Hermetic Brotherhood of Light Lessons, Religion of the Stars

08/20/2024

https://youtu.be/F6-v269zXaY?si=jd8ADunB4ueyBiR9

Thomas Burgoyne was an astrologer and founder of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, born in 1855. He came into contact with the Brotherhood of Light, a grou...

12/26/2023

https://youtu.be/rr60rTxML3c?si=dNYJ8NOgKWI4akfL

A modern recreation of the Ancient Egyptian cosmological world. The video provides details and explanation of the art, which is greated on natural papyrus pa...

12/20/2023

https://academyofhermeticarts.org/

The most ancient teachings in the world are those involving STELLAR LORE. Handed down to custodians from prehistoric times, these doctrines were taught and practiced by Adepts from the School of the Magi in ancient Egypt and Chaldea. The Masters of this school penetrated the inmost recesses of natur...

06/24/2023

The Great Work
Many think that the possession of the fruit of the great work comes by chance, that it comes without much effort, or that it is given by nature to the unworthy.

My own observation of life convinces me that this is a pernicious fallacy. The very few whom I have known who came into its possession certainly well merited any blessing that life could offer. Invariably they had accomplished some important task for the welfare of society. Through their interest in, and concern for, the advancement of others they had blended the finer emotional elements within themselves into the precious elixir of life. They already had quaffed the immortal fluid.

The alchemist, also, must have been convinced that it comes only as a result of some special effort. Otherwise they would not have called it a work, but a recreation.

This great work, about which so much has been written, is the reunion of twin souls in the spiritual realm. As such it is the highest result of spiritual alchemy, because after thus united their potencies expand and they move from the highest level of the spiritual plane to angelic vistas that are beyond the imagination of embodied man. The union that results from the accomplishment of the great work is more than a fusion of the spiritual bodies that already have been constructed by each. It is a permanent union of souls.

No such fusion, even of spiritual bodies, can take place until there are spiritual bodies to fuse. How can there be any recognition of a spiritual union by those who as yet have not expanded their consciousness sufficiently to contact the spiritual plane? The greatest truth may, by its very greatness, be the most potent snare when misunderstood. Feeling an intense attraction for another, it is easy to imagine the soulmate has been found. Most such affinities are merely the result of magnetic attractions.

The great work can only take place when an active soul is capable of functioning in a well-constructed spiritual body. Few people have as yet such active souls, or such fully formed spiritual bodies. When such a spiritual body has been constructed by an active soul, there is no need to wander about looking for the soulmate; for by virtue of this spiritual activity alone they are bound to be attracted one to the other. Therefore, let those who long for the soulmate learn that mere wishing and seeking will never suffice; for it is an accomplishment requiring the utmost spiritual effort. Let them remember that alchemists call this reunion of twin souls the Great Work. The first step in its accomplishment is to build up the spirituality. This is the task of spiritual alchemy.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons Spiritual Alchemy

https://www.light.org/membership.cfm

image; wellcomecollection.org

06/06/2023

In a special way, again, if the Moon holds the place of action, and is moving away from con- junction, together with Mercury, in Ta**us, Capricornus, and Cancer, she produces soothsayers, makers of sacrifices, and adepts in lekanomancy (divination by inspection of liquids in vessels), in Sagittarius and Pisces necromancers and those who can arouse daemons, in Virgo and Scorpio magicians, astrologers, prophets, those who have second sight in Libra, Aries, and Leo persons inspired by the gods, interpreters of dreams, and exorcists.
Ptolemy Tetrabiblos
Translated F. E. Robbins
Loeb Classical Library

06/05/2023

The Elixir Vitae
The fountain of eternal youth has been sought in many lands. The alchemists, instead of exploring the earth in the hope of finding it ready prepared by nature, undertook its manufacture. They diligently worked to prepare a fluid which they styled the elixir of life, in which to bathe and indefinitely prolong both youth and existence. With the philosopher’s stone they would change other metals into gold. But to be able to enjoy this gold they must have life. To reap its advantages in fullness, old age must be defeated and death defied. Therefore, to perpetually rejuvenate themselves, they must prepare this most precious elixir.

It was the policy of these alchemists, whatever they sought, to follow closely, though striving to accelerate, the processes of nature. Watching her, they could only decide that life wherever found springs into existence through the interaction of positive and negative potencies. Where s*x is not there is no life.

The life of each atom of matter depends upon love. For instance, the sum of the components in the helium nucleus, or alpha particle, is 4.0332 mass units, yet the actual mass of helium is only 4.0027 units. Thus considerable of the mass of the components is converted into binding (love) energy. The binding energy of such an alpha particle is 28,000,000 electron volts. And it is the binding (love) energy released in the fission or in the synthesis of certain atoms that is the source of so-called atomic energy.

Mineral crystals are sensitive to poison, grow, and reproduce themselves. They are made up of atoms. These crystals continue their lives until, through age or other polarizing forces, the love of the atoms for one another is overcome. When such attractions cease the crystal disintegrates.

In the vegetable kingdom, also, the power of growth and duration depends upon the strength of the attraction between the cells, and their love for the nutritive materials carried to them by circulating fluids.

All life, thought, and activity are the result of s*x. S*x expresses itself as movement, as fire, as passion, as enthusiasm, and as exalted unselfish love. It is convertible. It may be base and ignoble, or it may ascend to the very throne of Divinity. But wherever there is life there is some form of love.

The alchemist, then, perceiving that life is dependent on love concludes that spiritual life must depend on a spiritual love, and that immortal life must depend on an immortal love. And what so quickly can restore youth as love? Even the surgeons endeavoring to restore youth and prolong physical existence by transplanting tissues, utilize in a material way this principle; for they use the glands associated with love. The problem of the spiritual alchemist who seeks the coveted elixir thus becomes clear cut and definite. Life depends on love, and immortal life in a spiritual realm depends on an enduring spiritual love. It is this love that he seeks to find.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons Spiritual Alchemy

https://www.light.org/index.cfm

The Alchymist, in Search of the Philosopher's Stone Joseph by Wright of Derby 1771 Wikipedia

06/05/2023

MOON: These thought cells desire that the individual should have home and offspring. They may cause him to be so interested in the private lives of others as to be a gossip, or they may express through the effort to gain notoriety, through incessant change, or through changing moods and mental instability. Instead of these expressions the individual should cultivate domesticity and develop a habit system in which he is active, and experiences delight, in music and in contributing to the comfort of his family or to the welfare of the old or young who are helpless.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons
Occultism Applied to Daily Life

https://www.light.org/index.cfm

Image:
Astronomy: Diana, as Moon goddess, an angel above looking heavenward. Engraving by N. Dorigny, 1695, after a mosaic panel by Raphael in the Chigi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, 1516.
Public Domain

06/01/2023

The Philosopher’s Stone
The chief ends sought by alchemists in various ages and climes were four in number: 1. To perform transmutation. 2. To obtain the philosopher’s stone. 3. To find the elixir of life. 4. To accomplish the great work.

The philosopher’s stone, according to repute, is a stone that has the power of transforming all it touches into gold.

As the gold we seek is spiritual permanence, and the base metals upon which we operate are the experiences of life as they are gathered day after day, our philosopher’s stone, as spiritual alchemists, must be something that touching any experience of life can transform it into a permanent spiritual treasure. It must be capable of giving it the quality that is necessary for it to persist as a component of the immortal spiritual body on the plane yet above the astral.

One thing there is that is changeless. That is gold. One thing there is also that touching other things makes them partake of its all-enduring quality. When truth is pressed against them, the eternal principles expressed by things are revealed, and thus are objects and forces transformed through the process of spiritual understanding, from base objects or experiences into the gold of their underlying spiritual nature.

“The Truth That Sets You Free” is the touchstone of alchemy. But as an intellectual process only it has no freeing power. The truth of any object, experience or force embraces a full comprehension of its various relations. Truth is correct knowledge. This correct knowledge embraces a comprehension of the relation of the thing to all other entities and forces. It embraces a correct knowledge of the relation of the thing to God, to man, and to the universe. It reveals its true spiritual significance in the life of man.

Such truth is a freeing and transmuting power, for when the spiritual relations are completely realized there is more than an intellectual perception. There is also present an emotion, a feeling of the stupendous privilege of life, and deep gratitude for its glorious opportunities. When correct knowledge is fully realized within there springs into existence as a component part of it, as the things inevitably conditioned by its presence, a deep aspiration, and an unutterable longing and determination, for a higher and better method of living. This Truth is the Philosopher’s Stone.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons Spiritual Alchemy

https://www.light.org/index.cfm

image: Ammonite fossilized in Jasper stone

06/01/2023

SUN: These thought cells desire that the individual should have significance. In the effort to attain significance they may cause him to disparage others, to be dictative, to boast, to be a show-off, to do antisocial acts to attract attention, to develop an inferiority complex or a superiority complex, to refuse to speak or work before the public because of fear he will not live up to an exalted opinion of himself, or they may cause him to have difficulty with authority. Instead of these expressions the individual should set about resolutely and intelligently to acquire and use some knowledge or ability that he can employ in the community where he lives, or expects to live, that will secure the esteem of others, or at least through benefiting the community, increase his own opinion of himself. He should acquire the habit system of doing something beneficial to society in which he can take pride, be firm in its accomplishment, and feel joy in the self-approval engendered.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons
Occultism Applied to Daily Life

https://www.light.org/index.cfm

Image; Sun God
Nandikeshhwar Mahadev Temple Nepal
Public Domain

05/30/2023

Timaeus;
Let us now state the Cause wherefor He that constructed it constructed Becoming and the All. He was good, and in him that is good no envy ariseth ever concerning anything; and being devoid of envy He desired that all should be, so far as possible, like unto Himself. This principle, then, we shall be wholly right in accepting from men of wisdom as being above all the supreme originating principle of Becom- ing and the Cosmos. For God desired that, so far as possible, all things should be good and nothing evil; wherefore, when He took over all that was visible, seeing that it was not in a state of rest but in a state of discordant and disorderly motion, He brought it into order out of disorder, deeming that the former state is in all ways better than the latter. For Him who is most good it neither was nor is permissible to perform any action save what is most fair. As He reflected, therefore, He perceived that of such creatures as are by nature visible, none that is irrational will be fairer, comparing wholes with wholes, than the rational; and further, that reason cannot possibly belong to any apart from Soul. So because of this reflexion He constructed reason within soul and soul within body as He fashioned the All, that so the work He was executing might be of its nature most fair and most good. Thus, then, in accordance with the likely account, we must declare that this Cosmos has verily come into existence as a Living Creature endowed with soul and reason owing to the providence of God.
Plato Timaeus
Translation R. G. Bury
Loeb classical library

Image;
Medieval manuscript of Calcidius' Latin translation of Plato's Timaeus. In the late sixteenth century, this manuscript belonged to Leiden University professor Daniel Heinsius who gave it to his son Nicholas. Nicholas, whose signature appears on the manuscript, was the librarian of Queen Christina of Sweden, whose collection came to the Vatican Library after her death.

Public domain

05/30/2023

The First Matter
Schoolmen well could laugh at the alchemical doctrine of the first matter so long as the various elements of chemistry remained indivisible. Now, however, they know that the ancient alchemists were right; for all the so-called elements are composed of positive electric charges, called positrons, and negative electric charges, called electrons, which are positive and negative concentrations of the universal field, commonly called ether.

The nucleus of an atom embraces one or more proton, which is a combination of positrons and electrons having one more positron than electron, and thus carrying a positive electric charge. The nucleus of an atom may also embrace one or more neutrons, which is a combination of an equal number of positrons and electrons, and is thus electrically neutral.

Around the nucleus, to balance the positive charge on each proton, revolve as many electrons as there are protons in the nucleus. The number of protons in the nucleus is the element’s atomic number. Uranium, the heaviest natural element, has 92 protons. Remove four of these and the result is radium, which has 88 protons. From uranium remove 10 protons, or from radium remove six protons, and the result is lead, which has 82 protons. From uranium remove 13 protons, or from lead remove three protons, and the result is gold, which has 79 protons. From gold remove 53 protons and the result is iron, which has 26 protons. From iron remove 25 protons and the result is hydrogen, which has only one proton, and is the lightest chemical element.

The usual approach of the alchemist to the problem of transmutation, however, was not the attempt to knock protons from an atom having more than the desired metal. Instead, the attempt was made to build up the precious metal by bringing together, under proper circumstances, other metals that would furnish electrons and protons in proper number and under such conditions that these protons and electrons would enter into combination in the numerical proportions of the desired metal. If gold was desired it was necessary to furnish 79 protons and 79 electrons. Although not all the electrons and protons of metals thus brought to the combination might enter into the final product, enough must be available that would enter into the process to build up the necessary 79 pairs.

But merely bringing together silver and lead and tin and other ingredients does not produce gold. The proper ingredients must be present in certain proportions, it is true. But before being transformed into gold they must be reduced to a state which makes recombination of the protons and electrons possible. This is called reducing them to the first matter. The energy used in the process is variously called the universal solvent, the alcahest, the sophic fire, the supreme secret of alchemy, azoth, and the Water of Pythia.
C. C. Zain Brotherhood of Light lessons Spiritual Alchemy

https://www.light.org/

image from webelements.com