“Many alchemical series depict the solar king and the lunar queen’s meeting, undressing, embrace and transformation. They always strongly express opposing principles that can only be united through the magisterium of art and thereby give birth to a philosophical child. They express the principles of the spirit and the soul, which alchemists often refer to as the mercurial spirit and the sulphuric soul, or as the flying eagle and mighty lion. Through their union, a divine salt can be produced. The Hermetic tradition describes how the alchemist must reveal the opposites of the king and queen in their consciousness and raise them to the two pillars that open the portal of mystery. These pillars will then reveal Hermes’ hidden hieroglyphs and convey true knowledge of the father’s and mother’s influence on creation, and humanity’s ability to give birth to a mercurial child through three births – the three palingeneses.” - Alchemy - The divine work
