Book of Mercuries

A x

original: "Philosophia Hermetica"

A hand-colored circular emblem is centered on a piece of paper pasted onto the page. The core of the emblem is a blue vertical oval. Inside, a white pelican is shown in its piety, feeding three chicks from its blood while sitting on a nest. This image of a mother bird wounding her own breast to nourish her young symbolizes self-sacrifice and the process of extraction in alchemy. Above the pelican is a golden radiant sun. Below the nest is a square shield with a white background containing four red roses arranged in a cross pattern. This oval is surrounded by a green border, which is in turn surrounded by the circular inscription Hermetic Philosophy in pale golden letters. In the top-left corner of the pasted slip is a handwritten letter A, and in the top-right corner is a faint x.

Hermetic Philosophy Philosophia Hermetica. An esoteric tradition based on writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. It explores the connections between the divine, the human spirit, and the material world.

Pelican in its Piety A symbolic image of a pelican feeding its young with its own blood. In this context, it represents the alchemical process of the "Great Work" and the sacrifice of the self to achieve spiritual perfection.

Alchemy A philosophical and protoscientific tradition focused on the transformation of matter and the pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone.

Rosicrucianism A secret philosophical society of the late Renaissance. Their symbols often include the rose and the cross, representing the intersection of the human and the divine.

Emblem A symbolic picture accompanied by a motto or text that conveys a moral or philosophical lesson.