A TWELVE WEEK PSYCHOSYNTHESIS PRACTICE
Compiled and Edited by Thomas Yeomans, Ph.D.
No. 12 – SELF
The SPIRITUAL SELF is an ontological Reality, a Being and is on its own level a stable Centre of Life, from which it radiates energies. The personal self, the self-conscious “I”, is a projection or reflection of the Self into the normal human level.
An analogy may help understanding, although, as are all analogies, it is only approximate and partial. The relation-ship between the Spiritual Self and the personal self, or “1”, can be compared to that between the Sun and a planet, let us say the Earth. From the Sun emanate many powerful radiations, which affect the planet and all the living beings on it, producing the conditions for evolution, development, growth. In the same way the Self projects a small portion, a spark, a tiny center of self-consciousness. This self grows in self-awareness, intelligence, power to act, under the combined influence of “nourishment” from the environment, the soil where it exists, and from the vivifying impact of the descending energies radiated by the Self. One might say that the Self becomes aware through the self of what exists and occurs at the personal levels (physical—emotional—mental).
The personal self, in its turn, becomes aware of the Self in these ways:
1. By opening itself consciously to and recognizing the radiation from the Self.
2. By rising towards and contacting and merging partially with the Self.
3. By living fully the truth of human experience and living one’s given life fully with the energies of the Self.
This experience of the Self is feasible, and many witnesses have testified that the Self can be experienced as a living reality, even more as a living Being. It has functions, but is not a function. It is essence and life itself.
A clear and full experience of the Self gives at first such a strong sense of self-identity that it is felt as something sure, permanent, unchangeable and indestructible. It is realized as such an essential reality that all other experiences and realities appear, when compared to it, as changing, impermanent and of lesser value and significance. Later it is experienced as infusing and organizing all aspects of our humanness as our lives are increasingly touched and shaped by its energies.
Some of the qualities manifested by the Self are: pure initiative and free will, creative impulse, wisdom, a wider love, truth, and a sense of concentrated power at rest, yet ready to express itself dynamically at will.
Some of the effects of the realization of the Self are: a sense of inner guidance, strength, purpose, humility, responsibility, compassion and joy.
CONCLUDING NOTE
In the introduction to “Methods and Techniques” in Psychosynthesis Roberto Assagioli states:
“The basic purpose of psychosynthesis is to release, or let us say, help to release, the energies of the Self. Prior to this the purpose is to help integrate, to synthesize, the individual around the personal self, and then later to effect the synthesis between the personal ego and the Self.
Therefore, all techniques should be subordinated to this basic goal; they are not a static collection of tools, but can be used and modified at will by therapists and educators, provided they keep in mind the basic purpose of the therapy.”
In this he was warning us not to become identified with technique or practice for its own sake. More importantly, he is reminding us that the purpose of the whole endeavour is to contact and release, creatively and constructively, the energies of the Self, our deep and true nature. Any practice that supports this process, in the moment and/or over time, is a living practice; any that, no matter how finely and devotedly done, does not is useless.
The practices contained in this booklet are powerful and proven, yet they always need to be held within the context of the release of the energies of a living, vital Self into the world. Well used, they contribute significantly to Life “living itself more deeply” in ourselves, among each other, and among all peoples, plants, and animals of the earth. That these energies of the spirit are needed is clear; how soon and how well we release them to those in need is up to us.
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Originally Published and distributed by Synthesis Distribution, 274 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 0102 (www.synthesiscenter.org)