The Emerald Tablet of Hermes

Please read this translation of the Emerald Tablet of Hermes, considered one of the seminal works of occultism throughout the entire Western Tradition. What are the images, sounds and other impressions which come to you in a reading of this? How is it significant to you?

1) It is true without untruth, certain and most true:
2) that which is below is like that which is on high, and that which is on high is like that which is below; by these things are made the miracles of one thing.
3) And as all things are, and come from One, by the mediation of One, So all things are born from this unique thing by adaption.
4) The Sun is the father and the Moon the mother.
5) The wind carries it in its stomach. The earth is its nourisher and its receptacle.
6 The Father of all the Theleme of the universal world is here.
6a) Its force, or power, remains entire,
7) if it is converted into earth.
7a) You separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently with great industry.
8) It climbs from the earth and descends from the sky, and receives the force of things superior and things inferior.
9) You will have by this way, the glory of the world and all obscurity will flee from you.
10) It is the power strong with all power, for it will defeat every subtle thing and penetrate every solid thing
11a) In this way the world was created.
12) From it are born wonderful adaptations, of which the way here is given.
13) That is why I have been called Hermes Tristmegistus, having the three parts of the universal philosophy.
14) This, that I have called the solar Work, is complete.
[Translated from Fulcanelli 1964: 312.]

Please look here for many, many other translations from various people, places and times. Since each of us has our own way of relating some of these translations may speak more clearly to you than others. In any case, please speak to those here, too.

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Permalink Reply by Hari Menon on December 16, 2012 at 12:08pm

Dear Joe ,

I have taken you literally and am writing the thoughts as they came on a first reading - these are the first thoughts that came into my ken . (PS- This is a post script ).

1. It is true without untruth - The Non Dual Self (Atma)

certain - Without a shadow of a doubt

and most true - Certainly The Truth ( Sathyasa' Sathyam)

2. that which is below is like that which is on high, and that which is on high is like that which is below; - Infinite and homogenous , extending on all sides equally and infinitely , without a front or back or high or low or across , Where high and low are but one ( Knowledge of the changeless Atman ) also TAT or That (Brahman, pure consciousness)

by these things are made the miracles of one thing. - these = Everything Designated as "this'' ie. all manifested objects of knowledge or ITI (this - indicating "thou" or Oneself in the statement "Thou art That " or Sa Atma Tat Tvam Asi Swetaketu .

ie. Miracle of the infinite becoming finite - or the bodiless becoming bodies.

3.Scale of conception in meditation is very important - if infinity is meditated upon one realizes infinity , truth, existence or prana etc

4. Prajapathi or Progenitor = Father

Moon = Chandrika (fem) = nourisher of Soma also Indrani (Wife of Indra) = (fem) Mind , also the indian equivalent to the nine muses but with a difference - Apsaras

5. Prana and Rayi - The two combine in the gross to become a being born of womb (which is considered earth) Wind = Antariksha = Samana Vayu which moves and equally distributes the essence of food in the trunk of a human being . Also Antariksha is the conception of yogis of the 2nd,3rd and 4th chakras in certain meditations which in the Cosmic conception is the space from the surface of the world to the surface of the sun which is also the limits of nature in yogic conception . Pushan = Sun= nourisher (male).

6. The only thing coming to my mind is the Greek word Thalassos or water , sea etc

6a & 7 - with ref to 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 above - it is known that earth is the only manifestation containing the properties of all the other elements within it - which in effect makes it infinite , as in the infinite all the other elements are in a latent state while earth is an out come of the combination of the Mahabhutas (Great elements) . A process called Panchikaranam (or 5 fold division is mentioned in some places ) - it goes like this (top down)

of 100% of space 50% is pure space and the balance contains the other 4 elements equally.and latent

step 2 - 50% of 100% of Air (which is 12.5% of Space) and the rest 50% equally among the 3 other elements which are latent

And so on it is iterated till earth is manifested.

points 7,8, 9,10, and 11 a can all be co related to practices and their methodology :

1. Yogic conceptions and meditations on 5 Great elements in their gross and their corresponding purusha in the subtle

2, Vedantic meditation on the Non dual (knowledge meditations).

why I cannot go into the reasonings are it is beyond the scope of the post - as many things are related to experiences in the various minor chakras (Centers of Power) .

10,11,12 - Yes one will get a perfect understanding of how the world arose through will (ie by actionless will -ie unlike our concepts of "Creation'' and ''Willing'' etc ),

13 - People of realization do sometimes refer to themselves ib the third person .

14. Solar Work = probably an exposition through knowledge conferring self realization , normally referred to as path of the sun - whilst the path of the moon is one of reccurrance.

I Hope I have been helpful - I cannot find any Greek parallels , it is sketchy and not very clear maybe since a lot of their thoughts have been lost over time . It would not help since though I do get some imagery it fades in knowledge and I will have to "Become esotric'' and obfuscating if I try to connect and it becomes messy - also a lot of imagery will come in from western esoterics which make things very illegible . No clear knowledge is emerging but rather too many symbols and it is fraught with danger - since I am not an expert at tying up instruments into knowledge as the picture appears ridiculous, - I have stuck to more of an eastern interpretation and I do hope that , it does not appear far fetched .