Most people confuse a peak spiritual experience with realising the Self. The Superconscious is active and creative; the Self is motionless, aware, and the source of both.
By Roberto Assagioli
Lecture notes, 28 May 1968
Assagioli Archive, Florence
Original title: Didattica Generale
Translated by Gordon Symons
Editorial Note
The abstract and contextual subtitle in this online edition have been added by the editor, Kenneth Sørensen, to support readability, navigation, and archival consistency. The original wording has not been altered.
The following are some unfinished, however interesting notes about the Seven Ways and the differences between the Superconscious and the Self, by Assagioli.
Abstract
In these notes, Roberto Assagioli draws a distinction he considers fundamental and widely misunderstood: the Superconscious is active, creative, and richly animated, while the Self is a pure center of awareness that remains motionless, projecting influence without being active in itself. The Self, he says, is what Aristotle called the Unmoved Mover. Both must be understood if we are to navigate the transpersonal dimension without confusion.
We should go and see if there is such a thing as the “Superconscious”. That is, to make it a direct experience. There are seven roads, or ways to the spirit:
1 ) – A modern psychology: intuitive or cognitive not in a rational sense, that is, to become aware directly in two ways:
a) emptying the field of consciousness from the usual contents and directing the attention and aspiration of feeling towards what is impersonal, what is essential.
b) you can also, always experimentally, accept the three main aspects of those who have had this experience, that is: the beautiful, the good and the true.
The truth is that which is essential reality, an absence outside of all the contingent elements; beauty is harmony, order, etc. on a platonic scale: form, morality, idea; the good, that is, the principle of kindness, of love, of union. These are the qualities of the Self, of the spirit, they are the most accessible manifestations of the “Superconscious”.
2) The mystical religious way.
3) The aesthetic way: aesthetics of external beauty, and from that to go up again.
4 ) The illuminative way: that is, the spirit as a blazing light that comes down.
5) The heroic way: that of action, cause, ideal.
6) Ethical-regenerative way: conversion; abandonment of all imperfections, selfish attachments; ideal of improvement, etc.
7 ) The ritual way: active participation in rites. All of these can continue. Read the reports of those who have had these experiences that elicit something corresponding in us.
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Smiling Wisdom (read)
It is not just a search for a Self that may seem vague and elusive; the whole area of the superconscious is throbbing with life, is animated, rich and colorful.
Remember the difference between “spiritual Self” and “superconscious”. In general, it must be said: it is not a question of discovering this almost elusive Self, but of entering into a fullness of greater life; in experiences what the great artists have had, the religious and heroes who have lived a more intense and richer life which, to some extent, is within everyone’s reach. This is the Superconscious, and if there is a SELF at the top, you will also see this, but if you do not find it, this is enough to live a full life. This can be more attractive. New way of seeing life: that is, speak above all of the Superconscious, that is, of the region of superconscious life, and SELF as a transcendent background.
Distinguish SELF from the whole region of the “Superconscious” (see diagram).
The Buddha never affirmed the SELF, but rather a state of bliss called nirvana which is inexpressible, and which one must go looking for. SELF is not discussed. For spiritual psychosynthesis the “Superconscious” (joy) is sufficient.
We continue to speak of the “Superconscious”. It takes a lot of effort to keep the cellars clean, why don’t we go out on the terrace for a while? Why are you here? Because you are not feeling well, because you are unhappy. As long as you are happy to be “down to earth” … that’s all right!
But if you want something else, I tell you there is something, but a minimum of spirit of adventure is needed to look for it. And there is joy, there is fullness of life, there is satisfaction, there are new experiences, there is a whole other world, more beautiful, more satisfying, more grand.
It is not just the search for a SELF that can seem abstract, vague, elusive, no! We must distinguish well: the whole area of the Superconscious is throbbing with life, it is animated, it is full, it is colorful.
Always remember well the difference between the “Spiritual Self” and the “Superconscious”. In general it must be said: it is not a question of discovering this SELF, which is so elusive, but it is a question of entering into a greater, more intense and rich fullness of life: this is the Superconscious. If there is a SELF at the top, you will also see this, but even if you do not find the SELF, you will encounter this wider sphere of life: it is as if one did not reach the top of a mountain, but almost.
You can have a rich, full, “Superconscious” life without having the experience of SELF.
