Thursday, January 28th, 1982

WISDOM'S GOLDENROD, ALAN BERKOWITZ CLASS NOTES

(TYPED)

JANUARY 28, 1982

ALCHEMY; AURORA CONSURGENS

TOPIC: Alchemy

SUBJECT: Aurora Consurgens

SUBSUBJECTS: Astrology, Kalachakra, Bodhicitta, Light Body, Sophia

BOOKS READ FROM OR REFERENCED:

• Marie-Louise von Franz, Aurora Consurgens: A Document Attributed to Thomas Aquinas on the Problem of Opposites in Alchemy

• Plotinus, The Enneads (MacKenna translation, 4th ed.)

DIAGRAM embedded in these notes:

• FIGURE 1982 0128-1-AB. Gross Body, Subtle Body, Knowledge.

TYPED AND REFORMATTED by IT 2022

NOTES:

• RETYPED HANDWRITTEN NOTES (hence V08). From Classnotes AB 1982 0101 to 1982 0207.PDF.

• This is a Thursday.

• This class continues the discussion started in WG Class 1982 0127 Alchemy; Aurora Consurgens.

• All spelling, capitalization, and punctuation corrected, abbreviations spelled out.

1982 01/28 at Wisdom's Goldenrod

Alchemy; Aurora Consurgens

[Classnotes AB 1982 0128 Begin]

1/28/82 Aurora Consurgens

[Note: All page references are from Marie-Louise von Franz, Aurora Consurgens: A Document Attributed to Thomas Aquinas on the Problem of Opposites in Alchemy.]

p. 155 -- Prime matter is everywhere. Included in its composition is the Nous (light) (captured by the darkness of matter). The light has to work its way back to its source (also individually separate the light conjoined with the animate -- first alchemical separation).

light = wisdom, sophia

p. 178 -- Reason-principles (archetypes) get manifest in the individual psyche.

Individual psyche = the instrumental cause of manifestation.

[FIGURE 1982 0128-01-AB. Gross Body, Subtle Body, Knowledge. Computer generated by IT from Classnotes AB 1982 0101 to 1982 0207.PDF. Correction: Wind -- winds.]

Outer Kalachakra = planets

Inner Kalachakra = elements and individual psyche

Alternative = Nous which subsumes both

The light which gets trapped in the elements has to get freed from it and go into a higher stage of evolution (a being of light). Bodhicitta evolves through more and more organized forms. The light is evolved into a body (resurrection body etc) with supersensory organs to perceive the supersensory world. This body of light is the twin of the higher soul (= Gemini, immortal twins). As the light body develops it develops the chakras. The color of the light that the mystic experiences indicates your level of development.

Light absorbed by an object is emitted according to the temperature of the object -- 7 temperatures → < frequency of light (analogous to mystic development).

Colors of light correlate with light of the Dhyan Buddhas. Psyche could also (instead of elements) be the planetary grid, i.e., are the archetypes realized in the mind (grid) or the body (elements)?

Elements are distributed in your chart (through the houses) by the Ascendant -Midheaven (= the way your being is present in and oriented to the world. Your presence in the world determines the sense you make of that world.)

Ascendant = 4 directions in space

p. 180 -- Circular process (uroboros) of release of light is motivated by love.

p. 185 -- Contents of the unconscious = contents of the Nous.

Plotinus -- Two aspects of the Demiurge -- 1) contemplating the Divine, 2) facing down fabricating the universe = fallen Sophia.

(p. 188) -- God in matter.

p. 191 -- Sophia seeks the artifex = the bodhicitta, or spark, not to be confused with the Ideas in the Nous or reason-principles in matter. Sophia needs Nous (the sparks) help to get free of matter.

(Same problem as three Mercuriuses ≠ balsam.)

* The bodhicitta, through its experience with the world, receives enlightenment from the reason-principles it liberates from matter.

[Classnotes AB 1982 0128 End]