The Alchemical Marriage and the Total Solar Eclipse(Symbolism, Mythology and Alchemy)

“When the masculine and feminine 
truly become one,
all duality ceases to exist.”­
– Joseph Panek

Ancient cultures were aware of, understood, revered and utilized
the complementary aspects of duality. They realized that the
masculine and feminine, the yin and the yang, complemented each
other and, when utilized together, create a powerful synergy;
wherein the combined Union of the two aspects of duality is more
potent and creative than the sum of each of the two when acting
alone.

The various indigenous cultures which occupy the most distant
and remote places on our planet are also aware of this timeless
and Divine Law.

“Modern” society, however, by way of its multiple institutions and
organizations promotes an entirely different agenda in regards to
duality. Instead of focusing on the complementary aspects of
duality so revered by ancient and indigenous cultures, “modern”
society Indoctrinates its members to focus only upon the divisive
aspects of duality. These aspects are the concept of me against
you, us against them, masculine against feminine, etc., etc., etc.

Modern society Indoctrinates its members how to “pick things apart”
instead of Instructing its members to be Aware of, to observe and
to understand how Nature, Natural Laws and duality work in unison
to create, expand and prosper.

And except for the indigenous cultures, and the very small
number of individuals who are aware of and understand Divine Law,
the divisive aspects of duality governs the behavior of the masses
while the complementary aspects of duality are ridiculed,
discredited and scorned.

Hence the misery we experience in today’s fractured world of
personal Relationships and interpersonal interactions. These
fractures are the chief cause of the antagonistic attitudes which
exist between the various races, cultures and nations occupying
this planet today.

Symbolism is a great Teacher. The purpose of Symbolism is to
show us in pictures, characters and designs those things which
are very difficult to convey by way of clumsy Words. Symbolism,
in effect, manifests abstract concepts into visible images.

The paintings and artwork pertaining to The Alchemical Marriage
are the Symbolist’s way of portraying the powerful interplay of the
complementary aspects of duality. Therefore, the Alchemical
Marriage is, in fact, a Symbolic depiction of the Union of Duality.

The Symbolism of the Alchemical Marriage:

The Alchemical Marriage is the most sublime and potent
expression of the Union of Duality. It represents the ultimate
conjunction, or intimate bonding, of all aspects of duality and
represents the pure Harmony which can exist when the masculine
and feminine aspects of Nature are solemnly blended into One.

Symbolically, the Alchemical Marriage is expressed in many
different ways. Some examples are:

A naked man and woman sharing a passionate physical
embrace which entwines all parts of their bodies. In such
instances the man is wearing the crown of a king and the
woman is wearing the crown of a queen. Sometimes the man
has the face of the sun and the woman has the face of the
moon. And other times the sun may appear over the body of
the man while the moon appears over the body of the woman

Not always do we find the man and woman being portrayed as
sharing a passionate embrace. Often we see them, again both
naked, either holding hands or simply looking at each other with
a longing gaze. Again, in these instances the man may be either
wearing the crown of a king, be portrayed with the face of the sun,
or have the sun displayed above his head. While the woman may
be wearing the crown of a queen, be portrayed with the face of the
moon or have the moon displayed above her head.

In other instances both the man and woman may be clothed in
the garments of magicians and bonded together by a cord or have
a bird, which represents the Uniting Spirit, hovering above and
between them in the appearance of giving spiritual blessing to
their sublime Union. In these instances the man may be wearing
a garment of red or gold, which represents his solar aspects, while
the woman may be wearing a garment of white or silver which
represents her lunar aspects.

And yet, in other instances, we may find an androgynous figure
representing the Union of Duality which is at the heart of the
Alchemical Marriage. An androgynous figure is one in which both
the masculine and feminine are portrayed in one body. This can
be depicted by way of a single a body which contains both the
head of a man and the head of a woman.  An androgynous figure
can also be one whose facial features can appear to be either
masculine, feminine or both at the same time.

There are still other ways in which the Alchemists portrayed the
Alchemical Marriage but they all contain the same themes as
mentioned above.

We also find the Union of Duality, which again is at the heart of
the Alchemical Marriage, in other ancient and mystical teachings.

The Chinese yin and yang Symbol depicts both the yin and yang
essences perfectly balanced, and in union with each other, while
Harmoniously enclosed within the womb of the Circle.

In the Tarot, we find the Alchemical Marriage (Union of Duality)
expressed in the card of “The Lovers”.

Androgynous figures also appear in astrology, mythology and
the Tarot.

In mythology and astrology the Greek god Hermes and the
Roman god Mercury are portrayed as androgynous beings.
Hermes and Mercury are later day representations of Thoth,
the ancient Egyptian Neter of whom it was said “contained the
Wisdom of the heavens and all that is contained within the
heavens”.

In the Tarot we find the concept of androgyny portrayed in the
character of “The Fool“.

The Symbolism of the Total Solar Eclipse:

The ultimate example of the Alchemical Marriage, and the
Union of Duality, which can be actually observed and
experienced in the physical realm is that rare and perfect
conjunction of the sun and moon which we call the Total
Solar Eclipse.

During a Total Solar Eclipse the moon completely covers,
and entirely unites with, the sun. In that brief and rare moment
the moon and sun occupy the exact same point in the heavens.
In that one brief and rare moment the moon and sun, the cosmic
feminine and masculine, are Symbolically and celestially One.

And In that final and brief cosmic moment, when the moon and
sun unite in the heavens as One, a flash of solar brilliance shoots
forth from the sun’s corona Symbolizing that orgasmic cosmic
moment when the sun and the moon, the masculine and feminine
aspects of the heavens, experience their blissful Union of Duality
in a magnificent consummation of their celestial Alchemical Marriage.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2013

Thoth – The Ibis-Headed Egyptian Neter (God):Symbolism, Mythology and Mysticism

Thoth is one of the oldest Neters, or deities, worshipped in Ancient
Egypt where he also was called Djehuti.

Thoth is usually portrayed as having the body of a man and the
head of an ibis. The man’s body tells us that he represents
masculine aspects of nature. The head of the ibis tells us that
Thoth is associated with the principles and aspects of this bird
which was sacred to the Ancient Egyptians.

Thoth was later called Hermes by the Greeks and Mercury by the
Romans. Therefore the aspects attributed to both Hermes and
Mercury are the same attributes which were originally attributed to
Thoth.

Thoth is the deity who is recognized for bestowing all arts and
sciences unto mankind. This includes, but is not limited to,
art, music, writing, speech, communication, Words, Symbols,
numbers, mathematics, geometry, counting, measuring, land
surveying, astronomy, astrology, science, logic, medicine,
magic and the mystical arts.

It is because Thoth bestowed such an enormous amount of
knowledge and Wisdom upon humanity that he was recognized
and honored as a great magician. This is made clear to us by
one of the titles originally attributed to him: Ur heka.

When we analyze the title Ur heka we get the following definition:
Ur translates as first, original or primary. Heka is the Egyptian
Neter (god / Divine Principle) of Magic.

Therefore, Ur heka translates thusly: “The original Neter, or the
original Divine Principle, of Magic”. This tells us that Thoth is the
primal or primary source (a “fountain” – if you will) from which all
of theLessons and secrets of the cosmos are made available to
mankind.

It is important at this point that we define and understand the
true original meaning of the words Magic, Magician and Magi.

A Magician is someone who is the master of magic; a master
of mysteries both terrestrial and celestial. Someone who
understands and is able to make use of the secret powers and
energies that are constantly flowing within and between the
cosmic and earthly realms.

This includes, but again is not limited to, the mastery of herbs,
potions, healing practices and purification practices along with a
thorough knowledge of all the arts and sciences mentioned above.

Magic, in its true original sense, is the knowledge and
understanding of not only the movements of the universe and the
Cycles of Time, but also the secret and sacred powers and
forces contained within all things celestial and terrestrial…hidden
and tangible…visible and invisible…esoteric and exoteric.

Magi is the plural of Magician. And, in Christian lore, we find the
Three Magi, or Three Wise men, bringing gifts to the Christ child
of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

We are now beginning to understand what a powerful deity
Thoth was to the Ancient Egyptians. However, there is more to
this Neter Thoth, much more.

Thoth, as a bestower of all primordial knowledge and Wisdom,
is portrayed with a man’s body; for the act of bestowing is a
masculine aspect of nature.

And because the knowledge and Wisdom he bestowed to mankind
occurred in the realm of duality – the realm of Cycles, Time,
movement and measurement – Thoth was portrayed with the head
of the ibis bird; a bird which also has many additional attributes
and behaviors which are also Symbolic of the knowledge and
Wisdom associated with this beneficient deity, Thoth.

The beak of the ibis is curved, or crescent-shaped; a shape which
is Symbolic of the Moon. This tells us that Thoth is a lunar deity.
Now the question may arise, “but isn’t the Moon a feminine aspect
of nature?”. The answer is “yes”.

However, as all creation occupies the realm of duality, no one
“thing” is either wholly masculine or feminine. All masculine
aspects contain a feminine portion, and all feminine aspects
contain a masculine portion. This is portrayed for us within the
Symbol of Yin and Yang.

Although the Moon is receptive to the light of the Sun (a feminine
aspect), once that light radiates from the Moon in order to
eventually penetrate into the Earth it then becomes a masculine
aspect; similar to the masculine aspect of the sunlight radiating
from the Sun.

The curved beak of the ibis is Symbolic of the crescent-shape
of the Moon which we are all familiar with. The Moon is crescent-
shaped for the majority of its visible time; either the lighted portion
is in a crescent shape, or the dark portion is in a crescent shape.

It is this crescent shape of the Moon, which changes in measure
every night, that Symbolizes the marking, or “notching”, of Time
during either its waxing or waning phases. Lunar calendars, from
the beginning of history, are calculated and measured based
upon the different nightly appearances, or phases, of the Moon.

This cyclical “marking of time”, which is a lunar aspect, is
Symbolic of mathematics, counting, measuring, and numbers;
aspects which are attributed to Thoth. By using a celestial body,
the Moon, to accomplish these “markings” the sciences of
astronomy and astrology also become associated with Thoth.

The ibis is also a wading bird. It therefore has its head above the
water, its legs in the water and its feet firmly planted in the earth
below.

Symbolically, these aspects of the ibis represent the following:

The head, which is also a Symbol for the mind, occupies the
higher realm of Air. And the Element of Air represents the realm
of Thoughts, the super-conscious, the spiritual, and the heavenly.
Air also contains the unseen realm of Aether wherein all creative
aspects of the arts and sciences reside; aspects associated with
Thoth.

The legs occupy the realm of Water. Water represents the
Sub-Conscious: the realm of intuition, feelings and insight

The feet are firmly planted into the ground below the Water.
The ground represents the Earth along with everything associated
with the Earth. This includes the visible and consious realm above
the Earth’s surface along with the unseen realm below the Earth’s
surface: the underworld. The unseen realm of the underworld is
what the Ancient Egyptians associated with the twilight realm of
our spiritual respite between Incarnations.

Thus, by way of the Symbolism of the ibis, Thoth represents the
power and ability to maneuver comfortably within, and Travel freely
and unimpeded throughout, all realms of creation: the unseen
realms of the spiritual, mental, and Sub-Conscious (Aether, Air and
Water), the visible realm of matter (Earth), and the twilight realm of
the Underworld.

Another aspect of the ibis is that, as it probes the water looking for
bugs and insects to feed upon, it appears to be drawing designs
upon the surface of the water; a behavior which makes it appear
as if it is writing, painting, drawing or creating heiroglyphs – aspects
which are also associated with Thoth.

Most of us are familiar with Hermes; the later Greek aspect of Thoth.
Hermes is the Greek god who has wings on his feet and helmet and
is referred to as “the messenger of the gods”. Hermes, like Thoth,
is one of the very few deities who could travel freely and unrestricted
throughout all three realms of nature: heaven (Mount Olympus: home
of the gods), earth and the underworld. And because he was able to
travel unimpeded throughout all realms he was recognized, and
worshipped, as the guardian of roads and travelers.

There is an esoteric Lesson contained within this particular aspect
of Thoth-Hermes: in freely traveling between the underworld and the
earthly realm Thoth-Hermes is the Neter, or Divine Principle, who
assists us in entering and exiting, without restriction, our
Sub-Conscious (our underworld) in order to obtain all the knowledge,
Wisdom and information which is contained and hidden within this
realm.

In addition, this Divine Principle, Thoth-Hermes, is the Spiritual
Guide who we can call upon to assist us in accessing the higher,
and highest, realms of consciousness in order to obtain whatever
enlightenment we may be Seeking from these higher realms.

Also as “Messenger of the gods”, Thoth-Hermes is the diety who
shares information (communication) not only between the gods,
but also between heaven and earth (mental and spiritual messages),
and the underworld and earth (Sub-Conscious messages) as well.
In this aspect he is the Messenger, the Bringer, the Communicator
to mankind of all Cosmic Laws, Divine Principles, Spiritual Truths,
and Esoteric (hidden) Knowledge.

Among the numerous titles assigned to Thoth we find the following:

Inventor of Writing, Keeper of Records, Scribe of Truth, Record
Keeper of the Underworld, Lord of Wisdom, Creator of Sacred
Words and of Secret Writing, God of Chronology, God of
Counting, and Inventor of Hieroglyphic Writing

Thoth, as the “marker of time” is often depicted holding the stem
of a palm leaf. This stem contains sharply pointed protrusions on
both sides of the stem. These protrusions are equally spaced
along the length of the stem and are similar therefore to our
modern day ruler or yardstick.

Thoth is often portrayed as “notching time”, etching counts,
marking Events, recording historical deeds and measuring the
rulership of a pharaoh or the life-span of an individual into the
stem of a palm leaf.

Again this “notching”, or “counting”, or “marking” is Symbolically
similar to the crescent-shape changes of the waxing and waning
moon as it passes through the nightly phases of its cycle.

Ancient Egyptian art in the Egyptian Book of the Dead contains
the scene of Thoth “notching”, or recording, the result of the
Ritual called the Weighing of the Heart as the heart of the recently
deceased pharaoh is weighed against the Feather of Maat.

As previously mentioned, the Roman Mercury is the modern day
counter part of Egyptian Thoth. Mercury is associated with the
mind and therefore controls communication, information, thought,
clear thinking, reasoning, logic, negotiation and discrimination;
all of which are aspects of Thoth.

Mercury is also the astrological ruler of the constellation Gemini.
Gemini is a dual sign (Castor and Pollux). Mercury, as ruler of a
dual sign, enables those who are truly in Harmony with Mercury,
and therefore Thoth, to properly evaluate both sides of any issue
and communicate correctly.

Hermes is also the source of the modern term “hermetically sealed”
which also means “tightly sealed”. Therefore, esoterically,
“tightly sealed” refers to anything which is hidden or Secret
an aspect of the dark side of the Moon (Lunar Thoth). In this case
it refers to hidden or secret knowledge and information (both Thoth
aspects) which can only be opened by, or revealed to, a select
worthy Initiate.

The mythologies, Symbolism, mysticism and mysteries which are
associated with Thoth, and his later Greek and Roman counterparts
of Hermes and Mercury, are far too vast to be covered in one single
article.

Therefore, those who are interested in discovering further, and
similarly deep, aspects of this ancient and powerful deity named
Thoth, along with his later counterparts Hermes and Mercury, will
find themselves informed, amazed and enlightened should they
Choose to delve into the legends, mythologies and lore of this
ancient, dynamic and powerful Egyptian Neter.

Added on December 24, 2012:
As the Moon is the reflector of the Sun’s perpetual light, the light
which supplies brightness to the dark night, Thoth, as a moon-god,
Symbolizes the reflection of Divine Light. And, in this aspect, he
is the bringer, or conduit, of all eternal Truth, Wisdom and
knowledge (light, enlightenment) to mankind.

 Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2012