"For the alchemist the one primarily in need of redemption is not man, but the deity who is lost and sleeping in matter. His attention is not directed to his own salvation through God's grace, but to the liberation of God from the darkness of matter." - C.G. Jung

This citation comes from Carl Gustav Jung's work on alchemy, specifically his analysis in "Psychology and Alchemy" (1944) or "Mysterium Coniunctionis" (1955-56). These works explore Jung's interpretation of alchemical symbols and processes as representations of psychological transformation and individuation.

The specific idea of God being "lost and sleeping in matter" aligns with Jung's view of alchemy as a metaphor for the integration of the unconscious into consciousness—an effort to unify opposites and achieve wholeness. This reflects themes from Gnostic traditions and Hermeticism, where divinity is seen as fragmented or imprisoned within the material world, requiring "liberation" through human action.

It aligns closely with the concept of the repair of the vessels (Tikkun HaKelim) in Kabbalah. In Lurianic Kabbalah, this idea emerges from the narrative of the Shattering of the Vessels (Shevirat HaKelim) during the process of creation. According to this framework, the infinite light of God (Ein Sof) was too powerful for the vessels of the sephirot to contain, resulting in their shattering. The shards of these vessels, mixed with divine sparks, became embedded in matter, symbolizing a fragmented reality.

The process of Tikkun (repair or rectification) involves human effort, through mitzvot (commandments), ethical behavior, and spiritual practices, to elevate these sparks and restore harmony to creation. This mirrors Jung's alchemical metaphor of redeeming the divine trapped within matter, as both frameworks emphasize the active role of human beings in the restoration of divine unity.

Jung's interpretation of alchemy as a psychological process and the Kabbalistic concept of Tikkun share a common theme: the restoration of wholeness through the union of opposites and the reintegration of the divine into a unified state. Both systems also highlight humanity's pivotal role in this redemptive work, whether it is framed as the individuation process in Jungian psychology or the mystical rectification in Kabbalah.