The Fifth  Day
by Jack Courtis

The night was over, and the dear wished-for day broken when hastily I got out of the bed, more desirous to learn what might yet ensue, than that I had sufficiently slept. Now after that I had put on my clothes, and according to my custom, had gone down the stairs. It was till too early, and I found nobody else in the hall, wherefore I entreated my page to lead me a little about in the castle and show me some rarities. The page was (as always) willing, and presently led me down certain steps under the ground, to a great iron door, on which the following words in great copper letters were fixed:

Using the Spiritual Discipline of guidance, CRC goes to a deeper level of consciousness. The alchemical nature of the process now becomes apparent. Iron is the metal attributed to Mars and Gevurah on the Tree of Life. It is the polar opposite on the Tree, to Netzach and Venus, with copper being the metal attributed to her. CRC is proceeding between a pair of opposites. He is on the level of reality, Formation.

Here Lies Buried
VENUS
that Beauty which hath undone
many a great man
both in fortune, honour, blessing
and prosperity.

Venus is the archetypal anima who exists deep in every man. She is his dream and the standard by which he measures all women. No wonder a man is undone by her. No man can ever see her. This is the mystery of the Veiled Isis, she who no man has ever seen unveiled. There is more to this than sexual innuendo. There is a deep truth that can only be given in allegory. By the way, have you noticed the Arabic writing surrounding the word "Venus"? Arabic is the sacred language of Islam and was at the time of CRC, the language through which Greek philosophy and kabala, had been transmitted to Europe. It was therefore a language of secrets and mysteries. What better way to indicate the mysteries of the Lady Venus?

This I copied, and set down in my table-book. Now after this door was opened, the page led me by the hand through a very dark passage and we came again to another small door, that was now only set to, for (as my page informed me) it was first opened but yesterday when the coffins were taken out, and had not been shut since.

The dark passage and the small door allude to an underworld initiation. There is a small but crucial detail. The door has been opened for the first time. Only CRC has come to this door. By implication, only he is worthy to take this step. Remember many are called but few are chosen. Why was CRC chosen and by whom?

As soon as we stepped in, I saw the most precious thing that Nature ever created, for this vault had no other light but a luminance from certain huge carbuncles, and this (as I was informed) was the King’s treasury. But the most glorious and principal thing, that I here saw, was a sepulchre which stood in the middle of the vault. It was so rich and grandiose that I wondered that it was no better guarded, whereunto the page answered me, that I had good reason to be thankful to my planet, by whose influence it was that I had now seen certain pieces which no human eye (except the King’s family) had ever had a view of. This sepulchre was triangular, and had in the middle of it a kettle of polished copper.

The vault reminds us of the tomb of CRC as described in the Fama Fraternitatis. Another subtle comment from CRC is his reference to his planet. Which one is he talking about? Very likely it is Venus because in the Fama, his tomb is located at Netzach and that is attributed to Venus. His astrological planet is conjoined with his alchemical metal to give us a powerful indication that the archetypal feminine is vital to our initiation into the mysteries. It is also important for us to notice that the sepulchre (which contains a dead body) has 3 sides. This reminds us of the 3 pillars of the Tree and also the 3^rd sefira, Binah, the Great Mother and hence a higher aspect of Venus. Finally, the kettle is copper and again points to Venus. We are in no doubt as to her importance. Note also that the kettle is an alchemical implement.

The rest was of pure gold and precious stones. In the kettle stood an angel, who held in his arms an unknown tree, from which it continually dropped fruit into the kettle; and as often as the fruit fell into the kettle, it turned into water, and ran into three small golden kettles. This little altar was supported by these three animals, an eagle, an ox and a lion, which stood on an exceedingly costly base.

The altar is a place of sacrificial action and hence reminds us of the middle pillar of the Tree which reconciles the orientations to God; knowledge/Severity is combined with love/Mercy into sacrificial action/Grace. There are 4 figures that are the Holy Living Creatures of the Apocalypse of John; angel, eagle, ox, lion. They also relate to the lower 4 psychic centres. Could the unknown tree be the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Is this the reason for all the secrecy and mystery? And the water, is that the Water of Life mentioned in the Apocalypse? But surely the Water of Life comes from the Tree of Life, what is it doing coming from the Tree of Knowledge? Perhaps life and knowledge are connected? Is life in fact to be understood to be the result of love? If so, the 2 Trees are themselves a great polarity that has to be reconciled by sacrificial action. There are deep mysteries in the quest for the Lady Venus. Is this why Isis is always veiled?

I asked my page what this might signify. "Here," said he, "lies buried Lady Venus, that beauty which hath undone many a great man, both in fortune, honour, blessing and prosperity." After which he showed me a copper door on the pavement. "Here," said he, "if you please, we may go further down." "I still follow you," replied I. So I went down the steps, where it was exceeding dark, but the page immediately opened a little chest, wherein stood a small ever-burning taper, at which he kindled one of the many torches which lay by.

Another copper door takes us further down. The ever-burning light is in fact, our Divine Spark. Our true being and the source of life that animates our vehicles of consciousness Spirit, Soul and Body. Remember at the end of Day 4 the flames (Spirit), the boats (Soul) and the coffins and chest (Body). We have in fact gone down 3 levels at this stage and this corresponds to moving consciously into our vehicles. The light is our direct awareness of our Divine Spark.

I was mightily terrified, and seriously asked how he dared do this? He gave me for answer, "As long as the Royal Persons are still at rest, I have nothing to fear." Herewith I espied a rich bed ready made, hung about with curious curtains, one of which he drew, where I saw Lady Venus stark-naked (for he heaved up the coverlets too) lying there in such beauty, and a fashion so surprising, that I was almost besides myself, neither do I yet know whether it was a piece thus carved, or a human corpse that lay dead there. For she was altogether immovable, and yet I dared not touch her. So she was again covered, and the curtain drawn before her, yet she was still (as it were) in my eye. But I soon noticed behind the bed a tablet on which it was thus written:

Indeed we should be frightened. We are contemplating our Divine Spark directly and without the benefit of the protection of our vehicles. We see truth directly and this is terrifying. Here is a tremendous mystery that can only be symbolised by the naked Venus. No logical explanation will suffice. We must see Isis unveiled by our own efforts in order to understand with wisdom and be wise with understanding. Only then can we truly know. On the Tree, wisdom is Chakhmah, understanding is Binah and knowledge is Da’at. Does the Tree of Knowledge connect with the Tree of Life through Da’at? Once more, the secret is portrayed by sexual innuendo. It is easy to be dazzled and distracted. Again we must take careful note that CRC is acting pursuant to the Spiritual Discipline of guidance. Indeed, to get to this point, he has exercised all 12 Disciplines.

But the problem remains; what is the mystery? Surely it is the principle of polarity as shown by the specific example of gender? Venus is a woman and CRC is a man. He is obviously sexually aroused. Sexual union is an approximation of the unity of polarity that produces Oneness. The problem is that in our present state of consciousness, our mind is polarised and divided. In this state it breaks reality into subject and object; it splits the One into the Many. The polarised mind creates the illusion of separateness. Thus we can experience God, but we cannot know Him. A divided mind cannot grasp Unity. The mystery of the naked Lady Venus, Isis unveiled, is that sex is the source of unity and the reconciliation of the polarised mind into the awareness of the Divine Spark. It takes the feminine to spark the kundalini fire, which produces the direct consciousness of the Divine Spark, by reconciling polarity into Unity. This is indeed a mystery.

When the fruit of my
tree shall be quite melted down
then I shall awake and
be the mother of a
KING

If knowledge is a masculine attribute, the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge is a king. This is consistent with the Tree of Life being feminine and the secrets of this Tree being symbolised by the Lady Venus. The above statement involves both the masculine and feminine. Again, more Arabic and therefore, yet another clear pointer to deep mysteries.

I asked my page concerning this writing, but he laughed, with promise that I should know it too. So he putting out the torch, we again ascended.

Our Divine Spark can never be put out. It can only be concealed. The ascent in this case is a withdrawal from the direct contemplation of our true nature, into our vehicles of consciousness. From here, we can only see through a glass darkly.

Then I better viewed all the little doors, and first found that on every corner there burned a small taper of pyrites, of which I had before taken no notice, for the fire was so clear, that it looked much like a stone than a taper. From this heat the tree was forced continually to melt, yet it still produced new fruit. Now behold (said the page) what I heard revealed to the King by Atlas. When the tree (said he) shall be quite melted down, then shall Lady Venus awake, and be the mother of a King.

The heat that melts the tree is an alchemical principle that can never be openly revealed. Hence the little doors that by implication, are all closed. It is for each of us to open them, but only when we have followed CRC to this stage. We have a lot of work to do.

Whilst he was thus speaking in flew the little Cupid who at first was somewhat abashed at our presence, but seeing us both look more like the dead than the living, he could not at length refrain from laughing, demanding what spirit had brought me thither, whom I with trembling answered, that I had lost my way in the castle, and was by chance come hither, and that the page likewise had been looking up and down for me, and at last lighted upon me here, I hoped he would not take it amiss. "Nay, it is well enough yet," said Cupid, "my old busy grandsire, but you might lightly have served me a scurvy trick, had you been aware of this door. Now I must look better to it," and so be put a strong lock on the copper door, where we before descended. I thanked God that he lighted upon us no sooner. My page also was the more jocund, because I had so well helped him at this pinch. "Yet I cannot," said Cupid, "let it pass unrevenged, that you were so near stumbling upon my dear mother." With that he put the point of his dart into one of the little tapers, and heating it a little, pricked me with it on the hand. A small nip which I little regarded as I was glad that it went so well with us, and that we came away without furtherdanger.

Cupid is the personification of a principle related to love, sex and the Lady Venus. It is a mystery to us at this stage. Importantly, Cupid draws blood from CRC. This is related to the cut on his head received on Day 1. It is clearly a serious matter to have come so close to the vault without proper authority. It is also significant that the dart that draws the blood is heated by the same source that melts the tree. This is clearly part of the rites of a mystery initiation. The shedding of blood is of the utmost importance.

Meantime my companions had arisen from sleep too and were again in the hall. To whom I also joined myself, making as if I were then first risen. After Cupid had carefully made all fast again, he came likewise to us, and would needs have me show him my hand, where he still found a little drop of blood, at which he heartily laughed, and bade the rest have a care of me, as I would shortly end my days. We all wondered how Cupid could be so merry, and have no sense at all of the yesterday’s sad passages. But he was untroubled.

The companions of CRC were asleep, that is, did not reach his level of consciousness whilst he was undergoing his rite. But why is Cupid joking and laughing? Particularly when he tells CRC that he will shortly end his days? Paradox is a useful clue to a deep issue. CRC is about to experience the "death" of initiation. That is because death and initiation have a similar result, a transcendence of the limitations of the consciousness imposed upon us by our vehicle of consciousness, our Body. Freemasons will be familiar with the death and resurrection ritual.

Now our president had in the meantime made herself ready for the journey, coming in full black velvet, yet she still held her branch of laurel. Her virgins too had their branches. Now all things being in readiness, the Virgin bid us first drink somewhat, and prepare ourselves for the coming procession, wherefore we did not tarry but followed her out of the hall into the court. In the court, there stood six coffins. My companions thought nothing else except that the six Royal Persons lay in them, but I well observed the contrivance. Yet I knew not what was to be done with these other coffins. At each coffin, there stood eight muffled men.

With all the symbolism about love, what can we infer about the 6 coffins each with 8 men? We can reasonably assume that love is related to the heart of the Tree, that is, Tiferet. In fact, there are 6 sefirot (including Da’at) surrounding Tiferet. Further, there are 8 paths that lead to Tiferet. Since each of us can be thought to function like the Tree because we are made in the image and likeness, then we too have a Tiferet to which, lead 8 spiritual functions. One of those functions is the sword of right discrimination, the path Zain, from Binah to Tiferet.

Now as soon as the music began (it was so mournful a tune, that I was astounded at it) they took up the coffins, and we (as we were ordered) followed after them into the aforementioned garden. In the midst of the garden, there was erected a wooden edifice, having on the roof a glorious crown with seven supporting columns. Within it were formed six sepulchres and by each of them a stone, and in the middle, it had a round hollow rising stone. In these graves the coffins were quietly and with many ceremonies laid. The stones were shoved over them and they were secured. The little chest was to lie in the middle. Herewith my companions were deceived, for they imagined no other but that the dead corpses were there. Upon the top of all there was a great flag, having a Phoenix painted on it, perhaps therewith the more to delude us. Here I had great occasion to thank God that I had seen more than the rest.

The glorious crown suggests Keter and the 7 columns are the 7 vertical paths on the Tree of Life. The little chest occupies the position of Tiferet and the 6 sepulchres are the 6 sefirot surrounding it. What is all this about? The phoenix flag is the clue, because the phoenix is the bird that resurrects itself from its own ashes. Furthermore, the phoenix is the 5^th of the alchemical birds and represents the Quintessence.

Now after the funerals were done, the Virgin, having placed herself upon the middle-most stone, made a short oration, that we should be constant to our engagements, and not repine at the pains we were hereafter to undergo, but be helpful in restoring the present buried Royal Persons to life again, and therefore without delay to rise up with her, to make a journey to the tower of Olympus, where we should fetch medicines useful and necessary for this purpose. This we soon agreed to, and followed her through another little door rather close to the shore.

Sitting on the 7^th stone, in the midst of the 7 columns, the virgin speaks of the universal medicine of the alchemists, the Elixir of Life. It has to be acquired from a tower that will be found to have 7 levels. We are entitled to consider the 7 pairs of opposites that have to be reconciled. It is clear that the Elixir of Life is the fruit of the Tree of Life. Hence it will be used to restore to life, the 7 people currently presented as being dead. Another little door is opened. These are secrets of initiation to which we are not admitted until we have done the work.

There the seven previously mentioned ships stood empty, the ones which all the virgins stuck up their laurel branches. After they had distributed us in the six ships, they charged us in God’s name to begin our voyage, and looked upon us as long as they could have us in sight, after which they, with all the watch-men, returned into the castle. Our ships had each of them a peculiar symbol. Five of them indeed had the five regular bodies, but mine (the one in which the Virgin sat), carried a globe. Thus we sailed on in a singular order, and each had only two mariners. First in line was the ship a, in which, I believed the Moor lay. On board, there were twelve musicians, who played excellent well, and its symbol was a pyramid. Next followed three ships abreast, b, c, and d. I sat in vessel c. Following these there sailed the two fairest and stateliest ships, e and f, ornamented with many branches of laurel, but having no passengers in them. The symbols decorating their flags were the sun and moon. In the rear of the line, the ship g, bearing forty virgins. After passing over this lake, we came through a narrow strait, into the right sea, where all the sirens,

The 7 ships emphasise the 7 pairs of opposites, because the ships are the vehicles for the inner journey about to begin. They are vehicles in consciousness, not vehicles of consciousness. The distinction is subtle and important. Vehicles in consciousness are thoughtforms that we create and use for meditation, visualisation and projection of consciousness, in the inner journey, as part of the process of personal transformation. Vehicles of consciousness (Body, Soul, Spirit) are not our creation. They are made by the One who created us.

Since the inner journey has now begun, let us look at the ships. The 5 with the regular bodies, are symbolised by the 5 lower astrological planets; Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury. This reminds us of the 5 sefirot (including Da’at) on the central pillar of the Tree of Life. Two other ships symbolise polarity by the Sun and the Moon. The first ship has 12 musicians. This is a reference to the 12 signs of the zodiac and behind them, to the 12 Spiritual Disciplines. By implication, the musicians are an orchestra, that is, they must play together to produce a pleasing and harmonious result. That is what we must do with the Disciplines, use them together for a unified purpose. The Disciplines are all in the first ship, because we must do them all to a minimum standard, as the first major phase of our spiritual journey. All else follows behind. This is the ship of the pyramid. What does this mean? A pyramid shows 4 faces plus 8 edges. A total of 12 features. This reinforces the reference to the 12, above. Furthermore, a pyramid is a place where the polarity of death and resurrection is enacted. The last ship has 40 virgins. There are 4 levels of reality; Atzilut/Emanation, Briah/Creation, Yetzirah/Formation, Assiah/Action. On each level there is a Tree of Life and each Tree has 10 sefirot. There are 40 sefirot in all.

The ships are set out like this:

They are like 2 triangles with apexes pointing in opposite directions; polarity again. Since there are 7 ships, the pairs of opposites are again emphasised. Perhaps we should review them at this stage:

nymphs, and sea-goddesses had attended us; wherefore they immediately dispatched a sea-nymph to us to deliver their present and offering of honour to the Marriage. It was a costly, great, round and orient pearl, the like to which has never been seen, even in the new world. Now the Virgin having graciously received it, the nymph further entreated that an audience might be given to their divertissements, and to make a rest, which the Virgin was content to do, and commanded the two great ships to stand into the middle and with the rest to encompass them in a pentagon pattern. After which the nymphs fell into a

The sea people are principles of our consciousness, normally hidden from view. The great pearl is once again, the solidification of the life force, brought up to objectivity from the depths of our unconscious. Again, a very precious gift. Let us now consider the pentagram formation of the ships. It is quite deliberate. The principle of polarity (sun/moon) is inside and the 5 lower planets form the pattern. The formula of 5 + 2 = 7, is significant. The pentagram is the alchemical symbol for the integration of the 4 elements by the Quintessence. Inside it, polarity is the driving mechanism.

ring about them, and with a most delicate sweet voice began thus to sing:

The circle around the pentagram is a powerful symbol. One explanation, is the 12 signs of the zodiac encompassing the 7 planets in the 5 + 2 formation. This describes the karmic process. We should also recall that the ships of the Sun and the Moon carry the Bridegroom and Bride, who are the focus of the "marriage" and hence the process of transformation.

It is easy to get sentimental and think that this is a love song. It is more than this if we understand that love is the product of the principle of polarity acting symbiotically and not antagonistically. That is the whole point of reconciling the 7 pairs of opposites. It is also the reason for 7 verses in the song.

They having with most admirable consent and melody finished this song, I wondered no longer at Ulysses for stopping the ears of his companions for I seemed to myself the most unhappy man alive, that nature had not made me like these creatures. The Virgin soon commanded the ships to set sail. The nymphs were presented with a long red scarf for a gratuity and dispersed themselves in the sea. I was at this time sensible that Cupid began to work with me too, which yet tended but very little to my credit, and for as much as my giddiness, is likely to be nothing beneficial to the reader, I am resolved to let it rest as it is. But this was the very wound that in the first book I received on the head in a dream. And let every one take warning by me of loitering about Venus’s bed, for Cupid can by no means brook it.

The red scarf is given in exchange for the pearl. We can assume the pearl is white and we know the scarf is red. These are the colours adopted by CRC at the end of Day 1 which symbolise the step of redescent in the Emerald Tablet and which is the path between Keter and Tiferet on the Tree. Note also that the wound to his hand is the same as the wound to his head in the dream on Day 1.

After some hours, having in friendly waters made a good way, we came within range of the Tower of Olympus, wherefore the Virgin commanded by the discharge of some cannons to give the signal of our approach, which was also done. We espied a great white flag thrust out, and a small gilded pinnace sent forth to meet us. As soon as this was to us, we perceived in it a very ancient man, who was the warden of the Tower. Certain guards clothed in white accompanied him. We were received as friends and they conducted us to the Tower.

The white flag and the guards dressed in white suggest the "white" stage of the alchemical process. The old man is the guardian who stands at the threshold of these mysteries.

This Tower was situated upon an island exactly square, which was surrounded with a wall so firm and thick, that I myself counted two hundred and sixty passes over. On the other side of the wall was a fine meadow with certain little gardens, in which grew strange, and to me unknown, fruits; and then again an inner wall about the Tower. The Tower was just as if seven round towers had been built one by another, yet the middlemost was somewhat the higher, and within they all entered one into another, and had seven stories one above another. We came to the gates of the Tower and we were led beside on the wall. I well believe we were taken there, so the coffins might be brought into the Tower without our taking notice. We were conducted into the Tower at the very bottom, which albeit it were excellently painted, yet we had here little recreation, for this was nothing but a laboratory, where we were fain to beat and wash plants, and precious stones, and all sorts of things, and extract their juice and essence, and put up the same in glasses, and deliver them to be laid up.

The island is square to suggest the 4 elements. In this case, the Quintessence is the tower of 7 levels. There are 2 walls outside the tower, so that 3 doors have to be entered. The first level is a laboratory for the production of juices and essences. This reminds us of the Elixir of Life.

And truly our Virgin was so busy with us, and so full of her directions, that she knew how to give each of us employment enough, so that in this island we were fain to be mere drudges, until we had achieved all that was necessary for the restoring of the beheaded bodies. Meantime, (as I afterwards understood) three virgins were in the first apartment washing the corpses, with all diligence. Now having at length almost done with this our preparation, nothing more was brought us, but some broth with a little draught of wine, whereby I well observed that we were not here for our pleasure; for when we had finished our days work, everyone had only a mattress laid on the ground for him, wherewith we were to content ourselves.

This is clearly the level for the basic work to be done in preparation for the resurrection of the corpses. Note that 3 virgins wash the bodies. CRC is given broth and wine. It is easy to overlook this small detail. Broth sustains the body but what about the wine? What does wine do? It changes our awareness, perception or consciousness. As CRC observes, we are not here for our pleasure. Hence the wine indicates that altering our level of consciousness to make it different from body or sense consciousness, is part of the work.

For my part I was not very much troubled with sleep. Therefore, I walked out into the garden and went as far as the wall. The heaven was at that time very clear and I could well drive away the time in contemplating the stars. By chance I came to a great pair of stone stairs, which led up to the top of the wall. And because the moon shone very bright, I was so much the more confident, and went up, and looked as well upon the sea, which was now exceeding calm. Thus having good opportunity to consider better of astronomy, I found that this present night there would happen such a conjunction of the planets, the like to which was not otherwise suddenly to be observed. Now having looked a good little into the sea, and it being just about midnight, as soon as it had struck twelve, I beheld from far the seven flames passing over sea hitherward, and betaking themselves to the top of the spire of the Tower.

CRC goes up to a higher level of consciousness and observes a very unusual conjunction of the planets. That is, he gains a deeper understanding of astrology. We should observe that astrology describes the Above while alchemy describes the Below. Their true relationship and meaning are usually hidden from us. At 12 midnight, the 7 flames go to the spire of the tower. Again we are reminded of the zodiac and planets, as well as the Disciplines and the Reconciliations.

This made me somewhat afraid, for as soon as the flames had settled themselves, the winds arose, and began to make the sea very tempestuous. The moon also was covered with clouds, and my joy ended with such fear, that I had scarce time enough to hit upon the stairs, and betake myself again to the Tower. Now whether the flames tarried any longer, or passed away again, I cannot say, for in this obscurity I dared no more venture abroad. So I laid me down upon my mattress, and there being besides in the laboratory a pleasant and gently purling fountain, I fell asleep so much the sooner. And thus the fifth day too was concluded with wonder.

We finish the day with the conjunction of the 4 elements: the flames (fire), the winds (air), the sea (water), the island (earth). The tower of 7 levels is the culmination of this conjunction and in its lowest level, there is a fountain. Yet again, the Water of Life is hinted at.

Copyright © 1998 by Stepney Nominees Pty Ltd (ACN 008 869 485) Trustee for Courtis No4 Trust

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