Anatomy of the Psyche Reading Group
ALCHEMY, INDIVIDUATION AND TRANSFORMATION
with Jason E. Smith, IAAP
VIDEO SEMINAR SERIES
8 sessions, 15+ hours
Edward F. Edinger, Author
Available now
The understanding and interpretation of alchemy holds a central place in the writings of C.G. Jung. In its unique, and often bizarre, imagery, Jung found a symbolic language that reflected the activity of the psyche. His work on the psychological dimensions of alchemy, however, can be dense and difficult reading. Edward Edinger’s classic book Anatomy of the Psyche does a great job of bringing clarity and understanding to this area of Jung’s writings and to his essential insights into the symbolism of alchemy.
In this class we will read through Anatomy of the Psyche together. Using Edinger’s text as our guide, we will explore the challenging, but immensely rich subject of alchemy and its psychological meaning. We will discover the relationship between alchemical symbolism and dream imagery, discuss the relevance of alchemy to Jung’s concept of individuation, and understand how the operations of the alchemical opus translate into a contemporary spiritual or psychological practice.
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"The essential secret of the art lies hidden in the human mind
-- or, to put it in modern terms, in the unconscious."
– C.G. Jung, CW12, par. 361
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Required Reading:
Anatomy of the Psyche by Edward F. Edinger
Recommended reading:
Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology
by Marie-Louise von Franz
“Religious Ideas in Alchemy” from Psychology and Alchemy (CW12)
by C.G. Jung
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Jason E. Smith, IAAP
Your Host:
Jason E. Smith
Jason E. Smith is an author and Jungian analyst in private practice in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. He was previously the president of the Training Board of the C. G. Jung Institute in Boston. He received his Master’s degree from Pacifica Graduate Institute and graduated from the C.G. Jung Institute - Boston with a diploma in Analytical Psychology.
Jason is the creator and host of the podcast, Digital Jung: The Symbolic Life in a Technological Age and the author of Religious But Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life (2020).
Jungian Psychological Video Seminar • 8 Sessions, 15+ Hours • Exploring Edward F. Edinger’s Anatomy of the Psyche • Includes PDF with Link to Course Videos and Additional Materials
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Course Outline:
Session 1
Chapter 1: Preface & Introduction
Read Preface and pp. 1 - 15
Session 2
Chapter 2: Calcinatio
Read pp. 16 - 45
Session 3
Chapter 3: Solutio
Read pp. 46 - 81
Session 4
Chapter 4: Coagulatio
Read pp. 82 - 115
Session 5
Chapter 5: Sublimatio
Read pp. 116 - 145
Session 6
Chapter 6: Mortificatio
Read pp. 146 - 180
Session 7
Chapter 7: Separatio
Read pp. 182 - 209
Session 8
Chapter 8: Coniunctio
Read pp. 210 - 232