He Hit Me Back First! -- Psychosynthesis

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Psychosynthesis

From He Hit Be Back First!: Development of the Will in Children for Making Choices*, Revised Edition, printed by Jalmar Press, (800) 662-9662, blwjalmar@att.net, reprinted with permission.

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The techniques and activities [in the book] are based on the principles of psychosynthesis, a comprehensive educational approach to human growth and development pioneered in 1911 by Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli. While it is not my intention to include an in-depth study of psychosynthesis, a brief review of its principles will provide a foundation for the activities.

Dr. Assagioli's books, Psychosynthesis* and The Act of Will*, and Piero Ferrucci's What We May Be*, are suggested for further study, as are the other books listed in the Bibliography.

Psychosynthesis is a creative approach to the harmonious integration of the whole personality-the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of one's self. Utilizing the will, intuition, and creative imagination, psychosynthesis aims to develop within each person an awareness of that deep center which brings these various parts into the unity of wholeness. This awareness is gradually brought into consciousness through a series of techniques, including imagery and visualization, designed to achieve harmony and synthesis within a person and between the person and her surroundings. Psychosynthesis, then, is a process of connecting with the Self-the core of our being-so that it can direct our life and relationships with joy and wisdom. For children, I simply say it is getting in touch with the Wise Part Within us.

This rather complex definition proved difficult for many parents and teachers. I simplified it by saying that psyche means self, and synthesis means putting it all together, or "getting your act together." They were comfortable with this definition, being more interested in the activities and results than in the theory.

The psychosynthesis used with children is highly modified from that used in adult counseling. Dr. Assagioli's basic techniques of creative imagination, dis-identification, and development of will have been adapted to a child's level of growth. The concepts of awareness introduced at this level are that children have many unique and varied parts to themselves, that they have a unifying center or Wise Part Within that they can trust, and that they control their own thoughts and behavior through the implementation of the will.

A distinctive characteristic of psychosynthesis is its emphasis on the will as an essential function of the self and as the source of all choices and decisions. Will has deliberation, motivation, decision, affirmation, planning, and execution. Will is far more than what is commonly called "strong will." To be well-balanced it must not only be strong, but must include skillful will, goodwill, and wise will.

Piero Ferrucci, an associate of Dr. Assagioli and author of What We May Be, says: "We can truly and freely choose, bearing the full responsibility of self-determination. It is to this evolutionary acquisition, still very much in development, that we give here the name of will." Ferrucci continues, "(T)he will in its true essence can explain a host of human attainments, while its absence can account for legions of psychological disturbances. If understood in its proper perspective, the will is, more than any other factor, the key to human freedom and personal power."

In psychosynthesis, the will is consciously developed through a variety of techniques. One simple technique is the use of "I will" statements. In contrast to the negative "I won't" forms which block action (''I won't make a lot of noise"), "I will" statements invoke the will to act ("I will be quiet"). Imagining what could be, children create their own solutions to problems. Another technique for strengthening the will is that of setting goals. Children select one specific personal goal of their own choosing to be achieved each day, list benefits of achieving and burdens of not achieving it, make specific plans for achieving it, and evaluate their progress. This technique develops logical, sequential thinking that takes disciplined use of the will.