Spiritual Alchemy Learning Center

Step 5. Putrefaction

""Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads."
-Erica Jong ."

The balancing action of conjunction is likened to a nice drink of water after wandering endlessly in the desert. There is now balance between the hidden and outer self. There is an oasis, however, with more desert to go if you wish to make the journey. It gives some hope and courage for the other difficult steps to come.   Fermentation, or Putrefaction, is one of those difficult steps. The special material is now exposed, but the spark is not yet released.

In chemistry, Fermentation is the growing of a bacteria in organic solutions. This is often accomplished by warming material in a bath pushing it along. The vapor, sometimes possessing a rotting smell, is given off. This vapor thought to be the life spark. Keep in mind that is how wonderful things are made such as fine wine and cheese.  However this is more like the falling away of the flesh from the bones. The outcome is important to remember for courage.

In Alchemy, fermentation is the final rotting of material that releases the life spark. It is the mystical death. It is accompanied by sadness, helplessness, and general spiritual disintegration where the spark of life abandons the body and soul. The original self is finally dying in agony. Externally, Fermentation can appear to be a nervous breakdown or many other very serious and concerning states of mind. It is advisable to get help at this point. Join with others who have gone through this. Talk to your Shaman, minister, priest, rabbi, or other spiritual healer. For many, this means some work on the psychiatric couch.

Putrefaction is thought to be a necessary precondition of life. The outside of the seed which falls to the earth is thought to rot releasing new life. Before rebirth is death. It is also what happens after death. Fermentation's goal is to reanimate, energize, and enlighten the alchemist by raising consciousness past the dark animal body. The process is foul, like rotting flesh, eggs. It will smell bad to the alchemist causing them to  pray intensely, chant desperately, beg for the mystical union to come, and meditate like they have never meditated before asking or wishing desperately for help or relief.  The alchemist will be pushed beyond all their means to places that they felt could never be survived. This is often the place where people start using psychedelic drugs in attempts to break through the barrier or at least stop the pain. It is the black time. This is truly the moment of black night of the soul.

The vapor, or life spark hovers over the rotting material the whole time. It now condenses into a liquid which penetrates the First Matter, animating it creating the embryo that will grow into the stone. This is also the symbolic baptism and rebirthing.  Interestingly enough, to Alchemists, the turning of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is also symbolic of this transformational process. From this black, rotting matter the next steps come towards the realization of the goldeness of the Soul. From this process the Alchemist has achieved what is know as the white stone. It is the shining of the new self and of the spirit, turning the darkness into the glowing silver and the beginning of enlightment.

Fifth Key. On the right a woman stands beside a rectangular plinth or furnace. In her right hand she holds a heart out of which grows a seven-blossomed rose flower. A flask resting on the plinth or furnace has a layer of liquid within it from which fumes are rising. The top of this flask seems to merge with the woman's head. Beside this woman stands an alchemist with bellows, and flames emerge from his mouth and the top of his head. In front of the plinth or furnace a blindfold cupid aims an arrow with his bow at the woman. On the left stands a lion with a crown above his head. He raises his left paw as if to attack the cupid, or the woman. Above the lionÕs head a large Sun shines out.

THE EMERALD TABLET

"True, without error, certain and most true; that which is above is as that which is below, and that which is below is as that which is above, for performing the miracles of the One Thing; and as all things are from the one, by the mediation of the one, so all things arose from this one by adaptation; the father of it is the Sun, the mother of it is the Moon; the wind carries it in its belly; the nurse thereof is the Earth. This is the Father of all perfection, or consummation of the whole world. The power of it is integral, if it be turned into earth. Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently with much wisdom; it ascends from earth to heaven, and again descends to earth; and receives the strength of the superiors and the inferiors - so thou has the glory of the whole world; therefore let all obscurity flee before thee. This is the strong fortitude of all fortitudes, overcoming every subtle and penetrating every solid thing. So the world was created. Hence were all wonderful adaptations of which this is the manner. Therefore I am called 'Thrice Great Hermes,' having the Three Parts of the philosophy of the whole world. That which I have written is consummated concerning the operation of the Sun."

---Translation from "Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology" 2nd Edition.

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