Alchemy in Dreams example: Sublimatio
Author: Christopher Chayban
In this post I will discuss Jung’s way of using alchemical symbolism to shed light in the dream interpretation process. I will also refer to Edinger’s elaboration on Jung’s method his unique contribution with using the alchemical operations. Although Jung said alchemy provided a great and invaluable service to him, by providing the symbolic images that assisted him in describing the individuation process (CW 12 pg.556), there isn’t enough space to do so in this paper. Rather, I will provide a few dream examples to illustrate Jung’s and Edinger’s elaborate symbol systems (Edinger pg.15) and how the individuation process shows up in images similar to alchemical symbol motifs. I focus on one of these operations in the dream case material, the process of sublimatio.
I’d like to first start by drawing a symbolic parallel to dreams and the unconscious, with the alchemical concept of the prima materia. Jung, in Psychology and Alchemy, refers to about twelve different types of images that the prima materia is referenced to in alchemical texts and symbolism. They are; any images that depict undifferentiation, unity, something round, dark, the four elements, nature/chaos, metals/stone, animals, humanoids, planets, something that is to be found everywhere and lastly, something that is extracted. Edinger elaborates on this psychically and relates it to the stuff that you work on in therapy. These are; moods, personal reactions, painful/humiliating content, multiplicities/fragments with an underlying unity, and things that threaten the ego’s limits and boundaries, which leads to awe and terror (Edinger pg.12) in the personality.
This “prima materia” is the original, undifferentiated material substance (in our case psychic substance) that undergoes a process of differentiation, in order to break apart the fixed aspects of the personality (Edinger pg.10). This process of differentiation went through the various operations, namely calcinatio, solutio, coagulatio, sublimatio, mortificatio, putrefactio, separatio and lastly, coniunctio. Four of these operations correspond to the four elements, that is calcinatio to fire, solutio to water, coagulatio to earth, and sublimatio to air (Edinger pg.18). These also correspond to the four functions, intuition, feeling, sensation and thinking respectively. Differentiation of the psychic prima materia helps in the creation of an ego out of undifferentiated state (Edinger pg.10) which is essential in individuation process and containing affects. The other four operations correspond to the shadow (mortificatio and putrefactio), and the separation and re-combination of the opposites (separatio and coninuctio) within.
Let’s look at the symbolism of the sublimatio operation. Jung says there is a theme of ascent, (CW 12 pg.55) in this operation. This fits well with the element of air and the thinking function, from you can become objective by looking at something from a high position. Other symbolism that pops up in sublimatio dream images is anything that refers to upward movement, ladders, stairs, elevators, being high up, climbing, mountains, birds or anything with flying. It also has the theme of making things spiritualized, where the soul is separated from the body and ascends to a higher and superior plane towards the eternal (Edinger pg.118) i.e the archetypes.
Here is a sublimatio themed dream given by Jung, “The veiled figure of a woman seated on a stair.” He says this dream symbolizes the return of the soul moving upward through the seven planetary spheres (CW 12 pg.54-57). Of course, for Jung, the woman in the dream is his concept called the “Anima,” the soul function in a man, the one who mediates the unconscious (the unknown) to him and leads him to greater wholeness (individuation). In a dream example provided by Edinger, we see another variation of the sublimatio theme; “Out of her mouth comes a horde of doves or white pigeons.” Here, he connects the image of sublimatio to the patient’s anxiety and fear of death, where the soul separates from the body (Edinger pg.122). Images of the white dove in alchemy are seen frequently being heated in a flask, and overlaps with two other operations, calcinatio and separatio. This heating and separation process corresponds to extracting meaning (the spirit in the stone) from heavy moods (the prima materia), for the redemption of the Self (Edinger pg.122-3) during the individuation process.
So, to end, using the symbol system of the alchemical operations provides a quick guide that helps navigate through dark, confusing or seemingly random/trivial material and content in the dream. With more examples of this method, we can better describe the individuation process for ourselves and other dreamers who are on the journey to greater wholeness.
Resources:
Edinger, E. F. (2009). Anatomy of the psyche: Alchemical symbolism in psychotherapy. Brantford, Ont.: W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library.
Jung, C. G. (2011). Mysterium coniunctionis. Ostfildern: Patmos-Verl. der Schwabenverl. AG.
Jung, C. G. (2015). Psychology and alchemy. Place of publication not identified: Routledge.
Jung, C. G., Adler, G., Fordham, M., & Read, H. (2016). The practice of psychotherapy. London: Routledge.
Leave a Reply