first published in the magazine "Paracelsus" february 2005 (side 12-17) Deutsch Español

The Determination of the Alchemical Constitutional Type

The analysis of the basic type of your constitution helps to recognise and become aware of possible disharmony in body, mind or soul, early on. Certain essences, according to Paracelsus, help to overcome imbalance and restore harmony

By Ulrich Arndt

How can we precociously find out, if disharmonies have crept in to soul, body or mind or if the beginning of a disease is being manifested? Does the energetic system vibrate in a balanced and dynamic way; are we moving forward in our personal development and the development of consciousness, or are we, quite the contrary, falling backwards? Is the ascent from the dark Nigredo, as described in alchemy as the lowest level of vibration, progressing towards the light Rubedo level? In order to find out, great doctors of alchemy developed a kind of diagnosis of constitutional types. They analyse which of the three alchemical basic principles “sal“, “sulphur“ or “mercury“ prevail in the individual and accordingly, which planetary forces.
Sal (= “salt“, in simple terms the material, physical) represents like the Nigredo level the predominance of the densifying processes and thereby the “diseases of densification“.
Sulphur (in simple terms the soul) marks the opposite, the dissolving, enlivening processes. Sulphur stands for the middle level of vibration of the chakras, called the Albedo level. If the sulphur forces are predominant in the organism or in an organ of our body, inflammation, hot flushes, fever, as well as allergies occur.
Mercury (in simple terms the spirit) symbolises the connecting, balancing and transmitting processes. Mercury can be equated with the Rubedo level, the highest level of vibration. In this state the densifying and the dissolving forces work together in harmony within us.

The Influence of the Seasons and the Zodiac

Most people typically tend to get sick or to show extreme reactions in certain seasons and under similar emotional and psychological influences. For instance, some people always get the flu in November, and become depressive around Christmas time or are completely without motivation in spring. The causes lie outside and inside the human being, and both have to do with the planetary forces described in the previous issue:
The planetary influences from the outside change during the course of the year, and with them the elementary energies and the quality of the three alchemical basic principles sal, sulphur and mercury. This again has an influence on the seven planetary forces and the three basic principles in man, though in a different way, according to his personal birth character. As is generally known, those born under different signs differ in their basic constitution. This basic character is influenced by different combinations of the three basic principles together with one of the four elements:

Hermes Trismegistos as a ruler of the three alchemical basic principles sal = moon (at the bottom), sulphur = sun (at the top) and mercury = fire between both of them.

The 12 signs of the zodiac and the respective dominant influences of an element and of one of the three basic principles. It is comprehensible that a person born under the sign of Aries, who is characterised by the enlivening basic principle sulphur and the element fire, is more susceptible to disharmonies of this type than a person born under the sign of Leo, in whom the fire is moderated by the densifying basic principle sal. And the excess of fire in Aries, is in turn missing in someone born under the sign of Taurus, who is directed twice towards the densifying processes by the element earth and the basic principle sal.
An individual change in the basic constitution according to the zodiac sign takes place according to the individual position of the planets at the time of birth. The respective living conditions, education, nutrition and other strong and long-term influences may also modify the personal constitution. All this may play a role in determining which of the three alchemical basic conditions is predominant at present.

Determining Your Own, Current Basic Type of Constitution

With the help of the following questionnaire the current constitutional type such as sal, sulphur or mercury can be determined. It would be ideal if the three basic principles were equally represented. When one of the principles is too dominant, it should be regulated with a specific combination of metal essences.
Answer the questions concerning the mercury type first, then the sulphur and finally then the sal type. By choosing a number between 1 and 7, mark how strongly each statement applies, 1 signifying the least and 7 the maximal agreement. Please answer according to basic characteristics as they have prevailed in the previous years, not to present short-term reactions.

questionnaire
	Mercury type	Sulphur type	Sal type

Now add the numbers of each constitutional type. If the difference between mercury, sulphur or sal type is more than five points, the constitution should be harmonised. The basic principle with the highest score should be harmonised first. In case the difference between two of the basic principles is less than five points and the third principle amounts to a considerable lower number, then the basic principle with the lowest score must be harmonised. In this case take the following combinations of metal essences for at least one month or for a duration of one lunar cycle:

In case of mercury dominance or lack of Mercury In the morning: 3–5 drops of silver essence At midday: 3–5 drops of gold essence In the evening: 3–5 drops of silver essence In case of sulphur dominance or lack of sulphur: In the morning: 3–5 drops of silver essence At midday: 3–5 drops of zinc essence In the evening: 3–5 drops of silver essence In case of sal dominance or lack of sal: In the morning: 3–5 drops of gold essence At midday: 3–5 drops of copper essence In the evening: 3–5 drops of silver essence

The three headed fountain stands for the threefold quality in all things, for everything consists of a different combination of the three basic principles sal, sulphur and mercury.

After one to three months fill in the questionnaire once again. In case there is still one basic principle dominating, continue to regulate this specific dominant principle. In this way you can improve your harmony step by step and as a “side effect“ many physical and mental troubles will disappear.

The alchemical trinity: The three alchemical basic principles sal = body as an old king, sulphur = soul as a young ruling prince and mercury = spirit as an angel of spirit.

In the next issue:
Simple alchemical essences, that can be made by oneself.

References
Arndt, Ulrich: Schätze der Alchemie: Edelstein-Essenzen, and Schätze der Alchemie: Metall-Essenzen. Both: Freiburg/Germany: Hans-Nietsch-Verlag
Testreports of Paracelsus essences:: www.life-testinstitut.de und www.edelstein-essenzen.de

Bildquellen: ©Hans Nietsch Verlag