Creative Codex 40: Carl Jung & Alchemy • Part II: River of Gold
Splendor Solis Symbolism
- The Splendor Solis, by Salomon Trismosin, visually represents alchemical stages.
- Plate 3, "Night of the Double Fountain," shows a knight with stage colors on his breastplate.
First Paradox of Alchemy
- The first paradox of alchemy is the mirroring of transformations in matter and the alchemist.
- Inner changes in the alchemist are reflected in the material being worked on.
Jung's Theory of Projection
- Jung theorized that alchemists projected their unconscious onto matter to understand it.
- This projection illuminated the unknown with the alchemist’s own inner world.
Beneath the surface of Western history––deep within its cavernous tunnels––flows a river of gold.
On this episode we explore the essential concepts of alchemy, alchemical artwork, Jung's theory regarding the projection of unconscious material, inexplicable dreams with alchemical symbolism, the paradox of consciousness & matter, and the unique role of revelation in alchemy. In the end, we return to The Red Book to track down a special passage which seems to prove Dr. Jung tapped into alchemy through his active imagination method seven years before officially studying it.
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Read my Rudiments of Alchemy article and view the Splendor Solis gallery here: https://mjdorian.com/alchemy/
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View a transcript of this episode here: https://mjdorian.com/transcripts/
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Cover art: detail of Plate 4 from Splendor Solis (1553)
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Research Sources:
• Memories, Dreams, Reflections by Carl Jung
• The Red Book by Carl Jung
• Psychology and Alchemy by Carl Jung
• Alchemical Studies by Carl Jung
• Man & His Symbols by Carl Jung
• Alchemy by Marie Louise von Franz
• Alchemical Imagination by Jeffrey Raff
• Splendor Solis by Salomon Trimsosin
• Atalanta Fugies by Michael Maier
• Spagyrics by Jean Dubuis
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