The energies of aggression are behind the conflicts of the world, therefore it is necessary to first tame the internal conflicts before the external ones can be resolved. Spiritual crises also have their course and Assagioli describes here their forms of manifestation.
By Roberto Assagioli, Translation Torben Steffensen
PART ONE: THE RESOLUTION OF CONFLICT
For the purposes of this document, I will limit myself to a discussion of the ways in which one can resolve, or, better yet, prevent, the conflicts generated by the belligerent and aggressive energies. It is a subject that is always relevant, but never more so than now.
The understanding and use of means suitable for this purpose requires awareness of the fact that we live in a psychological world in which energies of various types are at work. Different kinds of relations exist between the outer and inner worlds. Primitive man does not distinguish himself from the outer world; he believes that the forces of nature are beings to which he attributes psychological qualities and passions. He feels himself in the grip of the forces and seeks to appease them. A multitude of mythologies, the Indian and the Greek, for example, reveal the origin of the gods as the personification of the forces of nature: air, fire, wind, water, etc.
Then followed the development of the mind and self-consciousness, parallel to the separation of the self from the external world. It is only in relatively modern times that a truly objective study of nature, carried out in a scientific spirit, developed. As an accompanying circumstance, there emerged the ever-increasing control of nature through the discovery of natural laws, and the technical inventions for the control and use of natural forces.
Another important step can and should be taken towards other great cognitive and practical achievements. It consists in becoming aware of the fact, and drawing all the consequences of it, that we live in a psychological world as real as, if not more real than, the external world. In this psychological world there is a multiplicity of energies which operate in accordance with laws as precise as those which govern external natural forces. Therefore, we must realize that although we live in this psychological world, we are not in the power of these energies; that we can get to know them, find out the laws which they follow, and employ techniques with a view to making use of them. The “I,” our real being, the center of self-consciousness, is distinct from all the psychological forces in which it is enveloped. These forces are “not I,” as is demonstrated by the fact that we can observe and study them, note their dynamics and transformations, and most importantly, influence them at will. Our ability to modify these forces means that they do not form an integral part of the “I” or self.
However, we are so accustomed to identifying ourselves with the psychological forces that we must free ourselves from their control—use them instead of being used by them—we must cultivate a constant vigilance and maintain what has been called “the observer’s consciousness,” or in modern theatrical terms, the director. Symbolically, the theater or the stage itself can be said to be the body, while the actors are the psychological forces that perform there and must be instructed by the director. An effective aid to recognizing this fundamental difference between the “I” or self, and the manifold elements or contents of the psychological world is given in the exercise: Dis-identification and Self-identification, as described in my book Psychosynthesis. [1]
As I wrote many years ago in an article, The Psychology of Idea Powers and Psychology [2], thought-provoking analogies can be drawn between the objects and forces of the physical world and the psychological world. Passion is reminiscent of the rushing current that carries everything with it in its course and floods the surrounding territory. A daydreaming fantasy can be considered analogous to clouds passing across the sky, constantly changing shape. An idea is a seed, a germ, which when it finds the right soil can grow into a majestic tree, or create a whole stream of thought and action; and so on. These analogies between the natural world and the psychological world can be usefully developed by considering them as something objective and not merely subjective. A whole science of psychodynamics is thus created; a science, that is, an awareness of laws and techniques for influencing psychological dynamics.
These introductory remarks open the way for a consideration of the application of this view to our subject, psychological conflicts. The fundamental principle is that the resolution of external conflicts with other people necessitates the prior resolution of one’s own internal conflicts. More generally, in order to regulate psychological forces in others, individually and collectively, the corresponding psychological forces within ourselves must first be brought under control. This does not require a specific demonstration. It goes without saying that if there is a conflict within ourselves, we cannot be in harmony with others, since if one part of us is in harmony with another person, another part of us, which is in conflict with the first part, must also be in conflict with the second person. Thus, an internal harmony, or integration, must first be created if the energies are to be regulated and directed in such a way as to resolve conflicts in the psychological world and with the psychological worlds of other people in the society with which we are or come into contact.
The different ways of regulating and then using the aggressive energies can be briefly indicated as follows: Exclusion of projection , outlet for irritation in muscle activity , transformation of energy into other forms of expression .
Retract the projections
An elementary rule requires that we do not project our states of mind and our conflicts onto others. Human nature exhibits a strong tendency to attribute to others the attitudes, impulses, feelings, and ideas that are present within ourselves. Let us apply this rule to the kind of conflicts that are now widespread and particularly acute, namely those created by aggressive and combative energies.
If we feel hostility towards others, we tend to “project” it onto them; that is, we believe that it is they who are hostile towards us, when in reality they may not be at all. Such an attitude is as much a misunderstanding as primitive man’s belief in the personal hostility of the forces of nature. This erroneous projection often gives rise to a fear and a belief that we are being persecuted and threatened, and this subsequently creates defensive and hostile reactions, which can easily arouse the hostility of other people. Thus a vicious circle is built up, or, in modern terms, a chain reaction.
How can we prevent such projections? First of all, it is necessary to recognize them for what they are, to become aware of them. And when some people show hostility, criticize us and make accusations against us, we must understand that often they are not really angry with us personally. They are projecting hostility onto us, nourished by other reasons, and relieving themselves of a burden of hostility that cannot at the moment be directed at its real cause. Therefore, their hostility should not be taken too personally.
This situation is well described by Laura Huxley in the first chapter of her book, You Are Not the Target , which contains a number of psychological rules and techniques for self-control, presented in a vivid and entertaining way. She says: “When your husband complains, your wife nags you, your boss is irritable, your partner is difficult, your children are rebellious – stop! Stop for a moment and recognize that their irritability, their unreasonableness, their coldness, in other words, their unpleasant and offensive behavior is not really directed at you… In most cases, you are not the target. You just happened to be nearby.”
The author then gives some advice on how to act in these situations; one of which is perhaps surprising and seemingly trivial, but nevertheless effective, is to ease a natural aggressive reaction through some exercises that involve muscle contraction, without the other person being aware of it, instead of giving it verbal expression. Flex the arm and leg muscles and rhythmically draw in the stomach, thus shifting the emotional charge into the physical nervous system. This, the author says, has the additional advantage of being combined with a useful gymnastic exercise. This book is full of similar “recipes,” as it calls them—sophisticated, somewhat bizarre, but capable of working well.
Besides these means of eliminating projections, relieving irritations, and transforming our discharges of energy, one can write a harsh letter—and not send it, punch a punching bag, etc. Let us remember that a symbolic satisfaction is often sufficient for the unconscious, which can be satisfied by hitting a leather ball instead of an “enemy.” It is the discharge of energy that is important. Another method is to distract one’s attention by throwing oneself into an activity that captures one’s interest. Another help is to remember the elementary fact that irritation hurts oneself most of all. An English writer has put it this way: “Anger is a way of making oneself pay for the mistakes of others.” Enlightened self-interest can prevent us from acting aggressively.
In reality, it is not easy to restrain oneself in this way, whether we are right or not. It could be argued that being wrong makes it easier to acknowledge control over these reactions; but this is not the case. The fact is that when one is wrong, one is tired of admitting it, and therefore we try to convince ourselves and others that we are right, often going to extremes to do so. This is well expressed in the French saying: Il se fache donc il a tort (When one is wrong, one gets angry, therefore one is angry). On the other hand, when one is right, we feel that our aggressive reaction is justified, no matter what trouble it may cause. In these cases, the inner satisfaction of knowing that one is right should be sufficient, without the desire to confirm it in words and violent action. In reality, the antithesis is artificial; right or wrong is almost never clearly drawn; and in any situation it is very difficult to establish their proportions. One can stick to Tommaso Campanella’s statement: “In God we must recognize who did and said the best.”
Methods for eliminating aggression
Fear is another source of hostility and aggressiveness. The fear of being hurt, the fear of being attacked more or less by surprise, encourages one to go on the offensive. Conversely, fear attracts the hostility of others. It has been confirmed that fear produces a substance, perhaps a scent, which irritates animals. It is known that the drops of sweat secreted by a frightened individual arouse irritation reactions and aggressiveness in animals.
Self-control, with its ability to regulate belligerent energies, is an advantage even when one wants or is forced to fight. This fact is exploited in sports. One of the techniques used by a boxer, for example, consists of staying on the defensive in the early rounds in order to encourage the opponent to attack and tire himself out. At the right moment, he then takes the initiative.
A higher and even more effective method is to make generous concessions, recognizing that they are preferable to the damage, wear and tear, and dangers that the struggle entails. Sometimes it is sufficient to make pro forma concessions—that is, if they are made in such a way that others gain prestige from them. This is not only a question of avoiding humiliating and insulting an opponent, but also of not towering over him and helping him to save face and satisfy his sense of self. He may even be allowed to consider himself the victor. What do his claims mean, provided the substance of the situation is maintained? Here is an example. Two American businessmen, Carnegie and Westinghouse, were engaged in a rivalry that was detrimental to their common interests. During a discussion in which they were trying to reach an agreement, Westinghouse, still unconvinced by Carnegie’s proposal, asked him the following: “If we merge our companies, what shall the new one be called?” “Westinghouse,” Carnegie replied, and this finally brought the other man into agreement.
But finer means than calculated concessions dictated by self-interest must of course be found in an understanding tolerance of the imperfections of human nature, full of consistent generosity. Firmness and the ability to say no when necessary are not thereby excluded, but must be applied in a non-critical spirit, without emotional reaction, and from a broader perspective. Finally, there is an even nobler means of “disarming” an opponent, even an enemy: goodwill and compassion, which can reach the heights of true brotherly love. It was in this spirit that Francis of Assisi triumphed over the wolf of Gibbio.
The best animal trainers, however, do not aspire to such heights, but exercise their control through a mixture of love and strength. They also employ the magnetic power of the eye, combined with a firm and fearless stance. Some trainers have said that they truly love their animals, caressing them and showing them affection, a training that makes them docile. Even at this elementary level, benevolence proves effective.
I do not feel it necessary to point out the uses of these methods. The possibilities are legion—if one is willing to exploit them! They arise constantly, in family life, in all human relationships, between all groups of people at all levels, between nations and between races. With the increase of contacts and communications in an ever-shrinking world, the establishment of harmonious individual and social psychosynthesis becomes more and more urgent. These methods are more effective in preventing war and in encouraging disarmament than external, legal, and formal ones, which do not reach the root causes of conflicts. This may seem an idealistic claim; but it is in fact realistic, because it is based on the realities of human nature.
I must conclude this section with the affirmation that the preface to the UNESCO Constitution places at our disposal:
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be built.”
PART TWO: SPIRITUAL CONFLICT AND CRISIS
Spiritual conflicts and crises are of a different nature from the purely psychological type, and moral in a narrow sense, although they are sometimes related to them. Spiritual crises occur in a different inner dimension, being created by experiences and conflicts that transcend the level and sphere that characterize ordinary existence. They concern man’s relationship to the greater Life of which he is a part, that is, to the essential Reality – however it may be perceived or intuitively understood – which lies “behind” or “above” the small personal life.
More than fifty years ago, in 1921, I developed this subject in a paper entitled The Awakening of the Soul. I shall here repeat in part what I wrote then, a statement which has since been included in a later paper, “ Spiritual Development and Nervous Diseases.” [3] A clear understanding of the significance of the extraordinary inner experiences which usually precede the awakening of the soul necessitates the recognition of some of the psychological characteristics of the so-called ordinary man.”
One might say that he does not live so much; rather, that he simply exists, taking life as it comes and not formulating questions about its meaning, value, and purpose. If he is not so developed, he is simply concerned with fulfilling his personal desires, seeking sensual pleasures, becoming rich, and satisfying his ambitions. If he has a more elevated mind, he subordinates his personal pleasures to the fulfillment of the various family and civic obligations that have been instilled in him. At the same time, he cares little about his raison d’etre or the history of his origin. He may even declare that he is religious and believes in God, but his approach to religion is superficial and conventional, allowing himself to feel “purified” when he has fulfilled the formal obligations of the Church and participated in its various rituals. In short, the normal man implicitly believes in the absolute reality of ordinary life and is firmly attached to his earthly goods, to which he attributes a positive value. Thus, in practice, it regards ordinary life as an end in itself. Whatever belief it may have in a future paradise is entirely theoretical and academic, as is confirmed by the fact that its eagerness to get there, often declared with amusing sincerity, is hardly matched by its firm determination to postpone it until the last possible moment.
Normality and spiritual crises
But among “normal people” it can happen – and cases do occur, although they are relatively rare – that a person, to his surprise and disquiet, experiences a sudden change in his inner life. Sometimes in the wake of a series of disappointments, not infrequently after a serious shock, such as the loss of a loved one, sometimes – and this is especially significant – without apparent cause and in the midst of circumstances of unusual well-being and prosperity (as in the case of Leo Tolstoy, for example), a faint uneasiness is felt, followed by a sense of dissatisfaction, of lack. But the lack is not of anything concrete, but rather of something enigmatic, fleeting, indefinable. This emptiness is increased by the addition, little by little, of a sense of the unreality and transience of ordinary life. Personal interests that previously occupied the greater part of the person’s attention begin to fade away, their importance and value shrink. New problems present themselves, forcing the person concerned to question the direction of life. He wonders about many things that he previously accepted as natural: the cause of his and other people’s suffering, the justice of the unequal distribution of life’s goods, the origin of human existence and its form.
This stage provides fertile ground for misunderstandings and mistakes. The meaning of these new states of mind escapes the attention of many who, when they experience them, regard them as whims or abnormal figments of the imagination. The suffering they cause, which is sometimes truly painful, breeds resistance of every kind. Fear of “losing one’s mind” makes the sufferer strive to regain his hold on ordinary life, which threatens to slip from his grasp. Sometimes his reaction is, with the eagerness of desperation, to seek new occupations, new stimuli, new sensory experiences. By these and other means, people who are going through this destructive phase sometimes succeed in smothering their unrest, but they almost never manage to neutralize it completely. It continues to smolder deep within them, undermining the foundations of their normal existence, and it may, perhaps years later, break out again with increased intensity. Then the distressing state grows even more intense, the inner emptiness becomes more intolerable, until the sufferer feels broken down. All that holds his life together now seems a dream, while no new light appears to dispel his ignorance or support his belief in the possibility of a more enlightened view of life.
It is at this point that the ideas and impulses to commit suicide are likely to invade the consciousness of the sufferer. Physical destruction seems the only logical consequence of the inner collapse and dissolution. It must be noted that the description given is only a presentation of the general features of this type of experience and its development. In the real world, individual temperaments account for numerous variations in experience. Some cases stop abruptly at the acute stage, skipping the gradual transition mentioned; others reach it almost immediately. Still others are drawn to investigation as a result of philosophical doubts. The moral crisis is the predominant feature for other individuals.
The collective existential crisis
Today, fifty years later, crises of this kind have not only increased in number and intensity on the individual level, but have also assumed a collective character. They have become symptomatic of a wide range of population groups and afflict a large proportion of the young. It is not difficult to find the cause. The Second World War, with its enormous amount of suffering, the destruction and upheaval it caused, not only of a material nature but in all areas of human existence, confronted humanity broadly with the tragic aspects of life. The fundamental problems of the meaning of life, the reasons for and the justice of the suffering of an individual person and of other people were thereby presented inexorably in a violent and painful way and on a wide scale.
The most widespread reactions were, and still are, rebellion, denial, mental suffering and even despair. Existential attitudes and beliefs of a negative nature (there are others that have a positive twist) have led to life being described as absurd, to the denial of any higher transcendent reality, to a position of protest and challenge which, however, at the same time feels useless and powerless. This has been called existential frustration and was correctly described by Viktor Frankl. He, now director of the Neurological Clinic at the University of Vienna, underwent an unusual testing experience in a concentration camp which lasted many months and was accompanied by acute suffering and constant death threats. These conditions created the background for a spiritual awakening which transformed his life and now forms the basis of his thinking and psychotherapeutic approach. In his book, Theori und Therapi der Neurosen, which I highly recommend to doctors, he writes:
“In addition to feelings of inferiority, mental illness can also be instilled in man by the feeling of absurdity, i.e. by frustration aroused by the need to give life meaning. In such cases, where a person sees that his aspiration to give his existence sufficient meaning to make it worth continuing fails, we speak of existential frustration… If we try to get to the bottom of this question and to determine the pathological basis of these disturbances, we are constantly made aware that it lies primarily in this fact. What we designate as the “will to meaning,” in contrast both to the “will to pleasure” (i.e. the pleasure principle in the psychological sense) and the “will to power” (i.e. “assertion” in Adler’s sense) remains unsatisfied and frustrated” (Frankl, Theori und Therapi der Neurosen, Ernst Reinhardt, Munich, 1956).
One of the ways in which this crisis manifests itself is in the sense of depression created by the infinity of the cosmos and the vast time spans that astronomy reveals. This is evident in the reaction of some people to the “cosmic test.” It consists of showing images of the universe expanding ever further until the earth is seen to disappear into the infinity of space. Here is how Frankl speaks of this kind of anxiety:
“I remember a case where the patient’s anxiety turned out to be of an existential nature. The infinite, she admitted, grips me. It confuses me, I feel unreal to the point of feeling disintegration. Let us add here an observation that Scheler has made: the infinite emptiness of space and time is the void that man experiences in his heart. Insofar as this anxiety is ultimately for nothing, the infinite emptiness of space takes the place of nothing. But this macrocosmic emptiness seems to be merely the projection of an inner emptiness, an existential emptying, that is, a microcosmic emptiness. It is reminiscent of the reflection of the unreality of our Dasein (being).”
In other people, this sense or awareness of the immensity of space and the infinity of time sets in motion a different, even opposite, reaction. They see the universe as regulated by an immense Cosmic Intelligence, as Einstein says, since the movement of the stars is so controlled that they can be predicted, and order governs everything (kosmos in Greek means order). This view produces an expansion of consciousness and a sense of “participation.” These individuals feel like living particles in this vast universe, microscopic but essential elements in the totality of Being.
As for the state of existential anxiety mentioned earlier, few know how to bear it, and therefore it is usually fled from, and various methods are used to soothe it: external activity, from violent sports and reckless racing on the physical plane to the effort to devise the victory of some ideology; by the admiration and imitation of “idols,” such as movie stars and the heroes of the boxing ring and football field. Others seek forgetfulness and satisfaction in immoderate sexuality, or by the use of alcohol and drugs.
But sooner or later these hypothetical remedies prove ineffective, and man is forced to face reality and try to understand the meaning and value of the dark and apparently negative aspects of life. When this search for meaning is carried out without mental prejudice, rebellion of the will, and personal emotional reactions, one discovers and recognizes the positive values that exist in life, values that have a reality that is no less, indeed more substantial and permanent, than the negative ones. They are the great universal and eternal values: Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, with their human manifestations in love, creative and beneficent activity, in joy, and even in suffering itself as a path to increased consciousness, deepening, and exaltation.
But this point is only attainable, I repeat, as a result of a great opening, a dignified, unfettered humility face to face with the mystery; a loving acceptance; of a nature that does not make demands on life or other people, but rather gives, and especially of oneself; plus recognition of one’s essential personal spiritual freedom and acceptance of the responsibility that comes with it. Thus we arrive at the realization that everything depends on our attitude, and that this not only leads to the anxiety about meaning and values, but can also create and bestow them. And this, being in our power, depends on free choice on our part, on our decision and therefore on an act of will.
Here then is the noble goal, the shining clear victory, which is attainable through spiritual awakening and due spiritual development. But its attainment often requires our confronting and overcoming a series of inner conflicts, created by the diversity and complexity of human nature. Since these conflicts are treated in detail in the article, Spiritual Development and Nervous Diseases, which has since been introduced as a chapter (under the title “Self-Realization and Psychological Disorders”) in Psychosynthesis, I shall limit myself here to summarizing their essential points.
Crises associated with spiritual awakening
The awakening itself may become the source of disturbances and imbalances in those whose minds are not well balanced, or whose emotions are strained or not properly controlled, or again in those with an overly sensitive and delicate nervous system. A similar condition may also follow when the flow of spiritual energy overwhelms the recipient because of its sudden onset and violence. Where the mind is too weak and ill-prepared to withstand the spiritual light, or where there is a tendency towards exactingness and egocentricity, the event may be misinterpreted. There occurs, so to speak, a “confusion of levels,” in which the distinction between absolute and relative, between spirit and personality, is not recognized. The spiritual force may then produce exaltation and inflation of the personal ego.
In other cases, the unwanted inner illumination that accompanies the awakening of the soul instead produces an emotional exaltation that manifests itself in unruly and disorganized behavior, manifested by shouting, screaming, singing, and other forms of motor agitation.
Therefore, the stimulation that accompanies the awakening can drive those who are of an active, dynamic and militant type to assume the role of prophet or reformer and give expression to it through the formation of movements and sects, characterized by excessive fanaticism and missionary zeal. In some people, with a relevant disposition, the inner awakening is followed by paranormal psychological manifestations of various kinds. They have visions, usually of sublime and angelic beings, or hear voices and feel the urge to try automatic writing. The varied value of the messages received in this way makes it necessary that they be examined and evaluated objectively and without prejudice, but also without allowing the channel that transmits them to impose its own criterion of value.
Other conflicts and crises arise from the reactions that follow the inner awakening. A harmonious spiritual awakening awakens a feeling of joy and mental illumination, which brings with it a sense of meaning and purpose in life, removes many doubts, provides solutions to many problems, and gives a sense of inner security. Along with this comes a clear sense of unity, beauty, and the sacredness of life; and from the awakened soul flows a wave of love towards all other souls and creatures.
But however long this blissful state may last, it is destined by fate to come to an end. The ordinary personality, with its lower elements, has been overcome and only temporarily put to sleep, not killed or transformed. Moreover, the influx of light and spiritual love is rhythmic and cyclical, like everything else that happens in the universe. Sooner or later, therefore, it wanes or ceases. High tides are followed by ebbs. This inner experience is very painful, in some cases producing violent reactions and even serious disturbances. Lower tendencies reawaken and assert themselves with renewed force. All the rocks, rubble and debris that had been covered by the high tide reappear.
These reactions are followed by a period in which a process of transformation of the personality takes place ; and this also creates conflicts and crises. It is a long and complex affair, composed of phases of active purification with a view to removing the obstacles to the inflow and activity of the spiritual forces; phases of development of inner faculties which have been latent or weak; phases during which the personality must stand still and humble, allowing itself to be worked upon by the Spirit, and must bear the inevitable suffering with courage and patience. It is a period filled with changes, the alternation between light and darkness, joy and sorrow.
It is also a transitional period, a given release of the old state before the new is reached. It is reminiscent of the state of the caterpillar as it goes through the process that will transform it into a butterfly. It must go through the pupa stage, a state of disintegration and powerlessness.
But man is usually denied the privilege offered to the caterpillar, namely to complete the transformation protected within the safe confines of the cocoon. He must, especially these days, stand at his post in life and continue to manage his family, professional and social obligations as best he can, as if nothing had happened.
We cannot be surprised if such a complex and demanding operation sometimes causes nervous and psychological disturbances: for example, nervous exhaustion, insomnia, depression, irritability and restlessness. When we consider the strong influence that the psychological nature has on the physical, it is easy to understand how it subsequently causes a multitude of physical symptoms.
The subject of this article has obliged me to deal primarily with the complications, sufferings, and conflicts which are set in motion by spiritual development; but I did not wish to give the impression that they are more serious than those which affect people who have not had an inner awakening. It is therefore desirable that the following points be brought forward:
Many cases of spiritual development move forward more gradually and harmoniously than those described above, with the result that difficulties are overcome and the various stages are guided without nervous reactions and physical disturbances.
The sufferings and disturbances experienced by those who tread the spiritual path, however unpleasant they may be, are in reality only temporary reactions, the effect, so to speak, of an organic process of inner growth and renewal. Therefore, they often disappear when the crisis that provoked them is resolved, and calmly submit to appropriate treatment.
3. The sufferings that accompany the spiritual highs and lows are amply compensated for not only by the phases of influx and elevation, but also by faith in the great purpose and lofty goals of the inner adventure. The resulting vision of splendor serves as a powerful inspiration, an unfailing well-being, and an inexhaustible source of strength and courage. We should therefore be prepared to awaken the vision as vividly and as often as possible. One of the greatest benefits we can do for someone who is plagued by spiritual crisis and conflict is to help him do the same.
[1] (Assagioli: Psychosynthesis: A Collection of Fundamental Writings. Forlaget Levende Visdom, 2005, Chapter IV).
[2] ( Review of Applied Psychology, Sep.-Oct 1909)
[3] The article is included in the book published after Assagioli’s death: Transpersonal Development , Kentaur Forlag, (August) 2006
Source: (PRF Issue No. 34)
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