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The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme · 78 of 159 · tr. Franz Hartmann

Chapter 8 (part 6)

1.) "The terrestrial consciousness corrupted the celestial one, and the former became the Turba of the latter. Likewise, the Fiat made the earth and stones out of the eternal essentiality." ( Menschwerdung , i. 9.) "But in the earth we find still another tincture hidden away which is like the celestial one, especially in the precious metals." 2 ( Six Theosophical Points , vi. 2.) "Gold is nearly related to the divine substantiality or celestial corporeity. This would be seen if we could dissolve the dead body of the gold and cause it to become a volatile, active spirit, but this is only possible by means of the power of God." 3 ( Signature , iii. 39.) "As far as precious stones are concerned, carbuncles, rubies, delphines, onyx, &c., they have their origin there where the flash of light arose within love. This flash is born in meekness, and is the heart in the centre of the p. 176 sourcive spirits. Therefore are such stones so mild, lovely, and at the same time so powerful." 1 ( Aurora , xviii. 17.) As it is in regard to the mineral kingdom, so it is in regard to the vegetable and animal kingdoms. There the power of death has also penetrated into everything; but there also are formations existing which show a relationship with the paradise. "Before the fall the paradise was efflorescing through all trees and through all the fruits which God created for man. But when the earth was cursed, the curse penetrated into all fruits, and now everything became good and bad. In all things was death and rottenness, which formerly was only in the one tree, called the tree of knowledge of good and evil." ( Threefold Life , ix. 15.) "The fruits of the earth are not entirely in the wrath of God, for the incorporated word, being immortal and imperishable, was blossoming out again in the body of death, and produced fruits from the mortified body of the earth." ( Aurora , xxi. 24.) "Some animals, especially the tame ones, are closely related to the one element; others, especially the ferocious ones, have more relationship with the four elements." ( Three Principles , xviii. 10.) "There are poisonous animals and worms grown out of the wrathful quality, and formed after the centre of the dark world. They love to dwell only in the dark, and hide themselves away from the sunlight. Furthermore, there are many creatures which the spiritus mundi has formed out of the realm of phantasy, such as monkeys and certain animals and birds, who like to play pranks and torment and disturb other creatures, so that one is the enemy of the other, and they are all fighting against each other. On the other hand, there are also good and p. 177 kind creatures, made after the type of the angelic world, such as the tame animals and birds: among them, however, there are also bad qualities to be found." ( Grace , v. 20.) 1 In each external thing there is hidden an eternal and imperishable something, which issues again in an ethereal form out of the degraded body of the terrestrial substance. 2 "In each external thing there are two qualities, one originating from time and the other one from eternity. The first or temporal quality is manifest, the other one hidden." ( Signature , iv. 17.) "In the beings of this world we find everywhere two beings in one—first, an eternal, divine and spiritual being, and then one that has a beginning, and is natural, temporal, and corruptible.
Themes
◆Active Contemplationpraxis

A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.

Understanding the signatures of nature and hidden tinctures implies a contemplative engagement with symbols.

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◆Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

Divine origins are described using human attributes such as meekness and having a heart in the centre.

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◆Birth Of Word In Soulanthropology

Eckhart's signature doctrine that the Father eternally begets the Son in the ground of the soul; the human interior as the actual site of the divine generative act, distinct from inner_light's static indwelling.

The incorporated word is described as blossoming out again in the body of death.

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◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology

The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.

Creatures are described as having relationships with elements and the paradise, indicating hidden affinities.

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◆Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

God is described as creating the earth and fruits, with His power governing the transformation of gold.

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◆Evil As Privationtheology

Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.

Death and rottenness are described as having penetrated everything after the curse, implying evil is a corruption of the original good state.

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◆Forbidden Knowledgesoteriology

Transgressive knowing acquired against divine prohibition — the Watchers' teaching of metallurgy, sorcery, and cosmetics in 1 Enoch, the Gnostic Eve narratives, the Promethean mytheme; explicitly contrasted with gnosis_direct_knowledge, which is salvific.

The tree of knowledge of good and evil is cited as the source where death and rottenness formerly resided before penetrating all things.

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◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

Knowledge of the hidden tincture in metals implies esoteric understanding reserved for those who perceive it.

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◆Kenomacosmology

The void or emptiness outside the pleroma; the realm of matter, ignorance, and deficiency.

The terrestrial consciousness is described as corrupted and the earth as cursed, representing a realm of deficiency compared to the eternal.

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◆Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

The divine realm is present inside external things, with an eternal quality hidden within the terrestrial substance.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The text references the power of God and the transformation into an active spirit.

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◆Logoscosmology

The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.

The creation of earth and stones is attributed to the Fiat, implying a divine word or command.

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◆Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

The relationship between mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms reflects the divine structure of paradise.

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◆Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The text presents paradoxes such as good and bad coexisting in fruits and two beings existing in one.

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◆Separation From Sourcesoteriology

The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.

The terrestrial consciousness is said to have corrupted the celestial one, and the earth was cursed after the fall.

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◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The eternal something issues again in an ethereal form out of the degraded body, implying a movement upward.

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◆Theosis Deificationsoteriology

The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.

Gold is described as becoming a volatile, active spirit by means of the power of God, implying transformation into divine nature.

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◇Alchemical Workpraxis

The transformation of base substance — outer matter or the inner soul — into a purified, perfected, or 'gold' state; the magnum opus as both laboratory practice and spiritual allegory.

[auto] References to dissolving the dead body of gold into spirit and hidden tinctures in metals indicate alchemical transformation themes.

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◇Body As Obstacleanthropology

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

[auto] Gold is referred to as having a dead body that must be dissolved to become an active spirit.

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◇Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

[auto] The text draws direct parallels between the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms as reflections of divine structures.

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◇Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

[auto] The passage contrasts terrestrial consciousness with celestial consciousness and notes death penetrating all kingdoms.

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◇Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

[auto] A celestial-like tincture is described as hidden away within the earth and precious metals.

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◇Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

[auto] Precious stones originate from a flash of light that arose within love and meekness.

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◇Divine Sparkscosmology

Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.

[auto] Precious metals and stones contain a hidden tincture related to divine substantiality and celestial corporeity.

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◇Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

[auto] The text describes a flow from eternal essentiality to earth and celestial consciousness to terrestrial consciousness.

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◇Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

[auto] The origin of precious stones is described as a flash of light born in meekness within the heart of source spirits.

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◇Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

[auto] The passage suggests dissolving the dead body of gold to restore it as a volatile, active spirit through God's power.

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◇Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

[auto] It states that the mineral kingdom parallels the vegetable and animal kingdoms in their divine power and corruption.

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Related passages · 30 parallels
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 39 (part 2)
“20,636, stone tet inlaid with lapis-lazuli, carnelian, plasma, and mother of emerald.] Text: [CHAPTER CLV.] (1) THE CHAPTER OF A TET OF GOLD: Osiris Ani, triumphant, saith: "Thou risest, O still heart! (2) Thou shinest, O still heart! Pla…”
Both passages discuss the spiritual significance of precious materials (gold, carnelian, etc.) and their role in connecting the terrestrial and celestial realms. They share a belief in the transformative power of these materials in the context of spiritual or mystical practices.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Concealed Mystery (Siphra Dtzenioutha)|1g
“The four wheels are their correlatives under the second Sephira, on their four sides--namely, the four elements of the air, fire, water, and earth, which are the abodes of the spirits of the elements, the sylphs, salamanders, undines, and g…”
Both passages explore the interplay between the divine and the material world, discussing how elements and creatures are connected to spiritual realms. They share a mystical perspective on the hidden divine qualities within the physical world.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter II
“CHAPTER II. 1. Observe ye everything that takes place in the heaven, how they do not change their orbits, ⌈ and ⌉ the luminaries which are in the heaven, how they all rise and set in order each in its season, and transgress not against thei…”
Both passages emphasize the order and divine nature of creation, highlighting the steadfastness and divine origin of natural elements. Passage A focuses on the unchanging order of celestial and terrestrial phenomena, while Passage B discusses the divine essence hidden within natural elements and creatures.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XVIII
“CHAPTER XVIII 1. I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. 2. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four winds which bear [ the earth a…”
Both passages explore the cosmic order and the relationship between the celestial and terrestrial realms. They describe the structure of the universe and the elements within it, highlighting the interplay between divine and earthly substances.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LII
“LII. The Seven 1 Metal Mountains and the Elect One . CHAPTER LII. l. And after those days in that place where I had seen all the visions of that which is hidden--for I had been carried off in a whirlwind and they had borne me towards the we…”
Both passages discuss the symbolic significance of metals and other elements, relating them to divine or celestial realms. Passage A describes metals as serving the dominion of the Elect One, while Passage B discusses the divine substantiality of metals and their relationship to the celestial realm.
◆jewish_mysticism|Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Formation)|Section 1b
“4.) 11. He selected three letters from the simple ones, and sealed them as forming his great Name, I H V and he sealed the universe in six directions. Five.- He looked above, and sealed the height, with I H V. Six.- He looked below, and…”
Both passages explore the mystical creation of the universe through divine letters or elements. The Sefer Yetzirah focuses on the Hebrew letters and their arrangement to form the universe, while the second passage discusses the divine substantiality and the creation of the world through celestial and terrestrial elements, highlighting the dual nature of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIIIf
“Thus they recognised things supreme in such as are subordinate, and the subordinate in the supreme: in the celestial regions, terrene properties subsisting in a causal and celestial manner; and in earth celestial properties, but according t…”
Both passages explore the interconnectedness of celestial and terrestrial realms, and the hidden divine qualities within natural elements. They share a mystical perspective on the relationship between the spiritual and material worlds.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 27
“Section 1 1. What art is there, what method, what discipline to bring us there where we must go? The Term at which we must arrive we may take as agreed: we have established elsewhere, by many considerations, that our journey is to the Good,…”
Both passages explore the concept of ascending to a higher spiritual realm or understanding. Passage A discusses the path to the Good and the Primal-Principle through different temperaments, while Passage B describes the relationship between the terrestrial and celestial consciousness and the hidden divine qualities in the material world. Both emphasize the transformation and purification of the soul or consciousness to attain a higher state.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 91
“Section 1 1. We hold that the ordered universe, in its material mass, has existed for ever and will for ever endure: but simply to refer this perdurance to the Will of God, however true an explanation, is utterly inadequate. The elements of…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, discussing the eternal and temporal qualities within creation. They both delve into the idea of an underlying, imperishable essence within the physical realm, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 92
“Section 2 2. Supposing we accept this view and hold that, while things below the moon's orb have merely type-persistence, the celestial realm and all its several members possess individual eternity; it remains to show how this strict perman…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, discussing the persistence of forms and the interplay between the eternal and the temporal. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of existence and the role of divine will in sustaining the universe.
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◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 94
“Section 4 4. But matters are involved here which demand specific investigation and cannot be treated as incidental merely to our present problem. We are faced with several questions: Is the heavenly system exposed to any such flux as would…”
Both passages explore the nature of the cosmos and the elements within it, focusing on the immortality and purity of celestial bodies. They also discuss the relationship between the divine and the material world, though from different theological perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 95
“Section 5 5. But how explain the permanence There, while the content of this sphere- its elements and its living things alike- are passing? The reason is given by Plato: the celestial order is from God, the living things of earth from the g…”
Both passages explore the nature of the celestial and terrestrial realms, discussing the purity and immortality of celestial bodies and the corruption of the earthly realm. They both delve into the relationship between the divine and the material, albeit from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 96 (part 1)
“Section 6 6. We may now consider the question whether fire is the sole element existing in that celestial realm and whether there is any outgoing thence with the consequent need of renewal. Timaeus pronounced the material frame of the All…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between celestial and terrestrial realms, and the nature of souls or essences within these realms. They explore the idea of higher and lower principles influencing the permanence and quality of existence, though they use different metaphors and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 96 (part 2)
“Fire, again: is earth perhaps necessary there since fire is by its own nature devoid of continuity and not a thing of three dimensions? Supposing it does not possess the solidity of the three dimensions, it has that of its thrust; now, can…”
Both passages explore the nature and composition of elements, particularly earth and fire, and their relationship to celestial and terrestrial realms. They share a philosophical inquiry into the essential nature of elements and their interdependence, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 97
“Section 7 7. We can scarcely do better, in fine, than follow Plato. Thus: In the universe as a whole there must necessarily be such a degree of solidity, that is to say, of resistance, as will ensure that the earth, set in the centre, be a…”
Both passages explore the relationship between celestial and terrestrial elements, and the nature of substances like gold and other precious materials. They discuss the interplay between divine and earthly qualities, though from different mystical perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 140
“Section 1 1. A distinction is made between things existing actually and things existing potentially; a certain Actuality, also, is spoken of as a really existent entity. We must consider what content there is in these terms. Can we distingu…”
Both passages explore the relationship between potentiality and actuality, and the transformation of substances. Passage A discusses potentiality and actuality in the context of Platonic philosophy, while Passage B explores similar themes through the lens of alchemical and mystical traditions, focusing on the transformation of elements and the hidden divine qualities within them.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 190
“Section 3 3. Nor would it be sound to condemn this Kosmos as less than beautiful, as less than the noblest possible in the corporeal; and neither can any charge be laid against its source. The world, we must reflect, is a product of Necessi…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the universe and the role of divine intelligence or providence. Passage A from Plotinus emphasizes the eternal existence of the universe and its derivation from the divine Intelligence, while Passage B from the mystical tradition explores the relationship between the terrestrial and celestial realms, and the divine essence within all things. Both texts delve into the concept of a higher, perfect reality influencing the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 241
“Section 9 9. In answer: It must, first, be noted that there are a variety of modes in which an object may be said to be present to another or to exist in another. There is a "presence" which acts by changing the object- for good or for ill-…”
Both passages explore the concept of underlying substances or essences that remain unaffected by external qualities or modifications. Plotinus discusses the immutability of Matter, while the second passage talks about the eternal and imperishable essence hidden within external things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 349 (part 1)
“Section 29 29. But- keeping to our illustration, by which the body is warmed by soul and not merely illuminated by it- how is it that when the higher soul withdraws there is no further trace of the vital principle? For a brief space there…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material world and the divine or spiritual principles that animate it. They discuss how the earth and its components (plants, stones, animals) are connected to higher, spiritual realities, though they use different conceptual frameworks and terminology.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 386
“Section 7 7. We come to the same result by examining the sense of pain. We say there is pain in the finger: the trouble is doubtless in the finger, but our opponents must admit that the sensation of the pain is in the centre of consciousnes…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material and the spiritual, discussing how life and soul are inherent in the material world. They both delve into the idea of a higher principle or cause that governs the material, though they use different metaphors and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 430
“Section 1 1. The One is all things and no one of them; the source of all things is not all things; all things are its possession- running back, so to speak, to it- or, more correctly, not yet so, they will be. But a universe from an unbroke…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, discussing how the divine essence is reflected in the natural world. Boehme's passage delves into the corruption of celestial consciousness by the terrestrial, and the hidden divine qualities in minerals, plants, and animals. Plotinus' passage discusses the emanation of all things from the One, and the hierarchical structure of reality, from the Intellectual-Principle to Soul and Nature. Both highlight the interplay between the eternal and the temporal, the divine and the material.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 456
“Section 3 3. Thus we have here one identical Principle, the Intellect, which is the universe of authentic beings, the Truth: as such it is a great god or, better, not a god among gods but the Godhead entire. It is a god, a secondary god man…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a primary, divine source from which all other things emanate. Passage A describes The First as a simplex, self-sufficing entity that is the source of all being, while Passage B discusses the divine substantiality and the eternal essentiality that underlies all creation. Both texts explore the idea of a transcendent principle that gives rise to the multiplicity of the world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 549 (part 1)
“Section 11 11. We are bound however to enquire under what mode unity is contained in Being. How is what is termed the "dividing" effected- especially the dividing of the genera Being and unity? Is it the same division, or is it different…”
Both passages explore the nature of existence and the relationship between different forms of being, such as the physical and the intellectual or spiritual. They both seek to understand the unity and multiplicity within these forms, albeit from different philosophical and mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 573
“Section 12 12. It follows that we must allow contrariety to Quantity: whenever we speak of great and small, our notions acknowledge this contrariety by evolving opposite images, as also when we refer to many and few; indeed, "few" and "many…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material and spiritual realms, discussing how the higher, intellectual or divine realm influences the lower, sensible or terrestrial realm. They both use analogies and classifications to describe the interaction between these realms, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 578
“Section 17 17. This procedure, if approved, will entail a distinction between psychic and bodily qualities, the latter belonging specifically to body. If we decide to refer all souls to the higher, we are still at liberty to perform for Sen…”
Both passages explore the nature of substance and its relationship to qualities and forms. Plotinus discusses the division of sensible substances and their underlying constants, while the second passage delves into the celestial and terrestrial aspects of substances, particularly in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. Both texts seek to understand the essence of substances beyond their apparent qualities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 631
“Section 11 11. It may be suggested that the decad is nothing more than so many henads; admitting the one henad why should we reject the ten? As the one is a real existence why not the rest? We are certainly not compelled to attach that one…”
Both passages explore the concept of unity and multiplicity, and the degradation or corruption that occurs when unity is lost. Passage A discusses the falling away from The Unity into multiplicity and the resulting exile and fragmentation, while Passage B describes the corruption of celestial consciousness by terrestrial consciousness and the penetration of death and rottenness into all things. Both texts emphasize the importance of retaining unity and the authentic essence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 650 (part 1)
“Section 11 11. The very heavens, patently multiple, cannot be thought to disdain any form of life since this universe holds everything. Now how do these things come to be here? Does the higher realm contain all of the lower? All that ha…”
Both passages explore the concept of a higher, more primal realm that contains the essence of all things in the lower, material world. They discuss the idea that elements and life forms in the physical world derive from a more authentic, reasoned existence in a higher realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 657 (part 2)
“We cannot be content with the conviction of their goodness on the ground of their origin in that realm: we do not deny that things deriving Thence are good, but our subject demands that we discover the mode by which they come to possess tha…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material world and a higher, spiritual realm, suggesting that elements of the physical world have their origins and more perfect forms in the higher realm. They both discuss the idea of a primal, more authentic form of natural elements and life.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 658
“Section 19 19. Are we to rest all on pursuit and on the soul? Is it enough to put faith in the soul's choice and call that good which the soul pursues, never asking ourselves the motive of its choice? We marshal demonstration as to the natu…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the physical world and the soul or divine essence. They discuss how the divine or soul is manifest in different elements and beings, with Plotinus focusing on the elements and their relationship to the universal soul, and the second passage discussing the divine essence in various kingdoms of nature.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XIV (part 1)
“p. 156 CHAPTER XIV The voices of stones. The wall of a church and the wall of a prison. The mast of a ship and a gallows. The shadow of a hangman and of an ascetic. The soul of a hangman and of an ascetic. The different combinations o…”
Both passages explore the deeper, often hidden differences between seemingly similar objects or phenomena, emphasizing that their true nature is tied to their function and spiritual significance. They both suggest that the material world is a shadow of a deeper reality.