The Alchemy of Psychology

By: James Hillman

Narrated by: James Hillman

James Hillman was a past master of alchemical psychology. This field uses metaphors derived from ancient alchemy to elucidate deep structures in the creative imagination. Creative processes are not random. By studying alchemical psychology we come to understand ourselves and other humans in surprising ways that frequently diverge sharply from the habitual understandings we have unconsciously absorbed from the cultures in which we were raised. These new awarenesses can engender unexpected new vitality and wonder.

©2015 James Hillman (P)2015 BetterListen!LLC , all rights reserved.

Better than I thought it would be!

Would you listen to The Alchemy of Psychology again? Why?

Yes, it's a great resource.

What did you like best about this story?

Easy going, relevant, covered a great deal of material.

What does James Hillman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Easy to appreciate the content of Hillman's writing, but something about the writing style just doesn't resonate so well. It's the cadence of his sentence structure, something about it is off putting... can't put a fine point on it exactly. The audio book on the other hand, which is a recording of a presentation he delivered is great - his style of speaking is accessible, easy going, approachable, relaxed.

Alchemy [or] Psychology

I've read a lot of Jung on alchemy, as well as several others whom Hillman cites here. As fascinating as the concepts of both alchemy and psychology are, the explanations Hillman offers often seem so glib that they left me asking what is the point of these patriarchal/hierarchical mind games? Haven't we evolved beyond such thinking?

And as far as interpretation (hermeneutics) goes, in order to talk about anything, we "interpret" it. This set of lectures, though enjoyable, showed me how easy it is for even "experts" to get tangled up in concepts.

Absolutely brilliant.

While the politics can sometimes be tedious and tiresome, this is one of the Best explanations of alchemy as it was intended to be understood, especially related to psychotherapy.

Spellbinding!

I met James Hillman once. His brilliant lectures are as informative as his books. This man from Atlantic City is as close as we get to a C.G.Jung reincarnate. Its rare but this collection is a keeper.

Not quite a “book”

This is a recording of material Hillman presented before some kind of weekend workshop, apparently. If you’re looking for the kind of focus found in his books, look elsewhere. It’s a bit rambling at times.