{"id":29485,"date":"2026-03-25T16:12:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennethsorensen.dk\/?p=29485"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:19:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T11:19:25","slug":"practical-human-value-psychic-culture-assagioli-1929","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennethsorensen.dk\/en\/practical-human-value-psychic-culture-assagioli-1929\/","title":{"rendered":"The Practical and Human Value of Psychic Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Early Foundations of Psychosynthesis and Inner Self-Mastery (Rome, 1929)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Roberto Assagioli<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n Director of the Institute of Psychic Culture and Therapy <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nRome \u2013 1929 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n(Doc. #23914\u201323915 \u2013 Assagioli Archives \u2013 Florence) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nPublished as a pamphlet in Rome, 1929 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nOriginal Title: Il valore pratico ed umano della cultura psichica <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nTranslated and Edited With Notes by Jan Kuniholm <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>[1]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n

Editorial Note:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

The abstract and subheadings in this online edition have been added by Kenneth S\u00f8rensen for clarity and navigational purposes. They were not part of the original 1929 publication and do not modify or interpret the original text.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Abstract<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

In this 1929 pamphlet, Roberto Assagioli presents one of the earliest systematic outlines of what would later become psychosynthesis. He argues for the practical and humane value of “psychic culture,” meaning the conscious study and cultivation of the inner life. Psychological ignorance, he contends, leads to wasted energy, emotional imbalance, illness, poor education, vocational errors, and social conflict. In contrast, psychic culture enables wise management of emotional and mental energies, development of the will, discovery of one’s spiritual center, and the harmonious integration of personality. The essay bridges psychotherapy, education, vocational guidance, and social reform, presenting psychosynthesis as both an individual discipline and a social necessity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Psychological Ignorance and Inner Mismanagement<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Not only the fear of God, but also the awareness of one’s own ignorance is the beginning of wisdom. Therefore, the first step in psychic <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>[2]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> culture consists in fully recognizing the ignorance of the facts, laws, and methods, even the most elementary ones, concerning psychic life, in which we generally find ourselves. Modern man, even if educated and intelligent, studies and knows many beautiful things, but does not care to study and know what constitutes his most intimate and vital part: his own soul.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A few comparisons may give a clearer and more vivid idea of \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bthis state of affairs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What would you say about a person who did not know that the earth revolves around the sun? Or about someone who tried to drive a car without knowing anything about its structure and how it works, and without having had any lessons on how to drive it? Or about someone who saw about cultivating the land without having any knowledge of agriculture? You can easily imagine the mistakes and damage that would result! Well, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>without exaggeration<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> , this is what usually happens in the inner world. We set out in life, trying to direct ourselves and educate others, without any clear and precise knowledge, without any adequate preparation for such arduous and delicate tasks. And the effects, unfortunately, can be seen everywhere. A list of all the psychological mistakes that are constantly being made would be very long.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Misuse and Repression of Psychic Energies\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Man has many precious energies that make him strong, healthy, and efficient, give him countless joys and satisfactions, and make him a powerful instrument of good for others \u2014 yet he almost never knows how to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities that are offered to him. We often squander these treasures of energy in inappropriate and harmful ways, or at least in ways that are sterile and futile.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On the contrary, it is not uncommon for us, when driven by unjustified fears or preconceived traditions, to strive to repress or violently combat many vital and emotional energies, judging them to be bad; whereas, if we knew how to control them harmoniously, channel them and transform them appropriately, they would be of great help to us. Another serious mistake that almost all of us make is to leave unused the most important and most fruitful psychic energies, those that flow in the depths of our being; and in this we are like farmers who work hard on ungrateful land, unaware of the rich veins of oil flowing underground.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These and many other psychological errors \u2014 which we commit in ignorance of the laws of psychic life, out of inability and weakness in the face of the forces that stir within us \u2014 not only limit our activity and are a source of damage and failure in our practical life, but also often undermine and greatly damage our very health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychological Errors and Physical Health\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The strong influence that the mind exerts on the body was well known to the ancients, and was wisely used by them for healing purposes. Modern medicine, however, steeped until recently in materialistic doctrines and concerned only with the investigation of the tangible and visible phenomena of the body, has generally neglected this influence. However, the study of certain psychiatric patients, in whom many physical disorders have been found to be <\/span>produced<\/span><\/i> by psychological causes and <\/span>curable<\/span><\/i> by psychological means, has recently led more open-minded doctors to attach greater importance to the psychological element.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, it is increasingly recognized that moral factors [4] <\/a><\/span> are of great importance, not only in psychiatric patients but in all patients. Psychic influences operate not only directly through the nerves that regulate various organic functions but also indirectly through the modification of external and internal secretions, the latter having proved, as is well known, to be very important. The action of moods on secretions is already evident from commonly observed facts, such as \u201cmouth watering,” i.e., the secretion of the salivary glands at the mere sight of appetizing food, or cold sweat caused by fear. This has been confirmed and clarified by a series of important physiological studies, such as those by Pavlov [5] <\/a><\/span> on the psychic secretion of the stomach glands, those by Cannon [6] <\/a><\/span> on emotional glycosuria, and those by Gates, who demonstrated the formation of poisons in the body as a result of anger and fear.[7] <\/a><\/span> It is therefore easy to understand how the psychological errors we make can turn into real diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n

Economy and Organization of Psychic Energies\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

But in addition to eliminating these harmful effects, psychic culture offers a series of important <\/span>positive<\/span><\/i> aids, valuable tools for life. A first advantage is the wise economy and organization of psychic energies. As is well known, there is now a vast movement of studies and applications aimed at eliminating the waste of energy, time, and money in manual labor and in the running of companies and industries. These are known as \u201cTaylorism\u201d (named after the American engineer [8] <\/a><\/span> who was one of its main initiators), scientific organization, and the \u201crationalization\u201d of industrial and commercial enterprises.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, with the various methods of psychic culture, we are trying to do something similar in the inner world, eliminating the waste of emotional and mental energy, organizing the complex work of our faculties in a more rational, practical, and productive way, thus achieving maximum performance with minimum wear and tear on the powerful but delicate mechanism of our psyche. Here are some examples chosen from among the simplest and most common experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning, Memory, and Emotional Control<\/span><\/h3>\n

Studying in general, and particularly preparation for exams, is mostly done haphazardly, without method, without even thinking about knowing and respecting the precise psychological laws on which their success depends. As we all know, the commonly used procedure (which does not deserve the name of \u201cmethod\u201d) is that of hasty, exhausting, and sterile memorization of facts in the few weeks before exams; a procedure by which one generally manages to \u201cpass,\u201d showing off one\u2019s flimsy knowledge in front of professors who are more or less shrewd. But \u201cpassing\u201d is sometimes accompanied by a less welcome nervous breakdown, and in any case a rapid forgetting, and therefore the need to start all over again when you really need to <\/span>know<\/span><\/i> something. There are, however, learning methods based on knowledge of the laws of memory, the unconscious, and its various relationships with waking consciousness, which allow us to learn what we want with incomparably less effort \u2014 and in a useful and lasting way. This applies to any field of study, but especially to languages, which, instead of being learned by yawning over dull grammar books, can become a pleasant and stimulating activity, an entertaining intellectual game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to exams, I will recall that the opposite case also occurs less frequently, but not all that rarely: that of students who are well prepared, or no less so than others, who are unable to remember what they know at the moment of questioning, but who are able to explain it with the greatest ease an hour before or an hour after. In these cases, it is a matter of poor emotional control. Fear, impressionability, and uncontrolled shyness cloud the mind and paralyze the memory\u2019s ability to recall. This problem, which is often the source of serious practical difficulties, failure, and undeserved humiliation, can be eliminated through the use of psychological methods that enable the disciplining of emotional energies. Not only learning, but also intellectual and artistic production can be greatly facilitated, made more fruitful and less tiring, by the knowledge and use of the particular psychological technique with which they are implemented. There are particular stimuli that are useful for initiating and intensifying our creative activities; there are laws and conditions of unconscious processing that must be known and respected; there are methods to facilitate the birth of the creatures of our thoughts and imagination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vocational Aptitudes and Applied Psychology<\/span><\/h3>\n

In another field, applied psychology can be of great help: that of discovering our particular practical aptitudes, and therefore of choosing our career or profession. For some who feel a clear preference, an imperious urge towards a given task, the problem is easy to solve, and sometimes it does not even arise. But for many others this is not the case: some, gifted with a versatile nature, feel capable of doing many different things; others, due to excessive self-doubt, discouraging suggestions from others, or because a slower maturation delays the manifestation of their true nature, do not find well-defined aptitudes within themselves. For both groups, there is the possibility of harmful hesitation and procrastination, and even more harmful mistakes, which can result in wasted lives, at least from the point of view of external success and the satisfaction that comes from doing a job that truly suits oneself. Well, there are psychological methods that can bring latent aptitudes to the surface and provide reliable guidance and direction in choosing the most suitable job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So far, we have examined applications concerning our practical effectiveness in external life. But there is a whole other group of applications concerning the knowledge, mastery, and development of our inner being, which in turn naturally help and enhance our activity in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

A first type of such applications concerns our own body. We have seen how mistakes and misdirected psychic forces can exhaust it and make it sick; fortunately, it is equally true that with suitable methods and a skillful use of psychological energies, it can also be restored and healed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychotherapy and the Emergence of Psychosynthesis\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

This has given rise to a whole new branch of medicine, <\/span>psychotherapy<\/span><\/i>, which has a range of different methods for different needs and cases: <\/span>hypnotism<\/span><\/i>, now largely abandoned;[9] <\/a><\/span> suggestion<\/span><\/i>, which is applied in increasingly subtle ways, to the point of becoming a method directing of the unconscious implemented by the patient themselves; Dubois\u2019[10]<\/a><\/span> persuasion<\/span><\/i>; various methods of <\/span>reeducation<\/span><\/i> of different psychic functions; Freud’s much-discussed <\/span>psychoanalysis<\/span><\/i>, with subsequent modifications made to it by Adler, Jung, and Stekel; and finally, the emergence of a broader and more comprehensive psychotherapy, which also takes into account and makes use of superconscious elements and spiritual energies, aiming at a total reconstruction of the patient\u2019s personality, and which is therefore called <\/span>psychosynthesis<\/span><\/i>.[11] <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

It should be noted that all this is of interest and concern not only to doctors, but also and no less to the non-medical public. Already in every branch of medicine, with the exception of surgery, the patient\u2019s role is becoming less and less passive. The patient is no longer a person who lies in bed and obediently swallows pills and potions (which were sometimes more or less colored and disguised as \u201c<\/span>mica panis<\/span><\/i>\u201d and \u201c<\/span>aqua fontis<\/span><\/i>\u201d[12]<\/a><\/span>). Nowadays, proper treatment consists of a series of hygienic and dietary prescriptions and a whole lifestyle that the patient himself must follow, and it is therefore advisable that he be as well informed and convinced as possible of the reasons for this. The same applies to nursing staff and family members. But this intelligent understanding and willing help are all the more necessary \u2014 as is easy to understand \u2014 in mental health care. In this field, conscious and willing cooperation on the part of the patient is necessary, and the more active it is, the better it is for him. In this field, an ignorant or unperceptive nurse can compromise the treatment; a restless and anxious environment, pity, conflicts of opinion among family members, impatience, and doubts can cause serious harm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, knowledge of psychotherapeutic procedures is very useful in <\/span>preventing<\/span><\/i> many psychological disorders, both in adults and especially in young people and children, and in carrying out appropriate hygiene and mental prophylaxis on ourselves and others. It is therefore in everyone’s interest to know the main elements of this new and promising branch of medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Transformation of Psychic Energies\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

A second type of application of the methods of inner culture concerns the control and conscious use of our vital and psychic energies.<\/span><\/p>\n

It has recently been discovered that these energies act and react on each other and transform into each other in way analogous to that of physical energies. Just as heat can be transformed into movement or electricity, and conversely movement and electricity into heat, etc., so it can be seen how a passion or emotion can be transformed into external action or intellectual activity, how images and thoughts give rise to emotions and feelings, and how external acts can in turn give rise to images or affective states.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, this complex and incessant interplay of actions and reactions takes place automatically, without our awareness or control, and we are often victims of undesirable, inappropriate, or violent effects. There are many practical applications in this field. For example, in many cases this way, and only this way, leads to the resolution of the difficult problems associated with sexual life in a healthy, appropriate, and elevated manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Education of the Will and Creative Imagination<\/span><\/h3>\n

Particularly noteworthy, due to their great and still unsuspected importance, are the methods that teach the use of the immense power of imagination and thought. These are true creative energies, usually used unconsciously and in a harmful and destructive way, but capable of infinite possibilities for good if used consciously and wisely. Somewhat better known, but equally little applied, are the even more valuable methods that teach the education of the highest and at the same time most dangerous faculty of the human soul: the <\/span>will<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Need for Synthesis<\/span><\/h3>\n

At this point, one might think that the enumeration of methods of psychic culture is finished, and in fact published works dealing with this subject do not go beyond this. But in reality, stopping here would mean stopping halfway through the work; indeed, one could say that the most important and best part would be missing, the crowning achievement of the edifice, which alone gives it dignity and value. So far, we have analytically examined a series of particular methods, each of which tends to achieve partial results that are, to a certain extent, independent of one another and may even be contradictory. What is missing, therefore, is the <\/span>synthesis<\/span><\/i>; that is, the selection and coordination of those methods toward a unified goal, according to a vast and harmonious plan for the integral reconstruction of our being. This work of <\/span>psychosynthesis<\/span><\/i>, like the others, has two inseparable but distinct aspects or moments: one of knowledge and understanding, the other of implementation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery of the Inner Center\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The preliminary and essential task of <\/span>psychosynthesis<\/span><\/i> is the discovery of our deepest being, of the <\/span>center<\/span><\/i> of ourselves. This must be understood in two senses: first, as the discovery of the spiritual element in a universal sense, distinct from and superior to all purely <\/span>psychological<\/span><\/i> elements; second, as the discovery of one\u2019s <\/span>own<\/span><\/i> individual center, one\u2019s own specific spiritual \u201cnote\u201d \u2014 one\u2019s own <\/span>inner<\/span><\/i> calling, which is something different from one\u2019s practical and professional vocation. These discoveries require a special effort that is very different from analytical introspection: it is an act of recollection, meditation, and deepening in which all the elements of our personality with which we usually identify \u2014 the clamorous sensations of the body, the wide and varied range of emotions and feelings, the swarming and tangled web of thoughts in which our true being is [usually] dispersed and forgotten \u2014 are gradually set aside until we create inner silence and in which we grasp, possess and realize our naked, simple and radiant spiritual essence.<\/span><\/p>\n

From this inner Center, which is our being, our truest and best Self, we can draw the Light and Strength necessary to endure the severe pains that sometimes shake and seem to dissolve our personalities without being overwhelmed; to resist attacks, to rise from falls, and to resume the journey with renewed vigor. This is possible because that inner Center puts us in contact with the Mystery that surrounds us; with the Great Realities, with the Supreme Being in which we live, move, and have our being, and from whom we can draw all the Strength, Help, and Love that we are worthy and capable of containing.<\/span><\/p>\n

From this inner peak, with the Light that descends from it to illuminate the other regions of the psyche, with the inexhaustible strength we draw from it, we can accomplish the concrete work of recognizing, balancing, and synthesizing the psychological elements of the personality. The task of understanding one’s own special psychological constitution \u2014 which is neither easy nor simple, given the great complexity and frequent contradictions of its constituent elements \u2014 is made easier if it is divided into two parts:<\/span><\/p>\n

Individual Psychological Types<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Studying the various psychological types that exist and recognizing which one we belong to. This is the field of \u201cindividual psychology.\u201d Until recently, this was limited to a simple classification of temperaments, a purely descriptive characterology, but in recent decades it has been deepened and refined, although it can still be said to be in formation. Different types of extroverts and introverts have been discovered and described, as well as expansive and withdrawn types, practical, emotional, intellectual, and intuitive types, and combinations of all these are being studied. [13]<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Once we have recognized the type to which we belong, we must then proceed to a more subtle clarification of our own special, unique mixture and qualitative and quantitative combination of elements that makes each of us a <\/span>unique<\/span><\/i> being and gives humanity its inexhaustible variety and richness of individual manifestations. On the one hand, this variety and richness constitute its interest and charm (think how tedious it would be if we were all the same or reduced to a few models!), but on the other hand, they create complications and dramas, with the misunderstandings that arise from them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Constructing the Personality\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Having made this twofold investigation, it is a matter of choosing, among the various general methods of psychic culture we have mentioned, the ones best suited to correct and develop each type, and to solve the particular problems of each individual. Each person needs to formulate their own plan of action, choosing and creating, or rather understanding and intuiting, the ideal model to which they should adapt. It is a matter of building one’s own personality and making it an agile and obedient tool, of creating the most suitable <\/span>form<\/span><\/i> for manifesting and expressing our individual \u201cnote,\u201d of finding the lifestyle that suits us, and of fulfilling our inner vocation. This is a work that is at once wise and artistic, and at the same time essentially practical. In it lies the secret of satisfaction and success in their broadest and highest sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The complexity of this work should not worry or discourage us. It can be carried out in a gradual, orderly, harmonious, and peaceful manner. And the satisfaction and benefits gained from the first successes and achievements provide the stimulus and encouragement to continue. Of course, adequate teaching and supervision by experienced guides can greatly facilitate the task and accelerate the pace.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Psychological Culture in Family Life<\/span><\/h3>\n

    But psychic culture does not only have personal and individual applications; its scope extends to the vast field of interpersonal and social relationships. Here, too, there is a great task of enlightenment to be accomplished. If we know and understand little about ourselves, we understand even less about others. And from this ignorance \u2014 made worse by the fact that we are mostly unaware of it \u2014 comes a sad series of errors of judgment, misunderstandings, and conflicts with which we hurt one another and, painful to say, especially those who are dearest to us. In fact, a large part of these errors are committed within the family.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Generational and Educational Conflicts<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Let us first examine the relationship between parents and children. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the physical upbringing of children, at least among the educated classes. In the psychological field, however, progress has been very limited. Thus, doctors who deal with psychological disorders have observed how many forms of hysteria [14] <\/a><\/span> and neurasthenia [15] <\/a><\/span> have been fostered, and sometimes even created, by an anxious and oppressive emotional environment, by indulgence and weakness, or by inappropriate severity, uncontrolled violence, and disorienting inconsistency on the part of parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Even when these errors do not lead to actual illnesses, they are sufficient to produce faults, weaknesses, and disharmony in children that can have harmful consequences throughout their lives. Later on, when children become adolescents and young adults, a particular kind of misunderstanding and conflict often arises due to the difference in mentality between two different generations, in addition to other general causes. Turgenev masterfully described, in his famous novel <\/span>Fathers and Sons, <\/span><\/i>a type of conflict of this kind that existed in his time in Russia, but it can be said that with each new generation a new type of such conflict arises. In these conflicts, the misunderstanding is mutual, and the resulting errors of judgment and behavior are to be attributed to both sides.<\/span><\/p>\n

    However, one reservation must be made: fortunately, there are quite a few exceptions. There are parents who know how to remain young at heart or renew themselves and become young again with their children. Conversely, there are young people who absorb the mentality of adults to such an extent that they conform to their generation and become inwardly old before they have been young.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Errors partly similar to those of parents, but partly different, are committed by other adults who care for children and young people: governesses, teachers, and professors. I will mention only the anti-psychological and often unfair way in which too many teachers conduct exams, which is to the detriment of the shy and impressionable who are well prepared, and to the advantage of the calm and bold. (I can say this without suspicion of personal bias, because as a student I belonged to the second category and therefore always got higher grades than I deserved!).<\/span><\/p>\n

    Psychological Differences Between Men and Women\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    A third area in which errors caused by ignorance and psychological misunderstanding are the cause of incalculable harm and unhappiness is in the relations between men and women, especially in the intimate and continuous coexistence of spouses. There are fundamental differences in the psychological makeup of men and women, which lead to a completely different way of seeing themselves, others, and life, of acting and reacting, and this is a constant source of misunderstandings and conflicts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Oh, if instead of teaching so many things about the distant past or so many facts about the mineral and vegetable kingdoms \u2014 notions that are certainly interesting but have no immediate reference to our daily lives \u2014 we taught the fundamental facts of human psychology, such as this one about the different psychosexual constitutions, how many unnecessary mistakes, how much suffering, and how many tragedies would be spared!<\/span><\/p>\n

    Another category of misunderstandings and clashes is that between superiors and inferiors in various social fields: industry, employment, the army, etc. A particular but very thorny and topical case of this kind is the vexing question of \u201cdomestic servants,\u201d[16] <\/a><\/span> which embitters the lives of so many ladies! Then there are misunderstandings \u2014 which almost amount to incompatibility of character \u2014 between categories of people with very different psychological types and attitudes: for example, between artists and practical men, between scientific minds and mystical souls, and so on. This leads to misunderstandings and clashes between larger groups: between political parties, between social classes, between different nationalities. These conflicts are naturally produced by multiple and complex factors, but one of the most important among them is psychological.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Social and Class Conflicts as Psychological Problems<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Prejudices, antipathies, malicious criticism, offensive judgments, impulsive and violent acts based on mutual ignorance between classes, peoples, and races sometimes dangerously complicate and exacerbate other causes of dissent or rivalry, which could instead be eliminated with objective and calm consideration and with a fair reconciliation of interests, beneficial to all parties concerned, which would open the way to fruitful cooperation. In this way, the vital and psychic energies, previously consumed in combative and destructive activities, would be used for constructive and productive purposes, to increase the sum of common well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Social Synthesis and Moral Action<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Such a vast work of understanding, harmony, reconciliation, and inter-individual and social synthesis cannot be accomplished (as contemporary events demonstrate) solely through idealistic or abstract statements, however noble but ineffective; or through legal and formal agreements, which are too superficial and generic. It requires concrete psychological and moral action based on principles and methods similar to those we have seen that apply to the individual. It is a matter of knowing, mastering, and directing on a large scale the same psychic forces that are at work in individuals. Hence the greater social and human value of the study of psychology and methods of inner culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Concrete Programs and Institutional Proposals<\/span><\/h3>\n

    As can be seen, the field of action that interests us is very broad and varied: it implies profound changes and achievements in education, instruction, medicine, and various forms of social life. It is the work of generations, but one in which everyone can already play a small or large beneficial role, having a place according to their aptitudes and abilities. The first step is to spread knowledge and appreciation of the principles and methods we have discussed through conferences, courses, lectures, readings, but also through individual dissemination from person to person. Among the concrete projects that could be implemented in the near future, if there are willing collaborators, we can mention:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. In the field of education<\/span><\/i>:\u00a0<\/span>\n
        \n
      1. an educational counseling center for parents and teachers who have difficulties with their children or students;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. a school where new psychological methods of education are applied;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. special courses for educators.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      4. In the individual field<\/span><\/i>: a private counseling center for people who are struggling with difficulties and problems and do not know where to find help or guidance. Such people often resort to charlatans in their desperation, or allow themselves to be defeated by life. Such a counseling center could develop into a special service for the prevention of suicide due to moral causes.<\/span><\/li>\n
      5. In the medical field<\/span><\/i>:\u00a0<\/span>\n
          \n
        1. a course for nurses and health assistants;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        2. a course for young doctors;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. a nursing home where all direct and indirect psychotherapeutic methods (such as music therapy) would be used systematically.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          In this vast program, I repeat, there is room for every skill and every collaboration. We do not lack faith and fervor; we cordially invite all those who are willing to \u201c<\/span>take to the field to sow the good seed<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          …<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

          [1]<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/a> Interpolations by this editor are shown in [brackets]. -Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [2]<\/span><\/span><\/a> The author uses the word “psychic” in its broadest sense of the interior life, which includes all that is “psychological.” -Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [3]<\/span><\/span><\/a> The author uses the Italian word “suggestionare” here to indicate that the influence is often a kind of unconscious absorption of suggestions. -Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [4]<\/span><\/span><\/a> The Italian word \u201cmorale\u201d is here translated as \u201cmoral\u201d or \u201cthe moral,\u201d but the Italian as Assagioli uses it has a broad sense of indicating spirit, emotion, sense of right and wrong, or morale in the English sense of sense of self or confidence, as well as \u201cstates of mind.\u201d As an adjective the term suggests \u201cbehavioral\u201d as well as \u201cethical.\u201d \u2014 Tr.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [5]<\/span><\/span><\/a> Ivan Pavlov (1849\u20131936) was a Russian experimental neurologist and physiologist known primarily for his discovery of classical conditioning, and significant research on the physiology of digestion, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904. \u2014Ed.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [6]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Walter Bradford Cannon (1871\u20131945) taught physiology and comparative anatomy at Harvard. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

          [7]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Elmer R. Gates (1859\u20131923) was an American scientist and inventor who conducted experiments in the chemistry and physiology of human emotions in his psychology laboratory in Chevy Chase, MD. He demonstrated that poisons are produced in the human body triggered by various emotions and feeling patterns. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [8]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856\u20131915) was an American mechanical engineer who developed methods to improve industrial efficiency, which developed into the concepts of scientific management, many of which are still part of industrial engineering and management. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [9]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> It should be noted that hypnotherapy reemerged as a legitimate means of help for patients after this essay was written. It is now practiced for the help or healing of a variety of conditions by both doctors and professional hypnotherapists. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

          [10]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Paul Charles Dubois (1848\u20131918) was a Swiss neuropathologist and general medical practitioner who eventually became a highly regarded psychotherapist and professor of neuropathology at the University of Bern. He developed a form of Socratic dialogue, using the doctor-patient relationship as a means to persuade the patient to change behaviour. His work was a precursor of rational or cognitive therapy. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [11]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Assagioli himself had introduced his \u201cnew method of healing, psychosynthesis,\u201d two years prior to the publication of this essay. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [12]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Latin for \u201cbread crumbs\u201d or \u201cspring water.\u201d – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [13]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Assagioli originally developed a concept of human types which expanded upon those put forth by Jung, but later wrote about his own revised approach, which presented seven fundamental types in essays that were assembled and published as Psychosynthesis Typology (originally i tipi umani in Italian), published by the Institute of Psychosynthesis in London in 1983. \u2014Ed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

          [14]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> \u201cHysteria\u201d is no longer used as a diagnostic term; it was a broad term that is now covered by \u201cconversion disorder,\u201d \u201cdissociative disorder,\u201d \u201canxiety disorders,\u201d and other designations. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [15]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> \u201cNeurasthenia\u201d is another term that is no longer used diagnostically; the conditions associated with it include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, chemical sensitivities, anxiety, and depression. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

          [16]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Many middle-class as well as upper-class families employed domestic servants such as housekeepers and cooks at the time of this writing, both in Europe and in the United States. Such positions were often, but not always, filled by immigrants or people of lower social strata. This practice is now more limited to people of greater wealth. – Oath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Early Foundations of Psychosynthesis and Inner Self-Mastery (Rome, 1929) Dr. Roberto Assagioli Director of the Institute of Psychic Culture and Therapy Rome \u2013 1929 (Doc. #23914\u201323915 \u2013 Assagioli Archives \u2013 Florence) Published as a pamphlet in Rome, 1929 Original Title: Il valore pratico ed umano della cultura psichica Translated and Edited With Notes by Jan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":875,"featured_media":29486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-various-assagioli-articles","entry","override","gs-1","gs-odd","gs-even","gs-featured-content-entry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Human Value of Psychic Culture \u2013 Assagioli (1929)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Roberto Assagioli\u2019s 1929 essay outlines the 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Another of our mistaken attitudes is to try to stifle pain or escape from painful situations and difficult problems by seeking distractions and excitement. This escape from ourselves solves nothing and, even if it gives us momentary relief, it leaves us weaker and more powerless than before. Furthermore, serious mistakes are often made due to a lack of self-control and self-mastery, of a trained will, so that we are overwhelmed by the onset of impulses and passions. We continually allow ourselves to be influenced and \u2014 let’s say the right word \u2014 <\/span><\/span><\/span>manipulated <\/span><\/span>[3]<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/i> by other people, newspapers, and books, so that we delude ourselves into thinking that it is <\/span><\/span><\/span>we<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> who are thinking, judging, and deciding, when in fact we are doing nothing more than passively obeying external impulses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n