Signature of All Things

Jacob Boehme (1575 - 1624) was a German Christian mystic and theologian of the Lutheran tradition. Boehme's view of a universe where a creative and destructive principle are in conflict was later repurposed by Hegel as the dialectic. Newton, Nietzsche, the Quaker George Fox, and even Phillip K. Dick have all been cited as being influenced by Boehme.

We had great expectations about J. Boheme's work and the discussions arisen around it: 'The first German philosopher', Hegel claimed

• Preface to the Reader, by John EllistonI. How that all whatever is spoken of God without the Knowledgeof the Signature is dumb and without Understanding, and that in theMind of Man the Signature lies very exactly composed, according tothe Being of all BeingsII. Of the Opposition and Combat in the Essence of all Essences, wherebythe Ground of the Sympathy and Antipathy in Nature may be seen, andalso the Corruption and Cure of each ThingIII. Of the great Mystery of all BeingsIV. Of the Birth of the four Elements and Stars, in the metalline andcreaturely PropertyV. Of the Sulphurean Death, and how the dead Body is revived andreplaced into its first Glory or HolinessVI. How a Water and Oil is generated; and of the Difference of theWater and Oil, and of the vegetable Life and GrowthVII. How Adam (while he was in Paradise) and also Lucifer wereglorious Angels, and how they were corrupted and spoiled throughImagination and PrideVIII. Of the Sulphurean Sude, or Seething of the Earth; how the Vegetationproceeds from the Earth; and also the Difference of Sex, and variousKinds of Creatures; an open Gate for the searching PhilosopherIX. Of the Signature, shewing how the inward [Ens] signs the outwardX. Of the inward and outward Cure of ManXI. Of the Process of Christ in his Suffering, Dying, and Rising again:Of the Wonder of the Sixth Kingdom in the Mother of all Beings;how the Consummatum Est was finished, and how likewise, by wayof Similitude, it is accomplished and effected in the Grand PhilosophicWork, or Universal TinctureXII. Of the Seventh Form in the Kingdom of the Mother; shewing howthe Seventh Kingdom, viz. the Solar Kingdom is again opened andrevived, set forth in the Similitude of Christ’s ResurrectionXIII. Of the Enmity [contrary Will or annoying Distemper] of the Spiritand Body, and of their Cure and RestorationXIV. Of the Wheel of Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt; of the Generation ofGood and Evil: how the one is changed into the other, and how theone manifests its Property in the other, and yet remains in the firstCreation in the Wonder of God to his own Manifestation and GloryXV. Of the Will of the Great Mystery in Good and Evil; how a good andevil Will originally arises, and how the one introduces itself into the otherXVI. Of the Eternal Signature and Heavenly Joy; why all Things werebrought into Evil and Good; wherein the real Ground of Election andReprobation may be rightly understoodOf the Supersensual Life: Two Dialogues between a Scholar or Disciple and his MasterDialogue IDialogue IIThe Way from Darkness to True Illumination: A Discourse between aSoul Hungry and Thirsty and a Soul Enlightened