The Templars: LINKS WITH THE ALCHEMISTS & KABALISM

There were links between well known alchemists and the Templars. One of these 

was Raymund Lull, a respected Catalan monk born in 1232. Lull, 

as well as being an alchemist, was a member of a secret circle 

of the Order of the Knights Templar. It is known that Lull was 

present as an influential member of the Church at the abolition 

of the Order at the famous Council of Vienne. Lull did not 

attempt to intervene. Either he was privvy to knowledge that the 

Order had arrived at the end of its cycle or he had simply 

concluded that there was no more he could no to influence events. 

He had argued strenuously for the unification of the Templar 

and Hospitaller Orders in the hope of thus saving the Templars, 

but in vain - Grand Master Jacques de Molay remained firmly 

opposed to the merger. 

Links have also been traced between the Templars and 

Kabalism, the esoteric branch of judaism. Several writers have 

alluded to the contacts which existed between the Templar 

tradition in Spain and the famous Kabalistic schools of the 

Iberian peninsula.  

The four elements are symbolized in alchemy by the equilateral cross.  

Each of the fouralchemical elements is ascribed to an arm of the equilateral cross 

and coincides with one of the four cardinal points on the com- 

pass. Each of the elementsmepresents among other things an 

aspect or quality in ourselves which, if out of balance with the 

other three elements, brings the negative aspects of that element 

into our life and behavior.·  

Here are some examples of the 

positive and negative qualities of the different elements.  

ELEMENT OF EARTH: 

Positive Qualities Negative Qualities 

Punctuality Unreliability 

Firmness Stubbornness 

Confidence Selfishness 

ELEMENT OF AlR: 

Cheerfulness Quarrelsomeness 

Diligence · Fickleness 

Kindness Tendency to gossip 

ELEMENT OF FIRE: 

Activity irritability 

Keenness Bossiness 

Resolution lntolerance 

ELEMENT OF WATER: 

Modesty Timidity 

Docility Passivity 

lntuition Credulity 

In alchemy and in certain other esoteric traditions 

such as the Kabalah, symbols have been evolved to represent 

each of the four elements. There are ways known to initiates by 

which these symbols can be manipulated through meditation or 

other techniques to bring about a balance of the elements in the 

practitioner, so that within him negative and positive qualities 

can be neutralized and balanced by positive qualities. ln simple 

terms, when an individual manages to master the unbalanced or 

warring elements in himself by working on his character, his 

weaknesses and uncontrolled impulses, he will have sacrificed his 

ego and will no longer be tied to the cross of the elements. He 

will become free from unbridled domination, thus enabling the 

Christ within to manifest. The alchemist would say that such a 

person has managed to purify the dross or impurities in his 

metals through the force of sacrifice and self-discipline, 

transmuting these metals into the alchemical gold of an awakened 

spiritual awareness.