The Act of Will by Roberto Assagioli.pdf

PENGUIN BOOK S

THE ACT OF WIIL

Roberto Assagioli was one of the masters of modern psychology in the line that

runs from Sigmund Freud through C. G. Jung and Abraham Maslow. Himself a

colleague of all these men, Assagioliwas among the pioneers of psychoanalysis in

Italy, though he pointed out that Freud had largely neglected the higher;reaches of

human nature. Over many years until his death in 1974 Dr. Assagioli developed a

comprehensive psychology known as psychosynthesis. Psychosynthesis sees man

as tending naturally toward harmony within himself and with the world. Dr.

Assagioli's concept of the will is a key part of that vision. Penguin Books also

publishes Roberto Assagioli's Psychosynthesis: A Manual of Principles and

Techniques.

AN ESALEN BOOK

The Esalen Publishing Program is edited by Stuart Miller

Also by Roberta Assagioli, M.D.

Psychosynthesis: A Manual of Principles and Techniques

The Act of Will

ROBERTO ASSAGIOLI, M.D .

Penguin Books Ltd. Harmondsworth,

Middlesex, England Penguin Books, 40 West zsfrd Street,

New York. New York 10010, U.S.A.

Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood,

Victoria, Australia

Penguin Books Canada Limited, 2801 John Street,

Markham, Ontario, Canada L & R 1B4 Penguin Books

(N.X.) Ltd, 182190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New

Zealand

An Esalen Book first published in the United States of

America by The Viking Press 1973 Published in Penguin

Books 1974 Reprinted 1976,1979,1980,1982,1983

reserved

Printed in the United Stales of America by Offset

Paperback Mfrs., Inc., Dallas, Pennsylvania Set in

Monotype Baskerville

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.:

From Motivation and Personality by Abraham Maslow. From Strength of Will anil

How to Develop It by Boyd Barrett. Oxford University Press:

From A Confession, The Gospel in Brif, What I Believe by Leo Tolstoi,

translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude and published by Oxford

University Press.

Presses Universitairces de France:

From Caractere et personnalite by Gaston Berger .

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition

that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or

otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or

cover other than that in which it is published ami without a similar condition

including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

PREFACE

Everyone can have, or has had, the existential experience of"willing"—but often

without full realization or a clear understanding. This book has been written as an

introduction and a guide to such experience, and as a training manual. It is

intended to be a tool for the exploration, development, and utilizationof the will. It

considers not only how the will usually operates, but how it can best operate. It

describes the qualities of the will and its various aspects; the stages of the willed

act and the purposes toward which this act can be directed. It is largely a phe

nomenological exploration based on my own experience and on statements and

reports of my clients, students, and colleagues over many years. The amount of

empirical data thus collected provides a sure ground for describing the various

methods, techniques, and exercises for the practical training of the will and for its

optimum use at all levels of existence—from the personal to the transpersonal and

reaching into the realm where the individual will merges with the universal will.

This volume is also a preliminary map of the act of willing from the point of view

of the newer developments in psychology—that is to say, existential, humanistic,

and transpersonal psychology—although it has roots in various older contributions.

Because the subject is so challenging, I have made the Style as simple as possible.

But on occasion this simplicity is deceptive. I suggest that not only can this volume

be read as a piece of interesting information but that it can profitably be studied in

depth, and the manytechniques practiced and applied in daily life. The chapters on

Love and Will, the Transpersonal Will, and the Universal Will might bear

particular consideration, as their subjects may be new to many readers. I should

also like to mention that certain repetitions are deliberate and are intended for

emphasis, and that crossreferences in various parts of the text may help one to

grasp both the manifold nature of the subject and its underlying unity.

As for language, the reader will find the word "will" used as a noun throughout.

This has been done for the purpose of simplifying the text. However, it should be

noted at the outset that no "metaphysical" claim is being made either for or against

the proposition that the "will" exists. My approach, dealing as it does with

"willers" and "willed acts," is empirical and phenomenological. Its foundation is

psychosynthesis, both personal and transpersonal: a process of growth based on the

harmonious integration of all aspects of the personality around the self, the center

of awareness and will. So this book can take its place as a sequel to my previous

one, Psychosynthesis* in which the subject of the will was briefly introduced.

*An Esalen Book, New York: Penguin Books, 1971

I hope and trust that it may be a usefulcompanion to many who want to develop

and make good use of their wills. Much remains to be done, and toward this end I

suggest in the Will Project (Part Three) a general plan both for individuals and for

groups to continue the work of study and research. Such a plan is greatly needed at

present because of the unfortunate neglect or misuse of the will and because of the

enormous potential inherent in its right use for achieving selfactualization and

Selfrealization, and for solving major human problems.

Now I want to express my gratitude to all who have assisted in the production of

the book. First, to my many students, clients, and coworkers who read portions of

the manuscript at various times, offered their comments and suggestions, and

helped generally. Of this large group, I would like to single out for particular

mention Stuart Miller, editor of the Esalen/Viking series, whose many perceptive

comments, suggestions, and additions were deeply appreciated; James Vargiu, who

studied the manuscript in depth, making valuable suggestions and adding

examples; and Susan Vargiu who greatly helped in this work by reordering the

original text. Others to whom I gladly recognize my indebtedness are Dr. Frank

Haronian, Betsie Carter, Steven Kull, and Dr. Piero Ferrucci. Ida Palombi,

Secretary of the Istituto di Psicosintesi in Florence, and my friend Kenneth Leslie

Smith also gave valuable cooperation.

With good will and the trust that the development of the will may have a

substantial role in the emergence of a new period of human cooperation, I leave the

next steps to the reader.

Florence, Italy September,1972

Persons interested in obtaining further information about Psychosynthesis may

write to any of the following centers:

Psychosynthesis Research Foundation, Inc.

40 East 49th Street New York, New York10017

High Point Foundation Psychosynthesis Training Center

647 North Madison Avenue Pasadena, California 91101

Psychosynthesis Institute

150 Doherty Way Redwood City, California 94062

Kentucky Center for BioPsychosynthesis, Inc.

122 Lakewood Drive Lexington, Kentucky 40502

The Hill Center for Psychosynthesis in Education Old Walpole Road

Walpole. New Hampshire 03462

Canadian Institute of Psychosynthesis, Inc.

3496 Marlowe Avenue Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4A 317

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