By Kenneth Sørensen, MA in Psychosynthesis
This collection of quotes from Assagioli’s texts is created with the purpose of supplementing the information in my book: The Soul of Psychosynthesis . In it, I propose the hypothesis that the father of Psychosynthesis, Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974), has written his psychology into a philosophical tradition known as evolutionary panentheism.
Roberto Assagioli states that psychosynthesis does not seek to provide a “metaphysical or theological explanation of the great Mystery” (1975, p. 16). This statement is often quoted by people with a background in psychosynthesis, and although Assagioli undoubtedly maintained an openness to the many metaphysical explanations, his writings show a clear tendency. Throughout his books and articles one finds metaphysical statements that very often seem to point in the same direction. In this chapter I will try to make it plausible that evolutionary panentheism is the overarching metaphysical philosophy that Assagioli lets shine through his books and texts. My task is not to make it plausible whether panentheism is the truth, but simply whether Assagioli was inspired by this idea.
It is a concept that Ken Wilber and Esalen Institute co-founder Michael Murphy also use to explain their philosophy. In his article on Panentheism, Murphy shows how some of history’s greatest intellectual giants have come to this assumption under different names (Murphy, 2012). [1]
Murphy mentions, among others: Johann G. Fichte (1762-1814), Friedrich Schelling (1775-1854), GWF Hegel (1770-1831), Henri Bergson (1859-1941), Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), Paul Tillich (1886-1965), Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947), Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950).
First, it is important to distinguish the concept from pantheism , which is the assumption that there is no difference between God and nature, that they constitute the same whole. The crucial difference that pan -en -theism adds is that the One (God, Brahman, Spirit) permeates the universe with its life and yet transcends it. The One is both transcendent and immanently present in creation. The One is in everything, but is at the same time greater than the created universe.
In short, this means that God (Brahman, the Spirit, the One) permeates and transcends the universe, so that God is both transcendent and immanent in creation. God is in everything, but is at the same time greater than the created universe. It is through evolution and thus also humanity that God unfolds his inherent potentials. According to this theory, the human soul and all other beings are “emanated” from God or “Pleroma,” or psychologically from the Self. Emanation comes from “emanare,” which means to “flow out” of God’s abundance or fullness. All beings are thus “flowed out” from the same divine source and down through the different inner levels of consciousness to the physical world, where man forgets his origin. It is the unconscious/conscious longing for the original unity that, according to the theory, causes all living beings to seek back to the source, and this is called
evolution. When the evolutionary perspective is brought in, the whole purpose of human existence becomes to awaken to the divine potential that we have come to unfold, so that we can manifest it on earth.
That the One is present everywhere in nature and therefore in man does not mean that perfection, perfect love, is a realized reality. The One is present, as life in all, as a divine potentiality, wrapped up and hidden in the physical, emotional, mental, and superconscious levels of existence. What Murphy is saying is that “although these heralds framed their vision differently, they agreed that cosmic history was driven by God’s desire to manifest in the physical world.”
Murphy describes evolutionary panentheism this way: “It is based on just a few basic principles, such as: first, that evolution is a fact (although its discovery has fostered various theories about it); second, that our universe arose from and is conditioned by a world-transcending higher reality, call it The One, God, Brahman, the Absolute, Buddhanature, Geist, or Tao; and third, that it can be known through immediate experience either spontaneously or through transformative practices” (Murphy, 2012).
The big question now is whether this metaphysical perspective was what Assagioli let shine through his texts? In the following, I will present a number of quotes by Assagioli and put them in perspective in relation to panentheism.
What I would specifically look for in Assagioli’s writings is the following:
- A transcendent reality that is greater than its creation – the universe.b. A transcendent reality that creates the universe through emanation or involution , that is, creates a series of inner worlds that culminate in the material one and where the deity is immanently present in creation. (Is marked in orange in the texts below)
- A transcendent reality that maintains and develops the universe through evolution , that is, the divine life, via the mineral kingdom, plant kingdom, animal kingdom and human kingdom flows back to the deity after it has first been anchored in the physical, but now made conscious with the experiences in the different worlds. (Marked in blue in the texts below)
- That the transpersonal self or soul is an inherent aspect of this involutionary and evolutionary journey, with the purpose of manifesting the divine life on earth.
Creation of the Universe
In the article The Balancing and Synthesis of Opposites, Assagioli begins his article with the following perspective.
1) “Polarity is a universal fact inherent in cosmic manifestation. It is true that the ultimate and highest reality is the One, the Absolute and the Transcendent, but this reality can only be defined by what it is not.
From the very moment that cosmic manifestation begins to unfold, duality is born. The first fundamental duality is precisely that which exists between the manifested and the unmanifested. In the Bhagavad Gita this is expressed in the words: “Having permeated the entire universe with a fragment of myself, I remain.” In the process of manifestation, the fundamental polarity is between Spirit and Matter. ” (Assagioli, 1972 )
In the above quote, Assagioli affirms that he believes that everything emanates from a transcendent reality, which can only be defined by what it is not. That the transcendent reality creates the manifested universe “with a fragment” of itself and persists. This can be interpreted in a panentheistic direction, as the transcendent reality is greater than the created universe, since it has only permeated the universe with a fragment of itself. This relates to point (a) above.
In the next quote, Assagioli defines what he means by spirit and affirms that spirit is immanent in creation and that it awakens certain qualities in us and awakens the drive towards union with the Most High:
2) “In trying to define the true meaning of the word “spirit,” it is necessary that we clearly distinguish between what is essentially its ultimate reality and what is its various manifestations. That is, between the qualities that are revealed to us and the ways in which we notice and perceive them within ourselves, in others, in nature, and in history. Spirit is itself the highest reality when viewed in transcendental terms. In other words, it is absolute and free from any form of limitation and cannot be defined concretely. Thus, spirit transcends all limitations in time and space and all material limitations. Spirit is fundamentally eternal, infinite, free, and universal. This highest, absolute reality cannot be perceived by the intellect because it transcends the human mind, but it can nevertheless be formulated in rational terms, refined intuitively, and to some extent experienced mystically. On the basis of the above, we will now study the manifestations that are more accessible to us and touch us more directly. The spirit is that part of every manifestation, both in the individual and in society as a whole, that is transcendent, sublime, eternal, powerful, liberating, inner reality, creative, harmonious and synthesizing. Therefore, the concept of “spiritual” can be attributed (to varying degrees) to everything that forces a person to transcend his selfish exclusivity, his fear, his inertia and his desire for pleasure, i.e. everything that encourages him to discipline, control and direct the unruly forces, instincts and emotions that boil within him, and everything that motivates him to recognize a greater, more sublime reality, socially or as an ideal, and to become one with that which expands the limitations of the personality. In this sense, the following are – to some extent – spiritual manifestations:
- courage, because it can overcome the instinct of self-preservation,
- love and devotion to another human being, to one’s family, to one’s country and to humanity in general, for all this can overcome selfishness,
- sense of responsibility,
- spirit of cooperation, social conscience, solidarity,
- selflessness, and also devotion and sacrifice,
- the will in its true meaning, as a principle and as a force for self-control, choice, discipline and synthesis,
- understanding, that is, expansion of our field of consciousness and compassionate identification with other people and with other manifestations of universal life – and above all an understanding of this universal life and a realization of its meaning and purpose. Furthermore, a realization of an intelligent, wise and loving will and power from which the universe has its origin and by which its evolution is directed and leads it forward towards a glorious goal.” ( Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, pp. 198-199)
In the next three quotes, he describes a little more about the transcendent and its manifestation:
3) All that has been said (about love) concerns only the manifested reality or the manifesting process, in which there are degrees of transcendence. Nothing can be said about the unmanifested or the absolute transcendent reality. It can only be implied through negations: not-that, nothingness, and emptiness. This aspect of reality is emphasized by some schools of Northern Buddhism and in the West by Meister Eckhart. ( Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 115)
4) All are One in essence, in Being, but in becoming, in manifestation, in the process of life, there are countless. I will not go into that here. “All life is One” and this One has chosen to reflect itself in countless ways. ( Conversations on the Self )
5) “The pure spirit or, to be more precise, the absolute being, which cannot be perceived by the senses, is basically without attributes, which means that this being is beyond good and evil. But from the first moment of cosmic manifestation, the eternal One has been two – that is, there arose a polarity, an infinite series of opposites, a good and an evil.” ( Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 158)
6) “Finally, there is love for God, or whatever name one prefers for the Universal Being or Being: the Supreme Value, the Cosmic Mind, the Supreme Reality, both transcendent and immanent. Inherent in man is a sense of awe, wonder, admiration and worship, accompanied by the urge to unite with that Reality. It is present in every age and in every country and is the cause of the many different religious and spiritual traditions and forms of worship that have arisen in accordance with the prevailing cultural and psychological circumstances. It has its flowering in the mystics who experienced union through love.” ( Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 85)
In the next quote, Assagioli elaborates on his view of the process of creation through emanation, also called involution, which is the movement down into matter and the opposite movement up through the planes of consciousness, which is evolution. Ken Wilber (1999a: 626) describes it in the following way, and his diagram may help to understand the process. When the spirit creates and incarnates in the universe and folds itself into matter, he calls this process involution and emanation. Involution is the downward movement, where the spirit forgets itself in ever lower levels and in this way becomes immanent in nature. But the immanent presence of the spirit in nature is only a weak reflection of the original spiritual source, and when it anchors itself on the physical plane, which is the heaviest and least conscious level of the spirit, it is largely unrecognizable. (Wilber, 2003:5-6)
With that in mind, let’s see what Assagioli writes:
6) “When we deal with the subject of love, it is necessary to remember the whole spiritual context. First, we have the original unity, free from any form of differentiation, that is, the absolute, the transcendent and the unmanifested. It is from this that we have obtained the manifestation and differentiation which we may consider as a projection, emanation or self-expression of the Supreme. This great cosmic process has several stages. The first is the stage of duality: the One becomes two. The first fundamental difference has been introduced, namely spirit and matter, the subjective and the objective aspects, energy and resistance, activity and passivity, a positive pole and a negative pole, a masculine aspect and a feminine aspect. Up to now we have only spoken of the objective aspect of matter as something that is undifferentiated, but we have not spoken of matter already differentiated as we know it. This is the original stage, which we may call the relation between the two.
These two great aspects of being do not remain separate, as if they were indifferent to each other, but exchanges take place—there is action and reaction—and the effect of this vital attraction is the creation or manifestation of the universe as we know it—the fully developed, concrete universe. It did not come into its present form in an instant, for there were successive stages of differentiation at the very beginning of creation. There were signs of ever more concrete and material planes or levels of life, and ever more limited stages of consciousness. And at each level there were innumerable new and successive differentiations, until we arrived at the present highly divided state of division and distinction between creatures in the broadest sense of the word.
This is the structure or stage which will form the basis of our understanding of love. In the present state of division, diversity and separation in various areas and to varying degrees, these creatures have a distant and vague memory of their original unity, a faint sense of a common origin and an unconscious, though powerful, longing to return to the origin. Every creature, every individual being, feels deficient, inadequate and dissatisfied. It lacks peace and seeks something, though it does not know what that something is. As it seeks, it makes mistakes and suffers one disappointment after another, but it cannot help but continue its search. It is urged relentlessly, and its thirst is never quenched. There is, in fact, no alternative, because this urging and this longing are an expression of the great law of evolution. This gives us a glimpse of the secret of the nature and function of love. This earnest desire to become perfect, to become one, to merge with something or someone other than oneself, is the very essence of love.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, pp. 265-266)
In the above, Assagioli describes both the emanation from the Most High that creates the different levels of consciousness and the longing home to the source via evolution. In relation to the involution process, Assagioli writes the following about motherhood:
7) “Motherhood, considered in its broadest and deepest sense, was a cosmic principle before it became a human function. The matter, the substance that received the creative impulse of the Spirit and then elaborated it and expressed it in a myriad of beings, is the Universal Mother. It – or she – makes the existence of the manifested universe possible. On our planet this Universal Motherhood is called Nature, the earthly mother who creates and nourishes all beings. This has been understood and felt on a deeper level by all people from the earliest times. (Assagioli, Woman and Her Psychosynthesis )
In the above texts it becomes clear that Assagioli describes both the transcendent aspect of the spirit, and its manifestation in the universe through emanation and involution. He also describes its ascent through evolution. We will now focus on immanence and transcendence in the quotes below.
Immanence
1) “We have already referred to two great aspects of divinity – immanence and transcendence. Both are real and necessary, but each one is one-sided: it is necessary that they be integrated and merged. When the aspect of immanence takes over, there is a danger that the divine idea and all divine manifestations will be diminished or degraded. What happens in the aesthetic field, when this aspect and this form become predominant, is that we get the graceful, pleasant, elegant and cold perfection of the Parnassians and the neoclassicists. In the religious field we have the sentimental mysticism, where the personal love of God becomes human, all too human. In the philosophical field we will see a deification of man as man, as expressed by certain idealist schools. On the other hand, when the transcendent aspect is specially emphasized, too much emphasis is placed on duality. That is, nature and God are placed in separate corner, thereby creating an artificial opposition between them – between creation and creator. Thereby an all-too-deep gulf arises between man and God. What is needed, as I mentioned earlier, is integration – a synthesis between the two, and to achieve this practically we must emphasize the aspect that is most needed within us or in the time we live in. The prevailing tendency today is quite clearly on the side of immanence. It is the age of science – an age in which all external appearances give us a greater sense of the sublime. Since the prevailing tendency is extroversion and the search for truth and beauty as well as for power both in the external world and in nature, the need today is for us to emphasize the other aspect, which is that we both as individuals and as humanity in general need to get back to the transcendent feeling, to feel again that trembling when faced with a mystery and get a sense of infinity.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 262-263)
2) “Intuition can be said to be a luminous glimpse of a particular aspect or manifestation of reality. Inner illumination is more extensive and long-lasting. It is a vision that shows the essential nature and synthesizing unity of all reality and of significant aspects of that reality. It is the inner perception of light that differs from physical light, for it is a light that comes in a straight line from reality itself. This type of inner illumination can be considered a revelation of the immanent divinity, and as a revelation of the unity of universal life, which finds expression in countless forms. The best description is found in the Bhagavad Gita, where it is referred to as a “revelation of the universal form.” Many poets have experienced this inner illumination and have tried to explain it. The greatest among them is Dante. His “Paradise” is full of phenomena of light. At the beginning of the book he clearly says that he has had an indescribable experience of the unearthly light, the light that shines in the highest heaven closest to the highest reality, God.
The radiance of Him who sets all things in motion permeates the universe, shining more in one part and less in another. I have been in Heaven, which receives most of His light, and I have seen things that cannot be told, probably by no one who comes down from up there.
For when we approach the object of our desire, our intellect is so deeply absorbed that memory cannot follow it all the way.
When this manifestation of light is revealed in the conscious mind, it can take different forms, or in other words, depending on the stage of development of the observer, it can take forms that are more prominent than others, because these forms are not independent, but interpenetrate and merge to varying degrees. Often the dominant factor is beauty, as in Tagore’s case, and in other cases it is the cognitive aspect that occupies the mind, for example in the case of Plotinus and Eckhart. For the Christian mystics, as well as for the mystics of the East, this phenomenon is united with loving feelings and with adoration. For others, the inner illumination awakens the greatest feeling of joy, which can reach an ecstatic state of blissful joy. I would repeat, however, that we are studying states in which one aspect is emphasized over the others, but in general they are all present to some extent. Dante gave a good expression to the way in which they merge. ( Assagioli, Transpersonal Development , p. 69)
As for the immanence of the deity in creation, it must also be concluded here that Assagioli works with that aspect. In the 19 quotes below there are many examples of how the use of involution, emanation and evolution is included in his theories. I will let the quotes speak for themselves.
Involution – emanation – evolution
1) “To fully understand the nature and power of beauty, it is necessary to remember the spiritual concept which states that everything that exists in the external in concrete form and individually is the manifestation, the effect and the reflection of a higher, transcendent spiritual reality. This is the great principle of involution or emanation. From a fundamental, original absolute reality, a series of levels of life, intellect, emotion and physical life have been developed through gradual differentiations to the point where it has become inorganic matter. Thus every quality and attribute in the external world, in matter itself and in the countless different beings, is but a pale and dim reflection of a quality and attribute in the spiritual reality, in the divine being. This is especially true in the case of beauty. ( Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 255)
In the above quote, Assagioli agrees with Ken Wilber when he states that the qualities of the external world are merely a weak reflection of the reality of the spirit. This is in fine agreement with the emanation theory. In the quote below, Assagioli confirms the entire notion of “The Great Chain of Being”.
2) “Q: Are the terms individual self and group self merely terms, since all are One? Do we have to experience the individual self and then the group self on the path to becoming One?
RA: This gives me the opportunity to address another essential point in connection with psychosynthesis, namely the different planes of reality. There are different planes of reality, or in a modern expression – energy fields. They each have their own qualities and laws. For example, certain chemical laws at the atomic level do not apply at the subatomic level, but they are not abolished or replaced. On other planes, other laws operate.
We will skip ahead and ignore the intermediate steps that you will find out later. The statement: “All are One” is a profound metaphysical truth on this plane, but unfortunately many bring this wonderful reality down to human planes, or other planes of manifestation, where it simply does not work, and many of the so-called metaphysical movements, and also some Eastern methods, do not take this fundamental difference into account.
All are One in essence, in Being, but in becoming, in manifestation, in the process of life, there are countless. I will not go into that here. “All life is One” and this One has chosen to reflect itself in countless ways. When he did so, we must suppose that he had his good reasons, but that is his problem and not ours. We can say that the great involutionary process culminated in the mineral, as far as we know, and then the opposite movement or the evolutionary process began. A little optimistically we can say that we are halfway there. We have passed through the mineral, plant, animal and partly human kingdoms. So we must continue this evolutionary work towards the “One”, but it is still put aside.
Here arises the confusion of the two selves which does so much harm. When we say “I am this Self” it is true that I am the One, but we are not at all that in everyday life. That would be paranoia. As I have written, there are some paranoids who take it literally, and when they get a glimpse they think they are God. It all fits in with the planes of reality. ” ( Conversations on the Self )
3) “Every human being is a small world, a microcosm, in which all the kingdoms of nature are represented: the mineral kingdom in our bones, etc., plant life, the animal instincts and then the “human conditions” from primitive man to the highest human possibilities. At the present time we represent the sum of all past evolution from the mineral kingdom upwards. But evolution does not stop with the so-called Homo Sapiens: Evolution is unbroken, and our task is to lead and nourish this great evolutionary impulse, without rejecting the preceding stages.” (Assagioli, Psychology of Will , p. 125)
4) “What Nietzsche intuitively perceived was the cyclical nature of cosmic manifestation or the evolutionary process. This is the Oriental conception of the great cycles of the appearance and disappearance of worlds, the periodic emanation of matter and its evolution in countless forms, followed by a later reabsorption into the formless spirit. Recent discoveries in astronomy, which deal with the formation and dissolution of stars and galaxies, fully support this conception. According to Eastern philosophy, the same thing happens on the human level, and it is expressed as a cyclical manifestation of a series of bodies (reincarnation). But this does not mean a return to the same form, it is rather a reappearance in ever higher forms, since evolution takes place in an upward spiral. Nietzsche’s thoughts are a clear example of a misinterpretation of a genuine intuition.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 72)
5) “The existence of different planes of existence, having different values, is an obvious and undeniable manifestation of the magnificent law of evolution, which develops from simple and crude to increasingly refined and highly organized stages. Applying it to the field of love, and leaving aside the question of the relationship between sexuality and love, it is obvious that a love that is domineering, possessive, jealous and blind is on a lower level than that which is gentle and attentive to the beloved as a person, seeking that person’s welfare and desiring a union of the best aspects of both personalities. On a still higher level we find altruistic love, with its broad humanitarian perspective, animated by compassion and the urge to alleviate the suffering and illnesses that afflict humanity – the love called caritas or agape. How, then, can the evolutionary differences in degree of development, level and values of the different types of love be ignored? The same is equally true and obvious in relation to the will, which, as we have seen, can be hard and selfish at its lowest level and strive for power and dominance, merciless and cruel. On the other hand, the will at the higher levels is directed towards goals and purposes which are devoid of selfishness and egocentric content.” ( Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 88)
6) “Maslow has presented an enlightening proposal for a progressive evolutionary development in five stages. The types belonging to the first two stages fall under Theory X. They are primarily determined by deficiency needs. The third and fourth types fall under Theory Y. They are primarily governed by the drives toward self-actualization. The fifth type comes under what he calls Theory Z. This is the person who aligns his life with transcendent values.” (Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 107)
7) “Everything is relative to the individual, to his evolutionary stage, to his environmental conditions and to many other factors. To put it in an oversimplified way: what is “good” in one person is “bad” in another. The great Renaissance philosopher Tomasso Campanella remarked: “In God we shall see who did and said the right thing”. Therefore, it is the path of wisdom to follow Christ’s admonition: “Judge not”. (Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 126)
8) “Finally, there is a higher and broader way of planning, which is really the most important. It is to integrate the individual plan with the Universal Plan to which I referred earlier. Although we are unable to understand the full scope of the great mystery of this plan, we can at least know something about it and glimpse its broad lines, especially its evolutionary direction, and recognize that it is the direction towards the greatest good. That is what counts! Our first aim is not to determine the point of arrival, but to place ourselves in the right direction, on the right path. Wisdom is also here, and above all here, necessary to weave the individual plan harmoniously with the universal plan. The will is needed to keep a firm grip on the helm and to move forward on a direct course.” (Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 158)
9) “Humanity is now in the ascending stage of its evolution. After the descent into the depths of materialism, it has now begun to ascend, slowly and painfully, to the spirit, to its eternal home. Having reached the deepest limit of loneliness, self-sufficiency and selfishness, man must now gradually expand the boundaries of his personal identity and enter into harmonious communion with his fellow men, with the universe and with the Supreme Being. When man begins to feel this deep need or obligation, an intense and hard battle is fought within, for the impulse and the urge to open and expand the mind collides with the rigid and hard barriers formed by loneliness and self-centeredness. The soul then feels like a bird locked in a cage, or like a prisoner locked in a narrow cell, and it struggles and suffers. This is the critical and most painful stage before the soul can be released, or to be more precise, before the first part of the soul’s liberation can take place. In the current period of awakening, this is precisely the stage that many people are at today. When we see this composite concept, which shows that suffering is necessary and inevitable in the great evolutionary process, we are able to understand in a more profound way the different meanings of pain, and to more readily accept the specific functions of pain. First, we can see that suffering is a form of atonement, inevitably linked to the law of cause and effect. But atonement is not the only function of suffering, nor is it the most significant and essential function. Suffering has a direct and powerful ability to help the soul ascend and become free. Suffering purifies – its beneficial fire burns away all earthly impurities. Furthermore, it shapes the soul as if it were a sculpture, freeing the God who has been locked up in a block of matter. As a proverb so aptly says: “The gods are shaped by hammer blows”. Suffering can harden and strengthen us and develop the important and difficult resistance within, which is a prerequisite for spiritual development. Many people do not understand that the spirit has a formidable power and that we do not yet have the strength to contain it or maintain it. This strength and resistance are developed mainly through pain. Suffering develops and matures every aspect of our being, especially the deeper and less obvious aspects. Pain forces us to take our attention away from the charade of the external world and frees us from our attachment to it, thereby forcing us back into our own inner self. Pain makes us more aware, it forces us to look inward to the spirit within us, where we can find help and support, light and guidance. In other words, it awakens us and reveals what we are. Finally, pain enables us to better understand and feel for others in their pain.It makes us more sensitive and ready to help other people. A quote from Virgil’s beautiful poetry reads: “Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco”, or “I am not ignorant of ills and learn to help the unfortunate”. Here one might object: Why does pain often have the opposite effect? Why does it sometimes provoke people by hardening themselves and forcing them to act wrongly and to engage in hatred and violence? That this happens – and unfortunately all too often – cannot be denied, but it should not be considered a necessary and fatal effect of pain. Closer psychological studies will clearly show that such effects depend on how we react to a painful event. A particularly significant fact deserves our greatest attention, and that is that the quality and consequences of suffering depend above all on the attitude we adopt towards it, that is, our inner acceptance and outer reaction. It was Paul who summed up this truth with the words: “Pain lifts up, and pain tears down.” Let’s now look at the attitudes we can adopt when faced with pain, and look at the consequences of each.”(Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, pp. 176-177)
10) “Sometimes Roberto offered a topic for our meditation:
“The great evolutionary process is a joyful return to the source, enriched and powerful.” Or the radiating of energies to all corners of the world: Love, compassion, joy and serenity, “to all beings, north, south, east, west, above, below; let it be so and help us do our part.”
Once when I complained about being alone he said:
“Excuse me, but that is nonsense. One cannot be alone in the universe. It is an illusion, a fundamental separatist illusion, one cannot be alone. It is a great conquest to rise above the feeling of loneliness and separation… Hundreds of millions of suns and all connected to each other. They are not lonely. No. The radiation from the most distant suns reaches us here. There is an enormous interplay of currents that are not psychic. What seem to be immeasurable distances do not count. The cosmic rays arrive from distant places. These stars are only the bodies. There are trillions of beings that live in the cosmic rays and are in constant interaction and presumably they are sometimes” I saw a beginning smile, “in conflict with each other.” ( Freund, Conversations with Roberto Assagioli )
11) “Spiritual development has two main aspects. The first concerns the meaning of life, evolutionary development and its goals. This is far more comprehensive and far-reaching than is usually assumed. A number of recent scientists have pointed out that evolution does not simply stop at the present human development, but rather seeks new and higher goals.
The meaning and purpose of life, and the wonderful potential that humanity has achieved, can be presented in schools in an age-appropriate manner.
The second aspect of spiritual development will be to use the increasing tendency towards unification and synthesis to develop the horizons of students from narrow egoistic considerations about their own person and nation to cooperation and solidarity with much wider groups in society and the world, until all humanity is united” ( Assagioli, Considerations on Education )
12) “Furthermore, there is a great need for a special type of teaching for pupils from eleven to eighteen years of age. It is during these years that a child’s evolutionary level manifests itself most clearly. These are not only the years when special “gifts” become most evident, but when the “personality” is shaped under internal stress and strain. These difficulties are especially prevalent for highly gifted children, since their natural wealth complicates their psychosynthesis process.” ( Assagioli, Teaching Gifted and Highly Gifted Children )
13) “The immense power of goodness inherent in loving understanding should awaken a strong determination to attain it. What we must do are two things: we must cultivate the quality and eliminate the obstacles that prevent or make it difficult for us to make it grow within us.
Therefore, we must develop, on the one hand, sympathy, love and insight. On the other hand, detachment, self-forgetfulness and emotional freedom. In this way we will achieve one of the most important goals of our evolution – a wise love without attachment, a true love that gives freedom and sets us free. ” (Assagioli, Loving Understanding )
14) “Before we help another person, let us observe them carefully.
The greater our understanding of our fellow men, the more clearly we see how different they are. Modern scientific psychology, with its discovery and description of the different types such as extroverts, introverts, etc., has done useful work in this field, but it is as yet only in the pioneer stages and very incomplete. Fortunately, valuable contributions in esoteric psychology enable us to begin to consider and study the individual man in terms of the following:
- It achieved evolutionary stage, and consequently the prevailing polarization (physical, emotional and mental).
- The energies that condition its soul, its personality, and its mental, emotional, and physical body.
- The zodiacal signs that condition the individual.
- The splits or lack of integration that exist at different levels of their personality.
- Methods for coordination and synthesis (integration and fusion) that are adapted to the individual situation.
- Its life tasks (vocation, employment, service).
This is a fascinating and fruitful approach, not just for spiritually-minded people, but for any doctor, teacher, parent—indeed, anyone who recognizes the responsibility and opportunity that lies in the influence we have on our fellow human beings. (Assagioli, Discernment in Service )
15) “Blessing and healing are also connected, and a true blessing can have a healing effect. The healing does not necessarily occur physically, but can be psychologically and spiritually beneficial. However, there is also a need for caution in healing. For example, it can have undesirable effects if we concentrate attention on the patient’s illness or the affected parts of the body.
Under the Law of Cause and Effect, the release of spiritual energy occurs as radiation, and the redemptive process of evolution is thus brought into being. So blessing thereby becomes part of the redemptive process of evolution.
When radiance has a spiritual quality, when it emanates from a human being who has reached a high degree of self-realization, its effect is powerful.” …
“From a human evolutionary perspective, it can be said that only when the soul aspect is prominent does the response apparatus (the form nature of man) complete its purpose, and only then is true and pure emanation of light possible.
The creative faculty functions by virtue of radiation and magnetism. They bring to their possessor the material for creation and a magnetic faculty which brings into being in appropriate form and beauty what the radiation has called forth. Creativity is a consequence of a certain state of mind and a special state of consciousness; it denotes a developmental point at which the person is clearly “radioactive.”
Radiance and magnetism are expressions of the energetic or dynamic aspect of love, and our attempts to understand spiritual love are strengthened by the realization that it is a magnetic force.
We can and should all be “a radiating center,” influencing other centers and lives, through which we fulfill our part in the redemption of the planet. We all have our sphere of radiating; that is our area of responsibility, and within that sphere—which is larger than we think—we can effectively serve the Divine Purpose.
“The sense of the earth opening and exploding upward into God, and the sense of God dwelling and finding sustenance downward in the earth. A personal, transcendent God and an evolving universe, no longer two mutually contradictory points of attraction, but entering into hierarchical connection with the aim of collectively elevating the human mass. Such is the sublime transformation which we can rightly foresee, and which is actually beginning to have its effect in an increasing number of minds, freethinkers as well as believers; the idea of the spiritual evolution of the universe. The very transformation which we have been seeking.” (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in The Future of Man) ” …
“Blessing of the lower realms”
This blessing is based primarily on the recognition of the gifts of the lower realms to us and is an expression of the gratitude we owe them. In a broader sense, from a universal point of view, it is inspired by the recognition that everything is part of the divine manifestation, that they are unconsciously progressing along the path of evolution, and that the task of humanity is to help them on their path and ultimately to redeem them. An effective way to do this is blessing.” ( Assagioli, The Science of Blessing and Its Use )
16 “This second phase of learning completes and rounds off the first and is its natural result. This sequence in the study of language corresponds to the general principle and growth of evolution which sets – or should set – the agenda for all aspects of human life. First, direct experience, living contact and acquisition, and then conscious reflection and a clear mental understanding of the material we have acquired. First, subconscious receptivity, and then self-conscious acquisition; first practice, then theory. All teaching should aim first to promote and expand the student’s experience and contact with real life, his “field of experience”, and then to help him reap all the fruits of experience, knowledge and wisdom which this living contact is able to offer him.)” ( Assagioli, A Psychological Method for Learning Languages )
17) One of the most important and common polarities in the three kingdoms of organic life (the mineral, vegetable and human kingdoms) is the sexual one. The positive pole is represented by the masculine element and the negative by the feminine element. This does not mean that the former is active and the latter is passive. Both are active but in different ways. The masculine element is the dynamic, initiating pole, while the feminine element is the receptive, nourishing and forming pole. This type of polarity extends far beyond the relationship between man and woman to countless forms in life. It is especially and profoundly emphasized by the Chinese, who consider the two principles as the foundation of cosmic evolution as well as of every aspect of human life. The creative aspect symbolized by the father and heaven they call Yang, while Yin is the receptive and forming aspect symbolized by the mother and earth. Human well-being, according to Chinese philosophy, depends on the harmonious correspondence between man and the cyclical evolution of the universe, which is woven through the countless connections and interactions between Yang and Yin. (Assagioli, Balancing and Synthesis of Opposites )
The different energy levels or planes of existence, already mentioned in the quotes above, are elaborated on by Assagioli in the quotes below.
Energy Levels
1) We must come to the realization that in addition to the external world, there are a number of internal worlds , and that it is possible – and certainly a duty – to get to know them, to explore them and to conquer them. This is a prerequisite for achieving balance and wholeness. (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 86)
2) “When we use our abilities to look inward, we will be able to ascertain that there is actually an inner world of phenomena that is at least as diverse and varied as the outer world, and that through the development of the ability to observe, it becomes more and more real to the observer.
The first area that can be observed is the sensations…
The second area that can be observed is the whole kaleidoscopic area of emotions and feelings…
The third area is the mental activity that is produced by the mental content.” (Assagioli, Psychosynthesis, 1975, P. 115-116)
3) “The third group of symbols, which is often seen, includes elevation, ascension or conquest of the “inner space” as an ascending process. There are a number of inner worlds, each with its own special characteristics, and they consist of both higher levels and lower levels. The first is the world of passion and emotion, where there is a great distance and a marked difference in level between blind passion and the higher emotions. Then comes the world of intelligence or mind. Here there are also different levels, for example the level of the concrete, analytical mind, and the level of the higher philosophical reason (nous). Furthermore, there is the world of imagination with a lower and a higher area, the world of intuition, the world of the will and then the even higher and indescribable worlds, which can only be referred to as “transcendent worlds”. (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, pp. 87-88)
4) “The psychiatrist Urban speaks of the “spectrum of consciousness” and says that we only have knowledge of it to a limited extent, corresponding to the spectrum of light from red to violet. But he goes further and says that there are also psychospiritual areas that correspond to infrared and ultraviolet. Our field of consciousness thus has the possibility of increasing and expanding to encompass even larger areas of psychospiritual impressions and ideas. This expansion must be understood in a “spherical” sense, as it implies an expansion in all directions, both vertically and horizontally from the individual to the group, to society and to all of humanity.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 89)
5) “If we consider the whole thing as an expression of energies, we could view the contents of the superconscious as energies that have a higher frequency than the contents of the lower unconscious. More restrictively, we could say that psychodynamics with its laws – and partly the methods that derive from it – are the same for all three levels of the unconscious..” (Assagioli, Psychosynthesis, 1975, p. 199)
6) “We have no evidence for this, but it is possible that the different unconscious levels are in fact different energy fields that interpenetrate each other, but which it would be impossible to visualize in a two-dimensional diagram.” (Assagioli, Psychosynthesis, 1975, p. 200)
7) “It is very difficult to distinguish between what comes from the individual’s own superconsciousness and what comes from even higher spheres or from other superconscious levels outside the individual in question. The higher one rises, the more the limitations of individuality tend to disappear. The higher one rises, the more the individual is united with the whole.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 77)
8) “The collective unconscious is an enormous world that extends from the biological to the spiritual level, which is why a distinction must be made between origin, nature, quality and value.” (Assagioli, Jung and Psychosynthesis )
9) “To avoid misunderstanding, it should be emphasized here that these ever-expanding spiritual spheres of life do not cancel out or exclude the previous ones, but rather include them. It is only through progressive stages that man is able to recognize and realize the different forms of spirituality.” ( Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 199)
10) “Transformation of energies is a natural process that takes place at all times, both “horizontally”, at each level – physical, biological and psychological – and “vertically” between the levels, where it can be considered as sublimation or “degradation” depending on whether the energy is transformed to a higher or lower level.” (Assagioli, Psychology of Will, p. 58)
11) “It is also important to note that these different levels do not remain isolated, for there is a constant series of actions and reactions between them. This means that the activities of one level influence and affect the activities of another, and so on. It is easy to see how such reciprocal activity can be a source of confusion, misunderstanding and error. But such activity is at the same time a source of greater scope for transformation, regeneration and sublimation, which has practical significance for our spiritual progress and development.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 271)
12) “Differences are quite natural, and their occurrence is to some extent inevitable for two significant reasons. The first is that no sphere of reality is homogeneous and regular, rather it is a real, multifaceted and varied “world”, rich in diversity and life. It should therefore not be surprising when the many aspects of this reality have created just as many different perceptions of what is seen. “ (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 18)
In the quotes below, we see, among other things, how Assagioli brings the principle of emanation from the universal self down to the transpersonal self, so that the personal self is also an emanation of the transpersonal self.
The Transpersonal Self’s Relationship to the Universal and Personal Self
1) “The Transpersonal Self in everyone is in intimate union with the Transpersonal Self in all other individuals, however unconscious they may be of this. All Transpersonal Selves can be considered as “points” within the Universal Self.” (Assagioli, Psychology of Will p. 219-220)
2) “There is always a connection present (between man and God), recognized or unrecognized, conscious or unconscious. The individual is never completely alone, and God (or spiritual reality) is never completely transcendent, but always in a living connection with his manifestation.” ( Assagioli, Psychosynthesis p. 205-06)
3) “We will now continue to study the spiritual elements that come down like sunbeams and into the personality of man – into the personal consciousness – thereby forming a connection between the general human personality and the spiritual “I”, the spiritual reality. These are rays of light in different shades of color that penetrate our personal consciousness according to how permeable and transparent it is.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 255)
3) “The transpersonal Self is “outside” and beyond time. It exists and lives in the dimension of the Eternal.” (Assagioli, The Conflict of Generations and the Psychosynthesis of Life Stages )
4) “Again and again one is confronted with the paradoxical concept that the Godhead is both duality and unity. The personal “I” comes down from the stars, or from the spiritual “I”, in the form of a reflection. This corresponds to one of the interpretations of the parable of the prodigal son. The personal “I” is the prodigal son who has descended to the level of the material world and has completely forgotten his origin. He uses his free will in all the foolishness he has the opportunity for, and only when he has made all the mistakes he can (“mistakes”, i.e. both making mistakes and going astray) does he begin to long for his Father’s house and seek it and finally find it.
However, it is not enough to simply acknowledge or intellectually understand that this duality exists in unity; the process must also take place, but that is only the first step. Then one must make it a reality by living it. And before reaching the point of union, there comes a dramatic time of “inner dialogue” – appeals, questions and answers – followed by a time when they gradually approach each other with more and more living sparks between the two poles as they come closer together, until the moment when they meet. Then they move away from each other again until the moment of great peace when the two become One.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development pp. 80-81)
5) “We have now reached the fifteenth group of symbols, illustrating the resurrection and return referred to in the Gospels as “the prodigal son returns to his Father’s house”. This is a return to an earlier stage and marks a return to the original and primary being. It presupposes a theory of the emanation of the soul, the soul descending and becoming one with matter and then returning to its “home” in Heaven – not as it was before, but now enriched with experiences of self-knowledge developed and matured through struggles and conflicts.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 98)
6) “There is a fundamental difference between the flow of manifestation, the appearance of the cosmic plane, and the transcendent. The transcendent does not participate in any flow – the core, the inner jewel and the real center, is not in any flow, it radiates.”
“Let me give an example. When you consider only the solar system, which is a smaller size, the sun is the center and it radiates on all the planets. It is the planets that move in circles around the sun. For them the sun is static. Of course the sun moves in the larger universe, but seen in relation to the solar system the sun can be seen as a center around which the planets move. It is exactly the same with the inner sun, with the Self.” (Assagioli in Freund, Conversations with Roberto Assagioli )
7) “The Self is patient, prepared to wait, and knows full well that no matter how long it takes, we will reach the high goal that is destined, a goal that the Self has been aiming at since the beginning of our pilgrimage. In other words, the Self has a sense of what is eternal—or to be more correct—it lives in eternity. But it is in the eternal “now” and not simply in a transcendent eternity seen in isolation at a particular time in the evolutionary process.
“The eternal now” is a paradoxical expression that can only be truly understood intuitively. But it gives us the key to a fundamental truth, and it deals with the relationship between the transcendent and the immanent, between being and becoming. Both concepts should be present, conscious and active within us.
It is necessary that we live our lives with a clear awareness of each Now, but with eternity as a background. Therefore, the synthesis of the Now and eternity is a cycle. Life takes place in cycles, and these cycles are Nows that are organically linked together by something that transcends them, and that is eternity. An expression of this synthesis is the words “the radiant, eternal Now”. (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p.79)
9) “What the Self reveals is in accordance with what is truly good, but it may also be completely opposite to our desires and personal preferences. The Self does not demand sacrifice in the common, erroneous and forced way of renunciation. It demands sacrifice in the form of a commitment that can result in the gradual elimination of unfortunate habits and practices that are harmful and useless, or of lesser importance, so that instead we create space for time and commitment for something of greater value. Moreover, the Self – in its wisdom and understanding love – does not demand that we accomplish this all at once, and perfectly. The Self is patient, prepared to wait, and knows full well that no matter how long we take, we will reach the high goal that is destined; a goal that the Self has been aiming at since the beginning of our pilgrimage. In other words, the Self has a glimpse of that which is eternal – or to be more correct – it lives in eternity. But it is in the eternal “now” and not just in a transcendent eternity seen in isolation at a certain time in the evolutionary process. “The eternal now” is a paradoxical expression that can only be truly understood intuitively. But it gives us the key to a fundamental truth, and it deals with the relationship between the transcendent and the intrinsic, between being and becoming. Both concepts should be present, conscious and active within us. It is necessary that we live our lives with a clear awareness of each Now, but with eternity as a background. Therefore, the synthesis of the Now and eternity is a cycle. Life takes place in cycles, and these cycles are Nows that are organically linked together by something that transcends them, and that is eternity. An expression of this synthesis is the words “the radiant, eternal Now.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 79)
10) Aristotle spoke of “enteleki,” and others have spoken of “models” or “archetypes.” One must recognize some form of pre-existing reality, an inherent intelligence that guides the various stages of development from seed to tree, from one budding cell to the cells of a whole organism. The second symbol has been widely used from the earliest times, and it is the symbol of flowers, especially the lotus (India) (our water lily) and the rose (Persia and Europe). The symbolism of the lotus flower comes closest to the process of human development, for it has its roots in the earth, its stem grows in water, and its flower opens in the air when influenced by the rays of the sun. Oriental thinkers have seen this as a symbol of man with his physical body and earthly foothold, the psychological development in the emotional spheres (water) and the mental development (air). The awakening of spiritual consciousness can be compared to a flower that opens after being influenced by the life-giving force of the sun, which symbolizes the spirit. Similarly, Eastern philosophers maintain that the human soul is like a lotus flower with nine petals, which are divided into three groups. The first group represents spiritual knowledge, the second represents spiritual love, and the third represents spiritual strength. In the center is the “jewel of the lotus flower,” the divine essence that is only revealed when the human spirit is fully developed.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 93)
11) “Our spiritual being, the Self, which is the most essential and real part of our being, is usually hidden, imprisoned or “trapped”. The main reason for this is the body with its many sensory impressions. Added to this are the many emotions and impulses (fear, desire, attraction and repulsion, etc.) and the underlying restlessness of the mind. We have to remove the clutter and smooth out the folds so that the spiritual center can be revealed. Both in nature and in the human soul this place is found on the basis of the astonishing and mysterious effect of an inner biological and psychological vitality that has an irresistible power to motivate. This is why the symbol of, or in fact the principle of growth, development and evolution has been and still is used in psychology and education. And this is also what the concept and practice of psychosynthesis are based on. One of the ways in which it is used is the exercise that will now be described. When we have turned our inner eye to the light, we have already begun to tread the path that leads from slavery to freedom. In other words, we must to some extent—consciously or otherwise—apply the science of purification. Although the overview that now follows contains many ideas with which many of you are already familiar, it may nevertheless be useful to review the various tasks involved in purification. Furthermore, it may provide an impetus to apply the methods that will enable us to come into step with the unfolding of the great evolutionary plan.” (Assagioli, Transpersonal Development, p. 163)
Universal will versus individual will
1) “In contemplating the grandeur of the universe, one realizes that it is not only a wonderful physical mechanism, but that it is permeated and pulsating with life; that it is evolving and guided by intelligent laws; that it must have meaning and purpose. Even those who have no religious faith or a definite philosophy of life can hardly deny that the universe is governed by laws of evolution. In the stars and in the insect, in the atom and in the heart, we see the same tendency or direction toward a mysterious goal. When we have become aware of the powers of this universal law, it becomes clear to us how foolish it is to oppose it. We discover that the real cause of so many failed efforts lies in the unconscious and ignorant failure to observe the law. Then a spontaneous impulse to observe it and cooperate with it will arise in us. And here again we have a paradox: by voluntarily submitting one’s individual will to the universal Will and merging with it, the individual will is neither annihilated nor diminished. At the very moment it seems to die or cease to exist, it rises transformed and with new strength.
When the individual wills to cooperate harmoniously with the Will that governs the Universe, that Will cooperates with that individual and places Its own unlimited powers at his disposal. In the Laws that govern the Cosmos, man discovers the laws that should govern his own actions.
In this way, the will, as it becomes good, becomes at the same time strong and wise, and this union, this synthesis of the three, will create the complete will – the Perfect Will.” (Assagioli, Training of the Will )
2) “Teilhard de Chardin provides ample evidence of this law, which is fundamental to all evolution – biological, psychological and spiritual – and which creates what he calls “complexification” and “convergence”. He describes the various stages of this synthesis process – which in humanity becomes conscious – towards, and including, a supra-individual and cosmic centre which he calls the Omega Point. If we consider this process “from within”, we discover that we can have a conscious existential experience of it. We can experience it as an intelligent energy directed towards a specific goal and with a purpose. These are also the special characteristics of the will, as an expression of the synthesizing self. We need not discuss how the unifying and synergetic force functions on the biological level. What matters is to recognise that we can become conscious of its higher manifestations in the conscious human and on transpersonal levels.
This quality of will operates in various ways. First of all, as an inner synergy that coordinates the various psychological functions; it is the unifying force that directs and makes possible the achievement of a personal psychosynthesis. It is also active on the transpersonal level, working here towards a union of the personal center of consciousness, the I or ego – with the Transpersonal Self, leading to the corresponding harmonious cooperation between the personal and transpersonal will (transpersonal or spiritual psychosynthesis). The will also demonstrates synergy in the individual’s external activities, in his acts of will, both by coordinating and organizing these activities through planning and programming (the fifth stage of the act of will) and by directing and regulating the subsequent phases of execution (sixth stage). The effect of the laws of cooperation, organization and synthesis is evident not only in the intrapersonal realm, but also in the vast realm of interpersonal relationships, from couple relationships to all social groups and finally to all humanity. Its expression has been variously called: Empathy, identification, love, and social will. It tends to transcend the opposition between individual and society and the polarity between selfish and unselfish. Maslow called the transcendence of this dichotomy “the creation of a higher unity.” Finally, there is the planetary and cosmic synergy, which may be supposed to be an expression of the deliberate act of will of corresponding transhuman principles or beings, as Teilhard de Chardin assumes. This, according to him, is the logical and necessary goal of the whole evolutionary process. I had reached the same conclusion before I became acquainted with the writings of Teilhard de Chardin and expressed them in my paper “Psychoanalysis and Psychosynthesis,” published in 1934 in The Hibbert Journal, and later included in my book Psychosynthesis under the title “Dynamic Psychology and Psychosynthesis”:
“From a still wider and more comprehensive point of view, universal life appears as a struggle between diversity and unity – a striving and an aspiration towards union. We seem to sense – whether we conceive it as a divine being or a cosmic energy – that the spirit which acts on and in all creation transforms it into order, harmony and beauty, unites all beings (some willingly, while the majority are still blind and rebellious) with one another through bonds of love, and thus achieves – slowly and quietly, but powerfully and irresistibly – the Supreme Synthesis.” (Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, pp. 34-35)
3) “This is the realm or dimension of the transpersonal will, which in turn is the will of the Transpersonal Self. It is also the realm of each individual which concerns the connection between the will of the personal self or ego and the will of the Transpersonal Self. This connection leads to a growing interplay and ultimately to a fusion between the personal and the Transpersonal Self and then to their connection with the ultimate reality, the Universal Self, which embodies and exercises the Universal, Transcendent Will.
In particular, the stages of intention, assessment, and choice can be effortless. Furthermore, there is another and higher condition in which the personal will is effortless. It occurs when the willer is so identified with the transpersonal will, or on a still higher and more inclusive level: with the universal will, that his activities are carried out with a free spontaneity. A state in which he feels himself a willing channel through which powerful energies flow and act. This is wu-wei, or the “Taoist state” referred to by Maslow in The Farther Reaches of Human Nature.” (Assagioli, The Psychology of the Will, pp. 24-25)
5) “The third stage of self-realization is the union of the Transpersonal Self with the Universal Self and the corresponding individual will with the universal will. At this stage we find the most highly developed mystics of all times and places.” ( Assagioli, Psychology of the Will, p. 108 )
Conclusion
We must now conclude from the above quotes whether Assagioli consciously or unconsciously wrote from the perspective of panentheism. Before concluding, I would like to emphasize that in my research I have not found quotes that contradict the quotes presented above.
The question is whether we can find the following in Assagioli’s writings?
- A transcendent reality that is greater than its creation – the universe.
Assagioli describes in several of the above quotes about the transcendent, which creates the unfolded universe. The quote from the Bhagavad Gita: “Having permeated the entire universe with a fragment of myself, I exist”, is particularly relevant in this context. So there is no doubt for me that it must be a yes.b. A transcendent reality that creates the universe through emanation or involution, that is, creates a series of inner worlds that culminate in the material one, and where the deity is immanently present in creation. Here there are numerous quotes that directly show that Assagioli thinks in terms of emanation or involution, both on the universal level and on the individual level. The personal self is, for example, an emanation of the transpersonal self. The conclusion must be a yes. - A transcendent reality that sustains and develops the universe through evolution, that is, the divine life via the mineral kingdom, the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom and the human kingdom flows back to the deity after it has first been anchored in the physical, but now made conscious with the experiences in the different worlds. Yes, there are numerous quotes that show that Assagioli works with evolution in the above.
- That the transpersonal self or soul is an inherent aspect of this involutionary and evolutionary journey, with the purpose of manifesting the divine life on earth. This is also affirmed, and there are numerous quotes that support the purpose of spiritual evolution being the synthesis of humanity and the cosmic synthesis. See also Chapter 2 of the book The Soul of Psychosynthesis.
Kenneth Sorensen, Copenhagen, 2015
[1] Murphy, Michael, The Emergence of Evolutionary Panentheism, http://www.itp-international.org/library/print/emergence-evolutionary-panentheism
