The Emerald Tablet
Thursday February 21, 2008
The text of the Emerald tablet is brief- only thirteen lines- but it is the cornerstone of the Hermetic movement. The origin of this mysterious text is shrouded in antiquity, and even its name is a mystery, yet is has been an inspiration for alchemists and magicians for hundreds of years. The well known Hermetic axiom, "As above, so below" is derived directly from the Emerald Tablet. It may be the oldest Hermetic text known, predating both the Corpus Hermeticum and the Christian religion.
The Tablet languished in relative obscurity until the middle ages, when it began to circulate throughout the alchemical community through contact with Muslim mystics. Scholars believe the original was written in Greek, but the oldest surviving copies are Arabic translations. Despite its mysterious origin, many have imputed great significance to the text- its famous translators include Roger Bacon, Isaac Newton, and even HP Blavatsky.
The philosophical ideas contained within are profound- influencing medieval alchemists, Jewish kabbalists, Masons, and ritual magicians alike.
Comments
I like how the wisdom is being sold now on a $30 DVD’s, calling itself “the Secret”.
This vein of wisdom and thought has had a buzz thorughout history, even its associated text, Hermetica. I wondersometimes, is it that the ideas are to radical for dogmatic orthodoxy?
I think so, definitely. It puts the hierarchy completely out of the running, as well as dogma.
Just think, Oprah- hermetic prophet. LOL
yeah, seeing the emerald tablet being squirreled away at the start of The Secret left me thinking…what arcane detail can i drum up as the basis for the next new age bestseller ?