question

[Guest guest]

Hi Group,

Does anyone know where I could get more information on the " nigredo / albedo /

rubedo " as described by Marie-Louise von Franz in the following quote from " The

Interpretation of Fairy Tales " ?

Thanks,

K.

" In alchemy some of the usual stages described in the pattern of development -

which corresponds to the refining of the crude prima materia into gold - are the

nigredo, the Latin word for the blackness of the material when subjected to

fire; the albedo, the white substance which when washed becomes silver; and the

rubledo, the red, which through further heating turns into gold. The albedo

signifies the individual's first clear awareness of the unconscious, with the

accompanying possibility of attaining an objective attitude, and the lowering of

consciousness necessary to attain such states. The albedo means a cool detached

attitude, a stage where things look remote and vague, as though seen in

moonlight, in the albedo, therefore, it is said that the feminine and the moon

are ruling. It also means a receptive attitude toward the unconscious. This is

the ordeal of coming to terms with the anima whereas the former stage, the

nigredo, marks the first terrible facing of the shadow, which is torture, and

should be followed by working on and differentiating one's inferior side. The

alchemists call this 'the hard work.' With the progress of the albedo, the main

stream is relieved. Then simple heating changes the albedo into the rubedo,

which is ruled by the sun and heralds a new state of consciousness. "