Yliaster or Iliaster is a concept attributed to Renaissance alchemist and physician Paracelsus. This term arises from alchemy, where it embodies the fundamental essence of existence as the prima materia, the starting principle for the Magnum Opus or Great Work.
According to Paracelsus, Yliaster represents the union of body and soul, encapsulating the very core of being. It embodies the raw, primal material from which all creation emanates, making it a pivotal concept in the alchemical tradition.
In alchemical philosophy, Yliaster is the starting point of transformation, and the source of all subsequent manifestations in the material world. It is believed to hold immense potential for transmutation and spiritual growth, arcing between physical and metaphysical realms.
The duality of body and soul within Yliaster reflects the universal connection and balance between the tangible and the intangible. Yliaster explores the concept of prime matter. As a symbolic key to unlocking the secrets of alchemy it reveals the fundamental elements of being.
Paracelsus refers to the Iliaster as the "fully healed individual who has purged all impurities from the lower self and is now liberated to soar like the Phoenix." Yliaster or Iliaster presumably combines Greek "hyle" (matter) and Latin word "astrum" (star).
In Paracelsus' view, the Iliaster symbolizes the fundamental elements of the universe, with matter the earthly realm and stars the celestial. Paracelsus describes how fossils are made:
Accordingly, the first body, the Yliaster, was nothing but a clod which contained all the chaos, all the waters, all minerals, all herbs, all stones, all gems. Only the supreme Master could release them and form them with tender solicitude, so that other things could be created from the rest.
In alchemical philosophy, the concept of Yliaster is equivalent to the idea of Prima Materia. Yliaster, like Prima Materia, represents the fundamental substance from which all matter originates.
This mysterious and formless essence is believed to be the building block of the universe, the essence underlying all physical existence. Alchemists view Yliaster as the primal source, the purest form of matter. It's the starting point for the transformative processes of the Great Work.
The Prima Materia, often symbolized as a chaotic and undifferentiated substance is the unrefined, unstructured material. It holds within it the potential for transmutation and evolution. As alchemists engage in the Great Work, they seek to refine and purify this raw material.
Through the alchemical processes of purification, distillation, and transformation, the Prima Materia is believed to undergo a profound metamorphosis. Ultimately it leads to the creation of the Philosopher's Stone aka Elixir of Life, Dragon, Fiery Water or Angel of Violet Light.
During the Renaissance, the Philosopher's Stone also finds itself on a list o the many names for the prima materia. This spiritual and physical transmutation is the ultimate goal of the alchemical journey, where the base and mundane are elevated to the sublime and eternal.
In essence, the Yliaster and the prima materia are symbolic representations of the alchemist's quest for enlightenment, perfection, and the divine.
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