Paracelsus was undoubtedly a great physician. Now, when the history of medicine is remembered, he is put in the top three of the greatest physicians of the past: to the right of Hippocrates and to the left of Galen.
It is difficult even to list all his achievements and discoveries. First of all, he was the founder of a new, progressive direction in natural science - iatrochemistry (or iatrochemistry, from the Greek "iatros" - doctor), the science of searching for chemical agents and methods of treatment, as well as chemical changes in the body during its disease. He believed that the union of chemistry and medicine would lead to the progress of both sciences, and the future proved him right. Iatrochemistry lasted until the second half of the 18th century. and had a significant benefit to chemistry and pharmaceutics, gradually freeing them from the influence of scholasticism and alchemy and significantly expanding knowledge of vital chemical compounds.
Paracelsus, not without reason, believed that certain chemical components in the body are in constant balance, the violation of which leads to illness. Therefore, the patient should be given such substances that are able to restore the harmony of the chemical functions of the body. To restore balance, Paracelsus introduced drugs of mineral origin into practice - compounds of arsenic, copper, iron, antimony, lead, mercury, etc. - in addition to traditional herbal preparations. Glory to Paracelsus was brought by his mercury preparations against syphilis, which he proposed to use instead of guaiac resin, which he considered useless, a medicine brought from America.
With the advent of Paracelsus, humanity abandoned the cauterization of wounds with boiling oil and the amputation of wounded members of the body: it turned out that even serious wounds heal themselves if they are cleansed of pus, preventing further blood poisoning. Other diseases considered incurable before Paracelsus include ulcers, dropsy, leprosy, and gout.
Along with chemical preparations, Paracelsus also used herbal medicines in medical practice. When choosing a medicinal plant, he adhered to the naive doctrine of signatures that arose in antiquity, according to which the shape of a plant, its color, taste and smell can serve as an indication of the disease in which it should be used. For example, for jaundice, you need to use plants with yellow flowers(immortelle, celandine), plants with kidney-shaped leaves - for kidney diseases. prickly thistle was used for colic in the stomach and to scare away "evil spirits", and the similarity of ginseng and mandrake roots with a human figure gave reason to consider them as a panacea.
Paracelsus was the first to introduce alcohol extracts from plants (extracts and tinctures) into medical practice. With the help of alcohol or "water of life", obtained shortly before by the alchemist Lull, he tried to isolate from them the "quintessence", i.e. medicinal substance in its pure form. Galenic preparations obtained with the help of other solvents (water, vinegar, honey), he considered insufficiently purified and therefore not very effective.
In pharmacology, Paracelsus developed a new idea for his time about the dosage of drugs: “Everything is poison and nothing deprives it of its poisonousness; one dose alone makes the poison invisible.
Perhaps no one remembers that Paracelsus was the one who first invented the pill. Since then, the tablet has slightly transformed and deformed, but Paracelsus came up with the idea of moisturizing and pressing the powder.
Paracelsus made a real revolution in medicine, the first to offer an anesthetic - opium. In general, he often purified opium and used it on a large scale. It should be noted that before Paracelsus, surgery did not know anesthesia, and patients were slaughtered, one might say, “alive”.
Hydrotherapy is one of the areas in medicine in which Paracelsus not only succeeded - some mineral water sources were first discovered by Paracelsus and could rightfully bear his name.
Paracelsus devoted his entire conscious life and medical practice to the promotion of hygiene and cleanliness, being sure that the soap, which, by the way, it was he who first began to cook, can not only destroy pathogenic bacteria and cleanse the body, but also become a real panacea from the plague that raged during the time of Paracelsus.
Paracelsus paid special attention to the pharmacy. In a letter to the master of Basel, he revealed the shortcomings of the work of the pharmacy, demanded that measures be taken to improve the education of pharmacists, and exposed the dishonesty of doctors and pharmacists. From pharmacists, Paracelsus demanded a good knowledge of chemistry, since pharmacies, in his opinion, should also be good chemical laboratories. Theophrastus and his followers greatly increased the number of medicinal substances, substantiated the doctrine of the dose, improved many instruments and apparatus for the manufacture and analysis of drugs. In the manufacture of medicines, Paracelsus strongly recommended the use of scales.
The success of Paracelsus in chemistry is amazing. In 1526, for the first time, he introduced an absolutely necessary device for all modern chemists - a water bath and discovered the acidic salt "tartar" - the potassium salt of tartaric acid, in 1530 - discovered a new element zinc and described its chemical properties, and in 1537 he first obtained pure acetic acid (from table vinegar). "The first professor of chemistry from the creation of the world" called Paracelsus Alexander Ivanovich Herzen. Paracelsus was such a famous chemist that occultists credited him with the creation of the "elixir of life, Alkahest" - a mysterious combustible water, which, acting on the liver, supposedly heals the whole organism.
And it is almost certain that it is Paracelsus who is the founder of psychiatry. The fact is that he was the first to prove that "possession by the devil" or "possession" is just a mental illness that can and should be treated. He eloquently reasoned that prayers would not help here, and one should treat the mentally ill with care and humaneness.
In general, many biographers of the great doctor (Fyodorovsky, Proskuryakov) literally idolize Paracelsus, calling him "the most famous Swiss who made a revolution in the spiritual life of the entire Western civilization." According to their testimonies, Paracelsus was not only an outstanding physician and chemist, but also an anthropologist, astrologer, philosopher, cosmologist, visionary, mystic, and even miracle worker.
In the last fifty years, Europeans still consider him as a scientist, paying tribute to his merits in serious science. It's just that his primitive materialistic views are largely idealized, since they were not free from medieval mysticism and religion. After all, Paracelsus lived at the beginning of the 16th century, when the pursuit of science inevitably led to thoughts about the connection with magic, occultism and mysticism. That is why many of the views and teachings of Paracelsus seem to modern man not just erroneous, but naive and absurd. The great physician believed in the existence of natural magic in nature and in all objects, but it should not be forgotten that at that time charlatans and healers really often possessed more effective means treatment than professional doctors. Following the then fashion (which, by the way, has not died to this day, after almost five centuries), Paracelsus blindly believed in the influence of stars and planets on the whole life of people and the power of talismans depicting heavenly bodies.
But one should not judge his erroneous views too harshly. It is enough to stop taking them literally, to abstract from the ornate mystical judgments - and it becomes clear that this inquisitive researcher looked into human nature in order to understand and treat the root causes of diseases, and not their consequences. According to Paracelsus, medicine must be based on experience, observation of nature and experiment, and knowledge can be expressed in any language. “The strength of the doctor is in his heart, his work should be guided by God and illuminated by natural light and experience; the greatest basis of medicine is love... The doctor must think day and night about his patient and observe him daily, he must direct all his thoughts and thoughts to the well-considered treatment of the patient. This is how Paracelsus wrote about his vocation as a healer, hinting at what a real doctor should be like.
Some idealistic views of Paracelsus in the light of recent discoveries do not look so mystical. For example, he saw the cause of aging in the age-related violation of certain chemical reactions.
The philosophy of Paracelsus is aimed at searching for "archaea" - the highest spirit of self-regulation of human health, expressed in the relationship of soul and body. Here is how the scientist himself wrote. “Man is not a body. Heart, soul - that's a man. And the spirit is a whole star from which it is built. If, however, a person is perfect in heart, nothing in the whole world of nature can hide from him ... You can know yourself through the power of imagination. He, in general, was skeptical about magic and considered all the processes occurring in the body, exclusively from a chemical point of view, because man is an integral part of nature. Paracelsus believed in the existence of "primary matter", the world soul, or the simplicity of the heart, which had an essential expression in such an element as gold. The poor, in his opinion, possess "primary matter" to a greater extent than the rich.
Paracelsus mistakenly believed that living matter, like all world matter, consists of three main components: mercury, sulfur and salt, characterized respectively by volatility, combustibility and hardness. In this speculative naive theory, the inseparability of the scientific research of Paracelsus with the then dominant alchemy is most clearly manifested. Man for Paracelsus is a “microcosm”, living in the space of a “macrocosm”, from which he stands out only because, in addition to sulfur, mercury and salt, his composition also includes spirit, soul and body. Determining the causes of diseases, Paracelsus argued, for example, that fever and plague come from an excess of sulfur in the body, with an excess of mercury paralysis occurs, and an excess of salt causes indigestion and dropsy. In the last statement about the ability of excess salt to cause diarrhea and dropsy due to a violation of the water-ion exchange, Paracelsus is right, but his other attempts to explain all diseases with an excess or lack of three substances are nothing more than naivety.
After all, despite the reformist spirit, Paracelsus was still a man of his inveterate time. So, he firmly believed that medicine rests on four pillars: on philosophy, astrology, virtue and chemistry, although he attached decisive importance to the latter. It seems incredible how Paracelsus could successfully, perhaps better than anyone in Renaissance Europe, treat deadly diseases and terrible gunshot wounds with such naive, almost medicine men views. Apparently, therefore, many considered him a magician-healer during his lifetime, and still consider him to this day.
The medicine of Galen and the medicine of the sorcerer Paracelsus.
Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim) (1493-1541) Swiss physician and naturalist. Subjected to a critical revision of the ideas of ancient medicine. He was among the initiators of the use of chemical medicinal preparations in medicine. Considered one of the founders of modern science. Paracelsus was born into the family of a doctor who came from an old but impoverished noble family. The first teacher of Paracelsus was his father, who introduced him to the basics of medical art. In Wurzburg, with the abbot Johann Trithemius, Paracelsus studied the Kabbalah. Here is what he writes in Paragranum: “Study Kabbalah, it will explain everything to you. All physics, including all its particular sciences: astronomy, astrology, pyromancy, haomancy, hydromancy, geomancy, alchemy… – they are all matrices of the noble science of Kabbalistics.” Compiled astrological calendars.
Paracelsus received his university education in Ferrara, where he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
Received extensive experience as a military doctor; published little during his lifetime. He traveled a lot in Europe, treated, researched, set up alchemical experiments, and made astrological observations. He wrote and taught not in Latin, but in German.
Paracelsus invented several effective medicines. One of his major achievements is the explanation of the nature and causes of silicosis (an occupational disease of miners). In 1534, he helped stop an outbreak of plague by resorting to measures that resembled vaccination.
Paracelsus is considered the forerunner of modern pharmacology, he owns the phrase: “Everything is poison, and nothing is devoid of poisonousness; one dose makes the poison invisible.
He is credited with being the first to discover the principle of similarity, which is at the heart of modern homeopathy.
The powerful influence and unique spiritual warehouse of Paracelsus, to a greater or lesser extent, affected the course of development of European philosophy, natural science, medicine, influencing the mystical concepts of J. Boehme, the natural philosophical views of Ya.B. Gelmont and F.M. Gelmont, on the teachings of G.V. Leibniz on monads (“life spirits”), the work of I.V. Goethe, F.W.I. Schelling and Novalis, as well as the "philosophy of life" L. Klages.
Table of therapeutic bloodletting created by Paracelsus:
Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus:
“Monarchy over all the arts was granted to me, Paracelsus, Prince of Philosophy and Medicine. I have been chosen by God to exterminate all fantasies of far-fetched and deceitful works, deceitful and presumptuous words, whether the words of Aristotle, Galen, Avicenna or any of their followers. From the manifesto of Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim (1493-1541)
In 1527, invited to the University of Basel for the post of doctor of medicine, he at the very first lecture burned the works of Galen and Avicenna.
It seemed there is no disease that Paracelsus would not be able to cure. His opium tincture served as an effective pain reliever for centuries. He treated syphilis with small doses of poisonous mercury vapor, but few believed him. Only 400 years later, a new cure for syphilis appeared based on poisonous arsenic.
Unlike barbers who bled, healed wounds, and, in case of failure, resorted to amputation, Paracelsus simply cleaned and dried wounds, believing that the healing power of the body would do the rest. Despite the high level of success, this approach did not catch on until the 19th century. Paracelsus (primarily as a practitioner) stressed the importance of doctor-patient contact. Knowing about the placebo effect, he used it for good.
Paracelsus was the first to realize that the cause of miners' illnesses was dust, not underground spirits. He was the first to come to the conclusion that Graves' disease causes drinking water. And he was the first to say that madness is a disease, not a possession by the devil and therefore patients require humane treatment.
Libraries Paracelsus preferred taverns, where he often drank everyone. Dismissed from one university post, he gladly became a wandering doctor. But still Paracelsus did the impossible. After the publication of a number of his works, including the famous "Great Surgery", the scientific world with a scratch recognized him as a talented scientist and physician.
In 1541 the Duke of Bavaria offered him a new position. Autumn Paracelsus found dead in a Salzburg tavern. Even the cause of death of the mysterious healer at the age of 47 is ambiguous. According to some rumors, he was killed in a drunken fight, according to others, he was poisoned by enemies. There is another version: Paracelsus, having made a will, died a few days later from heart disease. The death of Paracelsus did not mean the end. Recognition came late, perhaps too late, but it came.
Kabbalist and mystic, he believed that the entire macrocosm around us is represented in the microcosm of consciousness, and the brain, a mold of the Universe, can reveal all its secrets. This belief in a miracle was higher than herbs and minerals. He wrote about swords capable of cutting an anvil in two; about spells that make bodies invisible; magical means of communication a hundred miles away; about nymphs, sylphs and gnomes…
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Galen- Roman (Greek origin) physician, surgeon and philosopher.
Galen made significant contributions to the understanding of many scientific disciplines, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and neurology, as well as philosophy and logic.
Common spelling of the name as Claudius Galen(lat. Claudius Galenus) appears only in the Renaissance and is not recorded in manuscripts; it is believed that this is an erroneous decoding of the abbreviation Cl.(Clarissimus).
The son of a wealthy architect, Galen received an excellent education, traveled widely, collecting a lot of medical information. Having settled in Rome, he healed the Roman nobility, eventually becoming the personal physician of several Roman emperors.
His theories dominated European medicine for 1300 years. Its anatomy, based on the dissection of monkeys and pigs, was used until the appearance in 1543 of the work "On the structure of human body» Andreas Vesalius, his theory of blood circulation lasted until 1628, when William Harvey published his Anatomical Study of the Movement of the Heart and Blood in Animals, in which he described the role of the heart in blood circulation. Medical students studied Galen until the 19th century. His theory that the brain controls movement through nervous system relevant today.
Galen was convinced of the need for diet, exercise, hygiene and prevention, studied anatomy, the treatment of fractures and severe injuries, calling injuries "windows of the body." During his work, only 5 gladiators died, compared with 60 under his predecessor, which indicates the great attention that Galen paid to their injuries. At the same time, he continued to study theoretical medicine and philosophy.
Treatment according to Galen - the right diet and medicines. In contrast to Hippocrates, Galen argued that in medicines of plant and animal origin there are useful and ballast substances, that is, he first introduced the concept of active substances. Galen treated with extracts from plants, widely used syrups, wines, a mixture of vinegar and honey, etc.
In his writings, Galen mentioned 304 plants, 80 animals, and 60 minerals.
Galen was of the opinion that in medicinal plants, which in his time constituted the bulk of the arsenal of medicines, there are two "beginnings". One of them has a therapeutic effect on the sick organism, the other is useless or even harmful to the organism. The active principle prefers liquid to the dried plant, so it is easy to separate it from the useless one. To do this, plant materials should be infused or boiled with water, wine or other liquid suitable for ingestion, which was then used as a medicine.
For twenty-five centuries, European culture has undergone a lot of changes in the development of medicine. Rules and principles, attitudes and values - all this was not constant, especially in the Renaissance, which, like a sudden chaos, replaced the era of conservatism and an established worldview. This historical period, indeed, was considered one of the most difficult. It was at this time that the brilliant Paracelsus, a philosopher and doctor, presented his teachings and works to mankind, whose moral medicine and ethics have become firmly established in world science and are of great value even for modern times.
Briefly about the history of the life of a philosopher
Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast is the full real name he was given at birth. Paracelsus in Greek means "enlightened" or "exalted" - that's what his followers and scientists of that era called him. The great scientist was born in 1493 near the modern city of Zurich in a Swiss village in the family of a famous doctor. From an early age, Wilhelm - the father of the future genius - taught his son alchemy, the basics of therapy and the basics of surgery. In fact, his father was his main mentor and friend.
At the age of 16, a young novice scientist was sent to study at a university in the city of Basel. Then Johann Trithemius, a well-known abbot at the monastery of St. James, took up his education. It was there that Paracelsus showed a special attraction to the study of the occult sciences and medicine. He owed his knowledge and understanding of many foundations of alchemy to the famous scientist Fugger, who let him into his workshop and passed on valuable secrets. In general, a fairly large number of doctors, alchemists and even soothsayers, midwives and gypsies took part in replenishing the knowledge box of the future doctor. Already at a young age, he was envied by many colleagues and admired by ordinary people, because he cured those with whom the most talented doctors worked for a long time and unsuccessfully. Paracelsus' desire and ability to provide people with free medical care caused particular hatred and anger. But in spite of everything, he was not going to give up his habits.
It was difficult to call this person sophisticated. He even received a lot of different nicknames from acquaintances, and most often for his untidy appearance. In addition, he did not feel the craving for acquiring new knowledge through reading - this activity was one of the most disliked for the doctor. However, he did not neglect any of the sources of obtaining new knowledge and used every slightest opportunity to learn something new.
In 1525, an outstanding scientist was invited to work at the University of Basel, where he headed the professorial department. At the same time, he tirelessly helped ordinary people and continued to develop progressive views, which sometimes even ended in scandals. He did not like to take care of the beauty of the style, but his activities daily attracted the attention of dozens of students who were drawn to him for knowledge and experience. One of the most scandalous acts of Paracelsus was the burning of the volume of Avicenna, which shocked all university professors.
Unusual lectures and applause from admiring students, the prestigious position of chief physician in the city hospital and the right to visit all pharmacies with a check to avoid fraud with medicines - all this led to the fact that the great doctor had a lot of both adherents and enemies.
Medical ethics of Paracelsus
Paracelsus did not dwell on the study of biomedicine and chemistry. He paid attention to many sciences, and his works were distinguished by their clarity, sharpness, and clear expression of thoughts. He confirmed all his arguments and convictions with biblical quotations, since he was a true Christian. Paracelsus managed to build a special model of moral medicine. About its meaning further on www.site ...
The Moral Medicine of Paracelsus
According to this model, moral relationships should form the basis of the therapeutic strategy of any doctor. He insisted that between the doctor and the patient there should be trusting relationship to make spiritual contacts. Without this, he did not see the success of the treatment. Thanks to this model of moral medicine, the great scientist and philosopher was considered the founder of mental treatment on an empirical level.
The basic principle that guided the doctor in his work was: "Do good, do mercy." The scientist based his psychotherapeutic practice on the high ethics of the doctor. Thus, the relationship between the physician and the patient was likened to a dialogue between a spiritual mentor and a novice, and the moral state of the patient, in his opinion, required great attention.
Paracelsus used drugs in the treatment of people, which, in fact, today we call homeopathic remedies. He was sure that they should be accepted with an understanding of the purpose and with a willingness to participate in his recovery. To assimilate not only the herbal part of medicines, but also their “information bioshell” - this is what the philosopher insisted on, trying to heal patients at the mental level. Through conversations, he tried to set people up for bright thoughts. Centuries have passed since the time of Paracelsus...
Thus, almost a whole era is connected with the moral principles of the great philosopher and scientist. In the eighteenth century, his views and beliefs on the processes of treatment are replaced by another model based not on morality, on a sense of duty done by the doctor to the patient. Paracelsus himself went down in history not only thanks to his ethics, but also due to a number of developments in the field of chemistry, which gave impetus to the development and formation of modern pharmacology.
The physician, philosopher, naturalist, alchemist and magician Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, best known as Paracelsus, criticized the old foundations and made a significant impetus in the development of medicine. He took the name Paracelsus from the great ancient Roman physician Celsus (I century BC), adding the Greek prefix "pair", What means - "like". Although Paracelsus was called during his lifetime "Luther of Medicine", however, this did not save him from the persecution and persecution of the "powerful ones" who prevented his robot from being published.
Paracelsus was born in the winter of 1493. Its roots come from an old, once rich noble family. His father, a doctor by education, became his first teacher. As Paracelsus himself recalled, his father taught him to read and write, the basics of healing and alchemy.
At the time when Paracelsus was a student, chemistry was not taught as a separate discipline. It was a theoretical supplement to the course on philosophy, which touched only on assumptions about the emergence and disappearance of substances. Only pharmacists and alchemists were seriously engaged in chemistry, and there were quite a few of them. Alchemists conducted experiments on the "transmutation" of metals, discovered new methods for the manufacture of various substances, and also continued to develop the natural philosophical teachings of such famous philosophers as Aristotle, Empedocles, Democritus and others.
At the age of 22, after graduating from the university, Paracelsus was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine. But, he did not find satisfaction in the knowledge gained. Seeing how often doctors are unable to help the patient, Paracelsus, criticizing their work, which has not changed much since antiquity, decided to improve medicine, introduce a new understanding of diseases and methods of treating patients.
The young doctor traveled a lot, collecting his medical knowledge at major universities, medical schools in Paris, Spain, Italy, Hungary, England, Poland, Lithuania and other countries. He carefully searched, learned and memorized all the secrets of the healing craft, not only of practicing doctors, but also healers who heal the wounded; acquired from barbers (who were engaged in minor surgery), gypsies and even executioners healing recipes that university scientists did not know. Only after that, he became a real doctor.
Paracelsus was taught by the great magician and alchemist Solomon Trismosinus, who was initiated into the Teachings of Hermes and knew the technology of metal transmutation. Paracelsus was also taught by one of his most famous contemporaries - an adept of magic, alchemy and astrology, rector of the monastery of St. James, Johann Trithemius of Spanheim, who spoke in defense of "natural magic".
Starting in 1517, Paracelsus traveled widely, worked as a doctor in military campaigns. In 1527, with the help of the then-famous book publisher Johann Froben, he got a job as a doctor in the Swiss city of Basel. At the University of the city, he began to teach a course of medicine in German, which was a challenge to the established university tradition, according to which the teacher was required to lecture only in Latin. As a result, there was a conflict with the city authorities, and Paracelsus had to move to France.
And finally, in the city of Colmar, they began to talk about Paracelsus as a talented doctor. He cured such patients who were refused by other doctors, who considered them hopelessly ill. Then he could already cure such diseases as leprosy, cholera, cancer, etc. For his deeds, fame grew. But, despite all the achievements, his independence, bold statements about other doctors of the old system, unwillingness to blindly bow to authorities caused discontent from the outside; in addition, he still practiced alchemy, comprehended the fruits of the work of magicians and mystics of the East. Such activity was not liked by the local Catholics, who made sure that no one spoke with considerations that went against established ideas. Paracelsus found himself in a position in which he could be dealt with by accusing him of heresy. And he had to change jobs again and leave the country.
In 1529, Paracelsus moved to Germany, where he earned the fame of a doctor who treated hopelessly ill patients for free who did not receive help from other doctors. At that time, a skilled doctor wrote many books. He was a man of extraordinary capacity for work. There is a mention of how he often sat at his desk, working for several days on end, not knowing rest and sleep. In Nuremberg, Paracelsus published 4 of his books at once. But, after that, the city magistrate suddenly put a ban on the publication of any of his works. The latter did not happen without the diligent help of doctors and professors of the medical faculty, outraged by his innovation.
Paracelsus used his new ideas to create a chemical theory of the functioning of a living organism. According to her, the functions of the body are a chemical process. When this process goes well, i.e. is in balance - the person is healthy, otherwise the disturbed chemical process becomes the cause of any disease. Therefore, the most useful in treatment will be only those drugs that are made by chemical means. He thus sought to bring chemistry closer to medicine.
Paracelsus was looking for the philosopher's stone, not to turn base metals into gold, but to prepare healing potions. In addition, he introduced a new understanding about the dose of medicine: “Everything is poison, and nothing takes poison away. The dose alone makes the poison invisible."
In other words, the question of the harm of a substance does not depend on its consumption as such, but on the amount taken of it, which exceeds the permissible norm. Paracelsus also said that there is not a single universal cure for all diseases, i.e. each disease must be treated with specific means.
When Paracelsus learned that a plague epidemic had spread in one Italian town, he went to work there. Working with the sick, he investigated the causes of the plague, looked for recipes and prepared medicines. In the end, he found a method similar to vaccination, thanks to which he helped stop the spread of the plague.
However, even after the victory over the epidemic, Paracelsus had to wander again, changing one refuge to another: even where the authorities did not interfere with him, the Catholic clergy protested. But he did not despair, and in Ulm, and then in Augsburg, his work was published. "Big Surgery"(2 vols., 1536). After that, Paracelsus was lucky. He was finally recognized as an outstanding physician, began to be accepted into best houses, rich nobles began to use his services. And after that he already treated the royal marshal of Bohemia - Johann von Leipnik. And in Vienna, King Ferdinand himself honored him with attention.
The city of Salzburg became his last place of residence. Here he lived quietly, without fear of either attacks or persecution, and took up medical practice and writing books. According to one version, Paracelsus died of a fatal illness that overtook him in the fall of 1541. Another version indicates that he was killed by order of his enemies - envious pharmacists and doctors.
It is said that in 1830, when the threat of plague loomed over Salzburg, people went to the gravestone of Paracelsus to pray to him to avert the trouble. And he helped - the epidemic did not enter the city.
Paracelsus was convinced that there is nothing beyond the control of the human mind. He said:
In the universe, everything is one, everything is in close connection: man and the world, man and God. Man is not only a part of a great whole, but he himself is a “microcosm”, a small world that contains the properties and nature of all things; moreover, man is the "quintessence", i.e. - the fifth, the true essence of the world. God created man, as if in a grandiose alchemical laboratory, like a homunculus from the "exhaust" of the whole world. A person is similar to his Creator, therefore there is no forbidden knowledge, a person not only can - he is obliged to explore and learn all the entities that exist not only in nature, but also outside it.
Many years before the advent of genetic engineering, artificial insemination and cloning, Paracelsus stated that it was possible to make a "test tube man" or homunculus. It was he who first described the creation of the "alchemical little man." He wrote about this in detail in his treatise On the Nature of Things:
He can be raised and trained like any other child until he is old enough to take care of himself.
He added innovation to the description of medicines; also began to use chemical medicines, isolated and applied herbal medicines in the form of elixirs, tinctures and extracts. For centuries, the opium tincture invented by Paracelsus has been used as an anesthetic. He also created the doctrine of "signature" - the doctrine of the signs of nature, according to which, the likeness appearance plants and human organs can cure, for example, heart diseases (plants with heart-shaped leaves heal the heart). Nature in the understanding of Paracelsus shows a person how to use her gifts.
Paracelsus, in the vision of today's homeopaths, is one of the founders of homeopathy. Paracelsus was the first to understand and apply the principle of similarity, which is the basis of homeopathy. His developments in psychiatry proved that insanity is not an obsession with the devil, but a disease.
Undoubtedly, Paracelsus was both a great magician and physician of his time. He rendered big influence on European philosophy and medicine, having formed the worldview of many scientists.
MAGICAL MEDICINE OF PARACELSUS - A DOCTOR INDICATED IN THE MYSTERIES OF NATURE
Theophrastus Paracelsus
Lifetime portrait of the most famous and profound philosopher and physician Aureol Philip Theophrastus Paracelsus Bombast of Hohenheim, who was poisoned at the forty-seventh year of his life.
Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast Paracelsus von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus, was born two years before Columbus discovered the West Indies. The father of the "Swiss Hermes" was an army doctor, and his mother was a nurse. Therefore, it was not surprising that from a young age the young man was interested in health problems and the art of healing. In his time, and he lived and worked in the sixteenth century, he was seen as an "activist", a supporter of vigorous action. He questioned almost everything! The only endearing feature of his character was his consistent desire to remain courteous. Of course, this could not inspire others with love for him and turned his life into a series of tragic incidents, the final of which was a treacherous murder. Even if Paracelsus was an eccentric personality and a rebel, he paid for it with his own life.
We are interested in this man because he stands out very clearly against the background of a situation that tends to persist in one form or another in every generation. At the time of Paracelsus, science did not yet have a clear definition, it was dogmatic, but did not know too much and did not enjoy special authority. The science of that time, especially medicine, was based on the traditional pursuit of academic knowledge. This knowledge was not supported by laboratory research or information obtained as a result of the interaction of specialists from different fields of science. It relied mainly on the medical teachings of two people: Galen and the Arab Ibn Sina, or Avicenna. Their works were considered sacred and inviolable as far as medicine was concerned, and infallibility was beyond question. It is generally accepted that both Galen and Avicenna were outstanding people, but they lived many centuries ago, and most of their works absorbed the traditions and knowledge of those historical periods. Therefore, most of their doctrines and sayings were of a dogmatic nature and, although useful to a certain extent, no longer corresponded to the increased awareness of man. In those days, the results of mental activity were subjected even more than today to the severe censorship of public opinion and the so-called scientific fashion of that era.
Paracelsus graduated with honors from the University of Basel and received a doctorate. Since then, he began to call himself Paracelsus("greater than Celsus") - a Latin name taken at the end of the medical academy. Paracelsus, or, as he was often called, the "Hohenheimer", was acutely aware of the existence of vast areas of hidden knowledge, practically invisible from the impasse created by the authority of ancient authors. Paracelsus said that if a person wants to read the book of Nature, he must pass the with her own feet; and therefore he set out on a great journey that lasted almost until his death. He was looking for knowledge. He searched for the forgotten, unscientific, that which is not noticed, and studied the medical knowledge of distant countries. He was deeply convinced that the main source of knowledge in the field of medicine should be the experience accumulated by mankind. This knowledge was not kept on the pages of books, it was used in small towns and villages, where the light of learning did not overshadow common sense.
So, Paracelsus began his long studies of all possible aspects of practical experience in the preservation and restoration of health in those places where there were no doctors. He went to the mountains and studied with hermits; wandered the countryside and talked with sorceresses - wise women with their own special knowledge of herbs and non-traditional methods of treatment. In fact, he talked to any person from whom he thought he could learn, and always tried to find out what exactly had an effect in the treatment of the disease.
As a result of these wanderings, Paracelsus collected a real treasure trove of knowledge obtained empirically. He not only went up and down the whole of Europe, but, as you know, he reached Constantinople - New Rome, to learn from the Arabs. He tried to find out everything that could be known in his time, everything that was believed in, and everything that they tried to apply in the field of healing. Paracelsus, of course, was a believer and could, even in his youth, it is said, quote the entire Bible from memory. It was a real feat for a man of his era, when so much time was spent on simple survival. But Paracelsus was not only a deep student of religion, but he was also something of a traveling salesman, paying his fare from one place to another by selling biblical literature. He may have been an eccentric man, but his eccentricity was manifested in selfless service.
Paracelsus was never particularly handsome and time did not add to his external attractiveness. He had no love for professorial robes and once declared that the soft fluff on the back of his neck understood practical medicine better than all the medical scientists from the University of Basel. Such statements did not add to his sympathy in academic circles.
However, today it is not the position or the quirks of this interesting person. We are really interested in his way of thinking and what he was trying to do. And he began with a simple statement that the doctor is the confidant of Nature. In other words, the most important goal of the doctor is to find out what Nature wants. His duty is to assist Nature in achieving her purposes. To achieve these goals, it is also necessary to understand how Nature wants to do this work. The confidant of Nature must know not only the causes of disease, but also understand why the person is sick and as can recover. This became the basis of his theories. In the end, these theories saw the light of day, coming out as a series of books in Low German (!) Language. This alone was heresy, since scholarly works were to be published only in Latin. But the Low German language was in fact no worse than the Latin in which most of the works were written. In fact, even scholars who knew Latin well could not read each other's works. Paracelsus believed that he at least provided common man a better opportunity to learn and think.
Being a religious person by nature, Paracelsus considered people to be complex spiritual beings. And although a number of modern writers are trying to discredit Paracelsus, and even a brief mention of him in the British Encyclopedia is not very flattering, Paracelsus came close to many psychological concepts and philosophical research conducted today. He was the first to unequivocally state that a person is something more than a body. The human being had to be something more than a physical body. The invisible part of a person - that part that is not the body, can and does have a serious effect on the body itself. Paracelsus was convinced that somewhere in the background of the human structure there is a mysterious element that we call the spirit, and this spirit is life, and this is the presence of God in the flesh. The spirit dwells in some remote corner of the physical and metaphysical atmosphere of man. But the spirit, according to Paracelsus, is the great restorer and healer of all things. The Spirit as God is the truth that corrects all things; the spirit as wisdom is a problem-solving fact. Therefore, the spirit is a force that must be understood and used. It must be understood in its spiritual sense. It should be revered, respected and recognized in it as the unconditional source of all living beings, and not only man, but also any other creature.
In addition to the spirit, there was something else that modern philosophers call psyche, psyche, and the ancients, as a rule, considered soul. This psychic particle, in the mind of Paracelsus, was a strange, amazing and awe-inspiring entity. She, too, is invisible and occupies a middle position between the spirit and the body. It is something like a subjective personality, but its effects and forces are especially whimsical, because a person is not able to determine the source of impulses arising in his nature. Therefore, if there is any superphysical part of a person that is involved in a special way in the difficulties of his physical existence, it is the mental content of his nature.
Paracelsus was quite sure that disease first arises in psyche. It is the psychic nature of man that weakens the body and makes disease possible. It is the mental nature of a person - this combination of emotions, sensations and thought processes - that creates a complex mechanism that produces ignorance, prejudice and fear. It is the psychic nature of man that is depicted in the story of a fallen angel, a rebel against the laws of the Infinite. AT psyche disobedience arose, and as a result of this disobedience, the fall of man occurred; and on this occasion he fell into sickness, misfortune, social problems and personal dilemmas. Paracelsus took it for granted that most diseases originate in an invisible component of the inner world of a person, at a level to which a person does not have direct access, in a component that has to be influenced indirectly in a paramedical way or directly in a metaphysical way. So von Hohenheim also became a metaphysician - a doctor who was looking for ways to mental content. He wanted to discover medicines for healing the soul and delivering it from misfortunes.
Paracelsus was aware that the clarity of thinking of the individual, the developing self, can be extremely confused or distorted by an unhealthy body. If an individual is physically ill, it is difficult for him to remain optimistic or friendly in his actions, since sick people involuntarily feel constraint and anxiety in everything they undertake. And this constant feeling Anxiety encourages negative emotions and attitudes. It creates a neurosis. This type of disease certainly brings with it insecurity and a state of unreasonable fear. Therefore, starting to solve the problem of restoring health, Paracelsus attached particular importance to the physical body, which must be cured of disturbing impurities and disease processes. He declared, and this, in my opinion, is being recognized today, that treating the body is one thing, and treating it incorrectly is quite another. So he looked for those simple natural remedies that in themselves do no harm and encourage the body to return to normal functioning. However, he pointed out that a person cannot intimidate the body; he cannot command himself to return to a healthy state. Man cannot arbitrarily impose his will on Nature; he can not make demands universe and insist that his internal settings be changed simply because he wants to. A person does not even have any right to change his mechanisms, damaging the body that contains these installations.
Thus, the search for natural remedies led this "forerunner of chemical pharmacology and therapy," as Lieutenant Colonel Garrison called him in his History of Medicine, back to field herbs and non-poisonous natural remedies.
Paracelsus very opportunely discovered that, long before the advent of formal medicine, human beings had survived the lack of academic knowledge largely due to an intuitive understanding of the healing properties of certain substances contained, for example, in certain plants and minerals. The healing properties of herbs were known even to the most primitive tribes; and animals, as you know, choose plants that have a therapeutic effect. From this, Paracelsus concluded that the Will of the Eternal endowed man primarily with the vegetable kingdom, so that it served as a source of nourishment and preservation. Somewhere in the earthly garden there is a herbal remedy for every disease that afflicts human flesh. We do not know everyone, neither did Paracelsus. But he collected hundreds of plant-based medical prescriptions, and much of what he collected is included in the modern pharmacopoeia.
The already mentioned Lieutenant Colonel Harrison is the author of the most famous and most widely recognized history of medicine. In his opinion, the initial and fundamental contribution to pharmacology belongs to Paracelsus, who, in particular, provided us with a lot of vital information about the medicinal properties of certain plants and substances.
Having come to the idea that physical health should be restored without shocks, Paracelsus decided that the doctor must certainly be able to compose his own medicines. Like many doctors of that time, he was very distrustful of pharmacists, who, for the most part, were rather ignorant brethren and were ready to use low-quality ingredients for extremely high profits. Paracelsus, of course, resented this widespread swindle, and he resorted to the ancient practice of the Druids of ancient Britain: he composed medicinal potions himself and, whenever possible, used plants from own gardens. The gardens of the Druids, tended by wise bearded priests, were still more or less legendary in England and Scotland.
Then Paracelsus tried to find out which factors, besides ignorance in matters of hygiene, accidents or the consequences of wars and feudal strife, contribute most to the occurrence of diseases. And he came to the conclusion that there are actually many such factors. Perhaps Paracelsus could not classify them all, as we do today, but he was extremely observant and, noticing what was happening to people, attributed this to various reasons. And time reasons there are many and they are different, then the courses of treatment should be many and varied.
Therefore, according to Paracelsus, the doctor must have exceptional learning. It is not enough to master perfectly the knowledge that the university considers satisfactory. The physician must first of all realize the threefold nature of man. The doctor needs to know equally well the spiritual being of man and his material being. Ignore the irresistible divine power in a person, not see a worthwhile behind the physical function of the mysterious intricacies of various vibrations means to be insufficiently versed in the most important principles of healing. The physician must not only testify to the presence of the spiritual factor in the person, but also recognize himself as the servant and secretary of this spiritual faculty or factor. He must establish a connection with the universal Principle of goodness and revere Divinity as the first and foremost teacher. He must always serve the Divine Plan, not imposing his own will, but striving by all means at his disposal to reveal the Divine Will: what She wants, what She needs, and what She requires. And in this sense, the doctor must be a deeply religious person. A doctor who is not completely devoted to his work, just like an astronomer who is not devoted to the stars, are almost incompatible concepts. This is more than inconsistency, it is insane, because such a doctor is not able to penetrate the very essence of healing.
Only by having a deep respect for the universal mystery, it is possible to solve the problem of that little mystery that we call man. This conviction formed a deep gulf between Paracelsus and the people of his era, and has always remained one of the most striking differences in the confrontation between religion and science. In fact, doctors in Basel and other university centers were religious people. That is, they regularly attended church, invoked the blessing of God on every graduate of the university, and considered themselves devoted servants of the Divine Will, since they took the solemn oath of Hippocrates. And yet, as soon as God was admitted into the classroom, something changed; at this point, the doctor became wholly and completely a "scientist." He completely excluded the adjustment for religion from the equation of his life. He served God in cathedral, but did not recognize the Divine as the active principle of treatment. Of course, many doctors recognized the grace of prayer. Experience has taught them that when science and skill are powerless, the only thing left is to turn to the invisible power of Life for help.
Paracelsus recommended resorting to this remedy at the beginning without taking things to the extreme. This was contrary to the position of self-confidence in which the rapidly developing science stood, but brought healing in the vast majority of serious cases. The only thing that pissed off the doctors of the era of Paracelsus was the fact that the great Swiss really healed the sick. When we say “healed”, we put a relative meaning into it, that is: the patient recovered, restored his health and returned to his work. But no physician, not even Paracelsus, actually "heals." He helps Nature to restore health. It is known that in the treatment of his patients, Paracelsus achieved extraordinary success, and as a result, many patients, recognized as hopeless, were brought to him. And in in large numbers In such cases, he was able to help. However, instead of the general enthusiasm of the academic community, this was probably one of the main reasons for the treacherous murder of the great physician. Preservation status quo it turned out to be more important than the recognition of a new brilliant luminary in the sky of science.
Paracelsus was also interested in the appearance of evil in the world. It seemed to him that human problems were somehow interconnected with the spirit of perversion and depravity. It must be understood that at that time this spirit of perversion was almost always associated with some form of demonism. Therefore, Paracelsus continued to use very trivial terms, but, as is clear from his writings, he began to see through concepts that could not be expressed in the language of that time. He recognized the existence of some kind of involutionary force, that force that constantly acted against the health and well-being of a person as an individual and the world as a huge collective. Paracelsus tended to question theological concepts of the existence of a primary evil; he could not reconcile such primordial evil with the omnipresence of final good in the person of God. But he believed in the reality that somewhere roam " evil spirits". And these spirits had something to do with the shortcomings of man.
He was not quite sure whether these mysterious spirits were attacking the inner world of man or, like some kind of infection, moving in the social atmosphere of the era. Paracelsus was certainly convinced that social ills are like epidemics. General destructive attitudes are contagious and infect people who are healthy in other respects. He was especially tired of such things as chatter, envy and fear. He noticed how quickly and viciously a person attacks what is contrary to his attitudes. Being persecuted throughout almost his entire life for his main flaw - honesty, Paracelsus understood that in the space from which people receive animal life force, there is some kind of perversion. And this perverted power could very well originate in mysterious demon-like creatures, never invisible to anyone, except in extraordinary circumstances.
These small living creatures were a kind of metaphysical fungus, extremely selective in their tastes. Each individual mushroom creature was attracted to a specific vibration created by a person. These fungi can be likened to monsters living in the air. They found their food in human deceit, selfishness and depravity. In the same way as various frauds, if you engage in them long time, lead to chronic and incurable diseases, vicious attitudes could create these demonic forms, these mysterious creatures that are not the offspring of Divinity. They were false creations of the mental and emotional structure of man.
The mindset of Paracelsus clearly indicates that he was groping modern ideas about the cause of psychological illness. He dealt with the problems of neuroses and complexes. These mushroom-like creatures, which he tried to classify, could in fact be "complexes", or clumps of internal attitudes in a person, manifesting themselves in the form of destructive ailments.
Consequently, Paracelsus divided the disease into two parts: visible and invisible - and recognized that it could have many causes. Having served for several years as an army doctor, Paracelsus could not doubt that the wounds from swords and musket shots were quite real. A person could be injured in battle or suffer an accident in everyday life. So, there must have been some place for these accidental injuries. Some were the result of human negligence, others of personal carelessness, and still others, like the products of war, of collective mania. But anyway, they existed.
He saw another major cause of disease in the absence of sanitary prophylaxis and hygiene. He was keenly aware that the result of the decomposition of material substances are the mysterious forces of evil, which also endanger health. Unable to expand the boundaries of his research as he would like, he noticed in some cases that in small settlements people were not exposed to the diseases that people in larger and more populated areas suffered from. He began to develop a strong case against city life. He came to understand that crowding interferes with the normal activities of the individual. In addition, overpopulation created numerous temptations that could lead to the moral decay of the flesh.
Going even further in his study of reality, Paracelsus declared that there are also malefic mental and emotional entities. He did not attempt to depict them, but some of his contemporaries did, and some entities are almost always to be found in large, intricate engravings or paintings depicting the temptations of St. Anthony. Heinrich Khunrath, a fairly well-known alchemist writer, presents in one of his engravings a sky completely filled with insect monsters. These monsters, like the animals imagined by paleozoologists, were composed of different parts of insects mixed in a strange disorder. But in any case, Paracelsus was fully aware that a huge host of such entities existed. Perhaps they cannot be called thought forms, but they existed in approximately this form. They could not only exist, but also grow. Not only could they grow, but they could also be corrected, or, more precisely, their harmful qualities could be nullified by making certain changes in human behavior.
With these psychological diseases - and that is exactly what they were - Paracelsus fought with the help of what was called at that time magical treatment. He coped with these difficult cases with the help of prayer, meditation and various kinds of talismans, amulets and spells. From hermits, witches and sorcerers, whom he met during his travels, he learned about the existence of a certain mysterious procedure, originating in the Holy Scriptures and representing the "exorcism of evil." There were also spells that deprived the destructive power of power over human life. Paracelsus experimented with these methods, quite within the framework of scientific tradition, and came to the simple and inevitable conclusion that they work! The individual could achieve a certain relief by placing before these monstrous ghosts some symbols of firm and lasting faith. In other words, one could call on God or the divine forces of life to free the individual from the evils and diseases that threatened his existence.
Today we would refer to this type of treatment as a form of psychotherapy or mental healing. It could also be called faith healing, because it was carried out in any way that made the individual's faith in good stronger than his fear of evil. Throughout primitive peoples, sorceresses, medicine men, and shamans practiced precisely this type of therapy—therapies by the creation of faith and therapies of influencing ghosts in mysterious, superphysical ways. These methods are still used in many religions and are beginning to regain a fairly prominent place in our modern thinking.
Our explanation of the cause is different from that of Paracelsus. He probably really believed that positive results were achieved by creating discomfort for some annoying entity. Today, we are more inclined to think that they reflect getting rid of destructive attitudes. We believe that when explaining such a phenomenon as a disease, the attitude is closer to the truth than the essence. But some modern thinkers have already asked themselves the question: how, in fact, to decipher the word "attitude" in connection with certain internal moods of the individual? What are installations? And what are these sentiments? What is a complex? And what is an obsession?
We assume that most of these are simply tensions in our intellectual structure. But even if this is the case, which is quite possible, then if these attitudes are strong enough to influence us and persist throughout our lives, they must have some semblance of structure, shape or geometric configuration, or have some kind of integrity. Perhaps this wholeness is the essence that Paracelsus recognized. In any case, he discovered that it is quite possible to influence the inner world of a person in various ways, from reading the Holy Scriptures to carrying talismans with him. And from here it is already one step to the miracles of the French Lourdes or the Church of St. Anne de Beaupré in Canada. And this is nothing but the triumph of faith.
Paracelsus also found that simply handing a trinket to a patient, explaining that it had miraculous properties, would not work. The structure of the thing must be imbued with something of a mysterious nature. There must be something by which the patient's faith is strengthened - this is the explanation for the engraving on the disks of all kinds of magical names, the performance of spells according to the laws and rules with their mechanical repetition. For this reason, the principles for the manufacture of medicines have also developed, for example, the collection of medicinal herbs only during certain phases of the moon. All this gives an aura of mystery to ordinary things, and this mystery seems to be a powerful factor in the healing power of various drugs. Paracelsus did not know for sure which part of the remedies was really physical and chemical, and which part was the mysterious spirit of faith, which was transmitted to the patient by a scientist and, of course, a completely competent doctor.
The next thought that came to Paracelsus was that the physician must be, at least to a certain extent, an insightful philosopher. He must have at his disposal the kind of knowledge that will enable him to rationally explain the patient's problems. The doctor must not only be a priest of God, he must be a wise man in worldly affairs. His preparation should be sufficient to help the patient understand the causes of his condition. The doctor must find reasonable answers that restore the patient's confidence, increase his ability to take care of himself, and keep him in line with appropriate behavior.
Every patient has some kind of philosophy, and every individual lives by his own code, good or bad. A wise doctor quickly learns to speak the language of the patient and gets the opportunity to "get through" to that. Perhaps after that he will be able to point out to the patient some of the contradictions in his personal philosophy, which entered there at the stage of formation. In this way rapport and agreement are established, for unless the patient is understood, his motivations are not known, and the mental and emotional factors that have contributed to his illness are not carefully considered, we will be far from a real cure.
The only way to do this is to understand the patient and not to demand that he necessarily understand us. First, the average patient of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries did not usually dare to think of understanding his doctor. He remembered the words of the saint, who said: “Honor the doctor so How do you honor the Lord? Therefore, very few people considered themselves able to comprehend the remedies prescribed to them. Let me say that this tradition still exists, but in some cases there are doubts about its justification. Then, as now, the patient often recovered in spite of rather than because of his doctor. And for the most part, we still have very little idea of what we accept and why. Like patients of old, we hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Therefore, Paracelsus strongly advised the doctor to get rid of his frilly robes, doctor's cap and Hippocratic belt and become just a friend of the sick, trying to understand them and creating a new type of prestige - not the one that rests solely on authority, but the prestige of trust resulting from the recognition of the doctor's real knowledge. . Such relationships Paracelsus considered extremely important.
In those days, of course, it was believed that we live in such a relationship with the Universe as the microcosm with the Macrocosm. The big world of the Universe is the Macrocosm, and the small world of man is the microcosm. These two spheres are connected together by a system of analogies "as above, so below", according to the axiom of Hermes. Almost all the sages tried to interpret the universe by studying man, and in order to study man they tried to find out, as far as possible, what the universe really is.
Paracelsus adhered to this way of thinking. He believed that a person is connected with a vast sphere of things by mysterious magnetic connections, and therefore this sphere naturally affects a person. He is influenced by the land on which he lives and the food he eats. Moreover, food products grown in one place do not correspond in nutritional properties to products grown in another, and Paracelsus discovered these differences.
A person needs to realize the influence of the invisible forces of the Universe and, in particular, the influence of the stars on his destiny. Paracelsus divided astronomy, which at that time was almost exclusively astrology with few overtones, into several sections. And since the Universe was considered by him as a triple being, then in the scheme of Paracelsus there were three main zodiacs, three sets of planets and three suns included in the structure of the world. Each of the spheres affects certain parts of the psychophysical structure of a person.
spiritual zodiac affects the inner world of a person, and its influence is always aimed at revealing the spiritual potential. The spiritual zodiac contains no malefic aspects because God has no malevolent motives. There is essentially no evil in the universe. Therefore, the purpose of the spiritual zodiac is to always support all that is good in man and return his spirit to the throne of the almighty God.
The second sphere and the second sun are named mental zodiac. It contains the astrology of the mind and emotions, that which has to do with the mysterious forces that influence human attitudes. This section of astrology can be most useful to the doctor, because it contains all the information necessary to understand the inclinations of human character, and by studying the character of the patient, the doctor has a chance to discover the cause of his illness. By improving the character, many ailments of a subjective origin are eliminated. Consequently, the influence of the so-called psychic zodiac with all its aspects is aimed at creating attitudes and their activation at certain moments of the relative position of the planets. The impact of attitudes that have entered the active phase can be constructive or destructive both on our way of thinking and on humanity as a whole.
It should be noted that "destructive attitudes" are not inherently harmful and should not be considered as such. A destructive attitude is a challenge that a person is not able to accept. In other words, this is a situation in which a person chooses the wrong solution to his problems. This psychic atmosphere was believed to be inhabited by various mysterious beings. This series includes homunculi - strange creatures obtained in an alchemical retort similar to a pumpkin and sometimes called "creatures of transparent glass"; they represent the psychic power in man. There are also incubi - unusual creations of destructive human emotions. Thus, the various aspects of the psychic zodiac correspond to the intensity of our emotions. Paracelsus, like almost all ancient scientists, knew about the change of mood depending on the position of the moon. He clearly understood that some people, gifted with a rich imagination, may experience severe ailments during certain lunar phases.
The results of recent studies have confirmed the accuracy of these possibly random observations. Psychologists around the world are accumulating evidence that the Moon, being in a certain phase, has a strong influence on the mental and emotional life of a person and, perhaps even more strongly, or at least more obviously, affects people suffering from mental disorders.
The third area is called physical zodiac and is associated with the manifestation of mental stress in physical form. In the physical zodiac we observe how psychological tension finds expression in the aspect of form. Therefore, here we can see the psychological tension manifested as a physical action. Too much emotion can cause a person to commit a completely physical act, such as a crime, just like the excessive emotions of a nation can eventually lead to war.
Paracelsus came to one extremely important conclusion that all physical objects are effects, and their causes depend on invisible things. They originate in the mental and emotional areas and gradually form in the invisible realms of man and nature until their tension requires manifestation in a physical act or activity. These tensions eventually become so strong that they seem to break through and pour out into a physical manifestation. Observing the activities of nations, one can notice how gradually, year after year, such feelings as envy and hostility intensify and sharpen, until, full of mortal hatred, they, under some insignificant pretext, come into conflict. The same thing happens with a person. As the years go by, certain attitudes, which are by no means benevolent, constructive, or problem-solving, become more intense. Gradually, they become more and more powerful factors of human personality and character, until they finally “break out” into objective reality, perhaps in the form of a crime or a health disorder, or perhaps as a violation of the relationship between mental activity and the brain.
Thinking deeply about these theories, Paracelsus no doubt did a good deed in applying them to explain the facts of everyday life. He was an attentive observer and, noticing certain things, found a reasonable explanation for them. His merit lies in the fact that, in order to reinforce his conclusions, he did not simply connect the facts together, but collected them and, as far as possible, allowed reality to lead him to certain conclusions. That is why he was a true scientist and devoted secretary of Nature.
Paracelsus has an original idea about what we call microbes, which still remains a mystery. I would also like to ask: is it known what such dangerous factors as viruses are? The answer is unequivocal: no, it is not known. Paracelsus received the keys to many riddles from the wise men whom he met in Constantinople (Istanbul). He believed that bacteria of all kinds did not constitute the lawful waves of life, or, in other words, Nature did not take an original part in the creation of these harmful microorganisms. They were the result of man gaining power over Nature.
It should be noted that there is a very subtle difference that we must necessarily take into account - this is the difference between the natural processes of decomposition that occur according to the laws of Nature, and those mysterious and strange outbreaks of epidemics that mainly affect the so-called rational animal - man. Paracelsus was of the opinion that most diseases are caused by mysterious microorganisms created by man himself. These beings are gradually materialized psychic entities created by man over a period of time. Assuming that man, according to the ancients, is indeed a creator on a modest scale, we have to admit that, apparently, he is capable of causing a number of diseases. Physically, these diseases are aggravated by the fact that a person has psychologically sharpened his egoism.
All this is directly or indirectly related to the serious problem of using DDT. It is known that harmful insects, against which this insecticide is supposedly very effective, become immune to it over time. The question arises: is there a relationship between this phenomenon and the fact that these pests cannot actually be destroyed by the available physical means? Suppose further that these annoying creatures are "layers" of psychological entities. But then, perhaps, these pests will disappear if a person learns to moderate his appetites? Recently, a lot of opinions have been expressed on this subject, and a certain group of researchers decided to turn to an area that can be studied. modern means, namely to botany.
Let's take roses for example. There are two ways to get rid of aphids that infect roses: the first is to spray them in the morning, afternoon and evening, and the second is to provide plants proper nutrition. If the rose bush is properly nourished, the need for constant spraying will be eliminated, as a healthy plant has its own defenses and has enough vitality to withstand pest attacks. If we talk about a person, then most of us prefer horse doses of vitamins, hormone injections and the latest antibiotics - anything but a reasonable diet, exercise and a measured lifestyle. However, it should be noted that from the kitchen, where "mother's recipe pie" is made from refined sugar, refined white flour and insecticide-sprayed apples, we will not get any help.
If we assume that a person is becoming more and more a victim of various pests, and not their creator, we will be faced with the same problem and wonder if we will finally find some solution. This will continue until we pay enough attention to the precautions and ask ourselves: is a person not a “victim” of pests because his inner world does not receive adequate nutrition? Isn't all this happening because man has destroyed his means of protection against diseases by factors of his own creation?
Today we know much more than was known in the time of Paracelsus, and we understand that finding proper nutrition of all kinds is fraught with incredible difficulties. Trying to provide ourselves with proper nutrition, we are literally forced to fight with destructive factors advancing from everywhere. We suffer from water pollution, impure air and dirty thoughts. And it is very problematic to determine a diet for yourself, having contaminated products available. And if, despite strict adherence to the diet, we create new pests as a result of the loss of a good mood, all our efforts go to waste. So we are still faced with a dilemma for which there seems to be only one possible solution, socially or otherwise: until man, individually or in association with others, ceases to create that which destroys him, he will inevitably suffer the consequences of their actions. That's in in general terms the content of the philosophy of Paracelsus - the knowledge accumulated while traveling through the pages of the textbook of Nature. According to the firm conviction of Paracelsus, the dangers hanging over humanity are mostly created by people themselves, and one can be saved from them only by realizing a much greater involvement of humanity in them than it seems at first glance. The visible part of the human being is threatened by the invisible part of it. And until these invisible factors change, the physical realm cannot truly be restored.
Paracelsus also recognized what we today call a system of classification of elements. These were elements of the ancients, having nothing to do with modern chemistry. In ancient times, four, sometimes five, elements were recognized, which included earth, water, fire and air. They are related to our current problems revolving around four molecules: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. While studying with Muslim mystics, Paracelsus also learned about a certain mysterious fifth element, which is called the "quintessence", or fifth essence. This quintessence was also known in Asia as the fifth element - "ether", or energy. This element was understood as the spiritual mystery of the higher atmosphere, and in the East it was associated with mental activity. And finally, the fifth element is known as Nitrogen, the transforming agent of the alchemists, which occupied an important place in the philosophy of Paracelsus.
The fifth element was energy. It was a diffusion of ether, vital moisture, or an intangible gaseous shell surrounding all living beings. By this sheath we usually mean some kind of magnetic field, or what Dr. Kilner of Liverpool called the "human atmosphere" or human aura. For Paracelsus, the aura was an extremely complex subject, but since his main task was to heal the sick, he directed his main efforts to the study of the ethereal field, in which all living things exist. This ethereal field was directly related to the energy source of power. It was the energy by which physical vitality is maintained. Therefore, this energy is for the body what God is for everything that exists: the source and root cause of life. In the philosophy of Paracelsus, this energy field was the focus of most ailments that eventually manifest physically. So, Paracelsus, having spent a lot of effort to defeat the common cold, eventually came to the conclusion that this disease is related to the ether, that is, it is directly related to the energy field. It is in the energy field that almost all types of microorganisms dangerous to humans are excreted. In case of damage to the energy field due to the invasion of pathogenic factors, it gradually loses the ability to nourish the physical structure with vitality, and when the organs cease to be fed with the necessary energy, decay or death occurs. The disease occurs when the nutrition of some part of the body is difficult or completely stopped, mainly due to the consumption by a person of the marginal norm of energy.
Of particular interest to Paracelsus was the possibility of building up the energy or vital body. He was absolutely certain that the power simply provided a continuous transfer of power. A person eats not the foods that he eats, but the energy they give off. This partly explains the need for cooking the right way. During prolonged cooking, at high temperatures, vitamins are completely destroyed, and, according to Paracelsus, they are the most important particles of ethereal energy that feeds physical structures. If a person falls ill and his “energy” decreases, it means that it begins to be spent not on general needs, but on recreating, maintaining and restoring the vitality of the diseased part of the body. This is what explains why the patient needs so much sleep for a long time, because during sleep all the energy that he has is spent on healing.
In addition, psychological pressure is created by stressful situations that deplete a person's etheric reserve. If we could only see the destructive effect fear, anger and envy have on our internal structures, we would think twice before giving vent to such feelings. Indeed, often, for decency, people are ready to call just indignation just such behavior, which is characteristic of spoiled children. The result of these primitive emotions is malnutrition of the physical structure.
If a person has caught some kind of disease stuck in his etheric energy field, which looks like a kind of neoplasm or cancerous tumor, which, although not yet manifested, takes away vitality, Paracelsus paints a rather comforting picture. In his opinion, such a disease, since it has not yet passed into an irreversible manifested state, is completely curable, but only given that that a person really sets himself such a task. And if he considers a bad mood a cancerous tumor in his soul, then fear, perhaps, will make him always stay in good mood! Without establishing himself in such an attitude, he will be able to learn little from his experience.
Paracelsus was also interested in the question of whether the doctor could treat the patient's etheric body directly. Research led him to extremely interesting conclusions, which are contained in the collection of his works and in a separately published book called "Mumie". The title of the book is not directly related to the now known scientific term (mumiyo), and therefore it's time to try to explain it. This term actually comes from the Egyptian word "mumiyah", which means "the embalmed body of the deceased." But the most interesting thing about all this was the discovery of Paracelsus that the ethereal fields of Egyptian mummies are still functioning. Under the influence of magic spells and formulas and by the imposition of secret spells, these energy fields continue to be active to some extent. Perhaps this explains the so-called phenomenon of the Egyptian curse, which allegedly falls on the head of those who disturb the Egyptian remains. The "curse" of Egypt has claimed many lives, starting with Lord Carnarvon, who opened Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. At least, many believe that this is the case. However, this theory is greatly undermined by the fact that Howard Carter, one of the original explorers of the tomb, lived in good health to the age of sixty-six, living seventeen years after the opening of the tomb.
One way or another, the Egyptian mummies led Paracelsus to certain thoughts, and one of the conclusions he came to was the possibility of transmitting the disease from one magnetic field to another. In this way a kind of ethereal transplantation was accomplished. However, although in our time physical transplantation, that is, the transplantation of physical organs and tissues, has become widespread, etheric transplantation seems to be a matter of the distant future. The main difficulty was that Paracelsus, being a religious man, had no desire to intentionally transplant some kind of disease into another person, and just as he did not dare to take away from a person the experience that was the result of his actions. Therefore, he transferred his experiments to the objects of the vegetable kingdom. Here he found that the order of life of plants is similar to the stages of human health. There are plants that are integrated into almost all conditions, even those that are dangerous to humans. This fact is interesting, if only because some plants live excellently in fumes harmful to humans.
If one traces the theory of Paracelsus to its natural conclusion, the impeccability of this method becomes evident. As you know, there are plants whose extracts are used to prepare narcotic substances that cause changes in the psyche. With the help of such plants, one can change the mental and emotional nature of a person. There are also plants that help almost completely cure somatic nervous diseases. Paracelsus was not a supporter of the use of hallucinogens, although he recognized their existence. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the plant has nothing to do with human emotions. Herbal remedies can have at least a temporary effect on emotions, and the mode of such an effect cannot be classified as purely physical.
The modern philosopher believes that emotions and thoughts are essentially physical in nature, but such a view immediately creates a lot of difficulties. The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung called a person a persona. in body and distinguished between the person, that is, the essence that dwells in the body, and the body. It should be noted that the very word “persona”, which means a mask in Greek, contains a clear hint that something else is hidden behind it. Over time, psychology is increasingly comprehending these subtleties. The view that man is merely an animated machine is losing favor because its ethical barrenness is too obvious for us to intuitively support. It is pointless to try to live according to the "truth" that affects us destructively. The question immediately arises whether any truth is destructive or not, and also whether a destructive attitude is considered to be true.
One way or another, Paracelsus began research with the intention of discovering whether, by means of magnetic means, formulas, and various subtle substances existing in nature, it was possible to build a bridge to the vegetable kingdom for the transfer of diseases that affect man. He did not advise transplanting diseases into the animal kingdom, because here a different kind of problem would be encountered. When a person transfers his vices to animals, this most often destroys them, and a person is present on earth not to destroy. In the vegetable kingdom, on the other hand, harmful elements present in man can be absorbed, apparently without harming anyone, and sometimes even contributing to the lush growth and flowering of plants. Therefore, in this case, the experiments are fully justified ethically. As they say, everything has its place and time. The whole difficulty lies in bringing together such different elements together and in proper proportions. This method of therapy by Paracelsus is based on the idea that some things that cause trouble to a person can be found "new use" and they can benefit something or someone, while, being present in a person, they are not only useless, but even dangerous. Some followers of Paracelsus from among the chemists of a mystical persuasion continued research in this direction; there are a number of printed works on this subject, but they do not contain particularly valuable information.
Another aspect of Paracelsus' therapy is related to the study of so-called "natural methods". It is amazing to see such a tendency in a sixteenth-century physician, but the Swiss teacher has always been a supporter of simple means. Like the American Indians, he recommended diaphoretic baths to the sick, considering them one of the better ways cleansing the body. He also advised to adhere to an extremely moderate diet, promoted cleanliness and improved sanitary conditions in every possible way, and tried in every possible way to defeat the many diseases arising from the ignorance of others. He, like the Buddha, was firmly convinced that all diseases are a kind of ignorance; after all, ignorance of how to improve health and how to maintain it can only be called ignorance. Thus, the problem was reduced to the development of a system of natural therapy.
For some time, Paracelsus worked as a doctor in the mines of the Fuggers, one of the richest and most influential families in Germany, and there he discovered that plants have the ability to draw various metals into themselves. For example, he discovered that in some areas of Germany, where gold mines were located next to the vineyards, gold accumulated in the vines. When the vines were burned in autumn, small grains of gold were often found in the ashes, and a small amount of gold was found in the juice from these grapes. This led Paracelsus to conclude that most plants absorb certain chemicals and minerals, and that, from the point of view of human consumption, the best form would probably be the minerals passed through the vegetable kingdom. Therefore, he strongly promoted the cultivation of plants at different latitudes and in different climatic zones for the sake of their mysterious content. He also found that some soils are preferable to others. He is known to have been the owner of a large estate in Switzerland, where the Anthroposophical Society is now headquartered. The estate was surrounded by gardens cultivated in strict accordance with these principles.
So, the search for natural methods of treatment by Paracelsus gave him the idea to study the mineral composition of plants and find the easiest way to transfer these substances to humans. Reasoning logically, he came to the conclusion that the magnetic or ethereal structure of the minerals absorbed by the plant changes somewhat and, consequently, their assimilation by man is facilitated. He believed that all minerals have magnetic fields, which permeate the structures surrounding them, and believed, like other alchemists, that minerals could "grow" in rocks. For example, gold grows like the branches of a tree in different directions. This should be confirmed by the fact that the mined-out gold mine, abandoned for several hundred years, is filled again, and where there seems to be nothing left, even more gold is found. It turns out that minerals constantly reproduce themselves, and gold and other elements are mineral plants. Their energy, absorbed by ordinary plants, is sublimated, the magnetic field is increased, and the usefulness of the mineral as a nutrient or remedy is transferred in the form of an ethereal life force. Thus, the magnetic field of a person is fed by the magnetism of both a plant and a mineral, and a person himself, eating a plant, satisfies the need for minerals, receiving them in the best form for assimilation.
By the way, Paracelsus believed that the source of health is not the mineral itself, but its magnetic counterpart. The magnetic field of the mineral, expanded and activated by the plant organism, is more easily absorbed by the human field and thus initiates a cycle of nutrition, as a result of which vital energy is transferred to the physical organism. The physical body requires the same care as a plant, only it grows upside down. The source of energy is in the ether and is invisible to the eye, despite the fact that the body itself is an object that is quite visible.
Paracelsus did not bypass his attention and alchemy, only his alchemy, like the alchemy of Jacob Boehme, was strongly influenced by his own theology. Paracelsus was sure that the various alchemical processes were inherently correct, and this gave reason to hope that one day man would create a universal medicine. This universal balm that was quinta essence, or the fifth element, this elixir of life, embodying the dream of all alchemists, would become a remedy for healing a person from all diseases. Such a medicine ensured the immortality of the body and soul, perfected the mind and made it possible for a person to directly experience the presence of God as a mystery contained in himself. Thus, this medicine became a means of complete renewal. Subsequently, the Rosicrucians, Hermetists, and humanists of various kinds used this theory of renewal in their political affairs, for they saw in it a way to realize the principle of social justice through a general reformation. Such was the mainstream of political thought in the early seventeenth century.
However, then Paracelsus was mainly occupied with the creation of such a remedy, which could become the only and reliable force that heals all kinds of diseases. Divine life is one, but its manifestations are infinite.
Energy is a homogeneous substance, but nourishes beings of various types and types. Light is essentially one, but in its manifestations it is infinite; and the same light emitted by the Sun supports all kinds of life on Earth and, as far as we know, on all other planets in the solar system. Thus, one energy supports everything. But then, speaking in a broad sense, is it not reasonable or at least not possible to think that one remedy can cure all diseases. The light of the Sun with all its healing properties is poured out on both the righteous and the unrighteous; he supports the bee in its indefatigable industriousness and endows some gigantic mammal with colossal endurance. All forms of life are surrounded and supported by this single force, manifested in an infinite variety of forms, colors, textures and quality levels. Moreover, the same energy that decorates the wings of a butterfly with all the colors of the rainbow, supports the strength of a huge whale. All differentiation occurs within one huge energy field.
For Paracelsus the task was simple and clear: before it was possible to find one a cure for all diseases, it is necessary to establish a single root cause of diseases. Sickness is related to the principle of sickness, error to the principle of error, and sin to the principle of disobedience. Therefore, the first step is to somehow identify the primary source of suffering. Paracelsus did not turn to Eastern philosophies, where ignorance and desire had long been named the cause of suffering, and self-love was considered the main manifestation of ignorance. He independently came to the conclusion that most human misfortunes stem from disobedience to natural law. This law, including its spiritual and material aspects, is unlimited and immutable. Any conflict with natural law is fatal to man, since the law itself is invulnerable. Thus, all human problems are rooted in disobedience, and disobedience, in turn, arises in a person from ignorance or self-will. A person either does not know what is right, or decides to do what pleases, regardless of its right or wrong. The combination of these factors is the basis of the current confusion.
So Paracelsus believed that magnum opus, or great work, was the discovery of the Universal Will. Spiritually, universal medicine meant complete obedience to the Divine Will, and psychologically, or from the point of view of the soul, the perfect medicine is the manifestation and perfection of love in a person. With such a remedy, all hatred and disobedience is transformed into eternal truths. The end of all misfortunes and illnesses on the physical plane comes only if a person lives in full accordance with the laws of Nature, taking care of nutrition, hygiene, sanitary conditions, and also protecting the environment from adverse effects. And if a person lives correctly, he will gain health and well-being. Therefore, the elixir of life is a normal healthy life, but its acquisition involves a complex process of reconciling information from different areas social consciousness, such as religion, philosophy and science. This knowledge is the elements that, when combined in the right proportions, can create a code of conduct that saves nations.
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