Essentia
Volume 5 Fall 1983
Our Cover:
"Great Events Cast Their Shadows Ahead."
Things still unknown nevertheless do exist. 1984 will be a year of preparation as the signs portent. Soon someone will appear and open up wide what still remains closed. The art work on our cover was done by Ross Gathercole from Melbourne, Australia, not by Siegbert Hahn as credited by mistake.
Editorial - Schools ... Not Monasteries or Ashrams
Exemplar John Ray Christopher
The Snake Stone - Isaac Beck
Harmony and the Line of Least Resistance
Questions and Answers
The R.A.M.S Material - Hans Nintzel
Schools ... Not Monastaries or Ashrams
Is there a difference and, if so, wherein do they differ. When taken individually each has a separate function to perform. At the same time they can also be intermixed where either two or all three can be found combined. An ashram can be considered an institution where people have gathered to practice the teachings received, lust as in a monastery both teachings and its practice can take place simultaneously. By contrast a school has but one function to perform and that is to teach. Thereafter a student may choose to apply such teachings as one sees fit, without having to adhere to religious or philosophical precepts. If a school is connected with a monastery, secular teachings are always prcdominant. Fraternities, as the name in itself would indicate, are likewise practicing by their rites and ceremonies their respective teachings, so that there is hardly any difference between a monastery, where one undergoes daily practice, while a fraternity does so intermittently during a month or year.
For sometime great emphasis has been placed upon secret organizations that offer special teachings not generalIs, offered to the public, but only to those who promise to subscribe to it ahead of time not to reveal any of their schooling or instructions. A certain hire are the promises given to obtain secrets and powers not otherwise known or available. All this is not rim, and has been going on for quite some time and most likely will continue for as long as individuals are trying to gain knowledge without much mental and physical efforts. They wait for things to come to them.
It is interesting to note that those who are of like mind are attracted to each other while opposing minds are avoiding each other. What is said here is not a matter of deciding which system is right or wrong, rather is it a statement made wherein Schools, Monasteries, Ashrams or Fraternities differ.
Krishnamurti, the eminent teacher, who at one time was considered by some to be the reincarnation of Christ, which he denied, coincides with what has been written here, as will those who have attained within themselves the realization that only a schooling, which does not deny an individual the right of free choice, can have preeminence over other forms of schooling or instructions that require adherence to preconcieved religious or philosophical dogmas.
In an interview by Catherine Ingrain and Lconard Jacobs in the East West journal, Krishnamurti, now 88 years of age, was asked: "Do you feel that your teaching has made a deep impression?" To which he replied: "Some have given up their jobs, have said, 'We'll come to your schools. 'They are doing it because they are schools - not monasteries, not ashrams, but schools where you get a degree course." Later on he continues: "Educators have enormous responsibility because they hold the future. More than the parents, educators must be concerned with the holistic view of life. I've talked about it so much. We've got a school in California, a school in England and five schools in India, and I've spent a great deal of time in all of them."
This sums it up in a nutshell: A school has but one objective and that is to teach laws that apply to all men guaranteeing freedom of expression and action under the law, regardless of one's religious, fraternal or philosophical affiliation.
Paracelsus College is such a school.
John Ray Christopher
When it comes to the advocating of the healing power of herbs during the last decades, one name stands out prominently, that of Dr. John Ray Christopher, of Springville, Utah. Born Nov. 25th, 1909, he passed on Feb. 6th 1983 into the great beyond. He was a Dr. of Herbology and Naturopathy and was not only known in the USA, but internationally for his efforts to stress the importance of herbs for healing purposes. His lectures were sponsored by the National Health Federation and National Cancer Victims and Friends Association. Dr. Christopher received the Ann Arbor Distinguished Service Award among others and is listed under distinguished persons of Provo, Utah. His numerous publications speak for themselves. It can be said of Dr. Christopher that he was the most prominent of the Master Herbalists of the last thirty years. He taught the traditional, nontoxic power of herbs to assist in the natural healing process. He helped popularize herbs on a mass-scale in the face of drug-oriented, "industrial medicine," and was often jailed and harassed - seemingly on behalf of the pharmaceutical interests - for "practicing medicine without a license." Dr. Christopher has left "The School of Natural Healing," "The Three Day Cleansing Prograrn," and "Childhood Diseases," which include his 37 original formulas, and his remedies.
My personal acquaintance with Dr. Christopher has been a stimulating one, as he showed great interest in the spagyric process. At one time he brought to the College his herb collection to have them analyzed for a possible conversion into spagyric preparations. Due to the additional cost factor involved he said that he had to postpone it until a future time. When he visited the College on several occasions he was impressed by the research conducted in Herbology and would have liked to get further involved, but for lack of time, because of his constant lecture engagements, had to postpone this aspect also.
The world needs men like Dr. John Ray Christopher who fearlessly advocated a principle he firmly believed in, in spite of opposition until one's principles have been established.
Dr. Christopher is survived by his wife, three daughters, three sons and 17 grandchildren.
The Snake Stone
Isaac Beck, Antwerp, Belgium.
The Land-Rover made slow headway arriving through the African Savannah. Mr. C. R. passed here and there a small village, where, what we will call civilization, was unknown, towards his destination to survey a new road. Passing a shrub he noticed a dead cow whose intestines looking black were protruding out of the animals stomach. He thought a wild beast had ripped it open. But, approaching closer he noticed that the intestines began to move in a rhythmic motion. He was startled and scared! Mambas, black Mambas, deadly snakes that bite and will not release its fangs until the deadly poison has circulated in the body. The Mambas began already to dig their tail end into the sandy soil. This way they gain support to jump up and ahead faster than man can run. The cow was peculiarly thin as everything was taken out. Only one eye was left, the other was a dark hole. With horror R noticed an evil looking snake's head protruding from it. Little by little - it seemed an eternity to him - and inch by inch, the body-of the yard long black snake
emerged from the cow's hollow eye. His thought whirled, did the split tongue have only one root? Snakes cannot close their eyes, he thought; don't they ever sleep? Are they always awake?
They shed their entire skin, have no feet, only a spine. How filled with hate and fear these living creatures must be.
Unable to speak, they remain silent and produce venom to give off in a frenzy of anger. Is there not a teaching about "Serpent Power" somewhere to be found, he mused.
Later Mr. R. began his work as surveyor and several hundred feet down the road was Denis Ngafi - an assistant occupied with establishing markers.
All of a sudden Denis gave forth a piercing cry. A black Mamba had bitten and would not let go. Being a native he thought he knew what to do
and with a lightning fast move grasped the snake just at the right place below the head, and tore the snake from his flesh and throwing it to the ground smashed its head with his shoe. If the Mamba is grasped too far below the ead, a second bite is possible.
He knew the white surveyor had a snake stone on him. That was his rescue. With all the strength that he could muster he ran as fast as he could. Mr. R. placed the snake stone immediately upon the wound. The black stone stuck at once to the flesh. But it was too late. If he would have remained motionless and would have just called for help, "the stone would have come to him." Because of his over exertion the poison had begun to circulate .through the blood. A few minutes later his eyesight began to grow dim and in about ten minutes he had died, when the snake stone dropped off his leg.
The history of the black snake stone is as follows:
In 1880 in a small West European city a boy was born. Twenty five years later, in 1905 he became a priest. As a Benedictine monk he went to the Dschungls of South America. There, he learned from a tribal chief the secret about the snake stone, as a token of appreciation for the unselfish service he had rendered his tribe. He became
later the Rector at a South American university.
On July 8th, 1922 his two sisters died in his homeland, the only ones who knew how to prepare the snake stone. A short time prior to their death at an advanced age they left this secret with a monastery.
The Snake Stone is known as "The Black Stone" and measures about 2 inches long and half as wide. One side is flat and the other slightly rounded. The entire stone looks rather flat, has a slight lustre and is somewhat brittle. On the surface area it has many small holes, in weight much lighter than an ordinary stone of similar size. When bitten by a scorpion, snake or poisonous spider or insect, the inflicted part has to be cut until blood flows and the "stone" placed upon the wound. As soon as the stone comes in contact with the blood it will adhere to it and does not fall off until the poison has been absorbed by the stone.
After use, the stone is immersed for a half hour in warm water. When the effervescence has ceased the stone is placed for two hours in milk and then flushed in fresh water. In this manner the stone can be used again and again. In severe cases the one bitten may have to endure two days of fever.
Mostly missionaries, in remote tropical regions, have this stone available to them. Regular snake serum cannot endure in heat for a greater length of time, sometimes only several days, not to mention side effects and shock.
The snake stone cannot be obtained or purchased openly.
Harmony and the Line of Least Resistance
Gregory Sneddon
Without interference, energy will always take the line of least resistance, forever seeing the perfect harmony of unity with the other half of its polarity. An example of this can be seen in electricity's constant desire to return to Earth, its "Other Half" so to speak.
Although this process has a sense of "Rightness" about it, and indeed takes place in a multitude of different ways throughout nature all the time, without interference, this "Searching" will always prove unsusccessful of fulfillment. There may be a perfect reunion, but there will never be any result or manifestation. For to occur, a manifestation requires there to be more than just a union of complementary energies; it also requires interference from an outside source. There must be a "Field of Force"; produced only when energy meets resistance.
As could well be expected, differing interference will produce differing manifestations. A lot depends on the "Angle of Interference". For example, two differing energies running parallel could be seen as a combined force with the same "direction", but creating the minimum manifestation, as is the minimum resistance of one energy to the other.
The extreme of this can be seen in the perfectly parallel lines which never meet. If they are brought into Manifestation in whatever form, by eventually meeting a "wave" of energy traveling at a different angle, they will manifest at the same time but if perfectly parallel, quite independently as they have not mixed.
Two violins "Perfectly" in tune should be heard as two separate instruments, as there are two parallel "Waves", produced independently running around the room together. In practice, there are only moments when this independence can be noticed, for to sustain perfect tuning between even two mechanical instruments is virtually impossible. So, two waves cross, we have a manifestation
something should now be present which was not there before. It is in this case known as an "harmonic", but due to the almost perfect similarity
between the two waves, the manifestation is minimal; the harmonic can hardly be discerned.
It is pleasant to reflect on the name "Harmonic" being given to the "Children" of harmony. Unfortunately (for the daydream), the
offspring of Dissonance are known by the same name.
Any combination of vibrations will produce Harmonies, even if the vibrations be from different ends of the
frequency spectrum (e.g. light waves meet sound waves), or acting through differing mediums (sound waves-air,
meet ear drums-earth).
This tends to expand the definition of the word "Harmonic" beyond that in common usage, as in this concept it implies the result or manifestation
of any meeting of energies, whatever their form and whatever the nature of their meeting. It should be understood that in nature energy is never lost, but simply follows the line of least resistance, often changing mediums of manifestation and thereby leaving our limited perception. Except under specially contrived circumstances; those whereby an "Artist" contrives an Alchemical reaction to take place, it can be assumed that the stronger the conflict upon meeting between energies, the stronger the harmonic produced, also that the energy now "Powering" the harmonic has proportionately reduced the strength of the parent energies. It has though, not effected the source of these energies, only their uninterrupted movement through space.
It should be mentioned here, that the reason an Alchemical reaction is different from a natural one is that a previously unperceived "Outside' energy is drawn to join the reaction. The child grows in strength, but the parents are seen not to be in any way depleated.
In any energy flow, there are always three principles present. These could be called the Active, Receptive and Obstructive principles; the active principle in everything constantly searches and will find its complimentary receptacle. The Obstructive principle is the constantly present possibility of resistance met along the way.
There is another force involved apart from those mentioned above. This is the "Motivating Force; that which
causes the Active Principle's search to begin in the first place. It's origin exists outside of the force in question, which until separated into Active and Receptive principles by the action of this outside stimulation, can exist quite happily as a unified but non-productive "Duality." This Duality has no knowledge of or interest in potential obstruction waiting for it "out there"; it lacks any reason to do anything but exist.
So far we have dealt with four principles, energies or forces at work. The Active, the Receptive, the Motivating and the Obstructive. To these can be added the "Vehicular", or the principle which provides a medium along which the "Active" travels to reach it's objective. Any force in motion must have a "path" to travel along, inevitably provided by yet another independent and unsuspecting energy.
There is a very good reason why the Active principle will always choose, no matter what, to "do what it aught" and head "home", instead of the multitude of other options (theoretically at least), open to it. Energy in fact never does what it feels like. It does what it must, as that is the Law under which it is allowed to exist. This Law is very exacting and tolerates absolutely no deviation. It is a principle quite different from any other, being at the same time both very complex and very simple.
The actual magnetism involved in drawing the separated Active and Receptive principles together after separation, has it's own very specific qualities, reuniting the opposites despite any hinderance encountered along the way. Imagine a bucket of water taken from a lake by a farmer, to water his cow during a drought. He carries the water several miles up the hillside, spilling quite a bit along the way. He drinks some himself, eventually giving the rest to the grateful cow. The cow drinks her fill, after which the farmer (being a little silly), pours what remains into the fast flowing stream that runs alongside his house.
If we now follow the course of the water as it makes its way back to the Lake, traveling always downhill urged on by the dictates of Gravity, we will see the point to this little story.
You see, there just happens to be a water wheel on the creek driving a mill; a little boy who just loves the cow's milk and a few scattered fennel seeds on the dusty path where the
water was spilt. So as the raised water does its "Duty", heading downhill whenever given the chance, it meets various obstructions and gives aid to many other processes along the was..
So we have seven principles or forces of energy:
1. The Active.
This is their order when considered in time, or rather as having an "initial" state, a "changing" state and an "eventual" state.
From another perspective, the Active principle could be seen as the beginning of a new manifestation. An instant ago it wasn't there, this instant it has appeared, although it hasn't done anything yet. The moment this active principle appeared, there arose a place in space for it to exist. Without this "Place", expressible in terms of some form of coordinates (updown - north - south - castwest; or length-breadth - depth and location, etc.) and having a material nature whether perceivable or not, the Active principle in question cannot be said to have a stable existence.
As its name implies, the Active principle is itself but a medium by which "Life Energy" may pass from one place to another. In essence, all of the "Principles" are powered by this energy, first brought into being through the Active. The exception to this would seem to be what is called here the Obstructive principle, mentioned earlier as being an outside force and what would seem to be a completely independent manifestation. In reality, the instant in time and the particular place in space chosen for manifestation of the Active and Receptive, automatically determines the particular nature and effect of the Obstructive principle. It is "Reason" which tells us that we are independent from our fate. Understanding always shows effects to be totally inseparable from their causes, just as causes are from their effects.
Simply by coming into existence at a particular Time and Place, the action of Manifestation through the Active to the Passive Recipient, demands an equal and opposite reac
tion. The cause demands the effect.
So if the Active in conjunction
with
the Receptive, brings "Life Energy"
from somewhere outside our present
world through a Birth Process into
Manifestation in our World, the Re
action to this will have to be that of
a materialized energy attempting an
escape from this world through the
womb. But just as a child cannot re
turn to the womb once it has left it,
so this Reaction of wanting to get to
the root of things, is doomed to pro
duce an effect of its own. So the reac
tion becomes an action, although of
a more material nature than before.
The effect of this force upon the Active/Receptive Duality, is to cause a fundamental disturbance of their state of rest. As this disturbance must take an "Equal and Opposite" form to the initial action which took place in the instant; in one place and therefore without movement, it must cause something to move as part of its effect.
What is it though, which moves?
Is it the Active or the Receptive or
what? If we consider that the Active
is no more than a medium for expres
sion while the Receptive is a birth
vehicle for what is passed on through
the Active, then perhaps it is neither
of them, but the "What" that is
passed on; that "Life Energy" spoken
of earlier. But it's nature is slightly
different now, in that it is contained
at least for the present in a state
capable of specific and definable
movement.
At this point-now capable of movement, it quickly expands into a thick custard and sucks up the universe. No, in reality it fortunately doesn't. Once again the Cause produces an Effect, equal and opposite to itself. This extremely fine, contained and mobile force, needs direction or it will go astray. So a perfectly matched facility is provided to send this Energy where it should go, which (fortunately or unfortunately) turns out also to be where it is needed.
This "Providing" function must have a way both of being told what is needed where, and of sending the potentially fickle moving energy through space to where it is required, without the chance of deviation or mistake. This facility, as always, must be correctly equal and opposite the one before it. Instead of distributing All to the Many indiscriminately, its nature will have' to be one of selectively re
ceiving a particular One to Itself. So the idea of the Union of complementary opposites becomes manifest, and once put into motion must eventually' result in the return of the now living energy to its complementary opposite, despite any difficulties encountered along the way.
This is all very well and could almost he seen as the end of the story, except for two things. First of all, what of the encounters between this Energy Package and the innumerable others which make up the universe. Secondly and following on from this, what guarantees are there of the "Purity" of this wandering force when it finally makes it home?
If we imagine that by now the "Moving Life Force" is heading home at a rate which is increasing proportionately the closer the polar "Halves" get to each other and that the closer they get the stronger their attraction for each other, we can see why this is the point chosen to introduce "Obstacles", "Work" or "Tests"; call it what you like. It is essentially the strength of the Active's attraction for the Receptive which enables it to overcome any and all obstacles encountered along the way.
The reason behind the need for what appears to be "The Principle Of The Spanner In The Works", is that without restriction there can be no growth; without growth there is no potential for change, without potential for change no Evolution and without Evolution, no "Point" to the Universe and therefore no Universe.
Without the restriction imposed by the environment surrounding every living being, there would be no "Reason" for that being to do anything, as it is essentially the constant struggle for survival that leads beings to "get up in the morning". just as the Obstacles overcome by a Living Being are the of the Growth of a Being, they are also the measure of the purity of that being at any given time. For the ability of a being to overcome certain obstacles or difficulties of it's environment, defines it's level on the "Evolutionary Scale".
The "Level of Purity" of the Energy Package, or rather its lack of contamination by outside influences, determines its state of readiness to return from whence it came; back through the "Hole in the Wall" provided by the Active, to the Source from where it began. An impure or "Influenced" energy will simply not be capable when the time comes of the perfect blending of complementary opposites required for this return to be successful.
Thus the Obstructive principle performs the function of testing the Wanderer's state of purity, opening the 'Invisible Door?' if appropriate and allowing the Illuminating journey home of a now Conscious being.
What has been discussed so far: Energy flow into, around and then out of this world of ours, has been based on a circular seven-fold system, where one point on the circumference of the circle represents the Entry and Exit point of Life Energy into the System. But just as any circle can be divided into seven equal parts, it can just as casily be divided into twelve, three hundred and sixty, or even two million equal sections, each with its own place on the circumference and angle to the Entry and Exit point. So the one given point on a circle (say 45 degrees), can be described in a variety of different ways depending on the particular system of division in use, without changing in itself one iota.
There is a difference in the appearance of this point to an observer who is at it through different systems, a the point will take on the character of either more or less of the -)ints around it, depending on the number of divisions in use in each system. In the seven-fold system we outlined up to now, each of the "Points" or sections has covered an area of about 51 degrees, each with areas of maximum strength or focus. These "In Focus" areas would be those that would answer the description associated with that area most correctly. But in constructing any system, the influcnce of the out of focus areas of each section must be taken into account when describing the overall influence of that section.
This weakening of the value of each individual point for the sake of easier system comprehension, is unfortunate but necessary. The finer the definition a point, the more points there are in the system that need defining and
therefore the more complex the system beomes to comprehend. A balance needs to be struck when constructing a working system, between these two factors.
With this in mind, if we take another look at the seven-point "Energy
Charging" system outlined above, it it not too difficult to see points between the points. The most obvious thing to do when refining a system by increasing the number of defined points, is to give separate descriptions to the areas most out of focus in the system. These are the points half way
between any two points in the original system.
This would convert our Seven-Point System into a Fourteen-Point System. We would expect the new definitions to fit comfortably between the old and for the old point descriptions to be slightly modified in the interests of greater clarity. In essence, nothing must
change.
Questions and Answers
Q. If there is but one and only One Supreme Intelligence governing this Universe, how come there are so many gods from antiquity to
the present?
A. From all indications available there is but One such intelligence. Take
the 10 commandments given to the Jews and as accepted by the
Christians of which the first reads in substance: I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other
Gods before me." Besides the word
'God' there is in the bible also the
word 'Lord God', indicating some
what above a God or Gods. Most
religions upon our earth, past and
present, indicate the representation
of this universal intelligence by way
of an incarnate personification,
such as Krishna, Buddha, Christ,
etc. But none of them should take
the place before this Supreme One
Intelligence, 'Lord God', or Father,
as such names are used to indicate
'Its' superiority over all things
created.
Q. At one time mention was made
that students visited the late
French Alchemist Armand Bar bault in his laboratory and that he
was to give a lecture at one of the
then PRS Symposiums. Did Monsieur
Barbault ever deliver this lecture and what was it all about?
A. Armand Barbault passed on before he could deliver his lecture planned for the 1973 Symposium in Stuttgart, Germany. In a letter written to our European representative, Max Hinners, whose assignment
it was to get the lectures coordinated, Monsieur Barbault wrote
the following:
April 12th 1973
Dear Sir,
So I am going to devote myself to the writing of a precise text regarding my activities and their actual evolution, that I can present at the congress. But I cannot assure you, given my state of health that I can go there. I have very bad legs, severe varicose veins that force me to follow a strict regimen and also limit my expeditions. Nevertheless, the presentation will be done and if need be, I could send it long before the event, so that, it can be translated and read by someone who would be kind enough to present it in my name, if I was forced to stay here. I just turned 67 and if I am fine, my legs are not, but enough of this.
Since last year, I have been waiting for your letter, to answer your invitation and I see that from your side, you must have been waiting also and that soon you will be able to receive us.
At home, things are in a state of change, after having installed some 'Towibes,' I multiplied them to increase my production and now, I have more than twelve working. But it was impossible to work in the basement of my house, so we took new dispositions.
In a small village, in the Colmar area, 9 km on the road to Rouffach at Hallstrat, we bought an old farm with excellent buildings for habitation in which we will install our laboratories. From 13 to 15 towibes, we must prepare twice as much to accomplish our project. After the gold, silver, tin and viscum gold, and viscum silver, we must realize all the metals and also extract the quintessence of the most interesting plants with our new alkahest.
We think we will be able to produce a complete range of spagyric preparations in the next few years; and the medical doctors who are using our preparations are more and more numerous. The results are most satisfactory and we have reason to believe that our expansion, in view of the pollution and allergic reactions more and more frequent to chemical product, are encouragement to follow our goal.
This is all I want to explain and demonstrate, and also how we proceed according to the fundamental rules of alchemy and the laws of nature, as I have done in my book published in 1969.
The remodeling job, and installation of our new laboratories were commenced last Fall and I thought I could get started this Spring but my plans were too optimistic, on one end the costs have been much more than expected and the means at my disposal too limited. So the largest part is done and I continue the work according to the funds available, that is to say, according to the tinctures sold by the medical doctors collaborating with me.
Of course I thought I could remodel the house and dependance with 100,000 frs. that I had, but I need 50,000 frs. more, however I think I can get 7000 frs. per month if all goes well and I will be able to move in the Fall.
In France, money is being lent, but not to people like me that are on the margin and older than 55. The people who are willing to lend me money want some options that I cannot agree to, for I want to stay free and independant.
The medical doctors think that they can sell more products, but the production is slow, in spite of the case with which I have multiplied the towibes, and the 50,000 frs. that I am missing limits my expansion.
I am patient, I have worked and waited for 25 years and if God lets me live, I intend to achieve my goal.
So the year 1973 was a year of change, luckily my son follows me and helps me, because my wife and I can only do the little jobs in the laboratory.
In what we arc doing, we do not have the right to proceed as anyone else does and judge what God puts in our hands, or we will end in the hands of the devil and we do not want that.
So, Dear Sir, you can tell Frater Albertus, I will prepare a document and I will send it before the congress so that it can be translated, and I will do my best to go there and present it myself if my legs do not give me any problems and I beg you to believe in our best regards.
My wife and I send you our feelings the most fraternal.
It clearly shows how deeply interested Armand Barbault was in delivering the lecture which his premature death cut short. It is a loss to all, as no doubt, some interesting statements would in all likelihood have shed some more light on his alchemistical endeavors.
Q. During the last symposium at the Congress Hall at Salzburg some reporters did follow you constantly. One, from the'NIEUWE REVO' from Holland handed you a series of questions to answer. Have they ever been answered?
A. Unfortunately not. As usual in my office, things are stacked up waiting to be taken care of. Besides there are things that have priority. This should not mean that such questions should not be answered. Having the original letter now before me, an attempt shall be made though very much belated-to answer them.
Q. Frater Albertus, could you please tell us, in short, the story of your life? Youth, school, jobs, first involvement with alchemy, etc.
A. In various publications as well as in Essentia this matter should have been covered.
Q. What made you change your name into Frater Albertus?
A. To avoid a personal cult, the pseudonym of Frater (Brother) Albertus was used. My name per se has not been changed, although recently it has been rediscovered on my birth certificate that it is listed there as Richard Albert Riedel. Why, no one, since my recollection from earliest childhood, ever had called me Richard, I do not know. I have always been called Albert. That is why my name appears even on later documents signed by me as Albert Richard. That would be the only unintentional change.
Q. In my opinion a lot of people don't think much about alchemy
because, until now, it didn't bring much about. Furthermore, alchemistic textbooks often wrap their knowledge in mystery, and a lot of ancient knowledge is lost. Therefore it will now be even more difficult to bring something about. Could you comment on this?
A. People don't think much about Alchemy because they hardly know anything about it. Indeed, alchemistical textbooks are difficult to read and even more so to understand. Only by becoming conversant with what alchemy is really about will a faithful picture emerge and subsequently some tangible results of it.
Q. In Salzburg I noticed how some people are fascinated by your person. They venerate you as some kind of a charismatic leader. Can those people still open their 'selves' for your teachings?
A. No attempt has ever been made to be a charismatic leader or anything of this kind. Why should one not be able to open up their 'selfs' to the teachings. Besides, such are not my teachings, as to having originated with me. I am only their teacher.
Q. In Holland people are very suspicious towards movement, sects, communities that appeal to youth. Therefore I must ask you: "Are pupils of Paracelsus College in any way abused, bodily, mentally, emotionally or sexually?"
A. Not only in Holland, this applies to everywhere, that people are suspicious towards movements, sects or communities that appeal to youth. And rightfully so. But the teachings involved here are not directed to youth per se only, but especially those mature enough to become involved. This applies, calendar wise, to any age capable to show interest in such pursuits. Students are definitely not in ariv way abused, as you ask. As student's would testify to that effect.
Q. What is the essential point in the alchemistic philosophy, in which it differs from other philosophies?
A. Other philosophies are so manifold and specific. The difference of the alchemistical philosophy can
be best explained that it encompasses the entire range of the evolutionary process here on earth.
Q. I heard that some of the products of Paracelsus Laboratories were tested on pupils. Could you comment on that?
A. Such products as are available have been tested by pupils not on pupils. Their reports would have to speak for themselves in the respective cases involved.
Q. What is, until now, the biggest success Parachemistry attained?
A. An awakening of the enormous potentials to be found in its application and the possibilities lying before us.
Q. What do you think of the use of nuclear power as a source of energy?
A. Atomic energy, whether produced naturally by the sun or man made, will take an ever increasing effect upon life on earth. The crude efforts made by man in behalf of harnessing the atom, can be compared to the first steam locomotive, with its premature explosions and disturbances in the countryside. Civilization can hardly be envisioned without locomotives of one kind or another. It is the potential safety factor that has to be taken into consideration. No application of natural or man made energy is without danger. However, such can be reduced to a bare minimum eventually.
Q. Where do you think to get the money from for the expansion of the whole enterprise? Do YOU, for instance, get more big donations?
A. We have not received any 'big' donation regards the Tri-Star project, which you indicate. When the time comes all what is needed will be made available one way or another.
Q. Frater, does a 52-day cycle unfold in a similar manner as the daily cycle does? Example: Let us take the 52-day period of change which comes under the influence of the Moon. Does the first half of this period belong to the sub ray of the Saturn and the second half of this period belong to the sub ray of Jupiter, etc.
A. When you speak of the first and second half, then we are not dealing with a seven period system. The fifty-two days would have to be divided again into seven, beginning with the first one-seventh the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury. Each period would overlap by several hours, as seven days times seven gives 49 days, leaving three days to be divided into seven hourwise.
Q. During one of our experiments some time past, Mars was in Leo square to Uranus in Scorpio. Did this have an effect on our experiment?
A. Everything is in a stage of becoming and subject to prevailing influences.
Q. What is the mother of Saturn?
A. Some Alchemists insisted upon Mercury.
Q. Are other metals and minerals prepared in the same way as Antimony is initially for Alchemic work? With the Ore? With Calcination? With the production of glass of a singular color rather than many color possibilities?
A. Not all ores of the metals have to be made into glass. But the opening of the body is required, no matter what other procedures follow.
Q. What planetary influence governs juniper Berries?
A. Jupiter.
Q. Is there a correlation between Vinegar and Gur of the Vine?
A. No. 'The' gur of the vine is its 'earth', not to be confused with its 'salt'.
The Restorers of Alchemical Manuscripts Society Material
Hans Nintzel
Exemplar
Out of Our Think Tank
2. The Receptive.
3. The Motivating.
4. The Vehicular.
5. The Righteous.
6. The Magnetic.
7. The Obstructive.
Armand Barbault
28a Route de Winticuheim
68230 Curckeem Haut-Rhin
Monsieur Max Hinners
Duerrenmattweg 64
CH-4122 Neuallschwil BL
I am very happy to hear your good news and particularly I am very honored by Frater Albertus' request, asking me to do a presentation of my alchemical works.
Armand Barbault
ESSENTIA CONTENT