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To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.metaphysics.alchemy
From: glass@panix.com (Robert Scott Martin)
Subject: Re: MSwaney: Alchemy, Philosopher's Stone & Ka'aba Stone
Date: 5 Dec 2001 11:40:21 -0500

In article <_fjN7.7813$DD2.88359@typhoon.sonic.net>,

>Neil Fernandez wrote:

[moving fast]

>> I don't know a great deal about the subject, but I know
>> that the black stone and cube feature in alchemy; 

They do indeed, but in a revealing relationship. A number of authors
figure "the black stone" as "the first matter, subject of the art drawn
from the primordial chaos" -- holy raw material, if you will.

The cube features up the road from there.

>> that the Black Stone
>> at Mecca is said to have changed colour from white to black,

This is actually the reverse of alchemical canon, which leads the matter 
into blackness and then whiteness. One will also note that the Kaaba Stone 
turned black after absorbing the taint of human imperfection -- it has 
"weathered" if you will.

However, I am no hajji, and I am told that the Kaaba Stone is actually a 
nice shade of dark brownish red -- the color of dried blood. As such, we 
can imagine it to have actually been perfected by its stay in Mecca, 
moving from whiteness to red. If we like.

And of course, digging deeper into the wasteland of my mind, the sufis 
paint the final annihilation of the ego with a "black" brush. Is this 
light simply black, or is it an absence of color that only appears black? 
Perhaps the Kaaba Stone partakes in this anti-color, while our alchemical 
stones are only incidentally black along the way.

>>  and that
>> the Ka'aba, the building which contains the Black Stone in its southeast
>> corner, at the centre of the mosque in Mecca, is cubic. 

The raw is always contained within the cooked, the old covenant (or king)  
being the seed of the new. At the center of the cube (art) you will find
the black stone (nature) again.

>> BTW Muslims believe that the Ka'aba was built by Abraham and Ishmael.

Who rebuilt a structure raised by no less than Adam, or so they say. The 
flood left it somewhat the worse for wear.

In general, I am reminded of a story told by Fulcanelli.

"In order to close, on a less austere note, this study of the secret 
language designated under the name of 'hermetic or solar cabala' [sic], we 
will show how far historical credulity can go.... The historic facts 
which we offer to the meditation of the reader are those of a monarch in 
Roman antiquity. We will not have to remark on their bizarre 
characteristics, nor to underline the cabalistic relations, as they are 
so evident and expressive.

"The famous Roman emperor Varius Avitus Bassianus, greeted by soldiers -- 
no one really knew why -- with the names of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,[1] 
was nicknamed -- no one really knows why either -- Elagabalus or 
Heliogabalus.[2] Born in 204, says the Encyclopedia, and died in Rome in 
222; he came from a Syrian family[3] dedicated to the cult of the Sun 
at Emesa.[4] He himself, when very young, was a high priest of this god, 
who was adored in the shape of a BLACK STONE and under the name of 
Elagabalus. He was supposed to be son of Caracalla. His mother, 
Soemias,[5] was part of the court and was below calumny. Be that as it 
may, the beauty of the young high priest seduced the legion of Emeses who 
proclaimed him August emperor at the age of 14. The emperor Macrinus 
marched against him, but was beaten and killed.

[...]

"While this may not be History, it is nevertheless a beautiful story, full 
of 'pantagruelism.' Without failing its esoteric mission, it would 
certainly have, under Rabelais' brisk pen and warm and colorful style, 
gained in flavor, vividness and truculence."

Footnotes (all original in text):

[1] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus -- Cabalistically, the combination of the
first matter, of the Olympian or divine gold, and of the mercury. The
latter, in the allegorical accounts, always bears the name of Antony,
Antonin, Antolin, etc., with the epithet of pilgrim, messenger or
traveler.

[2] Heliogabalus -- It means the Horse of the Sun, the one which carries
the science, the solar cabala.

[3] Syria -- Suria [in Greek] or Sisura [likewise] means "a course skin
covered with hair," the future golden fleece.

[4] Emesa -- Emesis [in Greek] means "vomiting"; it is the scoria of the
previous text.

[5] Soemias -- A few historians called her Seriamira -- half miraculous.  
At once vile and precious, abject and sought after, she is the prostitute
of the Work.  Wisdom caused her to say about herself, nigra sum sed
formosa (I am black but I am beautiful).

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From: glass@panix.com (Robert Scott Martin)
Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.metaphysics.alchemy
Subject: Re: MSwaney: Alchemy, Philosopher's Stone & Ka'aba Stone
Date: 5 Dec 2001 12:11:07 -0500
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In article <9ulill$1qe$1@panix2.panix.com>,

I've been "grudging." Let's give Fulcanelli back his middle paragraph, so
people can find out how the story of the mercurial young Black Stone
Emperor of Rome turns out.

>"In order to close, on a less austere note, this study of the secret 
>language designated under the name of 'hermetic or solar cabala' [sic], we 
>will show how far historical credulity can go.... The historic facts 
>which we offer to the meditation of the reader are those of a monarch in 
>Roman antiquity. We will not have to remark on their bizarre 
>characteristics, nor to underline the cabalistic relations, as they are 
>so evident and expressive.
>
>"The famous Roman emperor Varius Avitus Bassianus, greeted by soldiers -- 
>no one really knew why -- with the names of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,[1] 
>was nicknamed -- no one really knows why either -- Elagabalus or 
>Heliogabalus.[2] Born in 204, says the Encyclopedia, and died in Rome in 
>222; he came from a Syrian family[3] dedicated to the cult of the Sun 
>at Emesa.[4] He himself, when very young, was a high priest of this god, 
>who was adored in the shape of a BLACK STONE and under the name of 
>Elagabalus. He was supposed to be son of Caracalla. His mother, 
>Soemias,[5] was part of the court and was below calumny. Be that as it 
>may, the beauty of the young high priest seduced the legion of Emeses who 
>proclaimed him August emperor at the age of 14. The emperor Macrinus 
>marched against him, but was beaten and killed.

"Heliobagalus' reign was nothing save the triumph of Eastern 
superstitions [Fulcanelli is still quoting the Encyclopedia here] and 
debaucheries. There are no infamies or cruelties which were not invented 
by this 'singular emperor' with rouged cheeks and a trailing robe. He 
brought his BLACK STONE to Rome, and forced the Senate and all the people 
to adore it publicly. Having removed from Carthage the statue of 
Coelestis, which represents the Moon, he celebrated with great ceremony 
its marriage to his BLACK STONE which represented the Sun. He created a 
senate of women, married successively four women, among whom a vestal 
virgin, and assembled one day in his palace all the prostitutes of Rome to 
whom he addressed a discourse on the duties of their estate. Praetorians 
slaughtered Heliogabalus and threw his body in the Tiber river. He was 18 
years old and had been emperor for four years.

>"While this may not be History, it is nevertheless a beautiful story, full 
>of 'pantagruelism.' Without failing its esoteric mission, it would 
>certainly have, under Rabelais' brisk pen and warm and colorful style, 
>gained in flavor, vividness and truculence."
>
>Footnotes (all original in text):
>
>[1] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus -- Cabalistically, the combination of the
>first matter, of the Olympian or divine gold, and of the mercury. The
>latter, in the allegorical accounts, always bears the name of Antony,
>Antonin, Antolin, etc., with the epithet of pilgrim, messenger or
>traveler.
>
>[2] Heliogabalus -- It means the Horse of the Sun, the one which carries
>the science, the solar cabala.
>
>[3] Syria -- Suria [in Greek] or Sisura [likewise] means "a coarse skin
>covered with hair," the future golden fleece.
>
>[4] Emesa -- Emesis [in Greek] means "vomiting"; it is the scoria of the
>previous text.
>
>[5] Soemias -- A few historians called her Seriamira -- half miraculous.  
>At once vile and precious, abject and sought after, she is the prostitute
>of the Work.  Wisdom caused her to say about herself, nigra sum sed
>formosa (I am black but I am beautiful).