Minus Opus - Tier 2

[elixirmixer]

I hypothesis, that within the secret recombination of the three principals there lies a deeper, fractal like gateway towards higher, ever improving ways to prepare and harness the powers of the vegetable realm, which has been the staff of life for humanity since the dawn of time...

I wish to share the contemplation into this mechanism with any with the ears to hear; therefore:

It can be said of spaygrics, that some of the most evolved forms of such preparations exist in the realm of plant stones.

I would agree with such notions, nevertheless, I wish to speculate a higher form of vegetable stone than that which is commonly known.

It has been successfully demonstrated, through such mediums as Andro's re-creation of Steve Calek's salt volatilization experiment; that despite the powerful, unusual and sometimes spectacular results, that can come from the recombination of plant sulphur, plant mercury, and well purified and calcined plant salts; there exists a higher form of salt, that which has ascended the helm.

I wish to speculate and theorise that, concerning the recombination of the three principals in the manner which we commonly know of in terms of the confection of plant stones; there is a superior method of conjuration, of which i will now outlay:

From my experience, it is quite possible, when spagyric operations have been performed to the utmost correct-ness, and all has succeeded, and all has become one, that a miracle of nature occurs, in which the underlying quintessence becomes manifest, and infact, as quickly as all becomes one, they become two, a blood red, with celestial fragrance... and upon distillation of the ethanol, one discovers this hidden quintessense, from the blood of their 'would be' stone.

For this essence fly's higher than all oils, yet it is indeed an oil. It is heavier than all and yet fly's higher than them all, like unto the eagle, looking down on smaller birds...

If then, this secret, high soaring oil is isolated, and then, this spirit filled with love and blessings for it surely is, if it then be combined, with the volatised salts could one not conjure, a greater, higher form of stone. Of the same method but nevertheless a higher calibre, being compeltely pure, clear, wonderful, power from above and power from below, crystaline and celestial.

This surely, would be a higher form of stone.

We shall see i guess.

[elixirmixer]

In lines with the topic of a 'higher grade' Stone, I would like to point towards the work of Hollandus' Complete alchemical writings, vol. 4, in his vegetable work, where he describes the theory of a process, in which the operator separates and removes the Water, Fire and Air Elements from their feces, without distillation.

The reason that Hollandus works without pyrolitic distillation, is in order to preserve what he calls the 'three spirits' which he believed was the true soul and quintessence of a thing.

Considering the typical type of vegetable stone going around these days, I thought this well belonged here, due to the fact that the calibre of stone is far more significant in this type of practise than in our typical spagyric preparations.

I couldn't recommend Hollandus anymore. Why waste all your time and money learning low level Spagyrics when there is such more potent methods to be had?

I'm just wrapping y head around this process now but it is my only priority in the lab now, next time you see a product of mine, it shall be a ruby red crystal

[elixirmixer]

Are you guys aware of any other authors that share hollandus's approach to vegetable works??

[Axismundi000]

Pyrolytic distillation is I think a big ask for a person new to Lab Alchemy. Also I find that whilst some of the stuff that clogs up the lab glass is actually important stuff, cleaning the stenchy lab glass is time consuming. Also without a good cold trap vacuum distilling is not good (if using resins) because organic compounds can go upstream and kill the pump. I'm thinking of coming back to it with an air cooled boiling flask and Teflon tubing, modern stuff in the style of what Isaac did. Reading hollandus text he directly criticises the basic Spagyric stuff, burning all off into the air is criticised. Hollandus makes a good point however I do think the practical side of hollandus opera vegetibilia is a big ask for a newcomer compared to basic Spagyric stuff. If you are just setting up your lab and haven't done anything like that since school I suggest pyrolytic distillation is rather a big step for a newcomer.

[elixirmixer]

Well, hollandus didn't really believe in pyrolitic distillation. He talks about it, but that's only in descriptive terms when talking about the elements seperatly. He makes it quite clear that all who do pyrolitic distillation are working on "dead bodies".

Yes I think you might be right axis about it being a bit of an ask from the new student. And it certainly did make a huge mess. I was very excited about the pyro distillation, but now I can see that it is simply, an enigma within an enigma, more riddles, and something that has to be pushed passed, because the subtle quintessense that we seek is not a friend of the vulgar fire.

[Kiorionis]

In lines with the topic of a 'higher grade' Stone, I would like to point towards the work of Hollandus' Complete alchemical writings, vol. 4, in his vegetable work, where he describes the theory of a process, in which the operator separates and removes the Water, Fire and Air Elements from their feces, without distillation.

I don't know if this is necessarily true of Hollandus' operations in the Vegetable work.

From Chapter 18, end of first paragraph:

The evil cold or heat has to be removed from them by sublimation, distillation, calcination, dissolution and fixation, And by calcination, dissolution and coagulation. That has to be done so often that the bad poison the herbs have within them disappears and a great medicine becomes of them; yes, a great elixir.

and again, beginning of second paragraph:

one should cook a snake or dragon into a basilisk through sublimation, distillation, calcination, dissolution and fixation.

[Schmuldvich]

A great start, imo, would be ensuring we have an actual understanding of what the word 'distillation' means as used by Hollandus in this context. Without a proper foundational understanding, how can we expect to proceed and accomplish what we set out to accomplish? Grummet, Fleischer, Bonus, and Parcelsus all leave us good clues in their writings.

[elixirmixer]

Where I have used the term 'distillation' and said that it is not used; what I mean is that distillation by fire is not used.

Also, you'll notice that he has used the term distillation, congruently with the other process, signifying that it is more or less all one process...

Filtering could be considered a kind of distillation.

A very slow and gently 'sweating' could also be considered a distillation.

It is my opinion, that Hollandus would sweat out 'the water of the clouds' as gently as possible, then he would take his very well dried and crushed herbal matter and 'calcine' with the waters. Then he would filter, wait for precipitates, filter again, and then re-calcine the work, over and over. This is the method of which I have most interest, and even though hollandus talks about distilling and calcining, IMO, it was not the standard type of distilling and calcining we typically imagine.

This is just my opinion, but I'm pretty dam confident, so much so that I'm basically selling up my whole lab and purchasing a simplistic system specialised for this kid of 'sweat distillation'

To me, and my world, a stone created using vine leaves, and this method, is the one true Minus Opus. And has become my sole concern.

Good luck to the rest of you, catch me if you can

[elixirmixer]

As Mr. Skrilix has pointed out in a previous post, Hollandus was speaking "with his children".

While Hollandus works do appear to be very straight forward, and I believed only a few weeks ago that they were, I see now that his allegory and trickery is one of the best, and because he does it so well that he continually tricks you back into thinking that he is teaching you a true process, but really, he is only teaching those who perceive the inner meaning, as with usual alchemical text.

[black]

Hi Mr. Mixer

Have you read Parts 1 and Parts 2 of the Complete alchemical writings, vol. 4
of Isaac Hollandus.

If you haven't then I suggest that it may be a very good idea before you sell or buy
lab equipment. This can be very costly and time consuming.

Parts 1 and Parts 2 need to be read completely at least 2 or 3 times (as with all
Alchemic writings) just to get the basic understanding of the way that Hollandus
speaks to us. It is only a small volume to read !!!

After you have read it , then compare how you think about the process, to how
you think about it now... you may be very, very surprised as to how your
understanding can change very quickly.

I have found this exercise to be an excellent stepping stone in the Great Work.