Notes & Resources for “Mons Philosophorum”

Allegory of the Mountain

Thomas Vaughan (17 April 1621 − 27 February 1666) was a Welsh clergyman, philosopher, and alchemist. He is reported as having confessed that he had "long sought and long missed... the philosopher's stone."

The Mountain as a Symbol of Ascent

1. The mountain itself represents the alchemical process of spiritual ascent and self-perfection. It is a journey from the base material world (the lower realms) to the pinnacle of enlightenment and divine unity (the summit).
2. Climbing the mountain mirrors the alchemist's inner journey through the stages of Nigredo (blackening), Albedo (whitening), and Rubedo (reddening).
3. The mountain also symbolizes the integration of opposites—Earth below and Heaven above. This ascent reflects the unification of the material and spiritual realms.

This Mountain of the Adepts represents the arduous spiritual and physical journey of the alchemist toward enlightenment, transformation, and the completion of the Great Work (Magnum Opus).

The alchemical mountain represents the journey upward toward spiritual realization, paralleling the alchemical process of refining matter from impurity to purity.

• As the alchemist climbs, they leave behind the material and base concerns of the lower world (the "profane") to approach the sacred and divine realms at the summit.

The Lion

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Symbolism of the Mountain

Nature and Transformation

• The mountain is often depicted as having distinct regions, representing stages of the alchemical process. For example:
• The base: Dense, chaotic, and ruled by material concerns (nigredo stage).
• The middle: Areas of clarity and purification (albedo and citrinitas).
• The summit: A radiant peak, symbolizing union with the divine and the Philosopher’s Stone (rubedo).
• The mountain is also a place where nature itself is refined, as the alchemist seeks to uncover its secrets and mirror its processes.
• linked to the myth of the cosmic mountain, such as Mount Meru (Hindu cosmology) or Mount Sinai (biblical), places where the divine and earthly realms meet.

The alchemical mountain is often surrounded by dense forests, thorns, or wild beasts, representing the obstacles, fears, and distractions that the alchemist must overcome. This represents the wilderness and the jungle and the wasteland of the mundane world, which keeps most people lost within it and unable to even see, let alone find, the Alchemical Mountain.

Prima Materia

“The prima materia comes from the mountain. This is where everything is upside down: ‘And the top of this rock is confused with its base, and its nearest part reaches to its farthest, and its head is in the place of its back and vice versa’”

• Jung

The alchemists found it symbolic and meaningful that mountains contain hidden treasures of nature, such as mineral deposits or springs, which can be used in their work.

Alchemical texts often describe the mountain as the place where the lapis philosophorum (Philosopher’s Stone) is found.

Depictions of the Alchemical Mountain:

1. Basil Valentine’s Azoth of the Philosophers (1613)
• This famous engraving includes a mountain with various symbols representing the alchemical stages. At the summit is the radiant light of spiritual realization and the attainment of the Philosopher’s Stone.
2. Johann Daniel Mylius’ Philosophia Reformata (1622)
• This work includes an image of an alchemist ascending a mountain toward a celestial sphere. The journey is framed by symbols of planetary influences and the stages of alchemical transformation.
3. The Rosarium Philosophorum
• This text includes images of the mountain in connection with the sacred marriage (coniunctio)—the union of opposites (sulfur and mercury, Sun and Moon)—taking place at its summit.
4. illustration from the Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians the Mons Philosophorom, the Mountain of the Philosophers.
5. Alchemical Emblems Stefan Michelspacher Alchemical Mountain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuZW-4BtqTo

Approaching The Mountain

“To this Mountain you shall go in a certain night—when it comes—most long and most dark, and see that you prepare yourselves by prayer. Insist upon the way that leads to the Mountain, but ask not of any man where the way lies. Only follow your Guide, who will offer himself to you and will meet you in the way.” - Thomas Vaughan, “Allegory of the Mountain”

The Path of Ascent to the Summit

“individuation is a complex endeavor that initially takes one down instead of up. In other words, to climb the mountain is to encounter the prima materia, to come face to face with one's shadow, and to take the many unforeseen detours away from the ego's fixed goals. In the end, what is discovered is that one never attains the mystery (or reaches the top) by strength and will alone, but rather by divine grace, which the alchemical literature describes as the aqua permanens, the “stream of living water from the summit of the mountain.””

• Climbing the Alchemical Mountain. Betsy Perluss

The path up the mountain is winding and treacherous.

At times you will need to go deep within the mountain - you will need to go down in order to rise up.

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Accompanying Text in “Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians”

Between 1785 and 1788 an unknown Rosicrucian compiled text and images from earlier materials that deal with Alchemy, Mysticism and other Rosicrucian themes. written by an anonymous author who identifies himself only as ""A Brother of the Fraternity."

MONS PHILOSPHORUM The soul of men everywhere was lost through a fall, and the health of the body suffered through a fall, Salvation came to the human soul through IEHOVA, Jesus Christ. The bodily health is brought back through a thing not good to look at. It is hidden in this painting, the highest treasure in this world, in which is the highest medicine and the greatest parts of the riches of nature, given to us by the Lord IEHOVA. It is called Pator Metallorum, well known to the philosopher sitting in front of the mountain-cave, easy to obtain for anybody. But the sophists in their sophistic garb, tapping on the walls, recognise him not. At the right is to be seen Lepus, representing the art of chemistry, marvellously white, the secrets of which with fire's heat are being explored. To the left one can see freely what the right Clavis artis is; one cannot be too subtle with it, like a hen hatching a chicken. In the midst of the mountain, before the door stands a courageous Lion in all its pride, whose noble blood the monster-dragon is going to shed; throwing him into a deep grave, out of it comes forth a black raven, then called Ianua artis, out of that comes Aquila alba. Even the crystal refined in the furnace will quickly show you on inspection Servum fugitivum, a wonder-child to many artists. The one effecting this all is Principium laboris. On the right hand in the barrel are Sol and Luna, the intelligence of the firmament. The Senior plants in it Rad. Rubeam and albam. Now you proceed with constancy and Arbor artis appears to you, with its blossoms it announces now Lapidem Philosophorum. Over all, the crown of the glory, ruling over all treasures. Be diligent, peaceful, constant and pious, pray that God may help thee. And if thou attain, never forget the poor. Then thou wilt praise God with the legion of the angels, now and forever.

• From Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians

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Thomas Vaughan's Allegory of the Mountain

A short allegory from Thomas Vaughan Lumen de Lumine, or a New Magical Light, London, 1651.

Every man naturally desires a superiority, to have treasures of gold and silver, and to seem great in the eyes of the world. God indeed created all things for the use of man, that he might rule over them and acknowledge therein the singular goodness and omnipotence of God, give Him thanks for His benefits, honor Him and praise Him. But there is no man looks after these things otherwise than by spending his days idly. They would enjoy them without any previous labor and danger; neither do they look for them in that place where God has treasured them up, Who expects also that man should seek for them there, and to those that seek will He give them.

But there is not any that labors for a possession in that place, and therefore these riches are not found. For the way to this place - and the place itself - have been unknown for a long time, and it is hidden from the greatest part of the world. But notwithstanding that it be difficult and laborious to discover this way and place, yet the place should be sought after. But it is not the will of God to conceal anything from those that are His; and therefore in this last age - before the final judgement comes - all these things shall be manifested to those that are worthy.

As He Himself - though obscurely, lest it should be manifested to the unworthy - has spoken in a certain place, "There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hidden that shall not be known." We therefore, being moved by the Spirit of God, do declare the will of God to the world, which we have also already performed and published in several languages. But most men either revile or condemn our Manifesto, or else - waiving the Spirit of God - they expect the proposals thereof from us, supposing that we will straightway teach them how to make gold by art, or furnish them with ample treasures, whereby they may live pompously in the face of the world, swagger and make wars, turn usurers, gluttons and drunkards, live unchastely and defile their whole life with several other sins - all of which are contrary to the blessed will of God.