Sol niger (black sun) is the name of the result of the first stage of the Opus Magnum in alchemy, the blackening (nigredo). The complete Opus magnum (Great Work) ends with the production of gold. And the "Kate and Peacock Design" for the completing photograph accompanying 'Aerial' uses a gold soundwave!
The philosopher's stone (Latin: lapis philosophorum) is a legendary substance, supposedly capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold; it was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For a long time it was the most sought after goal in Western alchemy. In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work.
AERIAL is KT's Great Work, twelve years in the making!
KT et al have found the philosopher's stone! They have been working secretly, turning base metal and ideas into Gold... the Golden Dawn cover, the Golden soundwave of 'Aerial', the Golden Sea of Honey, the Golden Sky of Honey...
Pure Alchemy! ... Pure Gold! ...a Golden Egg... All Noble and Brite! ...
Within Thelema, the Great Work is generally defined as those spiritual practice leading to the mystical union of the Self and the All— Crowley: "The Great Work is the uniting of opposites. It may mean the uniting of the soul with God, of the microcosm with the macrocosm, of the female with the male, of the ego with the non-ego."
According to Aleister Crowley, this is first represented by what he called the "Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel." From another perspective, he also considered the Great Work to be the pursuit of self-knowledge, to "obtain the knowledge of the nature and powers of my own being." Although Crowley often discussed the idea of "succeeding" or "accomplishing" in the Great Work, he also recognized that the process is ongoing: "The Quest of the Holy Grail, the Search for the Stone of the Philosophers—by whatever name we choose to call the Great Work—is therefore endless. Success only opens up new avenues of brilliant possibility. Yea, verily, and Amen! the task is tireless and its joys without bounds; for the whole Universe, and all that in it is, what is it but the infinite playground of the Crowned and Conquering Child, of the insatiable, the innocent, the ever-rejoicing Heir of Space and Eternity, whose name is MAN?"
In the snow with Rosebud
And king of the mountain...
Inside the AERIAL booklet is a photograph of Katie and Bertie seemingly taken underwater in a swimming pool. Bertie wears green goggles and Katie wears purple goggles.
Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being, balance, learning, growth and harmony. Green represents the life force.
Purple is the color of good judgment and of people seeking spiritual fulfilment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Being the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, purple is believed to be the ideal color, and has been used to symbolize magic and mystery. The scarcity of its shellfish dye, meant that purple became a symbol of royalty and riches.
...'Is that a storm in the swimming pool?'
...Or is that a Prince?
AERIAL is a Ray of Light, a Body of Light, and the realisation of KT's Thelemic mysticism!
There is much magic and mystery in the 'Washing' Photography by John Carder-Bush. Some people believe there is a red devil hidden within the 'Washing' photograph accompanying the lyrics to 'Mrs Bartolozzi' in the CD/Vinyl booklet. Look at the center, out-of-focus red image of trees. A nose, lips and two hollow eyes can just be made out. This may well be just the light and shade in the foliage or the red devil may be an Occult sign, a hint at what is about to happen, The Omen... "It's in the trees! It's coming!"
"Woman let me in!
Let me bring in the memories!
Woman let me in!
Let me bring in the Devil Dreams!"
Then there's that sexy red dress... The Devil Wears Prada!
On the album/CD cover, the Magician changes whites into doves. In Biblical tradition, the dove is a symbol of purity, simplicity, peace, harmony and re-found happiness. Pagans associate the dove with Aphrodite and with physical love. In both views, the dove stands for that imperishable part of the human being, the vital principle or soul. The Dove also represents the feminine power of giving prophecy, and the hope of a new beginning. The Dove shows and reveals the veils between the spiritual and physical worlds, e.g. as Holy Spirit or as bearers of the ambrosia for the immortal gods. Their symbolism stems from their grace and beauty, spotless white feathers and gentle cooing. It is said that the Dove’s nature is so pure that even Satan himself cannot shape-shift into its form. The dove also has strong esoteric connections to alchemy in partnership with the Phoenix. In her Magician aspect, Isis is associated with the spiritual-alchemy of the dove. In The Alchemist's Dream, there are many symbols for albedo, such as the white swan, the rose, the white queen, and the white dove...
Now take a look at the following book cover - it is just like PB in the 'Delius (Song of Summer)' video...
Ooh, ah, ooh, ah
Delius
Delius amat
Syphilus
Deus
Genius, ooh...
Book Description
"The black sun, an ages-old image of the darkness in individual lives and in life itself, has not been treated hospitably in the modern world. Modern psychology has seen darkness primarily as a negative force, something to move through and beyond, but it actually has an intrinsic importance to the human psyche...
"He draws upon his clinical experiences and on a wide range of literature and art to explore the influence of light and shadow on the fundamental structures of modern thought as well as the contemporary practice of analysis.
"An important contribution to the understanding of alchemical psychology, this book draws on a postmodern sensibility to offer insight into modernity, the act of imagination, and the work of analysis in understanding depression, trauma, and transformation of the soul."
The Black Sun, the Raven, the Crow, and the color black also symbolize the Nigredo stage. The Peacock is sacred to Satan and represents the multi-colored stage of the Magnum Opus following the Nigredo.
This is a song of colour...
‘Cauda Pavonis’, the peacock’s tail, or the peacock itself, is a phase in which many colors appear. Many alchemists place this phase before albedo, whiteness, although some of them place it after albedo.
Bright, white coming alive jumping off of the aerial...
The peacock’s tail can have two meanings in the Great Work. It can be the collection and totality of all colors in the white light (KaTe sing Pi to 137 decimal places. The Number 137 corresponds with light, the ONE WHITE or Whole light that consists of THREE primary rays, the red, green and blue, or SEVEN spectrum colours). Remember, the white light refers to the second stage, albedo, or whiteness. The alchemist is seeking unity, expressed in the white light. In this sense the peacock was seen as a royal bird in ancient times, and it corresponded with the phoenix.
Lucifer, Lucifer, stretch your tail, and lead me away full speed through the strait passage, of the valley of death, to the shining light, the palace of of the Gods - Isanatha Muni
The second meaning is that it represents the failure of the alchemical process. When the conscious enters the unconscious "each part of a thought can take shape and become visible in color and form", according to a Chinese text about yoga exercises. One starts seeing all kinds of forms which look real and which look like they have an independent life. But one cannot go into it as it leads to discord of the mind, and possibly to schizophrenia.
I want to be up on the roof
I’ve gotta be up on the roof
Up, up high on the roof
Up, up on the roof
In the sun!
The photography and artwork accompanying AERIAL very much suggest that magic and spiritual alchemy were at play in creating the Great Work, and that Kate obviously felt a need to cryptically inform us fans that this was the case.
REVERIES OF THE AERIAL ALCHEMIST
SECOND WALK: The Black Sun and The Golden Dawn
Sol niger (black sun) is the name of the result of the first stage of the Opus Magnum in alchemy, the blackening (nigredo). The complete Opus magnum (Great Work) ends with the production of gold. And the "Kate and Peacock Design" for the completing photograph accompanying 'Aerial' uses a gold soundwave!
The philosopher's stone (Latin: lapis philosophorum) is a legendary substance, supposedly capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold; it was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For a long time it was the most sought after goal in Western alchemy. In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work.
AERIAL is KT's Great Work, twelve years in the making!
KT et al have found the philosopher's stone! They have been working secretly, turning base metal and ideas into Gold... the Golden Dawn cover, the Golden soundwave of 'Aerial', the Golden Sea of Honey, the Golden Sky of Honey... Pure Alchemy! ... Pure Gold! ...a Golden Egg... All Noble and Brite! ...
Within Thelema, the Great Work is generally defined as those spiritual practice leading to the mystical union of the Self and the All— Crowley: "The Great Work is the uniting of opposites. It may mean the uniting of the soul with God, of the microcosm with the macrocosm, of the female with the male, of the ego with the non-ego."
According to Aleister Crowley, this is first represented by what he called the "Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel." From another perspective, he also considered the Great Work to be the pursuit of self-knowledge, to "obtain the knowledge of the nature and powers of my own being." Although Crowley often discussed the idea of "succeeding" or "accomplishing" in the Great Work, he also recognized that the process is ongoing: "The Quest of the Holy Grail, the Search for the Stone of the Philosophers—by whatever name we choose to call the Great Work—is therefore endless. Success only opens up new avenues of brilliant possibility. Yea, verily, and Amen! the task is tireless and its joys without bounds; for the whole Universe, and all that in it is, what is it but the infinite playground of the Crowned and Conquering Child, of the insatiable, the innocent, the ever-rejoicing Heir of Space and Eternity, whose name is MAN?"
In the snow with Rosebud And king of the mountain...
Inside the AERIAL booklet is a photograph of Katie and Bertie seemingly taken underwater in a swimming pool. Bertie wears green goggles and Katie wears purple goggles.
Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being, balance, learning, growth and harmony. Green represents the life force.
Purple is the color of good judgment and of people seeking spiritual fulfilment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Being the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, purple is believed to be the ideal color, and has been used to symbolize magic and mystery. The scarcity of its shellfish dye, meant that purple became a symbol of royalty and riches.
...'Is that a storm in the swimming pool?' ...Or is that a Prince?
AERIAL is a Ray of Light, a Body of Light, and the realisation of KT's Thelemic mysticism!
There is much magic and mystery in the 'Washing' Photography by John Carder-Bush. Some people believe there is a red devil hidden within the 'Washing' photograph accompanying the lyrics to 'Mrs Bartolozzi' in the CD/Vinyl booklet. Look at the center, out-of-focus red image of trees. A nose, lips and two hollow eyes can just be made out. This may well be just the light and shade in the foliage or the red devil may be an Occult sign, a hint at what is about to happen, The Omen... "It's in the trees! It's coming!"
"Woman let me in! Let me bring in the memories! Woman let me in! Let me bring in the Devil Dreams!"
Then there's that sexy red dress... The Devil Wears Prada!
On the album/CD cover, the Magician changes whites into doves. In Biblical tradition, the dove is a symbol of purity, simplicity, peace, harmony and re-found happiness. Pagans associate the dove with Aphrodite and with physical love. In both views, the dove stands for that imperishable part of the human being, the vital principle or soul. The Dove also represents the feminine power of giving prophecy, and the hope of a new beginning. The Dove shows and reveals the veils between the spiritual and physical worlds, e.g. as Holy Spirit or as bearers of the ambrosia for the immortal gods. Their symbolism stems from their grace and beauty, spotless white feathers and gentle cooing. It is said that the Dove’s nature is so pure that even Satan himself cannot shape-shift into its form. The dove also has strong esoteric connections to alchemy in partnership with the Phoenix. In her Magician aspect, Isis is associated with the spiritual-alchemy of the dove. In The Alchemist's Dream, there are many symbols for albedo, such as the white swan, the rose, the white queen, and the white dove...
Now take a look at the following book cover - it is just like PB in the 'Delius (Song of Summer)' video...
Ooh, ah, ooh, ah Delius Delius amat Syphilus Deus Genius, ooh...
The Black Sun: The Alchemy and Art of Darkness (Marlan, 2005) http://www.alchemylab.com/8935332.jpg
Book Description "The black sun, an ages-old image of the darkness in individual lives and in life itself, has not been treated hospitably in the modern world. Modern psychology has seen darkness primarily as a negative force, something to move through and beyond, but it actually has an intrinsic importance to the human psyche... "He draws upon his clinical experiences and on a wide range of literature and art to explore the influence of light and shadow on the fundamental structures of modern thought as well as the contemporary practice of analysis. "An important contribution to the understanding of alchemical psychology, this book draws on a postmodern sensibility to offer insight into modernity, the act of imagination, and the work of analysis in understanding depression, trauma, and transformation of the soul."
The Black Sun, the Raven, the Crow, and the color black also symbolize the Nigredo stage. The Peacock is sacred to Satan and represents the multi-colored stage of the Magnum Opus following the Nigredo.
This is a song of colour...
‘Cauda Pavonis’, the peacock’s tail, or the peacock itself, is a phase in which many colors appear. Many alchemists place this phase before albedo, whiteness, although some of them place it after albedo.
Bright, white coming alive jumping off of the aerial...
The peacock’s tail can have two meanings in the Great Work. It can be the collection and totality of all colors in the white light (KaTe sing Pi to 137 decimal places. The Number 137 corresponds with light, the ONE WHITE or Whole light that consists of THREE primary rays, the red, green and blue, or SEVEN spectrum colours). Remember, the white light refers to the second stage, albedo, or whiteness. The alchemist is seeking unity, expressed in the white light. In this sense the peacock was seen as a royal bird in ancient times, and it corresponded with the phoenix.
Lucifer, Lucifer, stretch your tail, and lead me away full speed through the strait passage, of the valley of death, to the shining light, the palace of of the Gods - Isanatha Muni
The second meaning is that it represents the failure of the alchemical process. When the conscious enters the unconscious "each part of a thought can take shape and become visible in color and form", according to a Chinese text about yoga exercises. One starts seeing all kinds of forms which look real and which look like they have an independent life. But one cannot go into it as it leads to discord of the mind, and possibly to schizophrenia.
I want to be up on the roof I’ve gotta be up on the roof Up, up high on the roof Up, up on the roof In the sun!
The photography and artwork accompanying AERIAL very much suggest that magic and spiritual alchemy were at play in creating the Great Work, and that Kate obviously felt a need to cryptically inform us fans that this was the case.