Ordered Life

In these notes, Dr. Assagioli encapsulates a comprehensive guide to harmonizing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual facets.

By Dr. Roberto Assagioli, (Psychosynthesis in Action). (Doc. #23920 & 23921 – Assagioli Archives – Florence)[i] Translated and Edited With Notes by Jan Kuniholm[ii]

Abstract: In these notes, Dr. Assagioli encapsulates a comprehensive guide to harmonizing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual facets. Emphasizing disidentification from the body, Assagioli underscores disciplined practices such as rhythmic breathing, mindful movement, and communion with nature to foster physical vitality. Emotional cultivation centers on joy, peace, and aesthetic appreciation, evolving personal feelings into spiritual love and compassion. Mental and spiritual growth entail rigorous study, concentration exercises, and meditation, culminating in communion with the inner self and contemplation of truth. Volitional development emphasizes strong, wise, and good will, aligning individual intentions with higher principles. Expression and service involve writing, artistic endeavors, and dissemination of uplifting materials, alongside nurturing holistic education and fostering positive influences in society. Time management integrates spiritual rhythms into daily, weekly, and yearly cycles, fostering introspection and manifestation. Lastly, Assagioli advocates for right human relations, promoting goodwill, understanding, and cooperation towards collective renewal and envisioning a spiritually infused civilization for the future.

1. PHYSICAL LIFE.

Disidentification from the body; it is the body that is hungry, thirsty, tired, etc.;

not the “I.” The Body is the “temple of God” — Permeated with spirit — its disciplined and rhythmic activity.

MEANS:

1. Breathing: slow, deep and regular breaths (10-12 at a time — 2 or 3 times a day, including walking)
   1. Gymnastics: its great value as a discipline — helps us to feel the body as our “instrument,” to distinguish ourselves from it, to use it. This should be done with attention and mental concentration. Precise movements, “with style;” each movement firm and quick, but with pauses in between.
   1. Walks: rhythmic walking without tension. They help us learn “calm rapidity” (start slowly, then gradually speed up).
   1. Happy (“Franciscan”) communion with the elements: water, air, earth and fire.
   1. Nourishment: taking food as a “ritual.” Blessing food. Eating slowly, chewing well, savoring.

• EMOTIONAL LIFE.

1. Cultivation of spiritual joy. (The duty of joy [is] not to “burden” others; but to give joy, a precious gift, especially now!).
   1. Cultivation of peace, serenity and harmony.
   1. Cultivation of beauty. Development of aesthetic sense.
   1. Spiritual love. Transforming personal emotions and feelings into spiritual love. Arousing love and radiating it. Its aspects, qualities and expressions:

1. “Franciscan,” brotherly love for all creatures.
   1. Loving understanding of all “brothers and sisters in humanity,” considering them as Souls in the process of manifestation.
   1. Compassion (wise and strong, not soft and sentimental) for those who suffer.
   1. Devotion, permeated with admiration and gratitude for the higher souls: geniuses, heroes, artists, saints — the flower of Humanity.
   1. Adoration of God, Truth — Supreme Reality — Synthesis of all goodness and perfection.

• MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL LIFE[iii]

1. Study: its great value as discipline and development of the mind. To study requires: making summaries — copying passages — writing comments — mental “reviewing,” and, when possible, teaching, expounding to others.

1. Topics to study:

1. Astrology: Introduction and horoscope (assimilate well).[iv]
   1. Psychology: Dimnet’s The Art of Thinking;[v] Ramacharaka’s Raja Yoga;[vi] James’ The Ideals of Life;[vii]and Lessons in Psychosynthesis.[viii]
   1. Modern Languages: (see Assagioli, A Psychological Method for Learning Languages.[ix])

• Exercises in Concentration

1. Exercises in observation (see Knowing how to see, Marangoni’s book Knowing How to See;[x] Ramacharaka, Raja Yoga)
   1. Drawing and Reproductive drawing (i.e. copying)
   1. Exercises in “imaginative evocation” — tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory, etc. — see the Lessons.

• Meditation

1. Physical relaxation (comfortable sitting position with upright spine).
   1. Emotional calming. Fervent “upward” aspiration.
   1. Mental concentration. Silence.
   1. Communion with the Inner Christ: “More radiant than the Sun, purer than snow, subtler than ether is the Self, the Spirit within me — I am that Self — that Self am I.”
   1. Meditation (reflection) on a “seed thought” — or on the Higher “I”, the Soul — the spiritual Self.
   1. Contemplation of truth, or inner reality.
   1. Inspiration and Affirmation: “May Christ, and all the Great Beings to whose service I consecrate myself, reveal to me the Light I seek, give me the strong help of Their compassion and Their Wisdom.” There is a peace that transcends all understanding: it dwells in the hearts of those who live in the Eternal. — There is a Power that renews all things; it lives and works in those who realize the Unity of the Spirit — May that Peace hover over me, may that Power lift me up to union with Christ. — May the Peace and Blessing of Christ and all the saints pour over the world. Peace – Peace – Peace.”
   1. A few minutes of receptive silence.
   1. Assimilation: Fixing well in the mind what has been realized. Write down your thoughts and intuitions.

• VOLITIONAL LIFE.[xi]

1. Strong Will. Development of volitional power. This is implemented by constant use of the physical, emotional and mental disciplines already indicated and by special exercises.
   1. Wise Will. Requires psychological and spiritual knowledge of oneself and others.
   1. Good Will. Rightness of intention: selflessness — disinterestedness — harmlessness — harmonizing one’s own will with the will of others (see: VII below: “Right Human Relations”) — unification of individual will with divine will.

• EXPRESSION AND SERVICE

1. Writing for oneself and for others.
   1. “Expressive” drawing.
   1. Spreading good “seeds:” thoughts, transcribed passages, books. Learning to choose reading suitable for the person and the “psychological moment.” Among the books: stories of “salvation” or “redemption” — “uplifting” biographies.
   1. Education.

1. Helping the formation of the physical, emotional and mental personality of children and youth — supporting the awakening of the Soul, the inner Christ, in them. General preparation — Experiments.
   1. Specific, “individual” education for each person, according to his or her particular constitution. Study the person in this light and collect data. Help is available from his or her horoscope.

• Irradiation. Radiate [the qualities and energies of the New Age] around oneself by example and by word: toward people in the family — toward employees — toward friends and acquaintances.
  • National and world service:

1. Prepare to collaborate in future reconstruction work. Try to form clear ideas and have instructions regarding the New Order, the New Age. Begin to implement them in oneself; Imagine or envision a new, truly “Christian” culture — based on the eternal values of the Spirit, expressed in new forms suitable for the new times and for the new mentality of young people.

• “ORDERED LIFE” IN TIME (the various cycles).

1. From Doc.#23920: In time. Harmonious insertion in the various cosmic and human cycles. Make a program for the day, the week, the month, the year; for the various periods of one’s life. Do this with unified and synthetic vision, but with flexibility; be ready to modify them according to external events and inner directions.

• From Doc. #23921:

1. Time of day: morning — afternoon — evening.
   1. Program for the week. A spiritual Sunday .
   1. The Month: from the New Moon to the Full Moon: gradual intensification of inner life (introversion). On the day of the Full Moon, more intense communion with God and with all Higher Beings — with “fellow travelers.” Reception of inspirations. From the Full Moon to the New Moon: gradual “descent,” manifestation and expression of the spiritual force.
   1. The Year.
      1. December to June 21: “Ascent,” culminating at the Full Moons of May and June.
      1. June 21 to December 21: “Descent” — expression — implementation.

• RIGHT HUMAN RELATIONS[xii]

Harmonious involvement with various human groups: family, various social groups, nations, humanity. (Inter-individual psychosynthesis).

Means: constant practice of “good will,” understanding, spirit of cooperation.

Collaborate in reconstruction and renewal in various fields: try to form clear ideas and have insights regarding the New Era. To begin to implement them in oneself. Imagine and think of a new civilization and culture based on the eternal values of the Spirit, but expressed in new forms, adapted to new times, new conditions, new mentality of young people.

[i] The following notes — “(Schematic notes of “psychosynthesis in action”) and “modified “exoteric” edition” — appear only on Doc.#23920, which appears to have been edited to remove all “esoteric” references; the official heading of the Institute appears only on Doc. #23921. This present edition combines the content of both Archive documents, with some discrepancies noted. There may be a more detailed “esoteric” version unknown to this Editor. —Ed.

[ii] Editor’s interpolations are indicated by text in [brackets}. Elisions . . . Are as shown in the archive documents. —Ed.

[iii] In doc. #23920 this heading was “Mental and Intuitive Life.” —Ed.

[iv] Assagioli developed an association with astrologer Dane Rudhyar and was also involved with the esoteric astrology of Alice Bailey. Astrology in this context is not some kind of predictive code but an approach to personality and personal life. —Ed.

[v] Ernest Dimnet, The Art of Thinking, currently available in print or kindle or e-book versions. —Ed.

[vi] Yogi Ramacharaka, Raja Yoga, currently available in print or kindle or e-book versions. —Ed.

[vii] William James, Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life’s Ideals, currently available in print or kindle or e-book versions. —Ed.

[viii] Assagioli’s own books, available in English and Italian, and the Courses of Lessons on Psychosynthesis that were delivered for many years in Italian at the Istituto di Psicosintesi, which as of this date have not yet been translated. —Ed.

[ix] PRF Issue #3, Psychosynthesis Research Foundation, also an earlier version published in The Beacon, Jan.-Feb. 1948, and available online. —Ed.

[x] Matteo Marangoni, Saper vedere – Come si Guarda un’Opera d’Arte le Guide [Knowing How to See – A Guide to How to Look at a Work of Art], 1953, available only in Italian editions. —Ed.

[xi] This heading and its subtopics do not appear in Doc. #23921. This topic is developed later in the author’s book The Act of Will. —Ed.

[xii] This heading and its subtopics do not appear in Doc. #23921. —Ed.