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Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult Arts

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* Translator's Preface
* Part I. The Parable.
* Section I. The Parable.
* Section II. Dream And Myth Interpretation.
* Part II. Analytic Part.
* Section I. Psychoanalytic Interpretation Of The Parable.
* Section II. Alchemy.
* Section III. The Hermetic Art.
* Section IV. Rosicrucianism And Freemasonry.
* Section V. The Problem Of Multiple Interpretation.
* Part III. Synthetic Part.
* Section I. Introversion And Regeneration.
* A. Introversion And Intro-Determination.
* B. Effects Of Introversion.
* C. Regeneration.
* Section II. The Goal Of The Work.
* Section III. The Royal Art.
* Notes.
* Bibliography.
* Footnotes

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1917

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About the author

Herbert Silberer

44 books10 followers
Herbert Silberer was a Viennese psychoanalyst involved with the professional circle surrounding Sigmund Freud which included other pioneers of psychological study as Carl Jung, Alfred Adler and others. He had a background in athletics and sports journalism.
He was very interested in dreams, and in 1909 published a paper detailing his research into the hypnagogic state (the mental state in which the individual is between waking and sleeping). Silberer's contention was that the hypnagogic state is autosymbolic, meaning that the images and symbols perceived in the hypnagogic state are representative (i.e. symbolic) of the physical or mental state of the perceiver. He concluded that two "antagonistic elements" were required for autosymbolic phenomena to manifest: drowsiness and an effort to think.
In 1914, Silberer wrote a book on the relationship between modern psychology, mysticism and esoteric traditions (particularly Western, Christian ones such as Hermeticism, Alchemy, Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry): Probleme der Mystik und ihrer Symbolik (Problems of Mysticism and its Symbolism). Many of the insights Silberer offered, especially into the link between alchemical imagery and modern psychology were similar to those developed more extensively by Carl Jung, a fact acknowledged by Jung in his seminal work on the subject, Psychology and Alchemy. Silberer's book was coldly rejected by Freud. Silberer became despondent and later committed suicide by hanging himself after being excommunicated from Freud's circle of associates.

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4 reviews
July 9, 2022
The best book! A must and very good book on the path of the occultist and esotericist! I was young when my mentor used to put me on nut shells on my knees, the pain was great because I hadn't memorized the homework from this wonderful book! Now I want to read it again, but I don't have it anymore, because the secret police DS in Bulgaria "80 then, confiscated it, it was a forbidden territory and they beat the people who were engaged in spiritual practices and occult sciences! Thanks for finding it here , if it is available in PDF format, I will download it, well done and respect!!!
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