The alchemical drawing that you see is from Michael Maier (1618), it is titled, ‘Let Nature Be Your Guide.’
The footprints represent the pioneers that have followed nature. The walking stick represents the use of reason, the spectacles on the man represent the importance of experience, and the lantern represents the study of writings.
The footprints represent the pioneers that have followed nature. The walking stick represents the use of reason, the spectacles on the man represent the importance of experience, and the lantern represents the study of writings.
In the 1500s, Paracelsus said the way to learn nature is to walk her leaves. Many of the old philosophers maintained the belief, that humans were not separate, nor superior, not fashioned apart, but were an essential manifestation of the universal, creative and generative process that is nature.
We are the microcosm of the macrocosm. We are the mirror of the great world. The ancient philosophers believed that humans are a complete functioning miniature of the cosmos. Within the functions of the human being, we have available to us a miniature world, near enough and understandable enough for us to comprehend. Everything that we search for outside of us is within us. Everything we find within us is parallel, correspondent or equivalent to the workings outside of us.
Therefore, the ancients held the concept that we humans are a useful key to the study of all things other than ourselves. All of our intuitive contemplations of particulars will lead us to a recognition of universals in the macrocosm.
The ancient contemplation of the activities that went on within people brought a deep realization and understanding of how the cosmos operated. Most people, in the present, only view the surfaces of things, and what we know of the cosmos is through some degree of superficial observation. Our perception, through only the use of our physical senses, leads us to surfaces and we cannot observe the depths nor grasp anything beyond our five senses. We might say that we only learn the trivia of the Universe; we don’t really see the causes which are not visible or apparent.
In their use of the macrocosm/microcosm analogy, the ancient philosophers believed that they could;
The old philosophers believed that there are unbroken orders of life that exist within states that our physical senses don't comprehend. Living within the 'empty space' around us were unseen kingdoms of life that followed orderly patterns. We do recognize some order represented in lesser animal kingdoms that we feel are beneath us here on earth. Life unfolds in orderly sequences of races, beings and creatures. The ancients had a reverence for life existing within the space surrounding us, realizing with our limited physical senses, we don’t recognize other forms of life that inhabit, coexist and occupy the same locations as ourselves. They are there, we just don't see them.
We are the microcosm of the macrocosm. We are the mirror of the great world. The ancient philosophers believed that humans are a complete functioning miniature of the cosmos. Within the functions of the human being, we have available to us a miniature world, near enough and understandable enough for us to comprehend. Everything that we search for outside of us is within us. Everything we find within us is parallel, correspondent or equivalent to the workings outside of us.
Therefore, the ancients held the concept that we humans are a useful key to the study of all things other than ourselves. All of our intuitive contemplations of particulars will lead us to a recognition of universals in the macrocosm.
The ancient contemplation of the activities that went on within people brought a deep realization and understanding of how the cosmos operated. Most people, in the present, only view the surfaces of things, and what we know of the cosmos is through some degree of superficial observation. Our perception, through only the use of our physical senses, leads us to surfaces and we cannot observe the depths nor grasp anything beyond our five senses. We might say that we only learn the trivia of the Universe; we don’t really see the causes which are not visible or apparent.
In their use of the macrocosm/microcosm analogy, the ancient philosophers believed that they could;
- Discover the unseen, by intuitively observing the seen,
- Discover the unfamiliar, by intuitively observing the familiar, and
- Discover the unknown, by intuitively observing the known.
The old philosophers believed that there are unbroken orders of life that exist within states that our physical senses don't comprehend. Living within the 'empty space' around us were unseen kingdoms of life that followed orderly patterns. We do recognize some order represented in lesser animal kingdoms that we feel are beneath us here on earth. Life unfolds in orderly sequences of races, beings and creatures. The ancients had a reverence for life existing within the space surrounding us, realizing with our limited physical senses, we don’t recognize other forms of life that inhabit, coexist and occupy the same locations as ourselves. They are there, we just don't see them.
Luther Burbank
Luther Burbank, the wonderful botanist and horticulturist, once remarked he believed that carrots have 21 sensory perceptions compared to people's five senses. However, due to the fact a carrot never wrote an essay, we believe that carrots are beneath us.
Through a deeper awareness, an intuitive approach to life, we can open up vast worlds that we have not experienced. When we come to a realization that as wars devastate the earth, wars within our physical body are called disease and devastate great areas within our body. As storms damage property, the storms of moods, tempers, fits, hate and other emotions disturb the psychic interior of our atmosphere and cause us physical damage.
There are numerous general patterns appearing in the macrocosm and the microcosm. We have a universe with a sun at the center, surrounded by planets; and within people we have a heart in the center surrounded by vital organs. There are relationships existing between the mysteries of the universal energies in the cosmos and the energies existing within the physical nervous system of people.
The realization that you might be observing only the surface of some action, activity, person, creature or other resident of our reality, followed by your desire to "look deeper," will lead you to a more profound discovery that lies beneath the surface of things.
Through an approach of acting with a beautiful heart, an open mind, and a humble spirit, you will enhance your physical senses and enliven new senses that you also possess.
To inspire and empower.
Through a deeper awareness, an intuitive approach to life, we can open up vast worlds that we have not experienced. When we come to a realization that as wars devastate the earth, wars within our physical body are called disease and devastate great areas within our body. As storms damage property, the storms of moods, tempers, fits, hate and other emotions disturb the psychic interior of our atmosphere and cause us physical damage.
There are numerous general patterns appearing in the macrocosm and the microcosm. We have a universe with a sun at the center, surrounded by planets; and within people we have a heart in the center surrounded by vital organs. There are relationships existing between the mysteries of the universal energies in the cosmos and the energies existing within the physical nervous system of people.
The realization that you might be observing only the surface of some action, activity, person, creature or other resident of our reality, followed by your desire to "look deeper," will lead you to a more profound discovery that lies beneath the surface of things.
Through an approach of acting with a beautiful heart, an open mind, and a humble spirit, you will enhance your physical senses and enliven new senses that you also possess.
To inspire and empower.
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