In spiritual alchemy the tria prima is a trio or triad of elements mercury (Hg), sulfur (S) and salt (NaCl). Each element has metaphysical, logical, spiritual and esoteric components. The tria prima is a learning tool with which a practitioner can uncover hidden aspects of the Self.
Azoth is a powerful universal substance valued in the field of alchemy. Pursuit of Azoth is represented by the caduceus symbol of Mercury. The term Azoth later becomes a poetic form of element mercury. Azoth is traced to Arabic al-za'buq meaning the mercury.
According to Renaissance physician alchemist Paracelsus, the three primes or tria prima are:
Mercury or spirit (spiritus), female, properties of fusion and volatility: ☿
Sulfur or soul (anima), male, combustible properties: 🜍
Salt or body, neutral, stable, non-combustible and non-volatile: 🜔
The contemporary concept of the tria prima begins with Islamic alchemists after the 642 AD conquest of Egypt, and is based on Greek thought. The tria prima arises from the concept of mercury and sulfur in Islamic philosophy.
The mercury sulfur duality asserts all metals are made of varying ratios of mercury and sulfur. Thus to transmute or change the properties of a metal (lead) to another (gold) is a matter of removing or adding sulfur or mercury through various processes.
Mercury (quicksilver)
Mercury or quicksilver is associated with feminine archetypes, such as intuition, creativity and the moon or lunar aspects. The crescent moon denotes fertility and the symbol for silver. Due to apparent magical qualities, it's a common fatal ingredient in Elixirs of Life.
The spirit of mercury is Mercurius. Every living thing has a small shining Mercurius inside. Mercury represents the ubiquitous spirit of life. Able to transcend liquid and solid states, mercury relates to transcendence of mortal limitations and perspectives.
This elemental stage is intuitive, non-active, inward seeking and productive. The practitioner identifies the unwanted elements or qualities in life and faces these honestly. Emotions run deep as one purges and purifies. Feelings of emptiness are normal and soon resolved.
Sulfur (brimstone)
Sulfur is equated with masculine archetypal qualities such as activity, logic, the sun or solar aspects. The cross-cultural circle with dot is symbolic of both gold and the Sun. In psychology it's associated with the personality.
The circle represents a sphere. At center is the ego or consciousness. The space around the ego signify the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. This shape is often found in nature.
Sulfur is the third most abundant element in the human body. In alchemy it's considered the "fluid" connecting the High and the Low. Sulfur or its symbols denote the expansive force, evaporation, and dissolution. It's used in natural health to treat skin conditions.
Above, the common symbol for sulfur. If a person is hexed by the evil eye, sulfur can undo the curse. While mercury is the "intuition" of the tria prima, able to identify and shed the unwanted elements of life, sulfur is the bringer of light, the active principle.
Now is the time to fill the self with joyful occasions, new connections, appreciation and awareness of the natural world. Sulfur helps invoke the creative spirit and reveal the brilliant light within. Mercury and sulfur work together to create a greater sense of the Whole.
Salt (body)
Salt is a foundational element both for the human body and the tria prima. The average adult human contains about 200 g or 40 tsp of salt. It's necessary for physical functioning and communication systems in the body. But what's the role of salt in the spiritual tria prima?
Mercury and sulfur both have powers of creation. As base matter, salt represents contractive force, condensation, crystallization. Salt is a stabilizing factor for the eccentricities of sulfur and mercury. The alchemical symbol for salt is a circle with a horizontal line in the middle.
Positive and Negative
In alchemy, negatives and positives are principles, neither bad nor good. In this context masculine and feminine are archetypes, or perfect models of certain qualities. However it's easy to see them as two-dimensional stereotypes, which degrades their meaning.
People possess both "masculine" and "feminine" sets of qualities regardless of gender, as well as the neutral grounding element. In the left/right brain analogy mercury corresponds to left brain qualities (creative) and sulfur to those of the right-hand side of the brain (logical).
Mercurius is both the Latin name of the god Mercury (Greek Hermes) and the spirit of light, Mercurius, the moon light, divine essence of a person. Mercurius is a guide, just as the god takes the role of psychopomp, escorting the soul of the deceased to the afterlife.
In some cultures the moon is a creator predating the sun. For example in Mesopotamian mythos Sun God Shamash (Utu) is the son of Moon God Sin (Nanna) and Ningal, a mother goddess.
Use of the tria prima concept can help dissolve unwanted energies, balance and align the Self by infusing the good. Toxins are not only physical but also symbolic representations of forces affecting mind and spirit.
Color phase therapy is also helpful to purge the bad and let the good triumph.
Unconscious toxic elements can manifest in processes of self-examination such as depth psychology, dreams or deep meditative states. Along with these transformative experiences, creative outlets such as writing or drawing can be revealing.
Expressing thoughts, emotions, and visions through art or writing, an individual can tap into personal power and gain a deeper understanding of the Self and world(s). Creative expression is part of the process of Active Imagination.
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