ABSTRACT
This brief chapter gives an overview of the explorations into the quintessence. The quintessence is not one thing; it is a symbol that represents integration, the truth, complexity, individuation, as well as the spirit of matter and wholeness. The chapter links this to the journey to discover the essence of our being and goes on to consider the danger of hubris in relation to such a symbol and the reality of the dark side of human nature. It concludes by considering the importance, in an era which has been called post-truth, of examining a symbol such as the quintessence that encompasses truth as well as mystery and represents a vital part of being and of being alive.
