Metals As Symbols of Physical And Superphysical Bodies

According to occult philosophy the whole Universe with all its parts, from the highest plane of Adi (the first field of manifestation) to physical Nature, is interlocked, interwoven, to make a single whole, one body, one organism, one life, one consciousness, cyclically evolving under one law. All the “organs” or parts of the Macrocosm, though apparently separated in space and in plane of manifestation, are in fact harmoniously interrelated and interacting. The wole Cosmos, for example, which includes the Zodiac, many Solar System, Planets, Kingdoms of Nature, Planes of Nature, elements and Orders of Beings, is a co-ordinated whole. This is because all these parts of the Cosmos, and also their constituents, are in “correspondence”, harmonious interaction or mutual resonance with each other. Kabbalistically stated, what is below is above, what is inside is outside, and everything interacts with everything else.

Certain “organs” or parts are more intimately grouped together than others. They resonate harmoniously with each other like the notes of a chord, sharing a common basic frequency of oscillation. In Occultism they are said to “correspond”. For example, a particular Zodiacal Sign, one planet, an element, a metal, a colour, a principle of man, a chakra- a funnel shaped energy centres, and a part of the physical body of man will all vibrate on a common frequency. Knowledge of these correspondences provides a key to the understanding of the Universe, of man’s place therein and relationship therewith, and of human development. It is therefore also the key to the solution of many human development. It is therefore also the key to the solution of many human problems, including those of happiness and unhappiness, health and disease.

A profound, fundamental truth concerning man is that in his spiritual, psychical and physical natures he is microcosm, a miniature replica or epitome of the whole order of created beings and things, the Macrocosm. Man is thus a model of the totality of Nature. He contains within himself as a potentiality the collective aggregate of all that has ever existed, does at any time exist, and will ever exist throughout the eternity of eternities.

Metals as Symbols of parts of human nature. Thus pricious metals such as gold and silver are used as emblems of the more spiritual parts of man, whilst brass and iron refer to the material and mortal vehicles of human consciousness. In chinese symbology, as also in medieval alchemy, the process of refining and transmuting metals in a furnace represents humanity undergoing the purifying trials of life for the purpose of aiding its evolution. Gold, for example, particularly as the product of transmution, is generally regarded as a symbol of the Divine nature in man, the divine wisdom in him from which arises his faculty of spiritual intuitiveness. Silver is also a symbol of the natural or mortal man, whilst steel or specially hardened metal, as in spears and swords, refers to the spiritual will, a manifestation of the purest divine Essence (Atma) in him. Copper corresponds to the capacity for abstract thought, a faculty of the synthesising, prophetic intellect. Brass, being an alloy, refers to the blended abstract and concrete minds, whilst iron refers to his emotional nature. Tubal-cain (Brass and Iron) are personifies the Inner Self at work on the development and structure of man’s mental and emotional natures. As an instructor of artificers in these two metals, he will also be concerned with the force centres (chakras) and other channels whereby spiritual attributes and activities reach the physical body and are manifested in it, both consciously and subconsciously.