Jean DUBUIS

A man, A teaching

Born in 1919 in the Oise, Jean Dubuis was a unique man amongst the small cadre of "truth seekers". He is both a scientist and a true "follower", an alchemist and a Qabalist.

Jean Dubuis was an electronics engineer and scientist. When his studies were interrupted by the German occupation, he worked for several months in the laboratory of atomic synthesis of Ivry led by Frédéric Joliot-Curie. After the French Liberation, Dubuis’ career took him from radio-electricity companies (so called at the time), to working for over thirty years as an engineer at IBM company. He was not only a witness, but a participant in the evolution of computers from electronic tubes through the transistors to today’s integrated circuits.

When he was 8 years old, Jean Dubuis visited Mont Saint-Michel. At this young age he had an enlightening experience there which revealed to him the existence of an invisible world. Gradually, he became convinced the invisible world is the visible world’s support. Dubuis spent his life exploring texts of the ancients and submitting them to his own experimentation in order to learn more about the invisible world. Toward this end, he studied symbolism, Qabala, Alchemy, and many other traditional sciences. He conducted these experiments with rigorous methodology, free of prejudice.

As a member of philosophical groups, Dubuis facilitated numerous presentations, forums and conferences on Qabala, including the structure of Man and the Universe. From the early 1960's he published many articles on these subjects both at home in France and abroad in American journals.

During these public events, audience questioning led him to believe that an esoteric discipline would be more appropriate and measurable, in view of the appearance of our highly technological current culture. Dubuis then sought to develop the alchemical laboratory practice which he had initially only studied in theory. His writings published in the US put him in contact with various US esoteric researchers, particularly with the "Paracelsus Research Society" led by the German chemist/alchemist Albert Riedel ("Frater Albertus"). From this relationship and the exchange of correspondence following, Dubuis had the idea to create a course of plant alchemy. In 1979 he decided, following courses organized with the Italian alchemist Augusto Pancaldi, to create an association called "Les Philosophes de la Nature" over which he presided and led for 12 years.

Both a scientist in the modern sense, and an experimenter in "traditional sciences", Jean Dubuis was a true Initiate and an extraordinary teacher. His works combine depth of concept with remarkable clarity of formulation.

Les Philosophes de la Nature

For Jean Dubuis, it was essential to give dedicated people the means to resolve the conflict that undermines our society: the dichotomy deeply rooted in Western culture between mind and matter. This dichotomy is experienced by many more as a nuisance than as a liberation of thought.

Jean Dubuis finds that religions are frozen in a position that scientific progress makes precarious. Conversely, science has refused almost entirely to examine the spiritual realm, perhaps for fear of finding elements that could reinvigorate the religions themselves.

One of his first observations was that the book at the base of the Qabala, the "Book of Creation", contained similar concepts to those of current science. Indeed, this book says, amongst other things "all nature is but the condensation of a single primordial energy." Either through ignorance or deliberately, many misinterpretations have been written about this book. Jean Dubuis strived to explain the structure of Man and Universe in a formulation compatible with both the vision of a scientist, and the Qabalistic conception. Thus was born the course of Qabala, whose aim is to present the fundamentals of Qabala. When put under the spotlight of modern science, it can inform student about the meaning of his life, therefore freeing him from superstition. This naturally involves both thinking and working on oneself.

Jean Dubuis had conversations with Albert Riedel, who worked on the chemistry of the Ancients also known as Alchemy or Chymistry of God. In these exchanges, Jean Dubuis found confirmation of his work on the spiritual-material junction, philosophy-science. He then studied related texts, checking the contents from an experimental point of view. In these alchemical texts, he found similar concepts as there were in the Book of Creation. That is, that : «  "a unique energy is the basis of all creation. ». Aussi, Therefore Alchemy will serve as a process to find « "experimentally" » living and spiritual aspects (ie non-material) in the various kingdoms of nature. This process allows the student to obtain a quantitative and qualitative verification with the results of his experiments. And this will translate into an Alchemy course on the plant kingdom and the mineral kingdom.

Finally, noting that many students were not aware enough of symbolic knowledge to gain real understanding and control of these two « "paths" », Dubuis completed his teachings with a General Esoteric course.

These courses were published within the association Les Philosophes de la Nature. Anyone interested in either of these paths could become a member of the association for a small fee, and subscribe to the desired course. Registration in Mineral Alchemy required one to have completed the Spagyrics course in preparation. Each course consisted of monthly installments sent to subscribers who would then work both theory and practice gradually and methodically. Seminars of practice in the lab and forums on the teachings reinforced this study.

No hierarchy or grade existed within the association. Neither secret nor oath of obedience was required. No member (including Dubuis) was ever paid, and the association never became a commercial enterprise. No obligation was ever imposed on members to attend organized meetings or to prove their personal worth, « "everyone is the son of his deeds." ».

Alongside the activities of the French association, Jean Dubuis continued his US contacts. This culminated in Americans and Canadians asking permission to translate his courses into English. Dubuis accepted, provided his writings were not sold. An American association was created in 1988, initially called « Les Philosophes de la Nature » and renamed after few years « The Philosophers of Nature ». ". In addition to translating and distributing courses, the American association organized several meetings in the USA where Dubuis presented conferences and seminars.

After 12 years in which Jean Dubuis gave the best of himself, he passed the torch of leadership and management of the association on, wishing to dedicate himself more freely to his new research.

Portae Lucis…

Jean Dubuis always sought multiple paths to l'« Initiation ». He defended the idea that the essential and ultimate goal of both alchemy and Qabala were the progression on the Path to "Self-consciousness". Initiation is a restoration of conscious communication with our higher level of Being, which Dubuis called the .« "Inner Master" ».

He saw how some traditional paths are long and in the case of alchemy, very expensive. Dubuis therefore continued to develop a set of methods allowing for a potentially faster realization. Some of these ideas were published in a monthly newspaper, « "Le Petit Philosophe" », and are available here under the Text Articles link. Eventually these works became the "The Experience of Eternity" », the culmination of teachings of Jean Dubuis and his last work. It is based on a modified version of the Tree, presented in graphical symbolism that Jean Dubuis called Portae Lucis. It serves as a support for meditation in this new method of spiritual progression.

Neither Guru nor Master…

These words often uttered by Dubuis, clearly reflect his mission: :

To uncover knowledge and transmit it in a spirit of freedom, to offer tools for walking in the direction of one’s own Becoming, one has to remember that in order to understand The Great Book of Nature, two things are needed:  : « a good mind and a generous heart ». He then invited his students to « Ora et Labora » ("« pray (meditate) and work" »).

Dubuis also took on the motto of the Buddha Gauthama:

Do not believe in something because you were shown
the written testimony of some ancient sage.
Do not believe on the authority of Masters or Priests.
Believe that which is in accordance with your own experience,
and after a thorough study satisfies your reason and tends towards your good.
That you can accept as true and that will transform your life.