Hartmann-Life Of... Paracelsus and The Substance of His Teachings 3rd Ed N.D
Hartmann-Life Of... Paracelsus and The Substance of His Teachings 3rd Ed N.D
TORONTO LIBRARIES
The
Stillman Drake
Collection
in the
History
of Science
PARACELSUS
THE LIFE OF
PHILIPPUS THEOPHRASTUS BOMBAST
OF HOHENHEIM
KNOWN
BY THE
NAME OP
PARACELSUS
THE SUBSTANCE OF
HIS TEACHINGS
BY
FRANZ HARTMANN,
AUTHOR OF "magic,"
M.D.
ETC.
'
is
Paracelsus
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER &
BROADWAY HOUSE, 68-74 CARTER LANE,
CO. LI?
E.G.
The
rights of translation
and of reproduction
are reserved.
PREFACE
Recent researches
number
of a great
of appa-
to be of
any
service.
which
is
sudden change
of feeling,
explain them.
and
exist in spite of
anatomy or chemistry
mean
because, to deny
we imagined
that
knowledge that
person
who
we
ourselves
exists in the
to
we
PREFACE
vi
is
it
of his
harmonise with
he who believes
Either of these
persons
is
others, or
of his education,
and by
his special
that
is
regard
If
beyond
their
own
it
own
senses.
hesitate to
silly puerilities to
play upon
use their
It
own common
sense.
people to
whom
classified
they
may
On
the contrary,
it
seems
dogmatic science
and scepticism
go
still
hand
self-conceit, credulity,
in hand,
PREFACE
mind that
is
crammed
vii
full of opinions to
which
tena-
it
ciously clings,
of
to rise
The world
may receive
is
like
that he
modern
if
may
employment
of visible
means.
of the
anatomy
the ancients
of the physical
constitution of
and
is
visible representative.
Modern
science
may
mani-
much
modem
further.
science
latter will
have to learn
There
There
if
it
desires to
no resting-place in the
is
is
If
we
PREFACE
viii
we
still
more
faculty that
A
is
member which
is
is
is lost.
to perceive that
our whole
which
more we look
we know
of the kernel
If
power
sensual; the
the
lose
is
exists,
and
of the soul.
we
of illusion,
super-
is
into matter,
spirit
which
remedy
of a
other, while
of the
is
its
own
followed by a reaction,
may end
but
on the ladder
of gravity, it
of progression.
When
it
again.
may
still
that believe in
persons
who
it
in their hearts.
sincerely believed in
If
it,
and followed
its
PREFACE
ix
enemy
of true faith,
matic ignorance;
it
differently
the great
and think
destroys all
self-confidence, and
it
also
The eyes
of a
of those
who palmed
it off
for
diamonds and
rubbish, and
and
again seeks
it
for
the
less
dazzling but
value are
now brought
to light
pearls of ancient
wisdom
As we
new world
The more we begin to understand the
language of the Adepts, the more grows our respect for
The more we become able to grasp their
their wisdom.
The anaideas, the more grows our conception of man.
tomy, physiology, and psychology which they teach make
of man something immeasurably greater than the puny
and impotent being known to modern science as a comdive into the ancient mysteries a
opens before
pound
us.
of bones,
man
is
Modem
an animal
science
the teachings
PREFACE
Modern
him with the power to lift his own
weight; ancient science invests him with the power to
control the destiny of the world.
Modern science allows
him to live for a very limited number of years ancient
of the
science
invests
cease to exist
he desires to
if
Modern
live.
man
and
will never
science deals
man
for the
man, to
whom
one of the
There
many
is
is
There
effects.
is
force
within matter, and the two are one, and are dependent
for their existence
on a
third,
There
which
is
is
the mysterious
And
modern
science
they exist
and
stars,
for, as
known to
not even know that
Some
are
to the microscopic
world with
its
him who
is
known
life.
to
and the
him whose
The things
of the
of the body,
PREFACE
them
and
like a
is
its
man who
who
while he
keeps
the existence of
is
able to see
is
right-
in regard to that
as a
man who
country
which
is
is
ences
and
reasonable,
power
him
to reject
stand
the
if
a blind
it
himself
man were
is
as foolish
and
to
to see.
This power of spiritual perception, potentially contained in every man, but developed in few,
unknown
to
civilisation,
is
almost
because learning
is
often
separated
from
moderns
known
And
Its
it
It
was
as in the Bible.
Upon
PREFACE
xii
ments
for-
They
of the
modern Freemasonry.
But
it is
all
be communicated by words or
signs, or be explained to
with them.
The rendering
of
an explanation requires
is
absent
all
It
explanations, be they
would be
living
among
icebergs, never
saw a
of little use
an Eskimo, who
plant, or to describe
A man
which belongs
to
modern
civilisation.
In the spiritual
nature.
is first,
within our
himself
of
His
known
to that
which
it
cannot know,
and
which
it
way
cannot
PREFACE
xiii
see.
who
light,
Zoroaster
and
down
their
to
teachings have
whose purity
of
of intellect
have
Some
others
of
and
are of
ethics,
but both
aspects of their teachings are intimately connected together, because beauty cannot be separated from truth.
of a leaf in the
book
of
upon the
and Jesus
there are
of
Nazareth
the
of those
and Paracelsus.
They obtained
their
knowledge not
own
of learning,
light,
Nature by her
light of
which the
silence
ago.
latter
What
they taught
and amplified by
many
things about
PREFACE
xiv
scoffed at
by the ignorant,
his reputation
But although
his physical
lives
it
body returned
was formed,
of the
his genius
to illuminate the
is
destined
soil
warm
will grow.
CONTENTS
PAOE
i.
explanations of terms
29
iii.
cosmology
44
iv.
anthropology
63
v.
pneumatology
103
128
medicine
165
238
266
Appendix
287
ii.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Index
....
305
PARACELSUS
THE LIFE OF PARACELSUS
L
The dawn
a new era
stupendous
times
and
the
important
reformation
its
of
accomplishments
the Church.
shadows of night
it
off the
incubus of
fly at
those
of
The world
As
the
name
of the
Supreme Power
command
"
of
Let
"
in the East,
PARACELSUS
that had
Spirits
set free,
;
for liberty
on the
battlefield of
work.
new
sophistry,
celebrated
Hohenheim
after
Hohenheim, a
their
castle
ancient
residence
Grand Master
*
At
known
as
He was
Knighta
of
and in
may be mentioned
at the
Reformation,"
is
Museum
idealised,
and bears
little
The Age
of
resemblance to
the original.
friend
and
instructor.
He
afterwards
Andrew
monks
continued
his
of the convent of
under
the
Having attained
He was
was
after-
and
it
was under
the
PARACELSUS
4
sciences
him
led
to
enter the
Later
many
a valuable secret.
Paracelsus
on,
travelled
great
He
deal.
Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Russia, and it is said that he even
went to India, because he was taken prisoner by the
Tartars and brought to the Khan, whose son he afterEvery reader of
wards accompanied to Constantinople.
the works of Paracelsus who is also accquainted with the
recent revelations made by the Eastern Adepts, cannot
fail to notice the similarity of the two systems, which in
many respects are almost identical, and it is therefore
visited
of
occultism
in the
East.
The information
West
&c.,
the
21
came
among
stayed
because, according to
to
Constantinople
Para-
It is probable that
Van Helmont's
5 1
ai^d
account, he
year,^
and
Van
this stone
THE LIFE OF PARACELSUS
was, according to
Rorschach,
Pfeififer),
598), a certain
a countryman of Paracelsus.
was
this Trismosinus
It is said that
teenth century.
Paracelsus travelled through the countries along the
Italy,
many
On
these
of
the warlike
performed.
In the year
525
and in
lib.
i.
fol. i.
PARACELSUS
and that he
made without
their
latter
July
1528, to avoid
unpleasant complications.^
roaming
place to place.
Numerous
and
inns,
his art
Paracelsus
Esslingen and
went
to
Colmar in
Nuremberg
in the years
The
They
which he cured in a
him some
cases of elephantiasis,
may be found
Testimonials to
Nuremberg.
But this success did not change the fortune of
Paracelsus, who seemed to be doomed to a life of
In 1530 we find him at Noerdcontinual wanderings.
iu
lingen, Munich, Regensburg, Amberg, and Meran
He then went
I 5 3 I in St Gall, and in 1535 at Ziirich.
to Maehren, Kaernthen, Krain, and Hongary, and finally
landed in Salzburg, to which place he was invited by the
Prince Palatine, Duke Ernst of Bavaria, who was a great
;
vii.
PARACELSUS
fame.
Certain
it
is
but that at the time of his death he was in possession of his mental faculties and reasoning powers, as is
shown by the documents containing his last will and testaspot,
Salzburg
monument may be
which
contains
Philippi Neri
St.
St. Sebastian,
picture,
where
his
The midst
shows a cavity
and above
it
is
Latin
inscription, saying
Philippi
Below the
Sub
cap. xix.
words
The base
of
the
monument
contains
the
following
inscription
Conditur hie Philippus Theophrastus insignis Medicinae Doctor qui dira ilia vulnera Lepram Podagram
Hydropsin aliaque insanabilia corporis contagia
mirifica arte sustulit et bona sua in pauperes distribuenda locandaque honoravit. Anno mdxxxxi.
Die xxiv. Septembris vitam cum morte mutavit
Below
this inscription
may be
beam
Paracelsus, representing a
balls,
vivis requies
aetema
sepultis.
left
German may
monu-
side of the
ment.
The two latter inscriptions have evidently been
taken from the original monument, but the one around
the portrait was added in
572.
PARACELSUS
tb
invisibly,
minds of his
nevertheless
effectually
followers, appearing to
influences
them
the
occasionally
man
times and
all
one
peoples
of the
found
many
all
enthusiastic followers
him was
by
historians
his enemies,
the
who have
in
which he
Now,
we may take
we
and
critics
after
and
he was
11
all
His works contain inexhaustible mines of knowledge and an extraordinary amount of germs out of which
great truths may grow if they are attended to by competent cultivators, and a great deal that is at present
misunderstood and rejected will by future inquirers be
drawn to the light, and be cut into some of the noblest
times.
The writings
Temple
of
Wisdom.
we
of physical science,
wand.
Paracelsus was a Christian in the true
meaning of
by
trines he taught
"
What
is
a philosophy that
teach physics
He
asks
is
to
The
may
scientist,
faith of the
does not put any trust in his feelings, but believes only
in his experiments, because physical science deals with
not
faith.
as
" Faith
is
PARACELSUS
ii
of love
act,
soul,
and confidence.
If
ance of our
life
in regard to morals
and
virtues.
We
it.
He who
is
temptation.
Therefore
upon
Therefore we shall
it will then stand upon a firm basis.
put the foundation and the corner-stone of our wisdom
upon three principal points, which are first, Prayer, or
a strong desire and aspiration for that which is good.
It is necessary that we should seek and knock, and
thereby ask the Omnipotent Power within ourselves, and
remind it of its promises and keep it awake and if we
do this in the proper form and with a pure and sincere
heart, we shall receive that for which we ask, and find that
which we seek, and the doors of the Eternal that have
been closed before us will be opened, and what was hidden
:
Faith
come
to light.
is
may or may
we
If this
power
13
properly
is
will
him
as a fool.
is wise,
He
contempt
all
we should
selves superior to
try to outgrow
and
them
rise
above
all
Christ.
Therefore
"
Let us depart from all ceremonies, conjurations, consecrations, &c., and all similar delusions, and
put our heart, will, and confidence solely upon the true
We must continually knock and remind God in
rock.
fulfil
us to
His promises.
If this is done sincerely,
without hypocrisy, with a true and pious heart, we wDl
then obtain that for which we seek.
If we abandon
:
selfishness, the
be opened
for us,
by
is
mysterious will be
fasting, neither
by weay-
PARACELSUS
14
all
things
"
{Philosophia Occulta).
''
:
Among
sects there is
all
'
'
enemies.
it
to Luther to defend
what he
says,
and I
shall
both to the
fire."
man.
He has
renders such statements incredible and harmless.
been represented as a drunkard, and this accusation has
15
letter which he
wrote to some students of the University of Zurich, and in
other's health."
all
we
may
his
own
He
own
strength, he
;
:
PARACELSUS
l6
when none
of
you
shall
proud of the spirit that spoke through him but personally he was modest and self-sacrificing, and he well
knew that a man would be a useless thing if he were not
overshadowed by the spirit of the Supreme.
He says
" Remember that God has put a mark upon us, consisting
in our shortcomings and diseases, to show to us that we
have nothing to pride ourselves about, and that nothing
comes within the reach of our full and perfect understanding that we are far from knowing absolute truth,
and that our own knowledge and power amount to very
;
little
indeed."
who
they were
but
it is
"
J^jbr,
Paramirum," Preface.
THE LIFE OF PARACELSUS
Vf
boasting of his
criticise the
it
was necessarily
capacity to
among many
patients that
other physicians
was ingratitude,
among
the rich
for
who
Moreover, the
in return
of Paracelsus,
ridicule
polite.
It should, howremembered that such a style of speaking and
writing was universally used in those times, and objectionable expressions were adopted by all, not excluding
ever, be
"
PARACELSUS
18
him
and
intellectual freedom.
He
not speak to every one only that which might please him,
and
am
gant questions.
;
he adores
will the
lover of
wisdom
(Paragranum
He
says
Preface).
we are entitled is
own country, and
we go in search of
No
own
his
secrets of
house,
should the
man
'
19
it?
the pages together form the book that contains her great
revelations."
So
little
is
For
nobody's
life
inclined to lunacy.
incline us to nothing
we
The
;
rules over
the stars
man
powers that
and which are
in the sky" {Philosophia
own mental
constitution,
He
says that
testify that
PARACELSUS
20
On
taking
an
in-
all
Even
in his possession.
than Luther he
earlier
had
Medicine
a physician.
If
it
were
Hebrew
is
an
art,
and requires
practice.
Greek, and
sufficient for
which I studied
scribbler writes
his
head
illuminated
my
way."
laid
not, as
was
in the Church.
He
which he
lived.
began
to
weaken.
THE LIFE OF PARACELSUS
mind
his
It
to be fettered
idle for-
Here
it
to
is,
"
first
to treat medicine as a
were not
J. B.
sufficient."
van Helmont
"
with divine
country, and
This
may
be true,
cannot be
make Jesus
pretation of what
He
taught.
impossible,
to
understand
the
writings
of
altogether
Paracelsus
and
intuition.
The writings of Paracelsus deal especially
with metaphysical and not with corporeal things.
Thus,
PARACELSUS
22
when he speaks
for instance,
not
"
think profoundly
artist, well
;
is
knows how
who
He who
act.
own power)
will
be
"
(
Vom
Schwefel,
This
is
is
very
He
his language
^
many
subjects, for
He
which
therefore
Appropriate terms for the subjects referred to are only found in Eastern
WRITINGS OF PARACELSUS
invented a great
many words
of his
own
23
to express his
Dorn, Bernhard Thurneyssen, and Martin Ruland, composed dictionaries to explain the meaning of such curious
terms.
to read his
complete works.
He
The
Few
of
such as Adam
von Bodenstein, Alexander von Suchten, Gerhard Dorn,
Leonhard Thurneyssen, Peter Severinus, Oswald Crall,
Melchior Schennemanu, and others
delivered them in
such a state of confusion to the printer, that frequently
Paracelsus
24
in his note to
circulation,
all
and attributed
to Paracelsus
by the
public.
at Grossglogau, under-
all
He
collected
found
works
I.
WORKS ON MEDICINE.
{Auto*
graph of Paracelsus.)
4.
5.
6.
7.
(Autograph.)
WRITINGS OF PARACELSUS
8.
9.
ist
vom Ursprung
n
des Sands
und
Steins.
10.
11.
12.
De
De
13.
Vom
viribus
membronim.
lichen Pestilenz,
14.
die
Stadt Sterzingen.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
MontanuSf
MS.
damum.
20.
21.
Liber de Teteriis.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Vom
Padagra.
31.
32.
A2itographs of
Paracelsus.
derVernunft herauben.
Von Krummen und lahmen Gliedern.
Von den astralischen Krankheiten.
Epilepsy.
of Montanus.
30.
of
Hirschfeld.
der Pest.
Drei andere Buecher von der Pestilenz.
(Autograph.)
Eltiche Collectanea de Peste.
De Morbis ex Tartaro oriundis.
Theopbrasti Epistola ad Erasmum Rotter-
The Labyrinth
i.e.,
of the
of the Origin of
(Autograph.)
Wandering Physician.
Stones
in
the Bladder.
^"
The Book
of Tartarus
and Epilepsy.
**
tainous Regions.
On
**
On Types
of Diseases.
Diseases in
Moun*
PARACELSUS
26
33.
morborum Tartareorum
{FragrMnt.)
34.
35.
36.
37.
De
De
(Af5f.)
(M/S.)
Sanitate et Aegritudine.
undis.
\ Autographs.
38.
De anatomia oculorum
39.
Auslegung primae
et
eorum
affectioni-
bus.
sectionis
Aphorismorum'
Hippocrates.
Sources
42.
De modo phlebotomandi
De urinis et pulsibus.
De modo pharmacandi.
43.
Archidoxorum Libri X.
44.
40.
41.
48.
De Kenovatione.
Autographs.
\
YAut
De Vita longa, (German.)
De Vita longa. (Latin.)
Some fragments in German.
De praeparationibus libri duo.
49.
^oi,
machen.
Process den Spirit'"^
Spiritum a7-;<-,.^^k
Vitrioli zu
50.
De natura rerum.
45.
46.
47.
II.
De Tinctura
52.
53.
Liber Vexationura.
VManuscripts.
Thesaurus Alchemistarum. J
54.
DeCementis.
55.
Cementum
56.
57.
yManuscripts.
-r
ALCHEMY.
51.
Physica.
not mentioned.
-\
\ Autographs.
super Venerem et Marte. j
Das Manuale de Lapide Philosophorum. (MS.)
Ratio extrahendi ex omnibus metallis Mercurium, Sulphur, et
Crocum.
(MS.)
" A Cement for Venus and Mars. ^^ Manual df the Philosopher's Stone.
" How to Extract of all Metals their Mercury, Sulphur, and Crocus.
WRITINGS OF PARACELSUS
III.
VARIOUS WRITINGS.
60.
Intimatio Theophrasti.
^ ,^
gradibus rerum naturalium./^^Herbarius.
61.
Von den
58.
59.
27
De
,
^-^
^P^""^-
\a
^^
62.
63.
Vom
h.
64.
De
65.
66.
Liber Principiorum.
De Thermis. {MS. of Oporiniis.)
67.
Vom
68.
De
virtutibus herbarum.
(MS. of Aporinits.)
{MS. of Montanus.)
Bade
Pfeffers.
^
70.
71.
69.
IV.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
y;.
78.
79.
80.
Opus anatomicum.
(Print.)
Plants.
of
Theophrastus.
On
and Honey.
t^q
of Things.
^ On
Tracts on Turpentine
^ Ebony-Wood,
The Virtues
of Plants.
"'
The Books
PARACELSUS
28
V.
MAGIC.
8r
82
83
84
85
86
Autographs.
apparentibus.
De virtute imaginativa.
De characteribus.
De Homunculis et Monstris.
87
88
89
DePhilosophia occulta.)
De Imaginatiombus.
)
90,
91
92,
Philosopliia Paracelsi.
93
Vom
mS.
of Montana.
"|
Other
f Manuscripts.
94
Fragmenta.
95
98,
Philosophia sagax.
Erklaerung der ganzen Astronomic. {MS. of Montanus.)
Practica in Scientiam Divinationis.
\
Erklaerung der natuerlichen Astronomie. > Autographs.
99
Fragmenta.
96
97
100,
.,.,
,^.
Vitae.
ri\
T,r
Manuscripts.
^
r
Archidoxes Magicae (seven books).
)
Auslegung von 30 magischen Figuren. (Autograph.)
Prognostication zukuenftiger Gescbichten auf 24
lOI
102
103
Jahre.
(Print.)
104.
VaticiniumTheopbrasti^
105
>
106,
^^
and
MS.
of Montanus.
their Arts.
^ Souls of Men appearing after Death. ^ Char^ Homunculi and Monsters. ^ Occult Philosophy. ^^ Ima^ The Philosophy of Paracelsus. ^^ The Foundation and
ginations.
^ Fragments. ^^ Critical Philosophy.
Origin of Wisdom and Arts.
^ Explanation of Astronomy. ^ Instructions in the Science of Divina^ Natural Astronomy. ^ Fragments.
The Book Azoth, or the
tion.
the Blood after Death.
acters,
'*^"
^^^
Explanations.
^^^
Astrological Predictions.
II.
'*
Since the days of the unlucky mediaeval philosophers, the last to write
upon these secret doctrines of which they were the depositaries, few
Unveiled, vol.
i.
Abessi, or Rebis.
Refuse
dead matter
excrementitious sub-
stances.
Adech,
The
inner (spiritual)
man
the lord of
thought and
invisible,
39
PARACELSUS
30
the one
as
(spiritual) house.
and tangible form, and everything in nature may be resolved again into A'kasa, and be made
invisible, by changing the attractive power that held its atoms
together into repulsion but there is a tendency in the atoms
that have once constituted a form, to rush together again in the
previous order, and reproduce the same form and a form may
therefore, by making use of this law, be apparently destroyed
and then reproduced. This tendency rests in the character of
the form preserved in the Astral Light.
Alcahest. An element which dissolves all metals, and by which
all terrestrial bodies may be reduced into their Ens primum, or
the original matter (A'kasa) of which they are formed. It is a
ethereal state into a concentrated
power which
acts
The power
It
is
an element in the
life of
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
solid visible, material
3
are, so
latter,
spiritual
may
spirit
activities
tial
astral
celes-
life
state
higher essence of the soul enters after death, and after having
It corresponds to the conlost its grosser parts in Kama-loca.
ception of Devachan.
being created by the power of the imagination 1..,
Aquastor.
by a concentration of thought upon the A'kasa by which an
ethereal form may be created (Elementals, Succubi and Incubi,
Vampires, &c.). Such imaginary but nevertheless real forms
may obtain life from the person by whose imagination they are
created, and under certain circumstances they may even become
ter of everything.
Ares.
of each thing.
PARACELSUS
32
Astra.
versal mind.
state in the
mind
as the
of
man
acts
Astral Light.
The
The former
is
in objective forms
it is
the storehouse of
memory
of the little
spaces, yet it is
objects
It forms the medium for the transmission of thought, and without such a medium no thought
could be transferred to a distance. It may be seen by the
clairvoyant, and as each person has an astral aura of his own,
a person's character may be read in his Astral Light by those
who are able to see it. In the case of a child who has not yet
light.
Astrology. The science of the "stars ;" i.e., of the mental states
It is not to be confounded with modern physical
in the mind.
astronomy.
Asj'RUM. This term is frequently used by Paracelsus, and means
the same as Astral Light, or the special sphere of mind belonging to each individual, giving to each thing its own specific
qualities, constituting, so to say, its world.
Avitchi.
An Eastern term.
a subjective condition
wickedness
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
AzoTH.
The
or spiritual life-giving
33
air.
its
its
in
B
Beryllus.
may
is
made
Bruta.
Astral
animals
its
subjective impressions.
istic organisation.
Chaomantia.
Divination
by
aerial visions
clairvoyance
second
sight
"Quint-essence."
The essence or fifth principle of a
thing
that which constitutes its essential qualities, freed of
all impurities and non-essentials.
Clissuh. The hidden specific power contained in all things ; the
life-force which in vegetables mounts from the roots into the
trunk, leaves, flowers, and seeds, causing the latter to produce a
Cherio.
pew or^nism,
PARACELSUS
34
Corpus
the
principle
invisibile.
rupa)
(Kama
soul
the spiritual
Forms
Corpora supercoelestia.
D ERSES.An
by means
of
which
vehicles.
Devachan.
An
Eastern term.
the higher principles of the soul after the death of the body.
(/See
Anyodei.)
each individual
own
monad
lives in a
world which
thouglits,
Heaven, where
it
of its
has created by
own
spiritual
it.
DiviNATio.
soul's
own
latter
(Dryad es)
water, or
air,
fire.
according to certain rules and planetary influences a preparation of great magic power, of which magic rings, mirrors, and
many other things may be made.
;
millenniums) they
may
soil of
place,
in the
become fertile again. In both cases a decomand a development of lower elements into higher ones takes
position
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
They
gence.
Their
natures
Some
35
represent in their
of a malicious nature.
The
Elementaries.
The
EvESTRUM.
counterpart, that
dead.
Erodinium.
events
visions
various ways.
A. P- SiNNETT
Esoteric
Buddhism,
PARACELSUS
36
influences
Firmament.
The
soul
sphere
Flagae.
Spirits
spirits that
Gamathei,
knowing the
may
secrets of
man
familiar spirits
Gamaheu.
Stones with magic characters and picpowers received from astral influences. They
may be made by art or in a natural manner. Amulets, charms.
Gigantes. Elementals having the human form, but of superhuman
They live like men, and are mortal, though invisible
size.
under ordinary circumstances.
Gnomi, Pygmaei, Cubitali. Little Elementals having the human
form and the power to extend their form. They live in the
element of the earth, in the interior of the earth's surface, in
houses and dwellings constructed by themselves.
or
tures, possessing
HoMUNCULi IMAGUNCULAE.
Images
made
astral influences.
Ilech magnum,
The
specific healing
power
of medicine.
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
Ilegh crudum.
The combination of
a body out of
by
37
its
three con-
salt,
and fire.
Ileiades.
The element of the air the vital principle.
Iliaster. The hidden power in Nature, by means of which all
things grow and multiply primordial matter materia prima
the balsam of Nature. II. secunA'kasa.
Iliaster primus : life
It. tertius : the astral
diLS : the power of life inherent in matter.
power of man. U. quartus : perfection the power obtained by
water,
circle.
consciousness, desire,
will.
rise to various bodily affections, diseases, malformations, stigmata, monsters (hare-lips, acephali, &c.), moles, marks, &c.
Incubus and Succubus. Male and female parasites growing out of
the astral elements of man or woman in consequence of a lewd
imagination.
2. Astral forms of dead persons (Elementaries),
Kama-Loca.
An
Eastern term.
Kegionof Desire.
The
soul-
sphere (third and fourth principle) of the earth not necessarily on the earth's surface- where the astral remnants of the
deceased putrefy and are decomposed. In this region the souls
of the deceased that are not pure live (either consciously or in
The lower
principles
purified affections
being disposed
of,
Kama-Loca corresponds
the purgatory of the
{S*e
Elementaries.)
to the
Roman
Hades
of the
Greeks, and to
Catholic Church
the
Limbus.
PARACELSUS
38
tions.
LiMBUS (Magnus).
the universe
the world
is
Chaos, in which
is
made.
M
Magic.
Wisdom
invisible
(spiritual)
effects.
Will,
and imagination are magic powers that every one possesses, and he who knows how to develop them and to use
them consciously and effectually is a magician. He who uses
them for good purposes practises white magic. He who uses
them for selfish or evil purposes is a black magician.^ Paracelsus uses the term Magic to signify the highest power of the
love,
human
spirit to
The
of good.
act of
The medicinal virtue of medicinal substances, preMangonaria. A magic power by which heavy bodies may be
Magisterium.
served in a vehicle.
lifted
See
finite Life,"
or,
The
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
39
Metaphysics.
Macrocosmos.
visible and
MiCROCOSMOS.
he Universe
'!
invisible things.
The
is
little
world.
a Microcosmos
if
Vitality
human, animal,
or vegetable bodies,
power and
if
Parts of the
A case
is
cited in
which a
nose by transplanting on
it
";
PARACELSUS
40
Mysterium magnum.
Original
matter
specific
a curiosity to
&c.
know
all
Necrocomica.
Necromantia.
air.
life into
them,
soul) of things
Nymphae.
Elementals of water-plants.
Occultism.
The
little
known.
It deals
cannot be explained by the universally known laws of Nature, but whose causes are still a
mystery to those who have not penetrated deep enough into the
What may be
secrets of Nature to understand them correctly.
occult to one person may be fully comprehensible to another.
The more the spirituality and intelligence of man grows, and
the more it becomes free of the attractions of sense, the more
will his perceptive power grow and expand, and the less will the
processes of Nature appear occult to him.
especially with
effects that
without their knowledge, had been buried, and the pain instantly ceased
when the stone was removed. This sympathy existing between man's
consciousness and his body is the cause that the astral form of a dead
person
may keenly feel any injury inflicted upon his corpse. The " spirit
may feel the eflPects of a "post-morUm examination as severel)
of a suicide
as
if
alive.
EXPLANATIONS OF TFRMS
Paragranum
The science
that deals with the very heart of things, taking into account
their mysterious origin.
The science
of the elements of
fire,
Pentacdla. Plates of metal with magic symbols written or engraved upon them.
They are used as charms, amulets, &c.,
against diseases caused
Phantasmata.
by
Creations of thought
may
An
Form.
Eastern term.
Kama-rupa, form caused by
Mayavi-rupa, illusive form caused by the will and
imagination of a person who consciously projects his own astral
RuPA.
desire
reflection as that of
Sagani.
Elementals or
spirits of
Nature.
and Consciousness.
ScAiOLAE.
Sidereal body.
by thought.
The
SoMNiA. I. Dreams.
same
2.
The
body formed
PARACELSUS
42
person
tlius
may
A person
desires
him
may
to per-
beings.
upon
spirituality.
Spiritus vitae. The vital force a principle taken from the elements of whatever serves as a nutriment, or which may be
imparted by " magnetism."
Spiritus animalis. Astral power, by which the will of the inner
principles in man is executed on the sensual and material plane ;
;
instincts.
Sylphes.
the
air).
Thkosophia.
by which
by
practical experience,
disrepute.
Trarames.
An
invisible
bells, noises,
&c
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
43
whom
there
is
quence of some
little
disease, or
or they may attract them from the surrounding atmosphere. Their life is borrowed from the medium, and
if it were prevented to return to the medium, the latter would
be paralysed or die. (5ee Evestrum.)
of his organisation
Vampires.
whom
Astral
Xeni nephidei.
Elemental
men
occult powers
over visible matter, and then feed on their brains, often causing
thereby insanity.' A great number of physical mediums have
this cause.
p. 466.
^
may be found
in
Maximilian
means.
III.
COSMOLOGY
all
created
things that ever were, that are, or will be; the Yliaster,^
the primordial and original Cause of
Power
all
This
existence.
forms.
that Creative
"
Word
" ^ or
as if a house
The cause
all
things
When
it,
so to say, melted
and
dissolved,
itself
Limbus major,
Essence
is of
or Primordial Matter).
magnum,
Iliados,
This Primordial
comprehensible,
vital
but also as
consists.*
*
From
The
By
(JX'7,
and
X070J.
This means that Life is the cause of matter and force. Force and
matter are originally identical ; they are only two different modes of one
and the same cause or substance which is called Life, and which is itself
an attribute or function of the supreme cause of all existence. Modern
*
COSMOLOGY
invested with the original power of
all
conceivable qualities
4$
life,
without form,
contained.
It is
all
things
a spark
if
may
manifest
its
essence as
is
same sense
as a tree
all
may
Limbus
is
all
itself
its
researches in chemistry,
differ-
'
PARACELSUS
46
The
little
one, in
Limbus has
all
as a son has
"
As
an organisation
it is
above, so
it is
below."
As
Ares, the
place
dividing, differentiating,
each one
its
own
But
The elements,
Yliaster, because
is
as from
all
too,
have
the activity of
and
and lastly the flowers and seeds
likewise all
beings were born from the elements, and consist of
elementary substances out of which other forms may
come
parents.'^
are
of
^ This doctrine, preached 300 years ago, is identical with the one that
has revolutionised modern thought after having been put into a new shape
and elaborated by Darwin ; and is still more elaborated by the Indian
ia
COSMOLOGY
47
on which it grows.
Nature being the Universe, is one, and its origin can
It is an organism in which
only be one eternal Unity.
all natural things harmonise and sympathise with each
Everything is the product
It is the Macrocosm.
other.
the Macrocosm and man
of one universal creative effort
They are one constellation,
(the Microcosm) are one.
one influence, one breath, one harmony, one time, one
metal, one fruit " ^ (Philosophia ad Athenienses).
Everything is
There is nothing dead in Nature.
organic and living, and consequently the whole world
"There is nothing
appears to be a living organism.
corporeal which does not possess a soul hidden in it.
There exists nothing in which is not a hidden principle
Not only the things that move, such as men
of life.
and animals, the worms of the earth, and the birds of the
air and the fishes in the water, but all corporeal and
essential things have life."
There is no death in Nature, and the dying of the
beings consists in their return into the body of their
mother that is to say, in an extinction and suppression
of one form of existence and activity, and in a re-birth of
the same thing into another and more interior world, in
a new form, possessed of new faculties that are adapted
to those of the plant
"
with that of Plato, which speaks of the formation of all things in the
inner world according to eternal patterns existing in the realm of the pure
Ideal.
PARACELSUS
48
to its
The
"Two
new surroundings.
in each thing
its
Activity (qualities).
in the end,
it.
is
and
celestial, infernal,
human
beings, of metals,
within
some forms
The
corporeal
all
life acts
slowly
has
its
own
it
for instance,
acts quickly.
it
invisible elements,
in stones; in
Each element
exclusively.'^
which
things" {Vita
specialia,
soul-forms,
who
are
not
For
instance,
fishes
in
the water,
air,
&c. &c,
COSMOLOGY
49
Otherwise they
all
" Matter
is,
and
is
con-
all
it is
kingdom
in the vegetable
it
Lefifas
and
it
forms, in con-
the
properties.*
rected and
made
visible
all
all
inti-
Any
difference
arises only
of that element to
which
it
belongs.
^
Astral protoplasm.
Perhaps this
may
medicincH.
"
See Appendix
**
:
Palangenesis of Plants,"
PARACELSUS
50
ence
its activity.
Such a
differ-
is
and development.
He
De Origine Morborum
" Does not holy writ say that God spoke
I
not the God who made the dumb and the deaf, the blind and the
seeing ? What else does this mean, but that he is the creator of all
The writings of the Buddhists teach
things, of good and of evil ? "
the same doctrine, saying that there is only One Power, Swabhdvat.
It cannot act otherwise than according to the law of cause and effect,
celsus.
Invisibilium
"
tree
grow
vious
effects.
is
Am
cause,
by preand the
the Law.]
in
COSMOLOGY
and
all
51
In him wisdom
as
evil
may
his soul
may
good as
be developed to an extent
little
it is
upon the
Man, and God who is
man, and the two are but One."
Each man in
his capacity
as a
member
of the
great
know Nature.
"
Whoever
desires
to
be
practical
is
is
Thus a man
manifest
A man
is
in
PARACELSUS
52
little
world, as
if
one
Firmament,^ one Star, one Being, although appearing
^
temporarily in a divided form and shape."
The sphere of the Universal Mind is the upper firma-
Each, however
is
based.
as the
Macro-
upon
cosmos
and independent existence, and as being independent of
as having each a separate
are to be looked
One mind.
'
teachings of Paracelsus.
2.
This
is
only be " compared together," but they are one in reality, divided only by
forBi, which is an essentially vedantic doctrine.
COSMOLOGY
53
own
life
for the
'
the Universal
Mind
is
mind)
is
Man
The
science)
practical
is
called
application
is
an
Astronomia
of
(mental
of
way
general,
sight. ^
1
of everything
may
therefore be
is
allegorically represented in
PARACELSUS
54
it
is
necessary that a
own inner
Anatomy shows
cal
For this
is
all
body,
it
Magic
is
sidereal
is its
it is
man.
'
That which
Spiritus
'
It therefore follows
written books.
(an
only perceptible
all
and pedagogue,
curing the
As the
sick.
the true
is
things
may be
known by
all
the inner
of there being
two minds
is
only an illusion
the two
are one.
^
of genuine
powers
many
but
it is
a universally re-
cognised fact that a physician without intuition (common sense) will not
be very successful, even if he knew all medical books by heart.
should
be guided by wisdom but not by opinions. The opinions of others may
We
centre of
all senses,
them.
sense as follows
man, whereby he
is
" It
is
the
able to feel
It is the formative
the impressions produced by the exterior senses.
imagination of man, whereby the various impressions that have been re-
ceived through the outer senses are identified, and brought into the inner
It is the faculty through which the spirit interprets
the language of Nature to the soul. It changes bodily sensations into
spiritual perceptions, and passing impressions into lasting images. All the
field of consciousness.
aenses of
man
is
sensation."
COSMOLOGY
55
" I
their books
it,
their
medicines
and
be
thrown
into the
might be burnt
would
be
all
the
the
world
more
benefited
ocean, and
by
it.
Magic inventrix finds everywhere what is needed,
and more than will be required.
The soul does not
power.
If
it
and
vital
virtues,
activity, giving to
distinction to artificially
their signatum.
is
certain organic
made
objects) a
certain simi-
by
disease, and
through which health may be restored in specific diseases
This signatum is often expressed
in the diseased part.
even in the exterior form of things, and by observing
that form we may learn something in regard to their
interior qualities, even without using our interior sight.
larity with
We
man
is
often
of his walking
the
of things
to
passionless
man
upon a
rational,
wise,
and
;
;
PAkACELSU3
56
may
their characters
interpretation "
a belief.
" Each plant
is
in
also
the
man
is
be a terrestrial
star.
'
rays.
COSMOLOGY
way a herbarium
57
spirituale sidereum
might be
collected,
man
no
books
from hearsay the
of Dioscorides
to learn
He
can be accomplished."
same idea
it
quired to
acter.
know
As
it,
there
is
is
&c.
its
char-
is
called
Each form
the character of the " spirit " or the " aura " which
represents, in the
same way
it
is
PARACELSUS
58
The character
But
this
character
furthermore
remarkable
in
certain
other
There
and interaction
exist
is
the Macrocosm
intimate
and the
interrelation
human body
mammae and
There
Dr. J. R. Buchanan, in his *' Therapeutic Sarcognomy, " makes pracsympathetic relationship existing between the various
parts of the
human
body.
COSMOLOGY
certain
plant,
possessing
certain
organs
if
59
powers,
become
same manner
things that have not the power
induce
"star."
will
active in certain
as
as
antidotes in
to resist
The
it.
any specific
elements producing disease, the change of an unhealthy
and abnormal action of the vital currents into a normal
and healthy state, constitutes the basis of the therapeutic
His object was to re-establish in
system of Paracelsus.
the diseased organism the necessary equilibrium, and to
restore the lost vitality, by attracting the vital principles
Remedies containing
from living objects and powers.
neutralisation,
destruction,
or removal
of
The organisms
that
of invisible principles
is
to
say, the
Paracelsus
is
forms
material
therefore the
This doctrine of
by the greatest
Darwin with
this difference, however, that Paracelsus looks upon the
continually evoluting forms as necessary vehicles of a
a great resemblance to the one advocated
modem
of
vital
magnetism (mesmerism)
human beings, but also that of animals and plants, for the cure of disease.
* " The Spiiit of God moved upon the face of the waters " {Oen. i.
2).
PARACELSUS
6o
modern
its
manifestation
while
many
of our
No
as
we know them
at present
"According to the
He
animals before
upon our
biblical
earth.
account,
created man.
God
created the
instincts,
illuminated
soul of
man
is
is
he
if
like his
is like
animal father, he
by
animal reason
becomes angelic.
rises
if
it
re-
like a god.
it
If
becomes
it
is
The
cated shoemaker but ilhiminated seer, from whom all of our great philosophers have borrowed ideas. He says " The constellation is the outspoken
:
Word.
is
wherein the essence of sound (Aka^^ha) is the substance, and this is taken
up by the Fiat and causes corporeity. This substance is the astral spirit.
In it the elements become coagulated (corporified), and thus forms are
born, comparable to the hatching of an %%g brooded over by a hen"
{Myster. Magn., xi, 26).
COSMOLOGY
6l
which his soul was born, and animals are the mirrors of
man.
Whatever animal elements exist in the world
exist in the soul of man, and therefore the character
of one man may resemble that of a fox, a dog, a
snake, a parrot, &c. Man need not, therefore, be surprised
that animals have animal instincts that are so much like
his own ; it might rather be surprising for the animals
closely.
who
sinks below
it
is
only animal
man
the brute.
instincts,
are
attracted
such a love
its
is
rewards, but
Man
is
man.
animal love
dies
it
it
each
to
its
but
purposes and
die.
derived from the dog, and not the dog from the
Therefore a
man may act like a dog, but a dog canMan may learn from the animals, for
useful to
He may
better
house.
learn
animal soul of
man
is
what
it likes.
it,
the reason of
all
the animal
man
selecting
PARACELSUS
62
"A man
who
life is
murder, a dog to
make a man
they
stars
steal,
a cat
a singer, an eater,
an animal
The same
die
thief.
with
These
the animal
in
is it generated by the
comes from God; it is God, and is
immortal, because, coming from a divine source, it cannot
be otherwise than divine.
Man should therefore live in
harmony with his divine parent, and not in the animal
elements of his soul.
Man has an Eternal Father who
sent him to reside and gain experience within the animal
elements, but not for the purpose of being absorbed by
them, because in the latter case man would become an
animal, while the animal principle would have nothing to
gain," and would thus be led individually to speedy annihilation {Be Fundamento Sapientice).
What, then, can be the true object of human life, except
to attain the consciousness of one's own true and divine
state, and to realise that one is not an animal, but a god-
like
it
being inhabiting a
human animal
form.
is,
he
will
interior
If
he
be able to use
creator of forms.
the
All the
ANTHROPOLOGY
TV.
'All that
and
Aristoteles
followers
his
have written
them anything,
What we
teach
We
is
it
has also
but of actual
speculation,
is
experience.
man
itself.
no nobler
but we
enjoyment than to know the laws of nature
reject that kind of smartness and cunning which invents
systems of so-called philosophy, based upon arguments
All that these
which have no foundation in truth.
believe that for the terrestrial
there
is
actual world
bigger than
is
it
of which
we
still
three times
are unconscious.
still
We
three-fourths of
it
and that
it
is
has
its
own
people,
who
live
element of the
in the
fire "
inhabitants
PARACELSUS
64
and
others
Man
"
made out
is
of three
substances, or seeds, or
mothers."
his
is
mother
body
his
visible
the visible
is,
therefore,
the
soul
of
the world
his
mother.
"
If the whole
of his parents, he
respect.
would resemble
grow nothing
is
The seed
{tincture)
may be
from the
taught that primordial man also had within himself the power
own species, while he was in an ethereal state ; but when
he became more material the female element became partly separated from
^
It
is
to propagate his
into existence,
ANTHROPOLOGY
living therein,
inhabitants.
on in the
65
them
the
world
Undines
the Sylphs
fire.
person
will
life,
taste
thoughts
of
mortals
a seafaring
material to spirits
existences,
consequently appear
for
&c.
and the
and
visible
its
currents
spiritual
character to be discerned by
men by
things.
us,
is
it
is
known
to
the power of
spiritual perception.
The
Spiritual Essence of
emanation of God.
with divine power
Man
It is gifted
and
if
man become
how
to
PARACELSUS
66
man
with a
Spirit.'
child,
not absorbed
is
man grows and attains reason and inMany men and women live, and marry, and
gradually, as the
telligence.^
coming
human
beings
into immortal
that go to
is
God, that
may become
manifest in
man by
during his
in
If
assimilating
no such
assi-
life
spiritually enlightened
will, at
the death
it
remain
There are two
the higher and the lower
kinds of intelligence in man
intelligence.
It is only the human (superhuman) intelligence that can combine and unite itself with the spirit.
will only
intellect,
it is
This Spirit
not spiritual.
is
however clever
may
it
it
may
be,
it
issues again.
It
is,
therefore, not a
new
Spirit,
but
when
^
There
ality
is
its
seventh year.
being a changeable
and personality
person*
ANTHROPOLOGY
67
birth produces a
The
new
spirit survives,
into
chaos.
new
spiritual ray.
Only those elements belonging to his perby the spirit will survive
with the latter.
The cement that unites the soul with
the spirit is love, and the love of God is, therefore, the
highest good attainable by mortal man.
"The animal kingdom is not without reason and
intellect, and in many of its arts, such as swimming,
will be lost.
flying, &c.,
man
even superior to
is
of this spirituality
man may
Therefore there
is
man
rise
Fundamento Sapientice).
The astral Soul-essence
(Be,
its
peculiar charac-
its
This
is
pervading
not to be understood as
if
Man's
spirit is
^W8
PARACELSUS
68
the earth, and forms tissues, muscles, and bones, and be-
comes
visible
Man may
therefore be looked
man
form of the
The
visible
man
consists
of
the invisible
is
man
and impresses
and
and their
consists of feelings
in the Macrocosm,
itself
Man
upon matter.
is
its Soul,
know
ANTHROPOLOGY
69
The
all
i.e.,
is to he
a real
It is the
including
JfaTi,
to re-establish the
harmony
may
and
will of
nature,
finally
qualities
is
but
it
may
by the
not necessarily be
meaning
and
' This "end of the world," i.e., of external bisexual generation, will be
when man has again found the woman within himself from whom he has
become separated by his descending from his spiritual state and becoming
" The Lord is not without the woman " that means
gross and material.
to say that the paradisaical Man (the Karana sharira) is still male and
female in one but man, having ceased to be "the Lord," and become a
servant to the animal kingdom in him, has ceased to recognise the true
woman in him, his heavenly bride, and seeks for the woman iti that which
;
is
external to him.
Therefore
man cannot
PARACELSUS
70
Adam
of
temperaments.
qualities of
men
attributes of the
Uns proprietatis.^
as
life
which
is,
so to say, their
Limbus.
called
is
The common
common
"Man
is
formed in
basis of both
receptacle of
germs
mother of
all
things,
it
follows
that
all
things,
nnity and purity except by means of the celestial marriage (within his
soul) such as takes place
What
else
talents,
reincarnating
itself,
individual being
mean but
the
human monad
former existences as an
ANTHROPOLOGY
71
own
is
mutual
relationship.^
" If
man were
but
if
each
man
were made
distinct from others, he would not be capable to receive
But the
soul of
man
the blood
'
of his father."
is
contained
invisible or
From
of the generation of
itself in
iv.
).
PARACELSUS
"]!
sperma or the
is
not the
They
are, therefore,
organism.
of the
The
human
latter in
an
spiritual
semen
body, containing
human
is,
all
ideal form."
Sperma
^ That which Paracelsus calls the semen, or seed of man, is not that
which is known as semen to modern physiologists, but a semi-spiritual
principle to which the sperma merely serves as a vehicle and instrument
for propagation
or, to
express
it
man, or what
is
as a vehicle, in the
same sense
The
spirit.
body
(See
De
and imagination)
of a
man
is
serves
Gener. Horn.)
ANTHROPOLOGY
"
73
soil in
attraction.
The tendencies
of
man
cause
him
to think
and to speculate
his speculation creates desire, his
desire grows into passion, his passion acts upon his
imagination, and his imagination creates semen.
Therefore God has put semen into the imagination of man,
and planted into women the desire to be attractive to
man.
The matrix contains a strong attractive power,
;
"
all
uterus,
ally
fluid,
active.
Thus
is
Man
th rough the Devarhanic state, finally enters, and from which it is again
attracted into new incarnations.
^ " Thus the matrix attracts the seed of both persons,
mixed with the
sperm ; and afterwards it expels the sperm, but retains the seed.
the seed comes into the matrix^' [Gehaerung),
*'
Thus
The matrix" however, does not mean merely the womb of a woman
woman is a mother, a **ma<rt" {De Morbor.
PARACELSUS
74
dial fluid,
The
fact of the
born in
whom
certain organs
may be
why
all
parts of
persons are
missing.
If
for
its
essence
we
As
the imagination of
man
is
productive of semen,
ANTHROPOLOGY
75
between
Twins and other multiple births
are caused if the uterus attracts the semen with more
than one single draught.
The power of attraction which
the uterus exercises upon the seminal aura is so great
that by coming into contact with the spermatic fluid of
animals it may absorb it and bring forth monstrosities.^
and upon
may
It
human
generate a
being, and
the
power necessary
imagination
of
to
the
may
be able to
Keason
act.*
human being
every
it
is
is
may
or
may
not
eternal
and
perfect,
and need
desire or passion,
of the female is
stronger than that of the male during coition, male children will be
If on such an occasion the imagination of the male is stronger
than that of the female, the child will be of the female sex. If the imagination of both parties is equally strong, a " hermaphrodite " may possibly
produced.
be the
*
result.
neither has
'
The
it
been disproved.
effects of the
known
may
by
it
similarity of tastes,
PARACELSUS
76
it
may be overpowered
it
is
of cerebral diseases
Children
developed in youth.^
much
often lost
is
than
Intellectual
error.
memory
may
inherit
morbid
God
fancies.
has created
man
that he
may
live
therefore the
is
called Allara.
man
to
a free
will, so
that he
may
but
He
God
has
has given
to be carried
Woman
Woman,
to
and Marriage.
in so far as she is a
human
being, contains,
represents
intellect (including
the imagination)
Numerous
cases are
become simpletons
quence
of
known
in their old
a short sickness,
lost all
ABC.
only
own
in
age
i.e.,
in their
ANTHROPOLOGY
Therefore woman, as such,
more given
is
man
represents spirit.
Man
creates images
led
is
woman executes.
woman renders these images
Man without woman is like a wandering
substantial.
is
Woman
Man
spirit
and
to willing,
man, as such,
77
imagines,
the
itself in a corporeal
form
woman
is
embody
bud
to
like a flower, a
opening in the light of the sun, but sinking into darkness when man, her light, departs.
The divine man (the
angel) is male and female in one, such as Adam was
before the
woman became
women
and
his
alike; but
woman,
He
power may be
reflected in
is
men and
man
without the
woman
in
want
of fuel.
one,
(in
him)
Originally,
is
a consuming
fire
and
conse-
virgin,
woman
having been divorced from him and cast out from her
home within
true
she
is
sink into
lower
still
hells, if
woman
still
PARACELSUS
78
to stop him,
him a
love,
whose origin
The Lord
is
is
in heaven.
the same in
woman
as
stituted
differently
from
each
He
in
is
They
other,
man;
are con-
not
only
also
in
Male
"
is
common
man
woman
Man
love-will
the
the
man
along.
Thus
it
is
neither
man
nor
woman who
There
is,
affini-
ANTHROPOLOGY
79
to
and
for
animal
may
It
relative.
degradation in another.
their
man
regenerated
is
To the semi-
procreation of children
who
therefore
is
unable
or
business to marry.
is
unwilling
if
not
a fraud.
It is also useless for a
nature in him,
human
will,
man
he cannot
if
nature
As long
as the root
is
(ie., as
long as
man
the fancy
will
amount
to marry,
still
you
worse.
to
nothing.
will
Thus
then
will
in such a case,
you refuse
whoredom, or something
God punish your disobedience,
If,
fall into
^ " Aa there is a love between animals so that they long to dwell and
cohabit together as males and females, so there is such an animal love
is
animals love and hate each other, so does animal man. Dogs envy and
bite each other, and in so far as men envy and fight each other they
are the descendants of dogs.
Thus one man is a fox, another a wolf,
another a bear, &c. Each one has certain animal elements in him ; and
if he allows them to grow in him, and identifies himself with them,
he is then fully that with which he is identified " {J)e Fundamcnto
Sapientue).
PARACELSUS
8o
will
of
God
will
be your
" If a
our
to
will,
whom
second death/
love, it is
soul
union,
all
mind of man.^
^
This goes to account for cases of vampirism, when the elementary of
a dead person is still attracted to the object of its affections and obsesses
him or her (Incubi and Succubi *' Spirit-husbands and "Spirit-brides").
2 It is not the flesh and bones of a man which form attachments and
:
this
man
details.
will
ANTHROPOLOGY
8l
seven principles,
express
or, to
it
more
man
con-
correctly, of
6.
7.
The Man
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Buddhi.
In his
"
of the
new Olympus.
qualities.
The most
" The
life
of
man
is
an
astral effluvium or a
fire, an
have no better terms to
The death of a man is nothing else but the
enclosed essence or
describe
it.
spirit.
We
'
the Astral Light, will re-enter the field of consciousness of the spiritual
(divine)
man.
PARACELSUS
82
In the study of
man is
man is
of supreme importance
animal part of
man
man
within
for
for
the
neither
is
"
merely a corpse.
is
man
spirit.
He
ought to
live
according to the
life
animal
"
(Be Lunaticos).
But the
divine, immortal,
and
man
invisible
cannot be
be
known
to
"
object of self-knowledge.
man but
we lose
if
and eternal
"
man"
{De Fundamento
Sapientice).
real
man
counterpart)
and
it
is
man
is
the real
The
of the
astral
soul
is
the shadow
body, illumined
It
is
by the
neither
parents;
because
his
own
soul
is
is
the quintessence of
connected sympathetically
ANTHROPOLOGY
83
form
of the
body.
sidereal
It
terrestrial or
death.
" If
men
if
could see the astral forms of the dead hoverini? over the graves and
decomposing in the air, graveyards would soon be abolished, and cremation
take the place of burial.
PARACELSUS
84
may be decom-
and according
to the quality
its
and strength
of
it.
body
tangible
us,
and intangible
is invisible
for
of a nature similar to
cannot move on
its
(Kama
by
its
own
places to attract
;
but
them, and
it
is
it
mostly
desires.
will
it
it,
if it is
it
attracted
body
own.
its
it
will visit
is
its
during
his
life,
it
has no choice
The
body will under certain (mediumistic) conditions become visible, and it therefore can be seen at
places to which the reflex of its former passions, such
in such matters, but follows blindly its attractions.
sidereal
as
envy,
avarice,
lust,
the
reflection
it,
of a
man
in
mirror
may
until
last longer
of another.^
^ Thus there seems to be a scientific reason for offering sacrifices upon
the graves of the dead, as is the custom in China.
* The last thoughts and desires of a dying person, and their intensity,
ANTHROPOLOGY
S5
man
and imitates
ing the
lib.
i.
all
his
sidereal
who say
prayers and read masses for the dead, " because," he says,
Paracelsus ridicules the exorcists, and those
to force
it
own
will, to
number
of years.
the phenomena
but were known
" Oh, the soul of poor Galen
three hundred years ago.
remained faithful to truth, his Manes would not now be
abyss of hell, from whence he wrote me a letter. Such is
quacks " {Paragranum, Preface).
It appears from this sentence that
Spiritualism " are not a new revelation,
of
"Modern
and explained
If he had
!
buried in the
the fate of
all
PARACELSUS
86
soul
which has no
spiritual
power
to resist
Therefore,
The Elementals are also the beings which may produce so-called " physical manifestations," cause the appearance and disappearance of objects, throw stones, &c.
"
In a fragment entitled " De Sagis et Earum Operibiis
(On Witches and
their Arts),
cap.
natural,
he says: "In
that they are
3,
know
if,
for instance, a
such a flower
grown
is
in a natural manner,
at that time.
warm
may be brought
with
which
it
is
winter.
them from
1
This sentence
modern
may seem
to
but not
all
spiritualists,
of
deserve the
name
SpiritVAxLism,
and when the laws upon which our modern Spiritualism and Spiritism are
based are known, it will be easy enough to make a distinction. Spiritualism means a dealing with spiritual intelligences Spiritism, a dealing
spiritualist
with unintelligent or semi-intelligent invisible forms.
enters into the sphere of a spirit ; that is to say, he enters en rapport
with a certain mind, and writes or speaks in the spirit of the latter,
making himself a medium through which the intelligence of the latter
can act, and by which means he may obtain great truths. The spiritist
permits an invisible entity to enter bodily into his own physical form and
;
ANTHROPOLOGY
Intimately connected with
Evestrum
and
the
the
sidereal
In
Trarames.
%1
body
regard
is
to
the
these,
Paracelsus
says in
"
it
first
birth of each
be visible or
invisible,
the
influences
sense of sight
ear,
may be
Whenever a
in the
life
of
the individual to
whom
it
belongs.
If
Modern
powers
is
Spiritism
principles of
known
man may
therefore a sevenfold
constitution.
known
PARACELSUS
88
that individual
is
about to
die, his
Evestrum may
indi-
all,
or by
noise,
by the movement
but fre-
not understood.
of a
in
it
The Trarames
Linga shariram, or
is the power which
man.
They have often been seen and described as the spirits of the dead
The "Evestra" are merely states of
by mediums and clairvoyants.
mind, or thoughts, having become endowed with a certain amount of will,
80 as to render them more or less self-conscious, and, as it were, inde^
died insane.
ANTHROPOLOGY
89
proceed
directly
from the
of
important event
is
If
may
some such
runners to announce
it
may
it,
of
men
may
water,
be publicly
known "
is
the
Paracelsus
90
prophesying
all
things,^
all
These
sensation.
Evestra
teach
Astronomia (natural
lating
to
nativities,
looking
manner
at
it
with
we may
as
the
understanding,
in
by
same
but
the
The Ens
The Evestra
of
human
beings
know
the thoughts
them
in their
events.
The Sibyls of the past have read the future in the Evestra,
and the Evestra have caused the ancient prophets to
speak as it were in a dream " {Philos. ad Athenienses).
" The world of the Evestra is a world ^ of its own,
although intimately interlaced and connected with ours.
It has its own peculiar states of matter and objects
that may be visible or invisible to its inhabitants, and
yet corresponding to a certain extent to ours.
Still, it
is
inhabitants can
we about
know
theirs.
as
little
its
The firmament
of the
universe
^ is
One
and divided into four planes.
belongs to Matter (Earth), one to Water, one to Air,
and one to Fire, but the firmament in which rests the
fourfold in its essence,
"The
its
The Astral
The sphere
Plane.
of the Universal
Souls of Things."
must have
Mind.
ANTHROPOLOGY
Evestrum
is dispersed.
The
latter is
9I
own
peculiar
conditions, places
As there
and planets.
harmonies and contrasts,
of
dwelling,
localities,
stars
is
fire,
visible bodies
and
and
invisible
human
for which
But the two
shadows upon each
peculiarities,
Arte Praesaga).
Thus, the astral
physical
it is
we have not
the power to rise above that plane. When our true spiiitual powers
become active in us, we shall also be able to see all that is below that
to deal with the inhabitants of the astral plane as long as
state of existence,
it.
PARACELSUS
92
dead
on
such
occasions
as
masks, will
give
correct
Balaam was
wanted.
He was
them whenever he
who
God
wills that
we
shall
be misused for the purpose of injuring one's neighbour in body and soul.
The difference between a magus
and a sorcerer is, that the former does not misuse his
art.
If magic (the power of the spiritual will) is misit is then sorcery " {Philosoyhia Occulta).
natural ones and
There are two kinds of dreams
such as come from the spirit.
It is unnecessary to say
used,
*'
much about
known
to
all.
";
ANTHROPOLOGY
may dream
93
approach
of
Ananias,
Cornelius,
superand many
dreams take place sometimes even among the
present generation ; but only the wise pay attention to
Others treat them with contempt, although such
them.
true, and do not deceive."
are
dreams
" The dream in the Gahal plays with that which is
in man, and that which the dream shows is the shadow
of such wisdom as exists in the man, even if during
his waking state he may know nothing about it; for
we ought to know that God has given us all wisdom and
knowledge, reason, and the power to perceive the past
and the future but we do not know it, because we
are fooling away our time with outward and perishing
things, and are asleep in regard to that which is real
If one appears to have more talent than
within ourself
another man, it is not because he has been especially
favoured by God, but because he has more than the
other sought of that which God has given to each
(Fragmenta Medico).
" There are some persons whose nature is so spiritual,
and their souls so exalted, that they can approach the
others had similar visions, and such
natural
when
asleep.
PARACELSUS
94
we may be enabled
in ourselves, to grant
them to
us,
to
what
it
says
we should pay
is
especial
not a hal-
a great deal of
Sara-
separate gods
When men
elementary
spirit
and their
sidereal
bodies
The thoughts
of great
minds remain
ANTHROPOLOGY
sidereal body,
by which man
is
95
its
movements,
of his ancestors,
that
is
to say,
When
When
its
work.
gether
one
acts,
But dreams
Therefore
spirit,
They
is
man)
spirit's sleep
"
(Philosoph.,
rational or irrational,
according to the
relation
his
his
spirit rests,
man
occupies in
rests,
the waking of
and the
will be
man
the body of
"
is
to
position
v.).
foolish,
which
man
The elementary body has no spiritual gifts, but the sidebody possesses them all.
Whenever the elementary
body is at rest, asleep or unconscious, the sidereal body
is awake and active, because the latter needs neither
rest nor sleep
but whenever the elementary body is
fully awake and active, the activity of the sidereal body
will then be restrained, and its free movements be
impeded or prevented, like those of a man who is
real
has to suffer
but
PARACELSUS
96
"
mony
that
exists
To those who
(Universal Mind).
it.
The spheres
self-satisfied,
Their attention
Universal
mind
to the consciousness of
are capable
of
receiving
impressions.
its
pressions will
meaning, and
known
"
whose interpretation
an art that
is
Thus one
spirit
may
art.
own
from
spirit
body.
and teach
is
him
it
is
bound
man must
to
learn
its
its
own
The body
The body
spirit,
eats
and
perishes,
by the body. The body is dark, the spirit light and transparent.
The body is subject to disease the spirit remains well. Material things
are dark to the body, but the spirit sees through everything.
The body
(mind) speculates ; the spirit (the will) acts. The body is Mumia, the
spirit is lalsam.
The body belongs to death, the spirit to life. The body
is of the earth ; the spirit from heaven and God " {Phil. Tract,, iv.).
spirit
ANTHROPOLOGY
97
Death
The word "Death" implies two meanings:
tion of the activity of Life;
Form
is
Life
it is
2.
i.
Cessa-
Annihilation of Form.
an
illusion,
only an expression of
"
What
is
It is that
If there
^
The seventh
were no wisdom, no
principle.
man
PARACELSUS
98
be no
artists.
if
men and
These
manifest.
principles
(forms
of
will)
remain,
may be communicated
Fund. Sajp.).
If a mill suddenly comes to a stop, it may be from two
causes; either the miller who manipulated it has gone
away, or there has been something wrong with the
works, so that they could not operate any longer.
In
the same way the death of the body will occur, if for
some reason the body is no longer capable to accomplish
its work for the spirit by which it is inhabited, or it
may be that the inhabitant (the soul) for some reason
wisdom
still
has
left
many
the house.
The
cases of sudden
latter
death "from
unknown
causes,"
for otherwise
we
may
when he
returns.
act.
when
The body
the
of a
tact,
but
it
It
";
ANTHROPOLOGY
99
elements.
Nothing can become united with eternal
and perfect life except that which is eternal and perfect.
That which is good and perfect can continue to live
that which is evil and imperfect will be transformed.
If
all the elements constituting a man were good, if his
whole emotional and intellectual constitution were perfect, such a man would be wholly immortal.
If there is
nothing good in him, he will have to die and to be wholly
transformed.
If a part of him is good and another part
evil, the good portion will live and the evil one will
" Omne honum perfedum a Deo ; im'perfectum a
perish.
its
diablo."
"
him
die
Man
will
have to render
An
animal
is
returns to
Who
own prima materia. If God is not conhow can we expect to be conscious in God ?
its
scious in us,
? "
(De
Adam
and
Morb. Invis.,
iv.).
flesh of
is
not in the
fragm.).
men
only the
mode
is
life
manifestation
of
life.
on
PARACELSUS
loo
fly it
manifests
itself
fly lives
may
Life,
but in a
One
same
fly,
itself,
by the power of
itself,
life for
are as indestructible
states,
laboratory of Nature.
certain period during which it may
and the length of this period is predetermined by the number which is a constituent factor in
the organisation of form, and which springs from life
itself, because life is a conscious power, and does nothing
at random, but everything according to its own inherent
law; and if the form should be prematurely destroyed,
exist as a form,
life will
is
life
upon the
is
astral form,
still
its
only
and
if
continues
is
impossible
but
if
the
Premature
Bee F.
1896,
ANTHROPOLOGY
body and the liviDg
astral
loi
life
of
The remnants
elements.^
of
the tree
is
by the
*
seed,
life,
the Mysterium
from which
and be made to
magnum^ the
eternal
it will
be attracted again
live in
fact.
life
are those
assume any celebrated name, or even the appearance of certain wellpersons, whose images are well impressed in the aura around those
present.
They are the most dangerous of all the Elementaries. See
Key to Theosophy."
will
known
"
PARACELSUS
loi
it
pos-
sessed before.
a person retains
person
its
own
of " mind."
indestructibility of
The
will-s'pirit of
is
itself.
The
that form, be
it
doms
will,
V.
PNEUMATOLOGY
The orthodoxy
and
devils
the souls of
men
or to bring
The governmental
them within
their power.
were
rich.
The power
of
the
Church was
supreme, and the dictates of the clergy suffered no disServility and the craving for personal favours
were the order of the day, and this state of mind neces-
obedience.
sarily influenced
of the people.
memory of
Pneuma" or
to the
"
known
" soul,"
common
to require to be recalled
the reader.
means a semi-material
is
may be
who belong
103
spirit
It is
spirit.
form of
spirit,
will,
and
Usually
and body
it
but
PARACELSUS
i04
soul
" material."
may be
It
physical body
for if
we
said of the
objects
that
vibrations
and
we know
of spirit as
dies,
of,
or
one higher
If the physical
still.
body
the lower essences of the soul, from which the spirit hap
departed, dissolve in the astral elements to which they
belong, as the earthly body dissolves in the elements of
the earth.
imme-
body, but
tuted the
may
mind
of
man
will
still
will
" If a
man
continue to exist
it is
not the
life,
man
his spirit
If he has
been a
Tract
v.).
PNEUMATOLOGY
express
it
more
mind
his
soul.
from the
If a person dies a
(i.e.,
weak and
io5
life,
become
fidence in his father, his spirit and soul will, at the time
become
of his death,
free
"Such a soul
is
is
her Master.
'
'
They remain
takes place.
like
any others
it
in such cases
human
beings
Nature and their own predestination (Karma), their phydeath should have taken place.
At that time the
sical
Boehme
says
"
When
it is
then
Forty
come
to
it.)
QuesttOTis, xxi. 3.
2 Boehme says
" The majority of souls depart from their terrestrial
forms without the body of Christ (divine love), but being connected therewith only by a small thread." Such souls, having but little spirituality,
:
will not exist in such glorious bliss as those whose spirituality has been
unfolded upon the earth and who loved God above all.
Paracelsus
io6
separation of
Up
place.
their
it
physically.
They
LemureSy &c.
are
still
so,
amount
of
If they have
committed some crime, they will be bound by repentance
if they have a
to that place where it was perpetrated
;
treasure
there;
their
money
will
hold them
will tie
them
to
Sensation
body
astral
sensation
consciousness
2
is
will
is
established, there
is
of
sensation.
houses,
numerous.
them
Some
persons, that
instinctively, or
PNEUMATOLOGY
their enemies
passion turns
them
lojf
and
into vampires,
them
life
and
all
this
may
an opportunity to
But not all the appearances of supermundane or submundane visitors are caused by the apparitions of the
ghosts or astral bodies of suicides or victims of accidents,
may
and
wars
are often followed by numerous suicides occurring in the victorious army.
2 Such a case of vampirism is personally known to me.
A young man
killed himself on account of his passion for a married lady.
The latter
loved him, but did not encourage his advances on account of her matrimonial obligations. After his death his astral form became attracted to
her, and as she was of a mediumistic temperament, he found the necessary
conditions to become partly materialised
It
is
night.
It
required a long-continued effort until she finally became rid of the Incubus.
If our practitioners of
many
PARACELSUS
io8
senses, if
the conditions
spirits/
men.
against
all
evil spirits is
the spiritual
will.
If
we
love
melancholy.
know
of
some
PNEUMATOLOGY
the source of
evil
all
we may be
desire,
109
mock
lib. iii
They
are formed of
it
salt
who commit
Coming
desire.
it
is
(essence).
no true
Only a
it
It
is
If seed
not
is
to be mistaken for
empty fancy
into a substantial
image the
in-
here not the question of merely visible and tangible things, but
become
visible
Jnvisib.,
iii.).
PARACELSUS
fio
it
If
will not
sperma does
produce any-
"
in
is
born
an ethereal
fluid,
From
impotent to generate a
imagination
which,
if
is
the mother of
continued, renders
a luxurious
child,
but
Such an
unchastity,
'
The
PNEUMATOLOGY
and the
spirits of
111
it
for their
purposes."
If
persons of either
if
way
sorcerers
call Succubi,
occurrences,
it
is
"
To
necessary
to be
many examples
Modern
Spiritualism contain
they can only "materialise" if the necessary conditions are given. They
are therefore only felt during a state of sickness, and after the recovery of
the patient they disappear, because they cannot draw the elements necessary for materialisation out of a healthy constitution.
Such Incubi and
Succubi are the products of a physically and morally diseased state. The
morbid imagination creates an image, the will of the person objectifies it,
and the nerve aura can render it substantial to sight and touch. Moreover, having once been created, they attract to themselves corresponding
influences from the astral soul of the world.
2 Animal instincts cannot be suppressed, and the ** flesh" cannot
be
"mortified," except by awakening a higher psychical activity in the place
of the lower ones, or by an exaltation of the spiritual nature over the
animal principle in man.
Abstinence in acts is useless for spiritual
development, unless it is followed by abstinence in thought.
Enforced
persons
is
PARACELSUS
112
Dragon
may become
'
visible
man
human
form,
typified in the
man
if
as if one
such
is
spirits
sperma, and
person,
it is
human form
Fertilitate, Tract,
ii.).
is
There are
by Sodomy, and also the Aspis and Leo.
innumerable bastard forms, half man, half spiders or
toads, &c., inhabiting the astral plane, belonging to the
serpent which is to have his head crushed by the heel
of Christ'"^ {Fragm.y
" If such forms are sufficiently dense to become visible,
they appear like a coloured shadow or mist, or black
They have no life of their own, but they
shadows.
borrow it from the person who called them into existence, just as a shadow is cast by a body; and where
They are
there is no body, there can be no shadow.
'
who
The coherence
who
are
of the particles
to appear
must be mediumistic
to produce such
manifestations of form.
3
John
Scheffler says
*'
:
If
PNEUMATOLOGY
body of their
creator,
and there
113
sometimes such an
is
if
an injury
drawing
latter.
attracted,
is inflicted
be transmitted to the
it will
persons to
whom
they are
^
such persons are not very strong."
" Some such beings influence men according to their
qualities; they
find excuses
faults,
They
their vitality.
fortify
them
cause
to
evil actions,
man
If a
hand
for
Such
if
"
weak
to
resist
their influence.
them
in their minds.
men
if
they
make room
healthy
mind
is
a castle that
its
master; but
of
are
for
beings in
whom
is
human
preponderating.
spirit of truth
cannot
spirit-materialisation.
out of the
left side of
Mediums
need not necessarily be depraved persons, but there must be some fault in
their organisation, else the combination of their principles would be too
strong to part with some of their astral substance. Materialising mediums
may be very good people, but solitary lives and vicious habits lead to the
development of such mediumship, which proves t? be very injurious in
the end.
PARACELSUS
114
such cases.
all
thoughts
brain are
is
in that case
see
transparent as
we produce
we do not
We
air.
smoke
itself,
cannot
and even
but the smoke
in
it,
be
is
carried
Moreover,
felt.
the
is
to
senses are
adapted,
and the senses of the inner man are made to see the
things of the soul.
When
the
awaken
to
activity
we
see things in a
There are
dream.
in-
life,
also
driving
2
away
morbid
desires.
A disease of
&c.
PNEUMATOLOGY
I15
man
be rendered
more
active,
human Elementary
perceived by a
on
characters
what
is
still
consciously existing
more, depraved
after
were
human
forms
of
brought
to
Form is nothing
appearance representing a character, and the
character shapes the form.
If the character of a person
is thoroughly evil, it will cause the astral form to assume
a hideous form.
Therefore the souls of the depraved
but an
it
is
formless,
like
the
sunshine.
of
kept very secret, on account of the abuse that might have been made
and in consequence of which a person may be
even made insane. One of the most effective fumigations for the purpose
of causing apparitions were, according to Eckartshausen, made of the
following substances
Hemlock, Henbane, Saffron, Aloe, Opium, Mandrake, Solanum, Poppy-seed, Asafoetida, and Parsley.
The fumigations
to drive away evil spirits were made of Sulphur, Asafoetida, Castoreum,
of such a knowledge,
and more
known
especially of
at that time.
This
also
constitution.
PARACELSUS
Ii6
many
Each
and such
or genius,
spirit
spirits
sometimes instruct
to do very extraordinary
an incalculable number of such genii
in the universe, and we may learn through them all
the mysteries of the Chaos in consequence of their connection with the Mysterium magnum.
Such familiar
youth.
There
things.
is
" There are several kinds of Flagae, and there are two
ways by which we may obtain knowledge through them.
One way is by their becoming visible and able to talk
1
There
is
The
some such
entities
planetary spirits
the
2.
sixth
intelligent
Rupa Devas
Dhyan-Chohans.
3.
principle
of
(having forms).
High planetary
and female
male
ment
of such "devils."
worshipped in
many
places of India.
They
&c.,
The Asuras
houses,
&c.,
varieties.
They
their
own.
are evidently a different class of " familiar spirits " than the
The spirit which each child reand who attends to the person during his terrestrial
life, is
of
own
PNEUMATOLOGY
with us
the other
visible influence
way
by their exercising an
is
upon our
II7
intuition.
The
in-
art of Nectro-
mancy
there
is
strength of one's
will, for
man
may be
to appear visibly in a
may be
and
and
whom
known.
And if it is not practicable to cause them to become
visible, such secrets can be found out by a communication of thought, or by signs, allegorical visions, &c.
By
they belong,
seen,
their secrets be
all
may be
and everything secret
be seen, no matter how much it is hidden from outward
sight, for the opening of the interior sight removes the
Things that have been buried will thus
veil of matter.
the assistance of these Flagae hidden treasures
letters
be read,
The Flagae
reveal
good as well as
the evil.
He who obtains knowledge from the spirit
obtains it from his father; he who knows the Elementals knows himself he who understands the nature
of the elements understands how the Microcosm is con-
the world."
that instructed
spirits
in
ancient
times,
and
science or philosophy in
PARACELSUS
ii8
"In
Such
from God
The
nor from the devil, but they are from the Flagae.
mere
superstition,
it,
In regard to the reliance to be put on the revelations of invisible beings, Paracelsus says
to lead
love
phecies
are
men
may
man
not
tell
God made
spirits
mute, so that
everything so plainly to
man
that
The
mistakes.
spirits
when
when
many
man
but
Therefore they
and
utmost
spirits
" Evil
it is
This
is
of the
and
lies
more than
illusions,
others.
others solid, as
PNEUMATOLOGY
everything that such spirits say.
teach those persons
who
deal with
Sach
them
spirits
19
often
to perform cer-
and names in
no meaning, and they do all such things
for their own amusement, and to have some sport at the
expense of credulous persons.
They are seldom what
they pretend to be they accept names, and one will use
the name of another, or they will assume the mask and the
ways of acting of another. If a person has such a spirit,
tain ceremonies, to speak certain words
which there
is
belonging to a better
teller
but one
who
class,
he
may make
a good fortune-
but lies ; and, on the whole, all these spirits surpass each
other in deception and lies" {Philosophia Sagax).'^
" Man is an instrument through which all the three
worlds
the spiritual, the astral, and the elementary
world
telligent creatures.
and
are acting.
worlds, reasonable
self-control is
made
whom man
If the masters
obeys are foolish, their servants will also act
foolishly.
is
the
but he does
whom
from
Adam
nise the
truth
of
this
description.
in
modem
spirits, if
common
sense.
Spiritualists should
PARACELSUS
126
no hole or door, but may pass through matter that appears solid to us, without causing any damage to it.
The beings not descended from Adam, as well as those
descended from him, are organised and have substantial bodies ; but there is as much difference between
the substance composing their bodies as there is between Matter and Spirit.
Yet the Elementals are
spirits,
because
they
not
have flesh, blood, and bones;
they live and propagate offspring they eat and talk, act
and sleep, &c., and consequently they cannot be properly
;
" spirits."
called
They
are
spirits,
beings
resembling
occupying a place
in
die they
perish
like
animals.
fire
They
are,
human
great
many
lects,
Philos,,
varieties.
beings
&c., are
development
intel" {Lib.
ii.).
"
credible
PNEVMATOLOGV
man
of
man
but
clothing
"
sleep
and as man
nearest to
They
somewhat
and they die
like animals.
work and
is
human
They
resemble man.
I2l
man "
they
their
is
{Lih. Philos.,
men
make
i.).
elements
the
Nymphae
in the
Gnomi, Vulcani,
moves only in the element to which it
belongs, and neither of them can go out of its appropriate
They
&o.
Each
species
element, which
water to fishes
is
;
them
to
belonging to another
class.
element in which
it
respirable, as the
atmosphere
"The
live in the
the
and
to ourselves."
each other;
element
Gnomes have no
mix with
As
of these.
a fish
lives
in
the air
the
its
man
water,
own
being
its
For
to us, and if
it
element.
is
what the
is
air is
we
they
for
may
also
air is to us.
Man
in
in his aspect as
PARACELSUS
I2i
it
If that
are subtle
and
if
is
transparent to those
who
live
therein.
Thus the sun shines through the rocks for the Gnomes,
and the water does not hinder the Undines to see the sun
and the stars they have their summers and winters, and
their earth bears them fruits
for each being lives on
;
'
As
far
concerned,
as
it
the
may
it
has
grown"
{Lib. Philos.,
ii.).
Elementals are
be said that those belonging to the
personalities of the
The
live,
PNEUMATOLOGY
certain semi-material substances
123
unknown
They
to us.
but
web
Nymphs have
from our linen.
and palaces in the element of water;
On
Sylphs and Salamanders have no fixed dwellings.
the whole, the Elementals have an aversion against selfconceited and opinionated persons, such as dogmatists,
inquisitive sceptics, drunkards, and gluttons, and against
vulgar and quarrelsome people of all kinds
but they love
natural men, who are simple-minded and child-like, innocent and sincere, and the less there is vanity and hypocrisy in a man, the easier will it be for him to approach
them but otherwise they are as shy as wild animals." ^
" Man lives in the exterior elements, and the Elementals live in the interior elements.^
They have dwellings and clothing, manners and customs, languages
and governments, of their own, in the same sense as
the bees have their queens and herds of animals their
leader.
They are sometimes seen in various shapes.
Salamanders have been seen in the shapes of fiery balls,
or tongues of fire running over the fields or appearing
in houses.
Nymphs have been known to adopt the
human shape, clothing, and manner, and to enter into
a union with man.
There are certain localities where
large numbers of Elementals live together, and it has
occurred that a man has been admitted into their communities and lived with them for a while, and that they
have become visible and tangible to him."^
of a spider
is
different
their residences
if
There
we
is
nothing very strange in the belief that such " spirits "
spirit of
exist,
an invisible
unknown dimensions, occupying and overshadowing a limited
only keep in
is
material form.
"
The "soul"
It
is
of the elements
t.e.,
not credible that a person has entered with his physical body
Venus mountain
into the
or Untersberg, or
speaks.
PARACELSUS
124
"
The angels
angel
may
death of Christ.
and
fire
But the
seldom marry a
spirits
human
being.
air,
They may,
man
airy nothings
(i.e.,
of the substance of
mind)."
"
may be
of the water
and
man
But the
is
may
PNEUMATOLOGY
and they
as well as the
man; but
125
like
rough
and speak nothing, although they are able to speak and
are clever.
The Nymphs appear in human form and
clothing
but the spirits of fire are of a fiery shape.
They are usually not to be found in the company of
;
men
as
are
witches,
the devil.
him take
If
near the
is
element
let
him be
and
if
for a
own
servant,
be dutiful
All this
is
in
we
will
now
so that
almost
ii.).
^ "If any one marries a water-njrmph, and she deserts him, he ought
not to take another wife, for the marriage has not been dissolved. If he
marries another woman be will shortly die " {Be Nymph.),
PARACELSUS
126
upon the
Some
earth.
them
of
"We
things.
all
know
that a
life,
dissolution of all
his
so that he ultimately
becomes
head-lights
of the Church,
who now
worms when
now masquerading
the
human body
will
FMlos.,
" {Lib.
iv.).
Sirens,^
;
'
Then we
will
know
those
who
ItalicQre CaUicca
(Mermaid).
PNEUMA TOLOG Y
127
who have
those
Therefore I recommend
be happy.
all
my
writings to be
will
as
it
was
revealed to him."
"
The
tioners of
God (Karma).
the
bailiffs
and execu-
their destiny.
The
much
less to enrich a
of all things
is
the Eternal
Wisdom
of the existence
Occulta).
^
but
man
aid the
"The
is evil
spiritual will.
The
devil has
allows a devil within himself to grow, then will the great Devil
little
devil to
his
own
substance.
{See
VI.
the very
stood, misapplied,
men become
as
and
In proportion
finally forgotten.
unspiritual and
many
are
who deny
the existence
degradation of terms
commonly
is
power
One example
attributed to the
word magic.
is at
The
Wisdom,
in
contradistinction
of
of the
present
true signi-
grow
There
spirit.
know-
to that science
performances,
perhaps conjuring or
or
True magic
is
the greatest of
all
it
Nature.
visible
and
but also an
invisible
artj
because
it
"
Magic
is
the knowledge of
self-evident that
99
know and
self.
129
Therefore he
who
magic must
desires
rise
above
self,
meaning
of the
'
PARACELSUS
130
"
from the
fifth
essence
the
the astral
Spirit of
spirit,
Wisdom.
come
Therefore
man
is
Such a
by means
of his freewill,^ is called a Magus, and therefore Magic
is not sorcery, but supreme wisdom " {Be Peste).
" Christ and the prophets and the apostles had magical
powers, acquired less by their learning than by their holiThey were able to heal the sick by the laying on
ness.
of their hands, and to perform many other wonderful but
Our clergymen talk a great deal about
natural things.
such things ; but where is the priest of to-day who can
do like Him ? It has been said by Christ that His true
followers would do the same things and still greater ones
but it would be difficult to find at present one Christian
But if any
minister who can do anything as Christ did.
and
cures the
minister
comes
not
man-made
is
a
one who
him,
they call
through
acting
of
Christ
the
power
sick by
willing
are
to
and
devil,
child
of
the
and
a
sorcerer
him a
upon
a
stake."
him
burn
The first requirement for the study of Magic is a
But there is a false
thorough knowledge of Nature.
lives
in
science.
science
may be
perfectly
is
its logical
The true
it
knows
of the
its
The
will
is
only free
when
it is free
self
and
its
desires.
^
All sciences are false if they are godless ; that is, if they seek for the
anything anywhere else but in divine truth.
first origin of
131
human
the power
Magic
is
The
body.
superficial reasoner
of his body.
locality
sea.
it is
The
spirit of
as free as the
spirit is
that
man
from the books of the past and from those of the present.
Man
also possesses
friends
at that
may be
time.
a thousand miles
This art
is
taught by
power
which may become especially active in dreams, and that
which is seen in such dreams is the reflection of the light
If a man in his waking
of wisdom and prophecy in man.
state knows nothing of such things, the cause of his ignorance is, that he does not understand how to search in
himself for the powers that are given to him by God, and
by which he can arrive at all the Wisdom, Reason, and
Knowledge concerning everything that exists, whether
Gabalis (the spiritual perception of man).
it
It is a
He who
it,
own
purposes, or to
manifested in
it
it.
We
become
us.
PARACELSUS
132
doomed
to perish ?
Where, then, shall we seek for true
wisdom, except in that which is higher than all the stars,
namely, God ? " ^ (Be Inventione Artium).
Ignorance
know
is
"
Men
do not
all
the
The exercise
peacefulness
it."
of
regard to such
the
mind.
arts,
because
" Sleeping
it
invisibility, is
waking
and
in
is
is
invisible
man, who,
existing as truly as
is
own
man
its
sphere.
If a
body awakens,
it
is
133
we
spirit.
He
person.
The moon
colours
a pillar of rock
it
if
he
but
can see
if
is
before a blind
show things in
their true
if he lives in the
an angel. The first quality belongs
to the body, the two others to the soul, and they are its
jewels.
The body of man remains on the earth, but
man, having a soul and the two additional qualities, is
enabled to rise above Nature, and to know that which
does not belong to Nature.
He has the power to learn
spirit,
angel, he serves as
There
is
mental truths. The truth can only be found where it is. A knowledge
supreme power of the univei*8e cannot be obtained by denying its
existence.
Life cannot be found in an empty form.
of the
PARACELSUS
134
consist,
and of the
"
phantastry
but he
who understands
his
own nature
in
It is not
sufficient that
"The
light
of
is
Homin).
The
Nectromanticus (seer) must know these spirits, for without that knowledge he will not find their true character.
By his art he can sense them, and having perceived
clairvoyance, but
to
refer merely to
Nature" which reveals all things in its own light. It is, in other
words, the Holy Ghost or the true spiritual understanding within the
higher region of the mind, above the
'
Such modes
**
constellation."
known
to
modern
spiritualists.
may be
Some
to light.
By
the wick.
135
the art of
interior of rocks,
the secrets of
men
be brought
them
to
act
in a
certain
The power
of clairvoyance
active in dreams,
when
and prevision
is
especially
is
"Artists
The
'
Man
possesses that
Paracelsus
i3^
we
should,
dreams."
therefore,
much
confidence in
may more
easily
be influenced
Men's
astral
bodies
The power
state.
their
dreams and
put their
pillows of
belts,
fall
young men
for
Girls used to
under the
of
whose love they craved but
ribbons, locks
hair,
&c.,
of that
constitution has
for joy.
died, or,
in
of the
is
137
necessary to obtain
those
it
will
man
The experiments
and
shown the great eflfect they have upon sensitive organisms
try such experiments upon hardened sceptics an<l habitual deniers
testing the powers of a magnet upon a piece of wood.
objects have
but to
is like
PARACELSUS
138
in the imagination of
man
" Imagination
which
is
house on
is like
fire;
Man
the sun.
light
mind
is
like a
its light is
sun in
man
directed."
If he thinks
is what he thinks.
he thinks war, then will he cause
war
it all depends merely on that the whole of his
imagination becomes an entire sun i.e., that he wholly
imagines that which he wills " {Be Virtute Imaginativa).
" The sun acts upon the visible soil of the earth, and
upon invisible matter in the air imagination acts upon
he
fire,
is
is
on
fire
he
if
The
soul.
soul of
man
is
as intimately related
to the
man
is
body of the man, and they continually act upon each other, and without the soul the
vehicle could not exist.
Visible matter becomes invisible, and is acted on by the soul, and invisible matter
becomes organised and is made visible again through
the influence of the soul.
If a pregnant woman imagines something strongly, the effects of her imagination
will become manifest in the child.^
Imagination springs
from desire, and as man may have good or evil desires,
likewise he may have a good or an evil imagination.
A strong desire of either kind will give rise to a
related to the physical
strong
be
imagination.
effective
if
Imaginativa).^
^ For this reason
pregnant women should during the time of their
pregnancy have beautiful surroundings and think noble and beautiful
thoughts.
2
If
talk.
He who
is
powerful.
139
into
it
strawberries, the
down."
" The imagination of
They
women
is
that of men.
are
at such places,
If a
pregnant
body that
is
asleep."
desire, it will
" If, for
instance, a
on
woman
in
and then
the image of
way
snail.
mind
itself
snail,
the
is
in her
impress
for their
Her
will
like a master,
Wherever the
"
{De
Virtute Imaginativa).
"If a person
dies,
draw a
body and
This passage refers to the excursions of witches on the Hartz Mounand other places, often spoken of in the witch trials. Many supposed
witches were burnt to death for having confessed that they had attended
at such meetings.
^
tains
PARACELSUS
t4*
by the impulse
by the thought of the dying person towards
that person, and cause him to die.
Such is especially
the case if a woman dies of puerperal fever,^ and if
such a woman wishes that the whole world should die
with her, an epidemic may be the consequence of her
give
it
given to
it
poisoned imagination."
'^
of
man
is
upon the
act
it
to
upon him.
man
It is
We
run wild.
power
should attempt
and not
{Be Virtute Imaginativa).
" Man is a twofold being, having a divine and an
animal nature.
If he feels, and thinks, and acts as
if he feels
divine beings should act, he is a true man
and acts like an animal, he is then an animal, and the
equal of those animals whose mental characteristics are
manifested in him.
An exalted imagination caused by
a desire for the good raises him up
a low imagination
caused by a desire for that which is low and vulgar
drags him down and degrades him."
" The spirit is the master, imagination the tool, and
Imagination is the power
the body the plastic material.
by which the will forms sidereal entities out of thoughts.
by speculative fancy
"
of the spirit,
It
is
well
known
women having
died of puerperal
The passage
in such cases
substance
is
141
the corner-
is
The imagination
of
to
upon man
make
act
upon
his imagination,^
and
Imagination
it
is
dissolving
power,
its
The Will is a
become
growth.
He
impregnated by the tincture of the imagination.
his
unite
power
how
man
can
a
who wants to know
of imagination with the power of the imagination of
Heaven, must know by what process this may be done.
A man comes into possession of creative power by uniting
his own mind with the Universal Mind, and he who
'
'
wisdom
possible
because Heaven
"
Before
perfect,
but
holy Will.
is
Heaven
Even
object,
the power of a
They stand
it is
I see
" but
be
we ought
If
and
in a
we behold an
to say,
**
I imagine
to see."
it
This, however, no
is
PARACELSUS
142
physical bodies.
spirit,
body
may go
and act
meets another spirit,
whether it be an incarnated or a disincarnated one, they
will act in regard to each other as two human beings
act, if they meet.
One man communicates his thoughts
to another with whom he is in sympathy, at any distance,
however great it may be,^ or he may act upon the spirit
of another person in such a manner as to influence his
actions after the body of the latter awakens from his
sleep.^
In this way he can even injure the health of
that person, and upon this law of Nature is based the
possibility of witchcraft and sorcery."
"The exercise of true magic does not require any
ceremonies or conjurations, or the making of circles or
the soul
is asleep,
signs
it
to a distant place,
If
it
it
only
It
may happen
if it
acts
all
through a
is
asleep,
awakening from
and act
his sleep,
awakens from his sleep, and that after he awakens he will perform such actions, although he will not remember what has taken place
after he
during his sleep. It is therefore very fortunate that, in the present state
of morality of our modem civilisation, such powers are not generally
known, and that they are not often in the possession of those who wish
to abuse them.
in
harmony with
it,
143
can be no
If I
faith.
know
that divine
wisdom can
but
if
myself that
I believe in
its
if
attempt to persuade
possibility,
such a belief
is
'
we
us,
says
power
self
we
for
is
If
God speaks
recognise
it
in the
power of
truth.
away.
The good
it
He
This
him-
There
may
is
only one
be for good or
Faith
is
It
is
it is the
not a belief in some external aid,
but the inner consciousness of the possession of power. If Joshua Davidson broke his leg by jumping from a two-story window for the purpose
of proving his faith to himself, it was because he auperstitiously believed
thiit some external power would protect him in his fall, and he knew
PARACELSUS
144
"
How
God ?
continually
*
faith
is.
out an evil
about
talk
Where can we
or made
spirit,
it,
even
if
they
it.
find a theologian
a spirit come, or
who drove
who healed
that
The witches
if
are the
it
most dangerous
anybody."
" It would be very easy to give instructions so that
nothing of the power of the god, his own self. His faith was an artificial
and not a natural one. He knew nothing about God that is to say, he
had no divine will ; he placed his confidence in the say so of the theo;
own
perception of truth.
" hypnotisers."
2 It may be remarked that the processes given below would not be
effective if employed by any one who is not in possession of power to
make them effective, and we see, therefore, no cause why they should
not be published. Those who possess such evil powers know these things
^
They
already.
are
now
called
145
that
so that they
diseases,
and
to counteract
some
stance,
sorcerers
know
does not
his patient, he
knows the
cause,
in the
it;
foot
but
if
of
he
similar power."
" Thus, it has
patient."
"
If the representatives of
inquire in an unsophisticated
things are
modem
all
PARACELSUS
146
the
first
magic
effects is the
development of the
will.
The power
of
the will acts more readily upon animals than upon man,
itself
body of animals.
spirit,
The
will of a
waking man
man
that one
are
asleep
can
visit
acts spiritually
the
will act
or asleep
but
form
astral
of
person
sleeping
or
it
may
In regard to the action of the will at a distance, Para" As to images of wax (which are made for
celsus says
the
or
will.
my
the action of
my enemy
spirit of
or lame
him
in the
may
my
bring the
image according
to
my
will,
and that
point in medicine.
will
man who
is
of hate,
will
his
sons
whom
experience
thoughts.
as fevers,
made to represent. I am
Our physicians know only a very
The will creates
the power of the will.
speaking seriously.
small part of
spirits
(forces) that
reason-
ing
obey blindly
"
(Faramirum,
147
tract,
cap.
iv.
viii.).
person
who has
By
the
power of
faith the
apostles
living saint
may
acts
through him.
still
living,
saint,
We
saints
and accessible to
saints to
all.
work miracles
power of
It is the
it is known to every
such an evil power is once propelled, and is not of sufficient
strength to penetrate the soul-sphere of his object, and to accomplish its
purpose, it rebounds with a destructive effect to the source from whence
occultist that
it
if
was projected.
The term " miracles " means natural
power.
own
feats
produced by spiritual
natural instincts
any hope
if
he,
for
reward
such an act may be called a supernatural act. The natural law for self
is selfishness, and if a man causes his selfish nature to act in a manner
that goes against the interests of that nature, he acts in the strength
of a power that is beyond his selfish nature and supernatural to it,
although that power is not outside of him. Spirit may manifest itself
in Nature, but it is not produced by Nature.
God is the original cause
of all things
Nature is an effect. God is the will ; Nature its maniinstance, performs an act of unselfishness without
festation.
of
PARACELSUS
148
if you live in God He will overshadow you with that power, and it will teach you
the laws of God, and you will be guided like other
saints,
"
{De Sanc-
You
body.
are
visible
man
and
corporeal,
but
there
is
an invisible
in you,
faith
1
What
logical
a great
institutes "
scientific curiosity
field
and
if
all
good, in
of our "physio-
this art
were taught, or
if
morbid
they believed in
its
Fortunately the scepticism of the fool is his own best protection against the evils that would arise from premature knowledge,
and also the best protection for mankind against the injury he would
otherwise inflict. But that such things can be done will be clear to
every intelligent student of mediaeval witchcraft, and they are still done
this very day, several such cases having recently come within the perpossibility
evil,
is
evil
not good
not true.
is
149
but in
True
proves
wonderful
has
faith
we
that
are
spirits,
sophia Sagax).
"
The
sidereal
man
is
of a magnetic nature,
and for
If,
any inimical
therefore,
astral influences
and
again.
if
good or an
evil
become maniffst.
However much
it is
man becomes
evil to
*
if
this
may
titioners of medicine.
own
physician
who has no
confidence or faith in
PARACELSUS
ISO
properly understood
of
man
will
the
mind
cause
may be changed
cease to appear
it will
changes in the
hail,
into
Operihus).
"
To conjure the
spirit of a
To
thing, with
all
qualities
its
and
attributes.^
To make
know how
is
to
own
purposes.
If I
know
the attributes
^ " The
whole world is like a man and a woman, and has also its
anima and its spiritus imaginationis ; only much stronger and more
The spirit orders, the will (matter) obeys
powerfully than man."
thought (imagination) directs, the soul (the body) executes and produces,
be
it
2
The
by the sum
of its qualities.
know
spirit.
its
its
If I
spirit
151
will
my
be
servant.
animals,
it
itself that
is
forms
taken up into
is
and organs.
If
flesh of
healthy
its
a^re,
Mumia
has departed
we do not
tigers,
lions,
Mumia which
&c.
They contain a
fiery
We
Mumia
less exciting,
eat the
is
more
ox, the gentle sheep, &c.; but the healthiest animal food
is
air,
and the
'
should,
in
whom
it is
taken up.
it,
PARACELSUS
152
The
"
who have
know and understand the action and power
own Mumia, and that even a small dose of it
selves of
{Fhiloso'ph.^ tract
iii.).
and the
is good
for nothing but to serve as food for worms.
The most
efficacious Mumia is that of a person who died in an
unnatural manner while his body was in good health
such a one, for instance, as has been hung or decapitated, or whose body has been broken on the wheel.
A person who dies a slow death in consequence of some
disease loses his powers before he dies, and putrefaction
Mumia
that
is
is
useless,
His
physicians
Mumia
knew
will then
be worthless.
But
Mumia
is still
if
our
of per-
sons that have died sudden deaths, they would not permit
it
{PJiilosoph., tract
1
will
know
iii.).
modem spirituab'sm
153
occult powers,
murderers,
and the
latter
sometimes
kill
Mumia
man
for
to perform
But
better if a millstone
created."
On
Witches
and sorcerers may make a bargain with evil spirits, and
cause them to carry the Mumia to certain places where
Mumia,
it will
it
is
come
They
died
They
great
the "spirit" of a drowned person, the air in the room will appear
become damp and musty, or perhaps a sprinkling of spray may take
place.
Moreover, if the " spirit " of a person who was a great drunkard
manifests itself, the air may become pervaded with the odour of alcohol.
^ The final fate of sorcerers and black magicians has often been alluded
The organisation of spiritual forces which
to in writings on occultism.
they create, and in which their consciousness and sensation rests, is
very strong but as it does not receive its life from the Supreme Spirit,
it is not immortal, and its dissolution will therefore be painful and slow,
If
it is
to
but certain.
^ Note.
I have taken especial pains to investigate this subject, and I
have come to the conclusion that, if such persons make a bargain with
evil spirits, they usually do this efifectually, not by any talk or ceremonies, but by entering into a state of harmony of feeling (coming en
rapport) with such evil entities, and they may do this unconsciously or
unknowingly in their normal state, or it may be that only the sidereal
man knows that such a compact exists. Such "sorcerers" are often
evil-disposed but ignorant persons, who perhaps do not even know that
PARACELSUS
154
afflict
them.
know
great deal
write
they possess such powers, and they ' bewitch " persons simply by the
power of their ill-will, guided by some unseen intelligence, and without
being themselves conscious of their success ; but in other instances they
know it. The fact that such sorceries do occur will not be doubted
by any one who has investigated the subject. They occur to a great
extent among the country people in Europe, and especially in Roman
Catholic countries.
In Bavaria and Tyrol the country people are always
suspicious of strangers, whom they believe capable of bewitching their
cattle.
They will not permit such strangers to enter their stables if the
latter do not pronounce a blessing on entering it
and if they are afraid
of the evil power of some neighbour, they will, under no circumstance,
lend any article to him or accept anything from him.
;
known
to
affairs.
She took with her a clean, new bottle, and filled it with the
came from the bewitched cows. This milk she took home with
her and deposited it in her own pantry, and from that day the trouble in
the house of her neighbour ceased, and all the milk in her own house
became blue.
Here again everything was tried to find out the cause, but without any
success, until, about three months afterwards, some old lady
living about
3CX) miles distant
effected another spell by her own occult powers, using
some slips of paper, on which she wrote something, and in consequence of
which the trouble ceased. Before it ceased, however, something strange
Before daybreak, as the milkmaid was about to enter the
happened.
stable, some black thing like an animal rushed out of the half-opened
door, knocked the milk-pail and the lantern out of her hands, and disAfter this all went well again.
appeared.
On another occasion, in a similar case which took place in the same
matter.
milk as
it
155
and evil imagination is especially cultiand great quantities of sperma are there collected
by evil spirits, and that sperma contains a powerful
Mumia, which can be extracted, and transformed into
evil things
or it may decompose and become a strong
poison, furnishing life to innumerable invisible (microscopic) existences, by which epidemics and plagues will
be caused.
One witch may poison another by such
means, and the familiar spirits of witches often steal
sperma from persons who are addicted to bad habits and
places a lascivious
vated,
use
"
it for evil
An
purposes."
may be used
in
new moon
at night,
throw the
rest
ill
Mumia
PARACELSUS
156
attracts the
The moon
'
'
'
This was a common belief during the Middle Ages, and many a po<ir
has been burned to death for having been suspected of being
a witch. This, however, does not invalidate the statements of Paracelsus.
In worxien, on the whole, the will is more active than in men, and they
woman having become disapare less liable to exercise self-control.
pointed in love and embittered with the world becomes a suitable instruWoman is
ment for the powers of evil to act through her organism.
more powerful for good and for evil than males, because she represents
will and substance, and man only the imagination.
^
old
woman
157
when
that attraction
begin to rave
influence."
"
but
it is
evil
purposes
how
this is
other's souls
If a mirror is strongly
and
if
"
PARACELSUS
158
in
his
name, she
surrounds
it
and
throws the reflex of the mirror through the opening
in the middle of the head of the figure, or upon
some other part of his body, using at the same time
her evil imagination and curses; and the man whom
the image represents will then have his vitality dried
up and his blood poisoned by that evil influence, and
become diseased, and his body covered with boils.
Such is the pestis particular is,' which may be known
if it afiects a man who has not been near any other
persons or places from which he might have caught the
with
cloth
spotted with
the
menstrual
blood,
"
But
if
man
When
{De
"
Pestilitate).
There
are,
by
itself
in
ways.
cowards.
Some will
fall
and
it
who
has happened
15Q
things,
their
of
for such
own
vitality.
Women
are
more
in-
by
envy and
clined to
their
own
moves
spirit that
desire
it
hate.
more
to go.
may
it
some
form.^
of faith,
It is lifted
and
it
and harbouring
evil
left
if
alone
they are
they cook, or
make
aware of
Women who
an
it.
evil imagination,
it
it,
The more the physical body is active, the more will it need material
The more the astral body is active, the more will it attract nutriment from the astral plane. The more divine love is active in man, the
more will his soul receive of the 8u))8tance of Christ. Each of these three
states has its own functions and qualities.
^
food.
PARACELSUS
l6o
minds of the
the
itself
children.
The imagination
spiritualis,'
De
"
is
^
the
Mumia
(Fragment
Virtute Imaginationce).
"
By
manner
the same
put
it
may
dissolve
Menstruating witches
bodies by the
(dematerialise)
wax
beings, in
my hand and
withdrawing my hand,
human
as if I take a stone in
They make a
whom
figure
of
Sagis).
"The power
of the imagination
It produces diseases in
medicine.
is
a great factor in
man and
in animals,
are as follows
1.
2.
of
men and
Saturday.
3.
4.
5.
intercourse.
who
it
But
cures them.
of symbols or characters
this is not
made
in
i6i
wax
'
Thus the
man
imagination of
is
tively
effort.
The power of a
him according
kill or
cure
may be good
or evil.
Therefore
"The
curse
of
is
nothing but
and not
and uncertain thing.
It is penetrated by
and followed with an earnest desire that the object of
their wish shall be accomplished, and that which men
desire in cursing enters into their imagination, and from
The evil elements
the imagination results the act.
of
him
who
acted
evil
attract
unto themin the soul
will
set
free
curse
of
him who
selves the evil
by the
for the soul is like a magnet, attracthas been injured
"
ing unconsciously that which corresponds to its nature
an imagination
is
firm,
a wavering
{Fragm.).
" Magic
is
is
commonly
use wisdom,
called
PARACELSUS
l62
are required.
of incense are
only evil
all
its
It
is
imperishable
ledge."
man
is
too
weak
to penetrate the
armour
it is
because
of the soul of
PestUitate,
ii.).
grow
63
the nut
is
to do.
while the
paternoster
clergyman
like a
person,
possession
useless
evil.
the
if
He who
lips
is
speak
dressed
it
up
is
although he
Church.
is
heart desires
ordained by the
spiritual
power,
spirit
because
;
such a
power
make men
not superior to
man do anything
them
in
is
to
do.
All
St.
spirits
spirits or
saints
neither in
PARACELSUS
l64
our hand
we
will
If
play" {Morh.
If
the
we
be without it;
evil
if
spirits
faith out of
have free
Invis.).
followers
of
the
Christian
Church or the
MEDICINE
VII.
superstitions
learn to
know
its principles,
The
to grow."
Lessing, Paracelsus,
practice of medicine
to health.
is
Modern medicine
is,
many
it
means
introduction
to so poison the
of
a similar poison.
This
system corre-
Four hundred years ago Paracelsus spoke the following words to the physicians of his times, and
to the reader to judge whether or not his
it
You have
Is not even
He
entirely deserted
now
says
we
leave
words may
by
means by which man may lead an intemperate and immoral life without
becoming subjVct to the natural consequences thereof?
Are not even
for
now many
of our
'
PARACELSUS
i66
artificial
system, whicli
is
fit
for
fancy that
it
is
Your
due to the
fact
who
safety
is
is
sick,
but in
in swindling
You do
how
could I expect
am
cutting
down
This
is
"
is
efifects
MEDICINE
T67
of
(regular)
physicians
know
hardly anything
about the
Nevertheless,
it
is
created and supports the inner man, and the outer form
the vehicle
in
manifesting himself.
;
of
universal
His medicine
is
cause of
all
things.
its
practice
who
Thus a
lifelong
suffering
from eczema
is
often
the
consequence of
vaccination.
As
it is
said that, of
all his
patient*,
ninety-six per cent, have died, while the remaining four were probably not
infected, and would have remained well anyhow.
PARACELSt/S
i6S
who
may make
that they
and dangerous
It is useless
their elders.
who
is
to
make a
not a physi-
cian at heart.
'^
The
greatest
and highest of
and without
to
little
is
it
all
or nothing as far as
is
is
concerned.
qualifications
and who
i.e.,
He
alone
is
in possession of
in possession of reason
He who
which
Wisdom
learning will amount
Sapientia
humanity
wisdom who
to
to use
is
has caused
all
is
God
for
is also
is
the source of
to grow, so the
whose germs
must be developed in the rays
We cannot find wisdom
of the sun of divine wisdom.
in books, nor in any external thing we can only find it
Man cannot create day, nor can he
within ourselves.
and he cannot create wisdom, but it must
create night
come to him from above. He who seeks wisdom in the
fountain of wisdom is the true disciple, but he who seeks
it where it does not exist will seek for it in vain."
human
heart,
"
not created, manufactured, or " developed
by man, but it becomes manifest in him by its own power,
Wisdom
is
Intellectual
MEDICINE
169
learning
we should seek
first
the
kingdom of
"
own
physician
benefit,
art,
not
own
benefit,
for
his
If he
such a physician
'
'
less
PARACELSUS
170
lead a holy
life,
to enable
it
him
to
cure
is
made
but as he
diseases in
all
of three worlds,
also
have a
He
many kinds
He
should
of disease,
know
all
the
His knowledge
one.
faith will
and
his
man; and
4.
The personal
virtue
A physician should be
ix
philosopher
i.e.,
acquainted
"The knowledge
Nature
of
departments of science
it is
is
Here comes
intellect
MEDICINE
art to destroy disease,
it
is
of
art.
long,
is
very slow,
science
If a physician is in possession
Art
is
life
make
short
work
time
to apply
is
yet
paratively long.
it
171
it
science.
The
true physician
is
PARACELSUS
172
imagine how
may
it
will
it
you are
If
be useless to try to
Wisdom
is not given by
from the latter; it is
planted in him by his eternal parent, and grows and
increases in him by practice."
It is not true, as has been asserted by certain modern
see,
but speculation
is blind.
man
inherit
writers,
of dead bodies
and
called
it
it
what he
man to walk on
He says
crutches
just as
when he
is
it
is
said
is,
who had
useless for
in perfect health.
"
The anatomy
the position of
man
of
may be known by
aspect of
its
The other
One
twofold.
is
life
is
but
more important,
the
it
know
By
i.
cap. c).
man
is
enabled to recognise
it, nor would man's fancy enable him to underThat philosophy which is based upon wisdom
able to see
stand
it.
is
true philosophy
MEDICINE
true gold
the latter
is
173
if
put
and ashes."
know man must look upon him
"
He who
as a whole
wants
and not
to
If
the external
Philosophy
effects.
i.e.,
and
the true
effect
is
PARACELSUS
174
Try
place.
and she
to enable
will
be your instructor.
storehouse of Nature and the boxes in which her virtues are stored up.
The ways
of
2.
that he should
wherein
man
know
lives,
with
all
its
(ideas)
stars
and con-
stellations.
know
of dryness and
moisture,
of light
cold,
and darkness,
&c.,
upon the organism of man. There is a time for everything, and what may be good at one time may be evil
at another.
There is a time for rain and a time when
the roses are blooming, and it is not sufficient that a
physician should be able to judge about to-day, he should
also
him
will bring.
Time
is
man's
much on
physician
the accom-
it.
He
which
is
to his art as a
man
is
He
should be married
MEDICINE
Man's body
is itself
175
on the
its
condi-
but there
is
a vastly greater
trial
with
all
is
in relation
astronomy.'
"
and
fire
(the mind).
they
will
do
PARACELSUS
176
likewise.
which
visible
is
The Arcanum
visible
of
invisible
that
Man
that which
we
i.e.,
man
is
in-
an essential part of
ciples.
they
Forms
may
be visible or
invisible.
The
powers, and
invisible air
and
much
(micro-organisms)
the air
is
its
;
corporeal
Each
of these cor-
swim about
in the water,
and
Earth, and the white represents the invisible surroundings of the Earth, and the invisible part acts upon the
visible one, but only the philosopher perceives the
way
in
manner
in
MEDICINE
heaven which does not find
in the inner heaven of
corresponding principle
its
man
t77
to be an Alchemist; that
ought to be regenerated in the spirit of
Jesus Christ and know his own divine powers.
" He should be an Alchemist ; that is to say, he
should understand the Chemistry of Life.
Medicine is
not merely a science, but an art; it does not consist
merely in compounding pills and plasters and drugs of
all kinds, but it deals with the processes of life, which
must be understood before they can be guided. All
art, all wisdom, all power, acts from one centre towards the periphery of the circle, and whatever is en3.
is
to say, he
powerful will
can
may
cure
be regarded as medicine.
where
doubt
end
will
in
The character of the physician acts more powerfully upon the patient than all the drugs employed.
A carpenter or a mason will fail to make perfect work
failure.
and firmness
will
be a
is,
failure.
will,
Alchemy
i.e.,
benevolence, charity,
If he
waited upon by persons who are in sympathy with
him, it will be far better for him than if his wife or
is
In a case of sickness,
says
*'
:
Thou
shalt
love
thy
neighbour
as
thyself "
We
should sympathise with the patient, but not with hia disease.
should not confirm him in his morbid fancies, or encourage him
in believing himself sick.
The majority of sick people lack the energy
^
We
PARACELSUS
178
"
He
science.
by
learn
his
He
others.
should
own
know
in
physical
should
know how
know
should
the
premonitory symptoms;
for a
disease
is
like
He
the
a plant,
while
it
when
it first
is
"
(Comm.).
qualification for
his occupation.
"
He who
a physician.
is
To cure
diseases is
privileges
to appear as if he
but if it consists in
Theory should precede practice
mere suppositions and assumptions, and is not confirmed
by practical works, such a theory is worthless and ought
;
In such cases
necessary to cure themselves.
energy instead of a helpless commiseration.
1
to
Paracelsus.
MEDICINE
to
be abandoned.
on
his books
179
his art
"
also
will easily
who
who
physician
is
command
command
preacher
into discredit
untruthful,
who
is
and ignorant
will
lose
The
it is
it
is
of
the con-
be
physician
of
God
who
deserves
be trusted by God,
the Spirit
seen to be
confidence
likewise a physician
wavering,
based on truth
own
he will rightly be
even if they are true
respect
for
the
own
true to his
of
mankind."
" I praise the spagyric physicians (the alchemists), for
airs,
being
velvets
Separat. Her.).
man ever
Man cannot
own power.
;;
PARACELSUS
i8o
ones
say,
for evil is
God
that
is
to say, in the
and Truth
Justice,
serve
should be free
of
ambition,
envy,
vanity,
He
unchastity,
not believe
me when
I say that
it
is
necessary that a
is
all
true
He
who
not
is
be one in the
"
life will
fall."
faith,
a faith which
is
he
not
be divided.
The
by making many
and
to recognise
God
is
He
should give to
MEDICINE
i8i
utmost attention, he should identify himand soul with him, and this cannot be done
He who loves only
without charity and benevolence.
himself and his own profit will be of little benefit to
To recognise
the sick, for he will neglect the patient.
the disease of the latter and to be able to benefit him,
entire harmony should exist between the physician and
his patient his
self heart
who
own
The ARCH.EUS
All organic functions are caused
the
members
Life.
by the
activity
of
or unconsciously,
the form.
its
activity
principle of life
if
life will
It is not a material
and
invisible.
PARACELSUS
i82
impure, healthy or
acts, as
it
it
may
be pure
by other influences.
The animal organism attracts it from its surroundings
and from the nutriments which enter into its form
it assimilates it, and loses it again.
"The Archaeus,
or Liquor Vitae, constitutes the invisible man.
The
invisible man is hidden in the visible one, and is formed
or
in the shape
poisoned,
remains
it
so to say, the
is,
still it is
substance
it
It is
directs the
in a healthy condition
visible
it
is
body draws
its strength,
and the
the physical
of
parts
an emanation
all
influences,
Menfibrorum).
"
The Archaeus
is
or
The
antipathetic
less
power of
forces
be-
resistance
tance.
It
is
the
Pranamaya
of Sankaracharya.
of
MEDICINE
man
the essence of
purify
it
after
183
effects.
It will poison
health."
"
causes, have
popular
an invisible origin,
medicine
devoid of
cannot be
seen externally.
to nothing about
number of
known causes is
the
some mechanical
diseases
obstruction.
But
come from
know no
knowing such
causes, they
is
to
But,
food, constipa-
PARACELSUS
fS4
for
life,
by his
unreasonable
inter-
way
grannm),
"
Medicine
know
sician,
but
man
know
the processes
He
own
may
reason than by
tell
him.
all
Medical science
granum).
" Natural
wisdom
is
his
may be acquired by
God " ^ {Para-
given by
man
God may
act
ledge that
it
The kind
is
stars;
may
of
know-
but
it
is
man who
earth,
tu-day as
MEDICINE
and which
disease,
merely external
185
Magic, and
is
to disappear,
efl'ccts
The Mumia
The Archaeus
is
the essence of
in
which
its
vehicle, is called
Mumia.
"
life,
In the
Mumia
is
great
Mumia
use of the
little
is
after all."
"
There
is
The
invisible
all
visible
body has
body has
its
man
an
invisibly
may
affect
It
manifest
itself
so<mer or later.
This invisible Mumia, that may be transferred from one living being to
another, is nothing elsf? but the vehicle of life, or '' animal magnetism.'
^
;;
PARACELSUS
iS6
life
we
If
The
and by impregnating
it
may
As
will.
the odour of a
vital
it.
and the
ears, the
form
"
if
But
is
life,
all
take
all
the organs
invisible vehicle
it
contains
but they
of the physical
of
lily
so the
air,
certain
definite
qualities,
which,
if
body
they are
properly understood,
this
Mumia
is
The pinks
true.
from the plant upon which they grow, and the chelidonium grows as long as it can draw its nutriment from
the earth
stem, and
but
if
if
drew
live is
and
live
if
again.
The Mumia,
it
or vehicle of
depart;
life, is
invisible,
but nevertheless
it
is
and it
can be brought again by art into contact with dying
forms, and revive them, if the vital organs of the body
That which constitutes life is conare not destroyed.
spiritual substance containing the essence of
life,
MEDICINE
187
Mumia we
'
Sympathetic Cures
"
Man
'
If it is
warm
lost their
merism.
ia
it
PARACELSUS
I^
for a while in
sym-
Mumia
upon each
other.
If,
therefore, the
Mumia
is
extracted
it,
the
Mumia
magnet
in the
will
be extracted by
its
beneficial
of the patient
but
in the
body
it is
is
the
from
specific
influence
elements
diseased
may
affected,, so
that
it will
attract
this
way
be magnetically extracted
out
the
stars.
In
of a person
It
is
Mohammedan
countries, to
On opening
bloody rags, excrements, &c., will be found. Such packages
are laid there by some sick persons or their friends ; they contain the
Mumia of the sick, and it is intended that he who opens the package
should get the disease of the patient, and the latter get well. Occasionsee packages lying in the road tied together with a string.
them,
hair,
him
to cause
to
The mode
of curing diseases
by transplanting the
r(
putations.
They
give
some
cured by
way
of
MEDICINE
189
of
life,
and by
it
all
connected together."
The
plants used
for
the
diseases
or a splinter
may
is
then
be cut
bleed,
boiled in
it.
When
The
new
should be heated in a
pot over a
the egg
is
fire,
and an egg
The egg
is
down
The excrements
pulverised
they are penetrated with sweat from the patient, and the powder is then
mixed with earth and inserted into a flower-pot, and a plant bearing the
signature of the patient's disease is planted into it.
After the plant ha*
grown a while
it is
humid character
in cases of fevers
and
in-
or in lymphatic affectioiM
PARACELSUS
I90
it,
recovers.
by transplantation,
if
is
covered for a
it,
is
The
"
precious stones
but
An
it
would make
this
details.
cures to which the directions given above refer, although they may seem
The term " superstition " signito be absurd and based upon superstition.
a belief in something of which we have no knowledge, but if we understand the rationale of a thing the superstition ends.
2 Have those who ridicule this statement ever employed the hypericum
fies
in cases of ballucinution
MEDICINE
191
The Magnet
Paracelsus
was
better
acquainted than
our modern
says
in various diseases.
it
of mineral,
human, and
astral
power, which
* The knowledge of the therapeutic use of the magnet has not advanced
much since the days of Paracelsus. Baron Reichenbach investigated the
is
still
PARACELSUS
192
no experience, and
it
would be
them
foolish to follow
Whatever
in
know
I have learned by
my own
upon
another."
" Our doctors say that the magnet attracts iron, and
it does not require a great deal of learning to be
verily
may be seen by every ignobut there are qualities in a magnet not known
rant boor
to every ignoramus,
magnet
human
system."
" Martial
its centre.^
symptoms that
are caused
by a
disease, if
branches or leaves
essence which
it
if
but
draws by
we
at the
same
if
roots from
its
the earth to
descend again into the roots and re-enter the earth, the
poisonous tree would die on its own account.
By the
attractive
it
may
origi-
herd
the
If
nerve
of the
we remember
ivuras,
virus
MEDICINE
magnet
is
193
tions, in flaxes
where there
In cases of epilepsy,
is
magnet
is
attracting
(positive)
body, or to cause
it
The
forces
may
be created.
Man may
of the
earth
spouts, storms,
may be
affected
and lightnings.
Macrocosm
man
PARACELSUS
194
of the sun
the quality of
life
Mars
Venus did
men and
the soul-
if
animals
elements
existing
physician
who wishes
the
in
to
A
of Man.
must know the
constitution
be rational
man
astronomist
and
it
will avail
him
little
to learn these
Anatomy
man
Paracelsus regarded
pound
of muscles
representing on a smaller
tissues
much
and bones,
is
all
made
up.
the parts
in a previous chapter.
man by
dissecting
for in doing so
we do not
find
manifested
itself.
form
we
is useless,
The Anatomy
local
of the
Microcosm
physical
body,
its
it
bones,
the
muscles,
is
the external
life,
but
constitution
of
blood-vessels,
the
&c.
MEDICINE
195
man
The
life
we merely
destroy
6).
free
i.
is
destroyed;
its
is
set
entering into a
as long
but to manifest its medicinal
qualities in the constitution of man, its form must be
as
it
destroyed and
its
body
of
man.
Only
is useless.
Mercury,
is
Salt "
and
(the
ethereal
essences
contained
Physiology
"
so
As each
it
has
its
of the
own death
there
is
its
own
life,
a continual process
death
tree or a plant
not dark,"
PARACELSUS
196
die.
We
own
there
is
selves;
we
con-
MEDICINE
of three things
i.e.,
197
As a
rough
cut
one
may
piece of wood from which a woodcutter
different
hundred
so many
or many images or forms
diseases may be produced from the Corpus of man, and
million of figures are (potentially) contained in a
is
it
which
is
"
pure."
and you will then see the picture, but not the wood
but a wet rag may wipe out all that the painter has
made.
Thus we have been cut out by the hand of God,
and He formed us in the three Substances and painted
us
all
Therefore
we should not
by the temptations
but
illusions,
are
neither
red,
nor
of
if
life,
colours
nor
yellow,
but
green,
and
death
the
gets
mastery over
these
two
they do
not
life
disease,
merely
its colours,
The name
and
fever
this heat is
'
refers to
this
if
were
merely a symptom
it is
neither
would
Morbus Nitri or Morhus
Sulphuris iucensi.
Apoplexy is a misnomer because
it is caused by a sublimation of Mercury, and ought to
be more properly called Mercurius Cachinialis Sublimatus}
The same may be said in regard to many other
the
be more appropriate to
*
call
it
it
^ This
might perhaps be translated as " a congestion of blood to the
brain caused by overworking the brain, or overloading it with a bad
nervous aura."
PARACELSUS
198
Names ought
diseases
to indicate
the diseases.
firmament
the
i.e.,
fire
Why
to a physician ?
and success so
'
little,
'
is
which
air,
than a
What
is
or in the
should not be
known
We
we must become
open, and
house of
life,
but
its
able to
the
living inhabitant."
Therapeutics
" If
we wish
restore
to
health,
we should be
able
Man's organism is
composed of many parts if one part is diseased, all the
other parts suffer, and one disease may be the death
of the whole.
Man has in him the whole firmament,
the upper and lower spheres if his organism is sick it
calls for help to heaven and to the earth.
As the soul
must fight against the devil with all her strength, and
;
call
God
and
all
calls to
her powers
its
with which
and
it
Faramirum ;
or,
There
is
powers
to resist the
2).
Beginning of Diseases
"
i.
terrestrial
God
the
everything, which
a true Christian
is
if we were to write in
we should not make any divi-
God, and
spirit,
MEDICINE
sions
standing, which
we
Infinite,
of
199
causes,
is
finite
under-
intellect
for
nation of Divine
Wisdom we
shall
become able
to behold
We
"
into
five
Ens
and Ens
cause
of
As
difierent
of
methods of treating
or
faculties
methods.
Each method
is
diseases,
sects of physicians
all
five classes
of diseases,
This means
or origins, causes from poisons or imfrom morbid conditions in the body, spiritual
causes, and such as come through the action of the moral law {Karma).
' Those who are Jacks of all systems are usually masters of none.
^
astral causes
200
PARACELSUS
when they
will
end
but he takes
I.
wither
and
vaporous
perish.
sphere,
like
the
diseases.
An
evil
astral
exist.
If
no germs
places
of
where causes
for
in
our
disease
exist
atmosphere, the astral influences coming from the outside will cause
no harm.
may
develop diseases.
the bottom the fish will die, and they will likewise die
MEDICINE
tree,
ment
seed which
all
that
is
is
40t
if
It has the
are furnished.
Ens Seminis
in itself;
if
it
planets,
Man
lives
has inherited in
it
its
In
qualities.
;
it is
the
Ens
blood."
of
the
egg, which
constitutes
The outward
nothing,
there
if
organism of
of disease
ii.).
is
it
can act
but
if
the
germ
upon
it.
sj^
sky.
An
"The moon
whose
inju-
magnetic
PARACELSUS
701
junction of the
make her
moon with
certain other
planets will
influence
plague
still
moon
is in the brain.
The moon's
and insane people have been called
'lunatics' because they are often injuriously affected by
the moon, whose influence acts upon the brain and stimulates the sexual passions, and causes injurious dreams and
that of the
heart,
influence
is
cold
hallucinations."
diseases, because
also be
sponding
planetary
influences,
and
if
we know
the
It
body
is
of
not the physical body of the planet that acts upon the physical
astral influence of the planet acting upon the astral
form.
2
the
8
What
same
is
may grow
In acute diseases
suddenly better,
and no cause can be assigned to it. Such changes are usually attributed to
catching cold " where no cold has been caught, to mistakes in the diet
'
'
"
MEDICINE
woman
203
is deficient
in the element
we may
spond to the
astral
them
will attract
as a
magnet
attracts iron.
But we
which
is
In a case of dropsy
it
give any remedy that would help to attract the evil influence of the
moon
is
reasoning
2.
may be
applied in
all
of
and
Impurities.
"
Everything
is imought to be
but if two things
come together, then one may be a poison to the other
(Be Ente Veneni).
"Impurities and injurious elements enter the human
organism in various ways.
They may be taken in the
food or drink, inhaled with the air, or be absorbed by
the skin.
There are visible and invisible poisonous
pure
if
it
is
is
what
it
where no such mistakeg have been made, or they are attributed to " meteorological changes," of whose action upon the human system therapeutic
science
knows
Bee,
*
as
less
among certain
being "unworthy of
fashionable
For
their consideration."
PARACELSUS
204
useful for
man
but
diseases
are
If,
made out
made out
also
within
originating
from the
is
outside,
are
is
If
of
internal
All
will.
due to a
the
all
of
perverted
action
of
will
begins to move
'
'
'
MEDICINE
invisible
air,
grow
corals
205
in the water,
of the soil
is
the earth
is
a great
dissolved, digested,
and
nutriment from
and each living being is a stomach that serves
the earth
as a tomb for other forms, and from which new forms
its
"
{Paramir.,
i.).
spirit of truth.
The lower
need.
but a hog,
nutriment out of substances
that would act as poisons in the organism of man, but
there is no animal known that will eat the excrements
Animals refuse to eat or drink things which
of a hog.
are injurious to them, and they select by their natural
instincts those things which they require ; it is only
extracts the
given to intellectual
man
to
disobey
his
natural
in-
against
body
is
strong
it
and drinking.
man
acts
especially
As long
as his
PARACELSUS
2o6
poisonous elements.
vent such an expulsion of poisonous elements, he attempts a crime against Nature, and may cause the death
If he weakens in such cases the strength
by abstracting blood, he will become his
Rheumatism and gout, dropsy, and many
murderer.
other diseases are often caused by such accumulations
of impure or superfluous elements, and Nature cannot
recover until such elements are expelled and the vital
power of the organs restored. While the organism is
weakened and its vitality on the wane, the germs of
other diseases may become developed by attracting iniurious astral influences, because its power of resistance
is enfeebled, and thus one kind of a disease grows out of
another " {Be, Ente Veneni).
of his patient.
of his patient
3.
JEns
Natwcz
Diseases arising
Man's Nature ;
The world of
i.e.,
from
from
the Condition of
Psychological Gaiises.
power or
often
principle.
is
diseased
state
of the body
mind.
is
The
we wish
to
Modem
science
MEDICINE
307
swporifica, diaphoretica
movements
but
why
she
of the
nerves, &c.
Modern medicine
requires, so to say, a
sledge-hammer
stood
act
its
spirit)
we can induce a
its
normal
PARACELSUS
2o8
"
Many
by the abuse of
and
vitality.
the kidneys
may be
ing
man
We
may
there-
and Nature
be able to restore that which has not been irreis a great physician, and the
MEDICINE
309
all
things stand in
Not only
is
Man
compendium
of
all
invisible
forces,
Corpus in which
it
is
Signatures
" All natural forms bear their signatures,
main true
to their nature,
character.
which indicate
and
unnatural,
is
the only
such
be
men
bom
re-enter
the Limbics of
that of an
shape.
If
Nature and
We
PARACELSUS
210
nature
sees,
and
if this
many of our
to be benefactors of
Phari-
and
pretending
reality care
strutting about
in
scarlet
coats
gratification
of their ambition
and
and
will
lusts,
buffaloes "
develop.
know
will also
knows how
he who knows
colic originates
he
may
he who knows
know
the cause
but
will
effects
is
The
murderer.
Let the honest man ask his own conscience
whether God meant that we should acquire wisdom by
murder
"
As
"
(Faragran.,
i.).
window
is
absorbed hj the
it,
so
Let the
MEDICINE
To obtain a
action.
211
the Microcosm,
constructed;
light,
is
nourished by the
thirsts for
many
thousands of
'
Upon
as a whole.
man
ills
that affect
humanity
the winter
It
is
who imagine
treat
the effects of
door.
winter
is
the
humanity.
and that
Consider
his visible
visible powers.
and
As
how
form
it is
great and
is
how
noble
man
is,
outside of man, so
is
it inside,
It
is
the
PARACELSUS
212
*'
Good
down from
influences
the
corresponding elements
man
in
the sky
exists
Venus,
in the body of
also
(the
into action.
the sun,
or
man
Adam
is
not
is
is
all
be con-
but
time of conception a differentiation takes place,
and each child receives his own individual nature, which,
however, still remains an integral part of the universal
stituted alike,
at the
nature of mankind.
circle,
yet they
all
many
points in a
own, and
and as each little
circle of its
circle,
MEDICINE
213
circle
heaven in
but because he
and
is
diseases to grow.
Man
is
himself a cosmos.
physi-
cian
and upon the earth, what lives in the four elements and
how they act upon man ; in short, he should know what
man is, his origin and his constitution he should know
the whole man, and not merely his external body.
If
man were in possession of a perfect knowledge of self he
would not need to be sick at all."
" Diseases serve to teach man that he is made out of
the universal lAmbus, and that he is like the animals
and by no means better than they.
He should study
himself and the rest of creation, so that he may attain
self-knowledge and this self-knowledge should be above
all obtained by the physician.
Man is the highest of all
animals, and the whole of the animal creation is contained
in him, and, moreover, he has the power to attain selfknowledge, a faculty which the animals do not possess."
" Every star (faculty) in the nature of man is of a
double nature, and he who knows the stars also knows
the nature of the disease but the Arcana of Nature are
single.^
If the two opposites in the constitution of man
(heat and cold, love and hatred, &c.) are at war with
;
That which
Ih
divine in
man
is
and an ethereal
one.
all
PARACELSUS
214
physician
common
should, therefore,
He who
does not
know Maria
he who does not know God does not love Him his
belly (his greed) is his god.
He who does not under-
her
we
God
faith.
and capacity
for it
if
love her,
will
No
and obtain
is born to be one.
The art to invent is a species
Magic,
of
which cannot be taught, but which must be
from the
acquired.
All Wisdom comes from the East
he
therefore,
you who
liver,
the
MEDICINE
215
it is
much
If a
bile,
man
gets
but because
Mars/ the combative element in his body (the inpower that guides the production of bile), is in a
visible
state of exaltation.
Venus
of
If a
man
is
amorous,
it is
not because
his
'
exaltation.
in
is
in a state
when
and which
we
By
vitality in diseased
parts.
We
give below a
list
cally related,
and
time of birth.
also
PARACELSUS
2i6
Rosmarinus
it is fresh.^
officinalis,
Lavandula
officinalis,
Salvia
offici-
(Acute inflam-
Jupiter.
Chrysosplenium alternifolium, Scrophula nodosa, Teucrium Chamaedrys. (Hypochondria, piles, melancholia, &c.y
Saturn.
we would
them
is
re-
By the judicious
use of plants beneficial astral activities may be attracted
and evil influences neutralised but to know what plants
are required in each case it is necessary to know not
only the anatomy of the human body and the functions
presented on the earth by some plant.
of
1
its
organs, but
also
things,
and
MEDICINE
217
The impossi-
to
bility
all
these
things intellectually
most
spiritual perception is a
work
to enter into
adopted by Paracelsus.
It
may
suffice to
Modern
truths.
science
universe as
forms.
the universe
of
principle of
forms.
as
Modern
the sources of
the manifestation
life
universal
forms as
of
life,
or
life.
crystallised
Forms
are,
space
but
and there is no
that which dies returns
life,
life.
planet^
its
plants and
it
The
of a power.
PARACELSUS
2i8
A medicine that
do good at one time will be useless at another, and a
system of medicine without understanding and without
true knowledge of natural laws will remain a system
of mere suppositions and superstitions, of passive observation and inactivity, and if it attempts to interfere with
worse without any visible cause.
or
will
harm.
Paracelsus says:
that
is
"Our
it
will
do
physicians pay
no attention to the position of the planets/ and therefore they kill more patients than they cure, because a
medicine that may do good at one time may be injurious
at another, according to the prevailing influence.
That
which is active in medicines is their astral elements acting
upon the astral man, and they are produced by astral
influences, and it makes the greatest difference whether
"
a medicine is pervaded by one influence or by another
{Be Cadiicis).
It should always be remembered that astral influences
do not act directly upon the physical bodies of men and
animals, but upon their vital essence, in which all elements are contained.
Love for a certain person may
be created by a word or a touch, by a breath or a kiss,
but only if the person who is touched or breathed upon
has in his soul the elements that are capable to manifest
that particular kind of love.
The
man
Mumia)
(the
life
and
The
and
circulate
MEDICINE
'
whole system
so
is to be found in
the
in
liver
its
the
members
of the
the
while the
Mind
All
liver.
"
in
fluid,
is
real
vital
the
call
the
body, and
the centre
brain,
of the
parts
has
brain,
all
instance,
for
that,
'
219
is
love nor
A man
or
in his
but
fist,
all
over
a person
who
does
loves
not only love with his eye, but with his whole being
in short,
all
and
itself,
universally
The body
builds
it is
of a
time Jupiter, at
at another Orion.
heaven
man
is
his house
the architect
who
filled
Man
with stars
is
a sun
the world
This doctrine
Amputations
by a state of atrophy of certain parts of brainsubstance, which seems to indicate that the force which shapes the
limbs has its centre in the brain. If certain parts of the brain were
destroyed, the limbs would begin to atrophy.
If we apply this mode of
reasoning to the Macrocosm, we find that all the essences and ethers that
go to make up the organs of the Macrocosm are also contained in its
centre, the snn ; and if a certain element were taken away from the sun,
^
is
If a
suddenly taken
away from the universal storehouse of the Macrocosm (the Limhus),
human beings would be born without legs if no principle of reason
sxisted, there would be no use for brains, &c.
men were
PARACELSUS
2io
life
of the stars.
man consists
exists visibly in man exists
vading the world.
Where
the world, and
the
workman
that
cuts
lilies
Caducii).
The power of sight does not come from the eye, the
power to hear does not come from the ear, nor the
power to feel from the nerves; it is the spirit of man
that sees through the eye, and hears with the ear, and
feels by means of the nerves.
Wisdom and reason and
thought are not contained in the brain, but they belong
to the invisible spirit which feels through the heart and
thinks by means of the brain.
All these powers are
contained in the invisible universe, and become manifest
through material organs, and the material organs are
their representatives, and determine their mode of manifestation according to their material construction, because
if
the organism
is
original
power defective
The animal
" (Be,
intellect differs
Memhrorum).
from the human intellect
Viribtos
human
but the
intellect
fested therein.
it
may
be.
MEDICINE
4. Diseases originating
from
221
Spiritiuil Catcses}
all evils
evil
resulting
will,
Shame produces
and
known
things are
matters
but
it
to
less
is
Such
all
kill his
body.
to
their imagination,
effects
however
is
evil it
is
it
may
fortunate that
much
upon a person
it
still
whom
may
gifts or to exhibit
imagination,
That which
To think
is
intense enough,
is
is
and
if
i.).
the thought
It
is
ia
very
PARACELSUS
222
body
sidereal
ever
"
it
when the
because
may
The
body
physical
go wherever
free to
is
is
it
is
asleep,
the
pleases or wher-
be attracted.
that
life
is
anima
It is
an invisible
fire
(sulphur),
the imagination.
"
and no diseases
evil
but a
imagina-
evil
will spring
who has
person
have no
thirst,
desires will
have an
evil
mind can be
sphere of another.
but they are formed out of the substance that forms the
will,
may be
and enter
is
the cause of
If
all.
not so
much
them
efficacious;
doubt
Faith will
make
MEDICINE
The Ens
The power
the WUl.
Spirittcale is
323
known very
is
little,
of the
because
it
is
and the
invisible,
diseases
naturale
and
spirit
body
suffers
but the
fore
act
is
but
vitiated
The Ens
body.
the
to
may be
principle
spiritual
astrale,
but the
if
if
Ens
the body
the
spirit
spiriticale
suffers,
the
suffers
the
spirit is
its
and
veneni,
spirit,
independent of
it.
stantial,
visible,
spiritual
entities,
and
spiritual
beings
stand to each
have a
being
and you have one, and
spirit
understand
each
other,
our
another
it
may
injure
him, and
understand
spirits
If one spirit
the
Spirits
is
injury
each
angry at
received
harmonise and
another.
Spirits are
from the
soul,
for
the soul
is
the
substance of
life.
PARACELSUS
224
spirit,
but
it
determines the
" There is
no
spiritual
is
perfected
and
this
spiritual
He who
will.
lives
the
and a
spiritual world,
^.e.,
in
live
own
their
spiritual
world as
live
their
spirituale.
beings
spiritual
we
Ens
his
spirit
in ours.
Men may
but
if
spirit,
man may
act
and involuntarily
to
him
but
if
man's
will
is
in
is
if
is
is
force
Here
is
will
overcome his
(Bepercicssio).
the whole philosophy of what is now called " hypnotic sugMen's thoughts constantly act upon each other, be
gestion" outlined.
MEDICINE
"
Waxen
225
may be used
will.
to assist
Thus a
whom
represents
it
weight
removed.
is
miserable
very
feels
Likewise,
if
until
that
he breaks a limb of
inflicts
whom
cuts, stabs, or
done through
necromancer
can by his will act directly upon the body of a person,
but he can act upon his astral spirit, and the spirit of
the injured person reproduces the injury upon his own
body.
Thus a necromancer plants a tree, and he who
the
acting
spirit
upon the
It is
that
is
all
No
spirit.
to
spirit,
Here again
vivisectionist
of thi
easily,
and he
PARACELSUS
226
the
of
spirit
envious, jealous,
of
will
evil
injure
if
those
who
is
asleep;
for
dreams which
dreams
spirit
fancy."
"One
render
poison will
another
poison harmless,
effect
another.
my
evil
so little
and
You
faith,
who
are your-
feeble,
evil
thoughts are
your enemies.
self
all
easily
a magnet which attracts those influences which corwill, and this celestial magnet is of such
respond to your
power that
for
of miles,
attracts that
it
MEDICINE
Diseases originating
5.
All
causes.
diseases
Some
spiritual causes.
from
the
are
the
22?
effects
created
may
man
He
acts
through the
through the instrumentality of the physician, and therefore the physician should be in
so
as
possession of faith
(in
to be a perfect instrument
"ThewUlof God."
PARACELSUS
228
"
He who
man.
God
is
the
first
human
the personal self of any man, but ask it from God acting
through man, and He will cause you to find the physician,
if it is well for you that you should receive aid ; or He
may aid you through the power within yourself, provided
One
the sinner.
life,
for
the other
is a servant of God."
There are two ways of practising the medical art
the first is to employ art ; the second is to employ lancy.
The former means the employment of observation, reason,
knowledge, experience, and wisdom ; the latter is the pro-
"
No
it is
know
the hour of
not given to
man
to
physician.
of a physician,
sent by
God
it is
but
if
no recovery takes
place,
God
did not
send the physician. Nothing in the world happens without a cause. The ignorant physicians are the servants of
hell,
physician
is
manner, and
God.
if
He
God
produces wonders.
He
produces them
MEDICINE
229
sesses a
God
blessing from
greedy doctor
But
may
him
look upon
as a
is
all.
all
hour,
when the
battle of life is
different
of physicians
"
I.
five classes
Naturales
i.e.,
those
who
&c.,
by warmth,
according to the
To
this
class
principle,
belonged
2.
which
certain
Specijici.
it is
Such
known
as
morbid conditions.
Empirics
"
employ
specific
remedies, of
To
this
class
belong
the
(Homoeopaihy).
^ The word eternal does not signify a time without end, but a state in
which time is not measured, and in which it therefore does not exist.
2 A misunderstanding of the doctrine of Karma may give rise to an
erroneous belief, which may be productive of serious harm. There are
great numbers of religious fanatics in the East, and some in the West,
who would not make an attempt to pull a person out of a burning house,
even if they could easily do so, because they believe that if it is "the
will of God," or his Karma, that he should perish in the fire, it would be
wrong to interfere with that law, and to frustrate the purpose of God.
They should remember that if it was the will of God which caused such
a person to fall into danger, it must also have been the will of God which
sent them near, and enabled them to save and if they neglect to do
their duty and suffer him to perish, they are arrogating to themselves the
prerogatives of gods. They then act against the law, and will become
responsible for their act.
God acts through man, and a man who does
not respond to His call, and refuses to obey the Divine command, spoken
within his heart, is a useless instrument, and will be rejected.
;
PARACELSUS
230
" 3.
Characterales.
the power
power
"
" 4.
to
The
their
will-
have
The
he
is
" 5. Fideles
i.e., those who cure by the power of Faith,
such as Christ and the apostles " (Magic).
" Among these five classes, the first one is usually the
most orthodox and narrow-minded, and rejects the other
diseases
five
If,
five
five
it
is
it is
caused by a certain
;
but there
may be
which
disease
determine
will
may
its
manifest
character.
itself in
Moreover,
each
department of Surgery.
is
localised
to a certain locality
"
circumscribed or confined
i.e.,
belongs to Surgery.^
should
know
the five
methods of treatment
is
in
itself
from
its
modem
is
acceptation.
MEDICWE
"
No knowledge
is
231
perfect unless
i.e.,
it
includes an under-
to
know
known,
it is
if
all
neces-
we wish
his diseases."
Man
made out
of nothing
from God, who
is not a thing, but the eternal reality
but he is made
into three somethings or
substances,' and these three
constitute the whole of Man
they are himself, and he
is they, and from them he receives all that is good or
evil for him.
Every state in which man can possibly
enter is determined by number., measure., and weight*'
The "Three Substances" are the three forms or modes
of action in which the universal primordial Will is
manifesting itself throughout Nature, for all things are
that
is
tells
us that
is
is
The
a Trinity in a Unity.
solidifying
^^
quality,
or,
in
and
the
the centri-
quality
first
i.e.j
itself
as
is
and sensation.
Each of
an individual power ^ nevertheless
or consciousness
is
"
So are
Each
of
them
is
known
an individual, and
"
PARACELSUS
i32
He must
health.
learn to
know
these sub-
in his
to see
and
He
thd
Not
in the books,
wisdom
and art, theory and practice but those who cannot find
wisdom in that light, and seek for it in their own fancy,
but in the light of Nature
is
to be found true
There
him
is
nothing in
to be a physician.
This faculty
store
up useful
is
like
things.
carpenter.
The glass-maker
it
in the
Sankaracharya says: "The first necessary requisite for the attainof real knowledge is the possession of the power to distinguish the
enduring (spirit) from the non-enduring (matter)."
That which hinders
1
ment
man
is
self.
MEDICINE
233
applied.
own
is
taught
by the fire, and the true physician receives from the fire
i.e., his experience.
of Nature his wisdom and his art
This
is
"The
fol-
Understanding is twofold.
One
understanding comes from experience, the other from
aptitude; the former, again, is twofold, and is based
either upon the understanding of the law or merely
The former is the one
upon haphazard experiment.
upon which true medicine rests, and implies the knowledge of the three substances ; the other is merely supposition and error, for a haphazard experiment may succeed
once and fail at another time."
low their own fancies.
"
We
of hearsay, but
tries to
tation.
1893.)
London.
PARACELSUS
134
"As
be
should
amount of
If these
one/
a natural
will,
disease
his
conditions
who
physician.
but
He
said,
physician
'
Thy
who
made
faith
'
I cured thee,*
thee whole.'
it
is
It is not the
God who
heals
but
all
properly or
own
its
They
and
who
deal with
if
know
lies,
all
it is
will of
God
they themselves
it."
own
who
sake,
Not due
are charitable to
all,
they belong to
to unexhausted
Karma.
who
will of
my
love
God,
school,
MEDICINE
my
and are
They
disciples.
of wisdom, and
God
*^5
will
Arcana (Mysteries)
Why
celsus
is
almost
titioner?
diseased
incomprehensible
It is
to
the modern
prac-
knows
of
For this
misunderstood, and
his
secret remedies
it is
them.
is
monkey
* An Arcanum is incorporeal and indestructible of eternal life, superhuman and beyond Nature. In us is the Arcanum Dei and the Arcanum
Natura; the Arcanum is the virtue of a thing in its highest potency the
Arcanum Hominis is that p'^wer of man which is eternal in him " (Archi'
doxes, De Arcanxt).
;
PARACELSUS
236
man neither can he who has not himbeen reborn in the spirit produce or endow things
with spiritual power. Man must himself be that which
he desires to produce.
We do not blame those who, not being spiritual, are
unable to grasp spiritual truths
we only reject the conceit of those who, not being capable to see the true light,
cannot produce a
self
dogmatically deny
Even
its
existence.
few only
" The
May
me "
vi.).
first
second, the
These
and the fourth, the Tinctura.
of an angelic than of a human
Philosophorum
remedies are
rather
God
iv.).
will,
can cure
all
diseases
send his soul within the soul of another person, his own
A "hypnotiser"
will must become godlike and free.
which is mortal in
and therefore those
who wish to graduate in the school of Paracelsus and
follow his example will have to outgrow their selfconceit and become regenerated in the spirit of divine
wisdom, which is the realisation of truth.
"We are not intent upon showing our feelings and
thoughts, mind and heart, to idiots and fools, and we
to that
divine,
MEDICINE
237
whose door
you have the
proper understanding, you will comprehend it and act
accordingly but if you are deficient in your knowledge
or in its practical application, you will also be without
all the planets, stars, and signs" {flodum Philos.),
protect ourselves, therefore,
by a good
wall, to
If
Note.
described as follows
vivus.
its
Lapis Philosophorum.
Word"
(Akasha).
self-knowledge.
Tinctura.
The
divine wisdom.
power
of
divine love,
it
VIII.
are sciences
little
who
known
to persons
Chemistry
alchemy deals with their
deals with
physical matter
principles.
alchemy and
astrology
will
easily
be understood
by
The
man
in the spirit of
physical body.
God out
to
and corporeal
make up
the regeneration of
of mysteries, because in
solidified,
is
it
itself is
the greatest
which go
239
The sign
in
is invisible.
The lowest aspect of alchemy is the preparation, purification, and combination of physical substances, and
from this science has grown the science of modern
chemistry, which in
its
present state
is
a great advance-
which
bring
it
them up
required.
is
" Hermes
spirit
"
is
the
medium by means
I).
of
which
PARACELSUS
240
is
a chemist
the weaver
who makes
the tailor
a coat,
The chemist
her;
artist surpasses
may
The
artist
makes
is
it
necessary to
and the identity of the Microcosm and Macrocosm, and their mutual interaction.
All the powers of
the universe are potentially contained in man, and man's
physical body and all his organs are nothing else but
products and representatives of the powers of Nature.
The Microcosm and Macrocosm may not only " be compared together," but they are really and actually essentially one in their power, and one in the constitution of
relationship
their elements.-^
" If I have
manna
manna
Saturn
'
Artemisia
but
Mars
'
'
'
constitution,
Melissa
'
is
not
and in heaven.
not only in the sky, but also deep in the
is
and
earth
my
in
'
from heaven.
only in the garden, but also in the
I can attract
in
'
'
the
ocean.
What
air
is
'
Venus
That
is
to say,
'
What
but the
is
iron
are
What
is
of the
same
cause.
He who
powers that formed the stars in the sky ?
knows what iron is, knows the attributes of Mars. He
who knows Mars, knows
in
him
What
ALCHEMY AND ASTROLOGY
241
'
(^Paragran.
i.).
"
Seven Planets
" are
them
contained in everything.
Paracelsus speaks
of
"
which
also
is
elements
power
is
called
(lower
The four
no way interfere
The heavenly and the hellish
the
quinta
principles)
essentia.
can
essentia.
in
powers,
vol. vi.
378).
This goes to show that to the spiritual kingdom be-
with them.
in
common
therefore, not
to
be con-
Spirituality
is,
is
state of consciousness,
$ Mercury.
Wisdom
de-
PARACELSUS
242
and comparing
all
One
things.
ideas.
of
them
within
and at the
external, visible, and
their concealer,
is
same time
their
movable.
body and
vehicle,
but the
spirit thereof
has
no name."
God
is
2.
life,
and the
the root of
will of divine
"
all
is
wisdom."
Jupiter.
1/
'power.
He
the universal
ledge,
The whole of
manifestation of the wisdom
all
may become
3
to its
a hidden
is
man.
place of Mars."
((
we should
seek to
subservient to matter
).
This
is
become
done by combining
The
is
because
self.
that
human
purities,
love
is
at present
fire
impurities will
243
in possession of
unadulterated wisdom.
5
h Saturn.
The
me and
"
My
expelled
me from
to live in
relegated
a corruptible form.
Saturn says
Life-principle.
My
know all
which
earth, so
it
would
seventh
PARACELSUS
244
show
which
deals only with external phenomena, and with comparing
opinions referring to them, is quite insufficient for our
initiation into the mysteries of alchemy, and that this
study requires a mind capable to look upon the world
that the
sufficient to
scientifically,
nomena, but
What
it is
the soul ?
Chemistry
is
all
things.
know about
things of
physical
cation
Alchemy
and combination of
deals with
astral
the purifi-
elements, and
with
higher ones.
By
substances from
all
chemistry
we may
be changed.
purify
physical
By alchemy we
own element
raise a
them
will not
principle into
The processes
in
air,
The growth
of
animal or a
because
human
life itself
of
life.^
theologians,
245
mind has a
is
Jupiter in
its
its
throw some
light
art of divine
[Notice.
who might be
inclined to
PARACELSUS
246
Mars represents
spiritual power,
but also in
its
lower
Saturn
aspect
it
is
the
in the
life
universe,
love,
identical
desire.
and in another
represents matter.
its
glorified soul;
it
is
is
wonder known
magnum.
It is the greatest
practical philosophy
to
it
who
is
a divine
the Mysterium
This power
is
As
the fowl
alchemy.
stomach, transforms
it
is
is
her
lord.
If
he cannot
effect
cure,
but he
who
described
is
By
fire
by Paracelsus as an
are
(A*kasa).
left
all
contained in them.
is
substances,
and
weight,
in
Mercury
and
all
things
have
measure.
their
substances
three
art
things
247
constituting
Health
a
when
exists
thing
of three
number, their
their
preserve
the
their
normal proportion of quantity and quality disease results if this proportion becomes abnormal.
These three
substances are called Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt}
These
;
three substances are not seen with the physical eye, but
a true physician should see them nevertheless, and be
That which is
able to separate them from each other.
perceptible to the senses may be seen by everybody
who
is
The former
see things
which the
There are
made
latter
physi-
cannot
because
terior.
is
is
true physician sees the real man, and the quack sees only
an
illusion."
"The
three
substances
are
held
together in forms
by these names.
PARACELSUS
24^
held together by
are
life,
but he
may
perceive their
The
element
in
there
is
salt,
neither
fire,
"The
sophist says that nothing living can come out of dead sub
but no substance is dead, and they know nothing about the
alchemical labour.
The death of a man is surely nothing but the
^
stances,
is
the taking
away
of its corporeal
composed, and
form " {J)e Morte
is
Rervm).
"The
which everything was created ; for the unmanifested Absolute in manifesting itself reveals itself as a trinity of
cause, action, and effect ; father, son, and the holy ghost ; body, soul,
versal will-substance out of
and
spirit,
" It
is
therefore, above all, necessary that we should realise the
nature of the three Substances as they exist in the Macrocosm and
we
Microcosm
of
attributes in the
fiery
to the eye
that which
which
is
is
the SvZphur,
man.
it
is
of
may
condition of
"
^49
interior
the future.
moisture, of sweetness
them the
foolish as to
{Paragranum)
" Let no one be so
common
property.
Philosophorum)
to Paracelsus, rejuve-
is
something
is
many kinds
of Sulphur, of
to Sulphur should be
made
made
it
and ascend
to sublimate
it
what
would be neces-
explain
it
PARACELSUS
2S0
from what
entirely different
be by his
all
Tincturas
enemy
and
of endless prescriptions,
all
ness, connected
He
"The Materia
vii.).
is
Paracelsus was an
of
compound of chemical
but an Arcanum, "an invisible fire, which
substances,
destroys
it
It is not a
critics.
says
"
alchemical
bottles,
What
shall
prescriptions
crucibles,
about
and
mortars,
all
your
glasses
time.
his
your
all
and
retorts
of
your
all
of
at the hospital at
he says
Weiden
" I
(Friaul),
which
is
a jewel of
The
" tinctura
physicorum "
is
Hermes
known
to few.
Its preparation
is
extremely
difficult,
It
is
as there
skilful,
is
the
necessary
muting all inferior metals into gold, and having other wonderful virtues.
There is an old church in the vicinity of Kenysten, a town in the south
of Bavaria, where this tincture is said to be still buried in the ground.
In the year 1698 some of it penetrated through the soil, and the phenomenon was witnessed by many people, who believed it to be a miracle.
A church was therefore erected at that place, and it is still a well-known
place of pilgrimage.
In regard to the material (if it may be so called)
"Be
used for the preparation of this great medicine, Paracelsus says
careful not to take anything from the lion but the rose-coloured blood,
and from the white eagle only the white gluten. Coagulate (corporify)
it according to the directions given by the ancients, and you will have the
tinctura physicorum. But if this is incomprehensible to you, remember
that only he who desires with his whole heart will find, and to him only
who knocks strong enough the door shall be opened."
:
ALCHEMY AND ASTROLOGY
Carolus could buy
who
with
it
251
and those
their wealth,
all
out of the
five
how to make (D or
imperfect metals, requires no other
materials,
are
Sol (wisdom)."
is
Charms
The power
of
certain
them with
Pure metals
occult qualities.
may
produce magic
will
effects
Para-
prepared.
are
celsus says:
"The compositions
wonderful
effects.
If
metals
of the astra of
we make
produce
a composition of seven
Such a composition
seven.
the
possesses
into
its
virtues
the
of
composition, and
most valuable
is
called
electrum.'
It
the electrum
preparations
we
all
known
to
is
one of the
secret
science.
it
"
Many
on
its
it,
because
outside."
seals,
figures, mirrors,
bells,
medals, and
many
PARACELSUS
aSi
very
little is
neglected,
that
great
it exists."
**
It would not be proper to explain all the virtues and
powers of the electrum, because the sophist would begin
truth.
We
affections,
of epilepsy
"The electrum
because there
is
the influence of
is
antipathetic to
hidden in
all
it
all
evil influences,
Therefore the
me
for
being
bell
known a person in
made out of the electrum,
bell
immediately the
spirits
He was
men
or animals.
253
or to drive
myself."
" You need not be surprised to hear that such things
are possible, because everything
is possible, if it is
con-
man by
and
if
his
is
awed by
his
to do so with a
the will of
man
weapon or stick.
On invisible beings
has still more effect, and an inferior
lower
is
superior,
for those
man by
in the spirit."
element in
man
may
spirit,
such an astral
also be
by Nature."*
*
'
if
we
see the
animals
image
is
well known.
image
of
some
of a thing in our
mind, and realise its presence, it actually exists for us, and thus a spirit
may be brought into a form by the power of imagination.
This remark throws some light on alchemical processes, and goes to
show that it is not the "magnetism" of the planets alone, but ako the
soul -essence of the operator, that ia to be bound, and the two connected
together in the metal by the process described below.
PARACELSUS
254
will
have the
fire,
the
for the
conjunction.
As soon
let it cool.
After this has
been done, wait for a conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn
and Mercury, melt the compound of lead and mercury
in a crucible,
moment
and pour
tin,
of such con-
pound
after
melting
conjunction of the
it
At
previously.
moon with
a time of a
conjunction
of
is
added.
is
completed by the
it cool."
"
Of
this electrum
mass with
a mirror
in which you will see the events of the past and the pre-
all
You
will see in it
it
255
who
said
and the causes that made him say what he did, and
^
anything, however secret it may have been kept."
" Such mirrors are made of the electrum magicum; they
They are
are made of the diameter of about two inches.
it,
to
may
At a time of a conjunction
when at the same time the sun
be prepared.
planets,
stands on the
birth,'
'
of two good
or the
moon
They
in a
Palingenesis
Nothing in Nature
deal with
is
inanimate things.
The
does
not
and
by the action of psychical powers they created forms in
which life became manifest.
They could generate living
beings in closed bottles, or by the Palingenesis * of plants
or animals, cause the astral form of a plant or an animal
believers in the possibility of spontaneous generation,
* That is to say, you may come en rapport with the astral light, which
the sensorium of the world, and in which the ** memory" or impression
of everything is preserved.
is
' It would be useless to give detailed descriptions of processes that cannot be followed out by any one who does not possess the necessary magic
(magnetic) power, and those who possess the power will hardly require
PARACELSUS
256
to
become
One
visible again,
its ashes.
beings like
men
or
Homunculi.
them
as follows
HOMUNCULI
"Human
natural
beings
parents.
may come
That
is
to
existence without
into
say,
grow
such beings
by the
art of
De Natura
Beruni^ vol.
i.
so little
manure
it
is
buried in horse
and properly
'
magnetised,'
human
it
being, but
bears
it will
temperature,
its
We
will
*
be known."
Without
form become
^
this
visible.
^eneratin^ homunculi
"
2<,7
prescriptions
are
unintelligible
while the
rities believe it
is
to be not impossible.
"
And
Where no germ
is
may
be developed.
artificially
manure began
'
'
PARACELSUS
258
will
would do well
vastly greater
reformers in
but
clear water
'
Abbd knocked
Paracelsus,
others,
259
Helmont, and
tainly be
if
would cermeaning,
literal
than to believe
spiritual truths
as
actually the
is
case
that great
were intended to be understood only by those who possessed the key in their own hearts.
Although Paracelsus
make
it,-^
he condemns such
still
containing the queen, attempting to scratch with his nails the seal away,
and to liberate her. In answer to the servant's call for help, the Count
rushed in, and after a prolonged chase caught the king, who, from his
long exposure to the air and the want of his appropriate element, had
become faint, and was replaced into his bottle not, however, without
succeeding to scratch the nose of the Count."
It seems that the Count of Kufstein in later years became anxious for
the salvation of his soul, and considered it incompatible with the requirements of his conscience to keep those spirits longer in his possession,
them
We
will not
rid of
in
make an attempt
homunculi.
1 The following is a prescription how to make artificial gold, taken from
an old alchemistical MS., and a marginal note says that an experiment
Take equal parts of powdered iron, subtried with it proved successful
limated sulphur, and crude antimony. Melt it in a crucible, and keep it
Powder it, and calcinate it until the sulphur
in red heat for eight hours.
Mix two parts of this powder with one part of calcinated
is evaporated.
borax, and melt it again. Powder and dissolve it in common muriatic
The fluid is
acid, and let it stand in a moderate heat for one month.
then to be put into a retort and distilled, and the fluid that collects in
the recipient (the muriatic acid) is returned into the retort and again distilled, and this is repeated three times
the third time a red powder will
be left in the retort (probably a mixture of muriate of iron with antimonium oxide). This powder is to be dissolved in the menstruum philosophicum (made by pouring chloride of antimony into water, filtering, and
:
make
it
stronger).
The
solu>
PARACELSUS
36o
it seems
be more than probable that, even in such chemical
experiments as may have succeeded, something more
than merely chemical manipulations was required to make
to
them successfal.^
" The heavenly
or
acts
fire
stifi",
frozen
as
fire
with us a cold,
is
not such a
is
fire
fire,
is
in
but the
and
this
it
Astrology
is
is
to be evaporated again,
own weight
Flamel
is
said to have
made
artificial
gold
into gold, by exposing for a long time solutions of chemically pure silver
or copper to the sunshine in tropical countries, and he presented a con-
The
siderable quantity of such gold to the Academy of Science in Paris.
gold thus obtained differed in some respects from the natural gold
One of the best modern treatises on Alchemy
(Tiffereau, " L'Or," Paris).
is August Strindberg's "Sylva Sylvarum " (Paris,
which goes to show that all chemical substances are only modes
of vibration of one primordial substance, and can be changed one into
another by changing the state of etheric vibration.
If
we
know what
to
they
will
make
desire to
qualities
261
is
it
necessary
influences possess
these
how
act,
at
knows
own
his
known
constitution, because
he
to a
will
man who
then be able
to recognise in himself
for that
purpose
own mind.
what
He
fessional astrologer.
make
horoscopes,
is
by the
states existing
called to-day
profes-
but
system of astrology,
if
He
says
Saturn
"
it
anybody.
Nero was
No
neither shortens
If
Mars
his child
is
;
life
of
both have had the same qualities, they did not take them
may
It is
stars force
a wise
in the sense in
man
not
The
PARACELSUS
262
take
They
You
selves.
man
we
is
desire.^
more
successful in
power
of
sition
by the
man
stars
spirit.^
make
man.
He
objected
were made
spirits by means
Whatever comes
from the astral spirits is sorcery.
Such spirits are
false, and we do not believe in them
but we believe in
the power of that wisdom which rules heaven, and by
which all the mysteries of Nature may be known.
Sorcery has been called magic but magic is wisdom, and
True science knows
there is no wisdom in sorcery.
The eternity of all things is without time,
everything.
without beginning, and without an end.
It is substantially present everywhere, and acts where it is not
That which seems to be incredible, improexpected.
bable, and impossible will become wonderfully true in
for the
purpose of attracting
He
of planetary influences.
'
says
"
'
eternity."
"Man's mind
the stars
is
made up
of the
same elements as
motions of the
stars, so
the reason of
and
man
The
;;
stars, is of a substantial
nature
still,
we
263
consider
it
we
attract something
all
other objects.
from the
astral influences
stars.
they
"
Three
spirits,
but
all
him
primordial creation.
ments
man
The
first is
tht
life.
The lower
instincts of
the
man
PARACELSUS
264
one
and the
lifCj
contained in
all
life
life
elements
in
essence
forms;
modified
is
it
in vegetable,
becomes the
the earth
is
life
only
is
The
is
man
animal, and
human
life
of
Stars attract
"
tion of the
stars,
learn
to
know
the
lower
elements,
understand
the
Mind).
Men
the ideas
men have
many
away
to
yet exhausted."
" New stars appear and others disappear on the sky.
^ By " stare " {astro) Paracelsus does not refer to the physical bodies of
the planets, but to mental states existing in the Cosmos, and which are
265
are lost.
camp
the sky,
a
if
it
it fills
the
and accepted
forms."
**
Physical
the sidereal
and
over
all."
"
Hail
tary
may
influences
man
be
devoid
diseases,
of
man
spiritual
individual terrestrial
governing
should
wisdom
be
of
the
directed
God.
sciousness will
life
universe
to
If
awaken
this
is
con-
IX.
Modern
tion,
philosophy
is
is
believed
the
There
Nature
will
know
everything in Nature
if
he knows only
knowledge of his
own spirit can only speculate about things which he
does not see a practical theosophist, knowing his own
spiritual state, does not need to speculate, because he sees
the spirit of things and knows what he sees. Philosophy
theois the love of wisdom and the speculation thereon
sophy is nothing more nor less than the clear underhimself.
philosopher having no
standing
"
itself.
As the
is a true and a false philosophy.
new-made wine swims upon the top and hides
There
froth in
is
a froth of sophistry
at
the top
of
true
come
it
is
it
267
the out-
is
him
before
is
who
truth,
who sees it
who hears
not
reality,
philosopher
sees
the
He who
knows the sun and the moon has a sun and a moon in
him, and he can tell how they look, even if his eyes
are shut.
Thus the true physician sees in himself the
whole constitution of the Microcosm of man, with
parts.
He
were a clear
all its
if
the
crystal, in
PARACELSUS
36S
of speculations, misconceptions,
But he who
number
own
it
is
is
number
of scientific
of books
and
to learn
theories than to
it
is
far
by heart
ennoble one's
of
truth,
there can
be no true
philo-
all
No
only
divine wisdom.
he
i.e.,
is
a centre or focus in
or
fire,
natureare
of the world.
is
for
evil
269
the universe
in
devil
him.
The knowledge of
man
in regard to a truth,
may
however
If
knowledge
as to lead us right
is
as liable to mislead us
we
find in our
own
God
is
is
or, as
Boehme
calls
it,
the
rior to
it.
PARACELSUS
270
we must
see
ourselves.
their
realise
The
existence.
attributes
the
of
spirit
they
but
are
prehension
they
can
only
be
com-
intellectual
known
the
to
spirit
spirit
intellectual
with
God
The former
the latter
is
eternal
is also,
from God, and not eternal for the body dies and its
No animal product can be vicanimal reason with it.
Death kills that which is animal,
torious over death.
A man who is not
but not that which is eternal.
;
Sapientice).
To be
man
should
experience
evil,
for
it
necessary that
is
without
the
know-
be
known
enable a
but no
man
to
know
"The
is
directed
by
man
him to do as he is
He who has escaped
for
he thinks
271
again.
it
and cannot resist the forces which are acting upon him,
and the reason of this is, that he has no real self-knowledge, and does not know that there is in him a power
superior to that of the stars (the lower mind).
man
in
is
man
"
Wisdom
its own
power over
attains
Knowledge
may
Intellectual reasoning
spiritual temple, but
man
ing that the temple exists and that he has the power
enter.
to
This knowledge
wisdom
called
is
who do not
faith
but faith
desire
it,
is
and a
Man's
may have
he knows that
The
He must
it exists.
spiritual
own
temple
feels,
and of which
locked
with
many
know
keys,
and those who are vain enough to believe that they can
invade it by their own power, and without being shown
the way by the light of wisdom, will storm against it
Wisdom is not created by man
in vain.
it must
come to him, and cannot be purchased for money nor
;
Everybody knows that the thinking faculty is not our own self, but
is something in us which has the power to think or to let thinking alone.
This something is higher than the intellectual realm, and
1
that there
its
"stars."
PARACELSUS
272
coaxed
through them.
" The great majority of the
'
investigators
of theo-
they
do not love wisdom, they only desire it
desire to possess it for the purpose of adorning thembut wisdom is no man's servant
it
selves with it
comes only to those who, abandoning self, sacrifice themThose who seek the
selves in the spirit of wisdom.
truth for their own benefit and gratification will never
sophy
'
find
it,
is
All
may be
happy, but
good.
and
we
and think
feel
we
in the
rise
is
his
scale
of
and the
existence
higher
273
As long
ideal.
will be
vicissitudes of
as
we
cling to our
The highest
life.
suflferiugs
essential
unity of
all
things.
It
is
a state of divine
Spiritual Eegeneration
As long
God
and sum
is
of all
He
is
the source
we wish
absolute love,
God
is
He
is
PARACELSUS
274
for
it
which
exists outside of
man
root in
wise.
The
is
This
is
wisdom
child
is
man
spiritual regeneration of
itself.
ment
the latter
Thus
is
an entirely
spiritual pro-
cess,
He who
body.
may
be compared to the
wisdom
who
love
true
lovers.
desire
wisdom
desire to
know
for their
own aggrandisement
means
for
only
are its
themselves,
parading with
it
and
they
his
own
divine
self,
and
man
otherwise than so or so
is
already
all
other
It is the highest
and
275
itself.
a threefold
Therefore
manner
man
and
poral
God
is
that which
it
all
wisdom
eternal.
is
is
derived
from Him.
We may grow into knowledge, but we
cannot grow or manufacture knowledge ourselves, because in ourselves is nothing but what has been deposited
Those who believe that they can learn
there by God.
real
and
true without the assistance of God,
anything
who is Himself the truth and the reality, will fall into
But those who love
idolatry, superstition, and error.
the luminous centre will be attracted to it, and their
knowledge comes from God.
God is the Father of
wisdom, and man is the son.
If we wish for knowledge we must apply for it to the Father and not to
And if the son desires to teach wisdom, he
the son.
must teach that wisdom which he derived from the
The knowledge which our clergymen possess
Father.
is not obtained by them from the Father, but they learn
They are not certain of the truth
it from each other.
of what they teach, and therefore they use argumenthey fall into
tation, circumvention, and prevarication
error and vanity, and mistake their own opinions for
the wisdom of God.
Hypocrisy is not holiness conceit
The art of deis not power; slyness is not wisdom.
ceiving and disputing, sophisticating, perverting, and
;
misrepresenting truths,
may be
PARACELSUS
276
God.
He who
to see
it,
know
desires to
and not be
satisfied
it
with descriptions of
power of the
is
intellect, if
it
is
it
The highest
in time
Supreme
Nature
is
is
virtues such as
which inhabit
is
man
in
God has
all
is
Natural (terrestrial)
to
know Nature,
his
God
man is
a creature originating of
all " (
Vera
Inflitentia
mother
know
the
Rerum).
Faith
In regard
says
to the true
and the
'
name
Him
and
if
one
man
277
cures another in
faith,
belief, or
faith
but faith
is
or
make
himself
faithful
without
Its
faith
germ
is
PARACELSUS
278
is
Keincarnation
" The body which we receive from our parents, and
which is built up from the nutriments it draws directly
and indirectly from the earth, has no spiritual powers,
for wisdom and virtue, faith, hope, and charity, do not
grow from the earth. These powers are not the products of man's physical organisation, but the attributes
of another invisible and glorified body, whose germs are
laid within man.^
The physical body changes and dies,
the glorified body is eternal.
This eternal man is the
real man, and is not generated by his earthly parents.
He does not draw nutriment from the earth, but from
the eternal invisible source from which he originated.
Nevertheless the two bodies are one, and man may be
compared to a tree, drawing his nutriment from the
earth, and from the surrounding air.
The roots extend
into the earth, and seek their nutriment in the dark, but
^
This
is
the curse of
all
when
how did
it
is
temporal body
is
who
because he
it,
279
The
we should
air.
destroys the
and
theless,
will
in its mother's
after its birth
man
become
womb
may
it
is
invisible,
he exists never-
is invisible
before
be seen by
all
it
born, but
is
who
but those
are
"The
But
Philosopher's Stone"
which
is
believed to be of so
little
mysteries of the
thing.
spirit, is
rejected,"
which
is
who seek for a God above the clouds and reject Him
when He enters their house. This physical body is not
merely an instrument for divine power, but
the
soil
receives
strength.
seed
is
it
is
immortal in
requires
the
also
man
power
of
They
liveH
PARACELSUS
28o
to
it
its
spirit,
not
for
with
could
of the
presence
the
and
elementary
its
and
unfold
not
its
nutriment from
develop
elemental
if
body
physical
forces
it
of
were
man,
the
for
physical body
is
no light
if
there
wood
is
to
and thus
bustion,
*'The more
it
"But
it
is
phorum
have
or to boast
who
to those
possession;
way
for
the ancients
its
preparation
at a
man
persons
woman.^
(in him),
Lap id.
its
the
they have
but
about
sufficiently indicated
then
will
he be not a
half,
woman
but a whole
"
{De
Philosoph.).
The Church
The rock upon which the true
founded
is
not to be found in
Rome
(spiritual)
church
Word
" It is the
learn,
and in that
it
The balsam
Man
and
*'
of life (a
it
If
faith
man
is
woman "
universal spirit.
done for the purpose of iminto your heart, where it may take root and
preached to you,
planting
faith.
of
is
nor in Protestantism,
the eoul.
in the
Lord.
is
The
you
to
but
if
281
your
faith is
if
you cling to these forms you may know that your heart
is evil
because, although the forms and the ceremonies
cause you to weep and to sigh, this sighing and weeping
is worthless, because your sentiment comes from those
images, and to those images will it return.
All things
return finally to the place from whence they took their
origin, and as these things are perishable, the sentiments
which they excite will perish with them. God only desires the heart and not the ceremonies.
If you do not
;
by the church as
long as one
is
thus guided
own way
is
how
but to be
we
should
"
learn
to
to
and
man
better than
many
a sermon.
we know
am
its
their true
The
of which
an image
nearest to his
own
is
Such things
meaning and under-
misuses.
iii.).
carved.
god.
I contradict
because they wrote for the body and not for the soul
they spoke
flat-
of fashions
and usages,
Thus
it
*'
within his
own
soul.
;;
PARACELSUS
282
a spiritual guide
if
he merely talks
them
It
may
things
is
dead in
A
faith,
fool
who
believes unreasonable
He who
but
we
should
all
it
We
should
There
is
283
know who and what God is, but we can learn to know
God only by becoming wise, and we become wise when
The works
the wisdom of God becomes manifested in us.
of God will become manifest to us through wisdom,
and God will be most pleased if we become His image.
To become like God we must become attracted to God,
who is the universal fountain of all, and the power that
The love of God will be
attracts us is divine love.
kindled in our hearts by an ardent love for humanity,
and
all
who
is
may
the cause of
see the sun,
all
and
those
who
heat.
it
its
growth, so that
PARACELSUS
284
when the
earthly tabernacle
is
broken, the
spirit, attracted
by His
"
love,
only one.
whole
If
cloth,
we succeed
in
binding
it
there,
we
of
indestructible mountain-peaks.
They
hold on to a thought
not think what they choose, but that which comes into
their mind.
285
distributes
? "
{Morh. Invisib.,
v.).
and become a
he who expects salvation from
victim of his own vanity
There is no god, no saint,
others will be disappointed.
and no power in which we can put any confidence, faith,
will
fail,
or trust
of
when man
will
he begin his
infinite
life,
of
Only
ourselves.
God within
himself
"
No man
own
caused by
the
of self-knowledge,
is
down
to his level,
he can
Thus the
acquisition of
wisdom
hinder
its
manifestation.
Unselfishness
" Theosophy "
is
the wisdom
of
God
in
become manifested
in
man
man, and
It
cannot
him
PARACELSUS
286
is
a limited
however,
is
that
is
generally misunderstood.
This doctrine,
mind
"/"
in
it
my
illusion
creature His
own
divine
self.
APPENDIX
Adepts
There
are
live like
it,
(Fhilosoph., v.).
See H. P. Blavataky, *' The Voice of the Silence " {Nirmanahaya's).
C. von Eckartsbausen speaks in his "Disclosures of Magic" (1790)
about the Adepts as follows " These sages, whose number is small, are
children of light, and are opposed to darkness.
They dislike mystification and secrecy; they are open and frank, having nothing to do with
secret societies and with external ceremonies.
They possess a spirituftl
temple, in which God is presiding.
"They live in various parts of the earth, and do not meddle with politics ; their business is to do as much good to humanity as is in their power,
387
APPENDIX
288
"
There
is
The former
and tangible,
The body eats
and drinks the spirit lives in faith. The body is evanescent and destructible
the spirit eternal.
The body
dies
the spirit lives.
The body is conquered by the
spirit
the spirit is victor. The body is opaque, clouded
the spirit transparent and clear. The body is often sick
the spirit knows no disease.
The body is dark, but the
spirit is light, and sees into the hearts of the mountains and the interior of the earth.
The body executes
acts which the spirit orders.
The body is the mumia
the substance of the spirit is the balsam of life.
The
former comes from the earth, but the spirit from
heaven " ^ (Philosoph., iv.).
the ethereal body.
is
invisible
is
visible
and intangible.
and
to drink
Some
know
the truth.
They never
number is
Theii
live in
by the harmony
of their souls,
"But the plans of the worldly-wise will come to nought. That which
took the followers of false science centuries to accomplish will be wiped
out by a single stroke of the finger of God, and a nobler generation will
come, which will worship God in spirit and in truth."
^ There are three
kinds of knowledge
i. External knowledge, or
:
regard to external things (Gal. vi. 3). This knowledge leads to error, because it concentrates all the attention upon the
illusory exterior of things, and keeps the mind in ignorance in regard to
scientific opinions in
interior truths.
2.
APPENDIX
289
Creation
other-
and capable
mode
only thinkable
We
is
which is manifested
Nature (John xv. 26).
spirit of truth,
and thickness
centre, radius,
and periphery.
two.^
of
Nature
comprehension
of truths
i. i6).
3. Wisdom, or the knowledge
Supreme Cause of all effects obtained by knowledge of self (Book of
Wisdom, vii. 17-27). This is the wisdom of Solomon.
I. The theorists, who deal with
There are three kinds of knowers
opinions and with illusory appearances the opinionated and dogmatists*
It
is
of the
who
opinions.
APPENDIX
290
He
it
in the
creative and
becomes corporified, bringing into existence
worlds and beings, which form, so to say, the visible
body of the invisible God. Thus were the worlds formed
in the beginning by the thought of God acting in the
Macrocosm (the Universal Mind), and in the same
manner are forms created in the individual sphere of
If we hold on to a thought we create
the mind of man.
a form in our inner world, and we might render it objective and material if we knew our own creative power.
A good thought produces a good, and an evil thought
an evil form, and they grow as they are nourished by
the
tained
thought
Generation
All beings are the product of the creative power of the
imagination.-^
This imagination
may
come
into existence
men may
John
iii.
6)}
from the unmanifested Absolute by the power of its own will, and being
The Greeks called it Zeus (Power), Minerva
(Wisdom), and Apollo (Beauty)
the Germans, Wodan (the Supreme
Cause), Thor (Power), and Freia (Beauty). Jehovah and Allah are trinities of Will, Knowledge, and Power
and even the Materialist believes
in Causation, Matter, and Energy.
^ There are
three kinds of imagination
passive imagination, active
identical with the former.
There are three kinds of birth the birth of the flesh, of the soul, and
generation, germination,
; and each birth has three stages
of the spirit
APPENDIX
God-men, the products
2.
and
of the imagination
incarnating spiritual
of the
291
will
entities
(St.
God
vii.
"
3).
They
in the
images of
sin
evil.^
Initiation
" Initiation," or "
baptism,"
which
tual principle,
is
is
One
the Spirit.
of
son of Christ.
ness
are
and
is
awakened
reborn
the child of
is
Tiiere are a
of
fructification.
to
life,
Christ
The
first
birth
Adam,
who
reborn
are
man
know
the second
the awakening of the soul, and the attainment of its power (Ephes.
iv. 13) to control the desires and passions ; it is, so to say, an invisible fire,
is
The
third birth
The
Adam"
is
the regeneration
The
last stage is
flesh of
"flesh of
Christ
is
APPENDIX
292
be obtained by favour.
and cannot
says,
'
He who
that he must
Nature
in
is
with
rise
him.
Me
denies himself.'
superior
He must
to
This means
that which
take
his
cross
belongs to
upon his
upon
APPENDIX
293
Mediumship
"
reason."
but
it
man
writes
is
only gives
it
him
a form.
;
he
is
he
is
APPENDIX
294
know the cause from whence his ideas come, for only he
who knows wisdom can write wisely " ^ (Be Fundarmnto
Sapientice).
Occult Phenomena
The
Action at a Distance.
reaches very far
plished.
of
man
and he may
accomplish
(spiritual) breath
that the
all
Such
(Philosoph. Tract.,
iii.).
Disappearance of
Objects.
and delivers
" Visible
its
bodies
same way
message"
may
be made
as night covers a
invisible
if
i.).
''
it
will attract
it
There are three distinct classes of mediutnship mechanical mediumwhich the physical forces of the medium are used by extraneous
:
ship, in
emotional medium-
dentally conscious
man
(ecstasy, illumination).
matter."
Both have
Light
i.
4).
cer-
"spirit," darkness
is
APPENDIX
295
possessed before
and become
Occult Letters.
" If the
them
by a messenger to somebody in a
should not tlie ethereal body of an Adept be
write
a letter and to send it to its destination
able to
(by an element spirit) in an hour ? " ^ {Philosoph, Sag., i.
and send
letter,
it
month, why
cap. 6).
Transformations.
" There is a species of magic by
which living bodies can be formed and one body be
^
transformed into another, as was done by Moses "
{Philosoph. Sag.).
Transmutations.
"
An
instance of transmutation
"
may
The form
nevertheless
it
is
no
{De Transmutationibus).
hole
in
him, and
take a fish
if
out
of
water without
or
By
palin,
become
'
tents,
visible again.
The value
of its con-
APPENDIX
296
and no hole
{Philosoph. Sag.,
4).
i.
Thought-Transfer
By
"
may make
hear what
is
The
month (such
as
If
through
it
long,
Spirits of the
" If a
human
person
alive,
in
spiritualistic seances.
is
dies, it is
remains
it
Departed
because
an
it
we
may
it
it
the
be buried, but
knew
before
it
be witnessed frequently in
to us
illusion,
The
earthly atmosphere
may
perforated by a tube
and the ether (A'kasa) be " per-
be, so to say,
passes
80ul.
alive.
Life
the spirit
is
threefold
the organic
life,
the
life of
APPENDIX
297
human
or art
but a
about a certain thing during
science
art,
its
know that
knew nothing
he will
soul that
life will
not be able to
deceased person,
spirit of a
we wish
him upon
it,
the
spirit,
cation with
it
is
"
Men
spirit
is like
death
{Philosoph.,
have two
in them.^
spirits
but a
an animal
man who
an animal during
man who
make
it
and
human
more
v.).
spirit
lives in his
animal
life,
lives
in
his
human
spirit
spirit
after
will
remain human.
makes them
and
their
It is
themselves.
*
APPENDIX
298
it
is
De
Arnold,
Villanova,
Eaimund
Lullius,
&c.,
laboured
He
life.
physical
life
as long as
it
it is
only
upon the earth that man can acquire knowledge and improve his character
after death he acquires
during
life
nothing new,
biit
enjoys
his
possessions.
Paracelsus,
says
" If
we could
extract the
fire of
life
it
enjoyment
But
out experiencing any disease.
might
We
of health,
this
is
we
and with-
not possible
resuscitated
are
known
translations incorrect.
The
and the
MS.
in private possession.
APPENDIX
many
is
299
over, not
by a
visitation of
"
?
It is an emanation
itself comes from heaven.
Supreme Power of the universe, and it is therefore
"Life
of the
vehicle for
its
manifestation.
but
it
requires a substantial
must
and change.
of
life,
form in which
may
life
act
we
is
upon
it.
old age
against
injurious
in-
APPENDIX
306
life.
its
essence
is
it
Such
human
blood.
The
its
Prima
He who wants
vehicle.
"
from
Corpus (vehicle)
its
experience in the
to separate
spagyric art.
he
If
is
not a good
Take
half a
it
pound
of
pure carbonate of
is
dissolved (by
Let
it
warm
The
fluid
may then
On
that
inches,
1
is
poured, so
it
and
it
is
left to
remain
of
for
two
APPENDIX
301
This alcohol
is
is
repeated until
be
all
is
now
to
is
distilled,
to
APPENDIX
302
To make
the
Primum Ens
Add
be known.
to
this
moderately
warm
filtered,
for
to be
and preserved.
Sanguinis, and
Primum Ens
place
fluid is
blood twice
and permit
it
is
its
it
quantity of
to remain in a
This
is
the
Primum Ens
Melissce.
The Alcahest
The celebrated Alcahest is an universal medicine
whose preparation was also known to Helmont and to
some Eosicrucians. It was considered by them as one
of the greatest mysteries.
It is prepared as follows
Add
lime,
place,
if
possible
and put
it
still
into
a retort.
will absorb,
APPENDIX
303
by means
Zenexton
One
of
remedies of Para-
210-213,
describes
its
prepara-
"
Make an
may
instrument of good
steel,
by which you
whose composition
ment
will
The
be given below.
instru-
of
consists
We give
these
The
initiated as those of
plain enough.
He
gives, however,
many
the treatment of special diseases, and which can easily be followed out
known, and
still
less
is,
understood.
The time
will
is,
unfortunately,
the
man
APPENDIX
304
be put into the hollow space between the two discs will
receive the impression of the snake on one side
made
The instrument
other.
is
and of
to
be
at a time
sign of
The substance
of
prepared as follows:
Take
is
dry them by exposing them to the sun and the air, and
powder them.
They must be dried very quickly, else
Take a number of menstrual cloths from
they will rot.
young
girls
roots of
of each three
when
the time
into tablets,
the tablets,
the
moon
is
Dry
them with the instrument.
cover them with red silk, and wear them by
and
seal
bare
skin.
them
it
of the body,
and absorbs
entirely."
1 This takes place in the Macrocosm during the time of the new
moon, occurring each year between October 23 and November 23.
INDEX
INCLUDING ALL THE TEEMS PECULIAR TO PARACELSUS
Abkssi, or Rebis, 29
Abortion, no
Abuse of powers, 208
Actbna, 30
Acting at a distance, 141, 142,
146,
224
Adam and
Adech, 29
Ailept, 287
Admisural, 29
Adrop, Azane, or Azor, 29
Air, 175
A'k^a, 30
Alcahest, 30, 202
Alchemical
prescriptions,
254,
forms, 123
influences,
Ught
Alcol, 31
Allara, 76
hereos,
no
Anatomy,
210
Aura, 57
seminalis, 7
60, 205
Authority, 163,
276, 281
167,
171,
192
Azoth,33
269
soul,
210,
Astrum, 32, 96
Atmosphere, 150
Aniadum, 31
Animal instinct,
man, 61
175,
world, 90
Astrology, 32, 216, 238
Astronomy, 90, 174
Aluech, 31
Amor
113,
222
BixsAH
:
r>i
of
life,
Baptism, 292
Bargain with devils,
53
280
51
INDEX
3o6
Basilisc, 112
of Macrocosm, 2 1
Corals, 108
Blood, 194
Blue milk, 153
Bodies, astral, 68
invisible, 81, 185, 196
seven, 81
Cures by
sidereal, 81, 95
288
Brain, 208
219
Causes of disease, 198
Celibacy, 6"]^ 78
Ceremonies, 109, 114, 161, 182
Chaomantia, 23
Chaos, 44, 116, 122, 262
Charms, 251
Character, 115, 177
Charity, 100
Chastity, 79
Chemistry, 238, 244
of life, 177
Cherio, 33
Children, 66, 75, 87, 160, 212,
saints, 147
sympathetic, 187
Curses, 138, 161, 235
Darkness, 294
Darwin, 59
Death, 47, 81, 83, 97, 104, 185,
195, 197, 229, 269
apparent, 98
Decomposition, 83
Derses, 34
Desires, evil, 222
Devas, 116
Devils, 85, 124, 127, 153, 185
Digest, 70
Disciples, 236
Disease, 181, 193
Diseases, causes of, 193, 198
causes of astral, 200
causes of spiritual, 221
cured by faith, 230
cured by magic, 230
names
of,
197
treatment
of, 211
Dissecting corpses, 172
Divertellum, 34
Divination, 34, 118
Divine beings, 65
224
Divorce, 80
Dragons, 112
magical power
of,
130
Christians, 228
Clissus, 33
Colic,
210
Colours, 56
Conception, 65, 73
Earth, 8i
Earthquakes, 195
Eckartehausen (C. Ton), 54. 287
INDEX
Edelphus, 34
Egos, 211
123,196,219,238,264,274,
279, 288
Elements, 35, 46, 64, 90, 120,
123, 176, 213, 220
Elixir of life, 217, 298
Emanations, 221
Ens, 199
astrale,
307
Gabal, 93
Gamathei, 36
Generation of man, 63,
Geomancy,
290
God, 44,
Gold, 245
made, 259
transmutation of, 260
Graveyards, 83
Growth, 283
Guardian spirits, 1 16
artificially
200
deale, 227
naturae, 206
Haeckel, 59
Hallucination, 115
Happiness, 272
Harmony, 68, 265
veneni, 203
Epilepsy, 225
Erodinium, 35
Essence of life, 151, 218
Eternity, 229
Evestra, 35, 87
Evil desires, 162
eye, 158
Hidden treasures,
Holy Ghost, 289
imagination,
spirits,
113,
55
117,
250
water, 108
Homunculi,
157, 162
36,
256
Excrements, 187
Exorcism, 85, 105
Hypocrisy, 275
Hypnotism,
Faith,
75,
1 1
142,
236
ii,
Familiar spirits,
Fancy, 141
Father, 62, 289
Fever, 197
Fifth essence, 82, 241
Fire, 46, 81, 138, 196
Firmament, 90
Food, 159,
Foreseeing
203, 205
future events,
igis,
135
Ideal, 273
Ignorance, 126, 132, 282
Ilech, 36, 37
Iliaster, 37
Illusions, 197, 284
Images, 145, 148, 158, 160, 225
Imagination, 73, 109, iii, 125,
1 1
37,
Immortality, 97
Impressions, 37
Impurities, 203
Incarnation, 60
Incense, 108
37, 109,
INDEX
3o8
Insanity, 113
Instincts. 135
Instruction received during sleep,
132
Intelligence. 134
Intuition, 194, 283
Invisible man, 82, 131, 253, 278,
14,
Karma,
228
134,
80,
and
274
279
of nature, 130, 173
of self, 132, 214, 271
spiritual, 184, 268
no, 113
Leffas, 38
Lemures,
162
Man,
66,
82,
91,
148,
175, 247
38,
soul-essence of, 66
106
Leo, 112
spiritual, 67,
298
chemistry
177
278
anganoria, 38
of,
248
185,
rings, 252
Magicians, 131, 153
Magisterium, 38
127, 227,
of good
153,
images, 148
mirrors, 158, 251, 254
294
Jupiter, 242
Knowledge,
144,
crystals, 117
279
Invisibility,
139,
221, 224
39,
i73 193, 208, 219,
for
232
systems
practice,
54,
of, 199
Medicines, 56, 59, 206, 208
Mediums, 106
Mediumship, 293
Melissa, 196, 209, 240
INDEX
309
Melosinae, 38
Menstrual blood, 155
Mercurius vivus, 236
Mercury, 204, 231, 241
Microcosm,
Paracelsus,
Modem
writings, 33
Parasites, 113
Passions, 105, 226
Patients, 177, 181,
206
Modesty, 234
Moon,
157, 240
evil influence of, 201
Mothers, 139
39, 81, loi,
187, 213
of the dead, 152
151,
185,
Mysterium magnum,
Mysticism, 40
Nativities, calculating
Natural man, 184
of,
261
247
Nature, 47, 51, 132,
233, 267, 283
173,
212,
Pneumatology, 103
love
Poisons,
214
Necrocomica, 40
of,
Necromancy, 40,
Nectromancy, 40
Nenufareni, 40
89, 225
Nutriment, 265
Object
n4,
236
Nerve aura, 71
Numbers, 275
Nymphs,
234
Penates, 41
Penetrability, 265, 295
Pentacula, 41
Perception, 210, 233, 247, 267
Phantasmata, 41, 108
Philosopher's stone, 4, 279
Moles, no
Monsters, 39, no, 125
Mumia,
Paragranum, 41
Paramirum, 41, 198
medicine, 207
science,
life,
tomb, 9
91, 121
Odic force, 1 5
Omens, 88, 91, 13s
Onanism, 80
Pollutions,
no
^"^
Pnmum
ens, 49,
299
INDEX
3IO
Punishment, 228
Purification, 206
Sodomy, 112
Pygmaei, 41
Quackery,
183,
of a physician,
178
Quintessence, 82, 241
Qualification
Remedies, 207
against obsession, 190
against witchcraft, 162, 224,
226
Repercussio, 224
Resistance, 162, 224
Resurrection, 49, 295
262
Sortilegium, 119
Soul, 49, 67, 71, 103, 123, 163,
244, 283
of things, 71
Speculation, 63, 171, 272
296
earth-bound, 100, 106
of many kinds, 116, 125
of nature, 63, 119
red and blue, 257
Spiritism, 42, 85, 10 1, 106, 117,
119, 262
Sagani, 41
197,231,247,249
Sapientia, 169
Saturn, 243
Scaiolse, 41
Second
sight, 132
Self-control, 55,^84
Self-possession, 99
Self-thinking, 171
Semen,
71,
no
Separation, 246
Seven metals, 251
planets, 241, 245
principles, 241
Sex,
Spiritus animalis, 42
vitee,
72>
Sexual intercourse, 80
Sexuality, 71, 79
Sidereal body, 41, 140
Signatures, 55, 189, 209
262
42
Talisman, 263
Tartaric diseases, 204
INDEX
311
Tartarus, 204
Vaccination,
166, 185
65,
140,
197,
204,
86, 276,
283
239
transfer, 142,
Three substances,
296
64,
Wax
160
worlds, 263
Tiffereau,
Weather-making, 150
260
Treatment of
disease,
189, 193,
199,211,217.
Trinity, 248, 289
Tritheim, Abbot, 244
Truth, 172, 233
seeking of, 131
Turba, 89
Wisdom,
284
Witchcraft, iii, 144, 148, 153
Witches, no, 112, 157, 226
signs of, 160
Will, 204, 222, 225
acting at a distance, 140
Woman,
Word,
Umbratiles, 43
Undines, 91, 121
Union with God, 273
Unity, 47. 172
Universal mind, 141,
264
Universe, 47, 172
Xeni
207,
nephidei, 43
Zbnkxton, 303
THE END