The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

86Two things must especially be avoided in moving this circle: first, moving it too intensely; second, moving it longer than is proper. Accelerated motion arouses confusion in the matter, so that the thick, impure and undigested part flies away together with the pure and subtle part, and the undissolved body with the dissolved, mingled with spirit. In such headlong motion the heavenly and earthly natures are confounded, and the spirit of the quintessence, corrupted by admixture with earth, becomes dull and powerless. Through overlong motion the earth is too thoroughly emptied of its spirit and is rendered so weak, dry and deprived of spirit that it cannot easily be restored and brought back to its proper temperament. Either error burns up the tinctures or even puts them to flight.