabra por palabra en la plana siguiente: la duplicación es del propio impreso

«color, though that correspondence would hardly have surprised the ancients.» — el argumento con que respalda la correspondencia Marte-hierro: el óxido de hierro de la superficie da su color al planeta, y eso —dice— no habría sorprendido a los antiguos. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *it is the massive amounts of iron oxide on its surface that gives the planet Mars its red*

«It is postulated that another planet similar to earth (a rocky planet) broke apart early in the formation of the solar system and is responsible for the iron-nickel debris that rains down upon the earth on a daily basis.» — la hipótesis que recoge sobre el origen del hierro meteorítico; la enuncia como postulado

«Marcasite, also known as Fool’s Gold or pyrite (iron sulfide FeS2), is an ore of sulfur that has bonded with iron. It is so common in the earth's crust that it is found in almost everywhere. Its beautiful golden luster has often been mistaken for gold nuggets, and it is frequently found in gold deposits.» — la pirita como oro de los tontos, presente en los propios yacimientos de oro

«Strangely, pyrite's structure is exactly the same as the lead sulfide ore galena. The only difference is that the single sulfur atom of galena is replaced by a pair of sulfur atoms in pyrite. This pair of atoms disrupts the intense four-fold symmetry of the more “ancient” galena.» — la identidad estructural entre pirita y galena, con un átomo de azufre de diferencia

«In other words, in the evolution of the metals, the existence of iron has freed the lead archetype of its stubborn materiality and form.» — la lectura alquímica que hace de esa diferencia: el hierro liberando al arquetipo del plomo de su materialidad

«Iron and steel are used in rituals, magical spells, talismans, and amulets to promote energy, strength, determination, will-power, assertivity, and aggressiveness. They are also used in fertility rites, new beginnings and undertakings, and for speed, power and courage.» — los usos mágicos que adjudica al hierro y al acero

«Throughout its history, iron has always served man’s will in his weaponry or in the industrial conquest of nature. In classical mythology, the Age of Iron is the final and worst age of the world, marked by selfishness and degeneracy.» — la lectura social que hace del hierro, con la Edad de Hierro de la mitología clásica como peor de las edades

«If the predominance of the iron archetype in our culture continues, we can only expect a further rationalization of nature and mechanization of life. Some spiritual groups, such as the Druids, were aware of the dangers of the iron archetype and actually forbid its use in their culture.» — el pronóstico que arriesga si el arquetipo del hierro sigue dominando, y el caso de los druidas prohibiéndolo

«In Alchemy, Titus Burkhardt quotes several alchemists describing the Iron Age as “an active descent of the Spirit into the lowest levels of human consciousness, so at this stage of the Work, the Spirit appears submerged in the body and as if extinguished in it. This is the outermost Coagulation, and the threshold of the final completion – the transformation of the body into the Spirit-become-form.”» — la cita que toma de Titus Burkhardt sobre la Edad de Hierro como descenso del Espíritu; la formulación es de los alquimistas citados por Burkhardt, y el nombre va como lo imprime el troceo

«“We came to know the Mars process as the force that makes incarnating possible,” writes Rudolf Hauschka. “Thus there must always have been a stronger than usual bond between earth and mars, even before the earth became a solid body.”» — la formulación que cita de Rudolf Hauschka sobre el proceso marcial y la encarnación

«Mars and iron rule the aggressive impulses within us, both individually and collectively. Within us, our iron temperament governs the characteristics of anger, uncontrolled and aggressive self» — qué gobierna el temperamento de hierro; el tramo se corta en el guion de fin de renglón de *self-assertion*

«lust for power, ego identity, will power, passion, creativity, and courage.» — el resto de esa misma enumeración

«It is our challenge to transform the Mars within into the expression of divine qualities, rather than the selfish fulfillment of the senses.» — el desafío que le pone: volver ese Marte hacia cualidades divinas y no hacia el apetito

«In psychological terms, the iron temperament is the seat of our will to power, to control other, and our concerns about providing for material needs in the world. By transmuting iron, we learn to assert ourselves without dominating or submitting to others. We gain insight into our behavior and become aware of the forces of soul within.» — qué se aprende al transmutarlo: afirmarse sin dominar ni someterse

«The iron temperament makes us determined and hard, but like the metal, the iron temperament is inflexible and brittle and cracks or breaks if bent. Iron also loves air and the iron temperament seeks higher inspiration or fresh spirit.» — el límite del hierro: inflexible y quebradizo, y por eso ávido de aire e inspiración

«The paradox of iron is that it is only through iron can we marshal the energies necessary to transmute iron. That is born out in the signature of the most revered Arcanum, the ancient chemical of transformation Green Vitriol, which is a combination of natural iron and sulfuric acid.» — la paradoja del hierro y el Vitriolo Verde como su signatura

«It is the Vitriol within us that will transform us. Without it, all is lost to illusion and complacency.» — la aplicación personal que hace de ese Vitriolo

«The alchemists transmuted the Iron temperament using the Air operation of Separation, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 14.» — la operación que asigna al hierro: la Separación

«When we inhale, the iron molecule hemoglobin binds with oxygen and distributes it throughout our body; when we exhale, it unites with carbon dioxide and carries the by-products of our combustion back to our lungs where they are expelled.» — cómo enlaza el hierro con la respiración por vía de la hemoglobina

«Manganese, the “fiery brother” of iron, performs the same function in the chlorophyll of plants in combining with carbon dioxide that iron performs in the blood with hemoglobin in combining with oxygen. These two “breathing” metals are very similarly constructed.» — el paralelo que traza entre hemoglobina y clorofila por sus metales

«In most applications in the plant and animal kingdoms, iron acts as a carrier of life force and rejuvenator, but when iron becomes too predominate (as in the modern world), it becomes destructive to life and tends to rigidify and mechanize living systems.» — la ambivalencia que le adjudica: portador de fuerza vital y, en exceso, principio de rigidez

«“The Mars impulses at work in iron,” note Rudolf Hauschka, “are the carriers of the forces of embodiment, but these forces lead to mummification if they become too active and overwhelm the system.”» — la segunda cita de Hauschka, con la momificación como límite del impulso marcial

«Exemplary homeopathic iron remedies are Ferrum phosphoricum and Ferrum metalicum..» — los remedios homeopáticos de hierro que nombra; el troceo cierra con dos puntos seguidos (sic)

«Physically, Mars rules the blood, adrenal glands, genitals, and the immune system. Mars effects are stimulating and toning to the blood and immune system, and they make one more aware of the functions of the organs and body. Their physical therapeutic» — las correspondencias médicas de Marte. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *properties are simulative, caustic, and tonic*, con *simulative* por *stimulative* en el impreso

«If the alchemist is involved in magical evocation, a mixture of a mars, moon, and mercurial elixirs will help produce the physical plane vehicle of manifestation. Spagyrically, iron is associated with the life force in blood and the energy obtained from meat, as well as beets, dark green vegetables, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts, apple-syrup, and sea-weed. Herbs containing much iron like the urtica, equisetum, kelp, and spirulina» — la mezcla que propone para la evocación mágica —Marte, Luna y Mercurio— y los alimentos y hierbas que adscribe al hierro. El párrafo de la evocación se imprime dos veces en el capítulo, aquí y una plana más adelante: la duplicación es del propio volumen

«the gall bladder, stimulating the pancreas, stopping bleeding ulcers, strengthening bone marrow, increasing the organism’s sensitivity, enhancing instincts, and enhancing passion.”» — el Aceite de Hierro y las dolencias que le adjudica; el tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *regenerative, “purifying the blood, healing wounds and cuts, soothes*

«The name for the metal comes from the Latin word cuprum, meaning the island of Cyprus, which was one of the main copper mining areas in the ancient world. Actually, the island took its name from the Assyrian word for copper (kipar).» — la etimología del cobre que propone, encadenando el latín, Chipre y el asirio

«Then, around 3100 BC, Egyptian alchemists discovered that when copper is mixed with other metals the resulting alloys are harder than copper itself. For example, both brass (a mixture of copper and zinc) and bronze (a mixture of copper and tin) are harder than copper. The discovery of bronze changed the evolution of mankind, and the Bronze Age began around 2100 BC.» — el hallazgo de las aleaciones que adjudica a los alquimistas egipcios y el comienzo de la Edad de Bronce

«Known as the Ankh, it depicts a circle over a cross, denoting the emergence of the solar archetype from the cross of the elements or the triumph of spirit (life force) over matter.» — cómo lee el signo del cobre y de Venus: el anj egipcio, el espíritu triunfando sobre la materia

«In sea creatures (such as snails, mollusks, crabs, and squid), copper (as hemocyanin) takes the place of hemoglobin as the chemical of the blood and respiration.» — el dato biológico con que apoya la signatura del cobre: la hemocianina en lugar de la hemoglobina

«Copper is abundant in the female sex organs, and some studies suggest copper in the body is used up during sexual intercourse. Copper is also present in gallstones, which medieval physicians blamed on lack of sexual activity.» — las asociaciones sexuales del cobre que recoge, incluida la explicación medieval de los cálculos biliares

«In fact, copper is so ready to combine and enter into deep transformation with other substances that the alchemists called the metal meretrix metallorum (“harlot of the metals”).» — el nombre que los alquimistas le habrían dado por su facilidad de combinarse

«Copper sulfate is one of the most beautiful and useful compounds formed by copper. It was known as “Blue Vitriol” to the alchemists. It dries into a white powder when exposed to air but rapidly returns to its beautiful blue crystals when exposed to water.» — el Vitriolo Azul y el vaivén de color que describe entre polvo blanco y cristal azul

«Copper is used in rituals, spells, and amulets to promote love, sensuality, friendship, positive relationships of any kind, fruitful negotiations, and peace, and the metal has always been associated with beauty and harmony in the world.» — los usos mágicos del cobre

«Much of the wonderful colors in birds are made possible by the presence of copper in feathers, and some birds (such as the alchemically symbolic peacock) exhibit up to 6% copper in their pigmentation.» — el cobre en el plumaje de las aves, con el pavo real como caso alquímicamente significativo

«In modern alchemy, zinc is associated with the planet Uranus, and both were discovered at about the same time.» — la correspondencia moderna que añade: zinc y Urano, por la coincidencia de sus descubrimientos

«Brass and zinc used in rituals, spells, and talismans, to promote originality, flashes of insight, renewal, inventions, advanced technology, cooperation within a like-minded group, humanism, and freedom of thought.» — los usos mágicos del latón y del zinc

«It is so brilliant it is often mistaken for a bright star or even a UFO.» — la observación con que introduce el Experimento 9: el brillo de Venus confundido con una estrella o un ovni

«Continue gazing upon the planet and grab a piece of copper, a fistful of pennies, or even a copper cooking utensil. You should be able to feel a warm resonance building. That deep and soothing vibration is not your imagination. It is what alchemists refer to as the “call of copper.”» — el ejercicio de la llamada del cobre y la resonancia cálida que declara no imaginaria

«In depth psychology these archetypes are often thought of as the Anima (feminine soul) and Animus (masculine spirit). It is believed that until a person can bring both of these forces into conscious awareness and learn to balance and accept them fully, he or she cannot be a complete individual.» — la traducción psicológica que hace de esa polaridad: Ánima y Ánimus, y la condición de completitud que le pone

«If we repress or deny one of these forces within ourselves we can contribute to a submerged, destructive energy (the shadow)» — el precio que adjudica a la represión de uno de los dos polos: la sombra. El tramo se corta antes de *self-defeating*, partido al final del renglón

«behaviors such as strong aggression or extreme passivity.» — y cómo dice que se manifiesta esa sombra

«Venus represents the psychological function of judging and evaluating experience through the inner, subjective, feminine impulse in both sexes. Without the Venusian archetype, we would have to rely totally on our objective senses and the concrete mind to evaluate others. Even our intuition would not be able to function correctly without the channel of Venus to bring our insights to conscious awareness.» — la función psicológica que adjudica a Venus, sin la cual ni la intuición llegaría a la consciencia

«The Copper temperament is associated with the powers of touch and speech, balanced feelings and ascending mind. The idea expressed here is the creation of the feeling intellect, the union of the female and male aspects of consciousness in a new state of truth-based intuition.» — qué llama temperamento de cobre: el intelecto sensible, unión de los aspectos femenino y masculino de la consciencia

«As the transmutation of Copper continues, the alchemist begins to exercise free will, unencumbered by buried emotions, addictions, impulses, and instincts.» — el resultado que le adjudica: libre albedrío sin lastre de emociones sepultadas

«Copper needs to work with the element of Earth, but wrong Earth or too much Earth here produces someone who is materialistic and overly practical, and could produce a “user” mentality or mimic “take everything I can” attitude of Iron.» — el límite que pone al cobre: el exceso de Tierra devuelve la mentalidad de uso del hierro

«In alchemical astrology, Neptune is considered the “higher octave” of Venus. Neptune represents unconditional love – a love that embraces all creation, is totally accepting and without discrimination or judgment.» — la octava superior que adjudica a Venus: Neptuno y el amor incondicional

«While many of us strive to attain unconditional love of others and ourselves, we must first travel with Venus and copper in order to learn personal love. Until we have had the experiences that Venus brings us through relationships, either with people or things, we cannot reach the expanded consciousness that the transpersonal planet Neptune promises.» — y el orden que impone: primero el amor personal de Venus, después el incondicional

«For many centuries, European apothecaries carried the Powder of Sympathy, which was a form of copper vitriol. Whole books were written about its amazing power to heal wounds, including titles by physicians and noblemen (such as the Discourse Touching the Cure of Wounds by the Powder of Sympathy written in 1658 in the court of Charles I).» — el Polvo de Simpatía de las boticas europeas y el tratado de 1658 que nombra

«The powder was not applied directly to the wound, but blood or bandages from the wound were placed in a bowl of water containing a handful of copper vitriol powder. The copper solution never touched the wound but healed by “sympathy” or through “etheric conductivity.” In any case, patients immediately reported a cooling effect that diminished pain and resulted in rapid healing of the wound.» — cómo se aplicaba ese polvo según él —sobre la sangre o el vendaje, nunca sobre la herida— y el efecto que los pacientes habrían reportado

«Copper metal or powdered copper was also rubbed on sore joints to ease the pain of arthritis, neuralgia, and rheumatism – a tradition carried on today in the therapeutic wearing of copper bracelets.» — la continuidad que traza entre ese uso y las pulseras de cobre de hoy

«Copper metal kills germs, fungi, and algae, and a copper coin dropped into a vase of flowers or aquarium will keep the water fresh longer. Florists provide copper salts in small plastic bags for this purpose. Even brass doorknobs have been shown to kill the germs of infected guests.» — las propiedades germicidas del cobre y los ejemplos domésticos con que las ilustra

«Copper is also useful in controlling the bad effect of an excess of its metal in polarity: iron.» — el cobre como corrector del exceso de su metal polar, el hierro

«However, as we have noted, copper is a notorious “harlot” when it comes to combining with substances, so be careful what you cook in copper pans. In some cases, poisonous substances could be formed.» — la advertencia práctica que saca de la misma signatura: cuidado con lo que se cocina en cobre

«work as a polarity, manifesting a tension of the masculine and feminine, which offers a complete picture of human existence on the material and emotional levels.» — la polaridad Venus-Marte como cuadro completo de la existencia humana; el tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *These two archetypes complement each other perfectly and*

«Earth element operation of Conjunction, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 15.» — la operación que asigna al cobre: la Conjunción por el elemento Tierra. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *The alchemists transmuted the Copper temperament using the*

«The alchemists believed that deficiencies of copper in the body caused thyroid problems, sexual dysfunction, poor circulation, cramps, aneurysms, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and even mental illnesses.» — las dolencias que los alquimistas habrían atribuido a la falta de cobre

«Experimenters have discovered that copper wire or tubing twisted into an open circle (ends overlapping but not touching) and placed around a tree or plant enhances growth and prevents disease. Similar copper “relaxation circuits” are used to balance the body’s natural energy.» — los circuitos de cobre que refiere para plantas y cuerpo; los enuncia como hallazgo de experimentadores, sin nombrarlos

«Copper plough tips do not dry out soil as iron ploughs do, and some farmers use fine copper filings to “charge” the soil or produce more powerful compost.» — el uso agrícola del cobre que consigna, opuesto al del hierro

«In some Wiccan ceremonies, copper objects are used in ritual copulation ceremonies to ensure the fertility of the land.» — el uso wiccano que menciona de pasada; es la única mención de la wicca en el volumen

«The female body needs more copper during pregnancy to support the placenta and nourish the fetus. To support the Venusian body-parts, such practitioners recommend consuming food which contains much copper, such as lettuce, apricots, apples, tomatoes, nuts, shell-fish, peas, beans, wheat, and corn.» — el aumento de cobre que declara necesario en el embarazo y los alimentos que recomienda

«alternative healers have discovered that herbs containing copper metal (see list below) seem to react to human blood samples by mimicking the shapes and arrangements of corpuscles.» — el ensayo que refiere de sanadores alternativos con hierbas cupríferas y muestras de sangre; la consigna como hallazgo ajeno

«Homeopathic copper is used to treat leg cramps and children’s growing pains in general, as well as for convulsions, diabetes, and to stimulate the kidneys. Homeopathy uses copper under the name Cuprum metallicum.» — el uso homeopático del cobre

«Copper’s “ally and alloy” – zinc – also exhibits healing properties. A zinc pendant or mineral supplement can calm down a surplus of nervous energy, and zinc is used to treat nervous stress, restless legs, nervous asthma, hyperventilation, stammering, nervous heart complaints, epilepsy, cramps, agitation, and Alzheimer’s disease. Homeopathy works with the remedy Zincum metallicum.» — las propiedades que adjudica al zinc, aliado del cobre

«Venusian elixirs give access to that realm of the astral that is intimately connected with the working and forces of the most intimate magic of nature. They are a great aid to alchemists who wish to make herbal alchemy their life work, as they open up the human consciousness to the secrets of the plant kingdom. Naturalists will find these elixirs most illuminating, as they will give conscious contact with the various “deities” of long past nature religions.» — y el alcance mayor que les da: contacto consciente con las deidades de las antiguas religiones de la naturaleza. El pasaje se imprime dos veces en el capítulo con variantes mínimas

«The Oil of Copper of the alchemists was said to contain the soul of copper metal. They recommended it for blood pressure abnormalities, glandular problems, low energy, impure blood, kidney problems, infectious diseases, liver problems, skin infections, myocardial infarction, leukemia, Wilson's disease, cancer, thyroid gland abnormalities, reproductive organ problems, and chronic problems with dry or irritated mucous membranes.» — el Aceite de Cobre y las dolencias que le adjudica

«According to alchemical theory, all the metals began in the liquid state on deep in the earth, but only mercury was able to retain its original innocence and life force and resist taking on a final form, and for that reason, the ancients called it Mercurius vivens (the “living mercury”).» — la doctrina con que abre el capítulo del mercurio: todos los metales habrían nacido líquidos y solo este conservó su estado original

«The Greeks applied germ-killing ability of mercury in healing ointments (to the benefit of those afflicted with wounds and skin infections), and in the Middle Ages, Paracelsus used it successfully to treat syphilis.» — los usos médicos antiguos y el que adjudica a Paracelso contra la sífilis

«However, the ancient Romans applied mercury compounds for long-term use in cosmetics, and many beautiful women eventually died of its cumulative poisonous effects. Today, many popular brands of eye makeup still contain low levels of mercury.» — el reverso venenoso que consigna, de la cosmética romana a los maquillajes de hoy

«The chemical abbreviation is “Hg” from the Latin word hydrargyrum(meaning “watery silver”).» — la etimología del símbolo químico del mercurio

«In 1807, English chemist John Dalton proposed using an eight-spoked wheel as mercury’s symbol, which is similar to ancient Oriental ciphers for mercury (and the Wheel of Life).» — el signo que adjudica a John Dalton y el paralelo oriental que le encuentra

«Many of the typical mineralogical characteristics of the metals simply do not apply to mercury because it is a liquid: there is no hardness (since it cannot be scratched), no malleability, and no ductility. There is no crystal structure, no fracture, and no cleavage.» — por qué el mercurio escapa a la descripción mineralógica corriente

«Amalgamation is one of the primary signatures of mercury, and it moistens and dissolves metals the way water dissolves salts. For this reason, the alchemists believed it was the key to the transformation of the metals.» — la amalgamación como signatura mayor del mercurio, y por qué los alquimistas lo tenían por llave de la transmutación

«Mercury dissolves gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, zinc, cadmium, and all the alkaline metals, but does not affect iron or any members of the iron family (such as nickel and aluminum). The alchemists thought this was because iron and mercury have diametrically opposed signatures – iron representing the mechanical processes of consolidation and structuring and mercury representing the living processes of growth and mobility.» — el límite que la química le pone —no ataca al hierro— y la lectura que Hauck hace de ese límite: signaturas opuestas

«The struggle for preeminence between the forces of iron and mercury are played out on all levels of planetary, social, and individual behavior. This archetypal process is most obvious in the Two Cultures of our civilization: science and the humanities.» — cómo extiende esa oposición a la cultura: las dos culturas como pugna de hierro y mercurio

«Alchemy was the first science to take such a holistic approach to the human condition.» — la primacía que reclama para la alquimia en ese punto

«Esoterically, aluminum dulls the senses and cuts off Hermetic inspiration. Cooking in aluminum pans has been linked with Alzheimer’s disease, and aluminum utensils and containers quickly combine with lab chemicals to form poisonous compounds. Alchemists truly despise this metal, and no alchemist would even consider using aluminum in serious laboratory work.» — el desprecio que declara por el aluminio y la prohibición práctica que de ahí saca

«Because of its signatures of life and growth, Mercury has long been associated with twisted serpents (such as in the Staff of Hermes, the medical Caduceus, Oriental fighting dragons, shamanic serpents, and even the structure of DNA). All these symbols allude to the fact that the metal mercury somehow carries the life force.» — las serpientes entrelazadas como signatura del mercurio, del caduceo al ADN

«An interesting chemical synchronicity in this regard is the burning of pellets of mercury and ammonia compounds. The mercury pellets expand into very long dancing “snakes,” which entwine and gyrate like living serpents on fire. This effect is the basis of the "Snakes in the Grass" novelty popular at fireworks stands.» — la sincronía química con que la ilustra: las *serpientes* de mercurio y amoníaco de la pirotecnia

«Cinnabar (mercury sulfide) is the primary ore of mercury. It is a beautiful scarlet-red, semi-precious mineral that is used as a high» — el cinabrio como mineral principal del mercurio; el tramo se corta en el guion de fin de renglón de *high-grade*

«paint pigment known as vermillion. The word “cinnabar” is from the Persian word for “dragon’s blood.”» — el pigmento que se saca de él y la etimología persa que le adjudica

«The affinity between mercury and sulfur in cinnabar was considered a fundamental and magical principle in nature by early metal workers and alchemists.» — y el valor que da a la afinidad de mercurio y azufre en ese mineral

«Medical astrology calls the skin, kidneys, veins, and pancreas the Venusian body-parts.» — las partes del cuerpo que la astrología médica adscribe a Venus

«For those who feel a lack of charm, or some of the softer human qualities, a venusian elixir will stimulate the right vibration in your aura. Venusian elixirs also promote harmony and balance within our being and in our dealings with others. Venusian elixirs are said to give access to that realm of the astral that is intimately connected with the working and forces of the most intimate magic of nature.» — el efecto que adjudica a los elíxires de Venus sobre el carácter y el trato, y el acceso al astral que les atribuye. El pasaje se imprime dos veces en el capítulo con variantes mínimas, y esta primera versión lo formula con la reserva *are said to*

«kingdom and nature in general.» — el cierre de lo que adjudica al cobre en el plano mental —magnetismo personal, facultades psíquicas y comprensión del reino vegetal—, cuya frase abre en la plana anterior con *give insight into the plant*

«While mercury is a symbol of the life force, it is also intimately connected with the forces of death and decay. Mercury metal is very poisonous and volatile and should only be handled under well-ventilated laboratory conditions.» — el otro lado del mercurio que consigna en la misma página: veneno volátil, y la advertencia de laboratorio que de ahí saca

«Because of the dangers of mercury, silver replaces it in mercurial rituals and talismans. Magical spells invoking mercury archetypes deal with improving communication, trade, commerce, transport, progress, change, travel, mental clarity, learning, thinking, memorizing, test results, writing and speaking, and powers of persuasion.» — la sustitución práctica que propone en los talismanes y los asuntos que adjudica a los conjuros mercuriales

«Mercury even appears to go backwards (retrograde) in the sky, a fact which terrified medieval observers and was thought to mark the beginning of a period of bad luck.» — el retrógrado de Mercurio y el terror que le adjudica a los observadores medievales

«The “call of mercury” you are experiencing will probably not emanate from your hand, but you will feel something in the long nerves in your arm, in your throat ganglia, or behind your forehead.» — dónde dice que se siente la llamada del mercurio, a diferencia de la del plomo o el cobre

«Warning: Do not attempt to hold or touch liquid mercury. Mercury contains the signatures of both life and death, so do not take a chance on how it will react to you.» — la advertencia con que cierra el Experimento 10

«Personal mercury is said to be transmuted in the Throat Chakra, which is the boundary between Above and Below in the body as well as the boundary between the personal and the transpersonal. It marks the beginning of the worlds of spirit, a new world of divine communication, movement of spiritual energy, and inspiration.» — dónde sitúa la transmutación del mercurio en el cuerpo: la garganta como frontera entre lo personal y lo transpersonal

«Mercury (as Hermes) at this stage unites mind, spirit, and matter, but gives primacy to intellect and understanding.» — el límite que pone a esa etapa: une los tres planos, pero da primacía al intelecto

«Psychologically, the forces of Mercury in a person’s temperament yearn for Sulfur, just as metallic mercury seeks union with sulfur. Sulfur here is divine passion and not worldly emotions.» — qué busca el temperamento mercurial, con la aclaración de qué entiende aquí por Azufre

«The wrong Sulfur at this stage produces someone who is spiritually unyielding and suffers from a superiority complex. It produces someone who uses spirituality for personal or practical control of others.» — el descarrío que señala para esa etapa: la espiritualidad usada para dominar

«The alchemists worked the Mercury temperament using the operation of Fermentation, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 15.» — la operación que asigna al mercurio: la Fermentación

«Mercury rules the vocal organs, throat, lungs and lymph glands, and the therapeutic effects are mental clarity, greater adaptability, nervine, and regulation of bodily rhythms.» — las correspondencias médicas de Mercurio

«Another safe way to use the signature of Mercury in healing, is to use Mercury is in one of the “potentized” homeopathic forms that are used to treat AIDS, syphilis, bone marrow problems, problems of the central nervous system, and snake bites.» — el uso homeopático que propone como vía segura

«Taking spagyric herbs with the signature of mercury is a lot different from taking preparations that actually contain metallic mercury. At the beginning of this century (before the discovery of alternative drugs), there were over two dozen mercury pills and ointments prescribed by physicians as antiseptics, antibacterials, and fungicides.» — la distinción que subraya entre la hierba con signatura de mercurio y el metal mismo, con las píldoras de mercurio de principios del siglo XX como caso

«Pure mercury metal was even prescribed for bowel obstructions, in the hope that the sheer weight of up to a pound of the liquid metal would relieve the problem.» — el uso extremo que refiere: mercurio metálico por su peso contra la obstrucción intestinal

«In his travels through India, Marco Polo observed that many people drank a concoction of mercury and sulfur twice monthly from early childhood with no observable ill effects. They believed the drink gave them longevity.» — el testimonio que atribuye a Marco Polo sobre el brebaje de mercurio y azufre

«In Indian alchemy, mercury is called rasa, which refers to the subtle essence that is the origin of all forms of matter. The cosmic chaos from which the universe sprang is called the Rasasara or “Sea of Mercury.” The craft of alchemy is referred to as Rasayana or “Knowledge of Mercury.”» — el vocabulario índico que recoge: *rasa*, *Rasasara* y *Rasayana*

«However, metallic mercury is a poisonous heavy metal and is considered so toxic that a spill from a thermometer can contaminate an entire room. In California, if a blood pressure gauge breaks in a doctor’s office and spills a teaspoon of mercury on the floor, “Hazmat” teams evacuate the whole building and work for hours to clean up the spill with special equipment.» — el contrapeso que él mismo pone a esos usos: la toxicidad del metal y el protocolo de emergencia que describe

«The most famous of the compounds containing metallic mercury is the rasayana (Indian alchemy) Oil of Mercury known as Makaradwaja Oil. It is used as a rejuvenative and tonic for the nervous system, lungs, liver, lymph system, and the brain.» — el aceite Makaradwaja de la alquimia índica y los usos que le adjudica

«always had a dual nature and was often referred to as a two-headed figure known as the “Rebis” (see Figure 14 at left). In the drawing from Basil Valentine's L’Azoth des Philosophes (1613), the mercurial Rebis (“double thing”) tames the dragon of the First Matter by uniting opposites on all levels.» — el Rebis como figura de la doble naturaleza del mercurio, con el grabado que adjudica a *L’Azoth des Philosophes* de Basil Valentine. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Mercury has*

«the individual, and he or she senses a Presence of unlimited sustenance and potential within them. In changing from Mercury into Silver, the impression of this Presence becomes even more solidified, and gradually, a powerful vibration or resonance with the divine begins here. It is at this level that Fermentation begins.» — qué cambia al transmutar el mercurio personal y en qué punto sitúa el comienzo de la Fermentación. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *As Mercury is transmuted, a sense of trust and sublimity arise in*

«alchemists in India still take metallic mercury in place of food as an elixir of life, although they caution that the body must be perfectly attuned and strengthened to tolerate the intense cosmic infusion of life force.» — el uso que adjudica a los alquimistas tántricos y la reserva con que ellos mismos lo acotarían. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Tantric*

«The most fantastic legends have grown up around members of the Bhairavi cult, worshippers of a particularly wrathful form of Lord Shiva. They are said to live hundreds of years through the alchemical use of Makaradhwaja and other mercury-based compounds.» — la leyenda de longevidad que adjudica al culto Bhairavi por el uso del Makaradhwaja; la marca como leyenda

«Some are said to have obtained immortality by freeing their minds and overcoming their innate addiction to time.» — la fórmula con que describe esa inmortalidad: liberar la mente de su adicción al tiempo

«More than any other metal, silver yields freely to the passage of heat and electricity, passing it on and leaving little for itself. In other words, heat and electricity expand fastest into space through silver.» — la signatura que extrae de la conductividad de la plata: cede el calor y la electricidad sin retener nada

«Slag dumps in Asia Minor and on islands in the Aegean Sea indicate that man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3000 B.C.» — cómo data la copelación de la plata

«The word silver is from the Anglo-Saxon word siolfur meaning "silver." The origin of the chemical symbol for silver (Ag) comes from the Latin word argentum meaning "silver."» — las etimologías de *silver* y de *argentum*

«Since the medieval world thought the Moon was second important in the cosmos, next to the Sun, they assigned Silver to the Moon. Luna was the Queen of alchemy, and her symbolic color was white. Luna Philosophorum was the name the alchemists gave to this living spirit of silver, which they saw as the refined essence of heat and water.» — por qué se asignó la plata a la Luna, y el nombre *Luna Philosophorum* que los alquimistas habrían dado a su espíritu

«The Moon was associated with the soul and the unconscious self, of which the conscious self is a reflection.» — la correspondencia Luna-alma que sostiene

«Or as Titus Burckhardt put it: “The Moon [and the metal silver] was considered to be analogous to the soul in its state of pure receptivity; whereas the soul transmuted and illumined by the spirit was analogous to the Sun and the metal gold.”» — la formulación que cita de Titus Burckhardt; los corchetes son del volumen. El apellido se imprime aquí *Burckhardt* y en el capítulo del hierro *Burkhardt*: las dos grafías van tal cual, sin cotejo

«Appropriately, silver has a great affinity with light. Silver is used in the making of mirrors, and the lunar metal is the best reflector of visible light known.» — la afinidad de la plata con la luz, que él lee como signatura lunar

«When melted and hardened again, trapped oxygen is expelled in gas eruptions that leave behind a lunar surface pocked with craters.» — la signatura lunar que ve en la superficie de la plata al solidificarse

«Likewise, silver metal has a great affinity for the oceans, and most of the silver metal on this planet is dissolved in sea water.» — y la que ve en su presencia en el agua de mar, ligada al dominio lunar de las mareas

«Chemist Lilly Kolisko demonstrated that 1% silver nitrate solution produces a different liquid “picture” (as it rises up filter paper) corresponding to the phases of the moon each night.» — el experimento que atribuye a la química Lilly Kolisko sobre el nitrato de plata y las fases lunares, y que el volumen remite a su apéndice

«Silver is used in rituals, magical spells, and talismans to invoke Moon-goddesses and in “drawing down the moon” ceremonies. The lunar forces are thought to control the female force, cycles, emotional and hormonal imbalances, reflecting or neutralizing negativity, dreams and intuition, psychic work and psychic abilities.» — los usos mágicos de la plata, incluida la ceremonia de *drawing down the moon*

«Silver is also believed to improve the assimilation of food, which is why young children (in their Moon-years) are traditionally given a silver fork and spoon to eat with.» — la costumbre que enlaza con esa creencia: los cubiertos de plata para los niños en sus años lunares

«Now, pick up piece of silver jewelry or dinnerware, and hold it in your left hand until it gets warm. You should be able to feel a liquid-like sensation of cool metallic energy. This is what alchemists refer to as the “call of silver.”» — el ejercicio de la llamada de la plata y la sensación que describe

«Psychologically, the transmutation of the Silver Chakra produces a lasting mystical state absolutely purified of habitual or egotistic forces. Intuition reaches its highest state of perfection, and one begins to move beyond the limitations of space and time. The feeling is one of intense connection to the cosmos.» — qué produce, según él, la transmutación del chakra de plata: estado místico duradero e intuición perfeccionada

«In the last stages of transmutation, a Sublimation of spiritual forces occurs which lays the groundwork for the formation of a Second Body, a true body of light, in the next and final position on the Caduceus.» — la Sublimación que sitúa al final de esa etapa y el Segundo Cuerpo de luz que prepararía

«The alchemists worked with the Silver temperament using the operation of Distillation, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 15.» — la operación que asigna a la plata: la Destilación

«The Persians kept their "healing waters" in silver vessels to leach silver atoms into solution. Egyptians used a form of a silver wrap for wounds. Druids lined their drinking bottles with silver metal for a disinfectant. Medieval royalty held a substantially higher immunity to bacteria than a commoner due to the fact that they dined with silver ware, ate off silver plates and drank from silver chalices. Even soldiers were known to swallow a whole silver dollar to ward off infection from wounds.» — los usos históricos de la plata en medicina que enumera, de los persas a los soldados que tragaban una moneda

«The therapeutic effects of the lunar metal are sedative, cooling, emetic, and moisturizing. Moon-ruled plants affect the subconscious mind and are useful for hypnosis, breaking bad habits, and working» — las correspondencias terapéuticas de la Luna. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *with desires*

«Lunar herbs are also said to provoke memories of past life experiences and provide a channel through the space-time matrix of consciousness, enabling the alchemist to see clearly through the veil of his or her own thoughts and feelings.» — el efecto que adjudica a las hierbas lunares sobre la memoria de vidas pasadas; lo formula con la reserva *are said to*

«Lunar herbs can also be a tremendous aid in astral projection. The Moon has rulership of the astral plane, and lunar elixirs help us become aware of astral form and function.» — el uso que les da en la proyección astral, con la Luna como regente de ese plano

«The alchemists prepared an Oil of Silver they used to treat disorders of the brain and cerebellum, reduce stress, balance emotions, improve memory, treat nervous disorders and epilepsy, improve both melancholia and mania. It was also used as a physical purgative and mental purifier.» — el Aceite de Plata y las dolencias que le adjudica

«to resemble living plant structures rather than more mechanical mineral forms.» — por qué llama orgánica a la plata entre los metales: sus estructuras se parecerían a las de las plantas. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *silver metal is the most “organic” of the metals, and its structures tend*

«Many cases of argyria occurred during the pre-antibiotic era when silver was a common ingredient in nosedrops. Official drug guidebooks have not listed colloidal silver products since 1975.» — el riesgo que consigna del uso de plata coloidal: la argiria y la retirada del producto de las guías farmacológicas

«A colloid (pronounced “koloid”) is a mixture in which one substance is divided into minute particles of pure elemental metal and dispersed throughout a liquid such as distilled water.» — cómo define el coloide al abrir el Experimento 12

«Colloidal silver is produced electrically and charges the copper particles so they stay suspended in the solution.» — cómo describe su producción eléctrica. El troceo imprime *copper particles* donde el sentido pide las de plata (sic)

«Generally, metals in colloidal suspensions have no toxic effects.» — la afirmación con que descarta la toxicidad de los coloides metálicos

«If a light passes through a colloid, the light is reflected by the colloidal particles and the path of light can be seen by the naked eye.» — la prueba óptica con que distingue un coloide de una disolución

«The ideal voltage for making colloidal silver is 30 volts DC, so three 9-volt batteries (27 volts) makes a good power source. All you need to make colloidal silver are the 3 batteries, 3 snap-on leads for the batteries, 2 insulated alligator clips, a foot or so of two-conductor stranded insulated wire, and two silver electrodes. You get the electronic parts at any Radio Shack store, along with a plastic box to contain the batteries if you wish. The electrode wire should be 10-inch long pure silver wire (12 guage, at least .999 fine).» — el material que enumera para el montaje; *guage* por *gauge* va como lo imprime el troceo

«The unit produces ionic colloidal silver at the rate of about 1 ppm (parts-per-million) per hour and produces a particle size of about .01 microns.» — el rendimiento que declara para el montaje

«Gold is a stubbornly pure metal when it comes to reacting or even associating with “lesser” elements. That signature explains a lot of the chemical characteristics of gold. Unlike nearly every other metal, there are no plants that contain even trace amounts of metallic gold. There are very few gold ores, because the noblest metal never alloys with the baser metals, but does alloy with the noble metal silver and makes an amalgam with mercury.» — la signatura con que abre el capítulo del oro: pureza obstinada, sin aleación con metales bajos

«It cannot be damaged by heat and was considered completely inalterable until around 1100 AD, when alchemists concocted a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids known as Agua Regia (“Royal Water”) that could dissolve gold.» — la inalterabilidad del oro y la fecha en que la sitúa rota, con el agua regia

«The immortal metal is endlessly recycled, and all the gold known today is very nearly equal to all the gold that has ever been mined.» — la consecuencia que saca de esa incorruptibilidad: todo el oro extraído sigue existiendo

«For example, the Makuna tribes of modern Brazil believe that gold contains “the light of the sun and stars."» — el ejemplo contemporáneo con que la ilustra; el nombre del pueblo va como lo imprime el troceo

«Sol Philosophorum was the name the alchemists gave to this living spirit of gold, which they saw as the refined essence of heat and fire.» — el nombre que adjudica al espíritu vivo del oro, en paralelo con el de la plata

«Because of its imperishability, the ancient Chinese thought that gold conveyed immortality to its owners.» — la inmortalidad que atribuye a la creencia china sobre el oro

«People started carried black stones called “touchstones” onto which they scraped a piece of gold to leave a streak. Depending on the brightness of the streak, one could estimate how much gold was in the sample.» — la piedra de toque como primer ensayo del oro; el troceo imprime *started carried* (sic)

«Around 1500 BC, Mesopotamian alchemists discovered a process for purifying gold known as "cuppellation," which involved heating impure gold in a porcelain cup called a “cuppel.” Impurities were absorbed by the porcelain, leaving a button of pure gold behind. Later alchemists used cuppels to test the quality of their transmutations.» — la copelación como técnica de purificación y su uso posterior para verificar transmutaciones

«Using elaborate mixing and heating techniques, Egyptian alchemists tried making gold by changing the proportions of the Four Elements in the base metals or by attempting to speed up natural growth of lesser metals into gold.» — las dos vías que adjudica a los alquimistas egipcios: alterar la proporción de elementos o acelerar el crecimiento del metal

«Around 300 AD, the alchemist Zosimos, whose recipes often came to him in dreams, was working to transmute copper. “The soul of copper,” he wrote must be purified until it receives the sheen of gold and turns into the royal metal of the Sun."» — la fórmula que atribuye a Zósimo sobre el alma del cobre, con la nota de que sus recetas le llegaban en sueños

«A technique known as "diplosis" (“doubling”) of gold became popular. One such recipe called for heating a mixture of two parts gold with one part each of silver and copper. After appropriate alchemical charging that brought the seed of gold alive,» — la técnica de la *diplosis* y la receta que reproduce

«According to the medieval alchemists, Nature sought continually to create the perfection achieved in gold, and they looked at every metal as gold in the making.» — cómo resume la doctrina medieval de los metales: todos serían oro en formación

«Many alchemists felt that mercury was the closest metal to gold and that it could be transmuted directly into gold. Their intuition was correct, for mercury can indeed be turned into gold. Gold and mercury are next to each other on the Periodic Table. Mercury is element 80 (has 80 protons) and gold is element 79 (has 79 protons). In the 1960s, physicists were able to knock out a proton in mercury atoms using neutron particle accelerators, and thereby create minute quantities of gold.» — la intuición alquímica sobre el mercurio y el respaldo moderno que le pone: los aceleradores de partículas de los años sesenta

«Medieval Italian alchemist Bernard Trevisan speculated, "Is not gold merely the Sun’s beams condensed into a solid yellow?"» — la formulación que cita de Bernardo Trevisano sobre el oro como rayo solar condensado

«during the two “solunar” perids in the day that begin six hours after either moon-rise or moon-set and last for about 90 minutes. Do not attempt to make silver colloid during the week surrounding the New Moon or when the Moon is overhead at noontime.» — la sujeción del procedimiento a los periodos solunares y las prohibiciones lunares que le pone; *perids* por *periods* va como lo imprime el troceo, y el tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *To make alchemically charged colloidal silver, it is best to work*

«Around the world, nearly every culture associated their supreme god or goddess with gold. For many centuries only the images of gods graced gold coins, until Alexander the Great began the trend of rulers’» — la constante que declara entre culturas: el oro asociado a la divinidad suprema. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *images appearing on gold coins around 30 BC*

«Egyptian alchemists believed that the gold acted as a seed in metals, especially copper and silver. According to their view, the» — la doctrina de la semilla de oro que adjudica a los alquimistas egipcios. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *seed of gold grew, eating the copper and silver as food*

«This work presents an amazing confirmation of how the King and Queen, Sol and Luna, work together in creation, with the female principle representing soul and form and the male principle representing spirit and energy.» — la lectura que hace de los experimentos de Kolisko: los toma como aval de la pareja Sol-Luna como espíritu y alma

«Her work has been duplicated by dozens of other chemists and has been confirmed many times.» — el respaldo que reclama para ese trabajo; el volumen no nombra a esos químicos

«The signatures of gold are invoked in rituals, magical spells, and talismans concerning solar deities, the male force, authority, self-confidence, creativity, financial riches, investments, fortune, hope, health, and worldly and magical power.» — los usos mágicos del oro

«Gold talismans can be very expensive, but you can make one of gold colored cardboard or write the symbols on it with gold paint or plate an object with gold.» — el sustituto práctico que propone para el talismán de oro

«If you can connect with this archetype, you will realize that it a very personal as well as divine presence. As Above, so Below. This is perfection on all levels of your mind, body, and soul resonating with the perfection inherent in the Whole Universe.» — lo que dice que se reconoce en esa conexión: una presencia a la vez personal y divina

«For those with weaker wills or loss of contact with the divine presence, gold represents a psychological cure. The solar essences gives great ambition, courage, self-reliance, dignity, authority, and the ability to manage oneself and others.» — el uso psicológico que da al oro y las cualidades que le adjudica

«For lasting manifestation, the golden temperament needs to be firmly grounded in the world, and the danger at this phase of transformation is that the individual become too focused on the workings Above and forget his or her connection to the real world. Gold and the blazing Sun correspond to personal ambition, courage, and creative energy and vitality, but without a constant effort to remain pure and alive in the real world, the golden temperament can quickly transmute into the leaden qualities of despair, poor self esteem, lack of confidence, and impurity.» — el peligro que señala en el temperamento dorado: el desapego del mundo real lo devolvería a las cualidades del plomo

«The alchemists transmuted the Gold temperament using the operation of Coagulation, which we will examine and apply to personal transformation in Chapter 15.» — la operación que asigna al oro: la Coagulación

«Chrysotherapy is the name given to healing with gold. The mystical metal has been used for both spiritual and medical purposes as far back as ancient Egypt. Over 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians used gold in dentistry and ingested it for mental, bodily, and spiritual purification. The ancients believed that gold in the body worked by stimulating the life force and raising the level of vibration on all levels.» — el nombre que da a la terapia con oro y el mecanismo que los antiguos le habrían atribuido

«In Alexandria, alchemists developed a powerful elixir known as “liquid gold,” which reportedly had the ability to restore youth and perfect health.» — el *oro líquido* alejandrino y lo que se le adjudicaba; lo formula con la reserva *reportedly*

«In ancient Rome, gold salves were used for the treatment of skin ulcers, and today, gold leaf plays an important role in the treatment of chronic skin ulcers.» — la continuidad que traza entre el ungüento romano y el uso actual del pan de oro

«In the 1900s, surgeons implanted a $5 gold piece under the skin near an inflamed joint, such as a knee or elbow.» — el uso quirúrgico que refiere para el siglo XX

«In China, peasants still cook their rice with a gold coin in order to help replenish gold in their bodies, and fancy Chinese restaurants put 24-karat gold-leaf in their food preparations.» — los usos alimentarios chinos que consigna

«Gold is never corrodes or even tarnishes, is completely non-toxic, and exhibits no interactions with other drugs. Gold is the only heavy metal that has a right-hand atomic spin and is therefore easily tolerated by the body.» — las razones fisicoquímicas con que justifica el uso interno del oro; el troceo imprime *Gold is never corrodes* (sic)

«Sun-ruled plants affect the soul in its positive phase of manifestation, which manifests on the personal level as our idea of ourselves as a progressive unified entity. Solar herbs help us realize our evolutionary epoch as an individual among many other individuals, helping to synthesize and synchronize our goals with those of the macrocosm. In this sense they are ego fortifiers, but with a divine purpose.» — el efecto que adjudica a las plantas solares: fortalecen el yo, pero con un fin divino

«Solar plants, when alchemically charged, will reveal the divine purpose of our solar system, and will let you become aware of the will of God in manifestation.» — el alcance mayor que les atribuye una vez cargadas alquímicamente

«In medical astrology, the Sun rules the physical heart and the eyes as mirrors of the soul. The Sun controls the heart, the circulatory system and the central energy system of the spine.» — las correspondencias médicas del Sol

«There are several alchemical oils of gold available, although with any gold product, one should be aware of the extravagant claims sometimes made for it.» — la reserva que él mismo pone a los productos de oro que circulan

«Simple Oil of Gold is said to be excellent for leukemia patients as the “highly fixed phosphoric principle will join by the law of affinity with its corresponding human phosphoric principle within the bones.”» — el Aceite de Oro simple y la explicación por afinidad que reproduce entrecomillada

«The Red Oil of Gold is used as a circulation aid, heart tonic, blood purifier, regenerative of brain cells, protector of bones and joints, to treat rheumatism and arthritis, to cure cancer and syphilis, for uremia and multiple sclerosis, increase vitality, and balance metabolism. Psychologically, it is thought to cure a weak will, give ambition, restore courage, and increase creativity.» — el Aceite Rojo de Oro y la lista de dolencias y efectos que le adjudica

«For instance, the recipe for Dr. Anthony’s Famous Aurum Potabile contains the following ingredient: “Take the urine of a healthy man drinking wine moderately; put it into a gourd which you must stop close, and set in horse dung for the space of forty days.”» — la receta del *Aurum Potabile* del doctor Anthony que reproduce como muestra de lo oscuro de esas fórmulas

«Another recipe for Oil of Gold calls for “calcinated gold fused into a colorful glass with special alchemical salts elaborated from a phosphoric principle and combined naturally with the universal spirit which contains corporified light or astral fire. When exposed several nights to the full moon, this glass dissolves by attraction into an oily thick paste.”» — y la segunda receta que trae, con el fuego astral y la luz corporificada

«Pure colloidal gold was first prepared in 1857 by the English scientist, Michael Faraday, and many uses were found for the amazing solutions of “activated gold.”» — a quién adjudica la primera preparación de oro coloidal

«Continue facing the sun as you pick up a piece of gold jewelry or a vial of pure gold flakes (such as sold in some novelty shops) into your right palm. You should be able to feel a electric warmth building. That eerie, warm vibration is not your imagination. It is what» — el ejercicio de la llamada del oro y la resonancia cálida que declara no imaginaria. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *alchemists refer to as the “call of gold”*

«karmic obligations. The golden attitude of this temperament is what brings the rewards of health, wealth, and happiness through synchronistic responses from the universe. Go against these archetypal powers at this level of achievement and even the slightest deviation from the golden path of righteousness and personal integrity can have disastrous and immediate consequences.» — la obligación kármica que adjudica al temperamento dorado y las consecuencias inmediatas de apartarse de él. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *one has certain personal and*

«Because of its powerful transformative effects, however, colloidal gold is not recommended for use by people with bi-polar disorder.» — la contraindicación que pone al oro coloidal

«In the nineteenth century, colloidal gold was commonly used in the United States to cure alcoholism, and today it is commonly used to reduce dependencies on other compounds besides alcohol, such as caffeine, nicotine, and food (especially carbohydrates).» — los usos contra la adicción que le adjudica, del alcoholismo decimonónico a la cafeína y la nicotina

«Recent studies have shown a 20% increase in I.Q. in people who took daily doses of colloidal gold for only three to four weeks.» — el estudio que aduce sobre el oro coloidal y el cociente intelectual; el volumen no da la referencia

«Many products to be colloidal gold are actually ionic gold, which are chemically reactive and could even damage nerve cells. Ionic gold is easy to identify because it is a clear liquid and looks like water. If it does not have the red-purple signature of gold, then it is not true colloidal gold.» — cómo distinguir el oro coloidal del iónico según él, con la advertencia sobre el daño a las células nerviosas; el troceo omite un *said* en la primera frase (sic)

«While within these operations there are numerous sub-operations or laboratory processes involved, the seven stages represented by the planets and metals and revealed in the Emerald Tablet were the primary operations.» — por qué reduce a siete las operaciones pese a las subooperaciones de laboratorio

«The alchemists went to great lengths to scramble the order of these operations, even from other alchemists, but they did say that the order described in the Emerald Tablet was the only correct or “universal” version. Because of that, it has become common among alchemists to speak of the seven primary operations as the Emerald Formula.» — el desorden deliberado que adjudica a los alquimistas y la excepción que ellos mismos harían: el orden de la Tabla como el único universal

«Each of the operations comes alive at some point in the experiment, but they do not necessarily follow any strict order. The alchemists were aware of this living quality of their operations and remained extremely flexible and intuitive about the order in which to apply them.» — la consecuencia práctica que saca: las operaciones no siguen orden estricto y el alquimista se mantendría flexible

«There psychological tests one can take to help reveal these stages, because each of the operations of alchemy are now recognized by many noted psychologists as stages in personal transformation.» — el aval psicológico que reclama para las operaciones; el troceo omite un verbo en la primera frase (sic)

«The “Azoth” (shown in Figure 16 below) is a meditative emblem that appeared in several different forms during the late Middle Ages.» — qué es el Azoth que usa como guía visual de las operaciones

«The version we are using is based on an illustration first published in 1659 in the Azoth of the Philosophers by the legendary German alchemist Basil Valentine.» — la fuente que declara para su versión del emblema. El pie de la figura 16 data el mismo grabado en 1613 y con título francés, *L’Azoth des Philosophes*: las dos fechas van tal como las imprime el volumen, sin armonizar

«The word “Azoth” in the title is one of the more arcane names for the First Matter. The “A” and “Z” in the word relate to “alpha” and “omega,” the letters at the beginning and end of the Greek alphabet. Thus the word is meant to convey the idea of the absolutely complete and full meaning of the First Matter and its transformations.» — la etimología que propone para *Azoth*, por alfa y omega, como nombre de la Primera Materia

«At the center of this striking drawing is the face of a bearded alchemist at the beginning of the Work. Like looking into a mirror, this is where the adept fixes his or her attention to begin meditation at the center of the mandala.» — por dónde manda empezar la meditación del emblema

«Therefore, within the triangle we see the face of God, and the drawing clearly implies that the face of God and the face of the alchemist are the same.» — la equivalencia que lee en el triángulo del emblema: el rostro de Dios y el del alquimista

«Of course, this idea was considered blasphemy to the medieval Church, which explains why this drawing was circulated secretly in so many different forms during the Middle Ages.» — la razón que da de la circulación secreta de ese grabado

«The schematized body of the alchemist is shown in perfect balance with the Four Elements as depicted by his arms and legs. His feet protrude from behind the central emblem, and one is on Earth and the other in Water, indicating he is grounded in the real world. In his right hand is a torch of Fire and in his left hand a feather symbolizing Air. Although he is firmly planted in the world of matter, the alchemist has easy access to the powers of spirit.» — cómo lee el cuerpo del alquimista en el emblema: los cuatro elementos repartidos en manos y pies

«He is really the offspring of the marriage between Sol, the archetypal Sun King seated on a lion on a hill to his right, and Luna, the archetypal Moon Queen seated on a great fish to his left. “Its father is the Sun,” says the Emerald Tablet, “its mother the Moon.”» — la filiación que le da dentro del emblema, con la cita de la Tabla que la respalda

«but the fiery dragon of the rejected contents of his unconscious waits in a cave beneath him ready to attack should he grow too arrogant.» — el dragón de la cueva bajo el Rey Sol como contenido rechazado del inconsciente

«This dragon is created by the fiery nature of consciousness any time we forcibly reject part of the contents of our psyche and relegate it to the shadows. We have given this undesirable part life energy in the very act of rejection. The fact that light casts shadows is inherent in masculine consciousness, and it becomes a source of demons that plague us throughout our lives.» — cómo explica la formación de la sombra: rechazar una parte de la psique le da energía

«The bow and arrow she cradles in her left arm symbolize the wounds of the heart and body she accepts as part of her existence, for feminine consciousness accepts the world as it is, with all its pain and suffering.» — cómo lee los atributos de la Reina Luna, y la aceptación del mundo que adjudica a la consciencia femenina

«In simplest terms, the King and Queen represent the raw materials of our experience – thoughts and feelings – with which the alchemist works. The King symbolizes the power of thought and planning, which are characteristics of spirit. The Queen stands for the influence of feelings and emotions, which are ultimately the chaotic First Matter of the soul.» — la traducción psicológica que hace de la pareja regia: pensamiento y sentimiento como materia prima del trabajo

«The much heralded marriage of the King and Queen produces a state of consciousness best described as a feeling intellect, which can be raised and purified to produce a state of perfect intuition, that Egyptian alchemists referred to as “Intelligence of the Heart.”» — qué produce ese matrimonio según él: el intelecto sensible, y el nombre egipcio que le adjudica

«Where the head of the alchemist should be, there is a strange winged caricature. This represents the Ascended Essence, the essence of the soul raised to the highest level in the body. This image evolved through the decades with this drawing, and at one time or another was shown as a golden ball, a helmet, a heart, and finally as a depiction of the pineal gland (a light-sensitive, pinecone-shaped organ at the center of the brain).» — la Esencia Ascendida en lugar de la cabeza y las formas que fue tomando en la historia del grabado

«The salamander, as a symbol of soul, is attracted to the blazing heat of the Sun, while the bird of spirit is attracted to the coolness of the Moon. This is a visualization of the fundamental bipolar energies that drive the alchemy of transformation.» — la salamandra y el ave del emblema como Alma y Espíritu, atraídos cada uno por el astro contrario

«This is the relationship between Mercury and Sulfur in alchemy, and explains why Mercury is sometimes associated with soul and other times associated with spirit. The same is true of Sulfur.» — por qué el Mercurio se asocia unas veces al alma y otras al espíritu: la coexistencia se consigna sin resolver

«Carl Jung called this overall process of one thing changing its opposite by the unfortunately unwieldy name of “inandromedria.”» — el nombre junguiano que da a ese proceso; el troceo imprime *inandromedria* donde Jung escribe *enantiodromia* (sic)

«Spiritus, Anima, and Corpus (Spirit, Soul, and Body) form a large inverted triangle that stands behind the central emblem of the alchemist. Together they symbolize the Three Essentials behind anything, the celestial archetypes that the alchemists termed Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt.» — el triángulo invertido del emblema como los Tres Esenciales

«The star-shaped pattern that makes up the body of the alchemist represents what Paracelsus called the “star in man,” the hidden process that is going on in our souls, just as it is the hidden process behind the evolution of the Anima Mundi or the soul of the universe.» — la *estrella en el hombre* que adjudica a Paracelso y su paralelo con el Anima Mundi

«The real secret of the Emerald Formula is not the ordering of the operations as much as it is the idea that this formula is alive. That is to say, the formula can never really be expressed in any linear of fully» — dónde pone el secreto de la Fórmula Esmeralda: no en el orden de las operaciones, sino en que la fórmula esté viva. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *knowable fashion, but it has a life of its own*; el troceo imprime *linear of* por *linear or* (sic)

«labeled Corpus (meaning “body”). The five stars surrounding it indicate that the body also contains the hidden Fifth Element, the invisible Quintessence whose “inherent strength is perfected if it is turned into Earth” in the words of the Emerald Tablet.» — cómo lee la Piedra Cúbica del emblema y las cinco estrellas que la rodean, con la cita de la Tabla sobre la fuerza perfeccionada al volverse Tierra. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Between legs of the alchemist dangles the Cubic Stone, which is*

«Movement through the Azoth is clockwise, and between each step on the Planetary Ladder are a series of circles that show how to proceed to the next step or transform the current situation. These are the operations of alchemy.» — cómo se recorre el emblema y qué son los círculos que separan cada peldaño

«Black crows are symbols of the initial Black Phase (the Nigredo) of alchemy, during which the subject of transformation is purified by breaking it down.» — el cuervo negro como signo de la Nigredo

«The word “Calcination” (and such related words as “calcify” and “calcium”) are from the Latin root calx, which means limestone or bone. To calcine something is to burn it until it turns chalky white, reduce it to ashes, or cremate it. After Calcination, the substance at hand is no longer affected by common fire.» — la etimología de *calcinación* y el criterio de término de la operación

«Fire was very important to alchemists, who were often called “Philosophers of Fire.” They believed it was the primary agent of transformation.» — el nombre que adjudica a los alquimistas y el papel que daban al fuego

«“All our purifications are done in fire, by fire, and with fire,” noted the twentieth-century alchemist Fulcanelli.» — la fórmula que cita de Fulcanelli; la formulación es suya

«“Become acquainted with the secrets of fires,” counseled alchemist Daniel Mylius (Philosophia Reformata, 1622), “and the true achievements of our Medicine, which lead easily to the achievement of the Magistery.”» — y la que cita de Daniel Mylius en su *Philosophia Reformata*

«Another Calcination image is a yellow lion devouring or struggling with a green snake. The lion represents the fiery principle of Sulfur and the Secret Fire in the alchemist’s soul. The green serpent is unrefined or unclean Mercury that must be redeemed during Calcination.» — cómo lee el emblema del león amarillo y la serpiente verde: Azufre y Mercurio impuro

«In the alchemist, this is the false identity or poisoning ego that fights desperately for its survival but must be devoured in the flames of higher consciousness.» — la traducción psicológica que hace de ese emblema: el ego que pelea por sobrevivir

«Alchemists considered acids, especially Vitriol, as a kind of liquid fire that also was considered a process of Calcination.» — el ácido como fuego líquido dentro de la Calcinación

«Physiologically, the Fire of Calcination can be experienced as the metabolic discipline or aerobic activity that tunes the body, burning off excesses from overindulgence and producing a lean and efficient body. Bodily Calcination begins in the Base or Lead Chakra at the sacral cup at the base of the spine.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Calcinación y el chakra donde la sitúa

«Psychologically, this operation involves the destruction of ego and our attachments to material possessions. Calcination is usually a natural humbling process as we are gradually assaulted and overcome by the trials and tribulations of life, though it can be a deliberate surrender of our inherent hubris gained through a variety of spiritual disciplines that ignite the fire of introspection and self- evaluation.» — la traducción psicológica: destrucción del ego, por humillación de la vida o por disciplina deliberada

«In society, the Calcination is expressed in the lives of revolutionaries, conquerors, and other warriors who try to overthrow the status quo.» — y la traducción social que le da

«The second circle depicts the operation of Dissolution and shows the black crow watching itself dissolve before its eyes to reveal its white or purer part. Reflecting back from the pool of Dissolution is the white image of the Soul Bird, which is exposed during this operation.» — cómo lee el segundo círculo del emblema: el cuervo disolviéndose y el Ave del Alma

«One frequent image of Dissolution is the Green Lion reaching up to devour the Sun. The Green Lion is the purified Green Snake of Calcination, purified and alive during Dissolution. But the Green Lion is still imperfect Mercury, although it is now imbued with the soul’s sincere desire to ascend.» — el León Verde devorando al Sol como emblema de la Disolución, y el límite que le pone: sigue siendo Mercurio imperfecto

«On the chemical level, the Green Lion is the purified Vitriol, the Aqua Regia acid that can dissolve even gold.» — la lectura química que da al mismo emblema

«In the laboratory, the second operation involves dissolving the ashes from Calcination in water, acid, or other solution. These ashes are sometimes called the Salt of the Stone (Sal Salis), which is the inner matrix that carries all the essences that later become the Philosopher’s Stone.» — la Disolución en el laboratorio y la *Sal Salis* como matriz de las esencias

«In summing up the important transition from the operation of Calcination to the operation of Dissolution, Daniel Stolicus wrote (Chemishes Lustgaertlein, 1625): “The fiery man will sweat and become hot in the fire. Also will he resolve his body and carry it far through moisture.”» — la fórmula que cita de Daniel Stolicus para el paso de Calcinación a Disolución; el nombre y el título del libro van como los imprime el troceo, y difieren de los del pie de la figura 15 del capítulo anterior

«Psychologically, Dissolution represents a further breaking down of the artificial structures of the psyche by total immersion in the unconscious, the rejected part of our consciousness. Within the alchemist, the dissolving Water of Dissolution can take the form of dreams, voices, visions, and strange feelings which reveal a less ordered and less rational world existing simultaneously with our everyday life.» — la traducción psicológica de la Disolución: inmersión en lo inconsciente y aparición de sueños, voces y visiones

«Dissolution can be experienced as "flow," the bliss of being well-used and actively engaged in creative acts without personal hang-ups or established hierarchy getting in the way.» — la versión positiva que le reconoce: el estado de flujo

«Physiologically, Dissolution is the continuance of the kundalini experience, the opening-up of energy channels in the body to recharge and elevate every single cell. Dissolution takes place in the Genital or Tin Chakra and involves changes in the lungs and spleen.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Disolución y el chakra donde la sitúa

«The third circle shows the operation of Separation in which the black, earthbound Soul Bird splits into two white birds that retrieve the saved remains of Calcination and Dissolution. This is the first coming together of soul and spirit, and the newly acquired vantage point allows the discernment of what is worthy of being saved from the previous two operations.» — cómo lee el tercer círculo: el ave partida en dos y el discernimiento de lo que merece salvarse

«At this stage, the saved elements are pure but opposite and were often seen at war or struggling with each other. It can be a tortuous time that demands will and determination.» — el conflicto que sitúa en esa etapa entre los elementos salvados

«Of this phase, the Emerald Tablet says, “The Wind carries it in its belly,” and the alchemists felt they were applying the Element Air in their work during Separation.» — el versículo de la Tabla que hace corresponder con la Separación

«“On this third rung of the Ladder of the Wise,” noted Daniel Mylius in his Philosophia Reformata (1622), “the warring elements previously mentioned and distinguished from each other, are separated by a rectifying distillation. Therefore, the third step is called Our Separation.”» — la formulación de Mylius sobre el tercer peldaño

«Images for the Separation process include filter funnels, piles of sand or dirt, knights wielding swords, the caduceus as a weapon, divorce, dismemberment, surgery, splitting of the Red Sea, breaking apart of heaven and earth, scenes from the Apocalypse, and complicated geometric diagrams such as the Squaring of the Circle.» — el repertorio de imágenes que asigna a la Separación

«Laboratory Separation is the isolation of the components of Dissolution by filtration or fractional distillation and then discarding any impure or unworthy material. It is the isolation of the desired components from the previous two purification operations (Calcination and Dissolution). In the laboratory, the components of the polluted solution from Dissolution are separated out by filtration, cutting, settling, or agitation with air. Any dead or unworthy material is then discarded.» — la Separación en el laboratorio: filtración o destilación fraccionada y descarte de lo impuro

«Psychologically, this process is the rediscovery of our essence and the reclaiming of dream and visionary "gold" previously rejected by the masculine, rational part of our minds.» — la traducción psicológica de la Separación: recuperar el oro onírico que la razón había rechazado

«The process of Separation retrieves the frozen energy released from the breaking down of habits and crystallized thoughts (assumptions, beliefs, and prejudices) and hardened feelings (emotional blockages, neuroses, and phobias). This misspent energy is now available to drive our spiritual transformation.» — qué se recupera en ella: la energía congelada en hábitos, prejuicios y bloqueos

«Physiologically, Separation is following and controlling the breath in the body as it works with the forces of Spirit and Soul to give birth to new energy and physical renewal. Separation begins in the Navel or Iron Chakra located at the level of the solar plexus.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Separación y el chakra donde la sitúa

«The fourth circle depicts the twin birds of soul and spirit leaving the earth together, lifting a five-spiked crown (the Fifth Element or Quintessence recovered from the preceding operations) into heaven or the realm of spirit. At this point in the Work, only the purest and most genuine parts of the substance to be transformed remain in the vessel. The goal of the Conjunction operation is to recombine these saved elements into a whole new incarnation.» — cómo lee el cuarto círculo y qué fin da a la Conjunción: recombinar lo salvado en una encarnación nueva

«As the Emerald Tablet says of this stage, “Its nurse is the Earth,” and the alchemists felt they were working with the Element Earth during Conjunction.» — el versículo de la Tabla que hace corresponder con la Conjunción

«The alchemists often referred to the Conjunction as the “Marriage of the Sun and Moon,” which symbolized the two opposing ways of knowing or experiencing the world. Solar consciousness is intellectual and relies on rational thought; lunar» — el matrimonio de Sol y Luna como nombre de la Conjunción, y las dos maneras de conocer que distingue. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *consciousness is feeling based*

«After this Marriage of the Mind, the initiate experiences an increase in intuitive insight and the birth of Intelligence of the Heart. This newly found faculty produces a sense of reality superior to either thought or feeling alone.» — qué resulta de esa boda: la Inteligencia del Corazón, superior —dice— al pensamiento y al sentimiento por separado

«Conjunction is more than a simple marriage however. It is actually an alchemical crucifixion in which the substance at hand (or the alchemist) is nailed (or fixed) on a cross between the Vertical Axis of reality and the Horizontal Axis of reality.» — la figura fuerte con que describe la Conjunción: una crucifixión alquímica entre los dos ejes

«As can been seen in the Azoth drawing, Conjunction is really a turning point from working with the first three operations Below (in matter) and working with the last three operations Above (in spirit).» — por qué la sitúa como bisagra del emblema: tres operaciones abajo y tres arriba

«In fact, it is the alchemical crucifixion at the center of the vertical and horizontal realities that makes Conjunction the most significant operation in alchemy.» — y por qué la declara la operación más significativa

«Often engravings show the King and Queen in reconciliation at this stage, with Hermes (or Mercury) joining them an embrace or handshake. In some of these drawings, Hermes is shown with a wry smile or even with two faces. This is a subtle revelation that the Conjunction is really a good-natured ruse by the notorious trickster, who knows that both the King and Queen must die or sacrifice their identities in the marriage to produce the Child of the Philosophers, which is all Hermes really cares about.» — cómo lee la sonrisa de Hermes en esos grabados: la Conjunción como ardid del embaucador, porque Rey y Reina deben morir para dar el Hijo de los Filósofos

«Carl Jung suggested that angels coming down from heaven and the landing of UFOs were also images of vertical Conjunction, in the obvious sense of the union between the powers Above with the powers Below.» — lo que adjudica a Jung sobre los ángeles y los ovnis como imágenes de la Conjunción vertical

«Physiologically, Conjunction is using the body’s sexual energies for personal transformation. Conjunction takes place in the body at the level of the Heart or Copper Chakra.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Conjunción y el chakra donde la sitúa

«Psychologically, Conjunction is empowerment of our true selves, the union of both the masculine and feminine sides of our personalities into a new belief system or an intuitive state of consciousness. The alchemists referred to it as the Lesser Stone, and after it is achieved, the adept is able to clearly discern what needs to be done to achieve lasting enlightenment.» — la traducción psicológica y el nombre que le dan los alquimistas: la Piedra Menor

«Often synchronicities begin to occur at this stage that confirm the alchemist is on the right track in his or her personal transformation.» — la señal que adjudica a esa etapa: las sincronías

«This ray is usually colored blue-green or green, symbolizing the living energy of transformation spoken of in the Emerald Tablet or what the Sufis called the “Emerald Vision.”» — el color del quinto rayo y el nombre sufí que le adjudica

«This is the operation of Fermentation in which the unexpected mystic substance forms, the ambrosia of the gods, which represents the first lasting solidification of the conjoining of soul and spirit.» — qué es la Fermentación en su lectura: la primera solidificación duradera de alma y espíritu

«Fermentation is the introduction of new life into the product of Conjunction to completely change its characteristics, to completely raise it to a whole new level of being.» — cómo la define en una frase

«The Emerald Tablet tells us to leave the earthly realm by the fire of imagination, “gently and with great Ingenuity,” into a state that sets our soul afire with higher passion. This is the second or higher application of the Fire Element in the tablet, and the alchemists thought of it as working with the heavenly substance of Sulfur.» — el versículo de la Tabla que hace corresponder con la Fermentación

«In his Chemisches Lustgaertlein (1625), alchemist Daniel Stolcius describes the importance of this uncomfortable phase: “Destruction brings about the Death of the material. But the spirit renews, like before, the Life. Provided that the seed is putrefied in the right soil – otherwise all labor, work, and art will be in vain.”» — la formulación que cita de Daniel Stolcius sobre esa fase; el título va con grafía distinta de la que el volumen usa dos planas antes

«Laboratory Putrefaction begins with the rotting of the plant material or substance of transformation. The alchemists often added manure to help get the process going. The sign that Putrefaction is nearing its end is a milky white fluid that appears like a tunnel of white light in the black, rotting material.» — la Putrefacción de laboratorio y la señal de que termina: el fluido blanco lechoso

«Finally, out of the utter blackness of Putrefaction comes the yellow Ferment, which appears like a golden wax flowing out of the foul matter. Chinese alchemists called this substance the Golden Pill, which marked their intermediary Yellow Phase (the Xanthosis), a alchemical transition also recognized by Alexandrian alchemists.» — el Fermento amarillo y la fase que le corresponde, que llama Xanthosis

«The production of the Ferment or Golden Pill is heralded by the formation of an iridescent, oily film the alchemists named the Cauda Pavonis (“Peacock’s Tail”).» — la señal que anuncia esa fase: la Cola de Pavo Real

«We see this process most clearly in the making of wine. First, the grapes are “sacrificed” or crushed to release their essences in the juice. Then, Putrefaction begins as the juice is allowed to decompose and rot. Next, a white layer of digesting bacteria arises that begins the process of Fermentation. This phase is also sometimes marked by waxy substance the alchemists called the Ferment and an oily film known as the Peacock’s Tail. Finally, the new life force “conquers” the original identity of the grape juice and supplants it with a new and higher presence or life. This higher presence is release during the next operation (Distillation), which produces the true Spirit of Wine (its alcohol), which contains the purified essence of grapes.» — la vinificación como ejemplo completo de Fermentación y Destilación

«Fermentation starts with the inspiration of spiritual power from Above that reanimates, energizes, and enlightens the alchemist. Out of the blackness of the alchemist’s despair (Putrefaction) comes a brilliant display of colors and meaningful visions (the Peacock’s Tail.)» — la traducción psicológica de la Fermentación: de la desesperación negra a las visiones de color

«Fermentation can be achieved through various activities that include intense prayer, desire for mystical union, breakdown of the personality, transpersonal therapy, psychedelic drugs, and deep meditation. Thus, personal Fermentation is living inspiration from something totally beyond us.» — las vías que enumera para alcanzarla, incluidas las drogas psicodélicas

«Physiologically, Fermentation is the rousing of living energy (chi or kundalini) in the body to heal and vivify. It is expressed as vibratory tones and spoken truths emerging from the Throat or Mercury Chakra.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Fermentación y el chakra donde la sitúa

«Distillation is the sixth of the major operation in alchemy, and it is represented in the sixth circle by a unicorn lying on the ground in front of a rose bush. According to legend, the unicorn runs tirelessly from pursuers but lies meekly on the ground when approached by a virgin. The virgin is the purified matter at hand, which has returned to a state of innocence and potential.» — el emblema del unicornio y la virgen con que representa la Destilación, y qué significa cada figura

«Distillation is a key process on all levels of alchemy. It involves releasing volatile essences from their prison in matter and condensing them in a purified form.» — cómo define la Destilación

«In the Greater Work of rebirth, the process takes on an infinite aspect, as substances are continually distilled and circulated in a sealed vessel. Repeated Distillation produces an extremely concentrated solution the alchemists called the “Mother of the Stone.”» — la diferencia que fija entre la Obra Menor y la Mayor en cuanto a la Destilación

«Distillation is described in the Emerald Tablet as: “It rises from Earth to Heaven and descends again to Earth, thereby combining within Itself the powers of both the Above and the Below.» — el versículo de la Tabla que hace corresponder con la Destilación; el troceo no cierra las comillas (sic)

«The alchemical symbol for Distillation is the alembic, which is a hood that fits over the boiling fluid, condensing the rising vapors, and directing the purified condensate via a funnel or tube to a collecting vessel. Images include complicated distillation trains with multiple piping into tall vessels, large turning wheels, baptismal fonts, a rain of purified dew, the lotus flower, a five-petaled rose, the Rosy Cross, the unicorn, white doves, and the Pelican.» — el alambique como signo de la operación y el repertorio de imágenes que le asigna, incluida la Rosa Cruz

«The Pelican was thought to sacrifice its own blood to feed its young, and it is also the name of a feedback-distillation apparatus.» — el doble sentido del pelícano: emblema y aparato

«matter is allowed first to rot and decompose and then to ferment or come alive again in spirit.» — los dos tiempos de la Fermentación: primero pudrirse y descomponerse, después fermentar y revivir en espíritu. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *a two-stepped process that begins with Putrefaction*

«Physiologically, Distillation is raising the life force repeatedly from the lower regions in the cauldron of the body to the brain (what Oriental alchemists called the Circulation of the Light), where it eventually becomes a wondrous solidifying light full of power. Distillation is said to culminate in the Third Eye area of the forehead, at the level of the pituitary and pineal glands, in the Brow or Silver Chakra.» — la traducción fisiológica de la Destilación, con la Circulación de la Luz que adjudica a los alquimistas orientales

«This is the operation of Coagulation, in which the fermented Child of the Conjunction is fused with the sublimated spiritual presence released during Distillation. The resurrection of the soul is accomplished by bringing together only the purest essences of one’s body and soul into the light of meditation.» — cómo define la Coagulación: fundir el Hijo fermentado con la presencia espiritual liberada en la Destilación

«In other words, Coagulation incarnates and releases the "Ultima Materia" of the soul that the Emerald Tablet described as the “Glory of the Whole Universe.” Coagulation is the second or higher application of the elements Air and Earth in the tablet, and it results in a union of spirit with matter. At this stage, the alchemists felt they were working with the “new” or resurrected Salt.» — el versículo de la Tabla que hace corresponder con la Coagulación y la Sal resucitada con la que dice que se trabaja

«Coagulation images include, a soaring eagle, brilliantly shining gold, scales of justice, an egg-shaped Stone, a heavenly-scented balsam, the elixir or ambrosia (food of immortality), wingless creatures borne away by winged creatures, the serpent and lion united, and the Phoenix (a mythical bird that repeatedly rose from the fire).» — el repertorio de imágenes que asigna a la Coagulación

«On the mental level, Coagulation is first sensed as a new confidence that is beyond all things, though many experience it as a Second Body of golden coalesced light, a permanent vehicle of consciousness that embodies the highest aspirations and evolution of mind.» — la traducción mental de la Coagulación: un Segundo Cuerpo de luz dorada como vehículo permanente de la consciencia

«Coagulation incarnates and releases the Ultima Materia of the soul, the Astral Body, which the alchemists also referred to it as the Greater or Philosopher’s Stone. Using this magical Stone, the alchemists believed they could exist on all levels of reality.» — el nombre que da a esa Piedra y lo que los alquimistas creerían poder hacer con ella

«On the bodily level, this stage is marked by the release of the Elixir in the blood that rejuvenates the body into a perfect vessel of health. A brain ambrosia is said to be released through the interaction of light from the phallic-shaped pineal gland and matter from the vulva of the pituitary.» — la traducción corporal que da a la Coagulación, con la ambrosía cerebral entre pineal e hipófisis

«These physiological and psychological processes create the Second Body, a body of solid light that emerges through the Crown or Gold Chakra.» — el Segundo Cuerpo y el chakra por el que dice que emerge

«While the operations of alchemy appear to be a linear sequence of processes to be applied in order to the substance at hand, this is really not the case in practical work. The overall pattern of the operations tends to be serpentine with the processes Above (Fermentation, Distillation, and Coagulation) and the processes Below (Calcination, Dissolution, and Separation) forming two circles in a figure-eight pattern with the Conjunction in between» — la corrección que hace al orden lineal de las operaciones: el patrón real sería serpentino, en ocho, con la Conjunción en el centro

«Furthermore, the alchemists believed that ultimate success came in three passes through the seven operations. Thus our spiritual maturity is achieved in twenty-one steps, just as we are considered physically mature at the age of twenty-one.» — las tres pasadas por las siete operaciones y el paralelo con la mayoría de edad

«During the First Magisterium (or first working through the operations), the Lunar Stone is created. It represents gaining control and perfecting the life force as it is expressed in the body, so that the alchemist might live long enough to complete the Great Work in one lifetime.» — el Primer Magisterio y la Piedra Lunar: dominar la fuerza vital del cuerpo para tener tiempo de completar la obra

«The Second Magisterium, the Solar Stone, is achieved when the mind is perfectly controlled and directed through willpower, so that fear, ego, and other psychological baggage do not interfere in the full expression of the powers of mind.» — el Segundo Magisterio y la Piedra Solar

«There are deeper secrets contained in the Azoth drawing that are only revealed through meditation. Although there are only seven operations shown, there is another implied or eighth step in the mandala. This secret is suggested by the fact that while there are eight circles depicting corresponding to operations there are only seven rays labeled. Only deeper meditation on this drawing will reveal the unlabeled eight ray.» — el enigma que plantea del emblema: ocho círculos y solo siete rayos rotulados

«Many alchemists have actually replaced the central image with a small round mirror to facilitate this introspective process.» — la variante que refiere: el espejo en lugar del rostro central

«In almost every case, you will be drawn to the black ray at position one, which points to the Cubic Stone. This is the Salt or unpurified matter at the beginning of the Work, as well as the new Salt or Stone at the end of the Work.» — adónde dice que lleva la meditación: al rayo negro de la Sal, principio y fin de la obra

«In other words, the operation associated with the hidden eighth step is Conjunction. It is the beginning and end of the Work.» — la respuesta que da al enigma: el octavo paso escondido es la Conjunción

«Some alchemists felt so strongly about this that they actually changed the entire process to show the final step of transformation depicted by gold and the Sun in ray number four instead of ray number seven. In any drawings based on Basil Valentine’s version that appeared in his Azoth des Philosophes (1659), the Sun and its metal are shown in this Ray of Conjunction instead of in the final Ray of Coagulation.» — la variante iconográfica que consigna: versiones donde el oro va en el rayo de la Conjunción y no en el de la Coagulación. La fecha que da aquí para el Azoth de Basil Valentine es 1659, distinta de la de 1613 del pie de figura

«This is an overwhelming confirmation of the importance of the ancient alchemical principle known as the Law of the Octaves. Just as the seven first notes in the musical scale lead to an eighth note that is a repetition of the first at a higher level of vibration, so do the seven operations of alchemy lead to a return to the realm of matter at a higher frequency of consciousness.» — cómo enlaza eso con la Ley de las Octavas: siete operaciones que devuelven a la materia en otra frecuencia

«In other words, the goal of alchemy is not to remain in the realm of spirit, as it is in all the Abrahamic religions. Like Buddhist and Taoist doctrine, the goal is become purified in the realm of spirit and then return to the earth as seeds of spirit.» — la diferencia que fija entre el fin de la alquimia y el de las religiones abrahámicas, con el budismo y el taoísmo del lado de la alquimia

«The Great Work of alchemy is nothing less than the “consecration of the Whole Universe” as the Emerald Tablet tells us.» — la fórmula de la Tabla con que define la Gran Obra

«union of the Lunar and Solar Stones with the cosmic presence of Universal Spirit to create the Stellar Stone. In many writings of the alchemists, especially Paracelsus, this is seen as a true Golden or Astral body, the perfection of the physical body on the spiritual» — el Tercer Magisterio y la Piedra Estelar, que adjudica sobre todo a Paracelso como cuerpo áureo o astral. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *The Third Magisterium is the* y cierra con *plane*

«Within the operations of alchemy are also all the traditional stages of initiation necessary to become an alchemist. From the first teachings and purification of the initiate in the Outer Court, through the introspective lessons of the Inner Court, to the crowning of spirit in the Holy of Holies, these are the same steps used to become an adept since ancient times.» — la equivalencia que traza entre las operaciones y los grados de iniciación

«In your initiation into alchemy, the Outer Court is the book you now hold in your hands. This is where the principles of alchemy have been given you. These are the seeds of gold that will take root in you if you let them.» — el lugar que asigna a su propio libro dentro de esa iniciación: el Patio Exterior

«To proceed to the Inner Court, all we have to do is allow these principles or seeds to come alive. This inner process always takes place in an enclosed and darkened space such as the great hypostyle halls of Egyptian temples. Here you must nurture the seeds of thought and feeling given you in the Outer Court and work with them to see how they fit inside you and where they can take root. This is an introspective and meditative process in which you overcome the false parts, the weeds that grew up in you with a life of their own passed down from society» — qué exige el Patio Interior: dejar germinar esos principios y desbrozar lo heredado

«The Inner Court is concerned with what mystics refer to as the Lesser Mysteries, which involve a lot of psychological purification and inner work on one’s soul. The Greater Mysteries are revealed in the Holy of Holies on a one-on-one basis.» — el reparto que hace entre Misterios Menores y Mayores

«In alchemy, the traditional initiator was Hermes, and his teachings were passed on individually within the Holy of Holies of the initiate’s heart. In other words, Hermes (as Thoth) is the final initiator for all alchemists.» — a quién adjudica la iniciación última en alquimia

«Thoth represents the power of inspiration (literally “bringing in spirit”), which can be seen in the ancient Egyptian greeting that went: “May Thoth speak to you daily.”» — la etimología que da de *inspiración* y el saludo egipcio que recoge

«The Egyptians believed that inspired thoughts and states of enthusiasm (literally, “infused with god”) came from outside them. They could not imagine how their own minds, so trapped in everyday reality, could come up with such high and inspired thoughts, so they truly believed that such thoughts came from the gods.» — cómo explica que los egipcios atribuyeran a los dioses el pensamiento inspirado, con la etimología de *entusiasmo*

«The strange thing is that they really do, and that is the method of revelation in the Holy of Holies.» — y la afirmación que él añade por su cuenta: que en efecto vienen de fuera

«Although the original text probably dates back to 2000 BC, the oldest copy we have found was in the tomb of Tutankamen and dates from 1323 BC. It is from a book called The Destruction of Humankind, which is really about how to avert the destruction of both our species and individuals» — la fuente que declara para el pasaje de meditación que va a citar y la datación que le da; las fechas y el título van como los imprime el volumen, sin cotejo

«“Whensoever Thoth speaks to you and you wish to recite a composition on behalf of the Sun, then you must perform a sevenfold purification for three sunrises. Whether a person or a group shall so proceed, you shall make your position in a circle, which is made beyond you, and your eyes shall be fixed within the circle. All your actions shall be composed and motionless, and your steps shall not carry you away from the circle. If you shall attentively dwell within the circle and observe with the eyes of your heart, you will find the path that leads Above. Even so shall the image become your guide, for the divine sight has this peculiar charm: It holds fast and draws unto it those who succeed in opening their eyes in this way. Now whosoever shall vocalize the sacred words shall visualize themselves as Thoth or as Ra in the redness of the dawn of his birth. Thus shall a thought exclusively occupying your mind be transformed into the actual state, and from this lesson, your house shall never fall into decay but will endure throughout eternity.”» — el pasaje que reproduce como la descripción de meditación más antigua conocida: el círculo, la mirada fija y la visualización como Thot o Ra. La voz es la del texto citado, no la de Hauck

«This Black Phase (the Nigredo) is about the destruction of pre-existing structures and the freeing of trapped energy. To transform anything, it must first be reduced to its most fundamental ingredients – all the dross, falsity, and extraneous material must be removed.» — qué hace la fase negra en el trabajo personal: destruir estructuras y liberar la energía atrapada

«The alchemists summed up the larger process of destruction and rebirth as Solve et Coagula (Dissolve and Coagulate). It is short for the Latin phrase Solvite Corpora et Coagulate Spiritus, which means “Dissolve the body and coagulate the spirit.”» — la fórmula *Solve et Coagula* y la frase latina larga de la que dice que es abreviatura

«We experience the fires of Calcination on the personal level as the great forces of change over which we have no control like loss, failure, and humiliation.» — cómo se experimenta la Calcinación en la vida: pérdida, fracaso y humillación

«While we were growing up, the center of focus in personalities shifted from our true essence to the artificial, social construct of ego. By the time we are adults, we spend most our life force enshrining or protecting our ego and supporting its little lies, tricks, and self-deceptions.» — cómo describe la formación del ego y el gasto de fuerza vital en sostenerlo

«Calcination can be viewed as a natural humbling process as we are gradually assaulted and overcome by the trials and tribulations of life.» — la lectura benigna que ofrece de esa etapa. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente al pie de la figura tomada del *Splendor Solis*

«The only way out of this self-imposed hell is to sacrifice the former identity in a controlled burn, a deliberate Calcination. You have to get rid of all traces of mistaken ideas.» — la salida que propone: una calcinación deliberada de la identidad anterior

«Unless you completely destroy what was previously built, you are building the new on the foundation of the old. If you have creative thoughts of transforming yourself but build the new identity on the old belief system, you will fail at personal transformation.» — el error que señala: construir lo nuevo sobre el sistema de creencias viejo

«By applying the fire of introspective consciousness, you recognize falsity and burn away the leaden or crystallized thoughts that often take on a mind of their own and become unintended responses or robotic reactions to people and events. You have to burn through illusion, self-deception, defense mechanisms, bigotry, and all the other dogmas and dramas of your Tyrant Ego.» — qué quema el fuego de la introspección según él: los pensamientos cristalizados y las reacciones automáticas

«The tyrant has usurped the throne of the deeper transpersonal Self, who is the rightful ruler of the personality. As in the Grail legend, the kingdom of your personality will wither and decay until the true King is restored.» — la figura del Ego Tirano usurpando el trono del Sí-mismo, con la leyenda del Grial como paralelo

«The universe destroys falseness, and a false, leaden consciousness invites the fires of hell. A life-affirming golden consciousness attracts gold in your life, invites the light of heaven to shine down upon you, and produces an environment of wisdom and power. That, in a nutshell, is the alchemy of our lives.» — la ley que enuncia sobre la calidad de la consciencia y lo que atrae

«Pulverization is considered one of the sub-operations of Calcination. It is a process in which the matter is crushed in a mortar and pestle or ground into small pieces.» — la pulverización como subooperación de la Calcinación, que traslada del laboratorio al trabajo interior

«transformation. It is both the fundamental acid that drives chemical change and the inner Secret Fire, sometimes likened to a spiritual hormone, which brings about the bodily and spiritual perfection of the alchemist.» — cómo cierra el capítulo 13: el Vitriolo como ácido que impulsa el cambio químico y a la vez Fuego Secreto interior, comparado a una hormona espiritual. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *the full awakening of the hidden*

«Remember your ego is constantly rewriting history to portray itself in the best light.» — el mecanismo del ego que pone como obstáculo del Experimento 14

«Most of us have built up a support system of people around us who only respond to our ego and have little feeling for our true essence.» — la advertencia que da sobre a quién pedir retroalimentación honesta

«Sit alone in a quiet, dark room and repeat your name to yourself over and over, trying to determine what it really means.» — el Experimento 15: repetir el propio nombre hasta averiguar qué significa

«By observing yourself observing yourself, you enter an infinite progression or mental loop—until finally there is no difference between the observer and the observed, between you and your consciousness.» — adónde lleva ese bucle según él: a que no haya diferencia entre el observador y lo observado

«In this view, your organs and glands are like laboratory retorts in which alchemical processes are taking place to support the body.» — cómo lee el cuerpo en clave de laboratorio

«Bodily Calcination uses aerobic exercises to fan the fires of metabolism and purify the body. Jogging, biking, swimming, can all be alchemical operations.» — la traducción corporal de la Calcinación: el ejercicio aeróbico

«One method of raising the metabolism is known as the “Bellows Breath.” Sit cross-legged on the floor and start breathing very rapidly with pause between inhaling and exhaling. The rate is about two exhalations per second. As you exhale, push out the air like a bellows by pulling the navel point in toward the spine. When you inhale, use a forward thrust of the navel to bring air into the lungs. Try to keep a smooth, balanced breath.» — el Aliento de Fuelle y su técnica

«After a few minutes of “fanning the fire,” you will start to feel a warmth rise from the stomach and accumulate in the head, which causes a blunting of ego consciousness. If you stop suddenly at this point, there is a bouncing or spilling sensation, as the energy returns to the base of the spine. If you continue, a fluid warmth spreads slowly to other locations in the body, as the consciousness is diffused.» — los efectos que describe de esa respiración

«This application of Fire in the body is eventually expressed in a kind of "second puberty," a rebirth into a more youthful and healthy state.» — el resultado que promete para la calcinación corporal: una segunda pubertad

«Just as Calcination works on the mind and ego to destroy deceptions and impure thoughts, so does Dissolution work on the heart and the id to release buried emotions that conceal or distort our true nature.» — el reparto que hace entre las dos primeras operaciones: la Calcinación sobre la mente y el ego, la Disolución sobre el corazón y lo reprimido

«Medieval alchemists actually believed that tears actually result from the decrystallization or breaking down of thoughts. The salt in tears is dissolved and discarded thoughts.» — la explicación medieval de las lágrimas que recoge: pensamientos descristalizados

«Successful Dissolution requires letting go of control, allowing feelings to flow, and repressed thoughts and feelings to surface. You might be overwhelmed by images, wordless impressions, and strange feelings» — qué exige la Disolución: soltar el control y dejar aflorar lo reprimido

«It was his work with the dreams of his patients that proved to Carl Jung that alchemy dealt with transpersonal energies being experienced by people undergoing transformation.» — lo que adjudica al trabajo de Jung con sueños de pacientes

«As the first psychologists, the alchemists knew that another way to defeat the ego is to try to drown it in deep feelings over which it has no control. The ego is terrified of the tremendous power of the subconscious and is constantly running from feelings and emotions— burying all those hurtful and humiliating experiences in the shadows, tying up emotional power in knots in our bodies, thinking faster and faster so feelings never catch up.» — la segunda vía contra el ego que adjudica a los alquimistas, a quienes llama los primeros psicólogos

«One of the hallmarks of Dissolution is a temporary slowing down of mental processes and increase in moodiness and depression. In today’s upbeat, over-stimulated world, it seems shocking to say that depression serves a good purpose, but that is exactly how the alchemists viewed it. To them depression was just another part of personal Dissolution.» — el lugar que da a la depresión dentro de la Disolución

«The alchemists welcomed distress and depression because it incites the soul to move forward. That is what the Sufi alchemist Rumi meant when he said “Feel joy in the heart at the coming of sorrow.”» — la razón que adjudica a los alquimistas para acoger la aflicción, con la sentencia de Rumi que cita

«Spiritual alchemists would never take Prozac because they knew that only through the darkness could you reach the light. That is not to say that there are no chemical correspondences to depression; that would be expected by an alchemist. But the suggestion that the cure lies strictly on the physical level is anathema to alchemists, who insist on working on all levels of mind, body, and spirit at once.» — la objeción que pone al remedio puramente químico de la depresión, sin negar sus correspondencias físicas

«Undissolved people are judgmental and self-centered, and their relationships can only be described as selfish. In such persons, the process of Dissolution results in a withdrawal of projections and judgments and a breakdown of mental habits.» — cómo describe a quien no ha pasado por la Disolución y qué cambia en él

«Being dissolved means being truly relaxed, stopping the endless stream of thoughts to try to feel our way and connect with deeper energies. Dissolution results in a wonderfully flowing presence that is free of inhibitions, prejudgments, and restrictive mental structures.» — en qué consiste estar disuelto, según él

«As we have noted earlier, Jewish alchemist Maria Prophetissa invented a method of Dissolution that became the standard process for washing the ashes from Calcination. Called the “Bain Marie,” it is basically a double-boiler in which the water in the bathing vessel is kept at a gentle and constant temperature by immersing it in a second container of water or sand being heated directly.» — el baño María como método de Disolución, adjudicado otra vez a María la Judía

«Its mystical power is based on the correspondences between the two types of waters employed in the Bain Marie. The outer boiler represents earthly Water, and the inner boiler represents heavenly Water.» — la correspondencia que ve en el doble recipiente: agua terrestre y agua celeste

«“The Water is an Angel and descends from the sky,” said Maria of her process, “and the earth accepts it on account of the earth’s moistness. The Water of the sky is held by the Water of the earth, and the Water of the earth acts as its servant. Its sand serves for the purpose of honoring it. Both the waters are gathered together, and the Water holds the Water. The vital principle holds the vital principle, and the vital principle is whitened by the vital principle.”» — la formulación que cita de María sobre las dos aguas; la voz es de ella

«The idea is to dissolve or melt away the burnt-out thoughts and emotions dredged up during the previous blaze of introspection during Calcination. That means not thinking about the individual incidents behind emotions but rather trying to feel and work with only their pure energy or “vital principle.”» — la instrucción central del Experimento 17: trabajar con la energía de la emoción y no con el incidente que la causó

«“A kind of trance I have frequently had, quite up from my boyhood, when I have been all alone. This has generally come upon me through repeating my own name to myself silently, until all at» — el testimonio que cita de Alfred Lord Tennyson sobre repetirse el propio nombre; la voz es de Tennyson y el tramo se corta en el salto de plana

«once, as it were out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality, the individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being; and this is not a confused state but the clearest of the clearest, the surest of the surest, the weirdest of the weirdest, utterly beyond words, where death was an almost laughable impossibility, the loss of personality seeming no extinction, but the only true life.”» — la continuación de ese testimonio en la plana siguiente: la individualidad disolviéndose en un ser sin límites

«ever silent until it is healed, but what is more important, we discover that it is in our wounds where the gold of our genuine Self has accumulated.» — lo que dice que se descubre en la Disolución: que el oro del Sí-mismo está acumulado en las heridas. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *It is during Dissolution, we realize that no wound is*

«In the Eastern traditions, it is known as the Hara or Lower Tan Tien vessel, a great cauldron of physical energy just behind the navel.» — el vaso inferior del baño María trasladado al cuerpo: el Hara o Tan Tien

«This meditation is based on a technique in alchemy called Cibation, which is the addition of water or other fluids to the dried» — qué es la Cibación en el laboratorio, antes de trasladarla a la meditación; el tramo se corta en el guion de fin de renglón de *dried-out*

«matter at the precisely the right moment in the experiment to completely dissolve it.» — y el momento exacto en que se hace; el troceo imprime *at the precisely* (sic)

«Go back to your childhood, where some of our most painful experiences occurred, and retrieve the most painful memory you think of. Perhaps it was the day a loved one died, the day you lost a pet or relative, or sometime when you were really deeply hurt by someone. Bring the energy into the throat area and feel it well up. Now try to cry from the memory – and cry until you can cry no more.» — el Experimento 18 y su instrucción central

«You must make yourself cry at the same moment you are feeling the emotion for Cibation to occur.» — la condición que le pone para que la operación cuente

«An ancient and powerful method for bodily Dissolution is fasting, which has long been part of many religious disciplines. Not only does fasting for two days or more purge the body of toxins and the effects of overindulgence, but it activates a healing response from the body.» — el ayuno como Disolución corporal

«Fasting clears the mind, refreshes the memory, and can even lead to mystical experiences.» — los efectos que le adjudica

«Fasting and its connection to the operation of Dissolution was well known to Paracelsus and other alchemical healers, who associated with the benefits of physical depression. One alchemical motto of this phase goes, “The Moon settled, does not eat.”» — el lema alquímico del ayuno que recoge y su adjudicación a Paracelso y otros sanadores

«True alchemical fasts continue for three to thirty days and should only be undertaken in a spiritually relaxing environment under the supervision of a doctor.» — el límite práctico y la reserva médica que pone al ayuno

«The archetype of Air is an invisible force with a will of its own and total freedom to exercise it. Down through the ages, archetypal Air has always been associated with life force, spirits and spiritual energy. The physical signature of the essence of Air is life-giving oxygen, and its subtle component is the prana or chi that is the focus of Oriental alchemy.» — cómo describe el arquetipo del Aire y sus dos componentes, el oxígeno y el *prana*

«Soul expresses itself in feelings and is associated with the act of attention, and spirit expresses itself in thoughts and is associated with the act of intention. These two components of attention and intention make up a kind of binary software of transcendence.» — la pareja atención-intención que adjudica al alma y al espíritu, y la metáfora informática con que la cierra

«So, Separation is coming into focus about our true nature and what has to be done to clean up our lives. This usually becomes a Holy War in which we define ourselves by our level of determination.» — cómo describe la Separación personal y por qué la llama guerra santa

«Often during this phase, there is an abrupt Separation from family and friends, and everyone notices that all of a sudden, you are willing to fight for what you believe. During Separation, we learn how to sharpen our will to conquer temptations, overcome abuse and habitual patterns, live our own lives, and protect the essences we carry within. We are willing now to live our lives closer on the edge and be real no matter what.» — los efectos sociales que adjudica a esa etapa

«The iron individual that emerges during Separation is a willful, aggressive, and sometimes hot-tempered person, whose actions are dominated by a conquering energy that wants to change the world. Pollution with ego during Separation is disastrous. Such people can be overly assertive and controlling, refusing to compromise in even the most mundane matters.» — el tipo que emerge de la Separación y el descarrío que señala si el ego la contamina

«On the other hand, people successfully handling Separation are courageous and daring, often initiating major changes in the world and in the lives of the people around them. In relationships they are fiercely loyal and can fight for the rights of others with unquenchable passion.» — y el otro lado, cuando la operación sale bien

«The key to successful Separation is letting go the anger or anxiety that is the source of the separative impulse and let the eternal essences of their personalities guide them.» — la clave que da para esa operación: soltar la ira que impulsa la separación

«A method called Cutting Through Reality is a Separation meditation in which you simply relax, concentrate on your breath, and periodically ask yourself the question “What are the dregs of my life?”» — el Experimento 20 y la pregunta que lo gobierna

«The sword you use to cut through reality is your own consciousness honed to penetrate even the deepest illusion. You sharpen this sword of knowing by living on the edge between this world and the next, between matter and mind, between life and death.» — la espada de esa operación según él: la propia consciencia afilada en el filo entre mundos

«Some of these methods date back over 3,500 years to Egyptian alchemists who taught spiritual energy techniques in Pharaoh Akhenaten’s School of Breathings.» — el origen que adjudica a las técnicas de Separación corporal; el nombre de la escuela va como lo imprime el troceo

«Known in Indian alchemy as prana and in Taoist alchemy as chi, this vital breath is responsible for a person’s state of health and can be harnessed for psychospiritual growth and rejuvenation.» — el aliento vital de esas técnicas y lo que le adjudica

«In bodily Separation, this energy is split into its masculine (yang) and feminine (yin) by directing the arms and legs in purposeful movements. Generally, movements up and to the right focus yang, and movements down and to the left focus yin.» — cómo se separan yin y yang en el cuerpo según él: por la dirección del movimiento

«Such separating moving meditations as are practiced in Chi Kung and Tai Chi are a kind of alchemistic aeration that separates and purifies the energetic essences of soul and spirit. By focusing attention on the breath and using intention to move the breath through the body, the essences of the life force (the yin component of soul and the yang component of spirit) are separated and recombined in a new constellation of energy during the final operation of alchemy» — las disciplinas de movimiento que asimila a una aireación alquímica

«At this point in the work, we make the transition from the purification and isolation of the individual essences of soul and spirit, to the Conjunction, in which everything is brought back together again in a simpler and purer form.» — la bisagra con que cierra el capítulo 14: de la separación de las esencias a la Conjunción

«Overall, these three processes take place Below, in the realm of matter, the body, and the personality. The result is a purified and simpler substance that contains all the essences to continue the work but none of the complicating and illusory “dregs” that have polluted the original matter.» — el balance con que abre el capítulo 15: las tres primeras operaciones ocurren abajo y dejan una sustancia simple y purificada

«The next operation involves working with the element Earth, which the alchemists considered as anything that is manifested and solid. The goal at this stage is to recombine the essential ingredients into something entirely new on a more highly evolved level. You are fully committed to living in truth and doing whatever necessary to maintain your integrity.» — qué exige la operación siguiente: recombinar los ingredientes esenciales en algo nuevo, con el compromiso de vivir en verdad

«learn to halt the internal dialogue that supports the false or horizontal world and develop a second attention focused on the spiritual principles on the vertical axis of reality.» — el *no hacer* que propone para detener el diálogo interno y desarrollar una segunda atención en el eje vertical. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *not automatically going along with everything through some misguided sense of participation or politeness – we*

«Conjunction is what we experience when we fall in love with another person, and it is also the communion we feel with all of nature,» — dónde reconoce la Conjunción en la vida corriente. El troceo cierra la frase con coma (sic)

«There is really no single English word for this kind of alchemical way of thinking. The Chinese word for it means “heartmind,” and the ancient Egyptian word means “intelligence of the heart.”» — el vacío léxico que señala en inglés y los dos términos ajenos con que lo llena

«Solar consciousness is the rational, deductive, argumentative, intellectual thinking that is the hallmark of science and our patriarchal Western culture. The alchemists assigned it many code words, such as the Sun, Sulfur, the King, the Father, and ultimately Spirit.» — cómo define la consciencia solar y los nombres cifrados que le adjudica

«Lunar consciousness is a non-linear, image-driven, intuitive way of thinking that is an accepted tool of the arts and religion. Among its many symbols are the Moon, Mercury, the Queen, the Holy Ghost, and ultimately Soul.» — y la lunar, con sus propios nombres cifrados

«The union of Solar and Lunar consciousness produces a superior third way of knowing called Stellar consciousness. Stellar consciousness is a state of incorruptible wisdom symbolized by the heroic Child of the Philosophers, the metal gold, a diamond or pearl, the Philosopher's Stone, the astral body, and of course, the» — la tercera vía que resulta de unirlas: la consciencia estelar, con los emblemas que le corresponden. El tramo se corta antes del salto de renglón y sigue *stars*

«Nineteenth century psychologists called this new identity the Overself. To create the Overself, you simply begin practicing to maintain your higher or stellar presence no matter what happens, no matter how confusing things get, no matter what emotions swell up within you, no matter how cruel or thoughtless others are towards you. Every problem, every personal challenge, every nuisance or annoying person, is another opportunity for you to develop presence and strengthen the Overself.» — el nombre que da a la identidad nueva del Experimento 22 y cómo se ejercita

«It is important to remember that the two opposing ways of knowing only come together when they are used together. You have to practice not relying on either alone on a daily basis in the real world for the Overself to manifest.» — la condición que pone: las dos maneras de conocer solo se unen usándolas juntas

«This larger presence within you corresponds to the Lesser Stone of alchemists, which is gradually perfected to emerge during the last operation as a permanent state of higher consciousness that is the Greater Stone.» — la correspondencia que traza entre el Overself y la Piedra Menor

«According to Tantric alchemists, the phallic-shaped pineal gland at the center of the brain and the bilobed pituitary body play the roles of King and Queen respectively.» — el Rey y la Reina traducidos a fisiología: pineal e hipófisis, según los alquimistas tántricos

«Their union, achieved through meditative exercises, produces a Golden Pill of immortality, which is released at the back of the throat and is activated when it reaches the stomach. This inner sex act, which the alchemists sometimes referred to as an act of incest because it takes place within, releases powerful energies that perfect and rejuvenate the body.» — la Píldora de Oro que resulta de esa unión, y por qué la llama acto de incesto

«You have to die in this world and be reborn in the next. The alchemists called this universal process of death and rebirth Fermentation, and just like natural fermentation, it starts with Putrefaction, in which the matter is killed and allowed to decompose and rot in sealed containers or coffins. People too first must die to their own ego reality to grow and be reborn on a higher level. There is always a dark period of unconsciousness to pass through.» — la condición que pone para trabajar en lo no manifestado: morir en este mundo

«“Clothe yourself in the garment of Nothingness and drink the cup of self» — la fórmula que cita de Attar; el tramo se corta en el guion de fin de renglón de *self-annihilation*, y la frase cierra con *said Attar, a twelfth-century Sufi alchemist*

«Psychologically, Putrefaction is the dark night of the soul in which our ego, everything we thought was our identity, suffers a final and complete death. Despite the optimism of the Conjunction, we realize the impermanence of our personality.» — la traducción psicológica de la Putrefacción: la noche oscura del alma

«“One can thus understand why the Philosophers place so much insistence upon the necessity of material death,” elaborated the modern alchemist Fulcanelli in Les Demeures Philosophales (Dwellings of the Philosophers”). “It is through death that the spirit, imperishable and always active, stirs up, sifts, separates, cleans and purifies the body. It is from death that there proceeds the possibility of assembling the purified parts, to build with them a new lodging place, finally to transmit to the regenerated form an energy which it does not possess."» — la cita de Fulcanelli en *Les Demeures Philosophales* sobre la necesidad de la muerte material; la formulación es de Fulcanelli y la glosa inglesa del título es del volumen

«During Fermentation, according to French alchemist Rene Schwaller de Lubicz, we “leave all dialectic behind and follow the path of the Powers.” This is the inspiration of new life and energy from a higher level that changes the vibratory level of soul.» — la fórmula que cita de Schwaller de Lubicz para la Fermentación

«The Peacock’s Tail that appears in the laboratory to mark this stage represents the activation of the dawn of the True Imagination, a world of light in the realm of pure mind.» — qué significa para él la Cola de Pavo Real en el trabajo personal: la Imaginación Verdadera

«Alchemists called it the “true” imagination to differentiate it from mere fantasy or idle daydreaming, for to them, the light of the True Imagination was the same divine light of mind that shown down from Above into the darkest recesses of matter.» — por qué la llama verdadera: para distinguirla de la fantasía

«"The concept of Imaginatio is the most important key to understanding the alchemical Opus,” Carl Jung commented on this process. “We have to conceive of these imaginal processes not as the immaterial phantoms that we readily take fantasy pictures to be, but as something corporeal, a subtle body. The Imaginatio, or the act of imagining, was a physical activity that could be fitted into the cycle of material changes, that brought these about and was brought about by them in turn. The alchemist related himself not only to the unconscious but directly to the very substance that he hoped to transform through the power of imagination."» — la cita de Jung sobre la *Imaginatio* como cuerpo sutil y actividad física; la formulación es de Jung

«The idea is not to engage our fantasies but to allow images to rise on their own from an unconscious source.» — la instrucción del Experimento 24 y el error que advierte

«The curse of modern man is that he confuses fantasy for the amazing power of True Imagination and thus relegates both to the psychic trash heap.» — el diagnóstico que hace del hombre moderno en ese punto

«After the Conjunction or marriage of the pineal gland and pituitary body, the pituitary (as the “master gland”) floods the body with a new type of hormones that cause fundamental changes in the organs, blood, and genetic material. The alchemists referred to this flood of psychospiritual chemicals as the Vitriol humor, which initiates a kind of second puberty in the body.» — la traducción hormonal que da a la Fermentación corporal, con el humor Vitriolo y la segunda pubertad

«Fermentation is like a mystical or religious experience for most people, and it can even take the form of psychedelic or paranormal experiences. It occurs whenever we confront the tremendous power of the transpersonal or spiritual realm.» — cómo se vive la Fermentación y por qué exige después una destilación

«Personal Distillation is gaining objectivity by taking a step back to get an overall view of experiences the extremes of a process. In that way, it is a purification of consciousness or the rising of consciousness to a higher level. For the modern adept, Distillation consists of introspective techniques that attempt to raise the content of the psyche to the highest level possible, free from all sentimentality and personal attachments.» — qué es la Destilación personal y cómo se practica

«Success at Distillation is measured by how clear and focused your mind can become. We not only open up to our own pain and confusion but relate to the pain and suffering in a more compassionate way.» — con qué se mide su éxito según él

«In spiritual Distillation, we finally realize that we are all sparks of light trapped in matter and our only hope for survival is the union of our light with the divine light Above.» — lo que dice que se reconoce en la Destilación espiritual

«In trying to maintain your presence or keep centered in all situations, you soon learn that you can rely on neither intellect or emotions.» — lo que dice que se aprende al intentarlo: que no cabe apoyarse ni en el intelecto ni en la emoción. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *To be really connected to what is real, you have to make use of inner talents and resources you cannot explain*

«We now see that our thoughts and feelings are the thoughts and feelings of the whole universe; the center of our being and the center of the cosmos are one and the same during Distillation.» — la identificación que sitúa en la Destilación: el centro propio y el del cosmos serían el mismo

«By bringing together the powers Above with the powers Below during Distillation, we create what has been called a Hermes Field, in which we raise our consciousness to the highest level to bring back the miraculous possibilities of pure mind and directed consciousness into the manifested world. The Hermes Field forms at the juncture of Above and Below, in the twilight between unmanifested and manifested reality. Truly amazing things can happen there.» — qué llama Campo de Hermes y dónde lo sitúa

«In a meditation called “Circulation of the Light,” the aspirant is taught to concentrate on the light of the inmost region while freeing oneself from all outer and inner entanglements.» — la Circulación de la Luz que adjudica a los alquimistas chinos

«The object is to store all this fresh energy in a vessel, such as a retort or cauldron, that is visualized in the abdominal cavity just below and about an inch behind the navel. In Taoist alchemy, this is called the Lower Tan Tien (Lower Elixir Field).» — el vaso corporal donde manda acumular la energía en ese ejercicio

«In the second phase of the Circulation of the Light, the alchemist’s directed consciousness is used to initiate the movement of the accumulated light energy. With concentration fixed at the level of the abdominal vessel, the practitioner uses intention and attention to will and feel the light circulate up the Channel of Control up the back along the spinal column and into the vessel or “precious cauldron” of the brain, which is the Upper Tan Tien (or Upper Elixir Field).» — el segundo tiempo del ejercicio: mover esa luz por el Canal de Control hasta el caldero del cerebro

«The adept repeats the Circulation of the Light daily for months or even years, until enough of the liquid light collects to crystallize in the brain cauldron. According to Chinese alchemists, the subtle matter distilled through this process congeals into a Golden Pill, which is the adept’s passage to perfect health and even immortality.» — el plazo que le adjudica y el resultado que los alquimistas chinos le atribuirían: la Píldora de Oro

«“In transporting the breath, the inhalation must be full and the breath should be held and gathered. If it is gathered, it becomes magic. If it becomes magic, it descends and quiets down. If it quiets down, it solidifies. If it is solidified, then it germinates. If it germinates, it grows. If it grows, it retreats upward. If it retreats upward, it reaches the top of the head. If it reaches the top of the head, it still presses up, for the secret power of Heaven moves Above, and the secret power of Earth moves Below. He who follows this will live; he who acts contrary to this will die.”» — el texto de la dinastía Chou que reproduce sobre la conducción del aliento; la voz es la de ese texto, y la datación va como la imprime el volumen

«The sadhana postures of Kundalini yoga actually attempt to bind one’s awareness to this energy, so it can be followed upward as it is distilled from the body in a union of the individual’s consciousness with the infinite consciousness of God.» — lo que adjudica a las posturas del kundalini yoga dentro de esa misma Destilación corporal

«All these exercises work with the vertical axis in the human body, which is the Hermetic caduceus or ladder of transformation along which the seven operations in the Emerald Formula are used to release and purify knots of blocked or impure energy.» — el eje vertical del cuerpo leído como caduceo hermético y escala de las siete operaciones

«Surprisingly, personal Coagulation is one of the easier processes in our spiritual transformation. If everything proceeded well through the higher operations of Fermentation and Distillation, the goal of the Work almost automatically forms or congeals.» — por qué llama fácil a la Coagulación personal si las anteriores salieron bien

«The alchemists saw this final stage of personal transformation as working with a higher form of Salt, which is the uninflammable component found in the ashes from Fire or in the crystallized remains of Water. In other words, the final Salt is that which can be changed no more; it is the perfected essence of matter and the soul.» — qué es la Sal superior de esa etapa: lo que ya no puede cambiar más

«We can only be resurrected from the cross of matter by sacrificing our individual identity, the Green Mercury Serpent of our ego. We can only join the One by becoming "Nothing." We can only grow into the greater spirit by surrendering our separate individuality.» — la condición que pone para esa resurrección: sacrificar la identidad separada

«Personal Coagulation produces a very genuine and alive person with a deep respect and connection to the processes of nature. It is sensed in the world as a higher love, a deeply felt compassion for the whole world and everyone in it, and also an appreciation for the processes of birth and death in the universe. This is a crowning individuation resulting in peace of mind, heightened energy, and a free-flowing adaptability to new situations.» — cómo describe a la persona coagulada

«In the material realm, it entails the production of synchronistic events that enhance the life of the alchemist, as all parts of one’s life become golden. That also means the healing of the body and simply living long enough (and comfortably enough) to apply the knowledge it has taken a lifetime to accumulate.» — y qué le adjudica en el plano material: sincronías y salud para usar lo aprendido

«As Albert Einstein once noted: “You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”» — la sentencia que cita de Einstein para sostener que el hombre coagulado resolvería lo insoluble

«In a conversation with atomic physicist Jacques Bergier in 1937, the alchemist Fulcanelli was asked to describe the Great Work.» — la escena que introduce la cita de Fulcanelli: la conversación con Jacques Bergier

«“You ask me to summarize for you in four minutes four thousand years of philosophy and the efforts of a lifetime,” he replied. “Furthermore, you ask me to translate into ordinary language concepts for which such a language is not intended. All the same, I can tell you this much: you are aware that in the official science of today, the role of the observer becomes more and more important. Relativity, the principle of indeterminacy, show the extent to which the observer today intervenes in all these phenomena. The secret of alchemy is this: there is a way of manipulating matter and energy so as to produce what modern scientists call ‘a field of force.’ This field acts on the observer and puts him in a privileged position vis-à-vis the Universe. From this position he has access to the realities which are ordinarily hidden from us by time and space, matter and energy. This is what we call the Great Work.”» — la respuesta de Fulcanelli tal como la reproduce el volumen: el campo de fuerza que pondría al observador en posición privilegiada. La formulación es de Fulcanelli

«On the spiritual level, Coagulation is the creation of a perfected Second Body, a golden body of coagulated light that the great alchemist Paracelsus named the Astral Body.» — el Segundo Cuerpo de la Coagulación y el nombre que le adjudica a Paracelso

«Alchemists believed that if you could not create this perfected body during your lifetime, you were destined to be reabsorbed into the cosmos and recycled until you got it right.» — la consecuencia que adjudica a los alquimistas si ese cuerpo no llega a formarse en vida

«That is what the spiritual alchemist Georg Gurdjieff had in mind when he said: “If a man can develop within himself a permanent ‘I’ that can survive a change in the external, it can survive the death of the physical body. The whole secret is that one cannot work for a future life without working for this one. He must become a master of his life to become a master of his death.”» — la formulación que cita de Gurdjieff sobre el *yo* permanente; el nombre va como lo imprime el troceo

«In Christianity, the culmination of the Great Work is expressed as the “seamless garment” or in the words of Jesus: “I and my Father are one.” In occult terminology, spirit and soul are permanently united in a body of light which acts as a mobile center of consciousness that spans all dimensions of existence and is described in out-of-body and near-death experiences.» — las formulaciones cristiana y ocultista que da del mismo término

«In terms of spiritual chemistry, the immortal soul (the volatile “saved” feminine variable) has united inseparably with the human spirit (the fixed masculine invariable principle) to form the Living Stone. Soul and Spirit are one in a new body.» — la traducción química que da a esa unión: la Piedra Viva

«As one Renaissance alchemist put it: “You break through space, fly to heaven in broad daylight, and shed the flesh-and-bone bag, which is now as useless as the alchemical workshop and vessels once the elixir has been perfected.”» — la cita que trae de un alquimista renacentista al que no nombra

«While doing the circulation, observe how the energy moves in your body and then try to increase the vibrations of the light itself by visualizing it changing from a yellow or white color to a deep violet color.» — la instrucción del Experimento 28: subir la frecuencia de la luz interior hasta el violeta

«Now retake partial control of the increased vibrational state and start to crystallize the subtle flame into an etheric double or replica of» — el paso siguiente: cristalizar esa llama en un doble etérico del cuerpo. El tramo se corta antes del salto de renglón y sigue *your physical body*

«the highest is like the difference between soft, black coal and a hard, clear diamond. Yet they are both made out of the same material.» — la imagen del carbón y el diamante con que fija la diferencia entre los estados extremos de la consciencia. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *The difference between the lowest state of consciousness in alchemy and*

«This nothing supernatural or even mystical, but a practical expression of the higher reality that is part of the natural “Operation of the Sun” described in the Emerald Tablet.» — cómo acota el ejercicio de visualización del Experimento 29: no lo presenta como sobrenatural sino como expresión práctica de la Operación del Sol. El troceo omite un verbo en la primera frase (sic)

«At the advanced levels of Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the practitioner does not actually perform the movements at all but visualizes he or she is performing them in their mind. In many well-documented cases, the mental performance of the movements produces the same changes in body and brain chemistry as doing the movements physically.» — el ejemplo taoísta con que respalda esa visualización; los casos que invoca los da por bien documentados sin citarlos

«He had learned the power of visualization as a child and applied it in his amazing feats of running. And now he would apply it to this entirely new sport.» — la anécdota de Jim Thorpe con que ilustra el mismo principio

«He simply sat in the chair visualizing the playing field and the distance he had to clear. His preparation for the event was in the inner laboratory he created on the ship’s deck. For most of the day during the eight-day journey, he sat stubbornly in the chair creating a focused and purified space, until it resonated perfectly between how he would perform on the playing field and what he knew he could do in his own mind.» — cómo describe su preparación: un laboratorio interior montado en la cubierta del barco

«In his own words: “I just sat in that chair until I truly believed I could jump the distance.”» — la frase que atribuye a Thorpe

«All you have to do to apply this alchemical principle in your own life is to start “rehearsing” things in your mind before actually doing them.» — la instrucción práctica que saca de la anécdota

«We tend to focus on the negative aspects of things and of everything that can go wrong. By constellating our doubts and fears in our minds and imagination, we project the means of our own defeat.» — el obstáculo que señala: la propia duda proyectada

«Remember that if you do it with a blasé or skeptical attitude, that is what will be projected. Be simple and determined to not leave your visualization until you really believe that is the way it will turn out. Or as the alchemists would say, make your images come alive in you or they will have no life at all.» — la condición que pone al ejercicio, que es la misma de todo el libro: la actitud entra en el resultado

«The operations of alchemy offer us real and time-tested methods for personal transformation. They are a path to the divine powers that dwell within us. It is never an easy path, and it involves as much destruction and negation of existing structures in the personality as it does encouraging and building up new structures.» — el balance con que cierra el capítulo 15: las operaciones como camino, y su costo en destrucción

«You have to learn to work both left-hand and right-hand paths and move freely between the Above and the Below. The important thing to remember is that it is the work itself as much as accomplishing your goals that brings real power into your life.» — dónde sitúa el poder de ese camino: en el trabajo mismo, no en la meta

«“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be!”» — el pasaje que atribuye a Patanjali con que cierra el cuerpo del libro; el nombre y la datación van como los imprime el troceo, sin cotejo

«Albification is making the matter in the alchemical work become white. Refers to both physical and spiritual processes.» — cómo define la albificación en el glosario del apéndice 1

«Alkahest is the power from Above that makes possible alchemical transformation. The word is usually translated as "universal solvent," which alludes to the ability of the alkahest to dissolve or reduce all physical matter to its basic essence. With metals, this meant transmuting them to their purest form, which was gold. In the human body, this meant the creation or revealing of a golden body of consciousness, the Astral Body.» — cómo define el alcaesto: no solo disolvente universal, sino poder de arriba que revela el cuerpo áureo

«Aludel is a pear-shaped earthenware bottle, open at both ends. It was used as a condenser in the sublimation process and thus came to signify the end-stages of transformation. Also called the Hermetic Vase, the Philosopher's Egg, and the Vase of the Philosophy.» — el aludel y los nombres alternos que le da el glosario

«Animals are often used to symbolize the basic components and processes of alchemy. They may be used to symbolize the four Elements such as the lion or ox (Earth), fish or whales (Water), eagles (Air), or salamanders or dragons (Fire). Aerial animals generally indicate volatile principles, while terrestrial animals indicate fixed principles. Whenever two animals are found, they signify Sulfur and Mercury or some relationship between the fixed and the volatile.» — la clave de lectura de los animales alquímicos que da el glosario

«Antimony is from the Latin word “antimonium,” which was probably used by Constantinius Africanus (1050 AD) to refer to stibnite ore. According to one legend, alchemist Basil Valentine named the metal, after feeding it to some monks in a Benedictine monastery. The monks got violently ill and some even died, hence the Latin name that means "anti-monk." Spiritually too, monks feel most threatened by their own animal nature. Oddly enough, the Tincture of Antimony cures venereal diseases. Associated with the attributes of Lead.» — la entrada del glosario sobre el antimonio, con la leyenda de Basil Valentine repetida y la lectura moral que le añade

«Arcana ("magical secrets") are archetypal influences that transcend space and time. According to the ancient text Archidoxies, the arcana are pre-existing powers that "have the power of transmuting, altering, and restoring us." In this view, the arcana are the secret workings of the mind of God, the logos of the Greeks or what the alchemists referred to as the thoughts of the One Mind.» — cómo define los arcanos el glosario, apoyándose en el texto que llama *Archidoxies*

«In the Tarot, the arcana are represented by symbolic drawings that the reader tries to work with through meditation. In the Cabala, the arcana are represented by the esoteric properties of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, energies that the cabalist tries to work with in the Tree of Life. In the in the ancient Chinese system of divination, the I Ching, the arcana are represented by the sixty-four trigrams, each with its own properties and influences.» — los tres sistemas en que dice hallar esos arcanos: tarot, cábala e I Ching. El troceo imprime *sixty-four trigrams* donde el I Ching tiene hexagramas (sic)

«The early alchemists divided their chemicals into major and minor arcana. The major arcana consisted of the four compounds: Vitriol, Natron, Liquor Hepatis, and Pulvis Solaris. Three out of the four consisted of dual ingredients that were easily separable. Vitriol could be broken down into sulfuric acid and iron. Natron appeared as sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate. Pulvis Solaris was made up of the red and black varieties. Thus, the seven chemicals comprising the minor arcana were: Sulfuric Acid, Iron, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Nitrate, Liquor Hepatis, Red Pulvis Solaris, and Black Pulvis Solaris.» — los cuatro arcanos mayores y los siete menores de la química alquímica según el glosario

«The alchemists believed that these secret chemicals could be combined in the Arcanum Experiment, the single laboratory experiment that would demonstrate the archetypal forces and evolution of the universe.» — el Experimento del Arcano que el glosario adjudica a los alquimistas

«Athanor comes from the Arabic word "al-tannur" (oven), the athanor is the furnace used by the alchemists to perfect matter. Built of brick or clay, the athanor usually was shaped like a tower with a domed roof and was designed to keep an even heat over long periods of time.» — la etimología y la descripción del atanor en el glosario

«The alchemists considered it an incubator and sometimes referred to it as the "House of the Chick." Symbolically, the athanor is also the human body and the fire of bodily metabolism that fuels our transformation and the ultimate creation of a Second Body of light.» — la doble lectura del atanor: horno e incubadora, y también el propio cuerpo

«The term "Azoth" is formed from the first and last letters of the English alphabet ("a" and "z"), which stand for the beginning and end of all creation—the alpha and omega of the Greek philosophers» — la etimología de *Azoth* que da el glosario, esta vez desde el alfabeto inglés; en el capítulo 13 el mismo término se explica por el alfabeto griego. Las dos versiones van sin armonizar

«to the fertile black soil of the Nile delta. Esoterically and hieroglyphically, the word refers to the dark mystery of the primordial or First Matter (the Khem), the One Thing through which all creation manifests. Alchemy, then, is the Great Work of nature that perfects this chaotic matter, whether it is expressed as the metals, the cosmos, or the substance of our souls.» — la definición de alquimia del glosario: la Gran Obra de la naturaleza que perfecciona la materia caótica, sea metal, cosmos o alma. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *The Arabic root "khemia" comes from the Coptic "khem" that alluded*

«The alchemists believed that the liquid metal mercury carried the signature of this omnipotent archetypal spirit.» — el cierre de la entrada *Azoth*: el mercurio como portador de esa signatura

«To Paracelsus, the balsam was the "interior salt" that protected the body from decomposition, and earlier alchemists considered the Balsam of the Elements to be the Quintessence, the result of the Conjunction of alchemical principles.» — el bálsamo del glosario y las dos lecturas que recoge, la de Paracelso y la de los alquimistas anteriores

«Basilisk is a symbolic alchemical creature said to have the head of a bird and the body of a dragon. The wingless serpentine animal was hatched from a hermaphroditic cock's egg and nursed by a serpent.» — el basilisco tal como lo describe el glosario

«Psychologically, the Basilisk represents the melding of our higher and lower natures in Conjunction, a process that must be continued in the next three operations of alchemy for this "Child of the Philosophers" to become the Living Stone of the fully integrated Self.» — la lectura psicológica que da a esa criatura

«Birds Ascending birds indicate the volatilization of compounds or their sublimation. Descending birds indicate the fixation of compounds or their condensation and precipitation. Birds shown both ascending and descending indicate the process of Distillation.» — la clave de lectura de las aves en los grabados que da el glosario

«Black Phase (or Melanosis) is the first stage in alchemy. It phase begins with the operation of Calcination and lasts through the Putrefaction stage of Fermentation.» — los límites que fija a la fase negra

«Child A naked child symbolizes the innocent soul. In alchemy, the child is the offspring of the King and Queen, the result of their marriage or union. A child crowned or clothed in purple robes signifies Salt or the Philosopher's Stone.» — la clave de lectura del niño en los grabados

«Cinnabar (Vermillion) is the bright red ore of mercury sulfide. Known as "Dragon's Blood," the roasted rocks emit a thick reddish smoke, as pure glistening mercury oozes from cracks.» — la descripción del cinabrio en el glosario, con la sangre de dragón repetida

«Psychologically, cinnabar represents the hardened habits and terrestrial marriages of soul and spirit that must be broken asunder in Calcination to free the essences with which the alchemist intends to work.» — y su lectura psicológica: los hábitos endurecidos que la Calcinación debe romper

«Circulation is the purification of a substance by a circular distillation in a pelican or closed distillation apparatus. Through heating the liquid component separates, is condensed and descends again to the substance in the flask.» — cómo define la circulación en el pelícano

«Coagulation is the thickening of a thin liquid into a more solid mixture through some inner change, as with the curdling of milk. This can be accomplished by a variety of means: by the addition of a substance, by heating or cooling.» — cómo define la coagulación en el nivel químico, con el ejemplo de la leche cuajada

«Cohobation is a kind of Distillation in which the distillate is poured back into its residue; a method of redistillation.» — la cohobación como redestilación

«Conjunction is the fourth operation in alchemical transformation. It is the coming together of the opposing archetypal forces of the Sun and Moon or the King and Queen. Conjunction is the joining of two opposite components, often seen as the union of the male and female, the subtle and gross, or even the elements.» — la definición de Conjunción del glosario

«Dew is symbolic of divine incarnation or manifestation from Above. Alchemists believed natural dew contained the divine Salt (thoughts of the One Mind) that could transform the Sulfur and Mercury of the First Matter. In many ways, dew represented the Elixir or contents of the cup of God, the Holy Grail.» — el rocío en el glosario: sal divina que transformaría el Azufre y el Mercurio, y figura del Grial

«Digestion is a kind of Putrefaction in which the nutrients or essences are reabsorbed; the slow modification of a substance by means of a gentle heat.» — cómo define la digestión

«Dogs signify primitive matter, natural sulfur, or material gold. Dogs represent a domesticated life force in the service of man. A dog fighting with a wolf symbolizes the process of purifying gold using antimony.» — la clave de lectura de los perros en los grabados

«Dragons represent the spirits or life force of the metals. A dragon in flames is a symbol a metal undergoing Calcination. Several dragons fighting is symbolic of metals undergoing Putrefaction. Dragons with wings represent the volatile (spiritual or pure) principle; dragons without wings represent the fixed (crude or material) principle.» — la clave de lectura de los dragones, con la distinción entre alados y ápteros

«A dragon biting its own tale is the Uroboros and signifies the fundamental unity of all things. In formulae, the term “the Dragon” usually refers to the mercury-acid obtained from metals.» — el uróboros y el sentido que el glosario da a *the Dragon* en las fórmulas; el troceo imprime *tale* por *tail* (sic)

«Eagle is always a symbol of volatilization. For instance, an eagle devouring a lion indicates the volatilization of a fixed component by a volatile component. Denotes sublimation or distillation.» — el águila del glosario y el ejemplo con que la explica

«Elixir of the alchemists is essentially a liquid version of the Philosopher's Stone and has the same ability to perfect any substance. When applied to the human body, the Elixir cures diseases and restores youth.» — la definición de elixir del glosario: versión líquida de la Piedra

«Fixation is the make a volatile subject fixed, stable, or solid, so that it remains permanently unaffected by fire. The process of stabilizing and incarnating a substance; depriving a substance of its volatility or mobility to congeal or combine it.» — cómo define la fijación; el troceo imprime *is the make* (sic)

«Caduceus is the magical staff of Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods and revealer of alchemy. The staff is entwined by two serpents representing the solar and lunar forces. Their union is the Conjunction of» — cómo lee el caduceo el glosario: el bastón de Hermes con las dos serpientes de las fuerzas solar y lunar. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *alchemical principles and their offspring, if it lives, is the Stone*

«Jungian Alchemy Psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung rediscovered the images and principles of alchemy surfacing in the dreams and compulsions of his patients and began a lifelong study of the subject. He concluded that alchemical images explain the archetypal roots of the modern mind and underscores a process of transformation leading to the integration of the personality.» — la entrada del glosario sobre la alquimia junguiana

«King in alchemy represents man, solar consciousness, or Sulfur. The King is naked in the early operations of alchemy and regains his royal robes at the end of his transformation. The King united with the Queen symbolizes Conjunction.» — la entrada del Rey y el detalle de las vestiduras recobradas al final

«Magnesia was a mystical term to the alchemists that denoted the primordial transforming substance in the universe. It was one of many symbols used to describe the central mystery of alchemy that was never to be spoken of in common wording.» — la *magnesia* del glosario como uno de los nombres del misterio central que no se decía en claro

«Menstruum is an alchemical term meaning a solvent or alkahest having both the power to dissolve and coagulate at the same time. Based on the belief that the ovum takes its life and form from the menses, the menstruum was also referred to the as the Mercury of the Philosophers.» — la etimología del *menstruum* que da el glosario, ligada a la creencia sobre el óvulo y las menstruaciones

«The early alchemists made red mercuric oxide by heating quicksilver in a solution of nitric acid. The acid, which later alchemists called "aqua fortis," was made by pouring sulfuric acid over saltpeter. The reaction of quicksilver in nitric acid is impressive. A thick red vapor hovers over the surface and bright red crystals precipitate to the bottom. This striking chemical reaction demonstrated the simultaneous separation of mercury into the Above and the Below.» — la reacción química que el glosario lee como demostración visible de la doble naturaleza del mercurio

«These and other properties convinced alchemists that mercury transcended both the solid and liquid states, both earth and heaven, both life and death. It symbolized Hermes himself, the guide to the Above and Below.» — la conclusión que el glosario adjudica a los alquimistas sobre el mercurio

«Mortification is a process during which the substance undergoes a kind of death, usually through a Putrefaction, and seems to have been destroyed and its active power lost, but eventually is revived.» — cómo define la mortificación

«Natron means salt, though this word usually refers to native sodium carbonate. To the early alchemists, however, the word Natron stood for the basic principle in all salt formation and the creation of bodies in general.» — qué significaba *natrón* para los primeros alquimistas según el glosario

«The alchemists referred to both these salts as Natron (from the Arabic word for soda ash), because they suspected that both had a common signature or archetypal basis.» — por qué llamaban natrón a dos sales distintas: sospechaban una signatura común

«Pelican is a circulatory vessel with two side-arms feeding condensed vapors back into the body. It has a fancied resemblance in shape to a pelican pecking at its breast.» — el pelícano como vaso de circulación y de dónde le viene el nombre

«Philosopher's Stone is the ultimate Stone is the goal of the Great Work of the whole universe. It was viewed as a magical touchstone that could immediately perfect any substance or situation. The Philosopher's Stone has been associated with the Salt of the World, the Astral Body, the Elixir, and even Jesus Christ.» — la entrada de la Piedra Filosofal, con la serie de identificaciones que le adjudica, hasta Jesucristo; el troceo repite *is* en la primera frase (sic)

«Purple Phase (or Iosis) of the Great Work is the third and final stage of transformation. It is marked by the purpling or reddening of the material and occurs during the Coagulation operation.» — los límites que fija a la fase púrpura

«Putrefaction is the first stage of the Fermentation operation; a digestion in which decomposing essences are reabsorbed. The process was represented by the symbol for the constellation of Leo. The rotting of a substance, often under a prolonged gentle moist heat. Usually the matter becomes black.» — la entrada de la putrefacción y el signo zodiacal que le asigna

«Quintessence (Quinta Essentia) is the fifth Element with which the alchemists could work. It was the essential presence of something or someone, the living thing itself that animated or gave something its deepest characteristics. The Quintessence partakes of both the Above and the Below, the mental as well as the material. It can be thought of as the ethereal embodiment of the life force that we encounter in dreams and altered states of consciousness. It is the purest individual essence of something that we must unveil and understand in order to transform it.» — la definición de Quintaesencia del glosario, ligada a los sueños y los estados alterados

«Red Dragon is the pure red oil of lead; the untamed dragon or First Matter. It is also associated with the Red Dragon of Projection at the end of the Great Work.» — el Dragón Rojo del glosario, con su doble sentido químico y operativo

«Salt is the third heavenly substance in alchemy and represents the final manifestation of the perfected Stone. The Emerald Tablet calls it "the Glory of the Whole Universe." For Paracelsus, Salt was like a balsam the body produced to shield itself from decay. It has also been associated with the Ouroboros, the Stone, and the Astral Body.» — la entrada de la Sal, con la cita de la Tabla y la lectura de Paracelso

«In general, Salt represents the action of thought on matter, be it the One Mind acting on the One Thing of the universe or the alchemist meditating in his inner laboratory.» — y la definición más ancha que le da: la acción del pensamiento sobre la materia

«Serpents. Two serpents represent the opposing masculine and feminine energies of the Work. Three serpents stand for the three higher principles of Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt. Winged serpents represent volatile substances; wingless serpents represent fixed substances. A crucified serpent represents the fixation of the volatile.» — la clave de lectura de las serpientes en los grabados

«Soul in alchemy is the passive presence in all of us that survives through all eternity and is therefore part of the original substance (First Matter) of the universe. Ultimately, it is the One Thing of the universe. Soul was considered beyond the four material elements and thus conceptualized as a fifth element (or Quintessence).» — cómo define el alma el glosario, identificándola con la Cosa Una

«transformation is directed toward a body; the final process in making gold, in which the Stone or powder Stone (the powder of projection) is tossed upon the molten base metal to transmute it.» — la proyección como último tramo de la Coagulación y como gesto material de hacer oro: el polvo arrojado sobre el metal fundido. El tramo abre en la plana siguiente a *Projection is the final stage of Coagulation in which the power of*

«Spirit in alchemy is the active presence in all of us that strives toward perfection. Spirit seeks material manifestation for expression. Ultimately, it is the One Mind of the universe.» — cómo define el espíritu el glosario, en pareja con el alma: presencia activa e identificada con la Mente Una

«Sublimation is the first stage of Coagulation or last stage of Distillation, in which the vapors solidify; represented by the sign for the constellation of Libra.» — dónde sitúa la sublimación entre las operaciones

«The key to understanding alchemy is to realize that alchemical thought is extremely dynamic and takes places on three levels at once: the physical, the psychological, and the spiritual. Thus turning lead into gold meant not only physically changing the base metal into the noble metal, but also transforming base habits and emotions into golden thoughts and feelings, as well as transmuting our dark and ignoble souls into the golden light of spirit.» — la entrada *Three Levels*, que es la tesis del libro entero condensada: la alquimia trabaja a la vez en lo físico, lo psicológico y lo espiritual

«By developing this ability to think and work on all three levels of reality at once (becoming "thrice-greatest"), the alchemists created a spiritual technology that applied not only to their laboratories» — de dónde saca el *tres veces grande* y qué llama tecnología espiritual. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *but also to their own personalities and to their relationships with other people—and with God*

«Uroboros (or Ouroboros) is the symbolic rendition of the eternal principles presented in the Emerald Tablet. The great serpent devouring itself represents the idea that "All Is One," even though the universe undergoes periodic cycles of destruction and creation (or resurrection).» — cómo lee el uróboros el glosario, ligado a la Tabla Esmeralda

«In Orphic and Mithraic symbology, the Ouroboros was called the Agathos Daimon or "Good Spirit" and was a symbol for the "Operation of the Sun." In Greek terminology, the Ouroboros was the Aion, which Herakleitos likened to a child at play. To the Greeks, the Aion (from which our word "eon" is derived) defined the cosmic period between the creation and destruction of the universe.» — los nombres griegos que le adjudica y la noción de Aión; *Herakleitos* va como lo imprime el troceo

«Vitriol was the most important liquid in alchemy. It was the one in which all other reactions took place. Vitriol was distilled from an oily, green substance that formed naturally from the weathering of sulfur-bearing gravel. This Green Vitriol is symbolized by the Green Lion in drawings.» — el lugar que da al Vitriolo en el laboratorio y el emblema que le corresponde

«The first distillation produced a brown liquid that stunk like rotten eggs, but further distillation yielded a nearly odorless, yellow oil called simply Vitriol. The acid readily dissolves human tissue and is severely corrosive to most metals, although it has no effect on gold.» — la obtención del ácido sulfúrico a partir del Vitriolo Verde y la excepción del oro

«Winged Lion is the sublimated salt used to make the Philosopher’s Stone. It is the volatile or spiritual aspect of an ingredient.» — el León Alado del glosario

«Yellow Phase (or Xanthosis) is an intermediate stage that takes place between the Black and White phases of the Great Work. The term was used by Chinese and Alexandrian alchemists to describe changes that took place during the Fermentation operation.» — la fase amarilla como estadio intermedio, adjudicada a alquimistas chinos y alejandrinos

«Zodiac. According to the Doctrine of Correspondences in the Emerald Tablet ("As Above, so Below"), the stars must find expression on earth and in mankind. In alchemy, it was essential to consult the zodiac before commencing any of the major operations.» — por qué el glosario declara imprescindible consultar el zodiaco antes de cada operación

«to balance the elements in our bodies and minds. Alchemical cooks are able to turn their kitchens into sacred spaces, where the wonders of creation are played out.» — el cierre del apartado de la alquimia de la cocina: la cocina convertida en espacio sagrado

«chart above. Before any spagyric operations are begun, it is necessary to wash the plant material to remove dirt, mold, and insects. If you plan to use the herb whole (such as bay leaves), also remove stems and broken or discolored leaves.» — el primer paso material del trabajo espagírico, previo a todo lo demás

«crystal shapes, symmetry and cleavage, although galena crystals are thousands of times larger. Some galena may contain up to 1% silver and often contains trace amounts of gold. The large volume of galena that is processed for lead produces enough silver as a byproduct to make galena the leading ore of silver as well.» — la identidad estructural de la galena y la sal común, y el hecho que a Hauck le importa: la galena es también el principal mineral de plata

«Of the seven metals, it is the slowest conductor of electricity and heat, the least lustrous or resonant. Its Saturnic signature of heaviness is expressed not only in its being the heaviest metal but also in its tendency to form inert and insoluble compounds. No other metal forms as many.» — la signatura saturnina del plomo leída en su conductividad y en sus compuestos inertes

«Lead pipes bearing the insignia of Roman emperors, used as drains from the baths, are still in service.» — el dato con que ilustra su resistencia al tiempo

«Strangely, mercury exhibits a “breathing” pattern when heated almost to its boiling point, at which point it starts sucking in oxygen and produces a yellow-red oxide (HgO). Upon further heating, the process is reversed and the mercury expels the oxygen like a “metallic lung.”» — la respiración del mercurio calentado, que él lee como signatura

«It was this odd characteristic of mercury that led chemist James Priestley to discover the element of oxygen.» — el hallazgo que le adjudica; el troceo imprime *James Priestley* donde el químico es Joseph Priestley (sic)

«In fact, in nuclear experiments carried out in the 1990s, scientists allegedly discovered an isotope of mercury called “red mercury” that is the densest matter ever found (21 grams/cc). Details have been lost in a wave of secrecy, however, the properties of red mercury make it ideal for a suitcase-sized, non-radioactive neutron bomb, as well as a possible source of nearly endless energy. To add to the intrigue, rumors have circulated that natural deposits of red mercury have been discovered in Grenada and Iraq – certainly fodder for conspiracy theorists.» — el episodio del *mercurio rojo* que refiere marcándolo como presunto, y los rumores que consigna como tales

«Fountain The alchemical Fountain of Fountains is a symbol of the Ouroboros. Three fountains represent the three principles of Sulfur, Mercury, and Salt. The King and Queen sitting in a fountain signifies a bath or the Water operations of Dissolution and Distillation.» — la clave de lectura de las fuentes en los grabados que da el glosario

«Geber (or Jabir) is the Latin name of Jabir ibn Hayyan (721 - 815 A.D.). He is the father of both Islamic and European alchemy. He knew of the existence of the Emerald Tablet and spread the doctrines of the Four Elements and the Mercury-Sulfur theory of the generation of the metals.» — la entrada del glosario sobre Geber, a quien llama padre de la alquimia islámica y europea

«Green Dragon is probably an acetate of lead which originates from a green oil, however in general, it refers to the underlying essence and source of all the metals. Philosophically, the Green Dragon is a “tamed” dragon sharing the crystallized energy that it had formerly so ferociously protected. Psychologically, it represents elements of the unconscious that have been assimilated into consciousness.» — la triple lectura del Dragón Verde: química, filosófica y psicológica

«Hermaphrodite (or Rebis) represents Sulfur and Mercury after their Conjunction. Rebis (something double in characteristics) is another designation for this point in the alchemy of transformation.» — la entrada del hermafrodita o Rebis

«Figure 7. The Bird of Hermes shows the father of alchemy as a mythical creature whose tail» — el pie de la figura 7, que ocupa una plana entera. El tramo se corta en el salto de plana y sigue *entwines the Three Essentials of Salt, Sulfur, and Mercury*, con el grabado atribuido a Giovanni Nazari, *Metamor Fosi Metallico*, 1564

«Figure 17. The seven operations form a spiraling pattern of gradual transformation that creates a new Conjunction or higher manifestation of the powers Above and Below. (D.W.» — el pie de la figura 17, que el volumen adjudica al propio Hauck: las siete operaciones como espiral que produce una Conjunción nueva

«Figure 18. Dragons pull Saturn’s chariot above, while images of worldly affairs dominate the scene below. In the retort of transformation, the spirit of Mercury gives the dragon of the First Matter a dose of poison and uses a bellows to fan the fires of Calcination. (Salomon Trismosin,» — el pie de la figura 18, primera de las siete láminas que el volumen toma del *Splendor Solis* —obra con ficha propia en el corpus— y hace corresponder con una operación: aquí la Calcinación

«Figure 19. Two peacocks pull Jupiter’s chariot above, while his signatures of justice and benign rule are shown below. In the retort, three birds (the Three Essentials) dissolve into each other as the operation of Dissolution begins. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis, 1535)» — el pie de la figura 19, con la Disolución

«Figure 20. The dogs of war pull Mar’s chariot above, while scenes of war and pillage are shown below. In the retort, the operation of Separation concludes, and the Three Essentials emerge as individual identities in the same body. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis, 1535)» — el de la figura 20, con la Separación. La grafía *Mar’s* va como la imprime el troceo

«Figure 21. A pair of lovebirds pull Venus’ chariot above, while images of love and companionship are shown below. In the retort, a peacock spreads its tail indicating that the Conjunction has succeeded and the next operation is about to begin. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis, 1535)» — el de la figura 21, con la Conjunción anunciada por la cola del pavo real

«Figure 22. Two cocks pull Mercury’s chariot above, while images of learning, inspiration, and music are shown below. Inside the retort, the white Virgin Queen is pregnant with the Child of the Philosophers, indicating that Fermentation was successful. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis, 1535)» — el de la figura 22, con la Fermentación y la Reina Virgen preñada del Hijo de los Filósofos

«Figure 23. Two midwives pull the Moon’s chariot above, while scenes of humankind’s dominion over nature are shown below. In the retort, the child has been born and appears as the magical Red King, indicating a successful Distillation. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis,» — el de la figura 23, con la Destilación y el Rey Rojo ya nacido. El tramo se corta antes del año, que el troceo pasa al renglón siguiente

«Figure 24. Two horses pull the Sun’s chariot above, while images of men working and playing harmoniously are shown below. In the retort, the dragon of the First Matter reappears, now refined and balanced, indicating a successful Coagulation of the powers. (Salomon Trismosin, Splendor Solis, 1535)» — y el de la figura 24, con la Coagulación y el dragón de la Primera Materia ya refinado

«Figure 4. The invisible First Matter is everywhere to be found. (Michael Maier, Atalanta Fugiens, 1617)» — el pie de la figura 4, tomada de la *Atalanta fugiens* de Michael Maier —obra con ficha propia en el corpus—, que el volumen data aquí en 1617

«Figure 13. Chronos (Saturn) vomits forth the stone of Jupiter fed to him by his wife Rhea. (Michael Maier, Atalanta Fugiens, 1618)» — el pie de la figura 13, de la misma *Atalanta fugiens*, que el volumen data aquí en 1618; las dos fechas se consignan sin armonizar

«ISBN: 1481179144 ISBN-13: 9781481179140» — los dos ISBN que imprime la propia edición

«© 2013 Dennis William Hauck All Rights Reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission.» — la titularidad y la reserva de derechos; de aquí sale la atribución declarada

«Introduction ..................................................................3 Chapter 1: What Is Alchemy? ......................................6 Chapter 2: The Golden Thread .....................................23 Chapter 3: The Principles of Alchemy ......................... 48 Chapter 4: The Kitchen Alchemist ............................... 74 Chapter 5: The Ladder of the Planets» — el arranque del índice. Los folios que imprime —Introduction 3, capítulo 1 en 6, capítulo 2 en 23, capítulo 3 en 48, capítulo 4 en 74, capítulo 5 en 96— no son los de este troceo, donde esos mismos arranques caen en las planas 3, 5, 18, 38, 59 y 78: el índice conserva la paginación de otra edición

«Appendix 1: Glossary of Alchemy ...............................267 Appendix 2: Resources .................................................291 About the Author ...» — el cierre del índice, con el glosario, los recursos y la nota de autor. Los títulos del índice y los del cuerpo no coinciden en tres casos: el índice dice *The Ladder of the Planets*, *Moon’s Reflection* y *Sun’s Brilliance* donde el cuerpo imprime *Climbing the Ladder of the Planets*, *The Moon’s Reflection* y *The Sun’s Brilliance*; la divergencia se consigna sin armonizar

«SORCERER’S STONE A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy by Dennis William Hauck Crucible Books P.O. Box 22309 Sacramento, CA 95822-0309 USA www.Crucible.org» — la portada del troceo, con el sello, el apartado postal de Sacramento y el sitio que la edición declara; de aquí sale el productor `imprimio`

«Second edition 2013. First published in paperback by Citadel Press 2004.» — la nota de edición: segunda de 2013 y primera en rústica de Citadel Press en 2004; de aquí sale el año de la ficha

«Alchemical Psychology is a look at ancient alchemical recipes for living in the modern world. Thom Cavalli. Jeremy Tarcher 2002. ISBN 1-58542-140-5. 364 pp.» — la primera entrada de la bibliografía recomendada del apéndice 2, con el formato que sigue todo el listado: reseña de una línea, autor, sello, año, ISBN y paginación

«Anatomy of the Psyche: Alchemical Symbolism in Psychotherapy is an in-depth description of the Seven Operations in psychological terms. Edward Edinger. Open Court Publishing 1991; ISBN: 0812690095. 260 pp.» — el libro de Edward Edinger que recomienda para las siete operaciones en clave psicológica; a Edinger ya lo había citado en el capítulo 1

«Emerald Tablet: Alchemy for Personal Transformation is the definitive history of the Emerald Tablet and the application of its principles to alchemy and personal transformation. Dennis William Hauck. Penguin Arkana 1999. ISBN 0-14-019571-8. 452 pp.» — la entrada en que recomienda su propio libro anterior sobre la Tabla Esmeralda, que en el corpus tiene ficha propia como `hauck-emerald-tablet`

«Secret of the Golden Flower is a Taoist alchemy treatise with wonderful commentary by C.G. Jung; these are ancient instructions for making the elixir of perfect health. Wilhelm Reich. Harcourt Brace 1988. ISBN 0156799804. 149 pp.» — el tratado taoísta que recomienda; el troceo adjudica la edición a *Wilhelm Reich* donde la traducción con comentario de Jung es de Richard Wilhelm (sic)

«Alchemy Guild is the official website of the non-profit International Alchemy Guild with members in 23 countries. Members have access to a huge archive of original alchemy manuscripts.» — el gremio del que la solapa dice que Hauck es consejero, listado aquí entre los recursos de internet

«Alchemy Lab is dedicated to personal transformation and has been described as “one of the most stunning web archives ever” by the London Times. (www.AlchemyLab.com)» — el sitio que el volumen cita a lo largo del texto para tablas y listas, con el elogio de prensa que le adjudica

«Dennis William Hauck is an author, consultant, and lecturer working to facilitate personal and institutional transformation through the application of the ancient principles of alchemy. He writes and lectures on the universal principles of physical, psychological, and spiritual perfection to a wide variety of audiences that range from scientists and business leaders to religious and New Age groups.» — la nota *About the Author* que cierra el volumen; es voz editorial sobre el autor, no del cuerpo del libro

«Hauck's interest in alchemy began while he was still in graduate school at the University of Vienna, and was initiated into the craft by a practicing alchemist living in nearby Prague. Hauck has since translated a number of important alchemy manuscripts dating back to the fourteenth century and has published seven books on the subject.» — los datos biográficos que da esa misma nota: Viena, la iniciación en Praga y las traducciones de manuscritos

«His Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy (Penguin Citadel 2004; Athanor 2013) is an entertaining introduction to practical and spiritual alchemy.» — cómo describe la propia nota este volumen. Los sellos que da —*Penguin Citadel 2004; Athanor 2013*— no coinciden con la página de derechos, que imprime Crucible Books y Citadel Press; las dos versiones se consignan sin armonizar

«Hauck has contributed to a dozen anthologies, such as Awaken to a Dream (Watermark 1991), Magic of Our Universe (Camelot 1999), Alchemy: the Great Secret (Andrea Aromatico, Abrams 2001), Nine Windows to Wholeness: Jungian Sandplay (Sanity Press 2002), Tarot Court Cards Archetypes (Kate Warwick-Smith, Inner Traditions 2003), and Alchemical Healing (Nicki Scully, Bear & Co. 2003).» — las antologías en que la nota dice que ha colaborado

«Hauck’s books have been featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, New York Post, Boston Globe, Seattle Times, Harper’s, Magical Blend, Lingua Franca, and hundreds of other periodicals. He has been interviewed on nearly four hundred radio and TV programs, including "NPR's Morning Edition," "A&E Unexplained," "Sally Jessy Raphael," "Geraldo," “The O’Reilly Factor,” "Extra," "America's Talking," and "CNN Reports."» — la lista de medios que la nota le adjudica

«Dennis William Hauck holds lectures and workshops throughout the world on the various aspects of practical, mental, and spiritual alchemy. He is an instructor in alchemy and is on the Board of Governors of the International Alchemy Guild. He is a professional member of the American Mathematical Association (AMA), the Association for Transpersonal Psychology (ATP), the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP), and the Center for Research Into Science (CRIS).» — las membresías y cargos que la nota declara, incluida la del gremio internacional de alquimia

«Crucible Catalog carries lab supplies, chemicals, herbs, jewelry, and many esoteric and Hermetic items of interest to alchemists.» — el catálogo del propio sello editor del volumen, listado entre los recursos de internet

Materia prima — Respuesta que da al acertijo del capítulo 3: caos primordial que es todo y nada, Anima Mundi y cuerpo mismo de la naturaleza; su rasgo primero sería existir entre materia y energía. La Tabla Esmeralda la llamaría «One Thing», y el jeroglífico egipcio *kh* la designaría.

Piedra filosofal (lapis philosophorum) — Producto de purificar la Primera Materia; el volumen la identifica con la Piedra Mayor, el Cuerpo Astral, el Elixir e incluso con Jesucristo, y le adjudica la capacidad de perfeccionar cualquier sustancia.

Anima mundi (alma del mundo) — Identificada con la Primera Materia; el «Espíritu del Mundo» procedería del Alma del Mundo según la cita de Benedictus Figulus.

Spiritus mundi (espíritu del mundo) — En la cita de Paracelso, el Spiritus Vitae toma su origen del Spiritus Mundi, y el Arqueo emana de este último.

Cuatro elementos (fuego, aire, agua, tierra) — Estructura cuádruple de la Primera Materia, formalizada —según el volumen— por Empédocles en su *Tetrasomia* y desarrollada por Aristóteles con las cualidades de caliente, frío, seco y húmedo; el Cuadro de Oposición ordena su rotación.

Quintaesencia (quinta essentia) — Quinto Elemento que estaría más allá de los cuatro; el volumen la identifica con la fuerza vital y le hace corresponder la Madera china, el *chi*, la *kundalini*, el *prana*, el *pneuma* y el *rauch*.

Azufre (principio sulfúreo) — Uno de los Tres Esenciales; principio solar y activo que da identidad o alma, y que en la planta reside en los aceites esenciales.

Mercurio de los filósofos (Mercurius) — Mercurio Sófico o Filosófico, distinto del mercurio común; Newton habría trabajado el régulo estrellado de antimonio para extraerlo, y para muchos alquimistas sería la propia Primera Materia.

Atanor (el horno de fuego constante) — Horno de ladrillo del laboratorio, con el que abre el capítulo 1; el glosario da su etimología árabe, lo llama «Casa del Pollito» y lo lee también como el cuerpo humano.

Nigredo (la obra al negro) — Fase negra o *Melanosis*, que va de la Calcinación hasta la Putrefacción; el cuervo negro es su emblema y la primera parte de *2001* su ilustración cinematográfica.

Albedo (la obra al blanco) — Fase blanca o *Leukosis*, que el volumen sitúa en la Destilación y hace corresponder con la segunda parte de *2001*.

Rubedo (la obra al rojo) — Fase púrpura o *Iosis*, tercera y última, marcada por el enrojecimiento de la materia durante la Coagulación.

Putrefacción (putrefactio) — Operación del digestor en el capítulo 1 y primer tiempo de la Fermentación; en el trabajo personal es la noche oscura del alma.

León verde (leo viridis) — León Verde que devora al Sol como emblema de la Disolución; químicamente sería el Vitriolo purificado, y el glosario lo iguala al acetato verde de plomo.

Rebis (el hermafrodita) — Figura de dos cabezas que doma al dragón de la Primera Materia uniendo opuestos; el glosario lo identifica con el hermafrodita, Azufre y Mercurio tras la Conjunción.

Homúnculo (el hombre artificial) — Seres diminutos que, según el volumen, muchos alquimistas famosos dijeron haber creado infundiendo la fuerza vital en frascos de compuestos químicos.

Caduceo (vara de Mercurio) — Bastón de Hermes con dos serpientes; el volumen lo compara con la doble hélice del ADN y lo lee como eje vertical del cuerpo por el que corren las siete operaciones.

Microcosmos (el hombre-mundo) — El elixir mercurial crearía un vínculo del microcosmos personal con el principio macrocósmico; los elíxires solares alinearían las metas propias con las del macrocosmos.

Philosophia perennis (filosofía perenne) — El «hilo dorado» del capítulo 2: la Filosofía Perenne, que reaparecería en culturas y épocas distintas pese a los intentos de suprimirla.

Horas planetarias — El trabajo espagírico se sujeta a la hora y el día del planeta regente, con tablas que el volumen adjudica a Tritemio; la extracción de melisa empieza el jueves tras la salida del sol.

Talismán (imagen astrológica) — El producto alquímico ingerido es un «talismán consumible»; cada metal tiene sus usos en talismanes, y a falta de oro se propone cartón dorado.

Iniciación (recepción por grados / metamorfosis del ser) — El volumen se declara Patio Exterior de una iniciación cuyos grados son las propias operaciones, con Hermes como iniciador último en el Sanctasanctórum del corazón.

Imaginación (phantasia) — Imaginación Verdadera que se abre con la Cola de Pavo Real, distinta de la fantasía; el volumen la respalda con la cita de Jung sobre la *Imaginatio* como cuerpo sutil.

Secreto (lo que se jura no fijar por escrito) — El secreto del oficio se explica por la corruptibilidad de la materia ante el pensamiento ajeno, por la reserva a la enseñanza oral y por el temor de Newton a las consecuencias sociales.

Gnosis (conocimiento salvífico) — Los Misterios Mayores se revelarían en el Sanctasanctórum como una gnosis secreta e intransferible, que el volumen declara imposible de enseñar en un libro.

Prisca theologia (la teología antiquísima) — Cadena que va de Thot y el Zep Tepi a los pilares de Hermes, a los nestorianos, a los árabes y a la Europa medieval; Paracelso la extendería a Adán, Noé y Abraham.