Alchemy Journal Book Review

Splendid! Thank you Lewis for this wonderful excerpt from the Red Book and those incredible picture of Jung, et. al. This passage highlights the development of religion from tribal shamanism to Christianity. Animal totems, kingship and even Osiris were most probably imported into ancient Egypt from neighboring Nubia (not to mention a good deal of gold!) The collision between dark Africa and the Black Land produced hybrid gods; human bodies adorn by animal heads. The early Christians were well aware that Egypt's "dead gods" had transformed in pieces to contribute to the image of the Christ figure. Thus, we find Christ incorporating aspects of Osiris (dismemberment, resurrection), Isis (Mary, Horus (baby Jesus) and Seth (Satan) into the new Christian myth. Just as Osiris, a lunar deity, eventually eclipsed and/or merged with Re, the sun god, Jesus Christ returns the solar principle to humankind. Unfortunately, the Christian Church denied the dark (Seth) aspects, something Jung railed against and the reason why alchemy played such a critical compensatory role in the history of religion and psychology.

Replies

Lilan Laishley June 14, 2011 at 8:48am

This looks fantastic. I look forward to reading it. Congratulations on your book.

Lilan
Bonnie Bright June 13, 2011 at 2:34pm

Thom - This review is excellent--super accessible and filled with some rich content. I really like Iona's style. Congratulations on your upcoming publication in the Alchemy Journal as well. I'm actually thinking of subscribing now that I've seen it. Good stuff!
- Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D. > Bonnie Bright June 14, 2011 at 8:14am
  
  Splendid! Thank you Lewis for this wonderful excerpt from the Red Book and those incredible picture of Jung, et. al. This passage highlights the development of religion from tribal shamanism to Christianity. Animal totems, kingship and even Osiris were most probably imported into ancient Egypt from neighboring Nubia (not to mention a good deal of gold!) The collision between dark Africa and the Black Land produced hybrid gods; human bodies adorn by animal heads. The early Christians were well aware that Egypt's "dead gods" had transformed in pieces to contribute to the image of the Christ figure. Thus, we find Christ incorporating aspects of Osiris (dismemberment, resurrection), Isis (Mary, Horus (baby Jesus) and Seth (Satan) into the new Christian myth. Just as Osiris, a lunar deity, eventually eclipsed and/or merged with Re, the sun god, Jesus Christ returns the solar principle to humankind. Unfortunately, the Christian Church denied the dark (Seth) aspects, something Jung railed against and the reason why alchemy played such a critical compensatory role in the history of religion and psychology.

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