Author:

My speech is imperfect.
Not because I want to shine with words,
but out of the impossibility of finding those words,
I speak in images.
With nothing else can I express the words from the depths.
-Carl Jung, Liber Novus, “The Red Book”

Carl Jung, Red Book

Jung knew that some experiences are beyond words. Religious and spiritual experiences, the depths of suffering and trauma, even moments of sublime awe can be challenging to process, let alone articulate.

Art and imagery not only help us work with charged emotional experiences, they can help us understand them on a deeper level. Active imagination is a technique Jung used to help clients begin to listen to the voice within through imagery, myth, and metaphor.

What he discovered was that the soul has a language of its own and will truly speak to those who can hear.

Alchemy, Psychology, and Carl Jung

Alchemical symbolism has been used for ages by seekers, mystics, and philosophers. Psychologist Carl Jung reexamined alchemy and came to understand the inner meaning of alchemical work as conducive to spiritual development.

If we start to play with alchemy as a mode of transformation for the psyche, we will find ourselves with a wealth of tools. Opening up to the idea of looking at one’s current situation as transmutable (able to change or alter in form, appearance, or nature and especially to a higher form) promotes the space needed for movement and healing. This can be in regards to a lengthy period of depression, a general feeling of being stuck, or unprocessed trauma that inhibits our ability to move forward.

Ultimately, alchemy can be seen as a spiritual pathway back to the heart.