‘Hermes, Gurdjieff, Superstitions, Tarot and Rosicrucians’

     
Four great events in New York City, and one in California, you may want to attend.

The Mythic Moment

The New York Mythology Group, the New York City Roundtable of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, will meet Sunday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 11 a.m. to noon for “The Mythic Moment.” From the publicity:

Mythic Moments: Storytelling in Greek and Roman Art Gallery Talk—A story told in words can extend through many points in time, but an illustration needs to capture only one. The talk is free with museum admission. Assemble at the Great Hall at 10 o’clock before heading to the venue at the Velez Blanco Patio.

While this event is not exclusive to the Mythology Group, it is definitely a relevant topic. The Velez Blanco Patio (Gallery 534) holds very interesting artifacts, one of which is the inspiration for the two-tailed mermaid that we now attribute as the symbol for Starbucks. Jean Sorabella, an expert in Greco Roman art will take us through the myths that inspired the artworks that are now on exhibit at the Met.

Origins: Superstitions

Mitch Horowitz, author of Occult America and One Simple Idea, has launched a new project titled “Origins: Superstitions.” This web series of 90-second episodes defines and decodes the, well, origins of superstitions. Directed by Ronni Thomas (The Midnight Archive), the series can be heard here.

Meaning in the Midst of Life

The Gurdjieff Foundation of New York will offer another introductory event on Friday, March 13. Titled “The Search for Meaning in the Midst of Life,” this program will begin at 6 p.m. at Quest Bookshop at 240 East 53rd Street in Manhattan.

Click to enlarge.

“Only by beginning to remember himself does a man really awaken. And then all surrounding life acquires for him a different aspect and a different meaning.”

G. I. Gurdjieff

For reservations (recommended) or further information, e-mail gurdjieffevent(at)gmail.com

Tarot at the Met

Queen of Flowers playing card, 1435.

Also at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on April 22, tarot scholar Robert Place again will lead a small group of seekers into the hidden archives to examine the Met’s collection of historic tarot and divination cards, ranging from the earliest woodcut Tarocchi, printed in 15th century Italy, to rare 19th century Le Normand divination decks. All accompanied by Place’s talk on the history and symbolism of the cards. The group also will see The Queen of Flowers, created in 1435, making it one of the oldest European playing cards still in existence, and Le Sorti, one of the oldest and richly illustrated books on divination with cards, published in Venice in 1540.

The afternoon at the Met costs $70 per person, prepaid. Each participant also is responsible for obtaining a ticket for entrance to the museum for the day. There is only room for 14 people at this event and 9 have already signed up so don’t delay; it will fill up quickly. To register contact Place at: alchemicaltarot@aol.com

AMORC World Convention 2015

Join Imperator Christian Bernard and all of the Grand Masters from throughout the world for the 2015 AMORC World Convention, commemorating the founding of AMORC in America. The convention will be hosted at the Fairmont San Jose, July 29 to August 2. Click here for the details.
     

‘Brian Cotnoir’s Emerald Tablet’

     
Exciting (if you ask me) news from the book world. From the Khepri Press publicity by Mr. Brian Cotnoir, designer of these magnificent texts—

Actually, first let me tell you about the presentation Cotnoir will make Saturday night at Catland in Brooklyn. From that publicity:

Alchemy and the Workshop

Join Brian Cotnoir, author of the Weiser Concise Guide to Alchemy and upcoming new translation of the Emerald Tablet, for a discussion of the workshop’s role in the Alchemist’s practice.

Courtesy Trevor Stewart

The oratory and the laboratory, made famous in Khunrath’s image, is the starting point for tonight’s talk. Focusing on the workshop or laboratory, and drawing on two key alchemical texts, the Emerald Tablet and John of Rupescissa’s De Quinta Essentia, the talk will review the practices of distillation and circulation; show you how to set up a very simple, inexpensive apparatus for both processes; and extract aqua ardens from wine.

Further instructions will be given as to how to prepare the quintessence or fifth essence that, according to Rupescissa, permeates all creation.

After tonight’s talk and demonstration you will have the basic concepts to begin alchemy experimentation and a better idea of how the inner work links to the physical work.

Tickets for this event are available here.

Now back to The Emerald Tablet:

The Emerald Tablet, one of the root texts of alchemy, is a brief alchemical work attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Historically the work is part of the Hermetic corpus and seems to have the same origins as the rest of the Corpus Hermeticum. It describes the cyclic flow of all creation, the basis of alchemical practice.

The text was discovered, according to one legend, by Apollonius of Tyana. After an earthquake, a passageway opened beneath a statue that led to a subterranean chamber. Seated there was a statue of Hermes Trismegistus holding a tablet of green stone (smaragda) engraved with the text of what is now known as the Emerald Tablet. The earliest known surviving texts are attributed to Apollonius of Tyana and it is the Arabic and Latin versions that are considered in this new work.

This is a collection of new translations of the earliest extant Arabic and Latin versions with essay and commentary.

It is a distillation of the chapter on the Emerald Tablet in my forthcoming book Alchemy: The Poetry of Matter. There I present a more complete discussion, analysis and experimentation. Here I present it as a Hermetic work of art – a talismanic book in form, function and result. The Emerald Tablet is not only a fresh contribution to alchemical studies, it is also an example of book art at its finest.

Drawing on the elements of Islamic and Western sacred geometry in their design, the two cover emblems visually indicate the Arabic side and the Latin side of the book. The Latin text is a 12th century translation of the 9th century Arabic text, and they are presented side-by-side with their respective English translations. The accordion book format has the texts and translations on one side, allowing for comparison readings of The Emerald Tablet. On the reverse side is the commentary and brief analysis by Brian Cotnoir. The overall design and typesetting from case to cover to page to word to letter evolved from the same Hermetic principles and follows from these same geometries.

Designed by Brian Cotnoir. Typeset by Lara Captan – English and Latin in Seria and Seria Sans by Martin Majoor; the Arabic in DecoType Naskh by Thomas Milo and Mirjam Somers. Letterpress printed by Roni Gross on Magnani book paper with marbled end sheets. Cover Emblem Designs by Daud Sutton. Bound by Biruta Auna. Polymer plates by Boxcar Press. Brian Cotnoir, author of Alchemy: A Weiser’s Concise Guide, is an independent scholar, researcher, and artist who has written on alchemy and presented seminars and workshops around the world on various aspects of the art.

29 copies Limited Edition Leather Bound in Red Moroccan goat leather
with hot stamping 23k gold: $850.

71 copies Limited Edition Cloth Bound Green Silk
with hot stamping 23k gold: $600.

All copies numbered and signed by author. To be available this fall. To order, write to: info(at)khepripress.com.

Speaking of Catland, Cotnoir will appear there October 18 for a book release celebration, with a talk and a reception, from 7 to 9 p.m. Click here.
     

Flood

Like the Hermetic sciences before them, it is said the archives of Freemasonry are preserved in ways to protect them from both inundation and conflagration. A good thing, because some of us suffer from periodic flooding.

These photos were shot Sunday morning at the Valley of Northern New Jersey. The depth of the water here is between 24 and 30 inches. By the time the river across the street crests, there will be approximately five feet of water on the property.

‘Hermes, Guide of the Soul’

     
The C.G. Jung Foundation has a daylong seminar scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 at its Manhattan headquarters. Led by Gary D. Astrachan, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and Jungian analyst from Maine, this event will “explore, celebrate and delight in the Hermetic mythologem, with lecture material, slides, music, readings and lively discussion.”

Recommended readings are excerpts from Charles Boer’s “Homeric Hymns” and Karl Kerenyi’s “Hermes: Guide of Souls.”

The Foundation is located at 28 East 39th St. General public admission costs $70 per person.