What do you think?
Rate this book
Alchemical Psychology: Uniform Edition of the Writings of James Hillman, Vol. 5
This book collects all of James Hillman's papers on the alchemical imagination from 1980 to the present: "Therapeutic Value of alchemical Language"; "Silver and the White Earth I & II"; "Alchemical Blue and the Unio Mentalis"; "Salt: A Chapter in Alchemical Psychology"; "rudiments: Fire. Ovens, Vessels, Fuel, Glass"; "The Imagination of air and the collapse of alchemy"; "The Yellowing of the Work"; "White Supremacy"; "Concerning the Stone - Alchemical Images of the Goal"; "The Azure Vault: Caelum as Experience."
350 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2009
90 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
James Hillman
175 books573 followersJames Hillman (1926-2011) was an American psychologist. He served in the US Navy Hospital Corps from 1944 to 1946, after which he attended the Sorbonne in Paris, studying English Literature, and Trinity College, Dublin, graduating with a degree in mental and moral science in 1950.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 27, 2024
James Hillman is the ANARCHIC ALCHEMIST!
He’s the CONTRARIAN AQUARIAN!
He’s the ANTI-LITERAL PRO-MERCURIAL!
If Carl Jung was the modern progenitor of integrating alchemy into depth psychology.
Than James Hillman was the POST-MODERN prestidigitator that resurrected alchemy from Jungs CONCRETE CRYPT.
James Hillman critiques Jung’s 1:1 translation of alchemy as psychological metaphor.
Hillman posits that interpretation of the alchemical archetypes into a symbol system literalizes, and as such denatures them.
Hillman posits that, just as a TAXIDERMIST stuffs and poses a dead animal. Interpretation slays the archetype, and stuffs them with IDEAS.
For Hillman, archetypes are not just metaphorical symbol systems, but are rather fundamental elements of the human psyche that form the basis of our lived experience and felt sense of meaning, mission, identity and purpose.
Hillman’s approach to archetypes is less about identifying, interpreting and categorizing these psychic phenomena and more about engaging with them through active imaginal reflection.
One of Hillman’s significant contributions to the concept of archetypes is his emphasis on the polytheistic nature of the psyche. Hillman suggested that the psyche is inherently multiple, housing a pantheon of archetypal figures, each with its own agendas, needs, and expressions.
As opposed to monotheistic psychology, which promotes an either/or, true/false binary world view, the polytheistic perspective encourages a pluralistic engagement with the complexity and diversity of our lived/felt psychic experiences.
Hillman advocated for a psychological practice that honors the mystery and ambiguity of the human experience, one that sees the value in myth, dream, and fantasy as ways of accessing the archetypal underpinnings of our lives.
In traditional alchemy, practitioners aimed to transform base metals into precious ones, notably turning lead into gold.
Alchemical stages, such as the nigredo (blackening), albedo (whitening), and rubedo (reddening), are seen as metaphors for stages in the individuation process.
Jung asserted that this physical transformation was actually a metaphorical/symbolic process that mirrors human endeavor for psychological and spiritual growth.
Hillman related to the same alchemical processes, less as metaphorical, and more descriptive of elemental states of being.
Less like a metaphorical spiritual cookbook.
More like a description of the SOUL being cooked.
Hillman is CHALLENGING.
Hillman is CONSTERNATING.
Hillman is POST-MODERN.
Reading Hillman flips reality on its ear.
Hillman asserts Mercury (alchemy) poisons CERTAINTY. And as such enlivens the SOUL.
Hillman posits that UNCERTAINTY doesn’t cause MADNESS, but rather the it is the NEED FOR CERTAINTY and OBSESSIVE INTERPRETATION of the IMPONDERABLE that causes MADNESS.
Given that we are facing the inevitable loss of
TRUTH and CERTAINTY to SEAMLESS DEEP FAKES and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI).
At MINIMUM the loss of A-CRITICAL NAIVE REALISM regarding the FACE VALUE VERACITY OF INTERNET DELIVERED DIGITAL MEDIA.
We may be entering the AGE OF UNCERTAINTY.
Say goodbye to the AGE OF ANXIETY.
Say HELLO to the AGE OF PSYCHOSIS.
Given all that.
Hillmans advice on how to not just TOLERATE, but rather THRIVE in and LOVE UNCERTAINTY may turn out to be our SAVING GRACE.
5/5 stars ✨
He’s the CONTRARIAN AQUARIAN!
He’s the ANTI-LITERAL PRO-MERCURIAL!
If Carl Jung was the modern progenitor of integrating alchemy into depth psychology.
Than James Hillman was the POST-MODERN prestidigitator that resurrected alchemy from Jungs CONCRETE CRYPT.
James Hillman critiques Jung’s 1:1 translation of alchemy as psychological metaphor.
Hillman posits that interpretation of the alchemical archetypes into a symbol system literalizes, and as such denatures them.
Hillman posits that, just as a TAXIDERMIST stuffs and poses a dead animal. Interpretation slays the archetype, and stuffs them with IDEAS.
For Hillman, archetypes are not just metaphorical symbol systems, but are rather fundamental elements of the human psyche that form the basis of our lived experience and felt sense of meaning, mission, identity and purpose.
Hillman’s approach to archetypes is less about identifying, interpreting and categorizing these psychic phenomena and more about engaging with them through active imaginal reflection.
One of Hillman’s significant contributions to the concept of archetypes is his emphasis on the polytheistic nature of the psyche. Hillman suggested that the psyche is inherently multiple, housing a pantheon of archetypal figures, each with its own agendas, needs, and expressions.
As opposed to monotheistic psychology, which promotes an either/or, true/false binary world view, the polytheistic perspective encourages a pluralistic engagement with the complexity and diversity of our lived/felt psychic experiences.
Hillman advocated for a psychological practice that honors the mystery and ambiguity of the human experience, one that sees the value in myth, dream, and fantasy as ways of accessing the archetypal underpinnings of our lives.
In traditional alchemy, practitioners aimed to transform base metals into precious ones, notably turning lead into gold.
Alchemical stages, such as the nigredo (blackening), albedo (whitening), and rubedo (reddening), are seen as metaphors for stages in the individuation process.
Jung asserted that this physical transformation was actually a metaphorical/symbolic process that mirrors human endeavor for psychological and spiritual growth.
Hillman related to the same alchemical processes, less as metaphorical, and more descriptive of elemental states of being.
Less like a metaphorical spiritual cookbook.
More like a description of the SOUL being cooked.
Hillman is CHALLENGING.
Hillman is CONSTERNATING.
Hillman is POST-MODERN.
Reading Hillman flips reality on its ear.
Hillman asserts Mercury (alchemy) poisons CERTAINTY. And as such enlivens the SOUL.
Hillman posits that UNCERTAINTY doesn’t cause MADNESS, but rather the it is the NEED FOR CERTAINTY and OBSESSIVE INTERPRETATION of the IMPONDERABLE that causes MADNESS.
Given that we are facing the inevitable loss of
TRUTH and CERTAINTY to SEAMLESS DEEP FAKES and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI).
At MINIMUM the loss of A-CRITICAL NAIVE REALISM regarding the FACE VALUE VERACITY OF INTERNET DELIVERED DIGITAL MEDIA.
We may be entering the AGE OF UNCERTAINTY.
Say goodbye to the AGE OF ANXIETY.
Say HELLO to the AGE OF PSYCHOSIS.
Given all that.
Hillmans advice on how to not just TOLERATE, but rather THRIVE in and LOVE UNCERTAINTY may turn out to be our SAVING GRACE.
5/5 stars ✨
June 14, 2012
I find this book interesting for two reasons, its metaphorical contents, and its look into the mind of Hillman. Hillman was opposed to what he called Jung's bias for unity and wholeness. Hillman's bias was toward the many. He was opposed to putting a bright light of consciousness on the many. Hillman described this bright light as the Solor Hero that tends toward wholeness and unity with a victory over the many. Hillman preferred to stay in the realm of many, and not move to wholeness and unity. I think this tendency of Hillman can help in understanding him as a person. He was famous for his harsh emotional outbursts toward people. Hillman could seemingly fragment easily, fall to pieces, over what questions were put to him. Given his bias was toward non integration, he himself may not have moved toward unity.
However, he was a great scholar and wordsmith. This was his streangth. Wholeness may have passed him by.
This book is well worth the effort to read. Much is in it that takes time to digest. Those who take the time will be rewarded.
However, he was a great scholar and wordsmith. This was his streangth. Wholeness may have passed him by.
This book is well worth the effort to read. Much is in it that takes time to digest. Those who take the time will be rewarded.
March 5, 2016
I haven't read a book I've enjoyed this much in a long time. No one can make the mundane mystical like Hillman can (except maybe Bachelard).
January 8, 2021
"That the planetary spirits are in the earth as metals reminds us that the gods are within the world, buried in the depths of earthly affairs, under our feet as we walk. They become manifest when we search them out"
I loved this book. Leave it to Hillman to turn science into poetry with fantastic metaphors. He turns chemical reactions into symbols of psychological conditions, and metals into embodiments of soul.
You get some good facts about elements in this book; silver, salt, gold, sulfur, etc. which Hillman then transforms into aspects of the human condition.
"For photography, silver is the essential metal for fixing light so it can strike a picture. For psychology, no silver, no image, no image, no reflection".
All the elements and chemicals that make up the world are more than dead material. They are in our bodies, and they symbolise more than pulsating atoms. He implores us to mine ourselves for precious metals we can transform into gold
I loved this book. Leave it to Hillman to turn science into poetry with fantastic metaphors. He turns chemical reactions into symbols of psychological conditions, and metals into embodiments of soul.
You get some good facts about elements in this book; silver, salt, gold, sulfur, etc. which Hillman then transforms into aspects of the human condition.
"For photography, silver is the essential metal for fixing light so it can strike a picture. For psychology, no silver, no image, no image, no reflection".
All the elements and chemicals that make up the world are more than dead material. They are in our bodies, and they symbolise more than pulsating atoms. He implores us to mine ourselves for precious metals we can transform into gold
April 19, 2020
To read and re-read.
I listened to Alchemical Psychology as an audible audiobook a year ago and still, to this day, I have snippets of it that intrude into my days. It is memorable, and extremely rich in powerful images and fresh insights. If you are interested in metaphors, this book will take you to a whole new land of images, from which you might just well return with a gem or thirty.
I listened to Alchemical Psychology as an audible audiobook a year ago and still, to this day, I have snippets of it that intrude into my days. It is memorable, and extremely rich in powerful images and fresh insights. If you are interested in metaphors, this book will take you to a whole new land of images, from which you might just well return with a gem or thirty.
July 20, 2013
James Hillman è uno di quei miracoli che la cultura può fare. Nel senso che ci sono autori che hanno un pubblico appassionato, ma che non sono mai andati in direzione del pubblico, non hanno mai ammiccato al semplicismo culturale di questi anni, non sono mai stati autori attenti al successo pronti a sacrificare serietà e profondità per qualche copia in più. Gli autori come Hillman illudono, perché danno la sensazione che le masse di lettori non siano composte soltanto da gente che vuole libri semplici, testi facilmente leggibili, ma che c’è un nodo da qualche altra parte per cui anche i semplici, anche quelli che hanno una cultura incerta e si rivolgono a libri e letteratura di consumo, riescono a intuire, a capire i libri importanti, i libri che fanno la differenza rispetto alla massa di testi che pubblicano gli editori.
Psicologia alchemica (Adelphi, pp.443, 35 euro) di Hillman è un libro di questi. Testo finale di uno psicoanalista che partendo da Jung ha compiuto un percorso affascinante anche se non sempre condivisibile. Testo che tiene conto soprattutto dell’ultimo Jung, quello che potrei chiamare lo Jung alchemico. Ora, finalmente Hilman mi ha fatto capire il perché di certe scelte del grande psicoanalista svizzero, il perché della sua ossessione per la materia, per l’alchimia, e per quello che in modo molto superficiale potrebbe essere definito esoterismo. Ho amato Jung fino a un certo momento del suo percorso. E con gli anni mi sono convinto che l’analisi junghiana sia un’esperienza travolgente, perché chiede al mondo di interessarsi a noi, mentre l’analisi freudiana mette noi al centro del mondo e chiede a noi di capire quello che ci accade attorno. Jung è fino a un certo punto della sua vita puntuale e lucidissimo. Poi diventa alchemico, arcaico, apparentemente incomprensibile.
Ma se volete capire il perché sia accaduto questo dovete cominciare a leggere questo saggio. Hillman prende per mano il lettore e lo porta fino al punto ultimo della consapevolezza. Sa bene come scardinare luoghi comuni, credenze, e quel primato della ragione e della logica che spesso è solo un alibi. È vero che questo è un libro che racconta un altro modo per immaginare le proprie idee e le proprie convinzioni, fino ad arrivare a mettere in discussione il nostro orizzonte e il nostro modo di vedere il mondo.
È suggestivo poter ridefinire l’alchimia non come una pratica per apprendisti stregoni, ma come un ritorno alla materia, una nuova capacità di trovare i fili che tengono insieme la nostra psiche con il mondo che ci circonda. La verità di una psiche che non può bastare a se stessa, e che non è soltanto logos, parola, ragione. Ma ha bisogno essenzialmente di riunirsi con la terra e con il cielo. La visione della volta azzurra di cui parla Jung.
Libro difficile eppure mai faticoso, questo di Hillman: talmente intenso da richiedere una lettura lenta, meditata, densa. Capace di stupire pagina dopo pagina. Libro che potrebbe diventare un long seller sotterraneo, come lo è stato (e lo è ancora) Il codice dell’anima. E aprire mille domande sui luoghi comuni della cultura e dell’editoria. Se questo libro andrà bene, e me lo auguro proprio, vorrebbe dire che si possono pubblicare libri intensi e difficili, seri e documentati. Per fare questo bisogna invertire la tendenza. Non andare verso i lettori, non concedergli alibi, regalando testi semplici e privi di spessore, ma attirare i lettori più semplici verso libri complessi. E se i libri complessi hanno ragion d’essere faranno il loro cammino in libreria. Vale per tutto, non solo per la letteratura: vale per il cinema, per la televisione, per l’arte. Va smentito quell’ossimoro insopportabile che è il marketing culturale. E va smentita l’idea che popolare ed elitario siano i due estremi opposti del pendolo di questa contemporaneità. Talvolta elitario e popolare convivono. Come l’anima di Hillman e la pietra alchemica di Jung. Come la terra e il cielo.
Psicologia alchemica (Adelphi, pp.443, 35 euro) di Hillman è un libro di questi. Testo finale di uno psicoanalista che partendo da Jung ha compiuto un percorso affascinante anche se non sempre condivisibile. Testo che tiene conto soprattutto dell’ultimo Jung, quello che potrei chiamare lo Jung alchemico. Ora, finalmente Hilman mi ha fatto capire il perché di certe scelte del grande psicoanalista svizzero, il perché della sua ossessione per la materia, per l’alchimia, e per quello che in modo molto superficiale potrebbe essere definito esoterismo. Ho amato Jung fino a un certo momento del suo percorso. E con gli anni mi sono convinto che l’analisi junghiana sia un’esperienza travolgente, perché chiede al mondo di interessarsi a noi, mentre l’analisi freudiana mette noi al centro del mondo e chiede a noi di capire quello che ci accade attorno. Jung è fino a un certo punto della sua vita puntuale e lucidissimo. Poi diventa alchemico, arcaico, apparentemente incomprensibile.
Ma se volete capire il perché sia accaduto questo dovete cominciare a leggere questo saggio. Hillman prende per mano il lettore e lo porta fino al punto ultimo della consapevolezza. Sa bene come scardinare luoghi comuni, credenze, e quel primato della ragione e della logica che spesso è solo un alibi. È vero che questo è un libro che racconta un altro modo per immaginare le proprie idee e le proprie convinzioni, fino ad arrivare a mettere in discussione il nostro orizzonte e il nostro modo di vedere il mondo.
È suggestivo poter ridefinire l’alchimia non come una pratica per apprendisti stregoni, ma come un ritorno alla materia, una nuova capacità di trovare i fili che tengono insieme la nostra psiche con il mondo che ci circonda. La verità di una psiche che non può bastare a se stessa, e che non è soltanto logos, parola, ragione. Ma ha bisogno essenzialmente di riunirsi con la terra e con il cielo. La visione della volta azzurra di cui parla Jung.
Libro difficile eppure mai faticoso, questo di Hillman: talmente intenso da richiedere una lettura lenta, meditata, densa. Capace di stupire pagina dopo pagina. Libro che potrebbe diventare un long seller sotterraneo, come lo è stato (e lo è ancora) Il codice dell’anima. E aprire mille domande sui luoghi comuni della cultura e dell’editoria. Se questo libro andrà bene, e me lo auguro proprio, vorrebbe dire che si possono pubblicare libri intensi e difficili, seri e documentati. Per fare questo bisogna invertire la tendenza. Non andare verso i lettori, non concedergli alibi, regalando testi semplici e privi di spessore, ma attirare i lettori più semplici verso libri complessi. E se i libri complessi hanno ragion d’essere faranno il loro cammino in libreria. Vale per tutto, non solo per la letteratura: vale per il cinema, per la televisione, per l’arte. Va smentito quell’ossimoro insopportabile che è il marketing culturale. E va smentita l’idea che popolare ed elitario siano i due estremi opposti del pendolo di questa contemporaneità. Talvolta elitario e popolare convivono. Come l’anima di Hillman e la pietra alchemica di Jung. Come la terra e il cielo.
May 31, 2023
Excellent communicator, James Hillman, shares his extraordinary life's work and wisdom. On being human, this edition, Vol 5, is a good place to start. Recommended for people drawn to the psyche.
March 30, 2017
Oh, so that's how alchemy works!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews