Axiom of Maria

Axiom of Maria is a precept in alchemy: "One becomes two, two becomes three, and out of the third comes the one as the fourth."[1] It is attributed to 3rd century alchemist Maria Prophetissa, also called Mary the Jewess,[2] sister of Moses, or the Copt.[3] A more detailed quote was provided by the seventh-century alchemistic author called Christianos, who cited that what Maria uttered was "One becomes two, two becomes three, and by means of the third and fourth achieves unity; thus two are but one".[4] Marie-Louise von Franz also gave an alternative version, which states: "Out of the One comes Two, out of Two comes Three, and from the Third comes the One as the Fourth."[5] The axiom served as a recurring theme associated with alchemy for over seventeen centuries.[6]

  1. ^ Jung, C. G. (1968). Psychology and Alchemy, 2nd edition. New York: Taylor & Francis. pp. xxxiii. ISBN 9780415091190.
  2. ^ Endredy, James (2019-04-23). Shamanic Alchemy: The Great Work of Inner Transformation. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781591433187.
  3. ^ Jung, CW 12, p. 160
  4. ^ Patai, Raphael (2014). The Jewish Alchemists: A History and Source Book. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-0691006420.
  5. ^ von Franz, p. 65
  6. ^ Schwartz-Salant, Nathan (1995). Jung on Alchemy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. 124, 125. ISBN 0691010978.