The Alchemy of JK Rowling

Chapter 30 - Ron

Harry Potter and The New Testament tell the same story: they are both road maps to total human liberation. In The New Testament the New Soul is personified by Jesus, in Harry Potter by Harry. In the former, the old, earthly personality is symbolised by John the Baptist, in the latter by Harry’s friend, Ron.

Jesus and Harry personify a new, immortal soul that is born in a seeker whose lily has opened in God’s hollow place (Godric’s Hollow). This is not something that just happens by chance. There is quite some preparation needed.

The story begins with a microcosm that is completely shut off to the calling Light of the Brotherhood of the Lords of Compassion. The Light is calling, but the auric ring (Voldemort) of the microcosm shuts it out. However there is also a latent ring that aeons ago shone in refulgent glory in God’s Immovable Kingdom.

When eventually a person begins to realise that life is an endless repetition ofthingswithout any real progress, one ofthe twelve original lights in the latent ring, the sixth ring, gradually begins to resume its work of letting in the Divine Light. Such a person realises that what has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) A new sun is born in the firmament ofthe person. This new sun is only a small star at first, but a tiny ray of light falls on the divine spark of the spirit in the heart of the person. The seeker has been born! He has become a seeker because the divine seed has begun thirsting for the Living Water.

As I have explained in previous chapters, the new sun we call Sirius, and the thirst for God we call James. Ron/John is the earthly seeker who is reacting to the calling power of the Brotherhood of the Masters of Compassion. This is the person who has found the Path of Liberation and is willing to dedicate his whole life to it. He realises that the only way he can reach liberation is to give up the earthly self. Very soon after John the Baptist is born, Jesus is born. In Harry Potter Ron is a few months older than Harry.

Ron and Harry are best friends, and Ron tacitly accepts Harry as his leader. One of Ron’s greatest talents is chess. Chess is mentioned in The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosycross and it is the symbol of right versus wrong, or virtue against vice as The Chymical Wedding puts it. In other words, the alchemist has to have a very clear perception of right and wrong. He has to know what the right thing to do under all circumstances is.

Chapters 9-12 explain the seven trials in Part 1. In the fifth trial Ron conducts a chess game of gigantic and dangerous chess pieces in which the three children take the place of certain chess pieces.

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, face down. ‘Had to let that happen,’ said Ron, looking shaken. ‘Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.’ Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones. ‘We’re nearly there,’ he muttered suddenly. ‘Let me think, let me think...’ The white queen turned her blank face toward him. ‘Yes...’ said Ron softly, ‘It’s the only way... I’ve got to be taken.’ ‘NO!’ Harry and Hermione shouted. ‘That’s chess!’ snapped Ron. ‘You’ve got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she’ll take me – that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!’ ‘But –’ ‘Do you want to stop Snape or not?’ ‘Ron –’ ‘Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll already have the Stone!’ There was no alternative. ‘Ready?’ Ron called, his face pale but determined. ‘Here I go – now, don’t hang around once you’ve won.’ He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor - Hermione screamed but stayed on her square – the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he’d been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry’s feet. They had won. From: The Philosopher’s Stone Chapter 16

Ron’s willingness to sacrifice himself teaches us that liberation requires the giving up of self. He who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew. 10:39)

In The Chymical Wedding six kings and queens are beheaded in self-sacrifice, and John the Baptist is also beheaded. The earthly personality, no matter how pure, how noble, how self-sacrificing, cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He is the product of an error, the Fall from the Divine Life. However if he can give up his life for the New Soul, he will dissolve into the original human being who is the Only Begotten Son of the Father. Why decapitation? Because the old consciousness situated in the head, is gone. It has merged into the new consciousness as a candle flame merges into the sun. It no longer exists as an individualised self-consciousness but has become part of the universal, omnipresent consciousness. This particular decapitation is not gruesome or bloody, but extremely serene and means that the alchemist has completed his transmutation and is now a Master Alchemist by the Grace of God.