Splendor of the Sun (Unknown) - Page 5

Sun? and? 40? original: "Sol u 40"; likely a reference to a specific alchemical process or duration.

The Mystery of the Two Suns

The work of the philosopher is not unlike the heavens themselves, where light is divided between the visible and the hidden. Here we see the Crown of Perfection suspended between two celestial bodies.

The Sun of the Spirit and the Sun of the Earth.

As the Sol Latin for "Sun," representing the masculine principle, gold, and the enlightened soul shines from above, so too must a light be found in the depths of the dark matter. This is the secret of the Great Work The process of transforming "base" materials or the human soul into "gold" or spiritual perfection: to unite the heights with the depths.

The border of this page serves as a garden of the soul, filled with the following wonders:

Symbol	Meaning in the Work
Carnation	The flesh and the incarnation of the spirit.
Ostrich	The ability to digest the hardest substances In alchemy, the ostrich symbolized the "corrosive" stage where impurities are broken down..
The Arch	The gateway to a new understanding of nature.

Look to the birds of the air to understand the volatile spirit.

In the lower corners, we observe the human condition. One figure sits in a state of nature, unrefined and waiting, while the other walks through the garden of knowledge, seeking the path to the crown. The path is narrow, but the light of the two suns guides the way for those who have eyes to see.