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Inner training

“The teaching of techniques and training, to be used independently as much as possible and as soon as possible, is a fundamental principle of Psychosynthesis.” Assagioli, 1973, p. 140

What is meant in Psychosynthesis when it speaks of inner training? It basically refers to that constant practice that, on its own, allows a progressive and effective deepening of the experiences which form the core of the psychosynthetic path: disidentification, the personal self, the will, the Ideal Model, the synthesis, the superconscious and the transpersonal Self.

Assagioli writes (Assagioli, 1974): “Training in the practice of Psychosynthesis means learning to know it and to experience it on ourselves (…). Knowing it intellectually is not enough.”

Therefore, he considers of fundamental importance the experiential dimension which can be acquired through the constant, humble, and patient application of different psychosynthetic techniques. He is firmly convinced that we can never speak of an end of the training, but only of consecutive temporary stages, of an ongoing process which allows access to deeper and deeper degrees of understanding. To every single experience listed above he associates, in fact, “different levels of meaning, none of which is well defined and complete” and only training, as he intended it, allows us to achieve these different levels and to grasp those “new and most interesting aspects, which form a link between the varied experiences.”

After all, in Psychosynthesis, one never tires of highlighting the risk of confusing quantity with quality, performance with inner approach (Macchia, 2000, p. 41). The characteristics that underlie the approach of which psychosynthetic training is based on, are an opportunity to experiment with very technique and exercise extensively, a willingness to investigate without reservation the fundamental issues, the ability to cultivate the qualities of perseverance, patience and humility, the awareness of the extent of the process undertaken, the intuitive understanding of the soul of Psychosynthesis and a solid technical knowledge. Losing sight of these characteristics would mean running the risk of falling into a technical consumerism diametrically opposite to the original psychosynthetic purpose.

Marialuisa Macchia writes with beautiful words:

“The psycho-spiritual training must not be mechanical, superficial, absent-minded, nor anxious, obsessive, disconnected. It must not be materialistic and consumeristic, or the martial type, or acrobatic, or a production line. Psycho-spiritual training is not a fashion sport, nor it is a martial art, nor it isommercial. It is not a race to see who is fastest or most productive. It is an inner discipline – a magical ritual, – a connection to our evolutionary future – an acknowledgement of our spiritual autonomy and our participation in the cosmic flow. Training is rhythm and harmony, coherence and style, freedom and direction.”

Therefore, training coincides rather to what in Indian tradition is called sadhana, in other words, that set of practices that are carried out with regularity and concentration in order to obtain liberation or to achieve specific minor objectives, such as the development of qualities that are considered important for one’s own growth, or the acquisition of sufficient control over one or more inner tendencies which prevent it (e.g. anger, unregulated desire, etc.).

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