Dissolution: The Alchemical Operation of Cancer (VIDEO)

The Alchemical Operation assigned to Cancer is Dissolution. Spiritually, Dissolution involves the breaking down of corrupted aspects of the personality, or personality structures which have been erected due to societal or family programming. These aspects live in the subconscious and can be difficult to access. Certain meditations and practices help to access these structures, which must at least be recognized if not totally dissolved, if personal growth is to occur.

Physically, Dissolution involves turning a substance into a liquid, or dissolving a substance in water or other fluid. Alchemists regarded dissolution not just as a substance simply becoming liquid, but as a return of an element into the womb-like state of it’s elementary principals. 

Qabalistically, the action of performing the operation of dissolution in the material world of Assiah can connect a person more viscerally to the corresponding psychological work of Yetzirah. In other words, the physical action helps the psyche process the equivalent concept in the subconscious, making the psychological-work more accessible.

This experiment is deceptively simple. Bascially melting sulfer and pouring it into water. However on a symbolic level, it is fairly profound.

In this video, I started with powdered Sulfer, which corresponds to the Soul. It also corresponds to the 31st Path of Judgement, the Hebrew letter Shin, which in turn represents the element of Fire. (See Blog post on Correspondences.) So it is perhaps appropriate that to dive into the breakdown of artificial constructs and emotional blocks in our psyche on a Soul level (using Sulfer), we must dissolute Sulfer with Fire.

The heat basically melts the powder into a liquid. This is Dissolution, which corresponds to the 18th Path of the Chariot, the sign of Cancer and Hebrew letter Cheth. This is the journey the Soul takes. The exposure to fire, which initiates the Dissolution, in this case.

The next step was to pour the dissoluted sulfer into water. This is Congelation, which can mean the combining of several elements into a waxy or jelly state; firm but not necessarily permanent. In the video, I must admit that I think I heated the sulfer too long, because the congealed sulfur was fairly hard and not soft. However, still technically congealed. Congelation corresponds to the 16th Path of the Heirophant, the sign of Taurus and the Hebrew letter Vau.

Image from my dream. Artwork by Linda Ruttan Moldawsky

The night after I performed this experiment I dreamed I was taking a shower in a glass container. Then as I woke and was remembering the dream, I saw a image of a large vase containing a thriving bright green bush. I was surprised I had this dream, and that this image came to me, I was not expecting it!

To me the Tarot interpretation is this: The Judgement card represents hearing the call to dissolve certain emotional fears and blocks. The Chariot provided the journey of breaking them down and washing them away, making room for new growth. And the Heirophant was the message at the end, the whispering words of wisdom in my ear, appropriate for my Soul at this time.

The ALCHEMY of the sign of CANCER

The Mystery of ALCHEMY

Alchemy is obscure and can be off-putting, with it’s enigmatic and strange imagery and odd terms. However, once it becomes clarified, it is powerful system for spiritual development and manifestation. To provide this clarification is one of the goals of Sacred Circuit.

There are two basic types of Alchemy, spiritual and physical. Spiritual alchemy comprises the bulk of what you find when you search the term online, or browse books on the subject. Spiritual alchemy involves a system of personal refinement and growth; it is highly psychological in this way. Physical alchemy is actual lab work and experiments. Both of these systems include seven “operations” which are loosely based on the planetary and chakra systems. True Alchemists of old advised that integrating both spiritual and physical alchemy was necessary if substantial personal transformation was desired.

There is another more rarely used system of twelve operations, which correspond to the Zodiac. The twelve steps can be seen as a more detailed version of the seven steps, in which some of them have been split, but most are added in. For Hermetic purposes, which integrate Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology with Alchemy, and for use with work with the Astrological signs of the Zodiac, the twelve-operation system is highly effective, and it is what we have embraced here at Sacred Circuit.

The twelve alchemical operations can be seen as a Hermetic roadmap of spiritual transmutation — a journey in which the raw matter of the self, or Lead, is refined into the radiant gold of awakened consciousness. Each operation — Calcination, Congelation, Fixation, Dissolution, Digestion, Distillation, Sublimation, Separation, Incineration, Fermentation, Multiplication and Projection — corresponds to an Astrological sign, and mirrors a stage in the initiate’s inner work — dissolving attachments, purifying desires, and reuniting fragmented aspects of the psyche, all in alignment with the celestial Ecliptic.

This Alchemical-Zodiacal journey is not only about personal growth and spiritual enlightenment, it is also about manifestation. As the soul undergoes inner purification, it evolves to become a more receptive vessel for the Divine to enter into the realm of forms. Through these operations, the practitioner does not simply manifest desires — they come to embody them. Alchemy, Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology together teach that manifestation is not control over reality, but harmony with the Great Work —the Magnum Opus of the Soul.

THE ALCHEMY of the sign of CANCER

The Alchemical Operation assigned to Cancer is Dissolution. Spiritually, Dissolution involves the breaking down of corrupted aspects of the personality, or personality structures which have been erected due to societal or family programming. These aspects live in the subconscious and can be difficult to access. Certain meditations and practices help to access these structures, which must at least be recognized if not totally dissolved, if personal growth is to occur.

Physically, Dissolution involves turning a substance into a liquid, or dissolving a substance in water or other fluid. Alchemists regarded dissolution not just as a substance simply becoming liquid, but as a return of an element into the womb-like state of it’s elementary principals. 

Qabalistically, the action of performing the operation of dissolution in the material world of Assiah can connect a person more viscerally to the corresponding psychological work of Yetzirah. In other words, the physical action helps the psyche process the equivalent concept in the subconscious, making the psychological-work more accessible.

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The Zodiac Sign of CANCER

Starting with Aries in March, Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac, the sign which the sun enters at the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Those who are born from approximately June 21 to July 22 (depending upon the year) are born under Cancer. Cancer is a Water sign. It is also a Cardinal sign, meaning that people born under this sign excel at starting projects or initiating things.

The element associated with Cancer is Water, and alongside Scorpio and Pisces, it forms the Water triplicity. (The Water Triplicity is one of four elemental triplicities in the zodiac, with the other three being Fire, Earth, and Air.)

ELEMENT: Water, Emotional and Intuitive
KEY PHRASE: “I Feel”
PLANETS: Ruler: The Moon, Detriment: Saturn, Exaltation: Jupiter, Fall: Mars
NEED: The need to give & receive emotional warmth and security
MODALITY: Cardinal
POLARITY: Passive
OPPOSITE SIGN: Capricorn
HOUSE: 4th House of Home & Family, Psychological foundations & Private self
SYMBOL: Crab
CRYSTAL: Rose Quartz
BIRTHSTONE: Ruby
ESSENTIAL OILS: Clove & Jasmine
PATH ON THE TREE OF LIFE: Path 18, The House of Influence
TAROT: Key 7 - The Chariot
HEBREW LETTER: Cheth, fence or enclosure; Simple letter: Speech
ALCHEMICAL OPERATION: Dissolution
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Desirable: Patience, tenacity, conscientiousness, economy, domesticity, maternity, kindness, devotion, versatility, sociability, adaptability, sympathy, patriotism
Undesirable: Variation, vanity, fancy, over-imaginative, untruthfulness, changeability, sentimentality, touchiness, grasping, pride, disorderliness, resentment, indolence

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Sun Symbolism on the Qabalistic Tree of Life

The Qabalah’s Tree of Life is a glyph that represents, simultaneously, two directions: the flow of the Divine from Above to Below, and the Path of Return to Source, Below to Above, for those on spiritual journeys of enlightenment. It is a glyph that represents all of creation and all the energies of creation.

The Tree of Life is comprised of ten circles called Sephiroth and the 22 paths that connect them. The Paths are subjective, and allocated to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet as well as the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot. The 10 Spheres are objective and are considered emmanations of the Divine. They are allocated to the First Swirlings, the Zodiac, the six visible planets, the Moon and the Earth.

The Sun is represented in two main places on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The first and central representation of the Sun is the central Sephirah of Tiphareth.

Tiphareth translates (from Hebrew) to Beauty. It represents beauty, harmony and is the radiant heart of the Tree. It directly corresponds to the Sun in both planetary and symbolic terms. Positioned centrally on the Tree, Tiphareth balances and reconciles Sephirah of Chesed (Mercy) and Geburah (Severity) which are placed on the right and left sides, respectively. Together these three form the Ethical Triad, which is also called the Triad of the Higher Self, and is symbolic of God’s Moral Power. Tiphareth is the sphere of sacrifice, enlightenment, and transformation, and is often linked with the archetype of the dying-and-resurrected god (like Christ, Osiris, or Mithras), whose deaths bring illumination. Tiphareth represents the Higher Self, and it’s magical experience is Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel.

The second representation of the Sun on the Tree of Life is the 18th Path of the Hebrew letter Resh, which corresponds to The Sun card in the Tarot. Resh means “head” which is perhaps appropriate, as the Sun symbolizes the Self, the Ego, and Consciousness, as well as the active male principle.

SOLAR EXERCISE of TIPHARETH

1. Sit Outside in the sunlight, ideally in view of the Sun
   NOTE: Take precautions not to get sunburned, apply sunscreen if necessary.

2. Close your eyes and take 6 deep breaths, in and out, slowly.
   Firmly visualise the a bright beaming Sun above your head.

3. While visualizing this, quietly intone one of the following:
   ”RAM” (Rahm) This mantra activates and balance the Solar Plexus chakra, which is associated with personal power, confidence, and self-esteem. 
   ”Jehovah Aloah Va Daath” This is the Qabalistic god-name for Tiphareth, which inspires alignment with the Higher Self & the Divine

4. While intoning, let the Sun descend into the top of your head. Let the whole body light up, and become warm.

5. Pause intonations when inspired to do so, and receive any impressions. Again, if you have not applied sunscreen, take care not to lose track of time and get sunburned.