Do you want to realize your dreams? If so, this description of the six stages of will is an in-depth study that reveals new aspects of the life of will that no author has presented so clearly before.
By Roberto Assagioli. Translated by Ebba Larsen
The article briefly describes a topic that Roberto Assagioli treats very deeply in his book The Psychology of Will .
It is a common belief that carrying out effective actions in the world requires the application of the will. Today there is a need to achieve results, to change existing conditions, and to build and create, but at the same time there are obstacles to overcome, difficulties to overcome, and contradictions to balance and resolve. In all these situations it is necessary to apply the energy of the will.
What is will? How is it used?
The same is true of actions within. In the inner worlds, the will is the most powerful energy, acting as a basis for all other energies and making them effective. But if one proceeds from an obvious assumption to a clear realization of the nature, qualities, and proper uses of the will, one gets lost. There is not much help to be found in modern psychology in understanding this important and significant subject, because psychology has ignored or rejected this central force and function in man. If one turns to philosophy for a definition, one is faced with varying and opposing points of view. The many discussions on the subject of whether we have free will or not have led to no understanding, but have obscured or suppressed the very fundamental questions: what is the nature of free will, how is it used, and how can it be developed and adapted by special techniques.
But just as it is not necessary to know the nature of electricity, so fortunately it is not necessary to know the essential nature of the will in order to become aware of its existence and power and to be able to use it. The power of the will is something that is directly experienced and fully recognized. The will is one of those qualities that proves its own power, and therefore it needs no ultimate proof or demonstration. It can be compared to an aesthetic consciousness and experience.
Intuitive alertness and the joy of beauty are primary faculties and gifts that are rooted in all aesthetic theories. The same applies to the awakening and use of the ethical conscience. One could say that a person’s intuitive perception of the good is independent of any formulation of moral norms, rules and theories. And so it is with regard to the will.
We are wild creatures.
We may therefore begin with the fundamental fact that we know that we are “willing” beings, capable not only of knowing, feeling, imagining, showing love, but also of willing. From this premise we may proceed to the practical question of how best to use this precious faculty or gift. The first requirement is a clear conception of the different phases or stages in the exercise of the will. They may be studied from the following outline:
1. Purpose, intention and goals as well as assessment and motivation.
2. Deliberation. Analyzing motives, impulses, goals, and choices.
3. Decision. Choosing the intended, the goal to be achieved, and the action to be taken.
4. Confirmation. Expression of the will to fulfill the intention.
5. Planning. Preparation of a definitive action program – selection of methods for implementation in the different stages (both short- and long-term planning).
6. Execution. The management and projection of the various energies necessary for the plan to be realized by using the appropriate techniques.
The purpose stage
These six stages are like links in a chain – therefore, significant acts of will require that one carefully carry out the stages step by step, but in some cases it may be practical to spend a little less time and immersion in one stage than in another.
The first and most important characteristic of an act of will is that a purpose has been worked out, which one will use as a basis, and that there is a clear vision of the goal that one wants to reach. But this in itself is not enough. The purpose and the goal must be assessed, and the motive to achieve it must be checked. Here one must be on guard against unconscious motives as well as against those that are a little too recognizable. This search is of great importance, because it will result in a much deeper realization of what one intends, and it will also contribute to activating the psychological energy that must be in motion in order to achieve the goal. If there is not enough dynamism in the motive or it is exhausted, then there will not be enough momentum to carry the purpose through. It will remain like a dream or an academic idea. The purpose can never be fully implemented, nor can it be properly implemented. In other words – it cannot “get started”.
The consideration stage
Consideration means: Debate – discussion – analysis – reflection – thinking through. These terms are used here to deal with the review and weighting of motives. Motives are impulses to action, but they in turn depend on the intended goals and on how they are evaluated. Here, sincerity towards one’s own motives is necessary in order to ascertain whether the right motives are what prompt action. One can easily deceive oneself in this direction, because these are often personal desires or subconscious impulses disguised as pseudo-rational or idealistic motives. Vigilance towards this and assessment of motives is important, because when the will is used for selfish, separatist purposes, it has destructive effects, and the stronger the will is, the worse the results will be.
Selfish will is destructive.
This danger is so serious that all instruction in the development of the will should begin with this solemn warning. It must also be understood that the destructive effects of a selfishly applied will not only affect other people, but inevitably sooner or later return to the originator. The inexorable law of cause and effect, based on the principle of harmony and balance, states that the effect of all actions returns like a boomerang to the one who sent it forth. Nevertheless, the training of the will is not only expedient but very necessary. It is often the case that people who are well and rightly motivated have a weak will which they do not know how to use, but it is precisely a dynamic good will and a powerful “will-to-good” in such people that is especially needed as a counterbalance to the effects of the wrong use of the will in many of the strong-willed people.
One can discover one’s own motivations through sincere self-analysis, which is a form of reflective meditation aimed at that purpose. This is an interesting example of the interaction and interplay of the different types of inner action. Meditation requires a certain amount of willpower, and meditation in turn helps us to discover the motives that give impetus to action and to recognize which ones are good and constructive.
But it is not enough to have the right motives and a goal in view that has positive value and is attractive or “magnetic”. The goal must be achievable, and to judge whether it is achievable or not, one must carefully and realistically take into account both the existing situation and the means available. At this stage of the deliberation, one should also reassess the degree to which action is necessary and the urgency of the various possible actions, as well as the conditions that make the situation special and unique. One could say that all this is a form of reflective meditation.
Decision stage
Decision-making can be considered a very specific and essential aspect of the will, or more precisely of the power of the will and thus of the act of will. Two different attitudes can be seen when decisions are to be made. One is that a large number of people make even very important decisions without prior consideration, such as the choice of a spouse or a field of work, and their choice is thereby conditioned solely by completely subconscious motives. This view of consideration – without the use of the ability to choose consciously and freely – is based on observation of such people. The other attitude is found in those who recognize that every decision and every choice involves the possibility of making mistakes and even causing harm. The responsibility that this entails creates an unpleasant feeling of perplexity, fear and guilt, and such people therefore tend – consciously and subconsciously – to evade this responsibility and to place the burden of deciding on others – either on another person or on one of the authorities in society. The urge to give up one’s will, to evade and escape, explains many of the common tendencies, and it has been described by many authors, especially by Erich Fromm in the book Flight from Freedom.
Decisions can be made in two ways or at two levels. The first way is used when prior considerations have resulted in a clear view of the best or most appropriate course to follow. If this is not clear, one must choose a course that seems most advisable, recognizing that one must not give in to indecision.
But sometimes it seems as if conscious and rational consideration leads nowhere. There are or seem to be so many uncertain factors in the situation one is faced with that one does not feel competent to reach a credible conclusion. In such cases, the second way should be followed, and that is to reach a decision at a higher level. This means that one refrains from using the conscious personal will and brings the problem up to another and higher authority – the self or soul. In religious terminology, this is known as seeking the will of God. It also entails that one must use two other methods in this inner action – invocation (of guidance) and receptive meditation. Read the article Thinking and Meditation.
The necessity of self-sacrifice
A major obstacle to decision-making is the reluctance to give up and to give up something. The background may be both conscious and subconscious, but it is rooted in the widespread desire to “have it all in one’s bag”. One should therefore clearly recognize and accept the inevitable fact that every choice invariably involves a process of eliminating alternatives and giving up other desires and courses of action. Even in situations that are in one’s own favor, one must look for other possibilities and exclude and give up other things if the decision is to be successful. Those who want to achieve success in the world must choose between ambition and laziness, between making money and indulging in pleasures. People who look at facts and are realistic take progress for granted without thinking much about it, but people who are more sensitive and more flexible and compromise-seeking are often unable or unwilling to accept this “hard” fact, and when they carry out what they have decided, they think about and regret what they had to give up, with the result that they lose their joy and reduce their effectiveness. In order to make choices easier and to make them more willingly and wholeheartedly, one should think not only about what one must give up or forget, but also about the concept of preference. This will clarify the real problem in a more accurate way.
Confirmation stage
The phase or act of will that should immediately follow the decision is confirmation. This is apparently a single act, which it really is, but several factors must be involved to make it successful and effective in its manifestation. The first factor is a living, dynamic conviction—not just “faith,” but a conviction that is in its nature a sure certainty. This kind of conviction requires no external evidence. It is something that is arrived at within, and it corresponds to Paul’s beautiful definition, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
The most fundamental and powerful belief is the belief that exists within one’s own being. Keyserling, in his book From Suffering to Fulfillment, has emphasized the higher importance of belief:
“It is only the inner affirmation called conviction that can give impetus to the decision that “makes the self real” in a phenomenal existence… It is by conviction and conviction alone that the personality becomes identical with that which it represents, and thereby the personality becomes the means of expression of its whole being. By virtue of the function of conviction, being and manifestation and subjectivity and objectivity become one. Thus all conceivable rays radiating from the self are gathered into one focus. But when the belief applies only to the self itself, then – but only then – will all the magical powers of the self itself be able to manifest themselves.”
True belief
True conviction is an intuitive clear realization that draws its strength from the principle of essential divinity. It may be said that its strength and effectiveness correspond exactly to how vivid and persistent our perception is of our divinity. It may also be said that it corresponds to the degree to which the fusion of soul and personality has reached.
“Let it happen”
The second factor in affirmation can be called imperative or assertive. It is the use of imperative form with an attitude that shows certain authority. This factor can be summarized in the Latin word “fiat” or in the words “let it be done.” The intensity or “psychological tension” present in this affirmation is decisive for the degree and extent of its effectiveness.
The technique of affirmation – in addition to the basic imperative and reassuring factor – often requires that one must renew the power of the affirmation again and again and neutralize and defeat opposing or resistant factors. Affirmation often provokes resistance. This should be anticipated, resisted calmly, and defeated – without discouragement or reluctance – by persistently repeating the affirmation. This exercise develops the ability to adopt and maintain a constant affirmative attitude, which ensures that the final phase of the will – its execution – will be successful.
Here it should be pointed out again that these techniques should not be used to gain material or selfish benefits, but should be used as an effective way to carry out one’s higher spiritual purposes and in working for the good of the whole.
You can use different specific affirmations that correspond to the goals they are aimed at.
External action
The subject of action seems obvious and simple, but in reality right action is very difficult. We should always remember that human actions can be constructive and beneficial, useless and meaningless, or harmful and destructive, and in this context we must necessarily recognize the great responsibility that this entails. Let us therefore consider closely the nature of right and effective action – “perfect” action.
1. The first source of action is or should be will. Will implies first purpose and motivation, and secondly stable control. Therefore will should be both the source of action and the underlying energy in the entire process of action. Motivation presupposes a choice, and we should choose what is good. This means that we should be filled with the will-to-good, which is the dynamic aspect of love.
2. Thought must follow will. This is possible by the use of intelligence or, better still, by wise planning. Effective action requires the preparation of a detailed plan and the formulation of a clear program.
This is the fifth stage (planning) of the will mentioned earlier: there is no need for detailed instructions on this stage, as it is clearly explained and widely recognized and used. This can be seen in the way governments and large organizations present their plans for three-year, five-year, and generally longer periods. Planning is equally necessary for spiritual purposes and for all efforts to prepare for the new era, for the effect of any action depends mainly on the quality of the motives that are to set it in motion.
In this endeavor, reflective meditation will be helpful and will also prove its value as a vital means of preparing for constructive external actions.
3. The third necessary element is feeling, especially in the form of love. We should feel that our action is desirable and right, and we should value the goal and even show love for it. In this way one can direct the great potential of feelings towards a useful purpose. Emotion and even compassionate feelings are often largely wasted by being suppressed and may even lead to destructive actions.
4. When the power found in the instinctive drives is transmuted and properly directed, it will provide strong impulses for action. This has always been known or suspected and more or less consciously applied, but modern psychology is exploring this closely and is developing a “psycho-dynamics” in a scientific way. This has already led to effective techniques that are increasingly used in psychotherapy and education, and it is also suitable for individual use.
Ways and methods of action
Now let us consider the ways and means of action:
1. The Spoken Word
First came the sound or the WORD – the creative Logos, cosmically speaking. In our physical world, a moment’s reflection can make us see the power of the spoken word. There are countless examples of this in history. We need only think of all that has been achieved through the power of speech by great orators such as Demosthenes and Cicero and by leaders good and bad, such as Napoleon and Hitler and many others. In our time, the reach of the spoken word has become far more extensive because of radio and television. This means that the need for skill and for a sense of responsibility on the part of those who speak has grown correspondingly to immense proportions.
2. The written word
Next is the written word, which is also very effective. In a way, you could say that it is “magical”. A book and even a pamphlet can change the life of a reader. There have been various examples of far-reaching effects. For example, it is well known that a pamphlet about Gandhi influenced the daughter of an English admiral so deeply that she felt prompted to travel to India, and there she became Gandhi’s secretary and collaborated with him for the rest of his life.
The written word can spread widely in space and endure for a long time. We can now read words that were written thousands of years ago in distant parts of the world, and through them the writers become spiritually present. Plato and many other writers are as alive to us today as they were to the people of their time, and their influence is in fact much greater now. In the same way, words written or recorded today may be preserved and have effects in future centuries across the globe.
3. Art and music
There are other methods of information that are just as effective. For example, art that can influence with portraits, panoramas and symbols – and music. Here again it should be remembered that all methods of communication can be destructive as well as constructive, and it must be said quite openly that in our time there is a terrifying lack of sense of responsibility among writers and artists. Their exclusive cult, which is supposed to work with aesthetic values, makes them unwilling to recognize the certain fact that aesthetic value cannot be measured by human and moral effects. A high aesthetic value does not necessarily mean that there is also a good moral impact. The greater the aesthetic value in a creative work, the more dangerous it can actually be if it has a destructive and divisive content.
A work of art in which a painter or writer has expressed a bitter anger, or for some other reason, to free himself from being a slave to such qualities, can have a harmful effect. There is much clear evidence of this. A good example is the novel Werther, in which the young Goethe gives a vivid description of an exalted romantic love affair that culminates in the suicide of the “hero.” This novel influenced several young men to such an extent that they followed Werther’s example and committed suicide.
But we must recognize that artists are not the only sinners in this regard, and perhaps not the worst. Mankind’s search for truth, its many inventions, and its ever-increasing power over nature can all have destructive effects. In fact, they are now threatening the survival of humanity. Modern man does not have the wisdom and humanitarian conscience that Leonardo da Vinci had when he refused to construct a kind of submarine that he had invented, saying that the world would be tempted to misuse it.
The result may even be harmful in the pursuit of good if the efforts are based only on limited intelligence and are devoid of psychological understanding and have a fanatical spirit. This is what happened in the Victorian era, when the condemnation and strong suppression of human nature caused widespread suffering, many nervous and psychological disorders, and finally provoked a violent reaction and a swing to the opposite extreme.
4. Physical movement
Another method of expression is movement – i.e. physical activity, which was used a lot in the past, but is currently experiencing a rapid resurgence. In the past, dance often had a religious and sacred purpose. Today, rhythmic movements that are constructive and beneficial have resurfaced.
5. Indirect action
The above expressions can be relatively called direct action. But there are also actions that are more indirect, as can be seen, for example, in the use of tools and machines that increase the efficiency of the individual greatly. Even with very limited use of the muscles, a machine can multiply our efforts immeasurably. Another indirect method of achieving results is money. With the help of money, the effective action of the individual can be greatly multiplied.
Although these methods are often misused, we should not reject them, for they are inherently neutral. Nor should we condemn them, as that would be unrealistic. On the contrary, we should use them to their full potential in a constructive and beneficent way.
6. Being a Living Example
The highest and most far-reaching method of action is to be a living example, an ideal model in action, and a living manifestation of what a soul-integrated or “soul-inspired” human being can be. The highly evolved beings who have periodically come to reveal divinity have done so more by being a living example than by their messages and their teachings. A singular example of this was Christ. Revelation in this sense is the highest method of action.
7. Training other employees
To return to a more human level, there is another indirect method of action that also multiplies its effect: it is training other employees. It is a form of action that one can carry out more and more during the second half of one’s life. During the first part of life we act directly and learn through trials and mistakes. By making mistakes we develop skill in action. When we have achieved this skill to a certain extent, we will find ourselves in a situation where we can undertake to train other employees. Every employee that we train multiplies our own skill in time and space. Therefore, we must be aware of when the time has come to begin training work instead of direct work, and to an increasing extent delegate the direct work to others. In this way, other people are given different opportunities, and this frees us – not to ease and inactivity, but to higher methods of service, especially for activities within.
Choice of action
The areas for action are countless, and it is in each case the individual’s problem which area should be chosen. Generally speaking, there are two bases for choosing an area of action:
1. The first basis is aptitude, a possible innate ability. Some find an area easily, feeling “called” (being called) and cannot resist the urge to give expression to an inner impulse, an inner ability. Others may possess many abilities and possibilities, but none that are particularly prominent, and for them there will very often be a period of trials and attempts to work in different areas until they find their right place.
2. The second motive or consideration concerns the needs of humanity. This may at times prompt us to act in areas that we do not particularly like or for which we are not particularly suited, but where there are no others or too few to meet the need. Such situations easily arise in a time like the present, when humanity is under pressure and in deep crisis.
Action can be performed either by a single person or by a group. Nowadays, actions should increasingly be performed by groups, for this is the mode of action that will be used increasingly in the coming new age.
Warnings regarding external activities
1. The first warning, which is very much warranted at this time, is that one should not be too eager to act, even the best-motivated act of service. One should not engage in actions that are unduly exhausting, so as to limit and destroy one’s capacity for future activities.
2. The second warning, which is also very justified, is to always put quality over quantity. The current civilization is motivated by a false notion of efficiency that is based on quantity, while the true higher efficiency is that which signifies the highest quality.
3. Another warning is to avoid becoming too absorbed in the moment and in details, but instead to look ahead and always keep the final goal clearly in mind and in the mind. This is very difficult because the methods tend to constantly assume an exaggerated importance and to become an end in themselves, so that the true final purpose is hidden or forgotten.
4. Another rule of action related to the above is to deal more with causes than with effects. This means that one should not only deal with the surface, but be three-dimensional in thinking and try to find the source of what is happening both below and above the level where the problems arise.
Conclusion
As a general conclusion to all that has been said, it can be said that a “complete” and balanced life should consist of a wise interplay between directing thoughts inward and outward, and between inner and outer action, always beginning “from above and downwards and from within and outwards”. The episode in the Gospel of Martha and Mary illustrates this in an excellent way. There is a statement by Thomas which reminds us that action should consist of the surplus that perfect contemplation gives.
Aristotle speaks of God as an immovable motive force. As a child of God, each individual should likewise aspire to become an immovable motive force, remaining at the center and from there directing and utilizing energy efficiently. This is summarized in the Bhagavad Gita in an invocation of Krishna, who is an incarnation of the supreme spirit: “Permeating the universe with a part of myself, I remain.”
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