Magical Path - Psychosynthesis Notes 6

Psychosynthesis Notes 6

The following are various notes and chapter summaries of Roberto Assagioli's book:

Chapter 6 - Technique of Imaginative Evocation of Interpersonal Relationships

Not much to say on this. This is something we use in Psychosynthesis frequently, mainly for going to past wounds and talking to the people involved. Likewise, it is similar to what is used extensively in magical practices I was involved in, where a person could be "called up" and talked to. I have personally had a varying degree of success with this technique, but definitely believe it works for dealing with future situations. Dialoguing with people from past situations has also been greatly beneficial in my personal growth.

Chapter 7 - Music as a cause of Disease and as a Healing Agent

No too much to say here. Assagioli's background theory is sound (no pun intended), although then again, sound is also the background of his theory. I think over the years it has been clearly shown the sounds and music have great ability for healing and disease.

From the early Egyptians- part of a sacred text states the power of the voice "I am the girdle of the robe of the god Nu, which shineth and sheddeth light, which abideth in his presence and sendeth forth light into the darkness, which knitteth together the two fighters who live in my body through the mighty spell of the words of my mouth, which raiseth up him that hath fallen"

Prayer and Chant have long been used by healers and religious people. I have read claims that the Egyptian Pyramids were built using sound waves to lift the blocks into place, and likewise rumours about the Coral Castle in America which was built by an eccentric man seemingly without the use of power tools! I read an article about the Maori using singing to carve greenstone (otherwise it begs the question of how stone aged people carved greenstone), and even using song to make trees blossom out of season (although that was supposedly a demonstration).

Songs and nursery rhymes are sung to babies and children to calm and sooth, and likewise playing music to cows in milking sheds has been shown to improved the cows well being.

The Negative affects of sound are reasonably well known also. The Germans (I believe) had developed sound waves generators that could knock down buildings. Armies march out of cadence when crossing bridges as it is believed that a vibration would be set up which could make the bridge collapse.

Music has been linked to suicides, the first cases I've heard of were after the song "Gloomy Sunday", even the title sounds quite depressing. It also seems that many people who are depressed listen to depressing music. I've noticed with some of the music I listen to that this is the case, and Maria has commented similarly about her choices of music.

I've noticed the uplifting moods music can cause, and likewise experienced music as a catalyst for allowing my emotions to flow. In particular for me the songs seemed to strike a chord, and cause my emotions to be released when they had been blocked up. However, it is an important point that while the 2 songs helped me it doesn't make those 2 songs relevant to other people. That is where I would disagree with Assagioli on the use of classical music. I used to hate classical music and if someone had have tried playing it as a therapy I would not have been in the slightest open to it.

So again, with Assagioli's techiques and ideas I see a limit use. It is certainly an important aspect to know about and understand I believe, and something which could be used in a teaching situation or workshop, and maybe in a more clinical therapy model (where someone is living in a facility and attending a day programme or something), but I don't see it being very applicable to day to day therapy with clients.

Music is also another possible avenue for people to express their emotions, if applicable to their abilities, by playing music, or perhaps even just experimenting with rhythms (such as drumming) and tunes. Perhaps it could even be cathartic for someone to be noisy with a drum or drums as a contrast to being told to be quiet ("children should be seen but not heard" sort of thing) during childhood.

I had a bit of a chuckle at Assagioli talking about Beethoven's 9th Symphony which if I'm not mistaken was Alex's (in A Clockwork Orange) favourite bit of music, and yet he was a very violent person.

Alexander Scriabin was also mentioned by Assagioli which is interesting. I found Scriabin's music to be quite stormy. He is interesting for having devised a light show to accompany music, although it didn't catch on at the time! (not until disco really).

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Psychosynthesis Notes 6