{"product_id":"modern-alchemy-leg-four-part-i-9798195897369","title":"Modern Alchemy: Leg Four, Part I","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Ben Selvaggio\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Personal Growth - General\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first two mileposts of \u003cb\u003eModern Alchemy Leg Four\u003c\/b\u003e focus on confronting foundational archetypes and negotiating the boundaries of the unconscious.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eMilepost 1: Facing the Chaotic Mother and the Instinctual Realm\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe journey begins at \"the Stones\" with a confrontation of the \u003cb\u003eWitch Ancestress\u003c\/b\u003e, which the author interprets as a necessary step to achieve a figurative \"mental death\" of the Mother to free himself from the \u003ci\u003epuer aeternus\u003c\/i\u003e. This encounter reveals the \u003cb\u003eChaotic Mother\u003c\/b\u003e-a majestic figure representing both the macrocosm and microcosm, whose presence unveils a \"vast expanse of potential\" within the abyss.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe narrative then shifts to the \u003cb\u003einstinctual or animal level\u003c\/b\u003e of the psyche (symbolized by the number three). Here, the author encounters \u003cb\u003e\"The Rock\" (Dwayne Johnson)\u003c\/b\u003e, symbolizing the physical body and personal foundation, consuming clay and ayahuasca. This milepost concludes with a symbolic \"game of pool\" where various condiments represent deep-seated problems of feeling (ketchup), purity (mayonnaise), and the realization of the Self (mustard) that have been repressed in the basement of the psyche.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eMilepost 2: The Magic Battle and the Black Sun\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis milepost moves to an urban setting where the Ego engages in a \u003cb\u003emagic battle\u003c\/b\u003e within a circular stone kiosk. A street magician attempts to imprison the Ego within a blue fiery circle, but the Ego maintains his position by drawing his own concentric, crenelated line of fire to keep the interloper out. This represents the establishment of firm psychic boundaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Ego then descends into a system of \u003cb\u003eunderground tunnels\u003c\/b\u003e beneath the city, signifying a deeper entry into conscious awareness of the unconscious. This journey leads to a \"commemoration ceremony\" at a bar, where the author encounters \u003cb\u003eCaptain Holt\u003c\/b\u003e, a representation of the \u003cb\u003eBlack Sun\u003c\/b\u003e or Saturnine light. This encounter is a toast to the \"removal of the past\" and signals a transformation regarding internal family relationships-specifically the repair of the Mother and Father archetypes. The milepost ends with the \"Self\" encouraging the author to look beyond the standard pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone toward something never before known.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47882633314455,"sku":"9798195897369","price":9201.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9798195897369.webp?v=1781096388","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/modern-alchemy-leg-four-part-i-9798195897369","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}