Symbolism of Alchemy

DVD Cover Welcome to the Self-Study Course on the Symbolism of The Alchemical Tarot.

Alchemical symbols are connected to a wisdom tradition that is derived from the Higher Self. Therefore, the alchemical images in The Alchemical Tarot magnify the symbolic purpose of the Tarot and unveil the transformative wisdom of the Higher Self.

The Alchemical Tarot is designed to illustrate that there is a close connection between alchemical symbolism and the Tarot. The Fool and trumps in The Alchemical Tarot each relate to an alchemical material or process, which is part of the Great Work or Opus of alchemy that leads to the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, a mystical catalyst that transforms what it touches to its highest form. Composed of the mysterious fifth element, it can cure any illness, turn lead into gold, and turn an ordinary person into an enlightened sage. The four minor suits relate to the alchemical elements and to four related temperaments. To achieve a deeper understanding of the deck it is, therefore, necessary to study alchemical symbolism. In this course we focus on the symbolism in the Fool and 21 trumps and in others we will cover the minor suits.

About the CD-ROM

This CD-ROM is a computer disk that contains the audio (mp3) and printable (pdf) platform independent course material that comprises the Self-Study Course. Your computer should have all of the necessary software to access these files. We recommend iTunes for the mp3 files and Adobe Reader for the pdfs (both are free downloads).

Course Contents

Class 1: History and Symbolism of Alchemy

Documents

The written course material is availabe in pdf format for you to print out and take notes on. A saddle bound printed copy of the Symbolism of Alchemy Book is available for purchase at http://shop.tarotconnection.net.

Location on CD:	Filename	Description	Pages
\doc\class 1\	SymbolismAlchemyBook.pdf	Course Text	50
\doc\class 1\	Michelspacher1.pdf	1. Mirror of Art and Nature from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher, annotated by Robert M. Place.	1
\doc\class 1\	Michelspacher2.pdf	2. Beginning Exhaltation from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher, annotated by Robert M. Place.	1
\doc\class 1\	Michelspacher3.pdf	3. The Middle Conjunction, the Albedo or White Stage from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher, annotated by Robert M. Place.	1
\doc\class 1\	Michelspacher4.pdf	4. The End Multiplication from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher, annotated by Robert M. Place.	1

Audio

The audio portion of this course was recorded during a live teleclass on May 7th 2008.

Location on CD:	Filename	Description	Time (1.7 hours)
\audio\class 1\	AT1-01Symbolism.mp3	Track 1: Symbolism and History of Alchemy	19:02
\audio\class 1\	AT1-02Numbers.mp3	Track 2: Numbers in Alchemy	32:15
\audio\class 1\	AT1-03DragonOpus.mp3	Track 3: Discussion of Rendering of the Envenomed Dragon, L’Azoth des and the Principles of the Opus	12:59
\audio\class 1\	AT1-04Michelspacher1.mp3	Track 4: 1. Mirror of Art and Nature from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher	6:54
\audio\class 1\	AT1-05Michelspacher2.mp3	Track 5: 2. Beginning Exhaltation from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher	2:46
\audio\class 1\	AT1-06Michelspacher3.mp3	Track 6: 3. The Middle Conjunction, the Albedo or White Stage from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher	5:53
\audio\class 1\	AT1-07Michelspacher4.mp3	Track 7: 4. The End Multiplication from The Cabala, Mirror of Art and Nature: in Alchemy by Steffan Michelspacher	4:44
\audio\class 1\	AT1-08Flamel.mp3	Track 8: Nicholas Flamel	7:49
\audio\class 1\	AT1-09QA.mp3	Track 9: Q & A	13:18

Class 2: Alchemical Trumps and Sample Readings

Documents

Location on CD:	Filename	Description	Pages
\doc\class 2\	Khunrath.pdf	Ampahiteatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (The Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom) by Heinrich Khunrath, 1602, annotated by Robert M. Place	1
\doc\class 2\	Senior-de-Chemia.pdf	Senior 's de Chemia source for the Hierophant	1
\doc\class 2\	Museum-Hermeticum-Hermit.pdf	Museum Hermeticum source for the Hermit	1
\doc\class 2\	Goal-Transmutation.pdf	Goal Oriented Transmutation Spread	1
\doc\class 2\	GT-Brian-1.pdf	Sample Reading for Brian Page 1	1
\doc\class 2\	GT-Brian-2.pdf	Sample Reading for Brian Page 2	1
\doc\class 2\	Open-Ended-Transmutation.pdf	Open Ended Transmutation Spread	1
\doc\class 2\	OET-Debi-1.pdf	Sample Reading for Debi Page 1	1
\doc\class 2\	OET-Debi-2.pdf	Sample Reading for Debi Page 2	1

Audio

The audio portion of this course was recorded during a live teleclass on May 14th 2008.

Location on CD:	Filename	Description	Time
\audio\class 2\	AT2-01Khunrath.mp3	Track 1: Ampitheater of Eternal Wisdom by Heinrich Khunrath	9:23
\audio\class 2\	AT2-02Trumps1.mp3	Track 2: Alchemical Trumps (Fool - Hanged Man)	37:58
\audio\class 2\	AT2-03Trumps2.mp3	Track 3: Alchemical Trumps (Death - World)	16:31
\audio\class 2\	AT2-04Goal.mp3	Track 4: Goal Oriented Transmutation Reading for Brian	14:32
\audio\class 2\	AT2-05OpenEnded.mp3	Track 5: Open Ended Transmutation Reading for Debi	19:48
\audio\class 2\	AT2-06Closing.mp3	Track 6: Class Closing with Rosemary Ellen Guiley	5:21

Extras

Location on CD:	Filename	Description
\extras\	TarotConnectionEpisode41.mp3	Tarot Connection Podcast interview with Robert Place on the Vampire Tarot released on April 25th, 2007.
\extras\	TarotConnectionEpisode78.mp3	Tarot Connection Podcast interview with Robert Place on the Alchemical Tarot released on April 30th 2008.

\extras\	PreviewElementsClass.mp3	Excerpt from the Self-Study Course on the Elements of Tarot
\extras\	4Symbols.pdf	Figure referenced in Excerpt from the Self-Study Course on the Elements of Tarot

Other Classes

Visit the AlchemicalTarot.com for more information about other Self-Study Courses.

Hieroglyphs from the Soul

Robert Place sees the Tarot as a spiritual tool that works, through its archetypal images, to assist our Higher Self to guide us to enlightened choices and spiritual wisdom. He recommends three card readings as a Tarot staple, and sets out a guideline for interpreting them called “The Seven Patterns.” These patterns include: linear, choice, central origin, central destination, the central problem and the central teacher.

The course will include an introduction to the method, description of the patterns, and sample readings. For the three card spread. Class notes will be provided in advance to illustrate the patterns. The Rider Waite Smith Tarot and Alchemical Tarot will be used.

The Relationship Spread

Tarot readers are most commonly asked for advice about love or career. By treating these questions as a relationship between the querent and another person, company, or institution this spread can handle both topics. This spread can be applied to relationships between the querent and a lover, a boss, or another person, a job, a home, a culture, a city, or another environment. Instead of predicting the future, it gives insight into what each party is thinking and how they are interacting. Then the cards can provide insight from the Higher Self and tell the querent how to improve the relationship or other advice. This is a truly versatile spread that is capable of bringing insight and guidance to any situation.

The class will include an introduction to the spread, the three stages of relationships and how they relate to the Tarot trumps, and sample readings. This class builds on the lessons learned in Hieroglyphs From The Soul and will expand on the three-card reading.

Class notes will be provided in advance to illustrate the patterns. The Rider Waite Smith Tarot and The Alchemical Tarot will be used.

4 Elements and 4 Functions

The famous Swiss Psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, is best known for his theories about the unconscious mind but Jung mapped the conscious mind as well. In the conscious mind he found a mandala of four personality types that he called functions. Although Jung started by examining the four humors of classical medicine, he quickly realized that they did not describe true psychological states. He replaced them with the four qualities that he did discover in the human psyche and labeled these qualities: thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition. Although Jung veered away from the theory of the humors, it is still possible to make a connection between his four functions and the four elements of the alchemists and through this connection to link them with the four minor suits in the Tarot.

This class will explore the symbolism of the four minor suits and demonstrate that they contain a mandala like structure that relates to the four directions, seasons, elements, and other fourfold systems including the four Jungian functions. We will learn more about the functions through examples and each student will attempt to discover their dominant function. Through their relationship with the functions, the cards become a valuable psychological tool that can point out difference in personality and harmonize relationships between different personality types. onships between different types.

The Symbolism of Numbers

Besides describing quantity and sequence numbers have inherent psychological meaning and symbolism. The meaning of the number five, for example, is tied to the fact that humans have five fingers. This natural symbolism has been added to over the centuries by Babylonian astronomers observing the numerical patterns of the planets, Egyptian magicians applying numbers to their magic formulas, and Pythagorean mystics observing abstract mathematical patterns. In the Middle Ages, Christian mystics and alchemists added more layers and this accumulated symbolic wisdom was passed onto the creators of the Tarot in the Renaissance. Besides the numerical symbolism suggested by the trumps, the symbolism of numbers is at the heart of traditional methods of divination with cards, particularly when we consider that the pip cards traditionally contained repetitions of the suit symbol on each card and not much else.

This class will explain the symbolism of the of the first ten numbers, covering their natural, astrological, mystical, and mythological associations, and apply this knowledge to the meanings of the Tarot’s trumps and pips. A knowledge of numerical symbolism is essential for a deeper understanding of the Tarot and its use in divination.

Dream Divination

We spend about one third of our lives sleeping. When you are asleep you are naturally communicating with the unconscious part of your mind, where the archetypes live and your dreams are that communication. The ability to dream evolved in mammals about 130 million years ago. Like all mammals, humans dream and have always dreamed as long as they have been around. It is not surprising, therefore, that dreams are the oldest and most natural form of divination. They are also one of the most insightful and reliable. Dreams can heal us mentally and physically, they can teach us, they are a source of inspiration, and they can predict the future.

In these two classes we will learn about ancient oneiromanic practices and the modern theories of Jung. We will learn about the principle archetypes and some common dream symbols. We will learn how to remember dreams and we will make use of the methods devised by psychiatrist Montague Ullman to hold a group dream discussion. Bring a pad and pencil and some dreams.

Vampires and the Tarot

Although the Vampire of modern literature and film is a blood sucking monster he or she is also the focus of sexual desire. This is exemplified by the fact that although Bela Lugosi made his reputation playing Dracula, the most famous vampire fiend, women all over the world swooned for him and he received hundreds of proposals of marriage. This paradox illuminates the fact that the modern Vampire of pop culture, particularly Dracula, is in reality an ancient mythological figure who has covertly entered a culture that is consciously attempting to cut itself off from myth. The story of this mythological Vampire is also related to the Tarot trumps.

Stoker’s biographer, Barbara Belford, points out that Dracula author Bram Stoker, was aware of the Tarot and seems to have based many of the characters in Dracula on Tarot trumps. In this lecture we will explore how and why this is so and find out why Pamela Coleman Smith and Stoker were friends, who influenced who, and if Stoker was a member of the Golden Dawn. We will also find that an appreciation of Dracula can deepen out understanding of Tarot symbolism.

Check the Alchemical Tarot Website: www.alchemicaltarot.com for upcoming classes.

Copyright Information

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Hermes Publications except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The accompanying CD-ROM has the following additional copyright restrictions. You may not sell, offer for sale, exchange or otherwise transfer this publication. You may not sell, offer for sale or give away reprints of the contents of this CD-ROM. You may not sell, offer for sale or give away reprints of this CD-ROM. You may not remove copyright statements from any part of this book. You many not change it in anyway. You may copy the material to your computer & mp3 player for personal use.