Chapters and the Special Words in Them
Introduction
1. Portraits of Devotion
Projection: The final stage of the Great Work in which the Philosopher’s Stone or a purified tincture is cast onto base metals to transmute them into gold (or silver), or onto a substance—or the self—to enact spiritual transformation. Symbolically, it represents the sudden, radiant realization of perfection.
Sacerdotal: Pertaining to the priestly or sacred role of the alchemist, who performs rituals, prayers, and operations with divine reverence, framing laboratory work as spiritual worship. Implies a union of science and holiness, where the alchemist acts as an intermediary between earthly matter and celestial forces.
Paronomasia: A form of wordplay that exploits similar-sounding words for humorous or clever effect (e.g., "A bicycle can't stand alone because it's two-tired"). In alchemical texts, paronomasia often encodes hidden meanings—puns on Latin or Greek terms veil esoteric truths.
Nascentia: Derived from the Latin nascentia ("birth" or "emergence"), this term refers to the state of primal matter at the moment of its transformation—the fleeting, volatile instant when a substance passes from potential into actualized form (e.g., during fermentation, sublimation, or the creation of the Philosopher's Stone). Symbolically, it represents the awakening of latent divine forces in matter or the soul.
Viventia: From Latin vivens ("living"), this rare term denotes the essential life-force or animating principle believed to reside within all matter. Alchemists sought to isolate viventia as the "spirit of life" (often linked to quintessence or prima materia), which could rejuvenate substances, heal ailments, or grant immortality.
Superordinate: A principle, substance, or force that governs and unifies lesser elements within a hierarchical system. In alchemical cosmology, it often refers to the divine or celestial influence that directs transformation (e.g., the Sun as superordinate to gold, or the Philosopher’s Stone as master of all metals). Symbolically, it represents the transcendent order guiding the Great Work.
2. The Confessions of George Kingswood
Argyropoeiac - Derived from Greek argyros ("silver") and poiein ("to make"), this term refers to the art or process of transmuting base metals into silver—a parallel to the more famed chrysopoeia (gold-making). It symbolizes lunar purity, reflection, and the intermediate stage of the Great Work before achieving solar perfection (gold). In photography, the literal argyropoeia of silver halides (e.g., silver nitrate) transforms into metallic silver when exposed to light—a "transmutation" capturing images.
Chrysopoetically: From Chrysopoetic: From Greek chrysos ("gold") and poiein ("to make"), this term refers to the art or process of transmuting base metals into gold—the ultimate goal of physical alchemy. Symbolically, it represents the perfection of matter, the culmination of the Great Work (Magnum Opus), and the attainment of divine wisdom.
Recrementitious: Referring to waste matter or impurities expelled during alchemical processes (e.g., slag, dross, or residual scoria). These byproducts were often seen as the "dead" or "chaotic" remnants separated from purified substances—symbolizing the shedding of base qualities in spiritual refinement.
Mysteriosophic: Pertaining to the hidden wisdom (sophia) embedded within sacred mysteries, particularly in alchemical texts, symbols, and rituals. It describes knowledge that is deliberately veiled in allegory, requiring initiation or spiritual insight to decipher.
Apotheosis: Where base matter becomes gold or the Philosopher’s Stone, and the practitioner attains enlightenment.
Antediluvian: Literally "before the flood" (Latin ante- "before" + diluvium "deluge"), referring to the period prior to the biblical Great Flood in Genesis. More broadly, it describes anything of extreme antiquity, often with connotations of lost wisdom, primordial purity, or forgotten civilizations.
3. Forewarning and Visualization
4. An Auspicious Conjunction of the Arts
Pronaos: From Greek πρό (pro, "before") and ναός (naos, "temple"), the pronaos is the vestibule or entrance porch of a sacred temple.
Perscrutinator: Referring to one who conducts preliminary investigations into hidden truths—particularly in alchemical, hermetic, or initiatory traditions.
Vernacular: The practice of creating everyday, utilitarian, or amateur photographs that document ordinary life, rather than artistic or commercial purposes.
Sidereal: In esoteric and alchemical contexts, it denotes influences, cycles, or energies tied to celestial bodies beyond the solar system—particularly in timing rituals, interpreting cosmic signatures, or aligning with astral virtues.
Equipage: Metaphorically represents the tools, instruments, or symbolic vehicles required for spiritual or laboratory work—the physical and metaphysical means of conveyance toward transformation.
Descry: To discern, discover, or reveal something hidden or distant through keen observation, often with an element of mystical insight. In alchemical and hermetic contexts, it implies perceiving hidden truths in nature, symbols, or celestial signs.
5. A Philosopher’s Lexicon
Hieratic: Derived from Greek hieratikos ("priestly"), this term describes sacred formalism—styles, scripts, or practices reserved for religious or ritual use, often distinguished by their precision, solemnity, and symbolic meanings.
Telluric: This term describes phenomena, forces, or substances rooted in or emanating from the earth.
Pareidolia: The psychological phenomenon of perceiving meaningful patterns (e.g., faces, figures, or symbols) in random or ambiguous stimuli, such as clouds, rock formations, or textured surfaces.
Phototrophic: Derived from Greek phōs ("light") and trophē ("nourishment"), this term describes organisms or systems that grow, move, or respond to light.
6. Four Generations of Kingswood Adepts
Actinic: The term actinic refers to the property of sunlight or other light sources that produces chemical or biological effects, such as fading, sunburn, photosynthesis, or the reaction with photographic materials. The word comes from the Greek aktis (ἀκτίς), meaning "ray" or "beam."
Thaumaturgy: The working of miracles, magic, or supernatural wonders, often attributed to a saint, holy person, an alchemist, or magician. Derived from Greek thauma (θαῦμα, "miracle" or "wonder") + -ergon (ἔργον, "work").
Philters: A magical potion, elixir, or charm, especially one designed to arouse love, desire, or enchantment.
Phenom: A remarkable or extraordinary person, especially a prodigy who shows exceptional talent or ability in a particular field, such as sports, arts, or academics.
Superciliousness: An attitude of haughty disdain, arrogant superiority, or patronizing condescension. It describes someone who behaves as though they are vastly more important or intelligent than others, often with a smug or dismissive manner.
Mystagogue: A guide or teacher who initiates others into mystical, spiritual, or esoteric knowledge, often through sacred rites, secret doctrines, or symbolic rituals. From Greek mystagōgos (mystēs = "initiate" + agōgos = "leader").
Egregor: A collective thoughtform or psychic entity created by the shared beliefs, emotions, and intentions of a group. It is a psychic construct that develops its own autonomous energy and influences the group or individuals connected to it. From Greek egrēgoroi (ἐγρήγοροι, "watchers"), originally referring to the fallen angels or awakened beings in apocalyptic texts. Later adopted in occult and mystical traditions.
Bricoleur: A person who creates or repairs things skillfully using whatever materials are at hand, often through improvisation and resourcefulness. The term emphasizes adaptability, ingenuity, and a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
7. Ra Sails Over the Blazing Dawn
Apotheosized: The act of elevating someone or something to divine status, glorifying them as godlike or supremely exalted. It can also mean the culmination or highest point of something, as if reaching a sacred peak.
Photomantic: Divination or mystical insight derived from light, particularly through interpreting patterns, reflections, or phenomena involving illumination (e.g., sunlight, shadows, or artificial light).
Sublunary: The earthly realm as opposed to the celestial or divine spheres. In classical and medieval cosmology, it described the imperfect, transient world of change and decay, contrasted with the eternal, unchanging heavens above the moon.
Empyrean: The highest heaven, a realm of pure light, fire, or divine radiance beyond the physical cosmos. It symbolizes the dwelling place of God, the gods, or the ultimate source of celestial perfection.
Roundel: A circular emblem representing unity or eternity.
Consanguineous: A relationship between individuals, such as siblings, parents and children, or cousins.
8. Correspondences: A Network of Luminous Filaments
Asterisms: Recognizable pattern or group of stars within a constellation, often forming a distinctive shape but not officially classified as a constellation itself. Unlike constellations, which have defined boundaries and are recognized by astronomical organizations, asterisms are informal groupings that hold cultural, navigational, or mythological significance.
Equipollent: Equal power, force, validity, or significance between two or more entities.
9. The Photo-Alchemical Emblem
Antenatal: Anything relating to the period before birth.
Synesthesia: A phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway (e.g., hearing, letters) involuntarily triggers a secondary experience in another pathway (e.g., seeing colors, tasting flavors). It results in a blending of perceptions that are typically separate, often described as "crossed senses."
Theophanic: A visible or tangible manifestation of a deity to humans, often accompanied by awe-inspiring natural phenomena. These manifestations bridge the divine and mortal realms, serving as moments of revelation, covenant, or divine communication in religious texts and traditions.
Orrery: A mechanical model of the solar system, typically displaying the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons as they orbit the Sun. These intricate devices are often driven by clockwork and serve as both educational tools and artistic representations of celestial mechanics.
Panpsychistic: The philosophical view that consciousness or mind-like qualities are inherent in all matter, from subatomic particles to complex organisms.
10. Alchemy & Photography: The Arts of Fire
Metonomy: A figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it, rather than by its own name.
Pulchritudinous: Someone or something that possesses stunning physical beauty, often with a poetic or elevated tone.
Pellucid: Something that is transparently clear—whether literally (like crystal-clear water) or figuratively (such as lucid writing or easily understood ideas). The term conveys a sense of radiant clarity, free from obscurity or ambiguity.
11. A Tradition of Secrecy
Epoptic: One who has witnessed or been initiated into mystical secrets, particularly in the context of ancient mystery religions. The term is most famously associated with the highest level of initiation in the Eleusinian Mysteries, where initiates (epoptai) experienced direct revelation of sacred rites or visions.
Prelapsarian: A state of innocence, purity, or perfection believed to exist before the Fall of Man. The term evokes an idealized, uncorrupted world free from sin, suffering, or decay.
Opprobriums: Harsh criticism, public disgrace, or scorn directed at someone or something, often accompanied by a loss of respect or reputation.
Nugatory: Describes something trivial, worthless, or having no real purpose or effect. It implies insignificance to the point of being useless or futile.
Spoliated: To plunder, pillage, or destroy something, especially by stripping it of valuables or altering/damaging it to conceal evidence.
Gloaming: The soft, luminous twilight that lingers after sunset but before full darkness—a fleeting time when the sky glows with muted colors and the world seems suspended between day and night.
12. Twin Flames: The Alchemist and Ra
Existere: Translates from Latin literally as "to stand out, to emerge, or to exist", but carries deeper philosophical connotations about the nature of being. Unlike mere esse (to be), existere implies active manifestation—a thing asserting itself in reality, stepping forth from potentiality into tangible presence.
Prosopoiae: An abstract idea, inanimate object, or absent/deceased person is given a voice or human characteristics, allowing it to speak, act, or express emotions. It breathes life into the intangible, creating vivid emotional or philosophical impact.
Ratiocinative: A logical, methodical process of reasoning, often involving careful, step-by-step analysis to reach a conclusion. It emphasizes structured, deductive thinking, akin to solving a puzzle or constructing an argument.
Temenos: A sacred, demarcated precinct or enclosure, often surrounding a temple or altar. It was a space ritually set apart from the mundane world, reserved for worship, rituals, and divine connection—a physical manifestation of the boundary between the profane and the sacred.
13. Wisdom from the Solar King
Hierogrammat: A sacred scribe or priestly scholar in ancient Egypt, specifically one entrusted with writing and interpreting hieroglyphs and religious texts. These individuals held significant authority as keepers of divine knowledge, ritual language, and esoteric traditions.
Peregrination: A journey, especially a long and meandering one, undertaken as a pilgrimage. The term evokes travel marked by wandering, discovery, or spiritual seeking.
Pyramidion: The capstone or apex stone of a pyramid, typically made of polished granite or limestone. It’s sometimes gilded or inscribed with religious symbols. It served as the crowning piece of ancient Egyptian pyramids and obelisks, symbolizing the structure’s sacred connection to the sun and the divine. The Benben Stone is reputed
Penetralia: The innermost, most hidden parts of a sacred or private space—the secluded chambers where secrets, rituals, or intimate truths are guarded. The term evokes mystery, exclusivity, and profound depth, whether physical, psychological, or symbolic.
Dynamis: Conveys the idea of potentiality, power, or capacity—the inherent ability of something to become, change, or act. From Greek δύναμις (dynamis), meaning "power," "potential," or "capacity."
Erudition: Profound, scholarly knowledge acquired through extensive study and intellectual rigor, often spanning diverse subjects. It implies not just accumulation of facts, but the ability to synthesize and apply learning with wisdom and depth.
Arche: The primordial source, first principle, or ultimate underlying substance from which all things emerge and to which they return. It represents the origin of existence, both materially and metaphysically.
Manumitted: To be freed or liberated.
14. Spendor Solis and the Empyrean Light
Heresiarch: A person who originates or champions beliefs that radically deviate from established religious, philosophical, or ideological orthodoxy. The term carries a weighty, often pejorative connotation, implying heresy, doctrinal rebellion, and the seduction of followers into "false" teachings.
15. The Sacred Union of Alchemy and Photography
Plaquette: Small, thin decorative plaque or relief, typically highly detailed and made of metal, wood, or ceramic. Often used for artistic or commemorative purposes.
Polysemic: Describes a word, symbol, or text that carries multiple related meanings, creating layers of interpretation depending on context. This linguistic richness allows for nuance, wordplay, and cultural depth, but can also lead to ambiguity or creative double entendres.
Evanescence: The quality of being fleeting, vanishing, or impermanent—like mist dissolving at dawn or a melody fading into silence. It captures the bittersweet beauty of transient moments, often evoking poetic melancholy.
16. Catching the Sparks of Future’s Flame
Mantic: Describes anything related to prophecy, divination, or supernatural insight, often involving mystical or occult practices to foretell the future or reveal hidden knowledge. The term evokes ancient oracles, seers, and esoteric traditions.
Sortilege: Divination or magic performed by casting lots, drawing straws, or interpreting signs, imbued with supernatural significance. Historically, it was a method to discern the will of the gods, predict outcomes, or make decisions through rituals.
Hagiographies: A biography that idealizes its subject, particularly the lives of saints, spiritual leaders, or revered figures, often emphasizing their piety, miracles, and moral virtues.
17. The Great Pyramid: Stairway to the Everburning Light
Pusillanimous: Describes someone who is lacking courage, timid, or faint-hearted to the point of being contemptible. The term carries a sharp, often scornful tone, implying not just ordinary fear but a weak-willed avoidance of challenge or duty.
Supersensible: Realities or phenomena that exist beyond the physical senses, belonging to a realm inaccessible to ordinary perception. It encompasses spiritual, metaphysical, or abstract truths that transcend empirical observation, often discussed in philosophy, theology, and mysticism.
18. Altar of the Sun
Heliotrope: One who turns toward the sun (from Greek helios "sun" + tropos "turn").
19. Imagination’s Wellspring
Mythologem: A fundamental, recurring theme, motif, or symbolic pattern found across myths, legends, and folklore.
Paroxysms: A sudden, violent outburst or intensification of emotion, activity, or physical symptoms, often brief but extreme in its manifestation.
Apperception: The mental process of perceiving or interpreting new experiences by relating them to past knowledge and conscious reflection. Unlike passive perception, apperception involves active self-awareness, where the mind integrates sensory input with existing understanding to form meaningful comprehension.
20. Telesmic Projection from The Lantern of Wisdom
21. Ritual Acts of Power
Limen: The threshold of perception—the minimum stimulus intensity required for a sensation to be consciously detected, marking the boundary between subliminal (unconscious) and liminal (just perceptible) experiences.
Terrene: Things pertaining to the earth, worldly matters, or mundane existence, often contrasting with the celestial, spiritual, or divine.
22. The Grande Circle of Invocation
Frisson: A visceral reaction is typically triggered by profound aesthetic stimuli.
Metaenergetic: A phenomena or systems that transcend or operate beyond conventional energy dynamics, often invoking speculative, metaphysical, or parapsychological frameworks. The term suggests an exploration of energy in contexts that defy classical physics—whether spiritual, cosmic, or yet-undefined by science.
Dyadic: Describes something composed of or involving two parts, elements, or individuals, emphasizing their interaction, pairing, or mutual influence.
23. The Elements: Silvery Water & Starry Earth
Hexeities: The qualities, powers, or essences attributed to witches or witchcraft. It evokes the mystical, arcane, and attributes traditionally associated with sorcery and enchantment..
Coruscating: Something sparkling, flashing, or gleaming with brilliant light, often with a dynamic, shimmering quality.
Vesper: The poetic interplay of evening, light, and ritual. Its roots stretch from ancient star-gazing to modern liturgy, carrying a tone of quiet, twilight reverence or melancholy beauty.
Spiration: A poetic term with dual roots in theology and natural imagery, evoking the act of breathing, divine emanation, or the whisper of wind. It suggests a sacred or vital exhale—whether literal, metaphorical, or metaphysical. Related to the word, “perichoresis”, the dance of a divine trinity.
Influxions: Flows or streams of influence, energy, or substances entering a system, often with a mystical or vitalistic connotation. It suggests a dynamic, almost animate movement—whether physical, spiritual, or intellectual—that permeates and transforms what it touches. Paracelsus theorized about influxiones as life-giving energies from stars or ether.
24. Allies: A Gathering of Spirits
Psychotomimetic: describes a state that mimics or induces symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, or profound dissociation.
Visitants: Beings or entities that appear temporarily, often as supernatural guests, omens, or ephemeral presences. The term evokes encounters with the uncanny—whether spectral, divine, or otherworldly—that linger at the threshold of perception.
25. Motivation as Fuel for the Fire
Sacerdotal: Anything relating to priests, priesthood, or their sacred functions, particularly in ritual, doctrine, or hierarchical authority. The term emphasizes the mediation between the divine and the human, often with connotations of solemnity, tradition, and exclusivity. Relates to the term “hieratic”, which pertains to priests in ancient Egypt.
26. The Alchemistical Photographer-Magician
Scoria: Evokes the residue of inner turmoil—the hardened, porous remnants of emotional or spiritual eruptions. Like its geological counterpart (volcanic scoria), it suggests something dark, fragmented, and forged in fire, yet marked by voids where vitality or hope once bubbled away. It is the necessary residue of alchemical transformation.
Behdety: An ancient Egyptian solar deity, closely associated with Horus the Behdetite, a localized form of the falcon-god Horus venerated in the Delta city of Behdet. He symbolizes kingship, solar power, and celestial protection, often depicted as a winged sun disk or a falcon soaring above the pharaoh in battle.
Discomposure: A state of agitation, unease, or loss of calm, often manifested through visible signs of emotional disturbance, such as flustered behavior, nervousness, or a disrupted demeanor. It implies a temporary unraveling of one’s usual composure due to stress, surprise, or discomfort.
Puissant: Someone or something possessing great power, influence, or authority, often with a connotation of commanding respect or dominance. The term carries a formal, archaic, or literary tone, evoking a sense of formidable strength—whether physical, supernatural, or mystical.
27. The Alchemist’s Camera — The Dark Room Temple
Ignescent: Being capable of emitting sparks or catching fire easily, or more metaphorically, a person or being that is fiery, volatile, or prone to sudden outbursts of energy or passion. The term blends literal and figurative heat, evoking both physical flammability and emotional intensity.
28. An Ancient & Everlasting Magic
Commixtion: The act of mixing or blending distinct elements together, often resulting in a new, unified compound or hybrid. The term is used in both literal and abstract contexts, emphasizing the interplay—and sometimes tension—between combined components.
Photovoltaic: The direct conversion of sunlight into other forms of energy.
29. Protection from Friends and Enemies
30. Keys to the Principles of Magic
31. A Brief Note on the Laws of Time
32. A Separate Reality
33. Seal of the Four Gates
Conclusion