4 The extraction or ascent of one facet of the soul into the Spiritual realm,
5 The descent of a spiritual dew or essence from above,
6 The return of the extracted soul forces,
7 The final formation of the Stone pictured as the resurrection of the hermaphrodite.
These famous illustrations depict one of the important themes in alchemy, that of the conjunction of opposites in the quest for the philosopher's stone. It does so by incorporating elements from the traditional religious symbolism of 'Heiros Gamos' or 'the holy wedding'.
Rosarium Philosophorum
