1. Magic entails creating illusions of scenarios that are highly impossible and lack clear explanation (such as David Copperfield making a plane disappear or walking through the Great Wall of China). The magician allows you to see only enough to make you actually believe that a feat is actually happening. Traditional science involves using experiments and trials with chemicals to test things like medicines or vaccines. Alchemy relies more or nature and the natural elements of the Earth as one power to see how it relates to spiritual and mental discipline and well being.
2. Holistic medicine is an approach to treatment involving the mental and spiritual aspects of a person in addition the physicality. The goal in holistic medicine involves wellness of the body, but also the mind and the spirit - as all three go hand in hand in a person living a fulfilling life. When a person is sick, not only is the body affected, but the mind and the spirit as well, so to only treat the physical aspect of the sickness and not the other components means that only part of the job is done. Holistic medicine insures that the body is treated as a WHOLE unit and not just the sum of its parts. Principle 2 is basically stating the physical and the mental should be treated equal as they both are components in healthier living.
3. Alchemy is not really as prevalent today, but I do think that there is some evidence that the search for the Elixir of Youth and Philosopher's Stone are still being sought out. One example of today's Elixir of Youth is stem cell research. Researchers are trying to determine how stem cells - which can renew themselves and then transform into different cell types - can be used to help in the fight against diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and diabetes - thereby possibly resulting in extended life expectancy. An example of the Philosopher's Stone is oil, both domestic and abroad. Oil is probably the most sought after resource in the world because it can be transformed and used for many different things - thereby increasing its value.
The Emerald Tablet
The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus
The Precepts of Hermes, engraved upon the Emerald Tablet
1. Speak not fictitious things, but that which is certain and true.
2. What is below is like that which is above, and what is above is like that which is below, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.
3. And as all things were produced by the one word of one Being, so all things were produced from this one thing by adaptation.
4. Its father is the sun, its mother the moon; the wind carried it in its belly, its nurse is the earth.
5. It is the father of perfection throughout the world.
6. The power is vigorous if it be changed into earth.
7. Separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, acting prudently and with judgment.
8. Ascend with the greatest sagacity from the earth to heaven, and then again, descend to the earth, and unite together the powers of things superior and things inferior. Thus will you obtain the glory of the whole world, and obscurity will fly far away from you.
9. this has more fortitude than fortitude itself; because it conquers every subtle thing and can penetrate every solid.
10. Thus the world was formed.
11. Hence proceed wonders, which are here established.
12. Therefore, I am called Hermes Trismegistus, having three parts of the philosophy of the whole world.
13. That which I had to say concerning the operation of the sun is completed.
The Precepts of Hermes, engraved upon the Emerald Tablet
1. Speak not fictitious things, but that which is certain and true.
2. What is below is like that which is above, and what is above is like that which is below, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.
3. And as all things were produced by the one word of one Being, so all things were produced from this one thing by adaptation.
4. Its father is the sun, its mother the moon; the wind carried it in its belly, its nurse is the earth.
5. It is the father of perfection throughout the world.
6. The power is vigorous if it be changed into earth.
7. Separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, acting prudently and with judgment.
8. Ascend with the greatest sagacity from the earth to heaven, and then again, descend to the earth, and unite together the powers of things superior and things inferior. Thus will you obtain the glory of the whole world, and obscurity will fly far away from you.
9. this has more fortitude than fortitude itself; because it conquers every subtle thing and can penetrate every solid.
10. Thus the world was formed.
11. Hence proceed wonders, which are here established.
12. Therefore, I am called Hermes Trismegistus, having three parts of the philosophy of the whole world.
13. That which I had to say concerning the operation of the sun is completed.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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1 comment:
I think that the point about oil is well made. When looking at the quest for the Philosopher's Stone was to make lesser metals into gold can be said is also true for oil. Oil, like you mentioned, is the most sought out resource. The Philosopher's Stone in a way can be used as an analogy to compare what gold meant to the people at that time, to what oil means to society, the world today. Maybe the times and the resource sought after have changed, and the way the quest for this resource has changed as well, but in the big scheme of things the quest is still going on.
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