Alchemical Inner Work: Nigredo

How can we engage with the alchemical operations of the nigredo to explore the shadow, navigate difficult experiences and foster personal growth?

In the alchemical opus, the initial work is characterized by a destruction of the prima materia - a stage called the nigredo. This relates back to psychological experiences such as encountering the shadow, descending into the unconscious, and undergoing a dark night of the soul. In this class, we revisit and expand upon the Alchemical Inner Work technique, this time with a focus on three operations (mortificatio, putrefactio, and separatio), examining their depictions in manuscripts, the symbolic and archetypal themes they encompass, and their connections to mythology and daily life. We close with an exercise that utilizes the operations and deepens our inner work with the alchemical imagination.

Topics include:

• A Jungian and archetypal approach to alchemy
• The nigredo stage in alchemical transformation
• Overview of three operations: mortificatio, putrefactio, and separatio
• Symbolism, psychological meaning, and archetypal themes of each operation
• How to apply the Alchemical Inner Work technique for personal growth and self-development