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Multifarious Patron of Six Crows Alliance
HERMES: The WHOLE is greater than the sum of its parts
by Linda Margaret Ritz
Neither epoch nor culture has produced any deity as diverse as the multifarious Hermes.
Ever transiting between the worlds, his judicious
successor, Hermes Trismegistus, conveys his
simplest wisdom: As Above, So Below.
Hermes T. is the sage later iteration of Hermes, the
clever messenger god who moves beyond culture,
an amalgam of the Greek Hermes, Roman Mercury,
Egyptian Thoth, and probably an early Israeli
prophet, perhaps even Moses or Aaron. The look
and comportment of the amalgam is suitably that of
an older, bearded sage. In antiquity, he is called
“the Great Great”, and “Master of Masters”.
Stated author of the Hermetic Corpus (the sacred
texts that are the basis for Hermeticism), Lord Hermes
was revered by all, including early Christians.
Augustine dedicated several chapters of his
masterpiece, The City of God, to Hermes. Christian
mystics Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, and Albertus
Magnus cite him in their writings. Muslims equate
him to the Prophet Idris, whom the Jews call Enoch.
Bahá'u'lláh writes in his Tablet on the Uncompounded
Reality: "…Idrís ...Some called him also Hermes. In
every tongue he hath a special name."
In Biographia Antigua (The Magus: A Complete System of Occult Philosophy), 1801, Occultist
Francis Barrett proposes (as is commonly held today) the sage/scribe lived among humankind:
"If God ever appeared in man, he appeared in him (Hermes), as is evident both
from his books and his Pymander, in which works he has communicated the sum of
the Abyss, and the Divine Knowledge to all posterity, by which he has
demonstrated to himself to have been not only an inspired divine, but also a deep
philosopher, obtaining wisdom from God and heavenly things, and not from Man."
Compare this esteem with Hermes’ humble nativity. Although his father is Zeus – sire to many
illicit offspring – he is born of a nymph alone deep in a cave. The earliest Greco-Roman Hermes
iteration is neither a messenger nor even winged. He is a clever trickster, a bearded thief sporting a
Rhabdos (the wand he used to induce sleep and waking). He is, in effect, the original sandman.
Legend tells how things change after Hermes receives a golden staff (wand/rod) from his brother
Apollo, and puts it into service. The messenger god is now depicted as an eternal youth,
handsome, athletic, beardless, clad in winged hat and sandals, and carrying the caduceus wand,
and perhaps a tortoise-shell lyre, which Hermes invents and masters on his birth day. Hermes
invents several musical instruments and styles, and is an ingenious inventor in general.
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Persuasive, prudent, clever, cunning, mischievous, even devious, the mutable Lord Hermes,
through the favor of the gods becomes the preeminent Scribe of the Gods, most eloquent Herald
of the Gods, Bestower of Grace and Good Fortune to Humanity, and Herdsman of the Dead. See
the Homeric Hymn to Hermes for a more complete telling of Hermes’ fascinating story, stored
along with other Hermetica, in the Six Crows Arcane Library.
The Egyptian Thoth, part of the amalgam that is Hermes T., is usually represented as a man
with the head of an ibis (a bird representing mind/intellect). An equally clever inventor, he has
absolute knowledge of all arts and sciences. Ancient Egyptians considered Thoth the heart, or
seat, of intelligence or mind, and the very tongue of his father, the sun god Ra. Thoth is said to
have translated Ra’s will into speech. Under his authority is a vault containing all his teachings
and writings, and all the magical formulas to control all the elements in the created world. Learn
his fascinating story in Legends of the Gods by E.A. Wallis Budge, also in the Arcane Library.
It is understandable that a maturing cosmic consciousness would merge these deities into a new
wisdom archetype. They complement and enhance each other such that Hermes T. is truly
greater than the sum of his parts. Significantly (although both are psychopomps dealing with
souls on their journey beyond death), Thoth is of the sky (intellect), and Hermes, despite his sky
father and his own brilliant intellect – not to mention winged gear and speed – is more of the
Earth. If that surprises you, consider familiar images of Lord Hermes sporting an enormous erect
penis. Very much also a phallic god, Hermes is naturally invested in creation and procreation,
which happen only on the Earthly Plane. His enormous erect penis equally represents the
creative urge [god-ness] of humankind actualizing in the created world, inspired by Hermes.
THE CADUCEUS
Hermes is a god of duality, and likewise Hermes transcends duality. He technically belongs to
Olympus with most of the other major Greek deities, yet he is the only deity who travels freely
among all the worlds. His tool of passage is the caduceus, his magic wand, his winged staff
topped with a globe and entwined by twin serpents.
The nature of myth is fluid, so most stories come down in different ways. The legend generally
goes that Hermes’ caduceus is a golden olive staff gifted to him by his brother Apollo. The staff,
at times also called a wand or rod, blossomed into its fullness when Hermes used it to separate
two venomous serpents in the heat of deadly combat. The snakes ceased fighting each other,
coiled themselves around the wand, and faced each other.
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Snakes have been assigned profound symbolic significance since inequity. Periodically molting,
or shedding their skin, snakes bring to mind regeneration and renewal. Flowing and coiling with
no visible means of support or locomotion, and at the same time whole-bodily engaging the
heartbeat of Mother Earth, these legless reptiles were in antiquity considered to be the wisest
and cleverest of all animals. We have the lightning snake of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the
Egyptian Wadjet, cosmic serpents like Ourobouros, and countless others. At the same time,
snakes have equally represented evil or destruction. The Greeks have several, including Medusa,
the deadly gorgon with snakes for hair, and the grisly Typhon, whose massive body is made of
viper coils and dragon heads. There’s the Midgard Serpent, arch enemy of Thor in Norse legend.
Probably the most familiar is the Genesis 3 envoy of evil and sly plotting, the serpent who
tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, resulting in The Fall of Man. (Note that this serpent is in fact
a recast of several Mesopotamian gods of antiquity whose captions include Source of All
Knowledge, and Ruler or Lord of the Abyss, absent any account of a fall. That’s another article.)
It follows, then, that the caduceus represents these polarities and dualities, the swift, opposing
(black/white, active/passive, above/below, within/without, day/night, sun/shade… and so on) roles
of the messenger god. The caduceus is the World of Creation, which enables science, healing,
alchemy, magic, philosophy, mathematics, astrology, all the governing laws of the universe, the
entire cosmos, and the consciousness of the entire cosmos!
It further represents the evolution of human
consciousness, the integration of opposites and
a life of balance, peace, unity, the wisdom of
personal reflection, common sense, order, and
finally, freedom. It is the axis mundi (world
center) connecting the realms.
In the Hermetic Tradition, Hermes’ caduceus is
a symbol of spiritual awakening/Alchemical
Marriage, alignment of the solar rational king
and lunar intuitive queen consciousnesses). This
is similar to the
twin
intertwining
Kundalini
serpents of
Hindu
mysticism,
which
symbolize the
lunar (female)
Ida, and solar (male) Pingala channels of yogic philosophy. These
channels must be cleared and balanced in order for the kundalini
energy, or serpent power, to ascend from the base of the spine
to the crown, producing enlightenment.
Apart from its connection with Hermes, the caduceus is a nearly universal symbol of harmony
and balance. It was in common use in early Egypt, Mesopotamia, and India. Its earliest
expression may have been to represent the sovereignty of the Goddess Tanit, a Punic goddess,
chief deity of Carthage. The Semitic goddess (of love and war, again, polarities) Ishtar/Inanna
used it to grant life, heal, or take life away. The Sumerian creator god Enki is himself depicted as
a snake. He provides both the blessing and curse of knowledge and civilization to humanity (not
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unlike the Biblical snake in the garden). The most recognizable form of the caduceus is the
Kerykeion, or Herald’s Wand, an emblem of authority carried by couriers for safe passage. It is
the Herald’s Wand that we associate with Hermes.
We erroneously think of the caduceus as a medical symbol. The correct image to
represent the medical profession is the Rod of Asclepius, a healing staff depicting a
single snake and no wings or globe, taking its name from the son of Apollo, Asclepius,
god of healing and medicinal arts. See the correct application of the two symbols, the
caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius, in the engraving below, which depicts Hermes
and a merchant addressing Asclepius, who had been engaged with the Graces. The
mistake goes back to the early 1900s when the U.S. Army Medical Corps adopted
the caduceus as its insignia. Purists in the U.S. medical community, as well as
medical organizations in many other parts of the world, do in fact symbolize their
healing nature with the Rod of Asclepius.
(Galerie Mythologique, Recueil de Monuments by Aubin Louis Millin, Paris 1811, housed in the Meseum
Pio Clemens in Rome)
FAMILY TREE
Roots do matter, and Hermes’ roots certainly do. Except for his sun god father
Ra, Thoth’s family lineage and relationships are vague. Not so with the Greek
Hermes, last born of the 12 Olympian gods. His father Zeus, the Greek sky god
and ruler of Mount Olympus, and his mother Maia, the eldest of the Pleiades Sisters,
who resides deep in a dark cave, deliver him into two worlds right from the start.
The Greek Hermes is a popular dude and has a lot of famous family, too many
HUGE personalities to get into here. But check out the chart on Page 5; it sums
up a lot of Hermes’ family, consorts, and offspring, and what a telling overview!
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THE GREEK HERMES’ FAMILY TREE
ATTRIBUTES
CONSORTS/LOVERS
OFFSPRING
Thievery, Herald,
Messengers, Trade,
Commerce,
Merchants, Roads,
Boundaries,
Shepherds, Flocks,
Transitions, Athletics,
Land Travel, Speed,
Mathematics, Poetry,
Phallic, Astrology,
Astronomy, Cunning,
Wiles, Language,
Psychopomp,
Writing, Humor,
Persuasion, Oratory,
Diplomacy, Occult,
Invention, Alchemy,
Magic, Hospitality
Aglaurus: daughter of
Athenian king Cecrops, turned
to stone by Hermes
- Eumolpus
Antianeira: Malian princess
- Echion, Argonaut
Apemosyne: Cretan princess
Aphrodite: Goddess of love,
raw sexuality, and fertility
- Eros
- Eunomia
- Hermaphroditus
- Priapus
- Rhodos
- Tyche
Carmentis: Arcadian nymph,
goddess of childbirth and
prophecy, charms and spells
- Evander
Chione: “Snow White”,
daughter of Daedalion
- Autolycus
Crocus: in death the crocus
flower
Dryope: Arcadian nymph
Eupolomia: Phthian princess
- Aethalides, Argonaut
Herse: Athenian priestess
- Cephalus the hunter
Pandrosus: Athenian priestess
- Ceryx Eleusinian
Peitho: an Oceanid, Goddess of
Persuasion, companion to
Aphrodite, possibly Hermes’
only wife
Penelope: Arcadian nymph,
wife of Odysseus
Persephone: queen of the
Underworld)
Polymele: daughter of Phylas
- Eudorus
Sicilian nymph: unnamed
- Daphnis, rustic poet
Theobula: Amazon princess
- Myrtilus
Abderus: squire of Heracles devoured by the
Mares of Diomedes (mother unknown)
Aethalides: herald of the Argonauts (mother
Eupolemeia)
Angelia: goddess of messages and
proclamations (mother unknown)
Autolycus: prince of theves, grandfather of
Odysseus (mother Chione)
Cephalus: grandson of Aeolus (mother Herse)
Ceryx: one of the first priests of the Eleusinian
mysteries (mother Pandrosus)
Daphnis: Sicilian bard, inventor of pastoral
poetry (mother Sikelian nymph)
Echion: Argonaut (mother Antianeira)
Eleusis: goddess (some say god) of the
Eleusinian mysteries (mother Daeira)
Eros: god of love (mother Aphrodite)
Eudorus: leader under Achilles (mother
Polemele)
Eumolpus: one of the first priests of the
Eleusinian mysteries (mother Aglaurus)
Eunomia: goddess of good order and lawful
conduct, one of the Horai – goddesses of the
seasons and keepers of the gates of heaven
(mother Aphrodite)
Evander: the virtuous man (mother
Carmentis)
Hermaphroditus: half male half female
(mother Aphrodite)
Myrtilus: charioteer of King Oenomaus of Pisa
(mother Theobula)
Orion: a gigante, son made for King Hyrieus of
Central Greece (from the urine of Hermes,
Poseidon, and Zeus)
Oreiades: daughters with other Oreiades
Nymphs
Palaistra: boyish goddess and inventor of
wrestling as peaceful competition in lieu of war
(unknown Arcadian mother)
Pan: goat-footed god of wild shepherds and
flocks, hunting, and rustic music (mother
unknown)
Priapus: where Hermes’ phallic organs survive
(mother Aphrodite)
Satyroi: the three messenger gods,
Pherespondos, Lykos, and Pronomos (mother
Iphthime the nymph)
Tyche: also called Fortuna, goddess of luck
(mother Aphrodite)
PARENTS
Maia (eldest of the
seven Pleiades, a shy
nymph who lives in a
dark cave, daughter
to Atlas, Prometheus
and Epimetheus are
her uncles)
Zeus (sky god, and
ruler of Mount
Olympus)
SIBLINGS
Aphrodite
Apollo
Athena
Ares
Artemis
Dionysus
Eileithyia
Eris
Hēbē
Helen
Hephaestus Heracles
Mino
Muses
Persephone
Perseus
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SKILLS, AND ROLES
Hermes’ divine roles and privileges are many and diverse. All are important, of course, though
we’ll explore a selection of them.
 Hermes God of Animal Husbandry
 Hermes God of Heralds
 Hermes God of Birds of Omen
 Hermes God of Thieves & Trickery
 Hermes God of Trade & Merchants
 Hermes God of Language & Crafty Wiles
 Hermes God of Roads, Travelers & Hospitality
 Hermes God of Feasts & Banquets
 Hermes God Protector of the Home
 Hermes Guide of the Dead
 Hermes God of Sleep & Dreams of Omen
 Hermes God of Rustic Divination
 Hermes God of Contests, Gymnasiums & the Games
 Hermes God of Astronomy & the Calendar
 Hermes God of Rustic Music, Poetry & Animal Fables
Trickster and Thief – The Greek
Hermes is clever, shrewd, cunning,
deceitful, ambiguous, and oh so
eloquent, traits of an outstanding
trickster. Yet he is the trusted
messenger of the gods, and the guide of
souls into the Underworld. He is born
without particular power or station. His
divine status is actually unclear at his
humble birth in a single-parent cave. Yet
he gains the favor of all the gods.
Through sheer cleverness, the cheeky
little liar manages to get his brother
Apollo, from whom he had stolen, to
give him Herdsman's status (dominion
over the animals), soothsaying ability,
and the office of initiated messenger
with open access to The Underworld. He
then gains from Zeus the right of traffic
between the worlds of man and the
Divine. He thus gains access to all three
realms, which no other god enjoys!
And how intriguing that it is Hermes’ early exploits as a Trickster that gain him the admiration of
Zeus and an uncontested place on Olympus. Unlike many of us who might raise an eyebrow
about the morality thing, the gods appear to sometimes value a little larceny. And why wouldn’t
they be entertained by a deity spunky enough to lead and mislead, direct and misdirect, steal
from us and bring us gifts, lie to us and bring us profound truths… you get the idea. 
The Trickster Thief also represents that childish side of us that is devoted to its own ends,
whatever the cost or ethical/moral compromise. In understanding the Trickster, we understand
ourselves and the subconscious aspects of ourselves that respond to the Trickster's unsettling
behavior. He is the con who takes what he wants from us by seeming to give us what we want.
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Suggesting that we will get something for nothing, when in fact we are giving something and
getting nothing, is as good a life lesson as any god can provide. Hermes challenges
complacency, forces discernment, and broadens the scope of our
experience and vision beyond the ordinary, that we may move
from one stage of life to the next, maturing as we go.
Unfortunately, a lot of the time we go kicking and screaming, but
Hermes always gets the biggest laugh.
Messenger/Bringer of Dreams/Consciousness – On the
surface, Hermes' role as messenger may seem trite. It is actually
tantamount to our personal growth! Hermes is always talking to
us, relaying wisdom (one way or another), showing us the way to
greater consciousness. You won’t find a more evolved deity! From
the moment of his birth, Hermes uses his own talents to learn, and
uses what he learns to hone his talents further, creating wiser and
wiser iterations of himself, transcending to Hermes T. (In fact,
Hermes T.’s earliest known Hermetic text, The Divine Pymander,
alludes to Hermes’ "awakening" to an exalted state of
consciousness.)
Scribe to the Gods – Neo-Platonic Syrian philosopher Iamblichus (c. 250-300 BC), credits
Hermes T. with writing 20,000 books. Manetho, an Egyptian priest who wrote the history of
Egypt in Greek (c. 300 BC), suggests Hermes wrote 36,000 books. He is said to have written all
the ancient esoteric texts, including The Book of Breathings, which provides humans with the
knowledge, wisdom, and power to achieve their desired station, including becoming gods, in the
afterlife.
We don’t know the scope of texts destroyed by oppressive regimes/religions over the eons, but
Hermetica today comprises a mere 42 volumes. Still it’s more than enough to reveal the Greater
Truths, truths we intuitively recognize and fold into our identity, truths that have influenced
every eon, every generation, every culture. They’re in Gnosticism, early Christianity, Nag
Hamadi and Coptic volumes. They are essential in Western occultism and mystery societies, and
in ceremonial magic. They are intuitively understood by artists and poets, surging during the
renaissance and again with the “new age” (Law of Attraction; What The Bleep Do We Know; The
Secret). If it surprises you that Hermeticism is the foundation of “new age” consciousness, you will
find Keegan Clements-Housser’s excellent paper, The New Hermes: Roots of Hermeticism in
Contemporary New Age Movements enlightening.
The most recent substantial Hermetic writing was published in 1908. The Kybalion (in the Six
Crows Arcane Library) is credited to a group of anonymous occultists going by The Three
Initiates (speculated to be members of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn), and as ever,
writing as Hermes. Since its publication, The Kybalion has served as a reference and an essential
read for aspiring and seasoned Masons, Rosicrucians, Golden Dawn, and others treading paths of
initiation.
A mini review here is essential, for The Kybalion is truly a mind opener and extremely
enlightening to all, irrespective of spiritual path. It is not a long book, but you will want to pace
your reading as it asks you to do a lot of considering. It is a book you will want to reread, in
parts or whole, again and again, as it is so layered in wisdom.
Neatly divided by the seven Axioms or Hermetic Principles of the Universe, The Kybalion clearly
and succinctly explains each of them in depth.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Principle of Mentalism: all is mind;
The Principle of Correspondence: as above so below;
The Principle of Vibration: everything moves, vibrates, and circles; nothing rests;
The principle of Polarity: everything has its opposite;
The Principle of Rhythm: everything has to and fro, backward and forward, flow and
inflow;
6. The Principle of Cause and Effect: a cause for every effect, an effect for every cause;
7. The Principle of Gender: gender exists on all planes (physical, mental, and spiritual);
everyone has both masculine (expressing) and feminine (receiving) mental genders.
Psychopomp and Patron of Travelers and Roads
– As herdsman of the dead, the Greek Hermes leads
souls from their dead bodies to the banks of the River
Styx, where he hands them over to Charon, who in
turn ferries them to the realm of Hades. The Egyptian
Thoth questions souls and records the weight of their
heart against Maat’s feather at the judgment of the
dead. If the result is favorable, Thoth declares the
deceased worthy of a blessed afterlife.
The release of the soul from the physical form is
directly linked with alchemy of consciousness, that is,
moving to a higher frequency of thought, which has
been the common aim of mystery school teachings
and Hermetic orders throughout recorded history. It is in this capacity that the Hermes of
antiquity was worshipped at crossroads. Statues called Herms (there are still many throughout
Greece) were erected to honor Hermes and invoke his blessings upon travelers. Hermes’ laws of
hospitality for guests were strictly observed.
Inventor – Lord Hermes is an inventor par excellence. Some say he even invented fire. As
noted, before the day of his birth was half over, he had invented and devised a lyre from a
tortoise shell. Over time, he provided humanity with assorted musical instruments for our delight
and his own. As scribe to the gods, Hermes invented writing and alphabets, including
hieroglyphs. As co-creator with humankind, Hermes invented time. As god of commerce and
patron to merchants, he invented weights and measures. Swift and athletic himself, he invented
foot-racing and boxing. His contributions factor into every aspect of life.
Helper/Bringer of Luck/Giver of Grace – The myths are replete with examples of how Lord
Hermes helped heroes and gods (especially Zeus) in their tasks: Odysseus by warning him about
Circe's treachery; Perseus in the beheading of the gorgon Medusa; Heracles in his descent to the
Underworld; Zeus by killing the hundred-eyed giant Argus; Zeus in recovering his sinews ripped
out by the monstrous Typhon. Furthermore, Zeus often dispatched Hermes to protect his
mistresses and their offspring from the wrath of his jealous wife. The list goes on. As daring a
deity as they come, Lord Hermes admires risk takers, and is apt to respond favorably to
gamblers who seek his favor, particularly the cleverest. Adept athlete that he is, he presides
over the games alongside Heracles and Apollo. However, Hermes is actually the least militant of
all the gods, and is the giver of grace rather than strength.
Alchemist/Magician – Lord Hermes is the ultimate magician, evidenced by his balanced,
majestic stance as he communes above, below, and in the middle. Note the magician's tools on
the 1 Tarot card, corresponding to the four Classical Elements of Ancient Greece. Master of the
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four elements, Hermes stands by to instruct the most daring, determined, industrious, and
clever, among humankind, in the classic art of becoming all that we can be. As we walk
alongside Lord Hermes and trust his patronage, we embrace all possibility. As we watch him
mediate between good and evil, making sure neither has a decisive victory over the other, we
learn to navigate the dangerous seas of illusion, time, and emotion.
It is told within mystery traditions that Hermes also abides in the moon, whose borrowed
radiance illuminates the earth and mortals who would otherwise dwell in darkness. While her
bright side is the essence of creative wisdom, called The Elixir of Hermes, the moon's dark side
is the Secret Wisdom of the Highest Initiates. This is the heart of Hermeticism.
HERMES, PATRON FOR SIX CROWS ALLIANCE
Is it any wonder that this swift, clever, beguiling, unapologetic herald, keeper of the books of
life, master of all arts and sciences, bringer of dreams, and traveler between the worlds, this
indispensable 12th Olympian who transforms himself from trickster to philosopher/priest/wizard,
is the patron for Six Crows Alliance? Our community is diverse in our own attitudes, roles, and
skills – and yes, some in our midst are a little cheeky too.  Yet our love of learning, diversity,
personal development, and travel between worlds compels us toward that ages-old directive,
"Know thyself…", and as Hermes T. would say, “… from which all knowledge flows.”
It is also no coincidence that Lord Hermes' animal counterpart is the crow, obviously held in high
regard as the namesake for Six Crows Alliance and Six Crows Gathering. In mythologies around
the world, Crow is considered a messenger of the gods, and, associated with the visible and
invisible worlds, a bird of omen and prophecy. Crow is always talking to us if we’d only listen.
Intelligent and cunning, crow is also a Trickster, akin to our delightful patron. In fact, many
ancients have somehow got the idea that faeries and such related beings like to shape shift into
crows on occasion to make mischief for humankind. Be on the lookout, for there could well be
one or two of them at the gathering this summer!
HERMETICISM AND THE CORPUS HERMETICUM
As preeminent deity/sage/magician, Hermes T. is no slacker. His foremost jurisdiction is all
theoretical knowledge in all fields of knowledge, beginning with “Know thyself”. His name
embodies the Cosmic Principle of Thought and Universal Mind.
Hermeticism’s basic premise is that there exists a divine or archetypal level of mind (or
consciousness) that operates in an ordered and predictable way (no matter that we don’t fully
understand it) to determine physical reality, and that any of us may access that realm through
direct knowledge of “God” (the All, the One), in which humanity, physical existence, and the
entire universe participate, including gods, demons, and elementals.
Obviously, the etymology (origin of the word) of Hermeticism is Hermes Trismegistus (meaning
thrice-greatest Hermes), stated author of the Hermetic Corpus, the sacred texts which are the
basis for Hermeticism, including The Emerald Tablet, by far the most familiar of all the Hermetic
writings. Despite Hermes T.’s divine antecedent, the scribe(s) of the extensive body of
Hermetica that has remarkably survived is considered to have been human. Some Hermetic
orders associate the sage with multiple sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, and so on down many
generations, who took his name and pursued careers as mystics or priests in mystery religions,
ever adding to “Hermes’” body of work. Additionally, at certain intervals in history it was not
safe to express one’s Hermetic views of the Universe, and ardent authors routinely wrote under
the name of Hermes.
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In some circles Hermes is reputed to
have been the teacher of Abraham.
Other legend dates the earliest
Hermetic writing to the times of Moses,
and some assign Hermes T. to Moses
himself or his brother Aaron, ascribing
to him the same longevity we encounter
in many Old Testament personalities. In
this scenario, Moses/Hermes was an
able magician, which jives with what we
know of Moses’ actions, that he carried
a magic snake staff, and acted as God's
messenger.
In any case, the human scribe(s) matter
little in mystical literature. Lord Hermes
is wisdom. In Hermetica, anything
written through the inspiration of true
wisdom is written by Hermes. And given
the place and timelines, you could say
all spiritual teachings of all ages and all
cultures from antiquity forward trace
back to Hermetica.
Despite told and untold efforts over the
centuries to suppress its occult basis,
this same wisdom keeps showing up in
different forms, for example in secret
societies and ceremonial magic. We find
it in the ancient and modern works of
mystics, theologians, occultists, healers,
philosophers, politicians, writers, psychologists, physicists… the list is endless. We also find it in
one form or another in virtually every sacred text (yes, even The Bible), and mystery tradition.
King Solomon in his time certainly drew wisdom from the Hermetic texts. He recorded many of
the Hermetic principles in his lovely prose, known today as Ecclesiastes, which inspired Pete
Seeger (composer) and The Byrds half a century ago, reverberating: “Turn, turn, turn, to
everything there is a season…" And so it goes.
Although we know (through recorded commentaries from various circles) of the countless
Hermetic texts written since antiquity, most were unfortunately destroyed (many during the
systematic destruction of non-Christian texts between the 4th and 6th Centuries CE). Among
those that survived are fragments of Corpus Hermeticum: a series of philosophical, occult,
astrological, and semi-Gnostic treatises; and the compact and cryptic Emerald Tablet, formally
known as Tabula Smaragdina, highly regarded by alchemists as the foundation of their art.
Reputed to contain the secret of the prima materia (primal matter) and its transmutation,
The Emerald Tablet is said to have been discovered in a cave by the great magician, priest,
philosopher, and mystic Apollonius of Tyana, a disciple of Pythagoras and contemporary of
Jesus. (Jesus himself is reported to have been a Hermetic scientist, having been initiated into
the Hermetic principles during his travels to Egypt, prior to his “coming out”.)
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LORD HERMES by Linda Margaret Ritz
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The layers of meaning in the tablet’s poetic script have been associated with the development of
the Philosopher’s Stone in alchemy, laboratory experimentation, phase transitions, the
alchemical magnum opus, the ancient, classical elemental system, and the correspondence
between macrocosm and microcosm.
The earliest documented reference to the existence of The Emerald Tablet is a letter in Arabic c.
350 BCE from Aristotle to Alexander the Great providing advice for rulers. But only when
Hermetic texts were discovered as part of the Nag Hammadi Library in 1945 did we get a
glimpse of how the ancient world applied Hermetic wisdom. Look up Tractate 6 of Codex VI in
the Nag Hammadi Library to learn a lot more.
The tablet has been translated by many scholars over the centuries. The following rendition by
Isaac Newton (1600s) may be seen among the physicist’s alchemical papers, which reside in
King's College Library, Cambridge University:
’Tis true without lying, certain & most true.
That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that
which is below to do the miracles of one only thing
And as all things have been & arose from one by the mediation of one: so all things
have their birth from this one thing by adaptation.
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Issue No. 11 | Spring 2013
LORD HERMES by Linda Margaret Ritz
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The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the
earth is its nourse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here.
Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth.
Separate thou the earth from the fire, the subtile from the gross sweetly with great
indoustry.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives
the force of things superior & inferior.
By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world
& thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.
Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtile thing & penetrates every
solid thing.
So was the world created.
From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof the means (or process) is
here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of the
philosophy of the whole world
That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished & ended.
Hermes was regarded as a master magician and alchemist
throughout Europe, Greece, and Egypt up to and including the
Middle Ages. In fact, the translation of the Corpus Hermeticum
into Latin from Arabic was the seminal force propelling
Renaissance thought and culture. Unfortunately, the popularity of
Hermetic principles was quashed by the Reformation in the early
1500s.
It was through the efforts of the Theosophical Society and the
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (societies that grew out of
Masonic and Rosicrucian Lodges in the 1800's to include women),
that Hermeticism resurged in the 1800s in combination with the
three allied esoteric fields: astrology, alchemy, and magic. It was
also about that time that the world received The Kybalion, likely
written by members of the Theosophical Society or the Golden
Dawn or both.
Central in the resurgence is first and foremost, Francis Barrett
and his 1801 occult book, The Magus or Celestial
Intelligencer (available in the Six Crows Arcane Library). Key players following on his heels
over the next few generations, to whom occultists today owe an immense debt of gratitude,
were Eliphas Levi, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, William Westcott, Samuel MacGregor Mathers,
A.E. Waite, Israel Regardie, Aleister Crowley, and Dion Fortune.More contemporary names
related to Hermeticism but not obviously occult in orientation include Sir Isaac Newton, Carl
Jung, and Albert Einstein.
Numerous symbols have been designed around or assigned to Hermetica. We see them subtly
suggested or prominently displayed/used within art, societies, and practices. Several, in
particular The Hermetic Sign and Hermetic Seal, are in common practical magical use.
The Hermetic Sign – If you have ever picked up a Tarot deck, you've seen The Hermetic Sign,
for it is prominently displayed in practically every rendition of Tarot since the Rider-Waite
version. It is the Hermetic axiom as above so below, aptly demonstrated by The Magician. The
index finger (often a magic wand is substituted) of the right hand points straight up, toward the
CROW CALLS from Six Crows Alliance
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LORD HERMES by Linda Margaret Ritz
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heavens, while the index finger of the left hand points straight
down, toward the earth. As above, so below.
Depending how deep and what systems you explore, the simple
hand gesture gets a lot more interesting. From a Kabbalistic
perspective, one hand points up to the white moon of Chesed
and the other points down to the black moon of Geburah,
expressing perfect harmony between mercy and justice. The
gesture also represents androgyny, referring to the merging of
masculine and feminine characteristics.
The Seal of Hermes and the Philosopher's Stone –
Comprising a circle within a square within a triangle within a
circle, the symbols for the Seal of Hermes and the Philosopher's
Stone are interchangeable. Modern science has borrowed the
term Hermetic Seal in reference to electrical and electronic
devices, foods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, even windows that
are secured or sealed against water, dust, and contaminants
that might affect optimal functioning. The Seal of Hermes
functions similarly from an esoteric perspective. The seal may
be applied to magically protect objects, and keep unwanted
"energies" out, and/or secrets in.
The ancients taught that the square, circle, and triangle represent the material body, the soul,
and the spirit, the three elements required for alchemical transformation. By developing the
ability to think and work on all three levels of reality at once (becoming "thrice-great"),
alchemists created a spiritual technology that applies not only in laboratories, but in personal
development and transformation. Magicians, alchemists, occultists, and mystics of our time
continue to do what is known as “The Great Work”, no longer of transforming base metals into
gold, but base habits and emotions into golden thoughts and feelings, and the transmutation of
dark and ignoble souls into the golden light of spirit.
The symbol is drawn as illustrated: The three points of the triangle touch
the outer circle. The four corners of the square touch the triangle. The
small inner circle touches the four sides of the square. The inner circle and
square are located at the base of the triangle within the large circle, which
represents the cosmos. The lower part of the diagram represents the
material world. The upper part represents the spiritual world. Humanity
exists in two conditions, material and spiritual. The alchemical goal is
harmony between the material and spiritual worlds. Only your imagination
limits you in how you may attain balance among these conditions.
Linda Margaret Ritz is Director, Six Crows Alliance; Chair, Core Committee for Six Crows Gathering; Joint Chair,
Program Committee for Six Crows Gathering; Director, Six Crows School; and Editor, CROW CALLS. Her background
in journalism (career), substance abuse and sex abuse work (volunteer positions), and mysticism in study and
practice, have led her to the Cosmic (Medicine) Wheel that is the heart of Six Crows Gathering activity. She is a
Kabbalist and Hermeticist, having come up through the Golden Dawn tradition. She has studied Native American
Spirituality with teachers from the Mohawk, Lakota, Seneca, and Onondaga traditions, passed through the four doors
of Sweat Lodge facilitation, and was bestowed a community Chanupa Wakan (Sacred Pipe). She remains a keen
student in the esoteric arts. Her present day work (for pay) is as a corporate writer and graphic designer.
CROW CALLS from Six Crows Alliance
Issue No. 11 | Spring 2013
LORD HERMES by Linda Margaret Ritz
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