Kabbalah-of-the-Golden-Dawn-Pat-Zalewski - D Ank Unlimited
Kabbalah-of-the-Golden-Dawn-Pat-Zalewski - D Ank Unlimited
Kabbalah-of-the-Golden-Dawn-Pat-Zalewski - D Ank Unlimited
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Alchemy and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Kabbalah</strong> 165<br />
Seven-Stage System <strong>of</strong> Alchemy<br />
These relate to <strong>the</strong> Double Letters and are in fact a fur<strong>the</strong>r refinement<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> above three-stage generalization, arranged in this order: Letter<br />
- Stage - Planet<br />
1. Peh - Calcination - Mars<br />
Calcination is <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> reducing <strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> material<br />
worked with (Prima Materia-first matter) by fire, through<br />
four stages which can be seen by <strong>the</strong> color <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> matter ar<br />
each stage: The Blackening, Whitening, Yellowing, and Reddening.<br />
The first stage, <strong>the</strong> Blackening, is obtained by direct<br />
burning, while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r three stages are through <strong>the</strong> process<br />
<strong>of</strong> a consistent heat. Through this process pulverization occurs<br />
and impurities are removed which makes <strong>the</strong> matter ready for<br />
<strong>the</strong> next step.<br />
2. Kaph - Sublimation - Jupiter<br />
Sublimation takes place when <strong>the</strong> matter is placed in a container<br />
(usually made <strong>of</strong> glass with a long neck above it) over a<br />
heated element. The vapor or essence is <strong>the</strong>n extracted from<br />
<strong>the</strong> matter and remains in <strong>the</strong> top <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> neck for a short time,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n descends back down <strong>the</strong> tube to <strong>the</strong> matter (which is at<br />
<strong>the</strong> bottom <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flask) from which it was derived. This step<br />
actually covers <strong>the</strong> steps <strong>of</strong> separation and exaltation in<br />
alchemy. Part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> essence is taken from <strong>the</strong> matter,<br />
streng<strong>the</strong>ned, <strong>the</strong>n returned to it, changing <strong>the</strong> matter in its<br />
composition.<br />
3. Daleth - Solution - Venus<br />
Solution is <strong>the</strong> aspect when <strong>the</strong> matter is dissolved in <strong>the</strong> liquid<br />
as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> previous step <strong>of</strong> sublimation.<br />
4. Gimel- Putrefication - Moon<br />
Putrefication, to a certain extent, is still part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dissolution<br />
process, where great care must be taken that <strong>the</strong> matter being<br />
dissolved must be stopped at a certain point in <strong>the</strong> experiment<br />
when complete separation has occurred, for at this critical level<br />
an entirely new substance has been formed or transmuted.<br />
5. Beth - Distillation - Mercury<br />
Distillation covers o<strong>the</strong>r steps as well and relates to <strong>the</strong> separation<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit, through <strong>the</strong> vapor from <strong>the</strong> matter through<br />
a distillation train, with a receptacle at <strong>the</strong> end to catch <strong>the</strong><br />
liquid. It is <strong>the</strong> separation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> volatile from <strong>the</strong> non-