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Rating: 
Summary: Where the New Age Meets Common Sense ...
Review: ... Is in this book. Dr. Cavalli's love of mystical alchemy focuses the practical wisdom from his decades of success as a therapist like a lens sharpens the beam of a lighthouse.Alchemical Psychology invites us all to convert our leaden aspects into the shining gold of the Philosopher's Stone. It makes the often confusing day-to-day aspects of self-growth achievable. Deeply spiritual, it espouses no single religion. Dr. Cavalli shows alchemical thought crossing all religions and spiritualities over the millenia. This book includes an alchemical introduction for those unaware of "The Work's" long, rich history. Like the Great Pumpkin's appearance in the most sincere pumpkin patch, alchemy taught that gold could only be found by alchemists who had brought themselves to a state of personal worthiness. The use of The Work for purely selfish gain will lead to failure. And, when it comes, success will not be instantaneous, in a single flash of fire. It may take a lifetime. This book lacks the specific, concrete instructions of, say, Dr. Laura Schlesinger's "Ten Stupid Things ..." Instead, Alchemical Psychology makes clear that the path of growth seldom is clear, but that it can still be found and followed. For that, this book is more real, more likely to reach those struggling with life's foggy challenges. The book's price is, of course, a bargain compared to the costs paid by alchemists past whose learning and insights inform it. It has been said that the nineteenth century was the Age of Invention, but nothing from Edison's laboratory was as wonderful as Abraham Lincoln's invention of himself. Through Alchemical Psychology, Dr. Cavalli shows how each of us can and should match Lincoln's great self-inventive result.
Rating: 
Summary: I wanted to like this book
Review: I really did want to like this book. It held the promise of demystifying alchemy and applying it to my psychological growth. Unfortunately, I found it sorely lacking in practical applications, exercises, etc. It was also very disorganized, printed on extremely cheap paper and throws in cross-cultural references to Zen Buddhism. Excuse me, but I wanted a book on Western esotericism, not Eastern. ...
Rating: 
Summary: Alchemy From a Psychological Perspective
Review: Reviewer: Diana L. Klimek, Ph.D. student, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Reading the first few chapters of Dr. Thom Cavalli's book, Alchemical Psychology, is a bit like listening to Bill Moyers interview Joseph Campbell as they meander and weave myth, religion, history and culture into a labyrinth of discovery. There is a powerful background in the field of alchemy spanning thousands of years and for some, it is still steeped in the mystical mixings and stirrings of elixirs and potions. To bring these mysteries into a modern world where demands for logic and reason overwhelm our sensibilities, Dr. Cavalli is indeed his own brave alchemist.
Stirring a pot with ingredients as diverse as ancient drawings, Carl Jung's notion of the Individuated Self, the four elements and a little quicksilver, Dr. Cavalli keeps the fire turned up. His determination to let alchemy speak for itself and to let alchemy find its natural connection to psychology is commendable, especially in doing a comparative analysis such as this.
The subtitle of this book is "Old Recipes for Living in a New World" and although each ancient recipe (there are ten in the book) is interesting and helpful, one struck me as unique to the symbolic nature of alchemy. It is important to understand that taking the ingredients literally loses the point of the experiment. For example, in recipe seven "the rose gives honey to the bee" which we all know is impossible in logic and in nature because roses do not give honey. However, as Dr. Cavalli walks us through the steps of the alchemical recipe drawing on his own personal career and Jungian psychology, we are encouraged to accept the immediate significance to the personal psyche and the power of collective symbolism.
Although it is helpful to have some background in Freudian and Jungian psychology, this book holds potential interest for both the novice and the professional. Dr. Cavalli has succeeded in bringing alchemy out of the archives and within focus of the modern world. This book is richly educational but it is entertaining as well because Dr. Cavalli still manages to pay homage to his archetypal muse, the Trickster.
Rating:
Summary: Alchemy From a Psychological Perspective
Review: Reviewer: Diana L. Klimek, Ph.D. student, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Reading the first few chapters of Dr. Thom Cavalli's book, Alchemical Psychology, is a bit like listening to Bill Moyers interview Joseph Campbell as they meander and weave myth, religion, history and culture into a labyrinth of discovery. There is a powerful background in the field of alchemy spanning thousands of years and for some, it is still steeped in the mystical mixings and stirrings of elixirs and potions. To bring these mysteries into a modern world where demands for logic and reason overwhelm our sensibilities, Dr. Cavalli is indeed his own brave alchemist.
Stirring a pot with ingredients as diverse as ancient drawings, Carl Jung's notion of the Individuated Self, the four elements and a little quicksilver, Dr. Cavalli keeps the fire turned up. His determination to let alchemy speak for itself and to let alchemy find its natural connection to psychology is commendable, especially in doing a comparative analysis such as this.
The subtitle of this book is "Old Recipes for Living in a New World" and although each ancient recipe (there are ten in the book) is interesting and helpful, one struck me as unique to the symbolic nature of alchemy. It is important to understand that taking the ingredients literally loses the point of the experiment. For example, in recipe seven "the rose gives honey to the bee" which we all know is impossible in logic and in nature because roses do not give honey. However, as Dr. Cavalli walks us through the steps of the alchemical recipe drawing on his own personal career and Jungian psychology, we are encouraged to accept the immediate significance to the personal psyche and the power of collective symbolism.
Although it is helpful to have some background in Freudian and Jungian psychology, this book holds potential interest for both the novice and the professional. Dr. Cavalli has succeeded in bringing alchemy out of the archives and within focus of the modern world. This book is richly educational but it is entertaining as well because Dr. Cavalli still manages to pay homage to his archetypal muse, the Trickster.
Rating:
Summary: Psychological and Alchemical Gold
Review: The heart of this book is ten ancient alchemical recipes. Cavalli interprets this recipes in terms of Jungian psychology, showing how they can be used to transform the ordinary elements of everyday life into gold. Until reading "Alchemical Psychology," while I was intrigued by alchemy, I was also confused by the esoteric imagery. Cavalli's clear explanations and practical advice have shown me a path for using this perennial wisdom in my own process of integrating my psyche, creating alchemical gold! Every time I return to this book, I find something new, both in the text and in the beautiful reproductions of alchemical woodcuts.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to Read Book on Alchemical Psychology
Review: This book takes the complex language of alchemy and alchemical processes and translates it into easy-to-understand language. The author guides you step-by-step through alchemical symbolism and alchemical operations as they relate to different psychological processes.
The alchemical recipes expressed through different alchemical operations presented in this book are intended to help you create desired psychological transformation - whether you desire to apply them in your therapeutic practice or to gain further insights and effect the desired transformation in yourself.
Understanding of alchemy is based on practical application and as the author points out "Unlike medical prescriptions, alchemical recipes require full engagement of the mind, body and soul, as well as active participation of the imaginative faculty to make them work." [As a hypnotist, I may add, that this truth applies to successful work with hypnosis, too].
The author does quote excerpts from Corpus Hermeticum - and this particular excerpt is the jewel of the Corpus Hermeticum:
"Rise up above every height: descend deeper than any depth;
Concentrate into thyself all the sensations of created things
Of water, fire, dry and wet.
Think of finding yourself simultaneously everywhere in the
Earth, sea and sky;
Think of having never been born,
Of still being an embryo;
Young and old, dead and beyond death,
Embrace everything at the same time;
All times, places, things, qualities and quantities."
The author also at times draws parallels from the world of quantum physics, and other spiritual and esoteric traditions,
to ellucidate specific points he desires to make.
Rating:
Summary: Going for the Gold...........in your Self
Review: This is a great read. Anyone interested in the transformation of the soul, the refinement of their base nature into pure golden light and transparency should read this book. Thom Cavalli has poured an enormous amount of love into this work and clearly shows. Not a work is wasted. You read a paragraph and have to walk away to ponder it. A book to return to time and time again as your understanding grows. It is rich with symbols, ancient alchemical art and mystery. I absolutely love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Going for the Gold...........in your Self
Review: This is a great read. Anyone interested in the transformation of the soul, the refinement of their base nature into pure golden light and transparency should read this book. Thom Cavalli has poured an enormous amount of love into this work and clearly shows. Not a work is wasted. You read a paragraph and have to walk away to ponder it. A book to return to time and time again as your understanding grows. It is rich with symbols, ancient alchemical art and mystery. I absolutely love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Foliage of the Future
Review: Thom F.Cavalli has written a handbook for the 21st century. The book will speak for itself.
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