Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Magnum Opus

Lets see what Wiki has to say today:

The Great Work (Latin: Magnum opus) is a term which originated in medieval European alchemy which refers to the successful completion of the transmutation of base matter into gold or the creation of the philosopher's stone. It has subsequently been used as a metaphor for spiritual transformation in the Hermetic tradition.

It has three stages:

nigredo(-putrefactio), blackening(-putrefaction): individuation, purification, burnout of impureness (referring to Sol Niger in alchemy)

albedo, whitening: spiritualisation, enlightenment

rubedo, reddening: unification of man with god, unification of the limited with the unlimited.

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(Familiar words...when I think of Sufism in Islam)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've read a lot about magic and it always amazes me how similar all the traditions are from all over the planet. All the different schools of magic say very similar things at their heart, contain the same truths. One knowledge, many languages.

Cosmictree said...

One knowledge...

Cosmictree said...

Though, I focus here on the "spiritual transformation" rather than magic...Yet spiritual transportation is magical too:)