obyvatel
The Living Force
In "Multilevelness of Emotional And Instinctive Functions", Dabrowski has this to say on anger as one goes through the 5 levels of development following the process of positive disintegration.
[quote author=Dabrowski]
Anger
Level 1 (primary integration):
Anger is brutal, frequently combined with aggression. It is aroused by obstacles in the realization of such needs as self-preservation, sex, ownership of property, power etc. One frequently observes anger arising without clear reason. Such anger results from psychomotor overexcitability which has no counteracting or transforming components of emotional, imaginational or intellectual overexcitability. In situations of forced inhibition (restriction by rules or confinement) one also observes anger arising without control and growing in intensity. This comes from an easy intensification of a negative reaction ( a grudge, dislike, animosity) frequently converted into strong, primitive anger.
Level 2 (unilevel disintegration)
Anger is periodically inhibited and its manifestations have a less brutal character. Anger results from a disharmony of action between primitive impulses and conscious processes, between opposing tendencies and emotions (eg. clashes of likes and dislikes). Ambivalences and cyclic moods diminish the intensity and persistence of anger, because it also becomes subject to the fluctuations and switches of diverse and changeable moods. To a significant degree anger is also inhibited by feelings of sympathy towards others and by a tendency towards syntony with others, more of a mood and feeling kind than primitive psychomotricity.
Level 3 (spontaneous multilevel disintegration)
Anger is inhibited and its outward expression is less frequent and does not take on extreme forms and does not get out of control. However, anger directed against oneself arises easily. The dynamisms of positive disintegration are an essential element in the process of inhibiting and controlling anger. Related to this is an ability to encompass new and creative aspects of reality.
Level 4 (organized multilevel disintegration)
Anger is increasingly more controlled and more subtle. This is brought about chiefly by hierarchization of values as a result of a more intense work of higher developmental dynamisms. The development of personality and of the personality ideal, the growth of respect and empathy towards others cause the disappearance of previous primarily external expressions of anger, simultaneously with diminishing internal forms of anger.
Level 5 (secondary integration)
Personality reaches the highest level of development; the dynamic of love toward others becomes very strong. Empathy has an existential character with attempts to reach transcendence. Deep understanding of other psychological types and their developmental level, feelings of friendship and a desire to help create conditions eliminating anger towards others. Anger may arise in confrontation with moral, ethical and social evil as in Christ's confrontation with the money changers in the Temple.
[/quote]
Thus anger changes character as one continues on the path of development. When one repeatedly sees one's own predator's mind or mechanicalness over a period of time through the process of self-observation, it becomes difficult to indulge in unbridled criticism (internal or external) of the mechanicalness of others. Anger may arise at others' behavior but then as one remembers one's own mechanical conduct in similar (or analogous) circumstances, the force of the emotion is dissipated to the extent that it cannot continue to run the thinking process for a sustained time. Instead, through contemplation and study, new understanding is reached about the specific dynamic which caused the generation of anger inside. For example, when I am enraged at the lack of consideration shown by another, depending on the specific context, I could be reminded of similar or analogous behavior of my own in the past or I could try to put myself in the other person's shoes and understand his limitations or in case of a pathological individual, I may realize that this is how the individual is conditioned or hardwired to behave. With such thoughts arising in the moment of anger, the emotional energy cannot gain overall control of the psyche.
As the tendency to take personal offence at others' behavior diminishes, what stays is a more impersonal anger at social evils and injustice. That type of emotional energy has a different flavor to it compared to a more personalized form of anger. Though I do not have enough practical experience with it, it seems that this type of impersonal anger could be more readily transformed into creative energy - it is not as toxic and entropic as personal anger.
My current understanding is that continuing to struggle with the negative emotions with attention results in some indirect effects which is described in Dabrowski's model as higher developmental dynamisms. These dynamisms (which are called intra-psychic factors that shape development) lead to gradual change in the personality structure and with the change in personality structure, the negative emotions are transformed. This is my current practical understanding of transmutation.
There is a summary of Dabrowski's "Multilevelness of Emotional and Instinctive Functions here .
[quote author=Dabrowski]
Anger
Level 1 (primary integration):
Anger is brutal, frequently combined with aggression. It is aroused by obstacles in the realization of such needs as self-preservation, sex, ownership of property, power etc. One frequently observes anger arising without clear reason. Such anger results from psychomotor overexcitability which has no counteracting or transforming components of emotional, imaginational or intellectual overexcitability. In situations of forced inhibition (restriction by rules or confinement) one also observes anger arising without control and growing in intensity. This comes from an easy intensification of a negative reaction ( a grudge, dislike, animosity) frequently converted into strong, primitive anger.
Level 2 (unilevel disintegration)
Anger is periodically inhibited and its manifestations have a less brutal character. Anger results from a disharmony of action between primitive impulses and conscious processes, between opposing tendencies and emotions (eg. clashes of likes and dislikes). Ambivalences and cyclic moods diminish the intensity and persistence of anger, because it also becomes subject to the fluctuations and switches of diverse and changeable moods. To a significant degree anger is also inhibited by feelings of sympathy towards others and by a tendency towards syntony with others, more of a mood and feeling kind than primitive psychomotricity.
Level 3 (spontaneous multilevel disintegration)
Anger is inhibited and its outward expression is less frequent and does not take on extreme forms and does not get out of control. However, anger directed against oneself arises easily. The dynamisms of positive disintegration are an essential element in the process of inhibiting and controlling anger. Related to this is an ability to encompass new and creative aspects of reality.
Level 4 (organized multilevel disintegration)
Anger is increasingly more controlled and more subtle. This is brought about chiefly by hierarchization of values as a result of a more intense work of higher developmental dynamisms. The development of personality and of the personality ideal, the growth of respect and empathy towards others cause the disappearance of previous primarily external expressions of anger, simultaneously with diminishing internal forms of anger.
Level 5 (secondary integration)
Personality reaches the highest level of development; the dynamic of love toward others becomes very strong. Empathy has an existential character with attempts to reach transcendence. Deep understanding of other psychological types and their developmental level, feelings of friendship and a desire to help create conditions eliminating anger towards others. Anger may arise in confrontation with moral, ethical and social evil as in Christ's confrontation with the money changers in the Temple.
[/quote]
Thus anger changes character as one continues on the path of development. When one repeatedly sees one's own predator's mind or mechanicalness over a period of time through the process of self-observation, it becomes difficult to indulge in unbridled criticism (internal or external) of the mechanicalness of others. Anger may arise at others' behavior but then as one remembers one's own mechanical conduct in similar (or analogous) circumstances, the force of the emotion is dissipated to the extent that it cannot continue to run the thinking process for a sustained time. Instead, through contemplation and study, new understanding is reached about the specific dynamic which caused the generation of anger inside. For example, when I am enraged at the lack of consideration shown by another, depending on the specific context, I could be reminded of similar or analogous behavior of my own in the past or I could try to put myself in the other person's shoes and understand his limitations or in case of a pathological individual, I may realize that this is how the individual is conditioned or hardwired to behave. With such thoughts arising in the moment of anger, the emotional energy cannot gain overall control of the psyche.
As the tendency to take personal offence at others' behavior diminishes, what stays is a more impersonal anger at social evils and injustice. That type of emotional energy has a different flavor to it compared to a more personalized form of anger. Though I do not have enough practical experience with it, it seems that this type of impersonal anger could be more readily transformed into creative energy - it is not as toxic and entropic as personal anger.
My current understanding is that continuing to struggle with the negative emotions with attention results in some indirect effects which is described in Dabrowski's model as higher developmental dynamisms. These dynamisms (which are called intra-psychic factors that shape development) lead to gradual change in the personality structure and with the change in personality structure, the negative emotions are transformed. This is my current practical understanding of transmutation.
There is a summary of Dabrowski's "Multilevelness of Emotional and Instinctive Functions here .
