Paracelsus: The Book Concerning the Tincture of the Philosophers · 10 of 13 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite
Section 1j
It is the spirit of the fifth substance, a Fount of all Joys ( beneath the rays of the moon), the Supporter of Heaven and Earth, the Mover of Sea and Wind, the Outpourer of Rain, upholding the strength of all things, an excellent spirit above Heavenly and other spirits, giving Health, Joy, Peace, Love; driving away Hatred and Sorrow, bringing in Joy, expelling all Evil, quickly healing all Diseases, destroying Poverty and misery, leading to all good things, preventing all evil words and thoughts, giving man his heart's desire, bringing to the pious earthly honour and long life, but to the wicked who misuse it, Eternal Punishment".
This is the Spirit of Truth, which the world cannot comprehend without the interposition of the Holy Ghost, or without the instruction of those who know it.
The same is of a mysterious nature, wondrous strength, boundless power.
The Saints, from the beginning of the world, have desired to behold its face.
By Avicenna this Spirit is named the Soul of the World.
For, as the Soul moves all the limbs of the body, so also does this Spirit move all bodies.
And as the Soul is in all the limbs of the Body, so also is this Spirit in all elementary created things.
It is sought by many and found by few.
It is beheld from afar and found near; for it exists in every thing, in every place, and at all times.
It has the powers of all creatures; its action is found in all elements, and the qualities of all things are therein, even in the highest perfection.
By virtue of this essence did Adam and the Patriarchs preserve their health and live to an extreme age, some of them also flourishing in great riches.
When the philosophers had discovered it, with great diligence and labour, they straightway concealed it under a strange tongue, and in parables, lest the same should become known to the unworthy, and the pearls be cast before swine.
For if everyone knew it, all work and industry would cease; man would desire nothing but this one thing, people would live wickedly, and the world be ruined, seeing that they would provoke God by reason of their avarice and superfluity.
For eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath the heart of man understood what Heaven hath naturally incorporated with this Spirit.
Therefore have I briefly enumerated some of the qualities of this Spirit, to the Honour of God, that the pious may reverently praise Him in His gifts (which gift of God shall afterwards come to them), and I will herewith shew what powers and virtues it possesses in each thing, also its outward appearance, that it may be more readily recognised.
In its first state, it appears as an impure earthly body, full of imperfections.
It then has an earthly nature, healing all sickness and wounds in the bowels of man, producing good and consuming proud flesh, expelling all stench, and healing generally, inwardly and outwardly.
In its second nature, it appears as a watery body, somewhat more beautiful than before, because (although still having its corruptions) its Virtue is greater.
It is much nearer the truth, and more effective in works.
In this form it cures cold and hot fevers and is a specific against poisons, which it drives from heart and lungs, healing the same when injured or wounded, purifying the blood, and, taken three times a day, is of great comfort in all diseases.
Themes
◆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.
The passage explicitly states that the Spirit moves all bodies and is in every thing, linking cosmic forces through hidden affinities.
All passages →◆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.
The Spirit is portrayed as actively moving Sea and Wind, upholding the strength of all things, and ordering the cosmos toward good ends.
All passages →◆Prayerpraxis
Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.
The text instructs the pious to reverently praise God in His gifts through prayer.
All passages →Related passages · 9 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 3 (part 7)
“171.) When the power of the light becomes revealed it manifests its activity first of all in the Fifth Quality , which is evolved by means of the preceding four as sweet love, or a luminous water-spirit.
"The first three principles are mer…”
Both passages describe a mystical fifth quality or substance that is associated with love, divine wisdom, and the transformation of other qualities. They also discuss the manifestation of divine powers and the role of this substance in the spiritual realm.
◆jewish_mysticism|Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Formation)|Section 1g
“The Eighteenth Path is called the House of Influence (by the greatness of whose abundance the influx of good things upon created beings is increased) and from the midst of the investigation the arcana and hidden senses are drawn forth, whic…”
Both passages discuss mystical concepts related to divine influence and intelligence, describing various paths or spirits that govern different aspects of creation and human experience. They share a focus on the interplay between the divine and the material world, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 211 (part 1)
“Section 5 5.
There is, then a Providence, which permeates the Kosmos from first to last, not everywhere equal, as in a numerical distribution, but proportioned, differing, according to the grades of place- just as in some one animal, linke…”
Both passages discuss a pervasive, divine principle that governs the cosmos and individual beings. They describe this principle as having a hierarchical structure and being responsible for health, order, and the correction of evil or disorder.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 52
“(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all. When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of…”
Both passages discuss a fundamental, life-sustaining principle (Tao in Passage A and the Spirit of Truth in Passage B) that is the source of all things and possesses transformative powers. They emphasize the importance of understanding and guarding this principle for a harmonious and prosperous life.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Life and Philosophy of Pythagorash
“This fifth element, or ether, was called by the Hindus akasa .
It was closely correlated with the hypothetical ether of modern science, and was the interpenetrative substance permeating all of the other elements and acting as a common solv…”
Both passages discuss a universal, interpenetrative substance (ether/akasa in Passage A and the Spirit of Truth in Passage B) that permeates all elements and possesses divine qualities. They also share the theme of hidden knowledge and the need for spiritual illumination to understand these mysteries.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|Hermetic Pharmacology, Chemistry, and Therapeuticsc
“The seven-pointed star of the sacred metals is arranged that one black point is downward, thus symbolizing Saturn, the Destroyer.
Beginning in the space immediately to the left of the black point, reading clockwise discloses the cryptic wo…”
Both passages discuss a vital, pervasive life force or spirit that permeates all creation and is responsible for health, vitality, and the functioning of the natural world. They also describe how this force can be harnessed or understood by initiates, and how it manifests in different forms or states.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|11. The Magic Chaina
“MANUS FORCE THE GREAT Magical Agent, by us termed the Astral Light, by others the soul of the earth, and designated by old chemists under the names of Azoth and MAGNESIA, this occult, unique and indubitable force, is the key of all empire,…”
Both passages describe a mystical, all-pervading force or spirit that is the source of life, health, and power. They share the concept of a universal agent that moves and sustains all things, and both emphasize the need for proper understanding and use of this force to avoid misuse and its potential dangers.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|4. The Conjuration Of The Foura
“THE four elementary forms separate and distinguish roughly the created spirits which the universal movement disengages from the central fire.
The spirit toils everywhere and fructifies matter by life; all matter is animated; thought and so…”
Both passages discuss the presence and influence of spirits or elemental beings in the world, emphasizing their connection to natural elements and their potential to be harnessed or controlled by humans. They also highlight the ethical responsibilities and potential dangers associated with interacting with these spirits.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|4. The Conjuration Of The Fourb
“Prayer of the Sylphs Spirit of Light, Spirit of Wisdom, Who breath gives and takes away the form of all things; Thou before Whom the life of every being is; a shadow which transforms and a vapour which passes away; Thou who ascendest upon t…”
Both passages describe a divine or mystical spirit that permeates all things, provides healing, and is sought by the wise. They share the concept of a universal spirit that moves and sustains the world, though expressed in different traditions and vocabularies.