7 Planets and Metals: Saturn/Lead
The tragic element in poetry is like Saturn in alchemy - the Malevolent, the Destroyer of Nature; but without it, no true Aurum Potabile, or Elixir of Life, can be made. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To the alchemist of antiquity, Lead/Saturn represents the Prima Matera (primal material) or base matter. Lead/Saturn to the alchemist of old had qualities of putrefaction, decay, limitation, protection, and self control. It was believed that by separating and purifying this element, one can bring balance to its constituent essence, turning lead into pure gold.
The ancient initiates of the priesthood believed that the solar system was organized by forces emanating from the great rings of Saturn. It was also believed that all things in the universe were under the control of Saturn. The first forms of worship by the priesthoods of the mysteries, was to the planet Saturn and its gods. In those ancient days long past, Saturn was seen as the spiritual rock on which the enduring light of the solar temple stood.
To the ancient Greeks, Saturn was the god Coronus, Cronos, or Kronos the father of the gods. Cronos was of the first generation of Titans and overthrew his father, Uranus, during Greek’s Mystical Golden Age. His mother, Gaia, gave him a stone sickle, which he used to castrate his father Uranus. To the Greeks, Cronos was the god of the harvest and of time.
In ancient Rome, Saturn was the god of wealth, agriculture, generation, dissolution, plenty, periodic renewal, and liberation. The Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia every December in honor of Saturn. The festival of Saturnalia laid the foundation of what we now celebrate as Christmas.
The Sanskrit word for Saturn is Shani. Shani to the Hindus of old represented learning the hard way, career, longevity, and contraction. Shani was also seen as the cosmic judge, judging everyone based on their good and bad deeds.
In Hebrew, Saturn is called Shabbathai. The Hebrew angel of Saturn is Cassiel, which means speed of God. The intelligence of the planet is Agyal, and according to the Key of Solomon, Zazel is the demon of Saturn. Zazel is seen as a great fallen angel and is invoked in the use of Solomonic magic.
Saturn is often symbolized by the skeleton of death holding the reaper’s scythe. This image shows Saturn, as the personification of time, being master of the cycle of life and death. In the present day, caskets are still often lined with lead. Lead as an element is also deadly to all life forms on our planet.
Because of Lead/Saturn’s principles of control and structure, it is linked with the development of teeth, bones, joints, and skin.
To the alchemist of today, Lead/Saturn is the personification of the ego, which must be purified in order to free the soul. It is through the transmutation of Lead, that the alchemist transforms from a being ruled by carnal desires into man or woman in tune with the laws of nature. This allows the alchemist to live a life within the will of the divine. It is through the lessons of time given by Saturn that alchemists transcend the cycle of life and death, becoming beings filled with light and life that shine as bright as pure gold in the rays of the sun.
