The Alchemy of JK Rowling

Chapter 35 - Dobby

From the esoteric point of view the personality of the human being consists of seven bodies or vehicles.

1. The physical body 2. The etheric or vital body 3. The astral or desire body 4. The mental body 5. The Mental I 6. The Emotional I 7. The consciousness-I

Each vehicle operates on a corresponding plane. The candidate for liberation has to cut the chains that tie him to each of the planes. In Part 2 Harry symbolically cuts the second chain.

In normal circumstances the etheric body is fettered to the physical body in six places: one in the head, one in the heart, two in the palms and two in the feet. In the New Testament these are symbolised by the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, the spear wound in his side, and the nails through his hands and feet.

In The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosycross, etheric liberation takes place on the second floor. This is how it is described: This room was the whole breadth of the Tower itself, having six very stately vestries raised a little above the room, and were entered by an ascent of three steps. In these vestries we were placed, there to pray for the life of the King and Queen.

In Harry Potter the etheric body is symbolised by a house elf called Dobby. House elves are bound to their masters by magic, and the spell can be broken only by the owner giving the elf clothes. Harry gives Dobby’s owner Lucius Malfoy a book wrapped up in a sock. Without thinking, Malfoy gives the sock to Dobby, thereby breaking the spell of enslavement.

In actual fact the etheric body is a kind of slave of the physical body, because it has to follow it everywhere and serve it day and night. This is because the etheric body is what gives life to the physical body. Without it, the physical body would be dead. However when the alchemist has reached the stage symbolised by the second floor of the Tower of Olympus, his etheric body is filled with the forces of Liberation: four ethers from the Sixth Cosmic Plane. These are called ‘the Four Holy Foods’. This means he becomes fully aware within his etheric body and can consciously control and direct it. It is no longer a ‘slave’ of the physical body.

It begins to radiate a glorious golden light and forms part of what is traditionally called, ‘The Golden Wedding Vesture’. It becomes extremely helpful to the alchemist in the further alchemical processes. As we know, Dobby is very helpful to Harry. In part 4 he helps Harry with the second task, and in part 5 he shows Harry how to find the Room of Requirement. In part 6 he says:

Dobby is a free house-elf and he can obey anyone he likes and Dobby will do whatever Harry Potter wants him to do!

From: The Half-Blood Prince Chapter 19

When death occurs in alchemical literature, it should usually be seen as a symbol for a passage to a higher state, as for example in the death of Sirius. In Part 7 Dobby dies in Harry’s arms, and we all cry inwardly and outwardly when Harry buries Dobby with his own physical labour as a token of the sacrifice which pervades the whole story. But of course Dobby is not dead. When Harry set him free he became immortal, and although we can no longer perceive him, we can be sure that he is there ready to serve Harry when he, too, passes to the higher plane where immortal souls dwell.