The Bridal chamber sacrament



When you make the two one, and when you make the inner as the outer and the outer as the inner and the above as the below, and when you make the male and the female into a single one, so that the male will not be male and the female not be female . . . then shall you enter the kingdom.st valentinus-gnosticism




However, it is not sufficient to be unified in one's nature - so Valentinus implied - one must also be redeemed from the corrupting and confusing thralldom of the false existential world wherein one lives. This liberation from the clutches of the world of defect was accomplished by the sacrament of redemption (apolytrosis) sometimes also called restoration (apokatastasis).
e sacrament of redemptionI am established, I am redeemed and I redeem my soul from this aeon and from all that comes from it, in the name of IAO, who redeemed his soul unto the redemption in Christ, the living one. (Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. I. 21,5)


May the Grace beyond time and space that was before the beginnings of the Universe fill our inner man and increase within us the semblance of itself as the grain of mustard seed.

valentinus


The psychological basis upon which the bridal chamber ritual is founded is fairly easily understood. The Gnosis considers the human being as divided and fragmented within itself. The divisions have numerous aspects: We are involved in what modern psychology would call an Ego-Self dichotomy, in an Anima-Animus dichotomy, in a body-mind dichotomy, in a subjective-objective dichotomy, and many others. All of these divisions require mending, or healing. Even as the Pleroma, or divine plenum, is characterized by wholeness, so the human being must once again become whole and thereby acquire the qualifications to reenter the Pleroma.



THE CHYMICAL MARRIAGE

The coniunctio (union/conjunction) of Sol and Luna is often called the chymical
wedding

-The union of Sol and Luna is often compared to the "marriage" of Christ and the
Church


-The coniunctio is one of alchemical fundamentals: the union of body and spirit
(Jung’s and Pauli’s psycho-physical monism theory)


-The product of coniunctio is always Mercurius - the epitome of balanced
opposites (The Sun and the Moon are said to supply seeds to plant in earth, from
which Mercurius grows)


-The relationship between the Sun, the Moon, and Mercurius is referred to as
coniunctio triptativa


-Sol and Luna most frequently symbolize consciousness and the unconscious,
respectively


-Fiery Sol, the Sun, whose corresponding metal is gold (or sulphur), is the
source of warmth and light (gold was often called "the sun in the earth")


-Watery Luna, the Moon, whose corresponding metal is silver (or salt), is dark
and cold (water and spirit are often identical; water also holds death-rebirth
symbolism)


-Sol and Luna are equivalent to the Yang (positive, male, assertive) and the Yin
(negative, female, receptive) in Taoist philosophy, whose reciprocity is the
reason for all events of the universe


-Sometimes the coniunctio is omnipresent in world mythologies: as fiery gold, Sol is the result of the alchemical transmutation, and as watery Prima Materia, the spiritus aqua, Luna is its
origin. This makes Luna the mother of Sol


-Luna and Sol often appear as White Queen and Red King (note these colors’
corresponding stages of transmutation; the symbol of this relationship is a
rose). This relates to their symbolism as the anima, the female principle within
a male personality, and the animus, the male principle within a female
personality, respectively. (Jung called this aspect a "medium between the ego
and the unconscious). This is reminiscent of Rubedo, in which Luna becomes a
man, whereas Sol becomes a woman. According to Jung, both aspects are
crucial to their corresponding Self, and their realization is achieved through
relationships with people of the opposite sex. The alchemical concepts of Sol
and Luna seem to be the unconscious projections of the animus and the anima


- Luna is often called Anima Mundi, the World Soul which surrounds cosmos,
half-human half-animal Melusina, or even Lilith. (see dictionary) As Melusina,
she is similar to Virgo, who is often associated with the Mercurial Serpent. As
the Moon, Melusina is also compared to Venus or Aphrodite, not unlike
Mercurius.



Similarly, Melusina as Lillith, is the first wife of Adam in Paradise,
whereas Mercurius is often associated with Adam before the Fall. It is only
natural to represent Mercurius as the anima, which alchemists often did.




Alchemy - ancient esoteric practice, generally thought of as ‘the mother of
chemistry and medicine’ and based on the doctrine of transmuting base metals
into gold. Its new interpretation reveals knowledge of great psychological and
magical significance.


Anima - the feminine principle in men, in Jungian psychology.


Anima Mundi - the "world soul". She is the animating principle that is said to
inhabit all things. Anima Mundi is also said to exist in blood, which is an early
symbol for the soul.


Animus - the masculine principle in women, in Jungian psychology.
(The) Axiom of Maria Prophetissa - "One becomes Two, Two becomes Three,
and out of the Third comes the One as the Fourth". This enigmatic statement,
emphasizing the antagonism between numbers three and four, has been used in
Alchemy for almost two thousand years.


Coagulatio - the third, "equilibrium" stage between Nigredo and Solutio.
Coagulatio consists of eight sub-stages Separatio, Fermentatio, Illuminatio,
Nutrimentum, Fixatio, Multiplicatio, Revificatio, and Sublimatio. Coagulatio is
associated with the independence of Sol and Luna, and its main color is
yellow-green.


Coniunctio, also referred to as the chymical wedding - union of Sol and Luna
which produces Mercurius.


Corpus Glorificatum - the final immutable Philosopher’s Stone with red
transparent tincture.


Corpus Mundum - the purified body, associated with the success of freeing the
ego-consciousness from the contamination with the unconscious, reminiscent
of Sol’s independence.


Corpus Subtile - the subtle body, associated with the diamond body in Eastern
mysticism.


Duplex, Merurius - most frequently-found description of Mercurius, as the
embodiment of the union of striking opposites.


(The) Emerald Tablet - famous alchemical treatise, associated with Hermes
Trismegistus. The Emerald Tablet outlines some of the basic alchemical beliefs.
Filius Macrocosmi, the Cosmic Son - one of the manifestations of the
Philosopher’s Stone and Mercurius.


Filius Microcosmi, the Son of Man - Christ, as the counterpart of the
Philosopher’s Stone and Mercurius.


Formal Quaternity - associated with number seven. It is the product of the
synthesis of Sol, Luna, the Elements, and specially selected Fire, according to
Robert Fludd.


(The) Four Elements - the four basic constituents of all matter in various
philosophical theories.


Fourteen Principles of Hermetic Wisdom - health, humility, holiness, chastity,
virtue, victory, faith, hope, charity, goodness, patience, temperance, a spiritual
discipline, understanding, obedience. These principles, however, do not seem
to be omnipresent.


Greater Work - the last two phases of alchemical transmutation, embodied in
the stages of Coagulatio and Rubedo.


Hermes Trismegistus - "three-times as powerful" or "thrice-born" Hermes. The
famous alchemical Emerald Tablet is attributed to him.


Lady Alchymia, also known as the Anima Mercurii - the guiding presence in
Alchemy.


Lesser Work - the first half of alchemical transmutation, embodied in the phases
of Nigredo and Solutio.


Luna - the Moon in coniunctio; she has corresponding dark and watery
characteristics, and her metal is silver or quicksilver. She is associated with the
unconsious and the Anima in Jungian psychology.


Magnum Opus, "the Great Work" - another name for the alchemical processes.


Mandala - a combination of triangles, squares and circles in regular pattern, as
a symbol of totality in world cultures.


Melusina - associated with Luna, Anima Mundi, Virgo, Lillith, and Morgana. As
Anima Mundi, she animates all things. Melusina resembles a mermaid and has
a fish-like or snake-like tail.


Mercurius - hermaphroditic, bisexual, androgenous product of Coniunctio.
Mercurius is the being at all levels simultaneously, an omnipresent embodiment
of all existent opposites.


Nigredo, also known as Mortificatio - the first stage of alchemical
transmutation, with the motto "black blacker than black". Nigredo is the
corruption that must take place before growth, the chaos that gives birth to
cosmos. The Old King’s death and Sol’s and Luna’s first encounter also take
place in Nigredo.


(The) Old King - the old state of consciousness. The Old King must die in Nigredo
for alchemical transmutation to begin.


Peacock Tail - emergence of all colors of the rainbow, which accompanies the
production of the White Stone and is reminiscent of dispersion in Optics.


(The) Philosopher’s Stone, also referred to as the Lapis Philosophorum - the
"catalyst" for the gold-production in alchemical transmutations. Often, the
Philosopher’s Stone is more important than the alchemical gold. It is extracted
from the Prima Materia, and in its final immutable and perfect stage, it can
grant magical powers to the owner.


(The) Philosophical Egg - a common symbol for the Vessel. The Philosophical
Egg is synonymous with the Uroboros, the Mercurial Serpent, as well as water,
because it "surrounds everything within it and has in itself all that is necessary"
(which is also one of the attributes of God).


(The) Philosophical Tree, Arbor Philosophica - a common alchemical symbol,
associated with the seven planets known at the time. These planets correspond
to the seven metals - gold, sometimes substituted by sulphur, silver, copper,
iron, mercury, lead, and tin, which were said to "grow" on the Philosophical
Tree. The fruit of this Tree is the eternal and incorruptible Mercurial
manifestation as the Philosopher’s Stone.


Prima Materia, also known as the basic moisture, the seed of all things, the root
of itself, and the Massa Confusa, among others. The Prima Materia is the
primordial chaos from which all things originate; it is needed for the extraction
of the Philosopher’s Stone. Prima Materia is said to be filthy and divine
simultaneously.


Quadratura Circuli, "squaring the circle" - one of the methods of obtaining
Philosopher’s Stone, which involves "making a circle out of a man and a
woman, deriving form it a square, and from a square a triangle, then making a
circle".


Quaternus, Mercurius - Mercurial manifestation as the synthesized quaternity
of the Philosopher’s Stone.


Quinta Essentia, the quintessence, or the "light of nature", according to
Paracelsus - sometimes considered to be the "fifth element", as seen in
Leonardo’s Microcosmic Man pentagram. Mercurius is often described as the
quintessence, which holds the four elements together. In this interpretation, the
Quinta Essentia is depicted in the middle of the Four Elements.


(The) Red King - Sol’s frequently used persona.


Rubedo - final (fourth) alchemical stage, associated with red-purple. In this
stage the Philosopher’s Stone gains powers for infinite multiplication. Rubedo’s
two main sub-stages are Multiplicatio and Projectio.


Senex, Mercurius - initial Saturnine substance, associated with the Christian
Devil.


Sol - the Sun in coniunctio; he has corresponding fiery characteristics, and his
metal is gold or sulphur. He is associated with consciousness and the Animus in
Jungian psychology.


Solutio, also referred to as Albedo or Baptisma - the second stage of alchemical
transmutation which embodies "whiteness beyond blackness". Solutio is the
opposite of Nigredo, it has a spiritual, celestial quality, and is associated with
the first production of the White Stone.


Soror (or frater) Mysterium - a companion in the work of the alchemist.


Tetraktys - a fourfold triangle, adding up to ten. Tetraktys can be derived from
the Axiom of Maria Prophetissa because it "begins with unity and ends with
quaternity"; it’s been considered sacred from the times of the Pythagoreans.


Trinus, Mercurius - Mercurial manifestation as the counterpart of the Triune
Christian godhead.


Uroboros - the tail-eating serpent, the symbol for the One and the All, is most
often associated with Mercurius and is present in Coagulatio stage of
alchemical transmutation. Uroboros devours and gives birth to itself.


(The) Vessel - the "uterus" of spiritual renewal and rebirth. According to Maria
Prophetissa, no alchemical transmutation can take place without the
knowledge of the vessel, while in Jung’s view, the Vessel is the person
herself/himself.


(The) White Queen - Luna’s frequently used persona.


Yantra - a form of a mandala, used in Eastern meditation. A yantra consists of
nine interlinking triangles, pointing upward and downward, and representing
the union of Shiva and Shakti, spiritual and material