Overall, I have never been great fan of Mathers alchemical judgment which I thought was superficial at best, based on the use the "Purifying Fire" diagrams in ritual and lack of any real alchemical analysis in the 5=6. Westcott's own work on this is not much better.
In my Kabbalah of the GD book I broke down a 3, 7 and 12 stage alchemy that could be applied to the 22 trumps as I am convinced that was the only sensible way to go in looking at the trumps from a whole alchemical viewpoint. However I have already done an analysis of this book and that is included in my course.
I am sure that in time the Mathers analysis of Splendor Solis will find its way onto the market and when it does it may be a disappointment as to content. Now if Garstin did the analysis then you'd really see something, but he did not.
Out of all the alchemical works, Splendor Solis is something special and I would suggest that GD temples use it in their inner order courses. The best plates are from the British Library but if you are going to do any analysis worthy of the names then bring in earlier and later versions of the plates and contrast them, that is what I did.
Have you got all this Frater SR (Sincerus Renatus)? If you are going to play proctologist you might need a bigger brighter flashlight on your helmet. (Editor's note: I apologize for republishing such vulgarity. Such dripping sarcasm - stock and trade of the GOLDEN DAWN HATFIELD AND MCCOY FEUD - unfortunately continues to distract from legitimate scholarly discourse.)
PatPat Zalewski is on an entirely erroneous track when it comes to alchemical images. It is obvious from the above post that Pat Zalewski is clearly NOT an INITIATE of Hermetic Alchemy.
The error in Pat Zalewski's thinking is attempting to impose a Golden Dawn framework onto enigmatic alchemical images.
Carl Gustav Jung made this same error in his approach to alchemical imagery as well. This approach indeed did provide Jung with much needed justification of his theories of the process of individuation and of the collective unconscious that were not being readily accepted by the scientific community of Jung's time.
This also led Jung, however, to completely false conclusions about the true nature of Hermetic alchemy, which has nothing to do with any sort of psychological individuation process.
Hermetic Alchemy, in truth, instead deals with the cultivation of a "Body of Glory" or "Solar Body of Light" (Gold), which is created through the transmutation of the "Prima Materia", the matter of the physical body (Lead). The goal of this "Opus Magnum" is for the alchemist to separate his or her consciousness from the physical body at the moment of death, and to project it into this "Solar Body of Light," thus becoming consciously immortal in the Solar dimension that exists at the speed of light.The transmutation of this "Lead" into "Gold" is accomplished by "cooking" the "Prima Materia" with the subtle fires of the body itself, the most powerful of which are love and sexuality.This central role of love and sexuality, male and female, Sun and Moon, in spiritual development using Hermetic Alchemy, combined with the Holy Inquisition of the Roman Catholic church, is one essential reason why the true nature of Hermetic Alchemy has been kept the most carefully guarded secret of the Western mystery tradition for nearly 2,000 years.
Thus, the fallacy that Pat Zalewski has fallen into, is precisely the same trap that Jung fell into as well, and for precisely the same reason - namely that Mr. Zalewski is trying to use alchemical images to justify his personal theories about the Golden Dawn.
I can assure you that the images of the Splendor Solis have nothing to do with the 22 trumps of the Tarot.
In fact, the series of images of the Splendor Solis actually describe how to achieve immortality and how to cultivate of a Solar Body of Light.
Each image describes in precise detail - specific techniques to be used at each step of the way - albeit in a manner that is only intelligible to an INITIATE of Hermetic Alchemy.
True alchemical knowledge is not based on useless speculation about Tarot Cards or Unconscious archetypes.
Hermetic Alchemy is a powerful INITIATIC tradition - and its understanding has been faithfully transmitted from Alchemical Master to Apprentice for over two Millennia in Europe! Unless one is actually INITIATED into the mysteries Hermetic Alchemy - it is better to merely leave alchemical imagery alone - as the best one can hope for is to come to completely erroneous conclusions - and to become hopelessly lost in the alchemical labyrinth - as is clearly presently the case with Pat Zalewksi.
There is indeed a relationship between Hermetic Alchemy and the Golden Dawn. Hermetic Alchemy permeates the entire symbolis, grade rituals, and magical system of the Golden Dawn. It is, however, the true practices of Hermetic Alchemy, known only to INITIATES of the highest grades of the Golden Dawn (unavailable to Pat Zalewski) that reveal the true meanings of the rites and practices of the Golden Dawn.
It is certainly not the other way around as Pat Zalewski is attempting - to justify his personal theories about the rites and practices of the Golden Dawn using the enigmatic images of Hermetic Alchemy. In so doing, Pat Zalewski is going about things completely backwards. He is putting the proverbial cart before the ox - so to say.It is only the alchemical Master that can unfold the mysteries of Hermetic Alchemy before the eyes of the Apprentice - and for the Profane and Unitiated these mysteries shall forever remain a book sealed with seven seals - for they look but do not see.
Truly I say unto you - as the Hermetic sages have said before me - that for the profane and the uninitiated:
NEITHER TORCHES NOR GLASSES CAN HELP THOSE WITHOUT EYES TO SEE!Sub Umbra Alarum Tuarum, YeheshuaDavid Griffin
G.H. Frater Lux Ex Septentrionis
Imperator Ordinis, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
outer order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega
"Ex Deo Nascimur.
In Yeheshua Morimur.
Per Sanctum Spiritum Reviviscimus"
Source: practicing-wicca.blogspot.com
