Book Description
A study of the analogies between alchemy, Christian dogma, and psychological symbolism. Revised translation, with new bibliography and index.
Customer Reviews:
Only Four Stars For A Good Reason.......2006-12-31
In the first half of this book, Jung uses the dream analysis of a mentally ill patient to draw conclusions based on what he calls universal archetypes. Jung flagrantly filters this person's dream symbolism through his own alchemical bias, where personally I could come up with all kinds of different interpretations that seemed to me just as valid. But I'm no Jung. So moving on. The flip side to the coin, for the first half, is you do get a nice exposure to the tenets of alchemy along with it's rich symbolism. It is up to the reader to decide if the trade off is worth it. Learning about alchemy, while doing so through what many may consider questionable means. There are two principles Jung brings out that I happen to agree with. The first is concerning the psyche. In the beginning of the book, Jung categorically states the psyche is ancient and pagan. The second principle I agree with deals with archetypes. Jung makes pains to say that just because he is focusing on the archetype, which he defines as an image, he is not denying an imprinter. So the door to objectivity is left at least slightyly ajar.
In the second half, Jung focuses on alchemy as a science that predated christianity, and that though it was pagan, it's motifs were certainly congruous with christian ideals. Parallels are drawn between the Virgin Mary and Prima Materia. Between a metal's blackening, whitening and sublimation to the philosopher's stone as the state of the christian soul through it's stages of redemption. In this section of the book, Jung characterizes the royal art as being objective and practical, but also subjective and spiritual. The author can't rid himself of the possibility that the earliest philosophers were projecting their unconsiousnesses into their art. He also brings out the gnostic feel of alchemy in that the art attempts to separate the pure spirit out of foul matter. Some readers may question his veracity as he states in one of his footnotes christianity actually was subsumed into gnosticism due to the presence of Simon Magus. This reader said 'what'? Also, alchemy is monadic in that the philosopher's stone comes out of one, becomes few, and is returned to one, now ennobled, higher state. Philosophically, monadism can lead to problems of it's own, and again, it is left to the reader's discrimination as to what to accept and reject.
The capstone, of course, is the epilogue. Jung finally tips his hand that he is a modern through and through and relegates the art to a purely subjective level. He hints that it is the the breadth of the modern psyche that as Auguste Comte said, poses such endless need and endless danger to ourselves. And in this, the pieces all fall neatly into place.
Difficult but impressive work.......2006-06-06
Jung explored alchemy as if it were a mystery novel--relishing every clue, interpreting (nominally) each symbol as it arose. His conclusion that it paralleled his psychological observations & model satisfied his incredible yearning to know that he wasn't crazy or a voice crying in the wilderness--yeah, verily, the alchemists pursued the same goal though in a slightly different way--vindicating Jung's quest for individuation=personal salvation. Thus, Jung's love for alchemy. It's unfortunate that even so-called scientists have ego's so wounded that they disavow their roots: chemists tend to downplay alchemy as astronomers downplay astrology--denigrating their roots. This shows an appalling lack of courage--something Jung had no lack of. Just think of what courage it must have taken for Jung to write about alchemy as having psychological truth embedded in its very heart. Yet he wrote 2 books worth on it CW12 & CW13. I'm in awe of his courage, let alone of his genius. Try reading some alchemy works yourself--if you think Jung is hard to read, think twice. Alchemical works are far more difficult. It took Jung's supreme effort to decipher them. So, if this work seems obtuse to you (& it is), consider how obtuse it was to Jung. Some of the best (& most profound) quotes in this work (from the hardback version) are:
p. 3 Even the most unqualified layman thinks he knows all about psychology as the psyche were something that enjoyed the most universal understanding. But anyone who really knows the human psyche will agree with me when I say that it is one of the darkest & most mysterious regions of our experience.
p. 117 paragraph 152. Only a fool is interested in other people's guilt, since he cannot alter it. The wise man learns only from his own guilt. He will ask himself: Who am I that all this should happen to me? To find the answer to this fateful question he will look into his own heart.
p. 222 Sense and nonsense are merely man-made labels which serve to give us a reasonably valid sense of direction.
A poorly organized book about a fascinating topic.......2006-01-11
Psychology and Alchemy has a lot of interesting information, but it is not presented in any sort of organized fashion. Alchemy is well known for its perplexing symbols, but in the book these symbols are only referred to in passing. This book is not for anyone who is trying to understand how the symbolism of Alchemy relates to psychology. The descriptions of basic elements such as the planets, the caduceus, or birds are only 1-2 sentences in length and are scattered throughout the book. Trying to use the index won't help either, as the pages listed in the index as containing information about a topic are often incorrect as they contain no mention of the topic being looked up.
beautiful work, but not historical.......2005-12-15
Jung has an exciting, compelling account of how to interpret alchemy in the light of his psychology, but is wrong when he tries to reduce alchemy to Jungian Psychology. for a good treatment of the problems with Jung's view, which is rooted in bad 19th century occult interpretations of alchemy, see
Lawrence M. Principe and William R. Newman, "Some Problems in the Historiography of Alchemy," in William R. Newman and Anthony Grafton (eds.), The Secrets of Nature: Astrology and Alchemy in Early Modern Europe
a good companion to Jung's ALCHEMICAL STUDIES.......2000-06-02
Jung surpasses himself here by seeing in alchemical symbolism the psyche trying to discover itself to the artifex bent over his alchemical retort. Only one who'd discovered his own version of the fabulous Philosopher's Stone could have attempted such a work.
Book Description
Jung's last major work, completed in his 81st year, on the synthesis of the opposites in alchemy and psychology.
Customer Reviews:
Dreamlike & Inexhaustible.......2006-12-07
Jung seems to write from the dream state; associations interleaved with digressions punctuated by potent and startling images. This is his most satisfying book for me because it has the simplest premise but is also the largest and richest. He stretches out enormously within a limited range, gathering a life-time of inquiry into a writhing basket of conflicting thought. This method illustrates perfectly how deep experience can become when meditated upon and scrutinized and when tangents are whole-heartedly encouraged and darksides allowed to bloom. No need to hop-scotch around the world, just look into the pile of dead ants beneath your radiator and let your mind wander. The conjunction of opposites: perhaps Jung's emblem for the source of life, the alembic, where all intellectual and emotional births occur. Read and reread this book to step through the microcosmic door into unlimited life right where you are.
Transcendental.......2006-06-06
This is the 3rd & culminating text of Jung's CW trilogy on alchemy (see CW11 Psychology & Alchemy & CW12 Alchemical Studies before reading this one). Jung obviously devoted considerable time & effort into the study of alchemy--because he perceived an amazing parallel with his theories/model of the psyche & the process of individuation. I think it amazed him that the alchemists intuitively evoked such general principles of transcendental alchemy prior to the development of western science--indeed, they were simultaneously immersed in this development such that modern chemistry evolved from it. Oddly, some are now advocating the use of chemicals (drugs) in lieu of psychology--e.g. for schizophrenia. Maybe the tail is wagging the horse? Of course, this is a difficult text. The alchemical series may be the most difficult of Jung's already difficult texts. But, as Jung demonstrated himself, sometimes the way to learn is to just jump in feet first--absorb as you can. Eventually, the material will start to sink in--subconsciously if not consciously. Give it a whirl. This text also has some VERY interesting quotes:
p. 82 "There is something serious in every joke.
p. 125 If one does not understand a person, one tends to regard him as a fool.
p. 200 It seems as if Christianity had been from the outset the religion of chronic squabbles, and even now it does everything in its power never to let the squabbles rest. Remarkably enough, it never stops preaching the gospel of neighborly love.
p. 376 The creative mystic was ever a cross for the Church, but it is to him that we own what is best in humanity...'where there is no vision, the people perish...The mystics are channels through which a little knowledge of reality filters down into our human universe of ignorance and illusion: A totally unmystical world would be a world totally blind and insane...the few theocentric saints who exist at any given moment are able in some slight measure to qualify and mitigate the poisons which society generates within itself by its political and economic activities. In the gospel phrase, theocentric saints are the salt which preserves the world from decay.' (quoting Aldous Huxley in Grey Eminence 1943, pp. 98, *296.
p. 487 Fantasies always mean something when they are spontaneous.
p. 519 Never do human beings speculate more, or have more opinions, than about things which they do not understand.
p. 536 Nothing changes anything else without itself being changed." How profound can you get?
For fans of the genre only.......2004-01-15
I did not find this book to be as useful as most of the other volumes of Carl Jung's collected works. Keep in mind that I love and respect Carl Jung as much as anyone; I have devoted nearly a year of my life solidly to reading Jung's collected works, and they have been the source of much joy, fulfillment, and enlightenment for me. However, _Mysterium Conjunctionis_ has contributed very little to these positive changes I have experienced, for the following reasons:
1. The footnotes. Never in my life have I seen a book so festooned with footnotes as this one. They take up over half the book - on any given page, there is about one inch of text along the top of the page, and the rest is covered by footnotes. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that these footnotes contain little of any interest to me.
2. This book comes across as nothing more than a massive attempt on the part of Jung to justify and support the ideas he has had over the years. Often the book reads like some kind of list of ancient alchemists and mythmakers who have foreshadowed and echoed Jung's sentiments. Many paragraphs are devoted to listing names which will be unfamilier to almost everyone, capped off by footnotes explaining who these people were. Rather than concoct new ideas, Jung seems to have opted to dig up ancient figures who can "back up" some of his major ideas. It seems like Jung is trying to fend off critics who have accused him of putting forth unsubstantiated ideas rather than cater to his loyal fans who already trust him.
3. The overall feel of the book is simply a field guide to witches and warlocks. Granted, Jung discusses these phantoms and myths from the standpoint of depth psychology and general "psychic phenomena", and does not seem to be advocating a literal-historical belief in all these myths. However, we are bombarded with myth after esoteric myth throughout the book, while Jung leaves it to us to interpret the symbolic value and modern psychological parallels of these myths. Very rarely does Jung give us a useful interpretation of what these myths should mean to us.
4. This book is very self-indulgent on Jung's part. It consists almost entirely of Jung's most esoteric "pet" concepts, like archetypes, alchemy, ancient myths, and sorcery. It is precisely these strange "pet" concepts which have given fodder to many of Jung's critics, who accuse him of being obsessed with ancient rituals which have little relevance to the modern day world.
Overall, I recommend this book only to those readers of Jung who want to go all the way and read every one of the collected works; this book should be near the bottom of the list. Do not read this book unless you have already read volumes 6,7,8,9,10,11, and 12 of the CW.
Jungýs quintessential work on Alchemy........2001-02-12
"The light that gradually dawns on him consists in his understanding that his fantasy is a real psychic process which is happening to him personally." (Jung p. 528-529) This sentence from the book sums-up its content.
In this work Jung demonstrates that Alchemy was a precursor to modern Western psychological insight. Jung draws a "process map" of the Alchemy in this volume, in which he laboriously (but not tediously) shows that the steps the alchemists took to bring about the transformation of matter. Jung suggests that this process is a metaphoric representation of a process some humans travel to reach a level of consciousness that includes and unites the unseen (transcendent) reality with the visible experience.
It can be read as an interesting intellectual insight into earlier Western thought, or it can be used by an individual as a guide through the process of psychological transformation. This work is essential to anyone on the path of transformation and who looks to Jung as a guide on that path. It is not for a casual reader of Jung.
Jung's last big book, and his richest...........2000-06-02
Jung rises to unscaled heights in this scholarly and alchemically informed book that in its ultimate reach points to the One World of Gerhard Dorn and an ultimate synthesis of soul, soma, and spirit with the pleromatic Ground of everything. Along with AION and ANSWER TO JOB this may be Jung's deepest book. Highly technical. (See also Edinger's THE MYSTERIUM LECTURES.)
Book Description
Alchemical symbolism eventually suggested to Jung that there was a process in the unconscious, one that had a goal beyond discharging tension and hiding pain. In this book, Nathan Schwartz-Salant, a leading Jungian analyst with an interest in alchemy, brings together a key selection of Jung's writings on the subject. These writings expose us to Jung's fascinating reflections on the symbols of alchemy - such as the three-headed Mercurial dragon, hermaphrodites, and lions devouring the sun - and brings us closer to the spirit of his approach to the unconscious, closer than his purely scientific concepts would allow.
Book Description
Although alchemy is popularly regarded as the science that sought to transmute base physical matter, many of the medieval alchemists were more interested in developing a discipline that would lead to the psychological and spiritual transformation of the individual. C. G. Jung discovered in his study of alchemical texts a symbolic and imaginal language that expressed many of his own insights into psychological processes. In this book, Marie-Louise von Franz examines a text by the sixteenth-century alchemist and physician Gerhard Dorn in order to show the relationship of alchemy to the concepts and techniques of analytical psychology. In particular, she shows that the alchemists practiced a kind of meditation similar to Jung's technique of active imagination, which enables one to dialogue with the unconscious archetypal elements in the psyche. Originally delivered as a series of lectures at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, the book opens therapeutic insights into the relations among spirit, soul, and body in the practice of active imagination.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant commentary with tons of psychological insights.......2006-08-14
Derived from Jan/Feb 1969 lectures @ C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, this commentary on Gerhard Dorn's 17th c. work complements Jung's "Mysterium Coniunctionis" & "Psychology & Alchemy." It's an advanced book--prior background in Jungian psychology & alchemy are helpful, but p. 21: "One book opens another. Read many books & compare them throughout & then you get the meaning," & this work helps one understand Jung's lengthier/more difficult works. Indeed, despite the erudite material, von Franz clarifies the meaning in her awesome commentary. Per her title, pp. 22-3: "Jung sometimes defined the introverted psychological tradition in alchemy as the art of active imagination with material." Further, p. 147: "Dorn floated over the abysses of the mysteries that Jung was to penetrate." [later]
Much of Dorn's work is a symbolic, alchemical journey similar to the Kabbalistic Hekalot, the Divine Comedy, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, or especially Ashcroft-Nowicki's "The Shining Path." His travelers (spiritus, anima & body) resemble the Neshamah, Ruach, & Nefesh in Kabbalah. Dorn reveals brilliant insights into psychology but fails in his attempt to reconcile Christian dogma with alchemy. pp. 12-13: "The ultimate dynamic impulse to become a physicist is based upon the desire to find out more about how God works...The really great & creative scientists have the same motivation as the alchemists: to find out more about that spiritual or divine substance...which lies behind all existence."
But, von Franz's also provides enlightening/profound/pithy asides on: dreams, flow ("a constant awareness of the Self"), evil & the shadow, animal & human rituals/games, the Unconscious creating conflict to achieve progress (implying the spiral development model), the psychological basis for divination techniques, & the relationship between individuation & synchronicity. pp. 148-9: "While we normally live in a dual world of `outer' & `inner' events, in a synchronistic event this duality no longer exists; outer events behave as if they were a part of our psyche, so that everything is contained in the same wholeness...To reach that point where outer & inner reality become one is the goal of individuation. Through it one also reaches some of what Jung calls the `absolute knowledge' in the unconscious...At the end point of development (the end stage of the individuation process) the Zen masters are in such a state of harmony with the collective unconscious that they communicate with one another subliminally, they are together in the unus mundus". [Self] This is a brilliant work, my favorite of the 5 I've read.
Where are you tonight, Sweet Marie?.......2002-09-25
This was the first serious modern work on alchemy that I've read, and boy did I luck out! It is a work charged with authenticity and vision. von Franz gives you some historical background on the origins of alchemy, then introduces this 16th century alchemist, Gerhard Dorn, and his inner and outer struggle to illuminate and heal the schism between spiritual alchemy and Western Christianity. Dorn doesn't come to any happy conclusions, but the chapter on Medieval Magic is worth the entire read. It includes a serious attempt to examine the question of evil (oh thank you!)and the historical process of projecting the contents of the psyche onto some aspect of the body. Also an inspiring section on the "cloud" as symbol in alchemy and christian mysticism for the confusing and darkening part of a person's journey inward to her own core. Also, peppered throughout are juicy tidbits about things like necromancy, pyromancy, hydromancy and something Jung himself was into for a while called Geomancy--which she explains in a brief but fascinating aside. The book is developed from transcripts of a 1969 lecture she gave in Zurich at the Jung Institute. It reads like a lecture, with the rythmns and addendums of the spoken word mostly intact, but obviously translated. That's ok--it flows like pure gold and is a great window into this whole Zurich scene and the living body of work that von Franz and Jung together embodied. This little work is bound to inspire and fuel some aspect of your own imagination. Enjoy!
Correction.......2001-09-21
I haven't read this book yet but couldn't find anywhere to request that you change your information. Ms Von Franz is no longer Jung's greatest living disciple; she no longer lives in Kusnacht; she died recently, perhaps in 1998?
a wonderful disquisition on alchemy and Jung..........2000-05-18
....from his finest student. The depth of her self-exploration-informed research shines from every page. If you can't understand why alchemy has so much to tell us about the dynamics of the unconscious and of individuation, buy this book, it's quite wonderful.
Marie-Louise Von Franz offers us a use for Dorn and alchemy........1999-11-03
Dorn's ability to attend to and faithfully express the manifestations of the unconscious contents provides a tremendous springboard for us today. It provides a springboard in that inner conflicts --the conflicts under discussion in the book --can be objectified. Marie-Louise Von Franz's own insight alongside her own experience can help us root ourselves in a world where we are not estranged from ourselves. The symbolic processes honored by Dorn are still today factors in our psychic hygiene.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding and Inspiring.......2003-07-01
If you are looking for a book that shows a step by step process for identifying and partnering with the emergence of the Self, this is it. Never condescending, always challenging, Raff uses well known alchemical prints to show the path to individuation which is really the art of identifying the guidance of the self and allowing the ego to partner with it, without impeding it. Bravo Jeffrey Raff for having such faith in your readers as to allow them to know what the Alchemists have always known: That everything that you need for your transformation in the eternal realm of this life is within you, simply waiting to be utilized and understood. Understanding this book, could change your life.
Psychological Alchemy.......2003-03-11
This analysand (4 years in Jungian analysis) finally found a post-Jungian book that breaks new ground. Students of alchemy, in any tradition, will find a treasure of meaning in these pages-- especially if you are interested in how alchemy and psychology relate to one another! Raff wells articulates the "transcendent function" in very understandable terms (even for a student not well acquainted with Jung's writings). He then postulates a concept of what he terms the "psychoid." And, that is exactly where the reader will find the pay dirt. I was especially thrilled to find a very concrete discussion of the individuation process using the 17th c. alchemical engravings by the German philosopher Lambsprinck. Raff precisely articulates & operationalizes--in psychological terms-- many of the symbols therein. Since I have been studying that particular set of alchemical symbols for ten years, I was thunderstruck with his discussion. I keep his work by my bed with a copy of my now worn out GOLDEN GAME by Stanislas Kolossowski de Rola. I could not put the book down because this author is a true Kabbalist, as well as a Jungian scholar/healer. Thank you Dr. Raff! What a treasure here!
Quick Path to Bliss.......2001-01-30
Ignore the complexity of the title. This book is the newest and best handbook on finding your myth. If you are serious about living by guidance from an Intelligence equal to "God", read this book. You need little knowledge of Jung , as Raffe does a great job making him easy to understand. But the power in this book is his focus on the THREE REAL STEPS you must experience as the world of the sub-conscious guides you. Raffe proves this process from the history of Alchemical (read source of all modern chemistry) "scientists". Mystics from world religions are quoted in their experience of the Divine as an Alcemical process. Raffe shows you how you can emulate their process of letting the Ego find it's correct place in your life. My journey goes back 45 years, and this book puts it all together for those of us who seek enlightenment where our heritage is Ocidental. Synchronicity is my myth, and Raffe accurately brings Synchronicity into focus as a major source of finding the sub-conscious guides waiting to help you find your bliss. If you want to know the riddle of what is the "Last Desire" before enlightenment, read the book. The changes associated with the real "straight and narrow" path of one's myth Raffe proves are time tested and proven logically, through the evolution of Alchemy as both real science and the analogy of our soul development. Alchemy and Synchronicity are magic, and both are paradoxical. Raffe shows us how not to fear the often sudden and frightening changes that emerge in a life tuned to expect and accept paradoxical events. And it's done in a non-demoninational process that can produce wholeness and bliss while living in a world of chaos. Raffe is a genuine man, and this book is not the source of an empty fad. This is the real thing, as good as any book from all of the post Jungian writers.
Spirtual Psychology.......2000-12-20
In this book Jeffrey Raff combines years of research into Jung, mysticism and alchemy with extensive practical experience teaching people effective ways to utilize the information in their lives. I think this book will become a classic of spiritual psychology and practical mysticism. Jeffrey Raff uncovers the wisdom that has been hidden within the Western spiritual tradition, dresses it in clear, readable language, updates it with the central terms of Jungian depth psychology, and grounds it in years of personal and professional experience. The result is the birth of a Way to wholeness and enlightment equivalent to Eastern meditation practices - yet fitting for the Western psyche. The Way is active and creative, providing tools for self knowledge, individuation, and human self expression while simultaneously reaching to the deepest spiritual realities. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Jewish, Christian, or Islamic mysticism. By explaining the methodology of Jungian depth psychology and ancient alchemical processes in clear and understandable writing Jeffrey Raff creates a Western Way.
The Power of Imagination.......2000-11-18
Raff is a Jungian analyst and he takes some interesting leaps in this experiential and theoretical treatise of psyche and spirit. He begins with Jung's classic individuation theory, which he explores as a psycho-spiritual process expressed by symbols of union well known to western alchemists--such as sol and luna or sun and moon, king and queen. From Jung's foundation, Raff moves to both alchemy and the mystics of Sufism, as well as his own experience and that of his clients. As he extends into and beyond the realm of imagination, he posits a transpsychic world of spirit he terms the "psychoid". The adventure of wholeness continues as a blend of imagistic psychic and actual psychoidal experiences. For Raff as for the Sufis, the latter stems from the realm of quasi-corporal spirit which he considers the source of the archetypal psyche. Along with other recent volumes concerning the creative force of imagination, this work too seeks to evolve western psycho-spiritual theory and practice with insights based on historic and contemporary experience.
Customer Reviews:
Addresses an important gap in the field.......2005-02-19
Surprisingly few commentaries have been written about the Aurora Consurgens, a thirteenth-century manuscript attributed to Thomas Aquinas, since the original von Franz interpretations that accompanied the 1966 translation. Raff's important book goes a long way toward filling this depth-psychological gap by applying what he calls psychoidal alchemy, a perspective that moves our understanding of figures like Sophia beyond the realm of the exclusively psychic.
By doing this the author shifts the emphasis from the purely human to the transhuman. Describing the understanding of personality in terms of an earlier stage of the alchemical opus, he explains that "Sophia is not asking you to understand her in terms of your life, but to understand her in terms of hers"--a point that nudges the imagination out of egocentricity into something more like an ecology.
As clear as I found this informative book, in places it carried what felt like a missionary undertone, a sort of "if everyone could do this, we would change the world." Gentle (as in this case) or overt, such prescriptions go on and on while life on Earth gets worse, prompting irritable readers like me to want less advice and more show and tell. Happily, the author does a fine job overall of sticking close to his own experiences and to the images made available through his scholarship. This is clearly a book written by someone who cares very deeply about the subject.
Book Description
Far from legends of turning lead into gold, psychologist Thom F. Cavalli reveals how the ancient art of alchemy can be used today to create powerful and lasting transformations in our personal lives.
Alchemical practices have been reborn in our contemporary world under the rubric of Jungianism, transpersonal psychology, or depth psychology. But in Alchemical Psychology, Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D., takes us directly to the source-and on a wonderful adventure into the true nature of our hearts and minds.
In a book that sparkles with verve, life, and practicality, Dr. Cavalli explains how alchemy was one of humankind's earliest efforts to transform the nature of consciousness. What little-known or underground arts did alchemists practice in pursuit of self-transformation-and how can they enrich us today?
Using the same practices that he employs with patients, Dr. Cavalli offers readers a plethora of personal exercises that, among other things, enables them to "type" themselves according to ancient alchemical identifiers of nature and personality. He then provides practices that can help free them from the grip of familiar problems and foster true personal growth.
Beautifully illustrated with medieval prints from the alchemical tradition, Alchemical Psychology gives readers both a richer understanding of their own natures and of the traditions on which many of our modern therapies are based.
Customer Reviews:
a good reference guide to alchemy.......2007-05-03
This is a fairly useful reference guide, especially when combined with other works on alchemy. I don't agree with the author's stance on laboratory workings or his occasional focus on judeo-christian values, but he does a good job of explaining the psychological components of alchemy as well as correlating the symbolism to the psychology.
What I also liked was that he took a complicated subject and broke it down to easy to read chunks that a reader could focus on over time. I also liked the ten recipes, which I think could be extended into some fruitful pathworking possibilities.
Excellent Springboard for those considering the Alchemical Path........2006-01-16
"Old recipes for living in a new world!" An old practice which has helped bring humanity to where it is today: Alchemy. "Psychological Alchemy" helps give an understanding of the basics of alchemy and how it can be used to assist in your psychological development. The alchemists' use of psychology, symbolism, astrology, their practices and utilization methods assisted them greatly in the attainment of their goals. This work will give you a look at alchemy and foster an insight concerning how to become your "true self," and face whatever is holding you back from reaching your true potential.
Psychology is an art of science which is a very recent development, historically speaking. It was developed to give us a better understanding of ourselves and our psyche. Two of the most famous practitioners of this field, Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, are mentioned in this literary work. The use of dream interpretations to assist in understanding the human psyche is a Jungian technique. Symbols helped alchemists protect their secrets and assisted in providing more insights into the human subconscious mind, which understands symbols on a higher level than does the conscious mind. Jung saw the importance of symbolism as symbols are the language of alchemy, causing him to conclude that dreams are many times symbolic of events or issues with which our subconscious struggles. Using symbolism, alchemy, and the combined product [psychology], the alchemist maintains the great balance and remains in balance and in touch with his/her higher self. Therefore, psychology is not only an integral part of alchemy, it is also a by-product of alchemy.
For many ages, different cultures have studied the stars to see where they were going in life, and to determine latitude and longitude at sea. Astronomical objects affect people all throughout their lives, yet many take no notice of them. Alchemists use the stars to direct energies and to strive for different states of consciousness. The solar system represents the mind, the outer shell or the orbit of Saturn is the conscious mind. As you do more work on yourself and go deeper into meditation, you progress deeper into the subconscious mind. The experiments of alchemists were used to gain a better understanding of nature and by doing so, gain a better understanding of themselves. In so doing, they worked through different levels of consciousness or through each orbit until they reached the center of their consciousness, and thereby transformed lead into gold. There have been two documented cases of this occurrence: Glenn Seaborg, 1951 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, succeeded in transmuting a minute quantity of lead (possibly en route from Bismuth, in 1980) into gold and an earlier report of 1972 in which Soviet physicists at a nuclear research facility near Lake Baikal in Siberia accidentally discovered a reaction for turning lead into gold when they found the lead shielding of an experimental reactor had changed to pure gold. Today particle accelerators routinely transmute elements, thereby indicating the conclusion that modern day physicists are also the new Alchemists, in a way.
The elements also play a large part in alchemy as well as the Elementals. Alchemy is, among other things, a combination of science and metaphysics. The symbolism of the elements and their elementals help the psyche to open up and become enlightened. Fire is symbolic of illumination, transformation, and purification. Water shows us energy in motion and is cleansing and will assist in keeping control of our feelings. Earth is the representation of our physical self and can assist us in guiding our feelings with more purpose. Air is the element which represents thought, carries sound and represents the soul. Lastly, but certainly not least, there can be no true transformation without the Divine; Akasha. Akasha represents true knowledge and wisdom. It is that for which we all aspire. The observation and the use of the elements in experiments, with the assistance of the Elementals, raises the level of consciousness which leads to the Higher Self.
Throughout history, many different cultures used alchemy to achieve their own goals. The Egyptians developed their mummification techniques. The Greeks formulated mathematics and are widely known for their philosophies. The Chinese discovered both herbal and massage remedies to be used in healing and they also developed gun powder. Indians used meditation techniques to weave the conscious mind with the subconscious mind, as well as with the Universe. Arabian alchemy incorporates Islamic and Judaic alchemy which led to the development of the Qaballa. European alchemy brought in such greats as Albertus Magnus, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Nicholas Flamel; all of whom were reported to have created the "Philosopher's Stone." All of these great civilizations have given us something to push us further into the future with the use of alchemy. America is next.
One major element in being an alchemist and taking the path to reaching the Higher Self is Individuation, which is the gradual integration and unification of the self through the resolution of successive layers of psychological conflict. In other words, the working through of one's problems coupled with the ability to leave them behind once resolved, and forget them. This process is why alchemists secluded themselves from others and became hermetic. This step requires the individual to lift themselves above what is expected of them from society. They must also accept responsibility for themselves and their actions and rise above their upbringing to find their true Self; or whom they really are. Developing a good self esteem is another part of this system, as you must respect yourself. Having confidence in your abilities so you can be confident in your work is another aspect of needing good self esteem. After all this has been achieved the indivual must be able to maintain this state, regardless of the company they keep and their surroundings. The state of Individuation can be something that some alchemists never truly reach, but one they must all aspire to achieve. To arrive at this state would mean that the individual is one step away from the Philosopher's Stone; not a physical stone, the Philosopher's Stone of their psyche.
Present is also the hidden element of interaction with the Trickster. The Trickster's symbols are Mercury, Loki, and Hermes. The Trickster will purposefully place an obstacle in your path to trip you up and teach you an important lesson, as none of them are mean-spirited or dark-hearted. The Trickster is to never be seen as a wall in your way, but rather as a switch on the railroad to put you on the right path. Many find it difficult to understand them but they are catalysts in any experiment you undertake. The presence of the Trickster in your work helps you learn faster and gain a more full understanding by teaching you new perspectives as well as many other lessons that will, at first, seem to be stumbling blocks but which turn out to be the very catalysts to discovery. These lessons will invariably assist you in life.
This literary work, "Alchemical Psychology", will help you understand the basics and purpose of Alchemy. Through the teachings that are outlined in this book, you will find ways to lift your psyche and heart. Experience, meditation techniques, psychological self-work, an understanding of symbolism and what they mean to your psyche, and a connection with the Divine Beings are major keys to reaching the Higher Self. Our world is ruled by the laws of nature and what we can do with the energies we possess from Nature, Herself. Reaching the Higher Self is the main goal of Alchemy. You must heal the mind, body, and soul to be truly healthy. "Alchemical Psychology" is a fantastic place to start this journey and gives a wonderful introduction into the processes of finding your Higher Self.
A word of warning. This work was written with a christian slant. You must overlook the occasional gratuitous references to Jehova and christianity to glean the real meat from the christian bones.
Easy to Read Book on Alchemical Psychology.......2004-11-06
This book takes the complex language of alchemy and alchemical processes and translates it into easy-to-understand language. The author guides you step-by-step through alchemical symbolism and alchemical operations as they relate to different psychological processes.
The alchemical recipes expressed through different alchemical operations presented in this book are intended to help you create desired psychological transformation - whether you desire to apply them in your therapeutic practice or to gain further insights and effect the desired transformation in yourself.
Understanding of alchemy is based on practical application and as the author points out "Unlike medical prescriptions, alchemical recipes require full engagement of the mind, body and soul, as well as active participation of the imaginative faculty to make them work." [As a hypnotist, I may add, that this truth applies to successful work with hypnosis, too].
The author does quote excerpts from Corpus Hermeticum - and this particular excerpt is the jewel of the Corpus Hermeticum:
"Rise up above every height: descend deeper than any depth;
Concentrate into thyself all the sensations of created things
Of water, fire, dry and wet.
Think of finding yourself simultaneously everywhere in the
Earth, sea and sky;
Think of having never been born,
Of still being an embryo;
Young and old, dead and beyond death,
Embrace everything at the same time;
All times, places, things, qualities and quantities."
The author also at times draws parallels from the world of quantum physics, and other spiritual and esoteric traditions,
to ellucidate specific points he desires to make.
Going for the Gold...........in your Self.......2004-03-23
This is a great read. Anyone interested in the transformation of the soul, the refinement of their base nature into pure golden light and transparency should read this book. Thom Cavalli has poured an enormous amount of love into this work and clearly shows. Not a work is wasted. You read a paragraph and have to walk away to ponder it. A book to return to time and time again as your understanding grows. It is rich with symbols, ancient alchemical art and mystery. I absolutely love this book.
Foliage of the Future.......2003-08-22
Thom F.Cavalli has written a handbook for the 21st century. The book will speak for itself.
Customer Reviews:
An excelent bilingual version.......2005-10-10
Fit for academical study, with interesant -though always arguable- Junguian commentaries by Marie-Louise von Franz, it is a great acquisition for those interested in Alchemy, in Psychology, or in History of Thought.
Neatly organized and clear commentary by Von Franz.......2004-09-01
No one really knows who wrote the astonishing thirteenth-century treatise RISING DAWN (Aurora Consurgens), although the work is attributed to Thomas Aquinas, an attribution the Catholic Church has been at pains to deny. This translation starts with the text (it reads like a series of revelations and parables steeped in biblical quotations) followed by the depth-psychological commentary of von Franz. Of all the second-generation Jungians, perhaps only Edward Edinger matches her in clarity. In brilliance no one does.
Quite a few Jungians of my acquaintance haven't read this book even though it was intended as a supplement to Jung's MYSTERIUM CONIUNCTIONIS, the last of his longer works and his last word on the relationship between alchemy and the unconscious. Perhaps it's because the book is not an alchemical treatise; it is, as the commentator notes in an introduction, a rush of revelation by a man who resorted to both Christian and alchemical symbolism to come to grips with what must have been an overpowering confrontation with the numen--in this case Sophia, the Gnostic goddess of Wisdom and, in the Old Testament, the feminine counterpart to God.
As I read, however, I found myself continually distracted by the damnable Jungian habit of footnoting everything (a dozen per page) as well as by the commentator's inability to write one page without quoting Jung: a sad and unfortunate habit given her obvious wealth of knowledge and psychological depth. It's clear too that she did an enormous amount of theological and alchemical research and, I suspect, furnished Jung with a fair bulk of what showed up in his tomes on the art of alchemy.
Although this doesn't count against the book's commentary, this doctor of depth psychology finds himself wondering why none of the psychological interpretations take Sophia, the metals, and the Earth at their word. Again and again, references to the aliveness of these substances are interpreted as the alchemist's projection onto matter. But what if the alchemist wasn't projecting?
Book Description
Five long essays that trace Jung's developing interest in alchemy from 1929 onward. An introduction and supplement to his major works on the subject, illustrated with 42 patients' drawings and paintings.
Customer Reviews:
Continuation of CW12.......2006-06-06
Jung explored alchemy as if it were a mystery novel--relishing every clue, interpreting (nominally) each symbol as it arose. His conclusion that it paralleled his psychological observations & model satisfied his incredible yearning to know that he wasn't crazy or a voice crying in the wilderness--yeah, verily, the alchemists pursued the same goal though in a slightly different way--vindicating Jung's quest for individuation=personal salvation. Thus, Jung's love for alchemy. It's unfortunate that even so-called scientists have ego's so wounded that they disavow their roots: chemists tend to downplay alchemy as astronomers downplay astrology--denigrating their roots. This shows an appalling lack of courage--something Jung had no lack of. Just think of what courage it must have taken for Jung to write about alchemy as having psychological truth embedded in its very heart. Yet he wrote 3 books worth on it CW12 (Psychology & Alchemy), CW13 (Alchemical Studies), & CW14 (Mysterium Coniunctionis). I'm in awe of his courage, let alone of his genius. Try reading some alchemy works yourself--if you think Jung is hard to read, think twice. Alchemical works are far more difficult. It took Jung's supreme effort to decipher them. So, if this work seems obtuse to you (& it is), consider how obtuse it was to Jung. Having studied some alchemy independently (e.g. Mutis Liber, Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians, etc.) it seems only natural that the universal symbology should be reflected in transcendental alchemy, kabbalah, Jungian psychology, Campbell's mythology, & (amazingly enough) Tibetan Buddhism--mandalas. Thus, an incredible multiplicity of sources support Jung's model of the collective unconscious. A true scientist is a "walking question mark." Despite Thomas Kuhn's difference in definition, the essence remains the same--true scientists follow the KID (knowledge, information, & data) not the dying paradigm. Jung's new paradigm of universality has yet to be seriously challenged.
Not quintessential, but good........2001-02-12
"The really important psychic facts can neither be measured, weighed, nor seen in a test tube or under a microscope. They are therefore supposedly indeterminable, in other words, they must be left to people who have an inner sense of them, just as colours must be shown to the seeing and not to the blind." (Jung p. 238) This sentence reflects much of what this book is about. It highlights the drive behind Jung's attempt to make the invisible visible through an analysis of alchemical thought; it shows his complicated sentence structure and presents some of the hurdles one will have to jump in order to comprehend Jung's work on Alchemy. The preceding volume 12, "Psychology and Alchemy," would serve as a good introduction to this volume, and volume 14, "Mysterium Coniunctionis," might make Jung's thesis easier to comprehend.
This volume of collected works contains his commentary to "The Secret of The Golden Flower" which is almost useless without the actual Golden Flower text. It also contains Jung's analysis and commentary on some of the major metaphors of Alchemy.
According to Jung, Alchemy was the precursor of Western psychology, and that alchemists projected their mental/spiritual states unto the inanimate objects and processes of Alchemy. This work examines these projections in the light of modern consciousness and with the process of individuation in mind. `
Stripped to its essence, Jung's psychological theory states that humans have an unknown meta-consciousness that some will discover through a process he called individuation. This is a recapitulation of the ideas found in all religions, but is here represented by Jung in the terms of modern Western Culture as a scientific analysis of the Soul through an analysis of Alchemy.
Several years ago I read through this text without a clue as to what Jung was talking about, but found some of his observations noteworthy. About two years ago I had some experiences that made the insights contained in this book valuable, and I found that my previous reading allowed me to understand what I had read retrospectively. It also helped me in understanding aspects of Chinese Alchemy as metaphor. It is not recommended to casual readers.
Jung's pioneering researches...........2000-06-02
...into the world of alchemy made the world aware of how rich a symbol-system had been lost from time out of mind. It was Jung who discovered that alchemy, a "chymical" art compensatory to the Christian emphasis on spirit over matter, also represented a projected psychology of the unconscious; it was, in fact, a forerunner of depth psychology itself.
Book Description
Extracted from Volume 16. An authoritative account, based on a series of 16th century alchemical pictures, of Jung's handling of the transference between analyst and patient.
Customer Reviews:
The Apex, Not The Ape.......2002-09-06
The penultimate title in C.G. Jung's 20 - volume Collected Works, The Psychology of the Transference is a short, seemingly complex book which readily rewards the reader who perseveres and is unintimidated by Jung's lengthy sentences, the alchemical illustrations, or the numerous passages in Latin.
Jung's subject is his discovery that the "great work" of the 16th and 17th century alchemists -- a search for the 'philosopher's stone' of 'psychic wholeness' (as opposed to 'psychic perfection') -- corresponds closely to the psychological process of the transference (a dynamic set of duo projections of unconscious psychic contents). The alchemical process mysteriously corresponds not only the transference possible between psychologist and patient, but between any two individuals who spontaneously (unconsciously) constellate some part of the other's psyche through normal human interaction.
However, as with all of Jung's later work, the book's larger focus is the psychic evolution of the individual. The Psychology of the Transference's pivotal message is that the process of cautiously evolving one's consciousness to the hypothetical point of `individuation' or `integration,' is primarily a moral and ethical one. The book stresses that it is also a critically necessary process, however painful and potentially dangerous. In Jung's estimation, mankind has no choice but to accept the challenge of psychic evolution: the alternative is a perpetual present state of misunderstanding, hatred, suspicion, bigotry, oppression, war, and genocide.
Like Freud, Jung believed that man's psyche contains an enormous multi-tier unconscious reservoir, one which not only dwarfs man's generally narrow consciousness but is also the matrix in which consciousness originated (thus the alchemical motto "high rests on low"). The unconscious is the original abode of all drives, demons, and daimons, all instincts and angels, all creativity and appetites for destruction. Since many of its contents are unacceptable to modern man -- the most foundational of these being the incest complex - these damned and rejected contexts are not and cannot be readily integrated into consciousness. Instead, they are spontaneously projected outward onto other human beings, social classes, institutions, and countries -- onto any 'object' that is perceived as other and different from the self. No man can evolve his consciousness without first becoming aware of and retracting these projections and learning to comfortably accept them as his own dark potentialities. It is not simply of matter of leaving the instinctual man behind, but of learning to integrate the necessary if often unattractive instinctual and vital functions into consciousness before moving forward. Thus the process is one of refinement and accumulation and not one of elimination.
Only the first major step in a series (Emerson: "Every ultimate fact is only the first of a new series"), the confrontation with and integration of the 'shadow' is often a harrowing and precarious process. If man accepts this task without ample preparation, inner fortification, and secure sense of identity (which he nonetheless must be willing to forgo), he may come to despise himself, lose all motivation, become morally degenerate, or commit suicide. But if he does not recognize, accept and take up his own cross, he will blame, and attempt to injure or destroy, other people, classes, races, or countries to eradicate the sense of indefinable angst, doubt, suspicion, and fear that impinges itself so relentlessly upon his psyche; as Jung perfectly expressed it, he will endlessly attempt to free himself of "that thing that thrusts itself tyrannically upon him in the stillness and loneliness of the night."
Only after man has accepted and integrated his 'shadow' can he, 'reborn,' proceed rightfully ahead. It is this slow process ('make haste slowly' was another motto of the alchemists) of prudent illumination towards conscious realization of the "whole man," or "self," as Jung called it, that the alchemists referred to as "the great work," the highest single achievement of which man is capable. Thus, though the alchemists apparently sought to turn base metal into gold, "gold" was in truth a simple metaphor for successfully integrated consciousness. Clearly, most of mankind, finding the burden of unconsciousness easier to bear than the burden of conscious realization and responsibility, regrettably and understandably fails in even this initial step. As a result, man lives in a predominantly fallen world of near - animal existence.
The Psychology of the Transference is one of the most concise and digestible books in Jung's oeuvre; its insights and wisdom are readily applicable to life in the 21st century. As in the balance of his previous eighteen titles, Jung presents the world as an incredible place of breathtaking depth, mystery, and meaning, most of which is lost on the average man, who typically lives in a state of permanent hibernation from objective reality. However, Jung's worldview is also one in which nature is infinitely strange and capable of continuous unexpected manifestations, unique hybrid creations, and monsters, simply because the process of psychic evolution is not only something man must willingly confront, but because it is a process which nature inexorably demands.
It is to Jung's credit that with The Psychology of the Transference he is able to present his ideas in direct, palatable, and useful fashion without dilution. A world of readers are blindly searching for this book, and turning instead to authors like Herman Hesse and Carlos Casteneda, 'New Age' crank authors whose work is merely plagiarism of Jung, or lesser psychologists who offer up Jung's ideas in vastly diluted form. The Psychology of the Transference, a deep and hopeful book, is the source to which questing readers should turn.
Alchemy and the Psychology of Inner Redemption.......2000-08-10
Yes, "transference" was originally Freud's term, but Jung's use in this 1946 essay is expanded far beyond what Freud (or anyone practicing psychology today) could possibly recognize. For Jung, transference was about a person's relation with his or her Unconscious, and the spectrum of possible relationships extends from delusion to liberating insight. Thus, transference is not just about the patient's relationship to the therapist; rather, transference is ultimately about the individual's relationship with the whole of life. After an introductory section, Jung frames his essay as a commentary on the *Rosarium Philosophorum*, an alchemical text published in 1550. The text focuses on a series of ten drawings that will assuredly appear bizarre to folks unfamiliar with alchemical symbols; however, Jung's brilliant analysis demonstrates that these apparently monstrous images actually map out, symbolically, that path to inner liberation. Indeed, this essay, late in Jung's career, represents him at the height of his powers, synthesizing symbols from a variety of sources to create a text dense with insights into the fundamental problems of human life.
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General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
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| Books
Alchemical Studies (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.13)
Mysterium Coniunctionis (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.14)
Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.9 Part 2)
Symbols of Transformation (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.5)
The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.9 Part 1)
