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Transmutation and Sublimation of Sexual Energies, by Roberto Assagioli

Inaspiritualpracticeitcansometimesbenescessarytotransmuteandsublimatethesexual
energiesinordertostrengthenthespiritualaspiration

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TransmutationandSublimationofSexual
Energies,byRobertoAssagioli
Inaspiritualpracticeitcansometimesbenescessary
totransmuteandsublimatethesexualenergiesin
ordertostrengthenthespiritualaspiration
Niveau:Begynder
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Transmutation and Sublimation of Sexual Energies, by Roberto Assagioli

TransmutationandSublimationofSexualEnergies,by
RobertoAssagioli

ByRobertoAssagioli,Source:PsychosynthesisResearchFoundation,issueno.
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energipsykologisep.2012

Theproblemofsex,theproblemofhowtodealinasaneandconstructivewaywiththe
sexualdrive,hasconfrontedhumanityeversincethebeginningofcivilization.But,for
variousreasons,thisproblemhasnowbecomemorecompelling,andpublicawarenessof
itismoreacutetouseacurrentphrase,humanityhasbecomedefinitelysexconscious.
Thecrisisintherelationsbetweenthesexesisnotisolatedbutformspartandperhaps
canbesaidtobetheoutstandingaspectofthegeneralcrisiswhichisdeeplyaffectingthe
veryfoundationsofexistingcivilization.
Theauthorityofthereligiousandmoralprinciplesonwhichourcivilizationwasbased,
therulesandcustomswhichwereformerlytakenforgrantedandaccepted(evenifnot
alwaysconsistentlyapplied)havelostorarerapidlylosingtheirprestige,theirbinding
andregulatingpower;evenmore,theyoungergenerationisactively,andattimes
violently,revoltingagainstthem.Themaincauseofthiscrisishasbeenthefactthat,
whilethereligiousfervorandtheunquestionedacceptanceofthetheologicalandmoral
conceptionsofthepasthavebeenrapidlylosingtheirgrip,theolderandrigidlyorthodox
groupshaveattemptedbysheerauthoritytoenforcethestrictrules,condemnationsand
prohibitionsbasedonthosetheologicalandmoralisticfoundations.

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Thus,inthepast,inthesexualdomainanattitudeprevailedwhichledpublicopinionto
regardthebiologicalinstinctsandthehumanpassionsasbadandimpure.Therefore,the
methodenjoinedfordealingwiththemwasthatofsuppression,exceptwhenthesexurge
couldfindajustifiedsatisfactioninlawfulmarriage.Thewholesubjectofsexwas
consideredimproper,andadultstriedtokeepyoungpeopleignorantaboutitaslongas
possible.
Theweakeningofthereligiousinfluenceonwhichthatattitudewasbased,andthe
realizationoftheinjuriouseffectsofthatsuppressiononhealthandcharacterevoked
variousmovementsofrevolt.Firstwehadthe"returntonature"advocatedbyRousseau
andhisfollowers;thentheglorificationoffeelingbytheromanticmovement;later,
revivalofthehedonisticandaestheticideasofancientGreeceandtheRenaissance,
followedbythewaveofphilosophicalandpracticalmaterialism,andtheindividualistic
revoltagainstsocietyanditsnormsasportrayedbyIbsen.Perhapsmoreimportantin
modernsocietyhasbeentheinfluenceofFreudandhisfollowersofthepsychoanalytic
movement,whichemphasizedthepsychopathologicaleffectsofsexualrepression.All
theseconcurredtofosterandjustifytheuncontrolledgratificationofalldrivesand
impulses,thelettinglooseofeverypassion,thefollowingofeverywhim.

bognyhed:Dinesyv
holotyper

Buttheresultofthis"liberation"didnotproducetheexpectedsatisfactionandhappiness.
Whileiteliminatedsomeofthedrawbacksoftheearlierrigidattitudeandthe
consequentsuffering,itproducedothercomplications,conflictsandmisery.The
followersofuncontrolledsexualexpressionfound,andarestillfinding,thatexcessesare
necessarilyfollowedbyexhaustionordisgust;thatthesexualdriveandpassion,even
whennotcheckedbymoralconsiderations,cannotalwaysfindgratificationowingto
lackofsuitablepartners.Moreover,variousdrivesoftencomeintoconflictwitheach
other,sothatindulgenceinonerequirestheinhibitionofanother.Forinstance,areckless
yieldingtosexualurgeisapttoclashwithselfpreservation,creatingaconflictbetween,
forinstance,lustandfearofdisease.Further,anexaggeratedsenseofselfassertionmay
beinconflictwithsocialmoresandtheconsequentfearoftherisksinvolved.
Thelackofanystableguidingprinciple,ofanyclearscaleofvalues,makestheindividual
insecure,robshimofselfreliance,andsubjectshimtotheinfluenceofotherpeopleand
externalcircumstances.Moreover,ethicalandspiritualprinciplesoraspirationscannot
beeliminatedaseasilyasmanyseemtobelieve;theypersistintheunconsciousowingto
hereditaryandenvironmentalinfluences,andalsoexistlatentinthetruespiritualnature
ofman.Whenviolated,theyarouseconsciousorunconsciousprotestandconsequently
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intenseinnerconflicts.
Forclarity'ssake,thepictureofthesituationhasbeenoversimplified.Inrealityweareat
presentinaperiodoftransition,ofconfusionandofcrosscurrents.Insomeplacesand
groupstheoldconditionspersist;oldconceptsandmethodsarestillbeingenforced.In
manycasesastateofviolentreactionandofconflictbetweenthegenerationsprevails.In
themoreadvancedandenlightenedcirclestheexaggeratednatureofthereactionhas
beenrecognizedandattemptsarebeingmadetofindandadoptbalancedviewsand
soundmethods.
Itisapparentthatneitherofthetwoextremeattitudescangivesatisfactoryresults.One
mightthinkthatsomecompromisebetweenthetwocouldbethewayoutoftheimpasse,
butwhilesuchacommonsenseproceduremightaverttheworstresultsofthose
extremes,experienceindicatesthatitcannotbeconsideredasatisfactorysolution.
However,thereisanotheralternative,amoredynamicandconstructivewayofhandling
theproblem.Thisisbasedon,andtakesadvantageof,afundamentalpropertyof
biologicalandpsychologicalenergies,namely,thepossibilityoftheirtransmutationa
possibilityexistinginallenergies.
Therealnatureoftheprocessisnotwellknown,butsuchisthecasewithall"ultimates."
Forinstance,itcannotbeclaimedthatwehavegraspedtheessentialnatureofelectricity,
butweknowenoughaboutitsmanifestationsandthelawsregulatingthemtoenableus
toutilizeelectricityinmanydiverseandoftencomplicatedways,asinelectronics.Itis
thesameinthepsychologicalfield;weneednotascertaintheultimatenatureofthe
psychologicalenergiesandtheirtransmutationsinordertoutilizethemincreasingly
throughagrowingknowledgeofthelawsthatgovernthemandbymeansofappropriate
andefficientmethodsbasedonthoselaws.Wecanthereforeproceedconfidentlyinour
examinationofthemethodstobefollowedintheutilizationforconstructiveendsof
surplusorexcessivesexualdrives.Thisisparticularlyvaluable,forinstance,inbalancing
thesexualappetitesofmanandwifeinmarriage,oradjustingtosituationswherenormal
sexualrelationsarenotavailable.
Thefirstruleistoadoptanobjectiveattitudetowardssex,freefromthetraditional
reactionsoffear,prudishnessandcondemnation,aswellasfromthelureandglamour
oftenartificiallyfosteredbywhichitisgenerallysurroundedatpresent.
Thesexualdrive,likeanyother,isinitselfneither"bad"nor"good."Itisabiological
functionand,assuch,itisnot"immoral"butpremoral.Ithasagreatimportancebecause
itensuresthecontinuityoftheanimalspeciesandofthehumanrace.Inanimalsitis
subjecttonaturalcyclicselfregulation.Incivilizedhumanityithasbecomecomplicated
throughitscloseassociationwithpsychologicalfunctions,suchasemotionand
imagination,andwithsocialandethicalfactors,whichhavepartlyoverstimulated,
partlyinhibitedit.Therefore,theobjectivescientificattitudetowardsthesexualdrive
shouldbetwofold:weshould,ontheonehand,eliminatethefearsandcondemnations,
whichhavetheeffectofrepressingitintotheunconscious,aspsychoanalysishas
demonstrated;and,ontheotherhandweshouldexerciseacalmbutfirmcontrol,
followedbyanactiveprocessoftransmutationwheneveritsnaturalexpressionis
unwarranted.
Theprocessesofpsychologicaltransmutationandsublimationaresymbolically
indicatedalthoughinobscureandabstrusewaysinthewritingsofalchemists(Tung}
9b).Otherhintscanbefoundintheworksofwritersonasceticismandmysticismsuchas
EvelynUnderhill.Inthemodernapproachtothesubjectwefindthefollowingsignificant
statementbyFreud:"Theelementsofthesexualinstinctarecharacterizedbyacapacity
forsublimation;forchangingtheirsexualaimintoanotherofadifferentkindandsocially
moreworthy.Tothesumofenergiesthusgainedforourpsychologicalproductionswe
probablyowethehighestresultsofourculture."(Freud:UeberPsychoanalyse,
LeipzigundWien,Deutike910,pp.6162)*.
Thisstatementisimportant,forinitFreudhimselfshowsthefallacyofconsideringthe
physicalandinstinctiveaspectsofsexualityseparatelyandindependentlyfromits
emotionalandotherpsychologicalaspects.Yetthisfallacyiscommittedbysome
investigatorshavingamaterialisticbias.Suchapurelyzoologicalconsiderationis
altogetheronesided,andwhilethoseinvestigatorshavepiledupahugemassoffactsthe
neglectoftheirvitalconnectionwiththepsychologicalaspectofsexwhichisthetruly
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humanonevitiatestheconclusionsdrawnfromthem.JamesHintonwittilyremarked
overhalfacenturyagothattodealwiththegreatfactofsexuallovemerelyfromthe
physicalsidewouldbelikethinking,duringaconcertbySarasate,ofthecat'sbowelsand
thehorsestailusedinmakingtheviolinstringsandbow(Ellis,6).
Inseekingtodefinethenatureofsexualitywefindinitthreeprincipalaspects:
1.Asensualaspect:physicalpleasure;
2.Anemotionalaspect:unionwithanotherperson;
3.Acreativeaspect:thebirthofanewcreature.
Thisclassificationdoesnotclaimtobescientificallyaccuratebutconstitutesapractical
aidintheprocessoftransmutation.Eachoftheaspectsmentionedcanbetransmutedor
sublimatedinaccordancewithitsownspecificnature.
Moreover,transmutationscantakeplaceintwodirections.
Thefirstisthe"vertical"orinwarddirection.Manyinstancesofthiskindofsublimation
areofferedbythelivesandwritingsofthemysticsofalltimes,placesandreligions.Their
autobiographiesfurnishmostinterestingevidenceofthenatureofthisprocess,itscrises
andvicissitudes,thesufferingitentailsaswellasthejoyswhichrewarditsstressand
strain.Allofthemspeakofthe"bliss"theyexperiencewhich,however,theyregardasa
possiblehindranceifonebecomesattachedtoit.Onecanalsoobservethedifferentsteps
leadingfromhumanlovetoloveforahigherBeing,suchastheChrist,orforGodHimself;
thisisthesublimationoftheemotionalaspect.TheyaspiretounionwiththeChrist
within,andsomeofthemspeakofitasthe"mysticalmarriage."Inpsychologicalterms,
onewouldsaythatthegoalofspiritualsynthesisistheunionofthepersonalitywiththe
spiritualSelf,thefirstrepresentingthenegativefemininepole,theotherthepositive
masculinepole.Thispolarityisarealityandnotjustasimplesymbolicaltranspositionof
abiologicalfact.Itisoneofthefundamentalaspectsofthespiritmatterpolarityandis,
sotospeak,itsreflectiononthepsychospirituallevel,assexualpolarityisitsexpression
onthephysicallevel.
Letuspausehereforamomentinordertodissipatecertainconfusionsand
misunderstandingsthatmightarise.Whiletheprocessoftransmutationandsublimation
canfrequentlybeobserved,onemustnotinfertherefromthatallspiritualloveis
"merely"theoutcomeofsublimatedsex,thatitispossibleto"explainaway"ahigher
psychologicalorspiritualmanifestationbyattributingitsorigintobiologicalsourcesor
drives.Thetruenatureofmysticismcannotbeconsidered,assomeinvestigatorshave
maintained,tobemerelyaproductorbyproductofsex.Ontheonehand,onefindsmany
peoplewhosenormalsexuallifeisinhibitedyetwhoshownotraceofmysticism;onthe
otherhand,thereareinstancesofpeopleleadinganormalsexuallife,raisingafamily,etc.,
andhavingatthesametimegenuinemysticalexperiences.
Thespirituallifeandconsciousnessbelongstoadefinitepsychologicallevelandhasa
qualitywhichisspecificandnotderived.Thetransmutedenergiesreachuptoitfrom
below,asitwere,andgiveitaddedvitalityand"heat,"buttheyneithercreatenorexplain
thathigherlife.Thecreativeaspectcanbesublimatedinthis"vertical"directioninthe
formationofanewregeneratedpersonality.Thegrowthofthe"innerman"callsfor
thesecreativeenergies,andinaccordancewiththedegreetowhichtheindividual
employsthem,newspheresofactionofincreasingvastnesswillopenupbeforehim.
Theseconddirectionofthetransmutationprocessis"horizontal"orexternal.Herealso
wefindthreekindsoftransmutation,correspondingtothethreeaspects.Thefirst,rather
thanbeingactualtransmutation,consistsofthesubstitutionofotherpleasuresofthe
sensesforsexualpleasure,fromsimpleenjoymentoffoodtotheenjoymentofcontact
withnatureandtoaestheticpleasuresbythecultivationoftheappreciationofbeauty
throughsightandhearing.Thesecondconsistsofanenlargementorextensionofloveso
astoincludeagrowingnumberofindividuals;thethirdproducesorfostersartisticand
intellectualactivities.
Whenthephysicalsexualexpressionofhumanloveisblockedforsomereason,its
emotionalorfeelingmanifestationscanbeenhancedandreachahighlevelofideal,
"platonic"love.Further,independentlyofanyobstacletothefreeandcomplete
expressionoflove,agradualprocessoftransmutationtakesplacenormallyand
spontaneouslyinharmoniouslymarriedcouples.Atthebeginning,thesexualand
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intenselyemotionalmanifestationsoflovegenerallypredominate,butinthecourseof
yearsanddecadesthispassionateaspectcoolsoffandistransmutedintotenderfeeling,
increasingmutualunderstanding,appreciationandinnercommunion.
Theloveenergyderivedfromsexualsublimationcananddoesexpandbeyondloveof
oneindividual.Itextendsinconcentriccirclesorspheres,encompassingeverlarger
groupsofhumanbeings.Intheformofcompassionitispoureduponthosewhosuffer;
thenitundergoesafurthertransmutationandbecomesamotivepowerforsocialand
philanthropicaction.Sublimatedloveenergycanalsobeexpressedascomradeshipand
friendshipforthosewithwhomwehaveacommonbasisofunderstanding,aimsand
activity.Finally,itcanreachoutfurtheruntilitradiatesasbrotherlyloveuponallhuman
beingsanduponalllivingcreatures.
Thethirdkindoftransmutationofthesexualenergiesisintocreativeactivitiesofan
artisticorintellectualnature.Thefollowingstatementbyagreatphilosopher,Arthur
Schopenhauer,
stronglybearsoutthispoint:
"Inthedaysandinthehoursinwhichthetendencytovoluptuousnessisstronger..just
thenalsothehigherspiritualenergies..areapttobearousedmoststrongly.Theyare
inactivewhenmansconsciousnesshasyieldedtolust,butthrougheffectiveefforttheir
directioncanbechangedandthenman'sconsciousnessisoccupied,insteadofwiththose
lowerandtormentingdesires,bythehighestactivitiesofthemind."
Thereappearstobeadeepsimilaritybetweensexualenergyandthecreativeenergies
operatingatotherlevelsofthehumanbeing.Artisticcreationoffersaparticularly
suitablechannelforsublimation,andmanyinstancescanbefoundinthelivesofgreat
artists,writersandcomposers.Oneofthem,whichhasaspecialsignificance,isthatof
RichardWagner.Asiswellknown,hewasatonetimepassionatelyinlovewithamarried
woman,MathildeWesendonck,towhomhegavemusiclessonsandinwhomhefoundan
understandingofandadevotiontohisgeniuswhichhemissedinhisfirstwife,Minna.
Afterashorttimetheyresolvedtorenouncetheconsummationoftheirlove,andWagner
leftZurichandwent,orratherfled,toVenice.Atfirsthisdesperatemoodinducedideas
ofsuicide,butsoonhesethimselftowriteboththelibrettoandmusicofTristanand
Isolde,andinakindofcreativefrenzy,completedtheoperawithinafewmonths.During
thisperiodhewrotemanyletterstoMathildeandkeptadiaryintendedforher.These
werepublishedafterhisdeathandinthemonecanclearlytracethegradualcoolingoffof
hispassionashegaveexpressiontoitinthepoetryandmusicofhisopera.The
completionoftheworkfoundhimsodetachedthathewrotetoMathildeinarathertepid
andmuchlightervein,andevenpaidherashortvisitonpurelyfriendlyterms.That
Wagnerwasawareofthisprocessofsublimationandconsciouslyfostereditisevident
fromalettertoLiszt:AsinmylifeIhaveneverenjoyedthetruehappinessoflove,I
wanttoraiseamonumenttothismostbeautifulofalldreams,inwhichthisloveshallbe
fullysatisfied,frombeginningtoend.Iamplanninga'TristanandIsolde'.
Transmutationandsublimationisaprocessthatcanbeeitherspontaneousor
consciouslyanddeliberatelyfosteredandbroughtabout.Inthelattercase,thereisample
scopefortheeffectiveapplicationofthefactsandlawsascertainedorrediscoveredby
moderndynamicpsychology,andfortheuseofactivetechniquesbasedonthem.Here
aresomepracticalmethodsforsuchapplications:
1.Afirmconsciouscontrolofthedrivetobetransmuted,inwhich,however,careshould
betakentoavoidanycondemnationorfearofit,asthiscouldresultinitsrepressionin
theunconscious.Noncondemnationofthedrive,assuch,doesnotimplyalackof
realizationofone'sseriousresponsibilityfortheconsequences,bothindividualand
social,ofitsunregulatedexpression.Controlcanbehelpedbysimplephysicalmeans,
suchasbriskmuscularactivityandrhythmicbreathing,butthemosteffective,andatthe
sametimethehigher,wayofcontrollingboththesexualandthepowerdrivesisthe
acceptanceandrecognitionofeveryhumanbeingasa"Thou"toberespected,andnotas
an"object"forthegratificationofourpleasure,an"it"tobedominatedandexploited.
Therealityofsuchabasic"rightrelation"toourfellowmenandourdutytorecognizeit
havebeenconvincinglyexpoundedandemphasizedbyMartinBuber(2).
2.Theactiverelease,developmentandexpressionofthevariousaspectsofpersonaland
spiritualloveloveforone'smate;loveforothers,beginningwiththoseclosetooneand
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expandingtoincludeincreasingnumbersofhumanbeingsineverwideningcirclesand
"upwards"towardsGodortheSupreme.Theemphasisshouldbeputontheexpressionof
loveinunderstandingandcooperationinaltruisticandhumanitarianactivities.
3.Thedeliberateprojectionofone'sinterest,aspirationandenthusiasmtowardssome
creativeworkintowhichallone'senergiescanbepoured.Varioustechniquesfor
creativeexpressioncanbeusedforthispurpose,suchasdrawing,writing,movement
(Assagioli,1).
4.Theuseofsymbols.Theseexerciseastrongattractivepoweronallourenergies,
consciousandunconscious,andspecificallyfostertheprocessoftransmutation.Jungin
hisContributionstoAnalyticalPsychology(9)wentsofarastostate:"Thepsychological
machinerywhichtransmutesenergyisthesymbol."Thereisagreatvarietyofsymbols
havingananagogic(uplifting)influencethatcanbemadetoservethisprocess,ofwhich
idealhumanfiguresor"models"constituteanimportantclass.Twotypesoftheseideal
figures,differentandinasenseopposite,arerespectivelysuitedtomenandwomen.A
manmayvisualizesomeheroorahumandivineBeing,suchastheChrist,orhecanuse
theimageofanidealwomanlikeDante'sBeatriceortheMadonna.Inverselyawoman
cantakeasamodelthehighesttypeofwomanhoodherimaginationcanconceiveoran
imageoftheidealMan.Theinfluenceofsuch"images"isbeautifullyexpressedinthe
Indiansaying:"Ganga(thesacredriver)purifieswhenseenandtouched,buttheHoly
Onespurifywhenmerelyremembered."
Asimpleandeffectivesymbolisthelotusplantwhichtransmutesthemudandwaterof
thepondintothedelicatesubstanceandbeautifulformandhueofitsflower.Thisitdoes
throughitsowninherentvitalityandthroughthelifegivingenergyofthesun'srays.
Desoilleinhistherapeuticmethodoftheguideddaydream(4a)hasmadeuseof
symbolicmovementupwardforthepurposeofsublimationandtransformation.
Kretschmer(10)hassummarizedvarioustechniquesofimagerywhichcanbeusedto
fosterthisprocessofsublimation.Otheranagogicsymbolsmaybeproduced
spontaneouslyindreamsandinfreedrawing;Jungandhisfollowers(E.Harding(8),F.
Wickes(13)andothers)havemadeanextensivestudyandapplicationofthem.
5.Closepsychologicalcommunionwithindividualsorgroupswhohaverealized,orare
strivingtorealize,thesameaim.Astherearechemicalcatalysts,sothereare"human
catalysts,"whoseinfluence,radiation,andthe"atmosphere"theycreate,greatlyfacilitate
psychologicaltransformations.
Theimportanceandvalueoftransmutationandsublimationnotonlyofthesexual
energiesbutofallotherdrivesshouldbemorewidelyknownandappreciated,andthe
methodsforputtingtheminoperationshouldbemoreextensivelyappliedin
psychotherapy,education,andselfactualization.Theprocessoftransmutationand
sublimationmaybecomparedtotheregulationofthewatersofagreatriver,which
preventsrecurringdisastrousinundationsortheformationofunhealthymarshesalong
itsbanks.Whileaportionofthewaterispermittedtoflowfreelytoitsnatural
destination,theremainderisdivertedthroughproperchannellingtoappropriate
mechanismsthattransformitsenergyintoelectricitytobeemployedasmotivepower
forindustrialandotherpurposes.Inaparallelway,theconsciousorunconsciousdrives,
whichproducesomuchindividualsufferingandsocialdisturbance,canbecome,if
rightlycontrolledandchannelled,thespringsofactivitieshavinggreathumanand
spiritualvalue.
References
1.Assagioli,R.:"CreativeExpressioninEducation,"AmericanJournalofEducation,1963,
No.1.
2.Buber,M.:IandThou,NewYork,Scribners,1958.
3.Davies,J.Trevor:Sublimation,London,Allen&Unwin,1947.NewYork,Macmillan,
1948.
4.Desoille,R.:Explorationdel'affectivitsubconscientepar1amthodedurvveill.
Sublimationetacquisitionspsycho10giques,Paris,D'Artrey,1938.
4a.Desoille,R.:LeRveveillenpsychothrapie,Paris,PressesUniversitairesdeFrance,
1945.
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5.Ellis,H.:LittleEssaysofLoveandVirtue,NewYork,Doubleday,1962.
6.Ellis,Mrs.H.:ThreeModernSeers:Hinton,NietizcheandCarpenter,London,Stanley,
1910.
7.Hadfield,J.A.:PsychologyandMorals,London,Methuen,1923.NewYork,McBride,
1925.
8.Harding,M.E.:PsychicEnergy:ItsSourceanditsGoal,NewYork,PantheonBooks,
1947.
9.Jung,CG.:ContributionstoAnalyticalPsychology,NewYork,HarcourtBrace,1928.
9a.Jung,CG.:TheIntegrationofthePersonality,London,KeganPaul,TrenchTrubner,
1940.NewYork,Farrar&Rinehart,1939.
9b.Jung,CG.:PsychologyandAlchemy.CollectedWorks,Vol.12,London,KeganPaul,
1953.NewYork,Pantheon,1953.
10.Kretschmer,Jr.,W.:MeditativeTechniquesinPsychotherapy(translatedbyWm.
Swartley),NewYork,PsychosynthesisRes.Found.,1959.
11.McDougall,W.:TheEnergiesofMen,London,Methuen,1932.NewYork,Scribner,
1933.
12.Sorokin,P.A.:TheWaysandPowerofLove(Types,FactorsandTechniquesofMoral
Transformation),Boston,BeaconPress,1954.
13.Wickes,F.G.:TheInnerWorldofMan,London,Methuen,1950.NewYork,H.Holt,
1948.
*Manyotherpsychologistshaverecognizedtheprocessofsublimationanddealtwithit
moreorlessextensively.AmongthemareHavelockEllis(5),McDougall(11),and
Hadfield17).Anaccuratesurveyofthesubjectwithmanyquotationsandbibliographical
references,hasbeenmadebyJ.TrevorDaviesinhisbookSublimation(1947)(3).The
theoreticalproblemsandthedifferencesofopinionarousedbythesubjectdonot
preventinthisasinothercaseseffectiveuseoftheprocessofpsychological
transmutation.

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