A flow and reflux implies a large volume of water, a large basin or a sea. What sea are we talking about?
Here, we are not talking about the common sea but of the philosophical sea, as alchemists define the action of their Mercurius, of Mercurius Sideribus (from Latin sidera, star), of Spiritus Mundi, spirit of the world. It is called a sea not only because of its “wave” movement but, above all, because, like a real sea, it has ebbs and flows.
And what would these ebbs and flows—philosophical ones, I imagine—be influenced by?
In Alchemy, we frequently encounter the adjective “philosophical.” Alchemists applied this term to phenomena or materials involved in their work—not in the sense we attribute today to this purely speculative discipline, but rather in the sense of being “hidden” and comprehensible only to the initiated. Thus, the ebb and flow are indeed “philosophical,” as the intention is to veil the fact that they are influenced by the stars, the moon, and the sun.
Thus, alchemists imagined the movements of their “philosophical sea” as if they were waves of water.
Actually, the philosophical sea was called a sea not because of its waves, but because it embraced and encompassed everything—and, consequently, set everything in motion. Much like the alchemists’ conception of Mercurius and its chains. Alchemists envisioned the movements of their “philosophical sea” not merely as wave motion, but as an agent of movement itself. Yet, purists would point out that Mercurius is not only an agent of movement but also a recipient of it; indeed, they would argue that it is Sulfur—albeit extracted from Mercurius—that holds the prerogative to set Mercurius in motion. Nevertheless, since everything is extracted from Mercurius, we continue to regard it as the principal actor.
Are we talking about the Mercurius extracted from raw matter by the alchemist?
No, the alchemist’s Mercurius is, at most, a magnet for the movement of the cosmos. Thus, we are speaking of the Mercurius Sideribus—or of the stars—and the Spiritus Mundi, or spirit of the world.
You didn’t mention the Anima Mundi among the sources of “philosophical” movement. Am I mistaken, or is the Anima Mundi a sort of Sulfur of the world… so, deep down, it ought to be the Anima Mundi that imparts the movement…
Had the alchemists of the Baroque era been organized enough to lay out sequential diagrams, alchemical terminology would not be so chaotic. In reality, a single school of thought never existed. We will discuss this in a dedicated section; so, let’s try not to overcomplicate things. Anima Mundi—or the soul of the world—and Spiritus Mundi—or the spirit of the world—are not synonyms. Alchemists would never confuse them. We will discuss the Anima Mundi later on. This long preamble serves to point out that it is not unusual to find Anima Mundi and Spiritus Mundi used as synonyms in certain Baroque treatises. For now, let’s focus solely on the movement.
I imagine, then, that movements within the alchemists’ “philosophical sea” were ineffable agents of motion—like stellar influences, for example, or lunar rays. Is that not so?
It is not that simple. The ancients did not distinguish between agents of motion and acting matter. As we shall see, by the expression “philosophical sea,” alchemists also referred to winds (if their origin was cosmic), vapors (if they emanated from the earth), and dew (if they came from the sky). More specifically, they were referring to the “nature” contained within and transported by these agents of motion.
What distinguishes a “philosophical wind” from a common sea wind?
The “philosophical winds”, unlike common sea winds, always have a regular oscillation characteristically devoid of chaotic flow: The philosophical sea must never overflow, nor flood the central point.
Could the term “philosophical sea” hide a very ancient idea, that is, the nature of sound?
Many alchemists will be perplexed to accept the idea that the term “philosophical sea“ could also imply the nature of sound. Sound phenomena are in fact present in the ultimate part of alchemical works, the supreme stage that very few have ever been able to witness. It is interesting to note that, for the ancients, the origin of winds and sounds was the same.
Why do alchemists speak of the “philosophical sea” as a flow and reflux?
Because they had noticed that in the movements of the “philosophical sea” there was a sort of back and forth.
We can therefore state that the ebb and flow of the “philosophical sea” is likened more to breathing than to ordinary ocean tides.
You didn’t mention the ocean and tides by accident, I imagine. Indeed, as Mediterranean sailors know, in this vast yet enclosed sea, tides are almost imperceptible—especially when compared to the massive fluctuations in level and temperature found in the oceans. This holds true, with the exception of certain specific areas—such as the Upper Adriatic and various other gulfs and straits—where violent and unpredictable tidal currents arise due to the flow of water between different basins, driven by seabed topography and the shape of the coastline. In the absence of significant water movement, the defining characteristic of the Mediterranean is its winds—sudden and powerful. Indeed, alchemists had observed that the movements of their “philosophical sea”—even more so than the ebb and flow of terrestrial tides—bore a resemblance to respiration. They spoke specifically of “respiration” because, for them, atmospheric air served as the crucial medium for the “transmission” of this “philosophical sea”.
So I imagine that the philosophical sea has a primary oscillatory movement, just like a biological breath.
More than a generic primary oscillatory movement, the philosophical sea has a degree of primary oscillation along an axis. It is said to have a primary oscillation motion of forty-seven degrees on the north-south axis.
So we are told that the sea is allowed to flow along the north-south axis. It seems to be channeled in its axis of oscillation.
True, the philosophical sea is said to slide from north to south, and vice versa, as if it were channeled.
I imagine this canal has retaining banks, if not actually a bed to flow along.
Well, no, it is not a channel in the true sense, like those found in nature. It has no flow beds or retaining banks, but only hinges—just like the hinges of a door. The hinges of the movement of the philosophical sea are on the east-west axis. That is, equinoctial.
Can the oscillations which are said to move the philosophical sea along its axis be compared to winds?
Indeed, the oscillations that are said to move the philosophical sea along its axis are called “winds”, even though they are in fact oscillations. But we know that the ancients called the oscillations “winds”, as we moderns would call them “waves”.
A sea wind, to be defined as such, must blow from specific points. What are the specific points through which the “philosophical” winds blow?
The “philosophical” winds blow outward through four central cardinal points, which are the same ones with which we divide the cardinal axes of the common sea.
Is it true that the compass rose is the symbol par excellence of the “oscillations” of the philosophical sea?
True, in the alchemical symbolism the compass rose represents the breathing of the world and the cosmos.
The compass rose originates from a central point. Historically, it refers to a central geographical point in the Mediterranean Sea from which the various directions take their names.
The ancients compared the central point from which the philosophical winds departed to a domestic hearth/fireplace. In fact, the hearth of the temple of Vesta was said to be the origin of the winds and vapors that rose from the earth, and was represented by floating veils.
If the central point of the philosophical sea is likened to a terrestrial hearth, could it then exert an influence on volcanic activity?
No, let me clarify: the philosophical sea is not “fire” or a seismic movement. After all, the alchemists’ fire—I mean the true fire of alchemical cooking—is not ordinary fire, but Mercurius. Therefore, the “mercurial” sea does not set the earth ablaze; rather, it determines the composition of metals on Earth. It is also believed to influence the orientation of metalliferous veins; according to the ancients, for instance, gold-bearing veins ran towards the south.
How many movements of the philosophical sea are there?
The movements of the philosophical sea are twenty-one, of which only six are the main ones and the remaining ones are variations.
What is the first movement of the philosophical sea like?
The first movement of the sea is simply pumped from the fixed central point like a heart. Vapors rise from the fixed point and become sea as they approach the edges.
What is the second movement of the philosophical sea like?
In the second movement of the philosophical sea the four cardinal points around the fixed point cause an outward flow of winds, lowering the sea, like a lung exhalation. This is to protect the fixed point from being flooded by the sea.
What is the third movement of the philosophical sea like?
21 What is the third movement of the philosophical sea like?
In the third movement the four cardinal points around the fixed point cause a reflux of winds towards the inside, raising the sea, like an pulmonary inspiration. This is to prevent the fixed point from being flooded. In this third movement, the sum of the flow and reflux of the winds inwards and outwards, through the revolution around the four points, is 12 hours and 24 minutes long. The ebb phase takes place on the north-south axis, across the axis of the elements, and lasts 6 hours and 12 minutes. The high tide phase occurs on the east-west axis, again across the axis of the elements, and lasts 6 hours and 12 minutes.
Can we say that in the third movement there is an analogy with the tides of the common sea?
The tidal phases of the common sea are also six hours and twelve minutes between high and low. Anyway the directions of flow are not channeled along a forced axis, like the philosophical sea, but follow the rotations of the moon around the earth.
What about the lunar role in the third movement of the philosophical sea?
The analogy of phase duration between a high and low of the third movement of the philosophical sea and of the common tide is too exact not to arouse the suspicion that the daily lunar rotation has an important influence. However, the stars probably act through the moon. Regarding the moon, the maximum philosophical sea level is on the north-south axis and coincides with the full moon in the south, and the absence of moon in the north. The minimum sea level instead corresponds to the first quarter in the east and the last quarter in the west. Two philosophical sea cycles correspond to one moon cycle, but not exactly. The Moon, at each quarter phase change, receives influences from the Stars. Thus the Moon contributes to the flow and reflux of the philosophical sea in conjunction with the other Planets, and not individually, as one might imagine.
What is the fourth movement of the philosophical sea like?
The fourth movement of the philosophical sea is caused by the oscillations, also called “fire”, of the planets through the phases of the moon. The fire of the planets that gives form to the movement is invisible, while the lunar phases that receive it are visible. The Moon, at each change of quarter phase, receives influences from the Stars. Thus the Moon contributes to the flow and reflux of the sea in conjunction with the other Planets, and not individually, as one might imagine. This fourth movement gives the germinative power and is composed of fourteen times: seven rises and seven falls of the sea. Each rise is higher than the previous one and each fall is lower than the previous one. The total duration of the phases of high x seven planets is 24h 48m x seven. For the phases of low it will be the same 24h 48m x seven. Thus the sea will be completely high in 14d 11h 12m.
What is the fifth movement of the philosophical sea like?
The fifth movement is caused by the sun and is composed of the equinoctial tides. The movement begins seven days before the equinox and ends seven days after. It lasts fourteen or fifteen days, that is, seven days before the sun reaches the Line, and seven days after it has passed it. The equinoctial tides are so strong that they create vapors and dew. This movement is double and consists of two extraordinarily high tides in the months of March and September.
What is the sixth movement of the philosophical sea like?
The sixth movement is double like the fifth. The first consists of a great tide, which manifests itself towards the months of December and January, and a great descending motion which occurs in the months of June and July. Neither of these two movements has its origin in the center, nor its certainty. Their cause depends on the variety of aspects and influences of the Stars. There are winds that cause rain, snow and storms, drought or calm, but it happens only by chance: for the extraordinary level of the sea that arrives in the months of December and January, which is the period in which rain and snow abound most, but it is not general. Thus, the sixth movement is induced by the stars and causes solstitial tides along the north-south axis. The solstitial tides are high in the north and low in the south. The sea rises in the north because of the quantity of rain and lowers in the south because of the scarcity of rain.
What is the second part of the sixth movement of the philosophical sea like?
In the second part of the sixth movement of the “philosophical sea” the stars blow hot and dry winds. The movement begins seven days before the solstice and ends seven days after. It is precisely during this sixth movement that the influences of the Stars fall perpendicularly like plumb lines. Since the magnitudes of the cycles are rarely perfect multiples or submultiples, a further difficulty is given not only by the choice of the right movement, but also by the synchronicity of the cycles over the years.
Am I misremembering, or is twenty-one a very important number in laboratory alchemy?
You remember correctly. Twenty-one is a number relating to the divisions of Mercurius in the humid path.
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Main Index: 8. Flow and Reflux of the Philosophical Sea