Very endearing friends:
I am sending you an image that appears in the book Symbola divina & humana pontificum, imperatorum, regum ─'DIVINE AND HUMAN SYMBOLS OF PONTIFFS, EMPERORS AND KINGS'─ published in 1601 in Prague. The book was illustrated by Aegidius ─or Egidius─ Sadeler II (1568-1629) a Flemish engraver who developed his activity mainly at the Prague court of Rudolph II of Habsburg.
Latin Words:
SYMBOLA S. CRVCIS.
‘SYMBOL OF THE HOLY CROSS'.
INSPICE ET FAC SECUNDUM EXEMPLAR QVOD TIBI IN MONTE MONSTRATVM EST.
The literal translation is: ‘Observe carefully and act according to the example that was shown to you on the mountain.'
Exodus 25:40:
"Consider everything carefully and do it according to the model that was shown to you in the Mount."
Here, the mountain referred to is Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Divine Law.
Prima Hierografia - Crucis Simplex.
‘First hieroglyph – Simple cross'.
Hierografia means ‘symbol' or ‘sacred writing'. Egidio Sadeler himself published works entitled Hierografia simplex indicating the subjects of which these hierographs dealt ─for example, the kings of Navarre─.
PONE ME UT SIGILLUM SUPER COR TUUM.
‘Set me as a seal upon your heart.'
This is a biblical quote from Song of Solomon 8:6, which says, “Pone me ut sigillum super cor tuum, ut sigillum super brachium tuum,” meaning, “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.”
ALIT: It – the Cross – nourishes, sustains.
INITIAT: It initiates.
CONTERIT: It grinds, crushes.
This verb can have the meanings that are written, but it can also mean ‘to oppress', ‘to destroy', ‘to exhaust'. Looking at the symbol, with an empty shirt and a whip, it refers to the annihilation of the “I”.
COPVLAT: It unites.
FIRMAT: It empowers.
TVETVR: It protects/defends, watches over.
ABLVIT: It washes, purifies, cleans.
NON CONMOVEBITUR: It will not move/shake.
What does all this mean, beloved readers?
First of all, we must emphasize the POWER THAT THE HOLY CROSS POSSESSES. It is the oldest hieroglyph with which fire is produced.
In the upper part, at the top, we see a chalice on which a consecration host floats. This is the Holy Eucharist that could not be consummated in us if we do not work with the hermetic vessel of the alchemists ─the chalice─.
Below the chalice we can see a pelican, a Rosicrucian symbol par excellence and which refers to the intimate Christ in each one of us. Normally, this pelican is shown with a wound in its chest and feeding it’s young ─the seven bodies of the Initiate─ with the blood that gushes out from it.
In the central part of the engraving we are shown a huge cross with a legend: Pone me vt sigillvm super cor tvvm ─'set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm'─. This is telling us that we must carry the hieroglyph that indicates the cross in the depths of our souls, of our hearts and in our arms. Why? Because such a hieroglyph shows us the sacred power of the Arcanum A.Z.F.
On one side of the pelican a comb with scissors is shown to us. Why? Because when we started the Secret Path we decided to break with our false image. For this reason, it bears the word INITIAT next to it, that is, this is how we begin our journey on the rocky path.
On the other side of the pelican we see an empty shirt next to a whip. This reminds us of the Masonic initiation in which the devotee must wear an old shirt that will be torn and, symbolically, he will be flogged. This is to signal to us that we must divest ourselves of all worldly vanities, in other words, of all the illusions that make up the EGO.
Below the comb and scissors we can see two doves kissing. This is a reminder to those of us who know Sahaja Maithuna, the Sexual Magic with which we can exalt and dignify ourselves by becoming real Solar Men and Women: worship is needed during the loving trance.
On the other side of the two doves we are pointed out to a hermetic vessel, the vessel of alchemical operations that within Hermeticism we call yoni. This symbol is accompanied by the Latin word FIRMAT ─'strength'─, which alludes to the spiritual strength that we must conquer.
Right below the doves of which we have spoken, we can see a skull on an urn. This image is accompanied by the Latin term TVETVR, meaning ‘protection', ‘defence'. The skull is the image of psychological death. With the death of our psychological aggregates, we defend ourselves from the evil influences of the INNER ANTICHRIST that we all carry within.
On the other side of our engraving we can see a beautiful dove fluttering over a mound of earth from which a small stream flows. This is our Philosophical Earth that is bathed in the forces of the Holy Spirit ─the symbolic dove that is the emblem of the Third Logos─. For this reason, the dove is accompanied by the Latin word ABLVIT, which means ‘purification', ‘inner cleansing'.
In the middle of the emblem or engraving we can see two sections. In one of them we see three trees, namely: one with a laurel tree at the foot of which is a lamb. Next to it there is another tree that has a bird in its crown. This other tree is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And finally, we see a leafy palm tree at the foot of which we see a kind of deer with its antlers. Such a deer is LUCIFER already whitened by our psychological and alchemical works. The palm tree is the symbol of esoteric triumph. It is said that when Jesus of Nazareth entered Jerusalem, a palm tree bent down to greet him.
We also see a small dog running around playing. Such a dog is our sexual instinct that is still working with our creative energy. Likewise, we must observe that in this section that we are describing there is a seven-branched candelabra with its fires lit. These are the seven fires corresponding to our internal vehicles.
In the other section of our engraving, likewise, we are shown three trees. The first tree consists of seven stars. These stars are our animic vehicles animated by fire.
In the center of this section we can see a cypress tree, at the foot of which, again, another lamb rests, and also a dog that is now no longer playing because our work is nearing its end.
The lamb is our lord of perfections ─the intimate Christ─. It is important to appreciate that we can also contemplate another bird on this other tree. It must be said that both birds, one is black, symbolizing the search for the death of the “I”, and the other has a completely white plumage to indicate that our spiritual cleansing is finished. There is a third tree –an olive tree specifically– displayed as a reminder that, thanks to the alchemical oil, we have been able to finish our work. Near this olive tree we see a horse prostrate at the foot of it. This horse again indicates our atomic bodies.
In the surroundings of this second section three things are pointed out to us: a brazier, a censer and a cubic stone. The brazier reminds us of the erotic embers with which we have to perform the Great Work. The censer alludes to the sublime thoughts that must accompany us throughout our journey, and the Cubic Stone is our PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, a majestic symbol of the GREAT WORK COMPLETED.
Finally, as a corollary of our study, we see in the lower part of our engraving a pyramid that encompasses two plants that present their flowers. These plants indirectly accompany the two holes through which flames of fire sprout. These are the two witnesses of JEHOVAH who stand at the foot of his throne and nothing and no one can fight against them because of their power and strength. That is why these fires are accompanied by the Latin phrase NON CONMOVEBITVR, meaning ‘It will not move/shake'. This is telling us that nothing moves it and everything can shake it…..
As a last detail, avid readers, we will tell you that in both sections of this engraving, in the center of them, we first see in the distance a small tree that is later shown again but now close to the other three trees. This little tree is the symbol of our ATMAN, our INTIMATE, the Kabbalistic CHESED, which finally appears to serve our Lord of Perfections.
I now give you a few quotations for your reflections:
“Victory follows the great man.”
Napoleon
“To win without danger is to triumph without glory.”
Seneca
“Tribulation turns into glory.”
Friar Juan Márquez
“Do not be bothered by trifles or by ordinary or unavoidable occurrences.”
Franklin
“ Those who hesitate and doubt their own security will not accomplish great things.”
Eliot
TEMPUS EDAX RERUM.
─‘Time is voracious'─.
KWEN KHAN KHU
