A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery

Part III: Concerning the Laws and Vital Conditions of the Hermetic Experiment

Chapter 2: A Further Analysis of the Initial Principle, Part 4

Introduction: The Hermetic art transforms the soul’s universal essence, the Initial Principle, into divine light, uniting all creation in harmony. This section explores the philosophical and alchemical journey from chaos to divine unity, guided by ancient wisdom and spiritual insight.

The Universal Essence of Creation

Ancient philosophers like Anaxagoras and Empedocles describe the Initial Principle as a singular essence—mind, fire, or water—that births all existence through love and strife. This essence, though named differently, is the same: a vital spark uniting mind and matter. Plato’s Timaeus envisions it as a perfect whole, free from decay, while Aristotle’s “ultimate circulation” sees it as the boundless spirit animating the universe. These thinkers, through experiential insight, reveal the soul’s essence as the source of all, transforming chaos into divine order.

The soul’s essence, a “Psychical Quintessence,” shifts forms yet remains eternal, as Ovid’s verse illustrates: “All things in union through love conspire, then through strife divide, emerging into light.” This dynamic interplay mirrors the alchemical process, where the soul’s spark, purified, becomes a radiant vessel of divine truth.

The Philosophical Harmony

Aristotle, though critical of his predecessors’ varied expressions (e.g., Pythagoras’ numbers, Plato’s Ideas), seeks to harmonize their insights into a universal logic. His Metaphysics praises the causality of mind, aligning with Anaxagoras’ view of intellect as infinite and pure. Despite apparent contradictions, these philosophers agree on a singular essence, experienced through inner vision, not mere theory. Their use of fables and symbols veils this truth from the uninitiated, ensuring only the wise perceive the soul’s divine source.

The Hermetic art, like Plato’s heaven, locates this essence in an inner realm, the “Earth of the Wise,” where divine light transforms the soul into a perfect whole, free from earthly flaws.

The Alchemical Transformation

Alchemists assert that this essence, though occult, can manifest through Theurgic art, revealing divine effects. Plotinus explains, “A pure matter subsists between primary and secondary causes, made manifest through blessed visions.” This vital substance, surviving corruption, persists through change, as forms shift but the essence remains. Through alchemical purification, the soul’s spark ascends, uniting with the divine in a radiant, eternal harmony.

Closing: This chapter unveils the Initial Principle as the soul’s universal essence, purified into divine light through philosophical and alchemical art. The journey into its practical revelation deepens in our next post, unveiling further secrets of this sacred practice.