Primum Ens Melissae: Paracelsus' Legendary Recipe

Primum Ens Melissae (Translation of the Chapter)

The first extract of the mineral natures is the Primum ens. It is the prime matter, the focal point of life and motion. Through the fresh influx of vital force provided by this ens, the human body can be rejuvenated.

In his biography of Paracelsus, Franz Hartmann quotes the physician on the creation of the primum ens Melissae, a potent rejuvenating substance derived from lemon balm—an herb containing only trace amounts of essential oil. Hartmann cites Lefèvre, physician to King Louis XIV of France, who provides the following account regarding the use and effects of the primum ens Melissae:

At first, he drank a glass of white wine infused with this substance every morning at sunrise. After fourteen days of use, his fingernails and toenails began to fall out, though without causing any pain. Lacking the courage to continue the experiment, he gave the same remedy to an elderly servant. She took it every morning for about ten days, after which her menstruation resumed as it had in her youth. Surprised, as she was unaware she was taking medicine, she grew frightened and refused to continue. My friend then soaked some grain in the wine and fed it to an old hen. By the sixth day, the bird began to lose its feathers, eventually becoming completely bare. Yet, less than two weeks later, it grew new, more vibrant plumage; its comb stood upright again, and it resumed laying eggs.

The following is a description of the process. You may use this procedure to extract the ens from any herb. It is particularly effective for plants with a low essential oil content.

Cover fresh lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) leaves with oil of tartar¹. Seal the flask hermetically and leave it to digest². After twenty-four to forty-eight hours, the oil of tartar will have extracted the tincture from the herb. Decant this tincture from the leaves and discard the leaves.

Pour a very sharp "Mercury"³ over this liquid, creating a layer 2–5 cm deep. Once the "Mercury" becomes intensely colored, drain and reserve it, then pour fresh "Mercury" over the alkaline liquid. Repeat this process until the "Mercury" has absorbed all the color. This may take anywhere from one to three months.

Next, carefully distill the tincture until it begins to thicken within the flask. At this point, stop the distillation. Pour the thickening tincture into an evaporating dish and allow the remaining alcohol to evaporate until it reaches the consistency of syrup. This is the primum ens Melissae. You may reuse the distilled alcohol. Alternatively, you may leave the tincture as it was originally decanted, in which case it remains the primum ens Melissae tincture.

You should prepare an Ens for each planet. Below is a selection of herbs suitable for this work. Like lemon balm, most of these herbs have a very low Sulfur content. All of them are also highly beneficial and health-promoting. However, before using them, ensure you are familiar with the properties and benefits of these herbs, as well as the state of your own body.

• The Moon — Hyssop

• Mercury — Savory

• Venus — Lady's Mantle

• The Sun — Damask Rose

• Mars — Basil

• Jupiter — Melissa

• Saturn — Horsetail

Source: Primum Ens Melissae chapter, Practical Alchemy by Brian Cotnoir. Translation: Valentin Borodin - spagir.com