Mercurial fountain
During the seminar, part of the work around the image consisted of associations and discussions of its symbolic motifs. Much of this material was not preserved in the written version and is therefore omitted here. The same applies to the remaining Rosarium Philosophorum images discussed throughout the seminar.
Some of the symbolic motifs Jung recognizes in the image are the four stars as the four elements, the fifth star as the quinta essentia, the vas hermeticum as the vessel in which the transformation takes place, and the water as mare nostrum, aqua permanens, or Mercurius. He also discusses the symbolism of the seven planets and metals, Mercurius as both father and mother, the three streams of the fountain, and the relationship between quaternity and unity.
During one analytical process, the following drawing of a fountain appeared spontaneously near the beginning of the work. Although created independently of alchemical imagery, it shows certain symbolic parallels with the image of the Mercurial Fountain from the Rosarium Philosophorum.
Some time later, during the same analytical process, another drawing appeared containing serpent symbolism that again showed certain parallels with Mercurial imagery and motifs associated with the Rosarium Philosophorum.
The fountain reveals fourfold structure of the transforming process that begins with separate elements. Then ascends toward the three, then after attaining the form of Sol and Luna, it culminates in the one and indivisible the quinta essentia, aqua permanens, tincture or lapis philosophorum. This process is known as the Axiom of Maria.
Psychologically, the initial state of wholeness is marked by four mutually antagonistic tendencies. The reduction of this number aims at final unity. 3 and 2 are next steps and they represent male and female which calls idea of sexual union and production of the one, filius regius or filius philosophorum. The quaternity is most widespread archetype and is good symbol for representation of the four functions of consciousness.
Triad appears as masculine, active resolve and psychologically is connected with want, desire, instinct, aggression, determination. Whereas dyad corresponds to the reaction of psychic system as a whole to the impulse or descision of the conscious mind. This kind of state demands a negotiation and corresponding shifting of conscious standpoint so it is more in harmony with tendencies of the unconscious.
Our first image represents the methods of philosophy and alchemy. And they derive from the unconscious since alchemists did not know the nature of matter since it was not known to them.
The text that follows the image is mostly concerned with water i.e Mercury. This water signifies the projected unconscious. The water is active, in contrast to the sea. That means it depicts the process of transformation. The integration of the unconscious contents is expressed in the idea of the elixir and all other synonyms. The gushing out and flowing back to the fountain completes the circle which is in line with characteristics of the mercurius because he is the serpent that kills, fertilizes and devours itself and then brings himself to birth again.
Psychologically it is the same as the unconscious out of which the consciousness is born so to be weakened by the unconscious in a goal of developing and creating a relationship with the unconscious to make the whole. The connection with therapy is obvious.
King and Queen
“…coniunctio of Solis et Lunae as supreme union of opposites was not shown in our first picture. But is now illustrated in considerable detail, in a series of pictures.
The meeting is somewhat distant at first as the court clothes suggest. The two give each other their left hands and this can hardly be unintentional since it is contrary to custom.” — CW 16, para. 410
Now here we see two persons meeting. The obvious idea is that it is the analyst and the client. It is a little banal conclusion, but let’s follow it up. The contact is two-fold. With the right hand through the flowers and direct contact with left hands. What would that mean?
The contact of the left hands point to the contact through the unconscious and essentially to the affective nature of the relationship.
“The gesture of the right hand strikes us as compensatory. They are holding the device composed of five flowers… Fifth flower comes from the above and represents quinta essential.” — CW 16, para. 410
When are we giving flowers to someone (attraction – can a therapy be done by force, without the consent of one party)? Respect, conscious effort at creating a relationship. And the dove, what does the dove represents? The clothes?
“As regards to the psychology of the picture, we must stress above all else that it depicts a human encounter where love plays decisive part (attraction, flower). The conventional dress of the pair suggests an equally conventional attitude in both of them (a client meets the analyst and other way around through persona). Convention still separates them and hides their natural reality, but the crucial contact of the left hands points to something “sinister”, illegitimate, morganatic, emotional, and instinctive, i.e. the fatal touch of incest ant its “perverse” fascination. At the same time the intervention of the Holy Ghost reveals the hidden meaning of the incest, whether of brother or sister or of a mother and son, as a repulsive symbol of unia mystica.” — CW 16, para. 419
Here the idea of incest is mentioned. What are your associations to the idea of incest? Each relationship is in danger of being an incest in negative sense, when we project part of our own personality in the other party. It has negative connotation as long as it keeps us unconscious. But as we become conscious of the projected content and assimilate it, the incest is a coniunctio.
“This psychological situation sums up what we can see for ourselves if we analyze a transference carefully. The conventional meeting is followed by an unconscious familiarization of one’s partner, brought about by the projection of archaic, infantile fantasies which were originally vested in members of partner’s own family and which because of their positive and negative fascination, attach him to parents, brothers, and sisters. The transference of these fantasies to the doctor draws him into the atmosphere of the family intimacy, and although this is the last thing he wants, it nevertheless provides workable prima material. Once the transference has appeared the doctor must accept it, otherwise it will be just another piece of neurotic stupidity… Medical treatment of transference gives the patient a priceless opportunity to withdraw his projections, to make good his losses, and to integrate his personality.” — CW 16, para. par 420
Now we come to the idea that the two persons really do not represent the two egos of analyst and patient.
“The figures represent contents which have been projected from the unconscious of the adept (and his sorror mystica)… The projected fragment of personality can only be the feminine component of the man, i.e. his anima.” — CW 16, para 421
Here the famous square of Jungian psychology comes in.
So, you see, the king and queen represent every conceivable human relationship. Adept and Soror could be replaced with two egos, while Anima and Animus represent the unconscious. The arrows indicate the many possible relationships and mutual influences between these four psychological aspects. Some influences are conscious, while others are unconscious. Transference and countertransference dynamics seem to occur through line C, while they tend to manifest themselves through line B.
“On psychological level, the tangle of relationships in the cross-cousin marriage reappears in the transference problem. The dilemma here consists in the fact that the anima and animus projected upon their human counterparts and thus create by suggestion a primitive relationship which even goes back to the time of group marriages. But in so far as anima and animus undoubtedly represent contra sexual components of the personality, their kinship character does not point backwards to the group marriage but forwards to the integration of personality, i.e. to individuation.” — CW 16, para. 441
In the text Jung speaks about the problem of distance in everyday relationship between people we are surrounded and us and as a consequence the unconscious compensates with so called kinship libido, which is in the end responsible for transference phenomenon. And it is connected with the idea that whenever the optimum distance and relationship is not existent, the unconscious compensates with transference phenomenon.
“While exogamy was limited, it resulted in a natural organization of the society which has entirely disappeared today. Everyone is now a stranger among strangers. Kinship libido – which could still engender a satisfying feeling of belonging together, as for instance in the early Christian communities has, has long been deprived of its object. But being an instinct, it is not to be satisfied by any mere substitute such as creed, part, nation or state. It wants a human connection. That is the core of the whole transference phenomenon, and it is impossible to argue it away, because relationship to the self is at once relationship to our fellow man, and no one can be related to the latter until he is related to himself.” — CW 16, para. 445
“Individuation has two principal aspects: in the first place it is an internal and subjective process of integration, and in the second it is an equally indispensable process of objective relationship. Neither can exist without the other, although sometimes the one and sometimes the other predominates. This double aspect has two corresponding dangers. The first is the danger of the patient’s using the opportunities for spiritual development arising out of analysis of the unconscious as a pretext for evading the deeper human responsibilities, and for affecting a certain spirituality which cannot stand up to moral criticism, the second is danger that atavistic tendencies may gain ascendancy and drag the relationship down to a primitive level. Between Scylla and Charybdis there is a narrow passage, and both medieval Christian mysticism and alchemy have contributed much to its diversity.” — CW 16, para. 448
“…the bond established by the transference – however hard to bear and however incomprehensible it may seem – is vitally important not only for the individual but also for society, and indeed for the moral and spiritual progress of mankind. So, when the psychotherapist has to struggle with difficult transference problems, he can at least take comfort in these reflections. Hs is not just working for this particular patient, who may be quite insignificant, but for himself as well and his own soul, and in doing so he is perhaps laying an infinitesimal grain in the scales of humanity’s soul. Small and invisible as this contribution may be, it is yet an opus magnum, for it is accomplished in a sphere but lately visited by the numen, where whole weight of mankind’s problems has settled. The ultimate questions of psychotherapy are not a private matter – they represent a supreme responsibility.” — CW 16, para. 449
Other parts of the seminar can be found here: