A Compendious yet Complete Philosophical Handbook

a. True, without falsehood, certain, and most truly.

Note: Because one has it from experience; for what one has tried and experienced, that is certain and true.

b. That what is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below.

Note: The invisible life-giving spirit, the Breathing and Animating Spirit of the universeoriginal Latin: "Spiritus Afflatoris & Animatoris universi." This refers to the World Soul or the divine breath that permeates all matter., that is to say, a heavenly invisible and life-giving fire that sustains, nourishes, and accomplishes everything.

c. By this are achieved the miraclesoriginal: "Miracula." or wonders of a single thing.

Note: Of the Stone, namely the Philosopher's Stoneoriginal Latin: "Lapidis Philosophici.".

d. And just as all things come from one, through the meditation of one: so all things are born from this one thing, through adaptation or union.

Note: From a mixed mass or mingled matteroriginal Latin: "Materia.", at the command of almighty God. Thus our Stone is fathered and comes from a mixed matter, which is Heavenoriginal: "Schamajim" (Hebrew: שמים). Alchemists often interpreted this word as a combination of "Esh" (fire) and "Mayim" (water), representing the union of opposites., a watery fire alchemical symbol for fire (triangle pointing up) and a fiery water alchemical symbol for water (triangle pointing down) and the salt alchemical symbol for salt (circle with horizontal line) and of one kind, or Salt alchemical symbol for salt, Sulfur alchemical symbol for sulfur, and Mercury alchemical symbol for mercury.