That which makes experience flow ...

[Plenum]

as you know, I've been doing some work on the Archetypes of the Body lately.

I've turned my attention to card 14 just now.



I think the essence of the Card is that is speaks to: "that which makes experience flow".

The Alchemist is the Great Way of the Body, and somehow speaks to the environment, or the overall parameters in which the function of the Body takes place.

Quoting Ra: "The body is the creature of the mind and is the instrument of manifestation for the fruits of mind and spirit. Therefore, you may see the body as providing the athanor through which the alchemist manifests gold."

the pouring of water from one vessel to another, is like the pouring of experience from one vessel (aspect) to another.

just a few questions:

1) the sun is being depicted, but are those torches that are surrounding it? I guess this would be clearer in a colorised version.

2) what is at the base of the person's feet?  those are feathers or spurs?

[sunnysideup]

I think those are wings on the alchemist's feet, kinda like Hermes. To me that means the alchemist has the ability to move without restriction and shows the transformation from being tied to having wings. I'm also not sure what to make of the illustrations surrounding the sun, torches or candles would be my guess. There also seems to be one on his head or whatever that is.

[Bluebell]

unfettered tread?

[βαθμιαίος]

This page is helpful for determining what the pictures actually contain: http://green-door.narod.ru/zaintarot.html

It contains C.C. Zain's notes that accompany the images in the Church of Light's book.  Here's what it says about this card:

The Alchemist.--Arcanum XIV.

In Divination, Arcanum XIV is Regeneration or Temperance.

Arcanum XIV is figured by the genie of the sun holding a golden urn and a silver urn, and pouring from one to the other the conducting fluid of life.

The genie is crowned with flame to indicate that it is a spirit; and its feet are winged to signify its rapid movements. The fluid transferred from one urn to another is the symbol of transmutation; and the eight rays of the sun which show behind the genie's head signify that the positive, or masculine, forces of the universe are exactly equilibriated by the negative, or feminine, forces. The cloak over the shoulder of the spirit indicates the perpetual fecundation of matter, as symbolized by the cloak, by spirit.

This ensemble pictures the combination and interchange of masculine and feminine forces throughout nature, working ceaselessly in all kingdoms, as the instigators and cause of all movements and life.

It's helpful because it tells you what the elements are, but reading it makes me think of Ra's comment that "We may note, with sympathy, that you undoubtedly feel choked by the opposite difficulty, that of a great mass of observation upon this system, all of which has some merit as each student will experience the archetypical mind and its structure in an unique way useful to that student."

[native]

This page is helpful for determining what the pictures actually contain: http://green-door.narod.ru/zaintarot.html

Excellent..thank you.

[Aion]

Everything in this picture shows circulation. Energy exchange and transfer as practiced in Yoga, Chi Gung and other internal alchemical arts. The way of the body is to flow, this is done by energy constantly being exchanged back and forth between one side and another, one half and the other, one self and the other. Cycles are always moving between the same points. A fully awakened body is one unrestricted in any of its pathways through which intelligent energy may flow. This is done by continuously equalizing and balancing opposites within the body complex. This causes the body to be One with the Will of the Mind, the Philosopher's Stone realized.