TATTWA VISIONS
By V. H. Sor. V.N.R. — 6=5 (Moina Mathers)
TEJAS OF PRITHIVI (fiery part of Earth)
After going through the symbols, I find myself in a volcanic district. No fire is to be seen, but the type of land is volcanic. Hill and mountains, hot air, and sunny light.
Using a Pentacle, and calling on the Earth Names, I see before me a species of Angelic King Elemental. On testing him, I find that he gives me the Neophyte Saluting Sign, and the Philosophus Sign. He bows low to the symbols that I give him, and says that he is willing to show me some of the working of the plane. He has a beautiful face, somewhat of the Fire type, yet sweet in expression. He wears a Golden Crown, and a fiery red cloak, opening on to a yellow tunic, over which being a shirt of mail. In his right hand he bears a wand, the lower end or handle being shaped somewhat as the Pentacle implement, and the staff and upper end being as the Fire Wand. In his left hand (but this I do not clearly see) he bears a Fire Wand; I think that the right hand points upwards and the left downwards, and is a symbol to invoke forces.
Little figures of the gnome type come at his call. When commanded some broke the rocky parts of the Mountain with pick-axes which they carry. Others appear to dig in the ground. In breaking off these rocky pieces, there fall away little bits of bright metal or copper. Some of these Gnomes collected the bits of metal and carried them away in little wallets slung by a baidrick from their shoulders. We followed them and came to some mountainous peaks. From these peaks issued some large and fierce, some hardly perceivable, fires. Into cauldrons or bowls placed above these fires, the collected pieces of metal were placed. I was told that this was a lengthy process, but asked that I might see the result of what appeared to be a gradual melting of this metal. I was then shown some bowls containing liquid gold, but not I imagine, very pure metal.
I again followed my guide, the Angelic King Elemental Ruler, who gave me his name as Atapa, and followed by some gnomes bearing the bowl of liquid gold; we came, after passing through many subterranean passages cut in the mountains, to a huge cavern of immense breadth and height. It was like a Palace cut out of the rock. We passed through rudely cut passages, until we reached a large central hall, at the end of which was a Dais on which were seated the King and Queen, the courtier gnomes standing around.
This Hall seemed lighted by torches, and at intervals were roughly cut pillars. The Gnomes who accompanied us presented to the King and Queen their gold. These latter commanded their attendants to remove this to another apartment. I asked the King and Queen for further explanation, and they, appointing substitutes in their absence, retire to an inner chamber which appeared more elevated than the rest. The architecture here seemed to be of a different kind. This small hail had several sides, each with a door, draped by a curtain. In the center of the Hall was a large tripod receiver containing some of the liquid gold such as that we had brought with us.
The King and Queen who before had worn the colours of Earth now donned, he the red, and she the white garments. They then with their Earth-Fire Wands invoked and joined their wands over the Tripod. There appeared in the air above, a figure such as Atapa, he who had brought me here. He, extending his wand, and invoking, caused to appear from each door a figure of a planetary or zodiacal nature. These each in turn held out his wand over the gold, using some sigil which I can but dimly follow. The gold each time appearing to undergo a change. When these last figures have retired again behind the curtains, the King and Queen used a species of ladle and compressed together the gold, making it into solid shapes and placing one of these at each of the curtained doors. Some gold still remained in the bowl. The King and Queen departed, and it seemed to me that I saw a figure again appear from behind each curtain and draw away the pieces of gold.î
AKASA OF APAS (Spirit of Water)
A wide expanse of water with many reflections of bright light, and occasionally glimpses of rainbow colours appearing (perhaps symbolising the beginning of formation in Water). When divine and other names were pronounced, elementals of the mermaid and merman type appear, but few of other elemental forms. These water forms are extremely changeable, one moment appearing as solid mermaids and mermen, the next melting into foam.
Raising myself by means of the highest symbols I have been taught, and vibrating the names of Water, I rose until the Water vanished, and instead I beheld a mighty world or globe, with its dimensions and divisions of Gods, Angels, elementals, demonsóthe whole universe of Water (like the tablet ruled by EMPEH ARSEL GAIOL), I called on this latter name, and the Universe seemed to vivify more and more. I then called on HCOMA, and there appeared standing before me a mighty Archangel (with four wings) robed in glistening white, and crowned. In one hand, the right, he held a species of trident, and in the left a Cup filled to the brim with an essence which appeared to be derived from above. This essence, brimming over, poured down below on either side. From the overflowing or overrunning of this Cup, which derives its essence from Atziluth, apparently the cup being in Briah, the World of Yetzirah obtains its moisture. It is there differentiated into its various operative forces.
These operative forces are represented by Angels, each with their respective office in the world of moisture. These forces working in Yetsirah, when descending and mingling with the Kether of Assiah, are initiating the force of that which we as human beings call Moisture.