The 1616 classic treasure of Western esoteric wisdom, The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (traditionally attributed to Johann Valentinus Andreae) is one of three key manifestos of the Rosicrucians and alchemists in general. It narrates a story of Christian Rosenkreutz, who was invited to a miraculous castle to assist in the “chemical wedding” of the king and the queen—the husband and the bride.
Filled with alchemical metaphors, coded words, and images, Dennis Klocek describes—in his inimitable style—much of the profound meaning behind the colorful and surprising events throughout the seven-day “initiation” of Christian Rosenkreutz.
Each chapter is devoted to one of the seven days, featuring an overview, followed by fresh translations of the original text, and illumined by Klocek's comprehensive and unique commentaries—all of which provides an accessible introduction to the real meaning behind the Rosicrucian path of inner development.
“The Bridegroom is Christ, and the Bride is the human soul.... Right now, they might be engaged, but they will eventually become married; the universal issue is commitment. The Bridegroom is eager, but the Bride needs time to feel things out and commit to the union. If the true ‘wedding’ is to take place, the hopes and needs of both must first be balanced so that each is willing to commit to the other. A hesitant soul requires time to become willing to commit to anxiety-producing uncertainty, travail, and a whole lot of unknowing. Misunderstanding and the feeling of uncertainty that not knowing produces in the soul is exactly the challenge Christian Rosenkreutz faces again and again. This is the central motif in the book. Thus, the subtitle of The Alchemical Wedding: ‘The Initiate of Misunderstanding.’” —Dennis Klocek