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On the Meaning of Alchemical Symbols

These excerpts are from Opus Mago-Caballisticum et Theosophicum by Georg von Welling. We will be using the illustration below, specifically the symbols that comprise the lower section.

Gold

In the following parts we will speak about the symbols for metals, minerals and salts and begin to speak about gold. It was represented by the ancients with the symbol found in figure 33, which also designated the Sun. This was to help us to understand that both are in their innermost essence one and the same, composed of the essential Fire of Schamajim [Heaven]. That there could be nothing more perfect than these two bodies is evident in the symbol itself, for there can be no more perfect figure drawn from a point or dot than a circle. Thus, there can be no greater perfection than these two bodies, which are both entirely composed of an essential Fire, the blood-red Heavenly Sulfur, with which no earthly fre can ever compare, and which can only be mastered by heavenly Water. A circle, globe, or sphere represents the shape of Fire and water. We can best observe an example of eternal and constant movement by looking at Fire and Water.

 

The old genuine Cabbala portrays the macrocosm and the microcosm as in figure 34 in order to show that just as the point is surrounded by its circumference or circle, so too, this world is surrounded by Schamajim (that is, by the wonder-Fire of which we just spoke). We believe that this figure also says something about the microcosm of individual human existence as well, since the Cabbala suggests that there exists within each human being the essence of gold (Aphar min Haadamah), and that this is nothing other than his indestructible immortal body. This essential gold can exist in a number of forms and without this gold or Sulfur or pure mercury-water no creature can exist or last for even a moment in time. The gold that is mined from the mountains has been formed into a pure body by its pure matrix. But because of this its form is not easily recognizable as the true Gold of which we speak, unless it is completely purified of the foreign particles it had accumulated while in the Earth. This can be accomplished by following the true philosophical rules applying to this process, which include dissolving it in a solution of its own mercury-water. This can be done quite easily if one correctly creates the solvent solution, and if one understands well the nature of gold. That is why we said that the mined gold should be dissolved in its own mercury-water, which consists of the Sulfur of Gold and silver, a solution of two salts that are, in essence, one and the same.

Silver

We now come to the second metal, silver, which was represented by the ancients as in figure 35. It shows a half circle with a point or center within it, as well as a second half circle inside the first. This configuration of the two half circles creates the symbol of the Moon. This symbol clearly shows us that silver must be a perfect metal, like gold, and share the same simple essence with it, although without the redness of gold's external appearance, which is internal in silver. Ancient Cabbalists also used the Moon- symbol to designate water and any other fluids, even Mercury. They wished to show with this that silver consists of nothing other than the white Sulfur of the Moon, the watery mercurial Salt, the lunar seed. They also wanted to show that if silver's white, watery mercurial form dried out, that is, if the external half circle is completed with another half circle, then we once again have the symbol of Gold. The symbol itself shows how and in what manner this desiccation and transformation occurs. It becomes especially clear, when one studies and reflects upon the question of what exactly the holy fire is, to which the philosophers clearly referred in their writings. This holy Fire and its source were well known to the true prophets and priests of the Old Testament, as we can read in the second book of Maccabees. The Persians called this Fire Orim-as-da. Thus, anyone who knows and recognizes that Water, Fire and Salt are truly and without doubt of one and the same essence, will also more easily understand the close relationship between gold and silver. They will also understand how true men of medicine can claim cures for otherwise incurable diseases and how they prescribe Gold for this illness and Silver for that one. They will also understand what is meant here by gold and silver, and how these elements become aurum potabilis and luna potabilis. We read in the Second Letter of Peter 3, verse 5, "They obstinately do not want to know, that there were heavens and earth long ago, created by God's word out of water and with water." [See the Golden Chain of Homer] With this we will end our description of the symbol for the moon and silver in the belief that we have done so with exceptional clarity.

Copper

We will now discuss the destructible metals, first of all the most beautiful, namely copper. Its symbol is found in figure 36 and is represented by a complete circle without a center point, with a cross, or rather the radius lines of the circle hanging from the bottom, which point to a salt. For those who have understood all that we have said thus far, this symbol will explain itself. The complete circle points at copper's Golden Sulfur or the Golden Earth that is present in abundance in this element. However, because the center or resting point, namely the constant light-Fire, is lacking, this earthly Sulfur attaches only to its surface and is not permanent. This circle without a center or resting point also means that its Fire-circle consists only of the wild earthly Fire or Sulfur and is also lacking in the fixed, essential, unchanging Fire of rest. The cross hanging from below the circle (which is constructed of the latter's radius or diameter lines, that is, Salt) shows as well that copper is lacking inner essential Salt or Fire, about which we just spoke. Thus, attached to this copper is only a crude, earthly, destructable and vitriolic Salt. And anyone who can transform this crude earthly Salt, that is, anyone who can restore the spokes or radius lines to their axis or resting point in the sulfurous Fire-wheel and thus restore to this Fire the constant, life-giving, essential Fire, that person is truly a master.

Iron

We now turn our attention to Mars, the proud, invincible warrior, who for many reasons should be favored, since we find him so necessary, indeed among the most needed and useful materials on the earth. There exists no art, science or other human activity that can do without him. Even most of our food and sustenance depends on him, as is evidenced in the clays of the earth, from which we make bricks, whose red color shows the presence of iron, which can be separated out by Fire, even if in small quantities. Clay, especially of the yellow variety, was once iron that has broken down day by day in the earth, torn from its matrix and root by the plow and left to decay. Grass, herbs, vegetables and all sorts of grans and fruits take it from the soil and provide it to us for nourishment. And if we leave iron exposed to the air and moisten it, so that it begins to rust, and then continue to moisten it, in time a natural yellow coating or clay accumulates, which is as good for seeding as any other loam or soil. Almost the entire earth was covered at one time with iron ore, which in time decayed. We see evidence of this in the fact that there are many iron-ore deposits still around, especially in those places where the earth is not high above the sand-base, so that the sun's rays - the Red Solar Sulfur - and the water of the base-sand - the sand- and stone-making Water - can easily be captured by the soil. With the help of the Water from the base-sand and heat from the underground fire [mantle], these rays are then cooked into the matrix of iron. It can also be viewed as proof of what we say here, that there is hardly a fruitful field anywhere that does not have such yellowish, rusty, iron-tasing Water beneath it. Thus, we see what kind of a companion Mars is, where he comes from, how absolutely necessary he is, but also very dangerous, when human evil tempts the retribution of the Most High, such that the Lord holds back the fruitful rain, the dissolving Water, thus fulfilling what was said in Deuteronomy 28, verse 23: "May the skies above you be bronze and the earth beneath you iron," etc. But if Water is not lacking, the words of Job 38, verse 14 will come to pass: "That the earth changes, like the clay under a seal." We have not put these citations here without purpose. The Sun is the actual father of Mars, but the Moon is only his stepmother, since his father consorted with another woman and produced him outside of the legitimate marriage bed. That is the reason why he is so unruly and imperfect, despite having much of his father's noble blood in him. We mortals can thus learn to recognize our own unruliness, clumsiness, evil and bloodthirstiness as coming from our daily nourishment, which, as noted above, derives in large part from Mars. However, we can also look at the noble blood that we have inherited from the father (and which, we believe, is a perfectly pure, bright, eternally indestructable Fire), in order to know from where and from what kind of seed our spiritual inner immortal body arose, namely, as Scripture says, from the red earth of Paradise (Min Aphar min Haadamah). This Mars, or iron, was symbolized by the ancients as in figure 37, as a complete circle with an entire diameter line extending outward on an angle from the top. At the end of this line two radius lines or semidiameters extend downward toward the circle at right angles. This symbol has many secret meanings, of which we will only mention the most important ones here. We'll begin with point a from which the two radius lines or semidiameters of the upper light a-c-a-d radiate downward, forming a right angle with point a. That is, the only thing missing for this figure to be a perfect Fire-globe (i.e., the pure perfect Fire-essence: red Sulfur) is the water Schamajim, the Lunar white Sulfur. The two rays of the light which lack the connecting line c-d mixed with an impure mother a-b, that is, with the whole diameter line of the circle below, that is, with a crude earthly Salt, which is its vitriolic Salt, thus resulting in its crude body. It can be clearly shown, however, that this salt is much purer and has greater healing powers than the Salt of Copper. Iron's salt, as shown by its diameter line, is already a purified or risen Salt that mixes in the air with the rays of light, and yet is at the same time enclosed by them. This is why it is so sweet and mild, for it has in large part been purified by these rays of light. The Salt of Mars is quite different from that of Venus, which is entirely dominated by its earthly qualities, since it places its circle at the very bottom. The salt of Mars, on the other hand, is similar to that wonderful salt called nitre, which is produced by the upper ligt- and fire-rays. We will elaborate on this later.

 

Although the circle of iron is created from this excellent Sulfur and the aforementioned Salt, there is still no center point present. This shows that the light-rays have been entirely incorporated by the rising diameter line, thus allowing a crude Salt to completely dominated the red Solar Sulfur. Therefore, the Salt of iron would be useful as its own solvent for the purpose of its own improvement and transformation, that is, to unite it internally with the Sulfur composed of Fire. This means that anyone who knows how to join the wheel with its spokes (radius lines) will move it once again back to its own center, thus revealing the perfect circle. As we noted previously, all things make their way toward their predestined goal along the path which they will take from their conception to their last transformation, back to their original state.

Tin

Now we can turn our attention to Jupiter, or tin. Philosophers and scientists have written nothing, or very little of use, about this metal. And miners also had little to say about it, other than how they mine it, smelt it and refine it for general use. But since there is much more to this metal than many imagine, it would be worth-while, if scholars would treat it in more detail, as we intend to do. The symbol of tin is represented in figure 38 and directly shows the nature and characteristics of this metal. Its semicircle a-b shows that it must consist in large part - almost half - of Solar Sulfur, as the line g-a-h represents. The other part b-g-h indicates lunar Water, Mercury, Salt or Sulfur, and the cross b-d-f-e, added at the bottom, indicates that it has incorporated an earthly Salt into its body. However, this cross is its own solvent, with which its external form can be entirely dissolved, in order to reveal the inner element once again, and the semicircle a-h-b can be rotated around on its axis (point g). The crude earthly Sulfur and Salt represented in e-c-f and b-c-d give Jupiter its characteristic flaws. For this reason, this cross with only half of a circle of perfection should go through the fire of purification. When this is achieved, we will see the goodness of Jupiter in abundance. However, it is not our intention to describe this process here, but rather simply to explain the mystical and hieroglyphic meaning of this symbol to the extent that we can.

Lead

Now it is the turn of Saturn, or lead. It is well known by its external appearance, although generally despised and not held in very high esteem. Nevertheless, it is the master of all the others and the examiner of their inner goodness and efficiency and as such, it can do as much as all the others together. And if its true significance were better known, it would surely be more highly praised. However, the ancient wise men, who knew it better than we do, represented this marvelous substance with the symbol portrayed in figure 39: a cross at the top (g-h-i-k-b) and below two semicircles, one above the other (a-b-d-c and c-e-f), with the upper one containing a center point. This intriguing configuration must certainly have a special meaning. And as far as we can tell from our reading of the true Cabbala, the two semicircles represent Sulfur and Mercury - not of the common variety - although both can be extracted from Lead. Rather, the semicircle b-d-c with the center point a suggests that almost half of it consists of Solar Sulfur, that is, of red Solar Sulfur, or masculine seed. The lower semicircle c-e-f, on the other hand, consists in the same proportion of Mercurial Water, that is, the white lunar Sulfur or seed. Otherwise, it would not be possible for this metal to destroy all others so easily and to take away their fluid Mercury for itself, while leaving the perfect fixed elements transfigured in place. In this way we cen become familiar with the effectiveness of this earthly universal solvent, as well as that of a spiritual universal solvent. Anyone who can reunite the circle with its wonder-Salt (h-i-k-b) and lower the center of the + (g) to the center point a, thus centering both semicircles on that same point, that person will realize what wondrous things lead can do and will recognize that its own solvent (h-i-k-b) does not lie below it, but rather above it. This solvent is not an earthly, but rather a heavenly Salt, which is closely related to the Salt of Iron. If we could give lead the bed or matrix that it loves, in its shape very similar to Water, we could bring about such a unification as described above, ignite its inner Fire (a) and bring the entire circle to life, which would produce astonishing results. With this, we conclude our discussion of Saturn.

Mercury

The unstable and volatile Mercury, who can also be the most stable of all the elements, will certainly be bored, until he can take center stage. His symbol, represented by the wise men and cabbalists as in figure 40, shows the half moon above, and beneath it a complete circle without a center, and under the circle a +. This representation is quite wonderful, as the half Moon above indicates its fluid nature or spiritual volatility, while the + below indicates its earthly, watery, salty, moist or metallic shape and volatility. But it also shows that the fixed shape of salt is missing in its circle. The complete circle suggests that the most noble and stable part, i.e., the red Solar Sulfur, lies concealed in its center, although its effect, which would be represented by a center point within the circle, is not present and is diffused through its unstable Moon form. Were we to unite within this element its acidic Salt and the volatile lunar form or fluidness, and dry it out and make it stable by means of its own Fire or life force (i.e., its concealed center point), we would find that the living Mercury is in truth nothing other than red Solar and white Lunar Sulfur in metallic form. However, it is indisputable that the ancient wise men and cabbalists wanted to suggest something far higher and more secret with this symbol than just common mercury. The half moon lying at the top of this symbol is the Figura Luna, and if we could bring the entirety of the Sun, its Acidum, inside the circle, we would have the symbol for the entire universe. This common mercury is meant to suggest and mark the beginning of all beginnings, i.e., the oft- mentioned Schamajim [Heaven], which is Fire and Water and also Salt, however one would use them, the first-created essence of all essences. [This was treated in depth earlier in the book.] And so, we believe that we have already sufficiently explained the nature of Mercury. However, since we are discussing the seven metals related to the seven planets, it wouldn't be bad to speak of the seven planets themselves, these worlds closest to our own, and their characteristics, in order that the reader might better understand this material.

Antimony

And so we want to slowly bring to a close our discussion of the minerals and salts and their symbols. So we will first discuss antimony, which is represented in figure 41, where there is a cross generally symbolizing salt, with a complete circle without a center point beneath it. This latter part represents the volatile and unbound solar Sulfur, which is present in the entire circle. Its Salt, although noble and wonderful, is only superficially attached. But whoever is able to present this Salt in the form of common mercury and to add in through cooking pure Iron, he will find that the heavens were not unfavourable to this mineral, which will appear in all its perfection.

Arsenic

The next to be considered is arsenic, called arsenum by the ancients. It is portrayed in figure 42 with two complete circles, one above the other, connected by a radius line. This clearly shows us that it is composed of the two beginnings of the upper light and lower Fire. It should be understood that arsenic is (because there is a center point for both the upper and lower circle) basically a raw, dry and unfixed Universal Copper/Venus, dried out by the rays of the underground Fire. And if it is given a metallic moistness, that is, a modest Salt and the right Earth as its matrix, it takes on a magnificent, fixed and wonderful form.

Sulfur

The next of our minerals is sulfur, whose symbol can be found in figure 43. It has a triangle above and a cross below, indicating that it is basically composed of Fire and Salt. It should be noted that this symbol refers only to earthly Sulfur, for when the ancient wise men and cabbalists spoke of the higher or heavenly sulfur, they used the symbol for the Sun. Therefore, the reader should understand what we mean when we say it is composed of Fire, and what is lacking in sulfur's earthly form: +. And so, if we can destroy the earthly Fire in it by means of its own Water and awaken in this sulfur its concealed heavenly Fire and cook both of these together, then we will have achieved our goal of creating a lively, fixed sulfur.

Cinnabar

The next in line is natural cinnabar, represented in figure 44 with four semicircles, with two above and two below, arranged one behind the other with each set of two dissected by a radius line. We can see in this that cinnabar was born of pure Sulfur and Mercury, for its two radius lines make two crosses, one for Mercury and the other for Sulfur. The Sulfur cross here is actually Copper and the other represents Mercury. In other words, the one is Lunar Sulfur and the other is Solar. Both have been bound and desiccated by the underground Fire. And if they are given the metallic root-moisture and united with it, they will take on a fixed metallic form. These, then, are the four symbols with which the ancients represented the joining or separation of all the remaining minerals.

Quicklime

For important reasons they also gave quicklime its own symbol, represented in figure 45. It stands somewhere between the minerals and the salts. Its symbol has a half circle on top, which represents the magnetic Lunar Salt, and below it there is a + representing the purest earthly Salt or the field in which the aforementioned heavenly Salt has been sown. The upper half circle also represents the purest Earth, while the + represents the fixed earth-Salt as the magnetic agent. The ancients also used this symbol to designate a fixed general acid. This symbol has much concealed within it. Therefore, we should learn to use it wisely.

Nitre

Now we come to the composite salts, of which we will discuss nitre first (see figure 46). Its spherical sybol represents the entire world and is composed of the ray of the upper light and the lower Fire. Therefore, it consists of volatile and solid alkaline particles; it is a wonder-Salt of nature.

Vitriol

Figure 47 represents vitriol. Its radius lines from top to bottom, bottom to top and to the side clearly show that it is a composite of general and common Salt and metallic particles. If it had a fourth radius line (the complete essence of Mercury), it would be the symbol of the entire universe, whereby its admirers could see what a magnificent substance vitriol is. But is is not quite a universal Gold (or Sulfur), which must be sought elsewhere.

Sal Ammoniac

Figure 48 represents sal ammoniac. It shows no spherical structures, which indicates that it is not a natural substance, but one created artificially or by coincidence. It is composed of six radius lines, representing the common salt, both the Acidi volatilis universalis and sulfurous salt. But because the spherical structures are lacking in the symbol, this shows that these salts cannot be joined together. This substance first received its name from the temple of Jovis Hammonis in the Egyptian desert, to which many pilgrims regularly traveled. Their urine and that of their animals, under the influence of the sun's rays and those of the underground Fire produced this Salt in the sand. Later, when this source was no longer available, people artifically created it by imitating its beginnings with Salt of urine, oven-ash and oxblood. Its uses and general usefulness are so common and so important that we could write a long book about this substance alone. However, that is not our purpose here.

Alum

Figure 49 represents alum, which is similar to Salt, Nitre and Quicklime in its external form. However, its lack of a center point or of any rays of the upper or lower light or Fire shows that everything about it is closed and sealed off from the outside. (It is more closely related to the Salt of Copper.) Therefore, much skill and time is needed to help it reveal its light and Fire, i.e., its center point, which had been closed off by its harshness and acidity. This can be accomplished if one dissolves it in sea-water and then precipitates it. And anyone who can wash it in its own Water and then reunite both parts, will produce a wonder-Salt of nature, a superb substance that can purify metals, such as lead, and also alleviate all manner of fevers in men.

Sal Alkali

Figure 50 represents sal alkali, an Arabian name that means basically salt. This is the root-Salt of all animals and plants and is the foundation from which all other salts can be made, or which can be made into all other salts. If we add the rays of an upward-facing arrow, we get a perfect nitre, and if we add those of a downward-facing arrow we get a perfect common Salt. There are many great secrets concealed within it that are known, at least to some extent, to those who can work with Fire. To add any more detail at this point would be foolishness on our part.

Tartar

Figure 51 represents tartar, or the Salt that comes from wine, a genuine wonder-Salt of Nature, otherwise known - for good reason - as a sulfurous root-acid or salt. The [square symbol] at the top of the symbol shows that it is composed of the four secondary characteristics or elements. And the + below indicates that the rays of both the upper light and lower Fire are present, although they are strongly sealed off within the tartar. However, those who know how to reveal these rays, and to incorporate and unite the + or rays with the square, will produce a high and wonderous Salt that will bring him much satisfaction. Among all the Salts we know of none that could more easily produce a more wonderful medicine than this.

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