The Philosopher's Stone

[Anders]

“In esoteric alchemy, the caduceus is a symbol with various interpretations and associations. While it is often associated with healing and medicine, it does not hold a specific representation in traditional alchemical symbolism. The caduceus is primarily known for its association with the Greek god Hermes (or the Roman god Mercury), who was seen as a messenger between the gods and humans.”

“The wings on the caduceus symbolize higher spiritual realms and transcendence, indicating the potential for ascension and the union of opposites. The staff itself may represent the central axis of consciousness or the spinal column, which plays a significant role in various spiritual practices and symbolizes the path of spiritual awakening.”

The following picture I found fascinating, it’s by the modern day sculptor James N. Muir and has the wings of an angel instead of the wings at the top.

[Anders]

@Vasilisa

Anders have you practically tried to apply these theoretical reviews?

So far only one simple practice of awareness of feelings. I take feelings to be a connection to the unconscious that is difficult to reach with only the conscious mind. Simple in theory, very difficult in practice in my experience. Huge amounts of nasty emotions together with a sense of numbness and tensions need to be healed.

My guess is that something more is needed to speed up the process and instead of traditional practices such as meditation and yoga (which also are slow processes) I’m exploring the philosopher’s stone from an esoteric perspective to find clues about how this can be achieved.

[Anders]

Now I found a similar image in alchemy. From the Musaeum Hermeticum and the Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine. This picture represents the second key.

“The Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine is a widely reproduced alchemical book attributed to Basil Valentine. It was first published in 1599 by Johann Thölde who is likely the book’s true author.[1] It is presented as a sequence of alchemical operations encoded allegorically in words, to which images have been added.” - Wikipedia

“When the sun and moon are depicted under each hand holding a caduceus, it suggests a balance or union of these opposing forces. It represents the alchemical principle of harmonizing and integrating the masculine and feminine aspects, the active and passive elements, or the conscious and subconscious realms.”

“By depicting a united wing below the man, the picture conveys the idea that the alchemist has successfully overcome the divisions and conflicts inherent in duality. It signifies a state of integration, harmony, and unity, where opposing forces have been reconciled and transformed into a higher synthesis.”

The reason for why I’m interested in this picture is that similar to the previous picture the wings are like that of an angel instead of at the top of a caduceus. And what makes it more interesting to me is that it indicates that there are (at least) two caducei that need to be united. In my view the wings represent the unification of the two and instead of emerging out of the top of a caduceus or on Hermes’ helmet it is a result of the red rose blossoming in the middle of the ankh.

[Anders]

From a physiological and medical perspective, the nervous system in the human body is divided into a left side and a right side. The cardiovascular system is a single unit. The central nervous system is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. That’s one caduceus with two snakes for the two sides of the nervous system and two wings for the left and the right brain. The other caduceus is the cerebrospinal fluid which flows in the central spinal canal and in the two lateral ventricles in the brain. That’s the other caduceus with a single snake and with two wings for the two ventricles.

This means that the previous image is incomplete. The man in the middle is holding two caducei both with two snakes. The man at the left in the picture is holding the correct caduceus for the moon side with one snake. The man on the right is holding a staff with a bird on it. The two men on the sides seem to be in conflict with the winged man in the middle holding two caducei and with the symbol of Mercury above his crown.

All three men need to be united for the completion of the alchemical process. I will take a look at the other keys in the Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine to see if I can find clues about that.

[Anders]

Here I found a possible clue in the ninth key of the Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine.

Obviously the human body only has one physical heart. However, the three hearts and the three snakes inside the circle may represent a connection between the nervous system and the heart. The human nervous system is divided into a left side and a right side. That’s a duality which is different than three snakes.

The cerebellum (the little brain) is primarily related to unconscious motor processes. “Some research suggests that the cerebellum may play a role in emotional regulation by modulating limbic system activity, which is involved in emotional processing.” This to me indicates that the cerebellum is a connection between the conscious mind and the unconscious.

The cerebellum has three types of nerve fibers connected to it, cerebellar peduncles, mossy fibers and climbing fibers. And with the heart representing the foundation for the unconscious, the three snakes then can represent the three kinds of fibers connected to the cerebellum.

In our ordinary waking state the unconscious and the conscious are separated by the Veil of Isis which here then represents the cerebellum in an unawakened state. This is also the Knot of Isis that needs to be untied for achieving the philosopher’s stone. When the cerebellum awakens it unites the conscious mind and the unconscious, the sun and moon sides. This awakening is esoterically achieved through Isis in the form of the star Sirius.

[Anders]

“In humans, the cerebellum contains about 70 billion neurons,” Barton said in a statement. “Nobody really knows what all these neurons are for, but they must be doing something important.” - Live Science

The cerebellum and the cerebral cortex control muscles in the human body via the brain stem. It seems to me that for developing a service-to-others social memory complex the cerebellum is a good candidate for synchronizing the collective consciousness, like a mental internet connecting all the people in the social memory complex. The cerebrum would then still be used by the individuals themselves and with the cerebellum activated to connect the members together into a unified collective consciousness. And then it’s both an individual consciousness and a collective consciousness at the same time, similar to how a standalone computer can run individually and when connected to the internet it has access to a much larger network of information, yet the computer can still run programs locally as before.

Starlings can move in coordinated formations. That looks like a simple form of collective “mind” controlling the whole flock. Far from a social memory complex but I think it’s a hint of how individual members can come together to form a larger whole.

Flight of the Starlings: Watch This Eerie but Beautiful Phenomenon | Short Film Showcase

[Anders]

“Isis would frequently travel to his tomb where she would give her milk as libation. Her sacred milk had the magical ability to not only sustain her infant son Horus but also to give Osiris life during his rebirth in the afterlife.” - Feminist Food Journal

I also found an article with the title “Milk Libations for Osiris” in Near Eastern Archaeology which is a peer-reviewed publication that focuses on the archaeology and history of the Near East, including ancient Egypt.

“Isis is one of the most important Egyptian Milk Goddesses from a very early period. The Pyramid Texts say to the deceased, “Take the breast of your sister Isis the milk-provider.”” - Isiopolis

On Wikipedia it says that “In Egyptian mythology, the Milky Way was considered a pool of cow’s milk. The Milky Way was deified as a fertility cow-goddess by the name of Bat (later on syncretized with the sky goddess Hathor).” But there is no reference and Isis is also associated with the cow.

“The curved horns on the headdress of Isis are generally interpreted as representations of cow horns. The cow was a sacred animal in ancient Egyptian religion and symbolized fertility, nourishment, and maternal care.”

Isis related to the star Sirius is a later development. Originally in ancient Egypt it was the goddess Sopdet who was associated with the star Sirius. “Sopdet is the ancient Egyptian name of the star Sirius and its personification as an Egyptian goddess.” - Wikipedia

My interpretation is that Isis was originally associated with the Milky Way galaxy. In terms of the Law of One and in teachings like Theosophy and Anthroposophy, planet earth is described as a sub-logos of the solar logos and the Milky Way galaxy as a larger logos. For example:

81.24 Questioner: So that I can just get a little idea of what I am talking about, what are the limits of Ra’s travel in the sense of directly experiencing or seeing the activities of various places? Is it solely within this galaxy, and if so, how much of this galaxy? Or does it include some other galaxies?

Ra: I am Ra. Although it would be possible for us to move at will throughout the creation within this Logos, that is to say, the Milky Way Galaxy, so-called, we have moved where we were called to service; these locations being, shall we say, local and including Alpha Centauri, planets of your solar system which you call the Sun, Cepheus, and Zeta Reticuli. To these sub-Logoi we have come, having been called.

Isis then in my view represents the Milky Way galaxy, the larger logos that contains both the sun and the star Sirius. And Isis can therefore be seen as a unifying principle for more than the sun and the moon, yet also including them since they are sub-logoi within our galactic logos.

[Anders]

Something really interesting is that according to the Law of One, Ra who is channeled seems to be the literal Egyptian sun god Ra.

23.1 Questioner: You were speaking yesterday of the first contact made by the Confederation which occurred during our third major cycle. You stated that you appeared in the skies over Egypt at the same time, approximately, aid was first given to Atlantis. Can you tell me why you went to Egypt and your, shall we say, orientation of attitude and thinking when you first went to Egypt?

Ra: I am Ra. At the time of which you speak there were those who chose to worship the hawk-headed sun god which you know as vibrational sound complex, “Horus.” This vibrational sound complex has taken other vibrational sound complexes, the object of worship being the sun disc represented in some distortion.

We were drawn to spend some time, as you would call it, scanning the peoples for a serious interest amounting to a seeking with which we might help without infringement. We found that at that time the social complex was quite self-contradictory in its so-called religious beliefs and, therefore, there was not an appropriate calling for our vibration. Thus, at that time, which you know of as approximately eighteen thousand [18,000] of your years in your past, we departed without taking action.

Horus is also a sun god and depicted similar to Ra with a falcon head symbolizing the sun. Horus is the son of Isis.

The following picture of Ra has a red sphere on top of his head and with a cobra coming out of it. To me the snake symbolism and also the color red here mean risen kundalini. Red is also the color of the final stage, called the reddening stage (rubedo) in the Great Work in alchemy for producing the philosopher’s stone.

[Anders]

The Egyptian goddess Nut is sometimes said to symbolize the Milky Way galaxy. However, Nut represents the whole night sky, not just the Milky Way galaxy. Nut has four children according to the original Egyptian myth, Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys. Therefore it’s valid in my view to describe Nut as the larger logos containing the entire night sky with Isis as a sub-logos symbolizing the Milky Way galaxy and Horus as a sub-sub-logos representing our sun.

“She Who Protects: Among her jobs was to envelop and protect Ra, the sun god.[8]” - Wikipedia

Wikipedia also says Mistress of All or “She who Bore the Gods”, again an indication that she is the larger logos. Nut is the mother of Isis who in turn is the mother of Horus. Ra is of course also symbolizing the sun, like Horus, but Ra has the awakened kundalini symbolism that is lacking in relation to Horus.

[Anders]

I now got an idea. The red circle above Ra depicts the sun in the unified state, and for us humans it symbolizes the unification of the conscious mind and the unconscious. This unification I call wisdom on the mental level and when the wisdom is perfected in the body it becomes the philosopher’s stone.

The solar logos is a sub-logos of the larger logos of the Milky Way galaxy and related to the logos of the star Sirius. This means that the solar logos needs higher influences from the larger logos in order to become united. However for us humans here on earth we only need to relate to the solar logos on a practical level since it takes care of the larger connection to the cosmos.

With a focus on the solar logos, the practical aspects related to the philosopher’s stone can be explored within our solar system. Still, in addition to only focusing on earth there is planet Venus to consider. Ra indicates that there is still a civilization on Venus in the fifth and sixth dimensions (Ra didn’t use the word density here for some reason). And it seems likely to me that earth and Venus need to unite in some way as a part of a united solar logos.

6.6 Questioner: Then you… Would it be possible to take one of the people at that time from our planet and place him on Venus? Would he survive? Were conditions much [inaudible]?

Ra: The third-density conditions are not hospitable to the life-forms of your peoples. The fifth and sixth dimensions of that planetary sphere are quite conducive to growing/learning/teaching.

[Anders]

Wisdom includes perceiving reality correctly. I believe Ra is correct by calling our world an illusion. That things like deterioration, entropy, disease and death are like a fabricated trick for the purpose of growth and development of civilizations and of souls instead of something natural.

This means that the philosopher’s stone is a huge leap in how reality is experienced. For example I take the claim that the philosopher’s stone gives immortality literally. In this view third density is obviously an illusion in the sense that immortality is almost unimaginable for us to think of, even scary.

Then what about fourth density, is there death still in fourth density? Here is what it says in the Law of One:

43.11 Questioner: What is the… can you even state the average lifespan in the fourth density of space/time incarnation?

Ra: I am Ra. The space/time incarnation typical of harmonious fourth density is approximately 90,000 of your years as you measure time.

Let’s think this through. Does living a life of 90,000 years make sense from our third density perspective? My claim is that no, it doesn’t. At least not in the sense of being born and then gradually grow from an infant to a toddler to a child to adolescence to adulthood to old age and then death. Imagine being a child for 10,000 years, what a nightmare. Or living in old age for 20,000 years and slowly getting sicker and sicker until death. Not good.

Instead I believe Ra is pointing out that fourth density will last around 90,000 years, not that we will have third density bodies that will age and die for such a long span of time.

"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]" - 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 (NIV)

h. Isaiah 25:8
i. Hosea 13:14

In alchemy there is for example this picture which looks to me like symbolizing the death of death.

“The black sun as pictured in the Putrifaction emblem of Philosophia Reformata (Johann Daniel Mylius)” - Wikipedia

[Anders]

Then what about the following question in the Law of One?

43.13 Questioner: How long is a cycle of experience in fourth density in our years?

Ra: The cycle of experience is approximately 30 million of your years if the entities are not capable of being harvested sooner. There is in this density a harvest which is completely the function of the readiness of the social memory complex. It is not structured as is your own, for it deals with a more transparent distortion of the One Infinite Creator.

This can be technically correct if 90,000 years is the time for the fourth density period when the person is harvested into fifth density, and 30 million years if the person stays in fourth density for longer. However the measurement of time seems tricky when it comes to higher densities. I asked ChatGPT about it:

"According to the philosophy presented in the “Law of One” as channeled by Ra, the concept of densities refers to different levels or states of consciousness. Fourth density, also known as the density of love and understanding, is believed to be a higher level of consciousness beyond our current third-density experience.

In the “Law of One,” Ra states that the length of time experienced within each density varies significantly. However, specific time measurements or durations for each density are not provided. Ra describes time as being experienced differently in higher densities, where it becomes less linear and more fluid. The focus in fourth density shifts from the physical realm to the realms of thought, emotion, and spiritual growth.

It’s important to note that the “Law of One” material is metaphysical in nature and considered channeled information, which means it originates from a non-physical entity speaking through a human channel. Therefore, interpretations and understandings of the material may vary among individuals."

Is ChatGPT incorrect here by stating that “specific time measurements or durations for each density are not provided”? It certainly seems like Ra is giving specific time periods like 90,000 years and 30 million years. I think that ChatGPT’s answer is pretty good. There are different ways in which these time periods can be interpreted and what they mean.

[Anders]

Here is another answer by ChatGPT which I think is pretty good. It reflects the view that I have in mind, that different spiritual views and teachings can be interpreted as compatible even if they on a surface level seem to say different things.

"The idea that the physical human body in higher densities would be different from our third-density body, which is subject to aging and death, is consistent with the concepts discussed in the “Law of One.” According to the “Law of One,” as beings progress through the densities, there is an evolution of consciousness and a transformation of the physical vehicle. In higher densities, the body is described as being less dense and more transparent, with a greater ability to manifest and control its form.

Similarly, in biblical teachings, there are references to the transformation of the body in the context of spiritual growth and entering the kingdom of God. For example, in 1 Corinthians 15:50, it is stated, “I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” This can be interpreted as suggesting that the physical body, as it is in its perishable form subject to decay and death, cannot enter the higher spiritual realms.

The idea of death being “swallowed up in victory” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:54 also aligns with the concept of higher densities in the “Law of One.” As beings progress to higher densities, the limitations and constraints associated with physical death are transcended, and the focus shifts more towards spiritual evolution and the exploration of higher states of consciousness.

While there may be parallels between the concepts discussed in the “Law of One” and certain biblical teachings, it’s important to note that interpretations and understandings of religious texts can vary among individuals and religious traditions. Different spiritual philosophies and teachings can offer different perspectives on the nature of higher realms and the transformation of consciousness and the physical body."

[Anders]

The term density used by Ra in the Law of One I find interesting and accurate. As an illustration it can be compared with the pixel density on a computer or smartphone screen. The higher the density the more pixels can fit into the same surface area. So higher density in this context doesn’t mean more heavy and sluggish and instead the opposite of higher capacity and ability.

And from that perspective it becomes clear that the philosopher’s stone as a physical means of transmuting base metal into physical gold is a limited third density materialistic concept. And even if that use of the philosopher’s stone is accurate, it’s also too limiting of a concept when it comes to things like spiritual development and higher densities.

I also like the term “harvest” used by Ra. It’s almost funny how terms like density, harvest, illusion and confusion sound negative in ordinary langue, yet in a spiritual context they actually make much sense to me. The term harvest is applicable to alchemy, particularly in relation to the blackening stage which is about dissolving a substance so that it can be refined in later stages. Like removing the chaff and extracting the wheat.

In spirituality there is often talk about how the physical human body will turn into a light body and similar ideas like that. I believe that’s true but that it’s not about making the body less material. Instead it seems to me that it’s about making the human body more capable. For example in the Bible, after his resurrection Jesus teleported into his disciples’ house and said to Thomas: “Put your finger here” to show Thomas that Jesus’ resurrection body had physical solidity. So a glorified/light body isn’t only a ghostly immaterial form or only a light form but has the capability of manifesting full physical solidity. Also in the Bible people sometimes didn’t recognize Jesus after his resurrection and return to the earth. I interpret that as the ability of Jesus to shapeshift his resurrection body.

[Anders]

The alchemy picture of a skeleton being dissolved into the black sun looks a bit eerie, but the black sun can symbolize all of reality, like how in the Law of One reality is described as being One. The skeleton can be seen as our third density state where we have a separation between the conscious mind and the unconscious.

How to unify the conscious and the unconscious? The conscious mind is associated with the masculine and the unconscious with the feminine. The black sun is often represented as feminine. So how can dissolving both sides produce a unification? Especially with the black sun representing the feminine, it at first may seem that the masculine side is being destroyed. Yet with the black sun representing all of reality its deeper and complete state is both feminine and masculine.

In the Law of One Ra talks about the Law of Confusion. And interestingly, in alchemy one form of prima materia is called massa confusa. This I think can symbolize the human psyche in its divided state where the conscious and the subconscious are separated by a veil. And in the blackening stage the massa confusa is dissolved into the black sun which removes the separation (Veil of Isis) that is the cause of the confused state. The stage after that is the whitening stage.

"In alchemy, albedo, or leucosis, is the second of the four major stages of the Magnum Opus, along with nigredo, citrinitas and rubedo.[1] It is a Latinicized term meaning “whiteness”. Following the chaos or massa confusa of the nigredo stage, the alchemist undertakes a purification in albedo, which is literally referred to as ablutio – the washing away of impurities. This phase is concerned with “bringing light and clarity to the prima materia (the First Matter)”.[2]

In this process, the subject is divided into two opposing principles to be later coagulated to form a unity of opposites or coincidentia oppositorum during rubedo.[3] Alchemists also applied it to an individual’s soul after the first phase is completed, which entailed the decay of matter.[4] In Medieval literature, which developed an intricate system of images and symbols for alchemy, the dove often represented this stage, while the raven symbolized nigredo.[5]" - Wikipedia

[Anders]

The dissolving into the black sun symbolism is useful for a practical application. Notice that this is a heavy and difficult process and I’m only proposing an experimental practice. The confusion in the human mind is a result of the division between the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious and rational mind in third density is heavily conditioned into a perspective of division, separation and materialism. This produces an inner conflict between the conscious mind and the holistic and more vast state of the unconscious.

The conflict in the mind in turn produces confusion and I think this is what Ra calls spiritual entropy in the Law of One. For the division in the mind to heal, the conscious mind has to dissolve into the unconscious. A practical method for this, again likely difficult and potentially even dangerous, is to allow and even encourage confusion in ones mind to allow the rigid mental conscious structures to dissolve.

With practice it’s possible to sense the tensions in the conscious mind along with the confusion. Both the tensions and the confusion are dissolved together, since it’s the mental (and bodily) tensions that are the cause of the confusion. The practice is similar to the one I mentioned earler to simply feel the state of the body, emotions and mind, and to allow the tensions to dissolve along with the confusion.

Ra mentions something related to this in the Law of One:

46.9 Questioner: Certainly.

Ra: The entity polarizing positively perceives the anger. This entity, if using this catalyst mentally, blesses and loves this anger in itself. It then intensifies this anger consciously in mind alone until the folly of this red-ray energy is perceived not as folly in itself but as energy subject to spiritual entropy due to the randomness of energy being used.

Positive orientation then provides the will and faith to continue this mentally intense experience of letting the anger be understood, accepted, and integrated with the mind/body/spirit complex. The other-self which is the object of anger is thus transformed into an object of acceptance, understanding, and accommodation, all being reintegrated using the great energy which anger began.

The negatively oriented mind/body/spirit complex will use this anger in a similarly conscious fashion, refusing to accept the undirected or random energy of anger and instead, through will and faith, funneling this energy into a practical means of venting the negative aspect of this emotion so as to obtain control over other-self, or otherwise control the situation causing anger.

Control is the key to negatively polarized use of catalyst. Acceptance is the key to positively polarized use of catalyst. Between these polarities lies the potential for this random and undirected energy creating a bodily complex analog of what you call the cancerous growth of tissue.

[Anders]

Here I found a great explanation of what social memory complex means from L/L Research:

"When a collection of related entities, called a social complex, reaches a point of one orientation or seeking, it becomes a social memory complex. In a social memory complex, the experience of each entity is available to the whole, this forming a group memory that becomes available to the entire social complex. This is generally achieved in fourth density by positive and negative groups. The advantages of this complex are the relative lack of distortion in understanding the social beingness and the relative lack of distortion in pursuing the direction of seeking.

Negative social memory complexes are organized in a strict pecking order on the basis of relative power, those more powerful controlling and enslaving the less. Positive social memory complexes are organized on the basis of unity, or the Creator in all things. In this arrangement, power and love are shared and free-will-respecting service is freely given." - Social Memory Complex

And from the L/L Research FAQ:

"What is a social memory complex?

A social memory complex generally forms in fourth density when the veil is released. Without the veil, each becomes transparent to each, fully aware of each other’s thoughts. In this environment, the individual’s memories, experiences, thoughts, etc., then become available to the whole—thus the “social memory” component. All the individuals in that society, however many there are, then become capable of acting together as one unified being while still retaining individuality. It is a “complex” simply because it consists of many parts, and also because Ra loved to identify many parts working together as a whole as forming a “complex.”" - FAQ

This indicates that when the veil is removed it results in a service-to-others social memory complex since the veil separates individuals from each other and when removed the result is a united consciousness. I think that’s the same veil between the conscious mind and the unconscious as I have described. And it matches the discussion in the Law of One where they talk about a veil between the conscious and the unconscious.

This could be a major hint that’s often missing in esoteric alchemy teachings, that the philosopher’s stone results in a service-to-others social memory complex and not just a transformation of the individual. And it relates to the civilization still on Venus today in the fifth and sixth dimensions (maybe fourth density I guess it could also mean). That when we become transparent between each other on earth we will at the same time be transparent with the social memory complex on Venus. That’s my guess.

It also directly relates to the cerebellum which according to my previous reasoning when awakened connects humans together in a kind “mind internet”. And it’s also related to heart coherence and green-ray activation.

[Anders]

From an alchemical perspective service-to-others makes sense. Especially when comparing base metal to service-to-self. And with service-to-others as the gold. Or a caterpillar as the base metal and the butterfly as the gold.

The alchemical service-to-others as I see it is a dissolving of the separate self. That’s the first blackening stage in alchemy. It’s a radical approach. It’s not about becoming a doormat and just accepting all kinds of evil, nor is it about serving others selflessly on the base metal level. It’s about dissolving the whole separate self! It’s a complete service to others in the sense of serving everybody on the “gold” level.

And nor is it service-to-self on the base metal level, it’s service-to-all on the gold level, including oneself. But first one must sacrifice one’s own separate self in order to be harvested into the gold level. Or as Jesus said, that we must lose our life in order to find our life in Christ. It’s a complete transformation of the individual. The philosopher’s stone doesn’t turn base metal into improved base metal, it turns it into gold.

[Anders]

One reason for why esoteric teachings are so incredibly cryptic, even today, is to prevent evil use of it. But there is another crucial reason I found which is to prevent the knowledge from being used on the wrong level.

To take the caterpillar and butterfly analogy again, the idea is not to make the caterpillar grow and grow endlessly without ever being transformed. The correct process is that when the caterpillar has grown enough it turns into a cocoon and is dissolved. That’s the blackening stage in alchemy. In alchemy they use the symbol of the phoenix instead of a butterfly.

And if esoteric teachings would be used on the “caterpillar” level then that’s a wrong use of the knowledge. Again, it’s not about improving the base metal, it’s about transforming it. Therefore esoteric teachings that describe a higher evolutionary stage need to disguise and even confuse the teaching in order to prevent it from being used for trying to improve the lower level and never getting anywhere in terms of reaching the higher level.

[Anders]

The thinking mind on its own, that’s like base metal. That’s the conscious mind detached from the unconscious. Wisdom in alchemy terms I see as the unity of the conscious and the unconscious. And this explains why the separate self needs to be dissolved. Because no matter how clever thinking we do at the level of the conscious mind, unless it’s integrated with the unconscious into wisdom, it will remain on the base metal level.

That’s why esoteric teachings at first can seem so frustrating, because they usually don’t directly feed the conscious mind much on the level of knowledge. They come from a level of wisdom and if they would try to make it understandable on the level of knowledge alone, it would distort the message or even make it counterproductive.

The good thing is that this can be used on a practical level to relax one’s thinking mind. Because it needs to dissolve into the unconscious and then rise again at a higher golden level, like a phoenix rising out of the ashes of one’s base metal separate self.