Section 1:This figure is complicated, but to a philosopher, wondrous to behold. In the center of the inner circle is the sun with 7 rays of warmth. Above is the crown of celestial SAL-NITRE of the physical world and the Nature-Spirit. The figure represents:
(1) Chaos or universal subjective nature as the purest birth of this Nature-spirit in the centre of the Earth,
(2) Sulphur saturated with astral Mercury,
(3) the White Gold of the wise,
(4) the many layers of the Earth, and
(5) Travisan's Fountain.
The outer circle represents the Zodiac where the 7 planets forever course through the ether. The planets concentrate their influx of energy into the world below, inducing the law: as above so below, and as below so above.
The planets in this figure have an occult order, with Saturn in the first, or lowest, spot. From above, Saturn congeals the One Substance (the etherial Fiery-Water or the astral Watery-Fire with its ring of coldness). It manifests right into the alchemist's hand and continues throughout the Work. The golden Sun-Child already lays concealed in It.
Jupiter is right above Saturn, the next step of the Work. The power of Jupiter first lets black Saturn experience Composition, then darkens the Sun and the Moon. Jupiter then sweeps up to paradise like an airborne dragon, out of the stomach of Saturn. Jupiter transmutes the dark Earth into the subtle elements from which the black child is freshly born in the sky, the way a noble jewel is polished. Finally, this enables Jupiter to completely discard the shadowy mundane world, the old Adam.
At the top is the moon, snow-white goddess, the queen of solidity. She starts her heavenly journey by drinking in and dissolving all the tail colors of a Peacock in a heat. The Moon uses the Philosophers' Stone to hermetically seal the pure liquid Air-Element. Continuing through the dry gaseous Fire, the Moon journeys on the Path to the celestial Solid Fire and the Red Tincture.
Next after the moon at the very top, is Mercury, the Initiator, the Worker, and the Completer of the whole Work, the moist-radical or base-moisture of the Stone. Now, Mercury swings from the top horn of the crescent Moon down to Venus, entering through her silver chord. Mercury starts out in liquid form at the Moon, but solidifies while passing through Venus and Mars, penetrating through to the centre of the Sun. (Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon.)
