Customer Reviews

The Mysterium Lectures: A Journey Through C.G. Jung's Mysterium Conjunctions (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts)

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This book is a section by section commentary on Jung's Mysterium Coniunctionis. Alchemy is a confusing topic by itself. Jung's interpretation of it is highly nuanced and can easily be confusing as well. And so one needs someone with the insight and knowledge of an Edward Edinger to lead the reader throught the murky terrain of Jung's text. I had a college professor once say to me "A bad commentary explains the obvious, a good commentary explains that which is not obvious;" Edinger's book explains and brings to light that which is not obvious. He digs into Jung's text and is a perfect companion to Jung's Mysterium. Edinger clarifies much of the seemingly confusing parts of Jung's book, and lays out the line of thought that Jung is establishing in the Mysterium. I could not have worked through Jung's book with the help of Edinger. Edinger is one of those rare authors who is able to be deep and insightful yet clear and concise at the same time. He includes many diagrams whuch I found extremely helpful, as well as an excellent index. If you want to understand the valubale riches which lie buried in the Mysterium Coniunctionis, this commentary will quickly become your best friend on that journey. You will not be disappointed with this book.

I found Dr. Edinger's Mysterium Lectures an invaluable help in my second reading of Mysterium Coniunctionis. His lucid style brings in much additional material and helps make one of Jung's best works more accessible to the layman.

Dr. Edinger is a giant to me ( he cliamed that Jung was the giant at his shoulder) . He takes on Dr. Jung's most complicated writings and brings them down to earth. Which in some cases are based on arcane texts. I've been studying this book for over seven years. Sometimes I use different lectures or passages to amplify my own dreams and fantacies. To me this is one mark of good writing. Edinger (reportedly described himself as sensation and thinking type) is not a lyrical writer but he very skillfully interjects quotes from Dr. Jung, big dreams, little dreams, poetry and fine art. Dr. Edinger's affection for Dr. Jung is clear throughout his writings but more so here (in my opinion) because he knows ( from personal experience) what alchemy must have meant to Dr. Jung. I'll be reading this and five or six other books till I die.

A really important work, providing great clarification to Jung's Mysterium. The best part for me is his expansion upon Dorn's 3 conjunctions, using the Tetractys as a model as well as the Tree of Life. Here it is proven that Jung's individuation process uses the Tetractys as a model, which is correlated to the Tree of Life. This in effect synthesizes Jungian Depth Psychology as it concerns itself with the process of individuation/initiation pristinely to the Western Magickal Tradition, because it is seen both are using the Tetractys/Tree of Life as their model. The reason for this is Jung's individuation process is structured around Dorn's 3 conjunctions, which it seems themselves were based upon the Tetractys. He was probably influenced by it, and the popular axiom of Maria Prophetissa.