Pillars of salt or stone: The alchemical pilgrimage of the petrified woman.
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文摘
The famous "weeping rock," which stands on Mt. Sipylus in Turkey,has,since ancient times,been perceived as the embodiment of Niobe,the Theban queen of Greek mythology. She insulted the gods with her pride and was condemned to live in stone and mourn forever Homer,trans. 2006). A very early legend in Palestine holds that a salt formation near the Dead Sea comprises the earthly remains of the biblical character,Lots wife. According to the book of Genesis,when Lot and his wife were fleeing the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah,God directed them not to look back. Lots wife disobeyed and was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt Gen. 19:26,New International Version). In India there persists the legend of Ahalya,a mythological Hindu beauty who was magically transformed into stone as punishment for her pride and infidelity Doniger,1999). The tales of Niobe,Lots wife,and Ahalya,though unique,share psychological similarities that resonate for individuals who were raised by a narcissistic parent or grew up in inherently narcissistic patriarchal cultures. Collectively,each story illustrates the loss of anima within a culture divorced from authentic feeling,nature,and instinct. This research examines the legends of the petrified woman and explores how her myths may communicate a renewed psychological understanding of the feminine soul that exists in both men and women. Moreover,the substances of the petrified woman,salt and stone,with their paradoxical and malleable symbolism,lend themselves well to the principles of Jungian alchemical psychology. This dissertation will conclude that alchemical imagery provides a guide toward liberation and wholeness for the petrified anima.