• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.61-91
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• 2024

Alchemy is the process of producing worthless substances into the best substances through chemical opus(work). On the surface, many of the alchemist's experiments can be depicted as work on transforming substances, but in reality, the alchemist's result is a product of the Unconscious. This study aims to explain the three phases of alchemy, Nigredo, Albedo, and Rubedo, through Michael Mayer's alchemical text, Atalanta Fugiens, and understand the transformation process by utilizing images that appeared from clients' sand play therapy. This study first described why alchemy, as the foundation for the psychology of the Unconscious, is important in sand play that deals with images. Next, Nigredo (blackening), the first phase of the alchemical process, is briefly described, and how the contents of Nigredo, such as chaos, dissolution, separation, division, corruption, death, and calcination, appear in sand play therapy. Next, the second phase, albedo (whitening), is described, and how the images of water and fire, which are representative images of albedo in the form of purification, sublimation, distillation, separation, descension, and coagulation, are revealed in sand play. Lastly, the phase of rubedo (reddening) in alchemy is described, and how the form of union (mandala or central image) in rubedo, which appears in the form of conjunction and rebirth, is revealed in sand play. The symbols revealed in alchemy are very valuable in amplifying the images that appeared in sand play therapy or dream analysis. In particular, the procedures found in alchemical opus are helpful in understanding the transformation process of personality.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-60
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• 2024

This thesis originated from a dream of a young man clad in green, suspended like Christ on the stair landing. This dream reminded me of Jung's vision of the Christ on the Cross, bathed in a greenish gold aurum viriditas. Jung associated the analogy of Christ and aurum non vulgi, aurum viriditas of alchemy from this vision. I was fascinated by Jung's words that originally there were four alchemical stages, but by the 15th-16th century they were reduced to three (nigredo-albedo-rubedo); and that viriditas used to exist after nigredo had vanished. This thesis is about the process of unraveling these mysteries through amplification. In the realm of alchemy, viriditas (verdigris) was an old and humble substance, yet it would eventually metamorphose into pure gold under the supervision of alchemists. It was the prima materia of alchemical work and the ultimate product, mercurius itself. It was the celestial spirit, concealed beneath the earth, and the embodiment of transformation, enriching the earth, sprouting a myriad of buds and flowers, turning the land green. I examined the dreams, visions, and pictures of Hildegard of Bingen, C.G. Jung, my analysands, and my own to figure out whether viriditas was the fourth that leads to wholeness that engaged in the whole process of individuation. While working on this thesis, I learned that for our personalities to mature, we must include the lower, the secular, the feminine, the chtonic, and even the evil. To achieve this, we cannot avoid our opposite, the fourth, but to wait and persevere until we can walk together. Then, our lives will be fresh and blossoming.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.269-304
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• 2023

The purpose of this paper is to present the psychological meaning of the creation myths by utilizing related myths, analysand's dreams, active imagination, and artwork to reveal the creative function of the unconscious. The creation myth is the phenomenon of projection when a new order is demanded in the chaotic phase of personal and human history. Depending on the attitude of the ego, it can be a sign of a reconstruction/alteration of consciousness or an invasion. Related literature such as Jung, von Franz, Neumann, Harding, and Edinger, domestic papers, and case reports are introduced to identify the background for this research. The psychological meaning of 'darkness' in creation myths is regarded as unconscious that is too dark to see. The Eskimo creation myth and an analysand's dreams of being blind and wandering in darkness are discussed in relation to nigredo in Alchemy. The psychological meaning of 'massa confusa' regards Uroboros, pleroma, early childhood experience, and a psychological womb in which everything is contained in one. With related myths and unconscious materials, a discussion is followed on how this realm can be a precursor of creation but also be trapped in an abyss. The psychological meaning of 'separation of world parent' is related to splitting one into two when unconscious contexts were touched before it became consciousness. Related myths, 'the world created between heaven and earth,' 'celestial being descending to the earth,' and 'the legend of relocation of a mountain,' as well as clinical material, are examined. Then this paper discusses the clinical implications of the separation of heaven and earth occurring on its own, that the creator's emotional aspects, such as loneliness and anxiety, are involved, and that delayed separation leads to the death of creatura and sudden separation leads to the death of the chaos. Then, the meaning of 'separation of world parent' is discussed in relation with separatio, the alchemical process of acquiring light/consciousness from darkness/unconsciousness. The psychological meaning of the creation of 'land/island' refers to the emergence of consciousness, the contents of the unconscious material into the realm of the ego. Related myths, such as the 'body of the monster/dragon becoming land' and analysand's dreams, are introduced, referring to the embodiment of Mercurius. This is followed by discussing related myths in creating the land to coagulatio in alchemy and utilizing creative work such as active imagination, art, music, and dance that can coagulate or concretize unconscious material in clinical approaches. Finally, myths of resurfaced land after the Flood or the complete destruction of the world in relation to the reconstruction of ego are discussed with related clinical material to show the importance of the analyst/therapist/supervisor's mental stability and capacity.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.27 no.1_2
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• pp.28-70
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• 2012

In Jungian psychology, creation myths regard as the story of unconscious and preconscious processes(projection of archaic identity) which describe not necessary the origin of our cosmos, but the origin of man's conscious awareness of the world. Therefore projections have nothing to do with matter itself but experience of one's own unconscious. Jung emphasizes importance to understand projection in individual's conscious experience rather than in philosophical doctrine. The purpose of this thesis is to explore unconscious process of creation myths with egg symbolism in clinical cases to present universal feature of Cosmic/alchemical egg. Psychologically, creation myths retold when human mind needs new order. Depending on the attitude of ego, it can be sudden expansion of consciousness or contamination of ego by unconscious. In this study, 'chaos(messa confusa)' in creation myths as archaic identity, experience of uroboros or infant, and nigredo state in alchemy. 'Separation of primordial parents' as beginning of consciousness refers to separatio operation in alchemical process. 'Light' as attainment of consciousness. Discussion of psychological meaning of egg starts with amplification which include the concept of cosmic/alchemical/philosophical egg. Egg symbolism in this study refers to emergence of egg, tapas/brooding of egg, and separation of egg. Emergence of egg as a state of preconscious totality, psychic wholeness conceived as the thing which came before the rise of ego consciousness. Discussion of conceptssuch as Shiva bindu, hiranyagharba, germ of gold, Tathāgatagarbha follows. 'Tapas/brooding of egg' as concentration of all psychic energy into one point for self reflection. Discussion includes The I Ching Hexagram 61, image of brooding egg identified with inner truth, Wonhyo's concept of jikwansasang, and Gnostic idea of Ennoia, introverted act of thinking, as well as the concept of 'Night Sea Journey'. 'Separation or hatching of egg' regarded as the idea of sudden illumination, Phanes, the shining God, and "sun-point," in alchemy. Birth of fledgling as birth of new personality. As a conclusion, psychological meaning of cosmic egg/creation myths is the story of separating from 'Not-I'(unconscious, object, undifferentiated) to 'I'(ego, subject, differentiated) which shares the same meaning as individuation process.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.49-76
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• 2022

This study is to illuminate the problem of shadows and evil appearing in contemporary events in the midst of a period of upheaval through Inferno of Divine Comedy. First, the concept of shadow and evil were briefly summarized in analytical psychology and discussed the importance of considering the concepts with the empirical aspect of relativity and ethics in the field of psychotherapy. The 14th century, the age of Dante, was the embryonic period of the Renaissance beyond the end of the Middle Ages. It was when Dante, who was writing Divine Comedy, had to take off his persona forcibly and live in exile. In a nutshell, it was a transition period for both the individual and the collective. The dark forest is a nigredo, darkness and chaos we face in this transition, but it can be a place of transformation and rebirth. The three beasts (leopard, lion, and she-wolf) encountered in the forest can be considered as the instinctual images that Dante ignored and alienated, which the medieval Christian world had suppressed and eliminated. Especially at the collective level, as destructive instincts, ferocious beasts roam throughout society when a crisis breaks dominant laws of values. The three beasts of Inferno appear as phenomena of shadows and evil. The aspect of leopard was explored Cerberus and Chiaco(pig) as a symbol of greed, and the lion, Farinata as the form of violent passion. The aspect of the she-wolf was examined as Geryon, a deceitful monster with a beast nature hidden behind goodness, the giants in the frozen lake of Cocytus, and Branca D'Oria, who betrayed and murdered the country and family. Inferno reveals the "state" of being trapped when one yields to the evil hidden within oneself and falls into prey.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.141-194
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• 2018

The article is about Yong-Ho-Bi-Gyeol(龍虎秘訣), which is one of the most important Taoist text in Korea written by Jeong-Ryum, a Taoist and alchemist in the Chosun Dynasty. The article deals with the alchemical and psychological meanings of Yong-Ho (龍虎, Dragon-Tiger), the way of nurturing cinnabar (修丹之道), the closing of the qi (閉氣), the method of alchemical breathing, the Dantian (丹田, cinnabar-field), and the Mysterious Female's One Opening (玄牝一竅), in addition to the brief introduction of the life of Jeong-Ryum and the bibliography of the book. The Yong-Ho (龍虎) meaning the dragon and tiger is the archetype of transformation in the form of their opposites, rooted in the psychoid system of the human psyche. The unified Yong-Ho makes Dan and the Dan, literally indicating cinnabar, has many alchemical connotations such as Mercurius, the rubedo state of the alchemical process, and the philosopher's stone. In the book, Jeong-Ryum emphasized the slow and subtle way of breathing in and out of Dantian to develop neidan (内丹, inner cinnabar or inner alchemy). The refining of neidan begins by the closing of the qi, which symbolizes the radical introversion and withdrawal of all the projections on the outer objects. The Dantian located at the lower part of the abdomen has been known to preserve jing (精), the vital essence of life, which can be refined into qi and spirit (神). In Jungian perspective, the Dantian is a mandala where an individual's mind can stay and focus at the center of psyche detached from ego and related to the Self. The long-nurtured introverted energy makes the Mysterious Female's One Opening (玄牝一竅), a pit or cavity in the transcendental space, through which the meditator can have a relationship with the great female principle of the universe. The current article has introduced the contents of the Yong-Ho-Bi-Gyeol in the perspective of analytical psychology. However, it has not dealth with the remaining topics including Taesik (胎息, embryonic breathing) and Juchenhwahu (周天火候, the great Celestial circuit firing), due to the lack of author's sufficient knowledge and experience. The unexplored areas of Yong-Ho-Bi-Gyeol will be studied in the future.