2024 Training

In this 4-session online workshop, we will explore the ancient arts of alchemy. It was a mysterious practice, concerned with the transmutation of base metals such as lead, into gold, where the initial ‘dark matter' was subjected to a series of operations in an attempt to transform it. Ancient alchemists performed chemical experiments, aimed at changing the nature of matter, but their texts dense with cryptic, esoteric descriptions, reveal concern with the process of spiritual transformation. In these arcane, often impossibly abstruse accounts, Jung discovered descriptions of processes rich in archetypal symbolism, which he concluded were analogous to the process of psychological development. This workshop will feature case presentations of a child and an adult whose sandplay processes exhibit a remarkable amount of alchemical symbolism. These presentations aim to illustrate how the process of alchemical transformation aligns with the stages of the sandplay process and Jung's concept of individuation. Betty encourages participant interaction throughout and welcomes attendees at all levels of experience in terms of Sandplay training or practice.
Objectives:
-Understanding the alchemy concepts and its operation in the Sandplay process;
-Analyzing Sand pictures in the view of alchemical symbolism in the cases presented;
-Becoming aware of the correspondence between alchemical phases of transformation, Sandplay process, and Jung’s concept of individuation.