ABSTRACT
The dominant narrative of Liber Novus is C.G. Jung's journey from an inner state of alienation and depression to the restoration of his soul, through the long and painful process of integrating a seemingly irreconcilable conflict within his own nature. During the period of his life when Jung was creating this extraordinary visionary work, he was deeply engaged in the study of a number of religious currents from antiquity. Jung attributed the ideas behind all his later work to the period during which he worked on Liber Novus. Given the importance that astrology held for him, then and throughout his life, it is vital that some understanding of Jung's immersion in this liminal sphere of study and practice is included in any assessment of his life and work. Jung was willing to explore any approach to the human psyche that yielded knowledge and helpful results, including the apparently disreputable worlds of astrology, magic, spiritualism, Theosophy, and ancient mystery cults.
