Who were the alchemists and why is alchemy relevant to our lives today?
Carl G. Jung discovered that the images and processes he encountered in the old alchemy texts mirrored in symbolic form his theories of psychoanalysis and the unconscious. He saw in alchemy a metaphor for the process of individuation – the transformation of the personality and the search for wholeness. Most of Jung’s alchemical analysis of the psyche is described in three major volumes of his Collected Works – Alchemical Studies, Psychology and Alchemy and his final volume Mysterium Coniunctionis.
Explore the symbolism and process of individuation through:
Alchemy : An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology by Marie-Louise von Franz – This book explores the secret goal of alchemy, the transformation of the personality and the search for wholeness and is an invaluable resource for interpreting images in modern dreams and for understanding relationships.
Aurora Consurgens : On the Problem of Opposites in Alchemy by Marie-Louise von Franz – This rare medieval alchemical treatise is scattered throughout with insights relevant to the process of individuation in modern men and women. The penetrating commentary shows how a classical Jungian approach can unlock the meaning of this psychologically significant text. Originally published in 1966 as a companion volume to Jung’s major work, Mysterium Coniunctionis.
The Mysterium Lectures : A Journey through Jung’s Mysterium Coiunctionis by Edward F. Edinger – A comprehensive study illuminating the depth and scope of Jung’s magnum opus and its relevance to everyday life. Here is a treasury of material for understanding and amplifying modern dreams and other unconscious contents.
The Mystery of the Coniunctio : Alchemical Image of Individuation by Edward F. Edinger – Two concise essays on the union of opposites: “Introduction to Jung’s Mysterium Coniunctionis” and “A Psychological Interpretation of the Rosarium Pictures”—the alchemical drawings on which Jung based one of his major works, The Psychology of the Transference.