In alchemy, nigredo (blackness) means putrefaction or decomposition. As the first step in the path to the philosopher's stone, nigredo corresponds to findings by groundbreaking analytic psychologist and alchemical scholar Carl Jung.
In alchemy, the process of nigredo begins when all alchemical ingredients are cleansed and cooked to a uniform black matter. It breaks down of impurities and catalyzes the transformation of the base material into a purified state, ready for further refinement.
In spirituality nigredo is a metaphor for "the dark night of the soul, when an individual confronts the shadow within." This stage represents a period of inner turmoil and introspection, where one faces deep fears and unresolved issues.
The color progression in alchemy can be three or four steps. Besides nigredo, the colors are albedo (whiteness), citrinitas (yellowness), and rubedo (redness).
In advancement toward self-realization in alchemy and psychology, nigredo signifies a crucial phase of transformation and rebirth. It is a necessary process of breaking down the old to make way for the new, or face the darkness within to find the light.
Through this stage of darkness and decay, where all seems lost and desolate, there lies a profound opportunity for transformation and enlightenment to emerge. In the realm of alchemical symbolism this phase is often referred to as the "nigredo" stage.
It is a period of deep introspection and contemplation, where one may feel engulfed in an "uncomfortable night of nothingness" (Thomas Browne 1605 - 1682). Within this darkness seeds of change are sown, waiting to blossom into newfound understanding and wisdom.
The concept of nigredo symbolizes a necessary process of purification and renewal, akin to decomposition of matter before new life can emerge. It is a time of shedding old beliefs, habits, and perceptions, allowing space for the birth of fresh insights and perspectives.
Just as a seed must break through the darkness of the soil to reach the light, so too must individuals navigate through inner darkness to attain enlightenment. It is a period of discomfort and uncertainty, where one may feel lost in confusion and doubt.
Yet, it is precisely in these moments of darkness that the spark of change ignites, guiding the individual towards a brighter, more enlightened path. A stage of darkness and decay is a crucial stepping stone towards personal growth and achievement of the quintessence.
Reflection and inner work pave the way for profound change and spiritual evolution. Just as alchemists seek to transmute base metals into gold, so individuals transmute inner struggles into personal growth and enlightenment through the transformative power of nigredo.
"But (the human) is a Noble Animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave, solemnizing Nativities and Deaths with equal luster, nor omitting Ceremonies of bravery, in the infamy of one's nature. Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible Sun within us."
From: Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, or, a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk; Sir Thomas Browne, pub. 1658 AD
Nigredo, a term deeply rooted in alchemy, holds a significant place in literary works, notably in the sonnets of William Shakespeare. The symbolism associated with "ghastly night" mirrors the essence of nigredo as a stage of transformation and renewal.
In the realm of alchemical storytelling, William Yeats masterfully weaves the concept of nigredo into his tales, inviting readers to delve into the narrator's inner turmoil and confrontation with the shadow self.
Song of the Loreley: Lethal Attraction
The phrase "to struggle again with the shadow, as with some older night" evokes a sense of introspection and duel with one's own darkness. In literature, nigredo themes are metaphors for complexity of the human psyche and the journey to self-discovery and enlightenment.
Alchemy and Jungian Psychology
Groundbreaking Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875 - 1961) asserts, "the rediscovery of the principles of alchemy came to be an important part of my work as a pioneer of psychology". Jung is known for his theories of the collective unconscious, originating in texts from 1916.
As students of alchemy, he and his followers
"compare the 'black work' of the alchemists (the nigredo) with the often highly critical involvement experienced by the ego, until it accepts the new equilibrium brought about by the creation of the self."
Jungians interpret nigredo in two main psychological senses. The first sense represents a person's initial state of undifferentiated unawareness,
"the first nigredo, that of the unio naturalis, is an objective state, visible from the outside only ... an unconscious state of non-differentiation between self and object, consciousness and the unconscious."
Here the subject is unaware of the unconscious, also defined as connection with the instincts. In this context,
"the nigredo of the process of individuation on the other hand is a subjectively experienced process brought about by the subject's painful, growing awareness of the inner shadow aspects."
It could be described as a moment of maximum despair, that is a prerequisite to personal development. As individuation unfolds, so
"confrontation with the shadow produces at first a dead balance, a standstill that hampers moral decisions and makes convictions ineffective or even impossible ... nigredo, tenebrositas, chaos, melancholia."
C. G. Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis (London 1963)
Here is
"the darkest time, the time of despair, disillusionment, envious attacks; the time when Eros and Superego are at daggers drawn, and there seems no way forward ... nigredo, the blackening."
Christopher Perry, The Cambridge Companion to Jung
Only subsequently would come
"an enantiodromia; the nigredo gives way to the albedo ... the ever deepening descent into the unconscious suddenly becomes illumination from above."
C. G. Jung, "Psychology of the Transference", Collected Works 1950
The colors involved in the steps of the alchemical opus are:
nigredo (blackness) which represents putrefaction and spiritual death
albedo (whiteness), which represents purification
citrinitas (yellowness), the solar dawn or awakening
rubedo (redness), the final and crucial stage
Citrinitas may be a step in itself, or in the three-phase paradigm can create a bridge of completion between albedo and rubedo.
Jung also finds psychological equivalents for many other alchemical concepts, with
"the characterization of analytic work as an opus; the reference to the analytic relationship as a vas, vessel or container; the goal of the analytic process as the coniunctio, or union of conflicting opposites."
Robert H. Hopeke, A Guided Tour of the Collected Works of C. G. Jung
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