Coniunctio

An alchemical symbol of a union of unlike substances;
a marrying of the OPPOSITES in an intercourse which has as its fruition
the birth of a new element. This is symbolised by a child that
manifests potential for greater wholeness by recombining attributes
of both the opposing natures (see ALCHEMY).
From Jung’s point of view, the coniunctio was identified as the
central idea of alchemical process. He himself saw it as an ARCHETYPE
of psychic functioning, symbolising a pattern of relationships
between two or more UNCONSCIOUS factors. Since such relationships
are at first incomprehensible to the perceiving mind, the coniunctio
is capable of innumerable symbolic PROJECTIONS (i.e. man and
woman, King and Queen, dog and bitch, cock and hen, Sol and
Luna).
Because the coniunctio symbolises psychic processes, the REBIRTH
and TRANSFORMATION that follow take place within the psyche. Like all
archetypes, coniunctio represents two poles of possibility; one positive,
the other negative. Hence, when it occurs, death and loss as
well as rebirth are inherent in the experience. Bringing it to consciousness
means the redemption of a previously unconscious part of
the personality. But, Jung caution~, ‘the kind of effect it will have
depends to a large extent on the attitude of the conscious mind’. By
use of the word attitude he implies that what is called for is the
renewal of an ego position rather than the taking of outer action
vis-a-vis the symbolic happening.
What the alchemists ultimately sought, according to Ju’ng, was ‘a

union of form and matter’. Every potential coniunctio combines these
elements. The failure of alchemists to distinguish between corpus and
spiritus produced an imagery of coniunctio with body either able to
take on a spiritual form or to draw SPIRIT into it. Within the context
of ANALYSIS, the former can lead to the inflation that the relationship
is a hierosgamos or wedding of the gods and the latter could become
a sexual ACTING OUT (see INCEST).
Referring as they do to mysterious intrapsychic processes, such
symbols as coniunctio have a particular fascination. Bedevilling
logical explanation and interpretation, they tempt the therapist or
patient to take a literal point of view. Coniunctio appears as a symbol
of a goal, however; it is not attainable as a goal. Images of
coniunctio are useful to ANALYST AND PATIENT as guidelines but cannot
be considered as destinations on an inner journey.