The Ninth Key from D. Stolcius von Stolcenberg, Viridarium chymicum, 1624
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This image is the ninth key from Basil Valentine's series of the Twelve Keys. It describes the stage known as the "peacock's tail." The bottom section shows three hearts with a snake emanating out of each; their circular motion recalls the movement of a wheel and with it the sense of yoga (yoke). The snake, or serpent, is the symbol of transformation and in this form recalls the ouroborus. The three hearts represent body, soul and spirit and more essentially the principles of Salt, Sulphur and Mercury. Together they form a small mandala symbolizing the wholeness of the Self. Together the three elements in this section of the picture are joined together within the wholeness of the outer circle. Psychologically, this part of the image indicates that all three aspects are flowing in harmony with each other. The upper section shows two figures, one male and one female, posed in such a way as to form a cross. At each point of the cross we find some animal depicting various aspects of the opus. Beginning at the top there is a black crow sitting on the man's feet. This is the nigredo, the blackening, where the work begins. Moving counterclockwise, we come to the white swan perched on the woman's head. The work moves from the nigredo to the albedo, the whitening stage of the opus that is associated with the feminine. At her feet is the symbol of the peacock's tail. The peacock's tail marks the precipitation of the final stage - the beginning of integration. The "eyes" on the peacock's tail were thought to represent all universes and the iridescence of its colors the entire spectrum of light that reflects the infinite dimensions of consciousness. Finally, as we move to the man's head, we see the phoenix bird wings stretched wide in a triumphant pose. Adam MacLean (The Alchemical Mandala, p. 78) mentions that these birds represent the four elements. The Crow=Earth, Swan=Water, Peacock=Air, Phoenix=Fire. He points out the various polarities that are formed by specific connections made between each bird and the point of contact (head or feet) of the male and female figures. These polarities -the four elements, the three principles, the masculine and feminine and the four stages of the work- when adequately experienced prepare the adept for complete integration. It is interesting to note also that the movement in the upper section is contrary to the bottom section. These counter-movements remind us that alchemy is an opus contra naturum, that its work moves contrary to nature, not to oppose it but rather to facilitate both evolution and involution. Finally, another way of viewing this picture is to trace the outline of the design instead of focusing on its details. Then, what appears is a cross above a circle. This is the symbol for Antimony, a poisonous metal that is derived from stibnite. In prescribing antimony, instead of stibnite, Valentine sickened many of his brother monks, thus the name "Anti-monk" gave rise to the word anitmony. It is also significant to note that the Star Regulus ("petty king")which is produced from antimony fascinated Sir Isaac Newton many years later. The crystallized shards from the Star Regulus pointing outward and inward ultimately contributed to Newton's formulation of the laws of gravitation. |
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