Carl G.jung - Mysterium Coniunctionis Vol.14
Carl G.jung - Mysterium Coniunctionis Vol.14
Carl G.jung - Mysterium Coniunctionis Vol.14
evil, the method of salvation, and dualistic nature of the savior figure
(Anthropos - Mercurius). The story of Manes or Cubricus the son of the
widow, is recounted and he is identified with the alchemic Kyrius,
Gabricius, a name derived from an Arabic word meaning sulphur. The term
black sulphur used in the alchemists' texts to refer to the active,
masculine substance of Mercurius is compared to the Manichaean term hyle or
matter, the dark, fluid human body of evil principle. The Manichaean
dualistic Christ figure, the Anthropos, is likened to the alchemic
dualistic redeemer of the microcosm (Christ) and of the macrocosm (lapis
philosophorum). The role of sweat as rain in Manichaean teaching as a means
of freeing light material from dark bodies is compared to the dew or
arcanum of alchemy. The Acta Archelai of Manichaeism with its saving wheel
is seen to be reflected in the rota of alchemy. The comparison of these two
systems reveals the deathrebirth drama hidden in the coniunctio. It is
stated that the moral task of alchemy was to bring the feminine, maternal
background of the masculine psyche into harmony with the spirit. 5
references.
The paradoxa. 1. The arcane substance and the point.
In: Jung, C., Collected works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 42-48).
An over-view of several alchemic writings indicates the prevalence of
paradoxes and the importance of the point in alchemy. The paradox is a
natural result of the alchemists' attempts to visualize the opposites
together and to express them in the same breath as the adjectives used to
qualify arcane substance (lapis, prima materia and Mercurius) indicate.
They are at one and the same time base and noble, precious and cheap, one
and many, visible to all and unknown. The paradox of Mercurius is presented
as the paradox par excellence. Citations from John Dec, the Turba, Dom,
Paracelsus, Steeb, Maier and others, illustrate the significance of the
point in alchemy. The point is the smallest written sign, used to symbolize
the mystery of four elements, the center of nature, the ..sun point" in the
egg; it corresponds to fire, light, world's center, the Godhead: it is the
mode of the perfect form. The properties of gold are listed as they relate
to the point, the circle, eternity, the Godhead, and indivisible substance.
The paradoxa. 2. The scintilla.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 48-56).
The alchemical doctrine of the scintilla or spark is presented, the symbol
of the eye is examined and its significance is explained in psychological
terms. The concept of spark or scintilla is found in the writings of
Meister Eckhart, Heractitus, Hippolytus and Simon Magus as well as in those
of the alchemists. Alchemists defined the spark as Archaeus, the fiery
which springs from both shadow and Anthropos contained in the unconscious.
3 references.
The personification of the opposites. 4. Luna. a. The significance of the
moon.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 129-146).
From the texts of Dom, Khunrath, Ruland, Macrobius, Simon Magus and the
Allegoriae super librum Turbae among others, the alchemical characteristics
of Luna are presented and analyzed. As the counterpart of Sol, Luna is
cold, moist, dark, feminine, corporeal, passive and a partner in
coniunctio. Luna is personified as sister, bride, mother, and spouse.
Symbolized as the vessel of the sun and funnel of the earth, she is
responsible for the conception of the universal seed of the sun in the
belly and womb of nature. The symbol of the moon as a tree or plant is
discussed and related to the tree symbols of Arabic alchemy, the Cabala,
Christianity, and Hinduism. The connection. of Luna (moon) to intellect and
to the contrasexual archetypes in the unconscious is presented along with
an analysis of the Gnosis of Simon Magus as an example of the description
of a masculo/fernina pneuma. The neotic qualities of Luna, the Luna/
Mercurius relation and the role of Luna in the transformation mystery are
examined in the light of the alchemic texts. The negative aspects of Luna
are evident in the disadvantageous position given to Luna compared to that
of Sol and in the attribution of appetites or sensual powers the sphere of
the moon. The psychological interpretation of the Luna indicates that the
alchemists perceived the union of Sol (consciousness) and Luna
(unconscious) to be dangerous and productive of poisonous animals: first
cold blooded, then warm blooded predators, and finally birds of prey. The
alchemical role of Luna is compared to that of the Virgin Mary and the
Church in that it partakes of earth's sufferings, standing on the
borderline between etheral, eternal things and the earthly sublunar sphere.
The personification of the opposites. 4. Luna. b. The dog.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 146-160).
The process of uniting the contents of the unconscious with the conscious
mind is presented through the analysis of imagery in alchemic texts. In
these texts both Sol (conscious) and Luna (unconscious) are represented
theriornorphically as dog and bitch, respectively, indicating the awareness
that both the conscious and the unconscious have negative, fearsome
aspects. Several texts are examined, showing a linking of three forces:
flying bird, house, and stone; Hermaphrodite, doves, and rabid dog; Winged
Youth, Diana and thief. Numerous functions of the dog as symbol in alchemic
texts are explained, with particular attention given to the rabid dog as a
symbol of the unconscious that turns into a winged eagle, a symbol of the
transformation process involved in the healing of the psyche. The archetype
of incest is examined as it appears in dreams and in the alchemic images.
It is explained as a parable for the preliminary form of the union of
opposites.
The personification of the opposites. 4. Luna. c. The alchemical allegory.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 160-173).
It is suggested that dreams, or alchemical parabales, which constitute the
daily fare of the psychotherapist, can be translated into rational speech
through knowledge of the dreamer's (alchemist's) personal situation or
symbolic assumptions. Although it is conceded that dream interpretation can
hardly ever be convincingly proved, the second of Philaletha's texts is
examined as a dream, and the question is raised whether the author really
had such thoughts and ideas concealed in ornate metaphors. In the dream the
thief or robber of the self is contrasted with the winged youth, who
represents the spirit of inner truth that measures man not by his relation
to the mass, but by his relation to the mystery of the psyche. It is the
age old struggle of evil versus good expressed in alchemical language, just
as today the struggle is expressed in conflicting ideologies. Good and evil
are seen as spiritual forces outside of man, who is caught in the conflict.
We learn that the winged youth is espoused to the "central water." But he
will become real only if he can unite with Luna, the "mother of mortal
bodies." It is concluded that psychology can unravel the secrets of
alchemy, but not lay bare the secret of its secrets.
The personification of the opposites. 4. Luna. d. The moon-nature.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (173-182).
In a further discussion of the personification of the opposites, a
psychological evaluation of the luminaries Luna and *********
The personification of the opposites. 5. Sal. a. Salt as the arcane
substance.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 183-192).
Salt and a number of symbols closely related to salt, such as sea water and
the baptismal quality and "bitterness" of the ca, are discussed as aspects
of the unconscious. Sal is associated with lunar symbolism and is a member
of the triad sulphur/Mercurius/sal, which from the time of Paracelsus was
seen as corresponding to the Trinity; since Mercurius has both masculine
and feminine qualities, this triad, like the Trinity, is really a
quaternity. The fourth figure in alchemy, the dark, luminary, feminine side
of Mercurius, is identified with the devil in Christian tradition. The
Assumption of Mary in Catholic doctrine is discussed as an example of the
ultimate acceptance of his necessary fourth figure lacking in the Trinity.
Salt in Alchemical philosophy is identified as the symbol of the arcane
substance; this concept is traced to early Arabic influence on Latin texts
such as the "Turba," where salt water is a synonym for the aqua permanens.
This association with the arcane substance is found to be more clearly
supported in the iter alchemical texts. 6 references.
The personification of opposites. 5. Sal. b. The bitterness.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd d., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 192-198).
Associated with salt and sea is the quality of bitterness, an Alchemical
term connoting not only the sharp salt taste of the -a water, but also
corruption and imperfection. This corruption is the quality of the prima
materia, which is synonymous with alchemical and mythological tradition
with chaos and the ea. It is noted that the sea was often characterized as
something impure in ancient cultures, especially that of Egypt and Greece;
in the same cultures and in ancient China as well, At is often found
characterized as a spirit and identified with bird. This bird represents
the spirit of corruption expelled -om an impure substance which is made
pure thereby; it is sually said to have many colors. This and other spirits
of imurity constitute that part of the universe which is still chaos, nd in
the psychological sense, that part of the psyche which emains unconscious.
As the spirit of chaos is indispensable to the alchemical world order, so
the unconscious is essential to the balanced working of the mind. 1
Reference.
The personification of the opposites. 5. Sal. c. The Red Sea.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 199-210).
The Red Sea has a unique symbolic value; in contrast with the bitterness
and impurity usually associated with the sea, it represents the heating and
transforming properties of baptismal waters. The destruction of the
Egyptians trying to cross the Red Sea is seen as an allegory of the
inability of the unenlightened or unaware to be transformed; more
specifically, it is the inability of the incomplete psyche to find whole
ness. The resistance of Christian tradition to the acceptance of the
"other," the unconscious and primitive, as part of the order of life, is
viewed as a barrier to the very salvation it purports to seek. Numerous
references to the significance of the Red Sea in alchemical thought are
examined. Allusions are found to a symbolic vehicle which is immersed in
the Red Sea and purified; the vessel is commonly characterized as combin
planetary houses.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 224-235).
In a psychological interpretation of Michael Maier's symbolic journey to
the seven mouths of the Nile, the theme of individuation is traced in its
correspondences with alchemical tradition. The mystic journey through the
planets is associated with the archetypal voyage of the hero, particularly
as it is expressed in the "Shepherd of Hernias." Further comparison of the
two texts reveals a number of analogies in the stages and events of the
journey toward enlightenment; both are seen to symbolize the psychological
motif of the search for psychic wholeness through confrontation of
conscious process and unconscious content. The original state of spiritual
confusion experienced by the seekers leads in modern therapy to an analysis
and interpretation of irrational thoughts expressed in dreams and fantasies
(anamesis). The acceptance of this material from the unconscious widens the
perspective and awareness of the conscious mind, and enables the enriched
personality to better cope with its environment. It is noted that the seven
spheres had great significance for ancient astrologers as well, and that a
journey through the planets meant to them a systematic shedding of
character traits ordained by each planet. Another model for the journey is
found in the Gnostic redeemer. The peculiar reticence of Maier to describe
the last conversation of the searcher with Mercurius is explained as a sign
of the excruciating psychic conflict experienced in the process of
individuation. 1 Reference.
The personification of the opposites. 5. Sal. g. The regeneration in seawater.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 235-239).
A philosophical discussion on sea water (salt water) is presented from the
viewpoints of alchemy, symbolism, and baptism in the Christian religions.
The principal function of sea water is cleansing the sinner. In the ritual
of baptism it becomes symbolically synonymous with fire, which is itself a
cleansing agent recommended for baptism in certain parts of the Christian
Bible. The alchemists professed to a transformation between fire and water,
which they regarded as baptism. Sources from various cultures are cited,
from literature, mythology, and religious writings -- ancient, medieval,
and modem -- in which sea water is held to possess certain powers, esoteric
meanings, and special symbolic and spiritual allusions to other substances,
processes, or phenomena. Thus the treatise of Ostanes says that when
preparing the baptismal vessel, it should be immersed in sea water in order
to perfect the divine water within. In sea water baptism, as the liquid
evaporates from the body, the salt (symbol of wisdom) remains. While the
impurities have left the body, it is volatized and sublimated.
centuries; in them the king is identified with the metal gold, which is
produced through the liberation of the soul from the flesh. This
chrysopoeia, (goldmaking) was thought of even then as a psychic operation,
a moral and spiritual transformation from the fleshly to the pnenumatic.
References to the birth of the king in Egyptian and alchemical literature
are mentioned. 1 Reference.
Rex and regina. 3. The transformation of the king.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 265-274).
The king as a dynamic symbol of transformation is examined in alchemical
literature, either in the description of his birth or in his rebirth into
perfection. In the medieval treatise "Allegoria Merlini" the primitive
symbol of the sacrificed king being resurrected in new strength is
elaborated; in this and other similar parables the agent of resurrection is
the sweet water, the aqua permanens. Citations from several alchemical
treatises demonstrate the importance of water in the symbolic process of
transformation; in the writings of Dorn, it is clear that the solution
process was viewed as more a spiritual phenomenon than a physical one, a
psychic union of conflicting elements into one substance. Although it is
not evident in the "Allegoria Merlini," in later alchemical literature the
rebirth process commonly leads to a higher moral and spiritual state as
well as -- or instead of -- a merely physical one.
Rex and regina. 4. The regeneration of the king (Ripley's "Cantilena").
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p, p. 274-330).
The "Cantilena" of Sir George Ripley is analyzed relative to ~he symbolic
revitalization of the sick king. From the ieginning of the "Cantilena" the
imperfect, corrupt nature of he king is stressed, as is his need for
renewal through the aqua permanens. Identification of this transformative
substance with God is hinted at in the text, with its corresponding
allusions to imperfection as a part of God's character. This representation
of God appears to be a combination of Christian and pagan influence, since
Christian theology does not recognize weakness or corruption in God. In
order to enter the kingdom of God, the king of the Cantilena must return to
he initial world state of massa confusa, where all elements are n conflict.
This transformational process is accomplished through a return to the
mother and through her to the original substance of the lapis of seven
symbolic colors. Both the lapis ind peacock figures symbolize the reunion
of all elements in alchemical tradition. The great amount of overlap in the
symbolic structure of alchemical beliefs, exemplified in the Cantilena, is
considered due to the archetypal nature of the symbols which arise from a
co-mingling (homoousia) in the unconscious. The numerous appearances of
mysticism and Jewish gnosis (Cabala) are seen to perpetuate the image of
Adam as the embodiment of the universe in a similar manner; Jewish/Gnostic
antecedents for the Song of Songs, and midrashic sources for the
distinction found in I Corinthians between the heavenly and earthly Adam.
As he unites both the body and soul of the Israelite people, so in the
psychological sense Adam is the total psyche, embodying both the conscious
and unconscious elements. The process of psychic integration in which all
unconscious elements become conscious, and which can redeem the inner man
is seen as a correlation of the Christian symbolism of the redemption of
the world through the coming of the Messiah (the second Adam). 27
references.
Adam and Eve. 5. The "old Adam."
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 415-420).
A discussion of the probable referent for the "old Adam" in Eleazar's text
"Uraltes Chymisches Werck" leads to a consideration of the eternal
opposition/union of the spiritual and physical in human nature. The old
Adam corresponds to the sinful Adam who issued from the Shulamite; he is
the prinutive man, far removed from present day consciousness and having
his roots in the animal world. The Primordial Man, on the other hand,
embodies perfect wisdom and intelligence in Christian and other ancient
symbolic systems. But as the Adam figure is ultimately seen as uniting both
the sinful and pure elements of the universe, so the human psyche is
discovered through analytical psychology to contain much archaic,
unconscious, instinctual material in addition to its conscious rational
content. These psychic forces are seen as complementary but conflicting;
the tension between them creates the energy for the extension and
differentiation of consciousness. However, if the tension becomes too
intense, a countermovement becomes operative to reconcile the conflicting
elements. This mechanism is seen to operate on a social as well as on a
psychic level, in the development throughout history of rites and customs
(anamnesis) designed to ameliorate states of distress through divine
intervention. If no intervention is forthcoming, the distressful life
situation deteriorates; and if no reconciliation is made, the individual
psyche degenerates, losing forever the image of the homo maximus, the
Anthropos. 2 references.
Adam and Eve. 6. The transformation.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 420-434).
The alchemical and Christian symbolic expressions for the transformation
from a defective to a perfect state are compared. By eating from the tree
of knowledge, Adam and Eve gained a moral consciousness which opened the
polarity between divine and human; humanity degenerated steadily until the
Deluge, which can be seen as the destroying and purifying waters of
alchemical symbolism, the nigredo. In Eleazar's "Uraltes Chymisches Werck"
the Shulamite as the symbol of decay and corruption must be crucified to be
transformed; this crucifixion is compared to that of Christ and to the
transformation of Parvati. Certain quaternary relationships in the text -the quaternion of the Black/Illuminated Shulamite to Old Adam/Adam Kadmon,
for example -- are found to correspond to psychic as well as alchemical
structures. However, one significant difference in the psychological
transformation is stressed: while the goal of perfection is possible, in
the myths and doctrines which are archetypal projections of the psychic
drive for unity, this ideal psychic union has never been approached in
reality. In the light of scientific objectivity, man has had to set his
sights considerably lower than did the medieval romanticists. The
incomplete transformation of the Shulamite and of Old Adam in Eleazar's
text are considered to express a realization by the author that wholeness
for man is only imperfectly achieved. 6 references.
Adam and Eve. 7. Rotundum, head and brain.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 434-438).
Various symbolic representations of the head and brain in alchemical and
religious symbolism are examined. The motif of the golden head is found in
the Song of Songs and in alchemical texts; in alchemy the arcane substance,
the corpus rotundum, is also associated with gold. References to the brain
in alchemical treatises and in the Scriptures portray the brain as the
source of infernal as well as divine forces. This similarity in symbolic
expression, manifesting itself in extremely diverse belief systems, is
considered to strongly support the hypothesis of archetypal image
projection. 4 references.
Adam and Eve. 8. Adam as totality.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 438-456).
The transformation symbolism seen in Eleazar's "Uraltes Chymisches Werck"
is discussed in terms of its correspondences with Christian symbolism. It
is felt that Eleazar had in mind the apocalyptic figure of the Son of Man
when he referred to the duality and union of earth and fire, sun and moon,
in the transfiguration process. Allusions to the quaternity and to
multiples of the quaternity, essential to alchemical structures, are found
in early Christian texts such as Ezekiel as well as in 17th and 18th
century alchemical treatises. The figure of Yesod in Revelations is
considered to correspond with Mercurius, the creative force which mediates
the resolution of polarity. The alchemical symbol of the lapis, which is
the sapphire in the Cabala, are also found in Ezekiel, Exodus and
Deuteronomy to be closely associated or identified with God. It is
concluded that the alchemical symbol network represents an effort to
express the integration of evil as a necessary part of redemption on the
individual human level the ultimate source for the symbolism is the psychic
individuation process. The nigredo in Eleazar's text represents the
darkness of the unconscious, or the shadow. The first transformation,
represented by the- Black Shulamite, is the rise to consciousness of the
feminine aspect, the anima; the second is the differentiation within the
consciousness (the Primordial Man) of the masculine and feminine aspects.
But the final transformation is not complete in the Shulamite nor in the
Old Adam; neither is it in the psyche of man. It is emphasized that this
and other studies of the dynamics of psychic processes are scientific and
not theological, although they may make use of theology during their
development. 13 references.
The conjunction. 1. The alchemical view of the union of opposites.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 14. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1970. 702 p. (p. 457-469).
The symbolic as well as chemical nature of alchemical procedures and goals
is described. It is felt that the coniunctio in alchemical tradition
represented more than the attempt to produce gold by a combination of other
substances; it was the expression of a world view which included both the
exterior and interior universe of man. It is for this reason that one finds
such an aggregation of symbols representing the transformative process; all
the symbols ultimately describe a psychic rather than a physical reality.
The alchemical description of the beginning of the world, for example,
describe as well the primitive state of consciousness on the point of
differentiation into its affective processes (represented alchemically by
the four elements). Deterioration accompanies this differentiation, and the
elements must be reunited into one world consciousness. The alchemists
themselves are observed to associate the physical with the psychic union,
since they commonly considered self-knowledge a requisite for the
production of the Philosopher's Stone. Mercurius, both the agent and the
object of unification, is the collective unconscious, the undifferentiated
Being. Just as many alchemical symbols are found to signify certain
archetypes, so too the archetypes are united in that each reflects an
aspect of the ego. This ultimate center is itself symbolized by the
mandala, or in alchemy by the lapis or the Microcosm. It is noted that
alchemical theorists, lacking any real knowledge of psychic and chemical
processes, believed in the symbol rather than the thing symbolized,
although the texts do sometimes demonstrate an intuitive association of the
two. The progressive social function of symbol is proposed as a counterpart
to its reflect function; symbols move the conscious toward a definite, but
undefined, psychic goal. 11 References.