Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult ArtsSilberer, Herbert
Religion
Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult Arts
Silberer, Herbert
Alchemy; Society of Rosicrucians; Symbolism (Psychology)
Etymologically it is here to be noted that the verb mahlen (grind),
iterative form of môhen (mow), originally had a meaning of moving oneself
forwards and backwards. Mulieren or mahlen (grind), _molere_, μυλλειν for
coire (cf. Anthropophyteia, VIII, p. 14).
There are numerous stories where the mill appears as the place of love
adventures. The “old woman’s mill” also is familiar; old women go in and
come out young. They are, as it were, ground over in the magic mill. The
idea of recreation in the womb lies at the bottom of it, just as in the
vulgar expression, “Lassen sie sich umvögeln.”
In a legend of the Transylvanian Gypsies, “there came again an old woman
to the king and said: ‘Give me a piece of bread, for seven times already
has the sun gone down without my having eaten anything!’ The King replied:
‘Good, but I will first have meal ground for you,’ and he called his
servants and had the old woman sawn into pieces. Then the old woman’s sawn
up body changed into a good Urme (fairy) and she soared up into the
air....” (H. V. Wlislocki, Märchen u. Sagen d. transylv. Zigeuner.)
A dream: “I came into a mill and into ever narrower apartments till
finally I had no more space. I was terribly anxious and awoke in terror.”
A birth phantasy or uterus phantasy.
Another dream (Stekel, Spr. d. Tr., p. 398 f.): “I came through a crack
between two boards out of the ‘wheel room.’ The walls dripped with water.
Right before me is a brook in which stands a rickety, black piano. I use
it to cross over the brook, as I am running away. Behind me is a crowd of
men. In front of them all is my uncle. He encourages them to pursue me and
roars and yells. The men have mountain sticks, which they occasionally
throw at me. The road goes through the verdure up and down hill. The path
is strewn with coal cinders and therefore black. I had to struggle
terribly to gain any ground. I had to push myself to move forwards. Often
I seemed as though grown to the ground and the pursuers came ever nearer.
Suddenly I am able to fly. I fly into a mill through the window. In it is
a space with board walls; on the opposite wall is a large crank. I sit on
the handle, hold on to it with my hands, and fly up. When the crank is up
I press it down with my weight, and so set the mill in motion. While so
engaged I am quite naked. I look like a cupid. I beg the miller to let me
stay here, promising to move the mill in the manner indicated. He sent me
away and I have to fly out of another window again. Outside there comes
along the ‘Flying Post.’ I place myself in front near the driver. I was
soon requested to pay, but I have only three heller with me. So the
conductor says to me, ‘Well, if you can’t pay, then you must put up with
our sweaty feet.’ Now, as if by command, all the passengers in the coach
drew off a shoe and each held a sweaty foot in front of my nose.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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