NEPTUNE’S PRIMORDIAL OCEAN
The idea of spirit and matter being two independent and separate realities is only a relatively new concept promoted by Descartes and others who were persuasive mouthpieces for the ‘dry rationalism’ that spread and became deeply entrenched throughout the western world. For people of earlier times this fractured world-vie w would have been regarded as a strange mental aberration. How could matter and spirit be separated when they were twin aspects or poles of one divinity? “Matter was still regarded as the ‘mater’, the motherly element, in which the spiritual forces of the universe were embodied.”10
This direct contact of the individual with the spirit world, without an intermediary, was anathema to the early Christian church which as it gained power sought to stamp out all traces of the old life-based religions. Neptune’ s trident, through which the powerful torrents of the life-force surged, became the devil’s tool and an arch-symbol of evil.
Describing the early alchemists, who were forced to go underground to save their skins, Aleister Crowley wrote: ‘ ‘They always begin with a substance in nature which is described as existing almost everywhere, and as universally esteemed of no value. The alchemist is in all cases to take this substance, and subject it to a series of operations. By doing so, he obtains his product. This product, however named or described, is always a substance which represents the truth or perfection of the original ‘First Matter’; and its qualities are invariably such as pertain to a living being, not to an inanimate mass.”11
The alchemists called the ether a materia or quintessence, which forms the basis of the four elements, fire, water, air and earth. But the soul is also referred to as the primordial materia of the spirit, and all souls are said to be made of this one substance.
A parallel is found in Tibetan Buddhism where the four elements of nature correspond to the psychic centres in the human organism; the root centre at the base of the spine corresponds to the element earth, the navel centre to water, the heart centre to fire, the throat to air, and the centre on the crown of the head to the element ether. As consciousness unfolds through these psychic centres and reaches its height ‘ ‘the dark seed, containing the essence of the universe…breaks open and bursts forth into the dazzling flame of enlightenment.” This “flaming drop” signifies the element ether, (or space, in its passive aspect), and its Sanskrit term is akasa. To quote Lama Anagarika Govinda:’ ‘The active aspect consists in the idea of an elementary vibration of point-like, infinitesimal units of invisible energy penetrating the whole universe… Thus akasa is all-pervading ether and all-containing space, the synthesis of all that exists, and therefore the symbol of the essential unity of cosmic, psychic, and physical energies.”10
Light and motion have always been mentioned in connection with the living ether. Around the 5th century B.C., Heraclitus described the ultimate substance as the “Fiery Ether” or’ ‘Divine Fire” andhe interpreted it as both primitive matter and divine intelligence, or’ ‘world-ruling wisdom.” It was the essential substance of both matter and soul.
“Spiritual and corporeal are simply terms which express the degrees of tenuity or density in substance,” the famous occultist Eliphas Levi wrote, describing the’ ‘impalpable omnipresent ether” as a universal or fluid agent, and also as the’ ‘primordial light, which is the vehicle of all ideas. ..the mother of all forms.” In combination with extremely subtle fluids, he said, this Astral Light forms the Ethereal Body.12
LITHIUM – THE ETHERIC ELEMENT
Although Neptune by its nature defies any rigid classifications, there is one metal that has been associated with this planet in esoteric writings -lithium, the lightest metal known. After the gaseous hydrogen and helium, lithium is the first solid on the Periodic Chart.
Described as a “white non-metallic metal” lithium is a powdery substance always found naturally combined with other elements. It was discovered by the Swedish chemist John Arfevedson in 1817,3 0 years before the discovery of Neptune.
Lithium has been called the gateway between mind and matter and is especially connected with the pineal gland. In her book on this element Haroldine calls it’ ‘the primary structure foundation base of all other matter in solid form… Sometimes referred to as an ETHERIC ELEMENT.. .lithium is the main connection from etheric on into the physical plane and controls the primary formation of human life via our nervous system — the ‘entrance in’ so to speak. The ‘entrance back out’ is adequate lithium supply in system to allow the natural opening of 3rd Eye — our pathway to higher consciousness.”13
In the body lithium is a necessary ingredient for the building of cell walls, and in the sheaths covering the outgoing nerve endings. It has a strong connection with the spleen and immune system “the chief communicator between body and mind,” and is deeply involved with the mysterious process of transmutation of bioelements in the cell nucleus, particularly potassium, sodium and beryllium.
Displaying its affinity with Neptune’s fluidic energies lithium reacts vigorously with water, and its compounds display an incredible ability to absorb water, a property that is put to use in air purifiers, respirators and air conditioners. Constantly filtering through into Earth’s atmosphere Haroldme describes interplanetary lithium as “the essence/ether form carrying water to the Geosphere.”
Lithium has a tremendous range of application in today’s world; from therapeutics to thermonuclear technology. Its unusual nuclear and electronic propertiesgive it agreat diversity of uses in industry. A lithium isotope serves as nuclear fuel in lithium reactors, and in the rocket and aerospace industry a compound containing over 50% lithium is used for solid rocket propellant. Lithium alloys have many valuable uses in the metal industry. One lithium-magnesium alloy is lighter than water, another remains untarnished by time. Lithium is used as an industrial catalyst, in battery electrodes, as a base for machine lubricants, in the ceramic industry. Lithium-modified glasses have valuable optical properties, and telescopes with lenses made of lithium fluoride are of the highest quality, enabling astronomers to see even deeper into the vastness of space.