Flow and Reflux of the Philosophical Sea

Here, we are not talking about the common sea but of the philosophical sea, as alchemists define the action of their Mercurius, of Mercurius Sideribus (from Latin sidera, star), of Spiritus Mundi, spirit of the world. It is called a sea not only because of its “wave” movement but, above all, because, like a real sea, it has ebbs and flows.

As you read on, you will see that by philosophical sea the alchemists meant winds (if their origin was from the cosmos), vapors (if they arose from the earth), and dews (if their origin was from the sky). Specifically, the alchemists meant the “nature” contained and transported by these agents of movement.

Many alchemists will be perplexed to accept the idea that the term “philosophical sea“ could also imply the nature of sound. Sound phenomena are in fact present in the last part of alchemical works, the ultimate stage that very few have ever been able to witness (see Alchemy Resounds). It will be interesting to know that for the ancients the origin of winds and sounds was the same.

The secret of the movements of the “philosophical sea” is the greatest operational secret of the ancient alchemists. However, despite the importance, alchemists do not include it among their formal arcana.

The philosophical sea does not follow the common sea but, in some cases it follows the same terrestrial, cosmic, solar, lunar cycles.

Because they had noticed that in the movements of the “philosophical sea” there was a sort of back and forth.

Because the alchemists had observed that the movements of the “philosophical sea”, more than the ebb and flow of the tides of the terrestrial seas, had analogies with breathing. In fact, the alchemists spoke of “breathing”, since the means of “transmission” par excellence of the “philosophical sea”, for them, was atmospheric air.

The Philosophical Sea is said to have a primary oscillation motion of forty-seven degrees on the north-south axis. So we are told that the sea is allowed to flow along the north-south axis.

True, the philosophical sea is said to slide from north to south, and vice versa, as if it were channeled.

The hinges of the movement of the philosophical sea are on the east-west axis. That is, equinoctial.

Indeed, the oscillations that are said to move the philosophical sea along its axis are called “winds”, even though they are in fact oscillations. But we know that the ancients called the oscillations “winds”, as we moderns would call them “waves”.

The winds that move the philosophical sea start from the fixed central point of the earth and blow outwards.

The “philosophical” winds blow outward through four central cardinal points, which are the same ones with which we divide the cardinal axes of the common sea.

The “philosophical winds”, unlike common sea winds, always have a regular oscillation characteristically devoid of chaotic flow: The philosophical sea must never overflow, nor flood the central point.

True, the compass rose signifies the breathing of the world and the cosmos.

In fact, the hearth of the temple of Vesta was said to be the origin of the winds and vapors that rose from the earth, and was represented by floating veils.

Not only did the alchemists claim that the “philosophical sea” determined the composition of metals on earth, but it also influenced the direction of metal veins. For example, according to alchemists, gold veins flowed south.

The movements of the philosophical sea are twenty-one, of which only six are the main ones and the remaining ones are variations.

The first movement of the sea is simply pumped from the fixed central point like a heart. Vapors rise from the fixed point and become sea as they approach the edges.

In the second movement of the philosophical sea the four cardinal points around the fixed point cause an outward flow of winds, lowering the sea, like a lung exhalation. This is to protect the fixed point from being flooded by the sea.

In the third movement the four cardinal points around the fixed point cause a reflux of winds towards the inside, raising the sea, like an pulmonary inspiration. This is to prevent the fixed point from being flooded. In this third movement, the sum of the flow and reflux of the winds inwards and outwards, through the revolution around the four points, is 12 hours and 24 minutes long. The ebb phase takes place on the north-south axis, across the axis of the elements, and lasts 6 hours and 12 minutes. The high tide phase occurs on the east-west axis, again across the axis of the elements, and lasts 6 hours and 12 minutes.

The tidal phases of the common sea are also six hours and twelve minutes between high and low. Anyway the directions of flow are not channeled along a forced axis, like the philosophical sea, but follow the rotations of the moon around the earth.

The analogy of phase duration between a high and low of the third movement of the philosophical sea and of the common tide is too exact not to arouse the suspicion that the daily lunar rotation has an important influence. However, the stars probably act through the moon. Regarding the moon, the maximum philosophical sea level is on the north-south axis and coincides with the full moon in the south, and the absence of moon in the north. The minimum sea level instead corresponds to the first quarter in the east and the last quarter in the west. Two philosophical sea cycles correspond to one moon cycle, but not exactly. The Moon, at each quarter phase change, receives influences from the Stars. Thus the Moon contributes to the flow and reflux of the philosophical sea in conjunction with the other Planets, and not individually, as one might imagine.

The fourth movement of the philosophical sea is caused by the oscillations, also called “fire”, of the planets through the phases of the moon. The fire of the planets that gives form to the movement is invisible, while the lunar phases that receive it are visible. The Moon, at each change of quarter phase, receives influences from the Stars. Thus the Moon contributes to the flow and reflux of the sea in conjunction with the other Planets, and not individually, as one might imagine. This fourth movement gives the germinative power and is composed of fourteen times: seven rises and seven falls of the sea. Each rise is higher than the previous one and each fall is lower than the previous one. The total duration of the phases of high x seven planets is 24h 48m x seven. For the phases of low it will be the same 24h 48m x seven. Thus the sea will be completely high in 14d 11h 12m.

The fifth movement is caused by the sun and is composed of the equinoctial tides. The movement begins seven days before the equinox and ends seven days after. It lasts fourteen or fifteen days, that is, seven days before the sun reaches the Line, and seven days after it has passed it. The equinoctial tides are so strong that they create vapors and dew. This movement is double and consists of two extraordinarily high tides in the months of March and September.

The sixth movement is double like the fifth. The first consists of a great tide, which manifests itself towards the months of December and January, and a great descending motion which occurs in the months of June and July. Neither of these two movements has its origin in the center, nor its certainty. Their cause depends on the variety of aspects and influences of the Stars. There are winds that cause rain, snow and storms, drought or calm, but it happens only by chance: for the extraordinary level of the sea that arrives in the months of December and January, which is the period in which rain and snow abound most, but it is not general. Thus, the sixth movement is induced by the stars and causes solstitial tides along the north-south axis. The solstitial tides are high in the north and low in the south. The sea rises in the north because of the quantity of rain and lowers in the south because of the scarcity of rain.

In the second part of the sixth movement of the “philosophical sea” the stars blow hot and dry winds. The movement begins seven days before the solstice and ends seven days after. It is precisely during this sixth movement that the influences of the Stars fall perpendicularly like plumb lines. Since the magnitudes of the cycles are rarely perfect multiples or submultiples, a further difficulty is given not only by the choice of the right movement, but also by the synchronicity of the cycles over the years.