ABSTRACT
The symbol of the quintessence was originally considered to represent the essential spark of creation hidden in all matter. This chapter introduces the reader to the themes of the book, including number symbolism, alchemy and the symbol of the quintessence. It goes on to briefly consider psychoanalytic theory and Jung's ideas and links to the dynamics of number. The chapter considers the importance of the symbol of the quintessence in terms of its psychological and symbolic significance in relation to the collective unconscious, individuation, truth, wholeness and the essence of being.
