P.R.F. Issue No.

21

Psychosomatic Medicine

and
Bio-Psychosynthesis

A lecture given before

Rome,
Italy,

the Plenary Session of

the International Psychosomatic

Week

September 1967

by

Roberto Assagioli, M.D.

Psychosynthesis Research Foundation

Room 314
527 Lexington Avenue

New

York, N. Y. 10017

Published 1967 by

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Psychosomatic Medicine and Bio-Psychosynthesis*

Roberto Assagioli, M.D.

and applications is no need for me to enlarge upon the principles psychosomatic medicine before such an assembly of highly qualified of On the therapists as I have the honour to be addressing on this occasion.

There

be in the happy position of learning a great deal froni your contributions to the meetings during this "Psychosomatic Week." This permits me, therefore, to devote the short time I have at my disposal of the of necessity brief and I v^^ould say "synthetic" to an outline make in the future, contributions Bio-psychosynthesis is making, and can
contrary,
I

shall

to psychosomatic medicine.

"psychosynthesis" has been employed by various writers, but they have not appropriated it as a unitary conception or applied it as a specific therapeutic method. I must limit myself, anyhow, to describing

The word

the use of

it

which

constitutes

my

personal contribution.
I

Psychosynthesis has evolved naturally, and

would say spontaneously,

from the ground, or out of the main stem, of i>sychoanalysis, as a method or, more precisely, as a body of techniques and of psychotherapy methods coordinated and directed towards the achievement of a complete and harmonious development of the human personality. Its principal aims

and
1.

tasks are:

The The

elimination of the conflicts and obstacles, conscious

and uncon-

scious, that block this

2.

development.
still

use of active techniques to stimulate the psychic functions

weak and immature.

But the practice of psychosynthesis very soon revealed the necessity of including the body, that is to say, of recognizing and making use of the close ties that knit body and psyche, and the reciprocal actions and re-

*A

lecture

Week, Rome,

given before the Plenary Session of the Interruitional Psychosomatic Septenilx;r 1967.

actions

between them. This has received

full

acknowledgment from both

the theoretical and the practical standpoints, and for this reason the proper name of psychosynthesis is hio-psychosynthesis. (In practice it is usually

more convenient

to

employ the word "psychosynthesis;" but

hios,

understood at all times that it includes the body, the always stands for "bio-psychosynthesis.")

it must be and that it

and mechanism of the psycho-physical interaction you well know, the subject of lively discussion. Contrasting conceptions and theories have been advanced, but psychosynthesis, with its essentially pragmatic orientation, takes no stand in regard to them. It takes for granted the reality of this interaction (which constitutes the foundation of all psychosomatic medicine) and utilizes its ways of functioning for therapeutic purposes.
actual nature

The

have been and

are, as

To make extensive use of an energy, it is not necessary in practice to have a profound understanding of its nature, of what it is in reality. Just as a knowledge of what gravity is is not indispensable for the construction of aeroplanes, and what electricity is for its application in innumerable ways, so the use of our body does not demand a knowledge of the nature of the relationship that exists between it and the psyche. do not need to know how the will, an idea or a mental picture can induce movements of the muscles. If I will to raise an arm, the arm raises itself without my knowing how. Boxers, acrobats and pianists develop astonish-

We

ingly proficient psycho-neuro-muscular coordination, a true psycho-physical

synthesis, without

needing even the most elementary knowledge of anatomy, about, for instance, the seat of the cerebral motor cells and the intersection of the nerve fibres whose function is to stimulate muscular
contractions.

this full

This opinion is shared by Pro. Antonielli, the skilful organiser of and many-sided Psychosomatic Week. "In psychosomatic medicine," he has written, "it is not so important, at least for the clinician, to

structural process of a psychosomatosis as its derivation, how diagnosed and what techniques can be used to cure it. And this practical knowledge we have acquired."^

know the it may be

Among

the most important specific contributions of psychosynthesis

which differentiate it from various other conceptions of the human psyche and from many other psychotherapeutic methods (while it in no way
opposes them), are the recognition of the higher functions of the psyche and the demonstration of their importance in the pathogenesis of many nervous and psychosomatic disturbances.

The human

psychosynthetic conception of the psycho-physical structure of the being is represented in the following diagram:
Aspects of Psychosomatic Medicine, in "Medicina Psychosomatica," Vol.

'^Practical

12, n. 2, p. 133.

7/
1

.'4

1.

2.
3.

The Lower Unconscious The Middle Unconscious The Higher Unconscious or

Superconscious

4.
5.

6.
7.

The Field of Consciousness The Conscious Self or "I" The Higher Self The Collective Unconscious
human
and the

The

surrounding oval includes the whole of the bio-physical

its

being; the circular area represents the field of consciousness;

point at

centre the

or Ego.

The

rest of the area indicates the extenis

sive field of the unconscious,

1.

which

divided into three zones:

The

lower encompasses, first of all, the psychic activities, elementary but most skilful, that govern the organic life. A number of biologists are now talking of a bio-psyche and regarding life and intelligence as inseparable. This zone also is the seat, or origin, of the instincts, or lundamental drives, such as sexuality, self-preservation and aggressiveness. Within it, as well, are found the complexes having a strong emotional charge that are produced by trainnas and psychic conflicts.
the alxxle of the ]-)sychic elements and activities waking consciousness and easily accessible to it. the pre-conscious, and in it occur the elalx>ration of cx|x;riencc
is

2.

The middle zone

It is

similar to those of

and the preparation of future

3.

activities.

The
It
is

highest area represents the higher unconscious, or superconscious.

the seat

of,

and from

it

come, intuitions and inspirations of a

lofty, religious, artistic,

philosophic or scientific nature, the creations

of genius, ethical imperatives

and the promptings

to altruistic action.

The

star at

psychology

and pre-eminently Jungdesignates

the summit of the superconscious represents what modem as the "Self," of which

the ego, the centre of self-consciousness, is a reflection. Outside the oval exists the boundless psychic world of the collective unconscious.
All the lines are dotted to indicate that a continuous exchange of eleis taking place

ments and energies a "psychic osmosis," one might say between any and all these psychic areas.

Some

clarification

is

desirable about the higher unconscious.

By and

large, its existence

psychology. Many accordance with scientific procedure. But this view derives from a limited or erroneous conception of such procedure, which confines it to the use of the techniques proj:>er to the physical sciences. Yet in reality, the scientific method, which can be said to have originated in Francis Bacon's

has not been the object of investigation by modern investigators, indeed, believe it cannot be studied in

Novum Organum, consists principally in the elimination of errors of judgment and language. These he called "idols," and they have been unmasked even more adroitly by modern semantics. Essentially, it is a
matter of reasoning soundly. Thus everything qualifies as a legitimate object of scientific concern; there exists no reason why sexuality should be scientific and love not. This conception has received recognition recently

from a number of avant-garde psychologists who have adopted the humanexistential and anthropological position, such as Sorokin, Maslow, Frankl and others.
istic,

But pychosomatic medicine has not ignored these higher aspects of and the psychic life. Indeed, some of its most eminent exponents have insistently called attention to them. Here I may make special mention of the Director of the Medical Qinic of Hamburg University, Prof. Jores, whom we have the honour to have with us. In his excellent book, T)er Mensch und seine Krankheit (Stuttgart: Klein, 1956), he shows how many disturbances are rooted in the frustration of a deep need of cultivating the productivity and developtnent of the personality. This need is no mere assertion of the personality in front of others. It is the
reality

urge often unrecognised or repressed to develop latent possibilities, to grow. In the same way that the normal biological organism experiences an insuppressible tendency towards growth, there is a growth tendency in the human being which lasts throughout life, or at least much longer than the period of biological growth. When this growth remains unrecognised or is repressed, or frustrated by environmental obstacles, psychosomatic disturbances are produced.

UniVienna, expresses himself in very similar terms. Speaking of the existential crises of growth and development, he says they must not
Prof. Viktor Frankl, Director of the Neurological Clinic of the
versity of

be regarded as mental

illnesses,

and the doctor should not attempt

tranquillisers,

to

of instinctive impulses. 157) drive a man, but rather attract him," (ibid. p.

but rather guide the pafieht the existential despair with the crises.^ According to Frankl the search tient towards surmounting not a secondary rationalisation for meaning is a primary force in man and The values that lend significance to life do not

by Abraham This fact has been endorsed in a still more emphatic way Brandeis University C^.S.A ) and Maslow, Professor of Psychology at Association. The full present President of the American Psychological then inthe person or of human nature," he writes, "must definition of Ihese intrinsic values clude intrinsic values, as part of human nature. to avoid illness and are instinctoid in nature, i.e., they are needed 1) or growth. The 'illnesses' resulting from 2) to achieve fullest humanness call metapathologies. deprivation of intrinsic values (metaneeds) we may

The

aspirations of mankind 'highest' values, the spiritual life, the highest and research. They are are therefore proper subjects for scientific study
in the

world of nature."^
specific contribution

Another

made by

psychosynthesis

is its

reaffirma-

will, drawing attention to its tion of the importance and value of the different from that of the other psychic funcspecial position as being One might say that the will is the Cinderella of modern psychology.

tions.

not only by Since William James it has been almost entirely neglected, leading exponents of dynamic academic psychologists, but also by the
psychology.
strange cannot pause on this occasion to discuss the reasons for this that the principal one may be attributed neglect. I shall merely mention
I

to the decidedly materialistic

and

objectivistic orientation that,

up

to a

this connection, I would short time ago, had prevailed in psychology. In well-known saying about the suggest the following modification of the then its will, then sad fate of psychology: "Psychology first lost its soul, has nothing left but its behaviour." But it has been its consciousness, and

reacquiring its conrecovering from this collapse for some time now; it is recognition of the ego; and sciousness or rather self consciousness, through now it must find its will again.
visible, and I am Positive signs of a beginning in this direction are the leading psychologists in Italy, happy to be able to say that one of recognises the exProf. Leonardo Ancona, who is our Chairman today,

istence

and function of the will in the psychic life. In his monograph on him, Motivation, published in the book Qucstioni di Psicolofiia, edited by of motive and includes among he ixjnetratingly analyses various types them motives of value as being specifically human. This is how he exrather than is compresses his views: "A man intends to do something,

mans

3"A Theory

Search for Meaning, N. Y.: Washington Square Press, 1963, P- JO?; journal of Metamotivation The Biological Rooting ol: the Value-Lite of Humanistic Psychology, Fall, 1967.
:

expressed by saynot externalised as action but as cognitive representation, and identifies itself within the concept of volition. Here it is a matter of anticipation behaviour,' in which reality is willed in the abstract before actualisation in the concrete."
it.

pelled or urged or simply wanting to do

This

fact

is

ing, 'the

man

wills/

At

this level the motivation is

Prof. Jores speaks of the will in

much

the same terms:

"Man

is

gifted

wdth intelligence," he writes, "so that he is able to control his actions and judge their effects; on the basis of experience he can provide for the future. When one of these actions is guided by a motivation, we speak of voluntary action. The compass of human action is a system of values. In this way man has become a moral being.""* have mentioned, psychosynthesis has made has described the various stages of volition pose, deliberation, decision, planning, control of specified its qualities (energy charge, power of

As

will; it

a special study of the (aim, evaluation, purexecution); and has

inhibition,

readiness,

tenacity). Psychosynthesis has given the will the central position

among

the psychic functions, which

is

represented by the following diagram:

"The Centre of Consciousness and, the Psychological Functions

1.

Sensation; 2. Emotion

Feelings; 3. Imagination; 4. Impulse

Desire;

5.

Thought;

6. Intuition; 7.

Will;

8.

Central point: the

I or

Ego.

'^Der

Mensch und

seine Krankheit, p. 22.

The

recognition

and use of the

will has great

importance in psycho-

somatic medicine, and the execution of

psycho-physical techniques
tion of the patient.

many

of the psychological

and

demands the voluntary and

active collabora-

But

this does

not imply the use of the will only, but

requires a fundamental will to he cured.

Where

the will

is

deficient,

obstructed or overwhelmed by
,

what has been

called

the counter-will

(Gegenwille) the death instinct (Freud), the tendency to self-destruction (Menninger), it is important for the doctor to be well aware of the situation,
this,

and he must try to arouse or reinforce the will to be cured. Lacking every therapeutic endeavour remains ineffective.

Turning now to the specific field of therapy, it is natural that the posiassumed by psychosynthesis is a "synthetic" one. It thus appreciates and weighs the merits of all therapies, all methods and techniques of treatment, without preconceived preferences. It avails itself of all of them and selects, combines and alternates in different ways those that each given existential, clinical situation and the symptomatological complex
tion
indicate.

Not only are these combinations different, indeed unique, in the case of each patient, but they vary continually during the course of the illness and its treatment.

In conformity with its recognition of the existence and importance of the superconscious, psychosynthesis gives special consideration to the existential reality of the patient

and his conception of life. Here an objec"But surely this is in the realm of philosophic concepts. How can they possibly produce psychosomatic disturbances?" Well, in the first place, we must realise that everyone, every human being, from the simplest to the most cultivated, has of necessity his personal conception of life, however rudimentary, even without being clearly aware of it.
tion

may

arise:

It is

easy to demonstrate this from the observation that

all

"judge";

indeed, the more ignorant judge

others.

more often and more

willingly than

is, one judges on the basis and these values imply a conception of the world, of life and of humanity. Not only judgements but also actions depend upon evaluations and therefore upon such a conception.

But

to

"judge" implies to "evaluate"; that

of a system or scale of values;

Like
ing
it,

M. Jourdain in Moliere's comedy, who wrote prose without knowevery human being has a "philosophy" of his own, more or less

simple and primitive, without calling it such, sometimes without even knowing what philosophy is! On the other hand, this philosophy, this conception of the world, is often not only rudimentary but also contradictory, as

one might expect from the psychic multiformity existing in each one of us. Its character changes according to the moment, the individual state of mind, or the sul>pcrsonahty "on stage" in the theatre of consciousness. Andre Maurois, who, although not a psychologist by profession, exhibits in his books acute psychological intuition, has gone so far as to say that the normal man changes his philosophy ten times a day.

Due account must be taken of the conception of life maintained by each human being, particularly when he is ill. It is important to know what
he believes that Life has a meaning. who believes that Life has a meaning, and therefore a value, is ver\' different from, and more favourable than, that of the individual who doubts or denies it. Frankl has proved this in his book Frmn Death Camp to Existentialism (republished under the title Man's Search for Meaning), in which he describes the experiences of himself and his companions during the months passed in a concentration camp. He obser\'ed that those who, like him, were able and wanted to attribute a positive significance to life survived, while the others did not. The psychosomatic eifects of the conception of the world and life in
significance

he gives

to life, or if

The

psychic condition of the person

other words, of the existential position, or attitude, in face of

easily explained.

life

are

This attitude is not merely a mental conviction, but arouses emotions and feelings, often intense, and sometimes even violent, such as despair. And these, like emotions and feelings of any other origin, produce physical reactions, that is to say, are the cause of psychosomatic
disturbances.
like, however, to make it clear that psychosyn thesis, as a scienconception and bio-psychotherajjeutic procedure, does not take up any specific metaphysical, much less a religious, position. It gives the highest value to these activities of the human spirit, but does not in any
I

would

tific

way attempt

to invade their territory. It goes as far as the threshold of the mystery and halts there. Therefore all may give it their assent and make use of it, whatever their beliefs or metaphysical positions.

Coming now
and
suggestion.

to the subject of the

psychotherapeutic techniques,
is

may

recall Freud's clear expression of the difference

The

former, he asserts,

between psychoanalysis designed to remove obstacles

introduce

existing in

the unconscious,

the

latter,

to

new

psychic ele-

ments and contents into the psyche of the

patient.

Psychosynthetic therapy fully recognises the importance of both these

psychotherapeutic techniques and makes the

maximum

use of them. But,

it

by reason of
well a large
1.

its

integral

and psychodynamic conception,

employs

as

number

of active techniques designed to:

Awaken

latent energies, particularly in the higher unconscious.

at

2.

Develop the constitutionally weak functions and those arrested

infantile stage.

an

3.

Transmute the overabundant bio-psychic energies and those

not be discharged or expressed in direct ways.
Discipline

that can-

4.

and regulate (without repressing

and

festion of all psychic energies of every level,

tive
5.

or removing) the manipromoting their construc-

and

efficient utilisation

creative expression.

Harmonise the various functions and

integrated

energies, thereby constructing an

human

personality.

6.

Proyytote the introduction of the individual into society

by means of

harmonious interpersonal and group

relations.

This occasion does not permit me even to list the many techniques employed in psychosynthetic therapy to accomplish these tasks. There are more than forty of them. A number have been presented, and their indications and contra-indications discussed, in my book, Psychosynthesis: A Manual of Principles and Techniques.^
medicine
only mention a point of particular interest to psychosomatic inclusion of the body in psychotherapy, or rather the integration of strictly psychological methods with the use of physioI

will

the

therapeutic
It

and physio-psychic techniques.

said that

may be

two opposing

attitudes exist regarding the body.

it

Many
a
life

individuals identify themselves completely with

and

live largely

of sensations of various kinds, giving to the pleasures

ings of the body such an exaggerated importance that they

and sufferbecome ento

slaved

by

it.

Their materialistic conception

results

in

tendency

attribute physical causes to all their disturbances, without recognition of

the psychogenesis, partial or total, of

to

many

of them.

And

this still applies

many
There

doctors!
are,

on the other hand, two categories of individuals in whom The first is composed of those who live almost entirely in a world of emotions, feelings and imagination; the second includes many studious and cultured people the "intellectuals." Neither
the contrary occurs.

of these groups

may neglect it, indeed they burden. But this lack of attention and appreciation, this deficiency of "body consciousness" and indifference to proper physical activity leads to debility of the body and the emergence
is

interested in the body; they

often regard

it

as a limitation, a

of functional disturbances of various kinds.

In
cated.

all

such
its

cases,

the use of the psycho-physical techniques

is

indi-

The most

effective

exercises for acquiring consciousness of the

body and

ous training

which

gradual control are the relaxation techniques and autogenis to receive ample consideration during this "Psy-

chosomatic Week."

Then there are all the activities tending to develop psycho-neuromuscular coordination: gymnastics; harmonious rhythmic movements and classical dances (not the modern ones); different kinds of sjwrt, such as golf, tennis, baseball and, with certain reservations, fo<:)tball.^ All these
techniques arc employed in bio-psychosynthctic therapy, being selected in accordance with the sjx^cial requirements of the overall treatment

programme.
*N. Y.: Ilobbs,

Dorman &

O)., Inc. 1965.

^^AinonR the various puhlications dcaliiiK with this subject, I would Hke to pick out a recent bcK)k by P. Sivadon and F. Cantheret: La rvcdiicalion coTporcUc dcs fonctions mentales (Paris: Les Editions ScK'iales Prancaises, 196S).

Now I must draw attention to a last important point. Psychosynthetic therapy does not restrict itself solely to the use of techniques, however numerous they may be. It fully recognises the therapeutic importance (but the iatrogenic dangers as well) of the doctor-patient relationship. The influence of the personality of the doctor in all its aspects is comconsiderable number of doctors have drawoi plex and difficult to define.

attention to

it:

let

me
is

single out

Maeder, Tochtermann, and Toumier

it

among many. Recently

from Dr.
Balint,

the subject has received a penetrating treatment

shortly to talk to us about

who

from

his great

com-

petence in the subject. In this case, also, an effective exercise of this influence does not depend upon a profound understanding of its nature.

Four principal types of relationships between doctor and patient have been differentiated by psychosynthesis, each of which is made use of, directed and harnessed to the aim of achieving the treatment's objective.^
In the few moments I have left I can only mention two other important which psychosynthesis can make substantial contributions. The
that of the therapeutic group. Its real usefulness, but also the

fields in
first is

by

no means small difficulties associated with it, have been demonstrated by an interesting experiment carried out at the Tavistock Clinic in London. In his valuable book, The Doctor, His Patient and the Illness^ Dr. Balint
has given a comprehensive account of
in
its
it.

The
is

second

field,

group therapy

various forms,

is

now

in the process of being widely developed

and

expanded

to the extent of

becoming what
its

called socio-therapj'

Psychosynthesis, through
social spheres,

developments in the interindividual and

has included and evolved a variety of techniques, both for the elimination of conflicts between individuals and groups, and between

groups and groups, and for their replacement by harmonious and constructive relations. The total aim is to promote and achieve the develop

ment and
This

integration

of

all

aspects

of

human

life

into

increasingly

expanding and inclusive wholes.

is

the spirit that animates bio-psychosyn thesis and

is

its

ideal

objective.

^I

have described these relationships in a lesson forming part of a course given at the Istituto di Psicosintesi in 1966 and since published in the monograph ]ung and Psychosynthesis (New York: Psychosynthesis Research Foundation, 1967).

^London: Pitman Medical Publications Co., 1957.

10

The PsYCHOSYNTHEsis RESEARCH FOUNDATION

poration, registered

is

a non-profit cor-

(November 1957)

in the State of Delaware. Its object

and purposes

are:
scientific,

through exclusively
ties to foster

educational and charitable activi-

and support research

in the field of psychology in regard

to the synthesis of the various elements of

man's nature

known

as

psy chosyn thesis;

in furtherance of these purposes, to investigate the use of the higher psychological functions such as intuition, inspiration, mental

and

artistic creativity;

to

criteria for their early recognition,

study gifted children and individuals of genius; to develop and to develop methods of educasuitable to such persons;

tion

and training
to study the

nature of the vdll,

its

relation to other psychological

its

functions,
to

and

to

develop techniques for

safe

development and use;

according to psy-

develop further

criteria for the classification,

and to ascertain and develop methods of psychosynthetic education and treatment suitable to each type; to develop and use psychosynthetic educational techniques suitable for application to family groups, schools, adult education, and
chological standards, of
types,

human

gifted children;
to develop and use psychosynthetic techniques and to integrate such techniques vidth existing techniques for the treatment of psychological and nervous troubles; to study the nature, varieties and techniques of psychosynthesis inter-individual, of the couple, the family

group, the community, the national groups, and the psychosynthesis

of humanity;
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establishing

and

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The

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