Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult ArtsSilberer, Herbert
Religion
Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult Arts
Silberer, Herbert
Alchemy; Society of Rosicrucians; Symbolism (Psychology)
If it is now clear also that in introversion, as a result of the
regression that is connected with it, visions of “titanic” emotions
(incest, separating of parents, etc.) are encountered, yet it has not
become in the slightest degree comprehensible how these visions are
related to the treatment of anagogic ideas. And that is indeed the
question.
We can really understand these striking facts better if we recall what I
have said above about the type formation and the intro-determination of
the symbols, namely, that symbols can depart from their original narrower
meaning and become types for an entire class of experiences whereby an
advance is made from the material to the functional meaning. Some examples
will elucidate this.
I have observed particularly fine cases of intro-determination in a series
of experiments in basin divination (lecanomancy) which I have carried on
for several years. Lecanomancy resembles crystal gazing, except that the
gazer looks into a basin of water. In the visions of my subject, Lea,
typical forms were pictured, which always recurred. Regarded as symbols
they were, as subsequent analysis showed, almost all subjected to inward
accentuation or intro-determination. Thus, for instance, a black cat
appeared. At first it appeared as representative of Lea’s grandmother, who
was cat-like, malicious and fawning. Later the cat stood for the
corresponding traits that she perceived in herself. Above all the cat is
the symbol of her grandmother, so the grandmother (or cat) is a mental
current of Lea. Frequently there appears in the image a Dyas, sometimes in
the shape of a two-headed snake, of two hands, of two feet, or of a woman
with two faces, etc. Above all, every antithesis appears to have some
external meaning, two men who love each other, etc. So it becomes clear
that the common element which finds its most pregnant expression in the
double faced woman is the Dyas in itself and that it means bisexuality,
psychic hermaphroditism. More than that it is definitely certain that the
deepest sense of the symbol means a complete dissociation of Lea’s
character into two different personalities, one of which may be called the
savage and the other the mild. (Lea herself uses the expressions cynical
and ideal personality.) In one of the later experiments Lea saw her cynic
double vividly personified and spoke in this character, which is closely
related to the “black cat.” The Dyas in the symbols has the value first of
a representation of externals (two lovers, etc.), then as symbols of
bisexuality. The sexual Dyas can again be conceived as a symbol or
characteristic of a still more general and comprehensive dissociation of
the ego. A further symbol and one still more tending towards
intro-determination was death. Starting from connections with definite
external experiences and ideas of actual death, the meaning of the symbol
became more and more spiritual, till it reached the meaning of the fading
away of psychic impulses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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