Spiritual Alchemy: Scrying, Spirit Communication, and Alchemical Wisdom - Jenny Tyson 2016
The Emerald Tablet
My Training and Initiation
A NOTE FROM DONALD
During her training, David Blackburne ordered Jenny to memorize a brief alchemical source work known as the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus. Prior to this she had never paid much attention to this text, since alchemy was not one of her areas of interest. However, she memorized it as instructed. She chose the English version that appears in my annotated edition of the Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Henry Cornelius Agrippa.
In composing this English version, I drew upon the various English translations of the Latin text that were available at the time (this was prior to the Internet), as well as on the Arabic version of the text. I weighed and balanced all the different interpretations of the text in an effort to extract the most accurate understanding of what the anonymous author had intended to convey.
Although the work is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, this is a mythical figure who probably never lived in this world. He may be regarded as a kind of god, or perhaps more of a patron saint, of alchemists. Hermes is, of course, a god of the Greeks, largely equivalent to the Roman god Mercury. Trismegistus means “thrice great.”
A whole shelf of works on magic, philosophy, cosmology, spirituality, and mysticism were attributed to Thrice-Great Hermes. Today scholars generally disregard the works on magic and concentrate their attention on the more philosophical works, which constitute what is known as Hermetic philosophy.
Of all the works attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, none is more valued or revered than the Emerald Tablet ( known in Latin as the Tabula Smaragdina). In thirteen brief lines of text is set forth what is regarded by alchemists and magicians as the highest secret of alchemy. In a material sense it may be understood as a set of directives for transforming base metal into gold, but on the spiritual level it is the prescription for the purification and perfection of the human soul.
The Hermetic books were written in Greek, but the earliest surviving version of the Emerald Tablet appears in the writings of the eighth-century Arab sage Jabir ibn Hayyan, who was more familiarly known to Europeans during the Middle Ages and Renaissance as Geber. It is believed that the text itself is much older than this earliest surviving appearance, however.
According to a popular legend, the Emerald Tablet was discovered by none other than Alexander the Great when he opened up the tomb of Hermes Trismegistus near Hebron. Within the tomb was found a large slab of emerald, and upon its surface was inscribed in Phoenician characters the thirteen sentences of the Emerald Tablet. This legend is related by Hargrave Jennings, who attributed it to the thirteenth-
century monk and saint Albertus Magnus.
Only after her three-day ordeal of initiation was completed did Jenny realize that its various stages could be related to the stages of the process described in the Emerald Tablet. In this chapter, the thirteen sentences of the Emerald Tablet are fully explained in terms of personal spiritual evolution, with accompanying commentary from Edward Kelley.
—Donald Tyson
THE EMERALD TABLET AND
THE RETURN TO EARTH
I would like to explain how the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus fits into the experience of my spiritual initiation. I was required by David to memorize it a couple months before the initiation and to recite it on a frequent basis. Here is the version given in Donald’s edition of Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Tyson 711):
1. It is true, without falsehood, and most certain.
2. What is below is like that which is above; and what is above is like that which is below: to accomplish the miracle of one thing.
3. As all things were formed from one, by the thought of one, so all things are born from this one thing, by choice.
4. Its father is the sun, its mother is the moon, the wind carries it in its belly, its nurse is the earth.
5. It is the author of all perfection throughout the world.
6. The power is strong when changed into the earth.
7. Separate earth from fire, the subtle from the gross, gently and with care.
8. Ascend from earth to heaven, and descend again to earth, to unite the power of higher and lower things; thus you will obtain the glory of the whole world, and shadows will leave you.
9. This has more strength than strength itself, for it overcomes all subtle things and penetrates every solid.
10. Thus the world was formed.
11. Hence proceed wonders, which means are here.
12. Therefore I am Hermes Trismegistus, having the three parts of world philosophy.
13. That which I had to say of the operation of the sun is perfected.
The statements of the Emerald Tablet have multilayered meanings and interpretations. They are statements of cosmology, and they are statements related to the making of the philosopher’s stone. The philosopher’s stone was believed to be a red powder that could transmute base metals into gold. It was also believed to have healing properties. References to its making were often poetic and contained symbolism unique to the art of alchemy.
Edward: The Emerald Table is also used as a philosophical guide. It pertains to the evolution of the human spirit and the journey to attain perfection. It is both a process which occurs over a period of time and, in your case, a ritual. It is an excellent reference to your spiritual awakening.
The first statement of the Emerald Tablet makes a threefold declaration of integrity.
1. It is true, without falsehood, and most certain.
Awakening is about truth. The search starts in shadow. I was under the influence of my own devices, shadows, and self-deceptions. What I had conjured from my own soul had control over my beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. I was under my own spell, a vicious cycle of generating shadows and then allowing them to control me. I was tossed around from one fear, belief, and desire to another. The goal of the initiation and awakening is to break this cycle with eternal truth. It’s not truth as found in religion. Religions are formula-based and only point the way to truth. The truth lies in a higher consciousness and not in forms made by human minds. The Emerald Tablet emphasizes in the first statement that it is about truth—eternal truth, infinite truth.
The second statement in the Tablet is the most famous declaration in all of Hermetic philosophy and Western magic. We will look at it in some detail as it pertains to the ritual of initiation.
2. What is below is like that which is above; and what is above is like that which is below: to accomplish the miracle of the one thing.
In past times, the “above” was understood to be the sky—literally, the heavens. This declaration expressed the belief by astrologers that they could interpret the communications from God to the earth if only they could decipher the writing in the heavens. However, this statement of the Emerald Tablet means something deeper than merely interpreting the writing of the sky. It is a statement that expresses the reality of both the spirit and the physical worlds. It defines the cosmological structure in which we live. This cosmology is more than just the physical sky; it is the spiritual milieu that supports our existence. Universe resides in heaven and she also resides with us, in us, and through us on earth. She resides also in the Cosmic Father. Cosmic Father and Universe are in perfect harmony and unity at all times.
In living our lives in this world, we are beset and challenged by shadows. The earth—the physical life—is a reflection of what is in heaven. The truth referred to in this statement of the Emerald Tablet exists both here and in heaven. Everything that is in spirit is here on earth in some form. Through learning how to discern shadow from truth, we can learn to see and live in heaven while living on earth, wherever we are and in whatever circumstance we are in.
The gentle and loving people of heaven who guided me first lived their lives on earth. They were not always lovable people when they lived here. In fact, they were no different than our spouses, sisters, brothers, and parents. We are all one people and have one destiny, which is to find our way to that divine reality. We will all find that reality and awaken to it. It is the divine miracle which is that spark of divinity that connects us intimately to both the Cosmic Father and Universe. The philosopher’s stone was believed by alchemists to be the red powder derived from mercury. The powder was thought to have the power to transform any metal into gold. This was a superficial and materialistic understanding. The philosopher’s stone resides not in the red powder. It is made by the awakening of the human soul.
After the heavenly vision of light and meeting with the Cosmic Father and Universe, I felt so depressed because I had to come back to earth. I grieved at my imagined loss. Universe said to me, “Everything you love here in heaven is on earth where you live. You are not losing anything. All you have to do is look deep within, and you will find us there with you. You are never alone, nor will you ever be.”
One of the most difficult shadows to overcome was the assumption that heaven was somewhere that I could not access until I had finished my work here on earth. However, the description of heaven as a separate place beyond us and beyond life is, in essence, an illusion. Heaven is merely a shift of focus, nothing more.
The third declaration on the Emerald Tablet reads:
3. As all things were formed from one, by the thought of one,
so all things are born from this one thing, by choice.
This statement on the Emerald Tablet explains our ultimate cosmic origins and describes the goal of the initiation ritual. The Cosmic Father is everywhere. All is in him and of him. Seeing and experiencing that oneness is the peak of the initiation process. An intimate encounter with the Cosmic Father and Universe is the goal of initiation.
This union changed my perspective. Everything relates to the one, comes from the one, and returns to the one. On the return, I was transformed and reborn. The Cosmic Father is the embodiment of an infinite force that creates and sustains all life. Creation is his expression of love. Universe is the first and greatest of his creation. With this transformation came the realization that I saw the physical world as reality, fixed and solid, indifferent to my whims and wishes. The solidity and fastness of the world is an illusion, and illusions can be broken.
Some illusions are easier to break than others. The sinus problem I had suffered throughout my life was an illusion, and that illusion was broken. Also, the illusion of the sore hip that immobilized me during the initiation process was broken. Piece by piece the fastness of the physical starts to crumble under the blazing light and truth of the Cosmic Father.
Sometimes we need help to break the illusions. Medication, doctors, and things we trust and believe will make us feel better can be helpful. Death itself is merely a change of form. We have the power within us to change our illusions, and to a large extent we create our own world and our own lives.
I will give another example: alchemy, the art of changing metals such as lead or iron into gold. The alchemist’s goal is to break the illusion that the metals are made of different things. In Edward’s time it was believed that metals had their origin as mercury, and that all metals were of the same substance, differing only in purity. As they believed, so it happened. The chemicals they used in their glass vessels were the tools that allowed them to believe they could cause the transmutation. The tools had little to do with the true alchemical process. The alchemist himself was the philosopher’s stone.
Now we will consider the fourth statement of the Emerald Tablet:
4. Its father is the sun, its mother the moon, the wind carries it in its belly, its nurse is the earth.
This has a very simple interpretation in the initiation ritual. The ritual brings the initiate to the knowledge of the Cosmic Father and Universe the Heavenly Mother. Universe is certainly lunar in character, and the Father is solar. The wind bearing “in its belly” is the energy and force that comes from the Father which is often called Kundalini. The love of the Father for his children bears the initiate up through the gates. This experience is like riding on a wind. This energy carried me through the whole ritual. The “nurse is the earth” refers to the recovery period. I had to return to earth; once there, I was nursed back to health.
The earth as a nurse has even more personal significance for me. My husband, who helped nurse me back to health, has the astrological sun sign of Capricorn, which is cardinal earth.
This profound statement of the Emerald Tablet describes the internal workings of the ritual process and introduced me to my spiritual parents, who now guide my steps as my journey continues.
5. It is the author of all perfection throughout the world.
The initiation purifies, awakens, and leads to perfection. It is only by the return and rebirth in the one that the imperfect illusions, the impure matter and shadows, will crumble to dust. It allows the pure and perfect soul to shine through. This purification begins during the preparation for initiation and continues beyond. The awakening is only the beginning. It is a new beginning, but it is far from a completed and perfect work. As an author writes a book and edits it to perfection, so at the awakening of the soul the book is written. After that, the book and the soul are edited to the perfection that is their goal and destiny.
6. The power is strong when changed into earth.
As I continued the process of grounding, or coming back to the earth, I discovered what this statement meant. The growing strength of the awakened soul becomes apparent as it returns to earth. This is an ongoing process. The goal of awakening is not just to have bliss and to be aware of and one with the presence of the Cosmic Father. Without the people who are struggling still to find this awakening, heaven is incomplete. The family must be together.
This family is not just a special group that has a set of distinct beliefs; it is all of mankind. In fact, it goes beyond mankind to include all of Universe’s children. Those who have been strengthened and overcome the obstacles that prevent the awareness of the Cosmic Father and Universe have a responsibility that comes with the awakening. They can use their strength to become a beacon of hope for those who are still struggling.
The encounter and union with the holy parents is an up-close and personal demonstration of true love. This love is the strength of the initiate. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. When this power is taken from the altar of initiation into the world, there is nothing that can overcome it. This statement on the Emerald Tablet describes the love that is experienced by the initiate brought into concrete action on the earth.
7. Separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross,
gently and with care.
This describes the process of purification. As Edward said, the body purifies itself when it comes in contact with Kundalini. As the soul is purified, the body then follows. The “gross” described here is the shadows and illusions we surround ourselves with throughout the course of our lives on earth. This accumulation becomes like a wall separating us from the love of our heavenly parents.
The purification is ongoing. It started the minute I agreed to work with Edward and continues to the present day. Slowly and gently, I am separated from my shadows and from the beliefs, emotions, and distractions that cloud the light of truth from the Cosmic Father.
A similar process takes place in the physical body as well. The body purifies itself after coming into contact with Kundalini. It is not the same after this takes place. There were changes to my body before initiation, but the changes during and after have been fairly drastic.
Separation has to be gentle because we become attached to our shadows. Some of them can even be very beautiful. The detachment process occurs as you realize there is something far greater than your shadows that you can surround and immerse yourself in. You lose interest in your shadows as well as the need for their constant affirmation of your beliefs.
8. Ascend from earth to heaven, and descend again to earth, to unite the power of higher and lower things; thus you will obtain the glory of the whole world, and the shadows will leave you.
The alchemical initiation was an ascension to heaven. It’s not so much a place as it is a state of the heart and a state of union with the Cosmic Father. The love and power of the Cosmic Father raised me to heaven when I was ready. I had to believe in the initiation and trust those who were helping me through the transition. Descent after the ritual is the return to a state of physical awareness. I returned in a transformed condition.
In the work titled the Rosarium Philosophorum, a pictorial story is told of the union of sulphur and mercury in the metaphor of a marriage and first intimacy. The hermaphrodite results. It is the visible union of sulphur and mercury. Its appearance is half man and half woman, containing characteristics of the individuals who were wed. The return to earth is as a new creature.
The newly formed soul now has a new birth and is ready to begin a transformed life. The new life begins to take on new qualities. The Cosmic Father is truth, and the shadows that harassed the soul before initiation start to dissipate. Their death means the birth of a new light within the soul. Darkness cannot exist while the smallest light is present. Even the weakest light has absolute power over darkness.
The soul does not return to earth in his or her original state. It now contains the light that will put shadows to flight. It has a purifying effect, first on itself and then on those around it. A light shines for all, not just the one who has undergone the transformation. It is not the soul’s own light. Instead, the purification of the soul and body through initiation and through union with the Cosmic Father and Universe cause the soul to be a clear mirror reflecting the light of the holy parents.
The gifts of heaven are now incorporated within, and the doors and books of heaven are opened. The shadows mentioned in this statement on the Emerald Tablet expressed themselves to me as disembodied voices and music. As the energy is withdrawn from them, they diminish to nothing. The power of above and below cannot be united until the initiation is completed and the initiate has returned in his or her transformed state. The path does not stop here but continues on.
9. This has more strength than strength itself, for it overcomes all subtle things and penetrates every solid.
True strength is found only in the power of divine love. This is a love that is all consuming and all encompassing. It is a love through which anything is possible. It has the power to shape the universe, break illusion, and create a new being from the ashes of the old. It has the power to break the hold of death itself. This love shatters the obstacles facing the soul that come between the human spirit and the awareness of the Cosmic Father and Universe. This awareness brings to us the love that we crave and desperately need.
Love is very powerful. It is the oldest and strongest force in all the universe. Its light not only penetrates shadows but rock-hard obstacles. Once the soul is connected to the Cosmic Father, the source of true love, its strength continues to grow as purification continues after awakening. Greater love is kindled, and the light continues to grow as harmony with the Cosmic Father and Holy Mother deepens. This growth extends beyond this life and into the afterlife in spirit, where the physical no longer stands as a hindrance. This is the greatest secret of magic. It is the secret of miracles, the secret of fulfillment and of the purpose that brought us here to wander the paths of the earth. The true soul mate of every human being is the Cosmic Father. The love that we crave comes from him and Universe. It is the source of divine power and strength.
10. Thus the world was formed.
How numerous are the creation stories in the world. Some of these myths are very imaginative. Some are simple and others complex. The common thread in these stories is that there is intelligence behind the work of creation. Someone out there put all this together and gave humanity a home.
The Emerald Tablet also tells a creation story of how the soul is given new birth. In doing so, it describes the cosmology of the universe, since the birth of the soul is akin to the creation of the cosmos. One is the microcosm; the other, the macrocosm. The key points of the alchemical initiation are the birth within, divine unity, and a divine love that is born anew and kindled in the soul.
The creation of humanity is also a result of this same divine love. The union between Universe and the Cosmic Father gave birth to every human soul in existence. I don’t mean just humanity that lives on earth; we are not alone. We are the expression of their love. Love needs someone to love. Love wants to share. They rejoiced at our birth. They raised us and gave us the opportunity to go beyond what we knew in heaven. The universe was created out of love and for love.
11. Hence proceed wonders, which means are here.
The creation and rebirth of our soul is not the end. Awakening is merely a landmark on a far greater journey. What are the wonders of this journey? I cannot think of where to begin. If I write something now, in two weeks’ time I will have discovered a yet deeper and greater wonder. The awakening is truly a mountaintop experience. It was one of the most dramatic moments of my life. I climbed the mountain of initiation. It will not be the only mountain I will climb.
There are other mountains that loom in the distance. There is a whole mountain range just waiting to be climbed and explored. I hope that you also awaken and have the opportunity to explore these mountains while you live on earth—if not during this life, then in the afterlife in spirit and beyond. We will continue to explore and grow as we move beyond time and space.
12. Therefore I am Hermes Trismegistus, having the three parts of world philosophy.
The author declares himself to be the fabled sage and wonder worker Hermes Thrice-Great, possessed of the three parts of knowledge of the world.
13. That which I had to say about the operation of the sun is perfected.
The process of alchemical initiation is given a name, the operation of the sun. The author declares it perfected, or fulfilled—complete in all its parts, lacking nothing. The mountain has been climbed, and the descent is complete. The next peak looms in the distance.