In this unfinished paper, Assagioli writes about the psychosynthesis of a nation and the role of the best citizen.
Psychoanalysis and psychosynthesis
When we observe the most obvious characteristics of contemporary civilisation, we are struck by its extreme extraversion, its desire to know and master the forces of nature, in order to satisfy its ever growing needs and demands. This is indeed the dominating trend of our age—but by no means the only one, as a closer study will reveal.
Opening Adress
OPENING ADDRESS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PSYCHOSYNTHESIS Val Morin, Quebec, August 1973
Spiritual Development and Nervous Diseases
Man’s spiritual development is a long and arduous adventure a journey through strange lands full of surprises, difficulties and even; dangers. In reality it is no less than the passing from the human to the spiritual kingdom.
Meditation: reflective, receptive and creative meditation
As in the case of many other words used in psychology (for example, “mind”, “personality”, “soul”), different meanings are ascribed to the word “meditation”. In its more restricted sense, it can be regarded as synonymous with disciplined thought or reflection on an idea. More broadly, it embraces other kinds of inner action, for which disciplined thought is a prerequisite. In psychosynthesis, meditation is considered and practiced in this wider connotation. We shall thus indicate with appropriate terminology, as the need arises, the types of meditation we wish to discuss.
Money and the spiritual life
If we observe and examine ourselves with that complete and fearless sincerity which ought to characterize all true and earnest aspirants to the spiritual life, we soon discover that the thought of money arouses in all of us deep and intense reactions. It is a tumult of conflicting emotions, of passionate attitudes, which proves that money constitutes—adopting the convenient psychoanalytic terminology—a strong complex.
Meditation for psychosynthesis: Growth in the world
This is a short outline for meditation on supporting the “entity of Psychosynthesis”
May the Spirit of Peace Spread Everywhere
Let us try to understand who the Spirit of Peace is and the Spiritual meaning of Peace.
Where Peace is concerned, there exist some particular mistakes and misunderstandings. There is a true and an untrue Peace.
A Modern Epictetus: Han Ryner
WE must not be surprised if Han Ryner, the latest follower of Epictetus, is also a gifted poet. Stoicism, which for the reporters of daily papers is a synonym of pathological insensibility, may be a source of great poetry. To believe this it suffices to have read the inspired hymn, in which Cleantus celebrates the harmonious order of the Universe, under the name of Zeus. What, on the contrary, must astonish and delight us is the quality of Han Ryner’s poetry, quite unusual nowadays?
The Art and Technique of Silence
It might seem a contradiction in terms, or at least a paradox, to talk about silence, but actually it isn’t. As with many other pairs of opposites, the two poles of speech and silence aren’t antagonistic; they don’t exclude each other, and both are necessary. The problem lies not in suppressing one of them, but rather in the wise regulation of both of them; this is one aspect, one important application, of the Law of Right Relations.
