Alchemical Journey of the Self Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D.

While Sleeping, Watch “The Hermetic Vessel is oneself… Introduction – Psychic images drawn from art that personify what is happening in the mind and should happen as the work proceeds.Unlike physical alchemy, these images are personified, symbolic and only capture some of the critical events of the opus. Henrich Kundrath, Amphitheatre of Eternal Wisdom Mandala – Symbol of the Self Perspective leads to the Door to Infinity Laboratory, prayer and work, psyche and soma Music-Music of the Spheres- String theory “The Hermetic Vessel is oneself…

“…In it the many pieces of psychic stuff scattered throughout one’s world must be collected and fused into one, so making a new creation.” Esther Harding What parts of yourself, your world, do you put into the Work? What have you chosen to begin with? What serves as a catalyst for changing your Self? How do you regard the Unconscious? Do you use dreams in your Work? How do you suffer failure and defeats? What are the obstacles that stand between you and succeeding to the next stage? Have you noticed changes outside the laboratory? How do you regard them? What might they mean? What have you held back from your Work? Why do you do this Work? Who is served by your Work?

Vas Hermeticum “No generation without corruption”

Thoth Hermes Mercury The Stone: Its strategy – Stay Still Symbolizes the Self Cross on Triangle Qualities of the Divine Self

The Sun and the Shadow complete the Work Nigredo Massa Confusa Blackening Black Land Nun Collective Unconscious Separatio, Calcinatio Mother Complex Real Self “Creation is messy business” Separatio - Nun and Atum Calcinatio – The Work of the Sun orConsciousness, White/Golden Shadow, Jung quote Real Self is the Psychological achievement of the Nigredo – separation and integration The Sun and the Shadow complete the Work

Visita interiora terrae rectificando occultum lapidem V.I.T.R.I.O.L. Visit the Interior of the Earth and Rectify what you find there and you will discover the Hidden Stone S O M A P Y C H E Prima Materia Sulfuric Acid vitriol Scathing speech Nigredo/Shadow Use of secrets and symbols – Notre Dame, the Pyramids, etc. For those who know the Symbols, the Way is Easy Interior two meanings – Unconscious and History (Egypt!) first alchemical evidence Nubt Prima Materia – Blacker than black, the dung heap, the stone rejected by the masons Rectify – make pure – acid in drain! Visita interiora terrae rectificando occultum lapidem

Depression Melancholia Disorientation Psychosis Despair Suicide Poisoning Accidents Dangers Breakdowns – RAJ Newton “Endure to die, not to persist”

Slaying the Dragon Separatio Mother Complex, Separation-Individuation Dragon, Anima symbols, dog, sword of discrimination Separatio

Death of the Old King Death of the Old Self Death of the Gross Body MEDITATION Solitude Silence Stillness Womb circle, angels, 4 signs of male, female (sol and Luna) mercury plus a dark star

Osiris Dismemberment Solve (Dissolution) Lead Reanimation Leaden coffin, Djed column, death and resurrection “Osiris myth is to alchemy what the Oedipus myth was for psychoanalysis” Rite of Passage requires a dismemberment experience to shatter the ordinary status quo Re-Anima Qualities of lead Lead Reanimation Osiris

Sol Niger Wendell Berry Poem David White One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. Carl G. Jung

The Real Self Wide range of feelings (fixation) Self-activation and assertion (immobility) Appropriate entitlements (hubris) Self-Esteem (depression) Soothing (neglect) Commitments (disloyal) Creativity (unimaginative) Intimacy (distant) Alone (isolation) Continuity of Self (fragmentation) James Masterson

The Albedo The way of the heart (ibu) Nile fish, Osiris/Christ Grapes-fermentation

Aphrodite, Born from the Sea The Feminine qualities – birth, process, body, affects, relatedness, timelessness Aphrodite being lifted out of the Unconscious, out of darkness Beauty and Grace Copper

Isis, Goddess of Life, Magic and Mystery Incredible strength and power, retrieve Osiris (Nature) corpse and body parts, reanimates him, couples with him to produce Horus, the ego, protects both Virgin and Child (Horkathi) "I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever me unveiled."

The Blessed Virgin Mary Purity, Trinity, Wholeness Jung – adding the Feminine element to the Trinity, Wholeness Sophia Real Self- relationship with oneself Individuated Self- relationship with others Divine Self- relationship with God Purity, Trinity, Wholeness Bringing the fourth element of the Feminine

The Coniunctio of Mercury and Venus Union of Mercury and Venus providing heat to the vas Hermaphrodite to Androgyne

Luna Full Moon The Feminine – reflective (rather than generative) energy, mirroring, power over all fluids, dew (grace) Qualities of Silver Silver

The Individuated Self Anima Duality Relationship Object Love “Silver lining”, medicinal properties Eloquence, quicksilver “Tears of the Moon” – gleam, mirror Relationship with Others Anima within, Anima Mundi Mirroring – self-reflective awareness – empathy, compassion, love

Rubedo Soul is in the Blood Descent of the Spirit, Ascent of the Soul

Active Imagination - “Opening of the Mouth” "Ascend above any height, descend further than any depth; receive all sensory impressions of the created: water, fire, dryness and wetness. Think that you are present everywhere: in the sea, on earth and in heaven; think that you were never born and that you are still in the embryonic state: young and old, dead and in the hereafter. Understand everything at the same time: time, place, things: quality and quantity." Corpus Hermeticum, Imagination – a psychic tool of Meditation and Active Imagination

Standing Steady in the Field of Opposites Equanimity Qualities of the Divine Self Desire and Edinger Standing Steady in the Field of Opposites

High Indifference “I am awake” Buddha, Egypt – dream liminal space awaking encountering a god Detachment, “In this World, but not of it.” “I am awake”

Caudas Pavonis Conuncitio of Above and Below, psyche and soma Vas is hermetically sealed Roscrusian - Psyche trapped in Soma –conflict, complementary, conjunction The Royal Marriage of Opposites

Marriage of Mind and Matter Newton to Einstein to Quantum Consciousness The New Age of Alchemy Current research: Direct Programming changes the structure of non-insulin producing cells, changing your PC into a MAC! String theory and the Theory of Everything – insufficient dimensions Quantum theory – consciousness affects the behavior of physical matter Neuropsychology – cortical consolidation – dream process and memory formation

Quicksilver Copper Silver Gold Lead Tin Iron Jupiter Moon Venus Mars Mercury Silver Gold Venus Lead Mars Sun Tin Iron Saturn Jupiter Jupiter

Metal Operation Body Function Lead Calcinatio Anus Elimination, Instincts Tin Dissolution Genitals Sexuality, Creativity Iron Separatio Solar Plexus, Will power, Intellect Navel Copper Coniunctio Heart Feelings, Emotions Mercury Fermentation Throat Language Silver Distillation Third Eye Intuition Gold Coagulatio Crown, Wisdom, Connection with Brain Spirit

The Emerald Tablet Tabula Smaragdina

The Royal Marriage Psyche and Soma Myth of Amor and Psyche Marriage – creation of me/you/us Psyche and Soma

For the Making of the One Thing As Above, So Below Earth Rise – no purpose other than seeing the One Thing Emerald Tablet Reversal – gazing at the Moon to gazing at the Earth For the Making of the One Thing

The lapis Philosophorum For Making Om, the vibratory sound of the Universe Creation J. Cambell The lapis Philosophorum

Gold For Making Gold-God poem Qualities of Gold

What I have said about the operation of the Sun is finished. Divine Self Alchemy What I have said about the operation of the Sun is finished.