Da Vinci’s Last Supper: Archetype of the Four Alchemical Elements of Nature

By Gabriel Comia, Jr.

Last Supper 
More often, one may notice the printed painting of the Last Supper hanging on dining walls of many Filipino homes - a customary tradition for the predominantly Roman Catholic country which was ruled by Spain for more than 300 years since 1521. Aside from the painting, some are sculptured wood did by artisans or hammered stainless and aluminum metal artistically embossed crafts.
Most people who are patrons of this religious art do not have an idea that the artist of this masterpiece was Leonardo Da Vinci, an Italian master of the art, painter, inventor, mathematician, alchemist, and follower of ancient philosophy. The mural painting housed by the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan, Italy covers the end wall of the dining hall which measures 4.6m x 8.8m using egg tempera which was a popular painting medium during that time before the development of the oil painting.
The painting represents the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles, as it is told in the Gospel of John, 13:21

• From Right:   Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, and Andrew form the 1st  group of three.
• Judas Iscariot, Peter, and John { Mary Magdalene} form the 2nd group of three.
• Jesus Christ { Center}
• Apostles, Right of Jesus:  Thomas, James the Greater, and Philip are the next group of three.
• Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot are the final group of three.

The Alchemical Allegory of the Last Supper
Da Vinci’s Last Supper focuses on Jesus Christ as the center of the painting with the apostles divided equally into both sides in a group of four by three. What is the meaning behind the formation?
According to the ancients, the First Matter has a fourfold structure which they attributed to the existence of four archetypal forces or elements of creation which they named Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

 Genesis 1: 1-3: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit (Air) of God moved upon the face of the Waters. And God said, "Let there be light: and there was Light (Fire).”
Empedocles  (494 BC), a Greek philosopher, was the first philosopher who formalized the cosmogonic theory of the four classical elements. In his Tetrasomia “Doctrine of the Four Elements”,  Fire and Air are “outwardly reaching” elements, reaching up and out, whereas Earth and Water turn inward and downward.

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)  promoted Empedocles’ idea that all materials on Earth were composed of the four elements water, air, earth, and fire. Aristotle added a fifth element called ether, which was supposedly a perfect substance of which heavenly bodies were composed.  Aristotle believed that humans were a complex mixture of the four elements. Since people were not all alike, there had to be differences in the amount of each element they were made up of.

Leonardo Da Vinci,  (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519), the painter of the Last Supper was once associated with the Rose Cross Movement during the Renaissance period. It was in  1495 to 1498  in Milan, Italy when he was commissioned by the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza to do a mural painting of the Last Supper on the refectory of the city’s Monastery of Santa Maria Delle Grazie based on the gospel of the bible’s Passover dinner.   It took him three years to complete the 4.6m x 8.8m mural as he could not find the right model for the personalities of the apostles including Jesus Christ.  From the book Leonardo’s Shadow by Christopher Grey, he was able to get volunteer models from store owners in the community whom he was indebted because of his financial difficulties because of the insufficient payment from his mentor, the Duke.

Analyzing the formation of the apostles on the painting, it seems Leonardo  Da Vinci created an unusual esoteric pattern of the alchemical elements of creation, the four elements, the trinitarian principle: body, soul and spirit or the alchemical salt, sulfur, and mercury,  and then the duality of all things.

The Last Supper representation of the Zodiac showing the equinoxes and solstices and their corresponding elements and modalities.

The Four Elements and the Three Modalities
According to the ancient wisdom of alchemy, these four elements form the basis of all life:
Fire, representing action and creativity, fuels the signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
Water, symbolizing emotions, underlies the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Air, corresponding to the intellect, is the dominating force for Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini.
Earth, which stands for substance and practicality, is the hallmark of Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo.

The Three Modalities
The four elements form the backbone of all Western mysteries, including Kabbalah. Each of the four elements can be expressed in three different modalities.  Astrology follows the four seasons, which correspond to the four elements, and each of these three-month seasons is comprised of cardinal, fixed, and mutable.

• The cardinal modality marks the beginning of the season and the power of initiation.
• The fixed modality corresponds to the middle of the season and the power of sustaining.
• The mutable modality represents the end of the season and the power of change.

Modalities	Elements
	Fire	Water	Air	Earth
Cardinal	Aries	Cancer	Libra	Capricorn
Fixed	Leo	Scorpio	Aquarius	Taurus
Mutable	Sagittarius	Pisces	Gemini	Virgo

Each of the four elements presents a cardinal expression, a fixed expression, and a mutable expression. Four elements times three modalities equal twelve distinct energy fields and therefore the twelve signs.

Even though Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, for example, are all fire signs, they each represent a different archetype. Aries personifies the warrior or soldier. Leo embodies the king, who is protected by the warrior. And Sagittarius connotes the prophet, wizard, or adviser, who ensures the upholding of the ethics of both the warrior and the king.

Aries, the cardinal fire sign, begins the process. Sagittarius, the mutable sign, acted as the messenger, the connector, the agent of change from one season to the next. Leo, the fixed fire sign, then receives the flame from Aries and strives to maintain it.

The fixed signs, embedded in the middle of the season, radiate the full force of the seasonal trend. Taurus occurs when spring blooms everywhere; Leo falls under the strongest sun. Scorpio, the sign of death, rules when the leaves fall from the trees, and Aquarius rules when ice and cold fiercely grip the ground.

The mutable signs, meanwhile, foster the transition of one season to the next in the same way that film editors endeavor to avoid jarring jump cuts between scenes. Gemini bridges spring and summer, Virgo ushers summer into autumn, Sagittarius shoots arrows from autumn to winter, and Pisces thaws winter into spring. Just as diversity and mutations in evolution ensure the survival of many different species and therefore a dynamic and functioning biosphere, the mutable signs provide the change and diversity that permit survival amid the earth’s changing physical states. The mutable guarantees our ability to adjust.

The Power of the Signs
Combining the characteristics of its element with its modality will determine the root power of any particular archetype.

Aries: cardinal fire. The root power stems from an ability to initiate (cardinal) action (fire). Success requires initiation, the pushing, and furthering of the goals.

Taurus: fixed earth. The power comes from stability (earth), patience, and sustaining (fixed) an effort for long periods of time. The need to connect to the five senses in matters that concern talents, values, and finances.

Gemini: mutable air. The root power manifests in the ability to adjust (mutable) the style of communication (air) to any fluctuating circumstance. Improvise (mutable) and wield intelligence (air).

Cancer: cardinal water. The power derives from initiating (cardinal) emotional processes (water). The giver (cardinal) of life, give birth (cardinal) to situations that will allow nurturing (water) people or projects.

Leo: fixed fire. The root power comes from perseverance (fixed) in action (fire). Can become famous and respected in your circles if you maintain a steady and focused (fixed) creative force (fire) with the ultimate goal of benevolence.

Virgo: mutable earth. The power emerges from the ability to edit, fix, and adjust (mutable) situations so that life around becomes more efficient and effective (earth). This editorial work ultimately ought to be directed towards service to humankind.

Libra: cardinal air. Your root power lies in initiating (cardinal) communication (air). This ability grants you mastery over relationships and justice, provided that you initiate (cardinal) conversations and work on your diplomacy (air).

Scorpio: fixed water. The root power springs from the ability to remain (fixed) intensely emotional and intimate (water) in relationships.

Sagittarius: mutable fire. The power emerges from the capacity to spread (mutable) philosophies, moral codes, and belief systems (fire), especially when engaging in an innate sense of optimism. The duty to humankind relates to teaching, learning, and adjusting (mutable) the negative attitudes and actions (fire) of others.

Capricorn:  cardinal earth. Your root power comes from initiating (cardinal) practical applications of talents, assets, and resources (earth). You embody the business plan of the zodiac wheel. Your success is assured when you set a definite goal (cardinal) and then practice patience and discipline (earth).

Aquarius: fixed air. The root power stems from a stable and consistent (fixed) interplay with the community and friends (air). Pillar (fixed) of a large group of people (air). Success lies in cultivating innovative, funny, and futuristic ideas (air).

Pisces:  mutable water. The root power derives from the capacity to improve life and generate change (mutable) via imagination, mysticism, and compassion (water). It can cultivate success with the sensitivity to the emotional (water) states of others. Dreams and fantasy (water) often serve as the tools by which you manifest the preferred life.

The Rosicrucian Order of Studies                                                                                  

“According to the credo of the mysteries, only by developing one’s faculties of will, intuition, and reason to an extraordinary degree could one ever gain access to the hidden forces in the universe. Only through complete mastery of body, soul, and spirit could one see beyond death and perceive the pathways to be taken in the afterlife. Only when one has conquered fate and acquired divine freedom could he or she, the initiate, become a seer, a magician, an initiator.”

First Order  – Four Elements
Ancient of Earth
Ancient of  Air
Ancient of Water
Ancient of Fire

Second Order – Three Modalities
Adeptus Minor
Adeptus Major
Adeptus Exemptus


Third Order  – Polarity 
Magister
Magus

About:

Frater Gabriel Comia, Jr.  (VII Grade) is a member of Societas Rosicruciana In Civitatibus Foederatis (SRICF), Pearl of the Orient College,  and  Societas Italica Rosae+Crucis ( S.I.R.+C.), Italy.  A Master Mason under the jurisdiction of the Free and Accepted Masons of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines.

MOTHERING WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM ASTROLOGY

by Rinna Plofino-Garrucho

Mother and Child. Photo by guille pozzi on Unsplash

In the astrology community, often I would hear, “I wish I knew astrology earlier.”. Now knowing what I know, whenever I hear that, I think of my children. We have four children; eldest is a sweet grown-up lady, 20 years of age, then twins - a boy and a girl -  aged 11, and youngest is a 10-year old girl. I gave birth to our eldest when I was 22 years old, and needless to say, I was groping in the dark as a young mother. Although young, the desire to love her, protect her and give her the best was all that I had in my mind. Growing up, I would be overprotective of her, set high expectations and so many other things that had led to a less than ideal mother-daughter relationship. On the other hand, my relationship with my 3 younger children is better as I started mothering wiser in my 30s.

A big family of 6 members each with different personalities is not for everyone. To this day, dining out is a challenge as the 4 kids have their own food preferences. One loves pizza, pasta, and burgers, one loves meat- pork or beef (like me and my husband), one only prefers chicken which all five of us do not eat. I, on the other hand, prefer to have seafood at certain times but that does not fill up my husband and our eldest absolutely stays away from it. Our only son is the most adventurous but still picky when it comes to the thickness and texture of his meat viand.  When it comes to character and personalities, each child shares different traits of myself and that of my husband. Clearly, there is no same character and personality.

As the years have gone by, I discovered that the best way for us to spend quality time with our kids is to dedicate one Saturday with only one child wherein the child gets to have alone time with us while we do errands then an activity of their choice afterwards. This way, we are all focused on each other and our conversations on numerous topics with not having another child overpower or taking time and attention away from the other strengthened our bond with each other.

Fortunately, I attended a seminar at my son’s school where I was made to do an exam which was called Language of Love. They made us take home a copy of the exam. I made all kids take the exam and Voila! Four different results for four different children. While the test helped, I wished at times I understood them more so I could help them better when they encounter difficulties at school, in sports, with their friends or even with us. This is mostly applicable to our eldest wherein I feel that I have lost so much time trying to understand her and how we can adjust to each other. Then astrology came into my life.

Among the areas in my life which astrology has helped, mothering has been one of the most rewarding. Knowing my children’s tendencies, I am now more able to communicate better. It also helps my husband to understand them better so he does not tell them off too much. For example I tell him; “No he’s not stubborn, he’s just really built that way", "He’s too emotional he cannot control it.” or “She’s just really like because she likes being the center of attention, I don’t think she really means to hurt her sister by doing that.” In fact, it’s not only Mothering that’s gotten better but Parenting has gotten better too!

In a recent Sunday lunch, I discussed with the family what I do when I read astrology books and articles since they see me constantly reading, as well as what I do when they see me look at charts. I told them, “I look at your charts and I look at what you are probably feeling at a certain time!” And they looked at each other in horror. I asked them, “Wanna try?” to which they all excitedly said yes. When I told them what they are, how they are, what their interests are, how they usually feel when they’re mad or upset… all of them were shocked!! After such a fun long lunch, I told them that’s how I understood them better and if anything, they just need to come to me in the future and communicate their problems or confusion. Whether it be having to deal with challenges in school or in their chosen sport, or when they have problems with friends, or perhaps on the onset of financial difficulty, love problems or even problems with us, their own parents! Astrology has helped me get through my own challenges and has led me into clarity for the past few years, and I wish to do so for my own children as well. This is how I see astrology helping me in my motherhood for years to come.

While I wish I knew then what I know now, I am making up for lost time and I owe a lot of it to astrology.

AROUND THE ZODIAC WITH PHILIPPINE HEROES

By Blesilda Carmona-De La Rosa

            Philippine Independence Day was declared on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite and has been commemorated ever since. This year marked its 121^st observance, and I count myself blessed to be one of the many heirs to the freedom that Filipino revolutionaries, our heroes sung or unsung,  had fought for.  Now the fourth Monday of August is National Heroes Day in the Philippines. Do you know your Philippine national heroes?

Once upon a time, I made a bet with myself that I can go at least once around the 12 signs of the zodiac and be able to name a Philippine national hero who was born under that Sun sign. I was thinking: National Heroes Day, 12 signs of the zodiac, at least one national hero or heroine per sign. Easy peasy. Let’s do this!

            Aries: General Emilio Aguinaldo, born on March 22, 1869 in Kawit, Cavite, was the President of the First Philippine Republic. Being an Aries, he’s just got to be the first! After the defeat of the Spaniards by Cmdr. George Dewey, Aguinaldo declared independence on the special date and location we mentioned above. However, the Americans refused to recognize the Aguinaldo regime and this led to the Philippine-American War. Aguinaldo would be captured and retire as a farmer. He died at age 95 in the mid-1960s.

            Taurus: Gregoria de Jesus, also known as the “Lakambini” (First Lady) of the Katipunan and the wife of Andres Bonifacio (whom we will meet in the Sagittarius section), was born on May 9, 1875 in Kalookan City. Gregoria was doing revolutionary work by 18 years old, going through extreme danger in doing tasks that only women can do undetected by the guardia civil. The Filipino revolutionary leaders spoke in awe of her courage and daring. After the Revolution, she married another patriot, Julio Nakpil, and raised their children on the ideals they fought for.

            Gemini: Born June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna, the Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was a Renaissance man of the sciences and the arts. He was a physician, a novelist, a sculptor, a poet, and an intellectual. His two novels, “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch Me Not) and “El Filibusterismo” (The Rebel), written during his long stay in Europe are believed to have inspired the revolution against Spain. Despite having nothing to do with the armed uprising (his writings advocated peaceful means of reform), he was tried for rebellion and sedition. Dr. Rizal was imprisoned in Fort Santiago and executed by firing squad at Bagumbayan (now Luneta) on Dec. 30, 1896, which Filipinos now commemorate as Rizal Day. Of course, the night before his execution, he wrote his last poem, “Mi Ultimo Adios” (My Last Farewell).

            Cancer: Apolinario Mabini, a lawyer, born July 22, 1864, was called the “sublime paralytic” for his guidance, sound counsel, and good judgment to Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo. He wrote the Malolos Constitution and most of the decrees of the revolutionary government. Despite his disability which is polio, he planted the seeds of greatness and heroism in other men’s hearts at a critical time in Philippine history.

            Leo: Princess Purmassuri of Jolo, Sulu has an unknown birthdate but she exemplifies the Leonine concepts of royalty, being the princess of her clan, and a fierce fighting spirit, being able to defend the entire Muslim Mindanao region against the Spanish onslaught. She had a fighter’s, courageous heart!

            Virgo: Marcelo H. Del Pilar, born August 30, 1850 in San Nicolas, Bulacan, is the greatest journalist and the moving spirit of the Propaganda Movement during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. He used his powers of logic and analysis to fight the good fight!

            Libra: Gen. Miguel Malvar, born Sept. 27, 1865 in Santo Tomas, Batangas, was the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans during the Fil-Am war. Well, what can I say but that this is what you get when cross a Batangueño and a Libran. Their motto becomes: I will never surrender for as long as I can!

            Scorpio: Called the “Visayan Joan of Arc,” Teresa Magbanua, born Nov. 4, 1871 in Pototan, Iloilo, is the first woman fighter in Panay Island. An intense, fierce Scorpio co-ruled by Mars and Pluto, Teresa’s mantra might have been: I dig the revolution, man! In fact, I started it for women in my province.

            Sagittarius: Born on November 30, 1863 in Tondo, Manila, Andres Bonifacio is known as the Great Plebeian because even if he was from the middle-class himself, he sympathized with the grudges of the common people against the Spaniards. He was also called the Father of the Katipunan which was the highest-level secret organization formed by Andres Bonifacio, fellow revolutionary Emilio Jacinto (also a Sagittarius) and others whose aim was to overthrow Spanish rule in the Philippines. August 23, 1896 marked the so-called “Cry of Balintawak” when Bonifacio and his assembled men tore their “cedulas,” raised the Katipunan flag, and engaged the enemy forces. It was unfortunate that subsequent events, especially the power struggle between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo, are still the subject of speculation. Bonifacio died by assassination on May 10, 1897 in Cavite.

            Capricorn: Melchora Aquino (“Tandang Sora,” literally “Old Sora”) is considered the Mother of the Philippine Revolution. Tandang Sora was the oldest living soul in the revolutionary movement at that time, being born on January 6, 1812 in Banilad, Kalookan, so by 1896-1898, she was already 88-90 years old! But did that stop her from contributing her share in the movement? No way! It’s worth mentioning at this point that Capricorns, being blessed with sturdy constitutions, do usually go on to live long, productive lives.

            Aquarius: Padre Jose Ma. Burgos is a priest-reformist and one of Dr. Jose Rizal’s teachers at the Ateneo de Manila. He died by execution in Bagumbayan, Manila as part of the Gomburza triumvirate of martyr-priests on suspicion of rebellion against the Spanish government. Born Feb. 9, 1837 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Fr. Burgos was the champion of the cause of the Filipinization of the clergy, to which the Spanish priests did not take kindly. Along with Fathers Gomez and Zamora, Fr. Burgos died by garrote after a mock trial on trumped-up charges.

            Pisces: Gabriela Silang, born on March 19, 1731 in Santa Caniogan, Ilocos Sur, is the first Filipino woman to lead a revolt against Spanish colonization, taking over after her husband, Diego Silang perished during the fighting.

            So there we go. We all made it through the zodiac, one Philippine national hero or heroine at a time. Wasn’t that fun? Being a hero is not the monopoly of any one sign. There is a hero within all of us. You know, just as there are microclimates, so there are micro-communities. Then please let’s be heroes in our respective micro-communities. THAT would be fun!

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For individual readings, email me here: stargazer.bles@gmail.com