Page 31 - A critical exposition of Jung's theory of alchemy

objection, and such conventionality might even allow us to consider the
symbols collective, but this needs detailed and specific research of a
type which Jung does not provide. Every form of human endeavour is
collective and symbolic in some way. Alchemy might not be any more
or less reducible to psychology and culture than physics12. If this should
be the case, then we can no longer assert that the projections have
nothing to do with the substances being used - substances do have
certain properties and are more likely to attract certain kind of
projections depending upon these properties - and a proper Jungian
exploration of the psychology of alchemy could not afford to overlook
the chemical process that particular alchemists might have observed.

Jung also approaches this issue of psychological involvement in
alchemy by quoting some alchemists who write of the importance of the
mind or imagination to the work (CW 12: 246ff). Thus Turrius writes
that the “prima materia is nothing, but is conceived solely by the
imagination it cannot be contained in any of these places [heaven, earth,
or water]” (CW 14: 84). If I may quote three writers not quoted by Jung.
Petrus Bonus wrote that a particular process happened “through the
addition of the Hidden Stone which is not sensuously apprehended but
only known intellectually... The hidden Stone may be called the gift of
God, and if it does not mingle with our Stone, the work of Alchemy is
marred” (1894: 124). Ashmole tells us that one of the Secrets of the
work is how to handle the Universal Spirit (1652: 446-7) and several
pages later when describing the manufacture of talismans tells us that
the Spirit can be influenced by the “strength and Efficacy of the
Imagination and Passion” (ibid: 464). Paracelsus defends those arts
whose results are determined by imagination and are thus uncertain,
while distinguishing imagination from phantasy which leads to folly.
“He who is born in imagination finds out the latent forces in Nature…
He who imagines compels herbs to put forth their hidden nature”
(Paracelsus 1894: 305-8)13.

12. Perhaps a better comparison might be with Economics, or the social
sciences in general, in which it is sometimes hard to extricate ‘theory’ from
‘belief’ and ‘fantasy’ about what should be rather than what is. The disjunction
between model and reality frequently seems to produce what looks like magical
incantation, or reiteration, from that model’s supporters.
13. Paracelsus’ claims about scientia, being an overhearing of inner functions in
the matter being explained, would also imply a fair degree of psychological
involvement with the work.

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