Saturday, February 13th, 1982

WISDOM'S GOLDENROD, JUNE FRITCHMAN CLASS NOTES

(TYPED)

FEBRUARY 13, 1982

ALCHEMY; IMAGE OF GOD

TOPIC: Alchemy

SUBJECT: Image of God

SUBSUBJECTS: Ether, Mercurius, Nigredo, Three Conjunctions

BOOKS READ FROM OR REFERENCED:

• C.G. Jung, CW 14, Mysterium Coniunctionis

• C.G. Jung, CW 12, Psychology and Alchemy, Ch. 12, "Religious Ideas in Alchemy"

• C.G. Jung, CW 13, Alchemical Studies, "The Spirit Mercurius"; "The Philosophical Tree" [Note: "The Spirit Mercurius" is one of the books listed on the blackboard at the beginning of class.]

• H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, for "Ether"

• Franz Pfeiffer, Meister Eckhart, Volume 1, trans. C. de B. Evans

• Mary Anne Atwood, A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery

• Paul Brunton [Note: JF does not remember book that was used.]

DIAGRAM described in these notes:

• FIGURE 1982 0213-1-JF. Out of the Experience of the Elements is derived the Quintessence, the Ether.

TYPED AND REFORMATTED by JF and IT 2022

NOTES:

• RETYPED HANDWRITTEN NOTES (hence V08). From JF Notes 3.PDF (pp. 905-906).

• This is a Saturday.

1982 02/13 at Wisdom's Goldenrod

Alchemy; Image of God

[JF Notes 3.PDF Begin (p. 905)]

2/13/82

"The image of God within us is hidden in the body."

Tractate 14 in Eckhart on the Image of God. [Note: Franz Pfeiffer, Meister Eckhart, Volume 1, trans. C. de B. Evans, London: John M. Watkins, 1924.]

The configuration of reason-principles is the Image of God.

The Fire Earth Air Water [elements] take you to the level of mind -- has a body of (thought/illegible).

The body of thought is out of the Ether.

GRID DIAGRAM. [FIGURE 1982 0213-1-JF.]

ACROSS: 3 columns: Salt (Gross) -- Sulphur (Subtle) -- Mercury (Causal)

DOWN: 4 rows: F -- E -- A -- W

CAPTION FOR DIAGRAM: Out of the experience of the elements is derived the quintessence, the Ether.

The Ether has three levels that correspond to the levels of understanding.

The Ether is not the Bodhicitta.

Nigredo is to extract understanding from the elements and not project into them. Then the Bodhicitta is associated with the etheric body or the unio mentalis (that Bodhicitta associates with the level of the quintessential body rather than the elements).

Now when it's at the level, it can use that to actualize its Buddha nature, rather than get experience at the level of the elements.

PB's quest begins where PB's individuation ends; when you have the vehicle.

And that light is the sign of the Soul's presence--1st conjunction. The other lights take place in the quintessential body where you actualize this body of light.

The black light is equivalent to the 2nd [conjunction].

The 3rd [conjunction] becoming (into) conjunction with the World-Mind.

The 1st and 2nd becoming in conformity with your own Soul.

Two things happen:

1) separation of the Ether from the Elements (when you're at the level of the elements the Soul does not take too much interest)

2) the higher Soul takes an interest -- you're the Soul [side note in JF's notes: points may need reorganization]

(pp. 493-4/Jung): planetary spheres united with the azure quintessence (degree meanings/unclear) [Note: C.G. Jung, CW 14, Mysterium Coniunctionis.]

The Nigredo--tension of the Opposites.

Atwood: "Almost to the point of annihilation". [Note: Mary Anne Atwood, A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery.]

The Dark Night is at the level of the Nigredo.

--[Colors of Lights]--

black - Nigredo

white - 1st unio with the Soul

red - [unclear]

yellow - with unus mundus

Vol. 13 on the dragon (p. 316) / on "The Philosophical Tree" [Note: C.G. Jung, CW 13, Alchemical Studies, "The Philosophical Tree". Jung is expounding on a text by Albert Magnus wherein he speaks about the dragon's head devouring its tail.]

The dragon devouring its tail until all that's left is its head.

[JF Notes 3.PDF End (p. 906)]