Wiki I Ching

Clouded Perception 36.1.2.5 48 The Well

From
36
Clouded Perception
To
48
The Well

Advancing one's own case
One sends gifts to those one considers capable of sorting out the situation.
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Clouded Perception 36
Stay resilient amidst adversity.
When in challenging circumstances, maintain inner clarity and integrity while concealing your light from those who may not understand or appreciate it.
Patience and perseverance are key.


Line 1
In times of adversity, one must be cautious and avoid drawing attention.
Perseverance is needed despite hardships.


Line 2
Despite injury or setbacks, one should continue to strive forward with determination and strength, leading to eventual success.


Line 5
Even in difficult times, maintaining integrity and perseverance will lead to eventual recognition and success.


The Well 48
Seek renewal and sustenance from shared resources and deep wells of knowledge.
Nurture the source to ensure lasting abundance.



Original Readings

36
Clouded Perception


Other titles: Darkening of the Light, The Symbol of the Appearance of Clear Intelligence Wounded, Injury, Wounding of the Bright, Brightness Hiding, Calling Pheasant, The Darkened Light, Concealment of Illumination, Injury of Illumination, Light Obliterated, Intelligence Unappreciated, Censorship, Hiding One's Light, The Dark Night of the Soul, Ignorance "Not necessarily as bad as it sounds, may just mean being restricted or restricting yourself." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge: Under the conditions of Clouded Perceptionbe aware of the difficulty of your position and maintain firm correctness.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Darkening of the Light. In adversity it furthers one to be persevering.

Blofeld:Darkening of the Light. Righteous persistence in the face of difficulty brings reward.

Liu:Darkening of the Light. It benefits one to carry on through hard times.

Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness Hiding, Harvesting: drudgery, Trial. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of intelligence hidden or harmed. It emphasizes that deliberately concealing your light by entering what is beneath you is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to: hide your brightness!]

Shaughnessy: Calling pheasant: Beneficial to determine about difficulty.

Cleary (1): In concealment of illumination, it is beneficial to be upright in difficulty.

Cleary (2): When illumination is damaged, it is beneficial to be upright in difficulty.

Wu:Light Obliterated indicates that it is advantageous to be persevering in time of danger.


The Image

Legge: The sun enters the earth -- the image ofClouded Perception.The superior man manages his subordinates and shows his intelligence by keeping it hidden.

Wilhelm/Baynes: The light has sunk into the earth: the image of Darkening of the Light. Thus does the superior man live with the great mass: He veils his light, yet still shines.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes light hidden within the earth. In governing the people, the Superior Man, though taking care to conceal his light, nevertheless shines.

Liu: The sun sinking under the earth symbolizes the Darkening of the Light. In approaching the people the superior man veils his brightness, yet still has glory.

Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness entering earth center. Brightness Hiding. A chun tzu uses supervising the crowds to avail-of darkening and-also Brightening.

Cleary (1): Light enters into the earth, illumination is concealed.Thus do Superior people deal with the masses, acting unobtrusively while in fact illuminated. [When practitioners of the Tao are among the masses, if they use their illumination too much, they will startle the ignorant and amaze the worldly, easily bringing on abuse and slander.]

Cleary (2): Illumination goes underground, in concealment of illumination. In dealing with the masses, true leaders act unobtrusively while in fact being illuminated. [What sages learn is to become daily more illumined unbeknownst to others.]

Wu: The light enters the earth; this is Light Obliterated. Thus the jun zi uses the spirit of dimness in place of brightness to administer affairs of the populace. [By “dimming” his internal strength, he would make people feel that he is one of them.]

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: The image of Brightness entering into the midst of the earth suggests clarity that has been wounded or obscured. The lower trigram shows Clarity, the upper Docility. King Wen had both of these qualities, yet he was involved in great difficulties. The individual concerned should obscure his brightness. Thus was Count Chi able to correctly maintain his mind and intent amidst the difficulties of his situation.

Legge: This hexagram shows an able officer going forth in the service of his country, notwithstanding the occupancy of the throne by a weak and unsympathetic ruler. Hence the name Clouded Perception or Intelligence Wounded -- that is, injured and oppressed. The lesson of the figure is to show how such an officer will conduct himself and maintain his purpose.

King Wen was not of the line of Shang. Though opposed and persecuted by its sovereign, he could pursue his own course, till his line came in the end to supersede the other. It could not be so with the Count of Chi, who was a member of the House of Shang. He could do nothing that would help on its downfall.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Recognize a difficult situation and use your willpower to cope with its restrictions.

The Superior Man manages the situation by subduing his need to speculate, meddle, or call attention to himself. (Alternate: When in the presence of arrogance, the wise man plays the fool.)

The thirty-fifth hexagram shows the trigram of Clarity progressing over the earth -- an image of advancing awareness. The thirty-sixth hexagram is the inverse of this -- it shows the trigram of Clarity swallowed up by the earth. If the image of Advance of Consciousness symbolizes noon, when the sun is at the midheaven, then Clouded Perception symbolizes midnight, when the sun is at the Imum Coeli, or undersky. It is a time of maximum darkness, maximum ignorance; a time when the dark forces of the unconscious are at their strongest. We are reminded of the Dark Night of the Soul, an inescapable and inevitable phase of the Work:

When, at length, they have practiced themselves for some time in the journey of virtue, persevering in meditation and prayer, wherein, with the suavity and relish they have found, they have become detached from worldly things, and acquired some spiritual strength in God, so as to be able to curb the creature appetites and in some small degree suffer for God some slight load and dryness, without turning back at the crucial moment; when, to their thinking, they are proceeding in these spiritual exercises to their entire satisfaction and delight; and when the Sun of Divine favors seems to them to shine most radiantly upon them, God darkens all this light, and shuts the door and fountain of the sweet spiritual water, which they were wont to drink in God as often and as long as they chose ... and thus, he leaves them in darkness so profound that they know not whither to direct the sense of the imagination and speculations of the mind.
St. John of the Cross

The Dark Night of the Soul is the universal experience of everyone who follows the way beyond the tried and true paths of the spiritual dilettante. It is an archetypal filter for determining the survival of the fittest in psychic evolution. For those who have entered this phase of the Work, it is good to remember that no one is given a test that they can't pass if they sincerely want to.

The situation in line five of this hexagram means little to one who is unacquainted with Chinese history. In its essence, the story of Count Chi concerns a superior man who was imprisoned by an evil emperor. The only way that he could survive this dark time was to feign insanity. Thus the message in the Image counsels us to show our intelligence by concealing it. There is a wide range of applications for this rule, and perhaps Lao Tse gives us the best paraphrase of the idea in his famous aphorism: He who knows does not speak; He who speaks does not know.

In terms of the Work this can mean that one must firmly understand that there are some things which cannot be shared with just anyone. Inner work is very fragile until it has had time to crystallize, and to expose its truths to the harsh light of unsophisticated intellect is to risk severe damage to the process of individuation.

One must not tell people of things they cannot grasp. There are mysteries that cannot be shared with everybody ... Some things can be told to no one and a secret told to a wrong person is destructive and even irresponsible.
M.L. Von Franz -- The Feminine in Fairytales

This hexagram can symbolize many situations, but sometimes it is a suggestion that you are ignorant or "in the dark" about the true state of affairs now prevailing.


Line 1

Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject with clouded perception, flying, but with drooping wings. When the superior man is about his business he may go for three days without eating. Wherever he goes, the people there may speak derisively of him.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Darkening of the light during flight. He lowers his wings. The superior man does not eat for three days on his wanderings. But he has somewhere to go. The host has occasion to gossip about him.

Blofeld: Failure of the light during his progress through the sky caused him to lower his wings. When busy with affairs, the Superior Man may go without food for three days on end, so intent is he on reaching his goal; but his lord will have something to say about this.

Liu: The darkened light flies and droops its wings. The superior man fasts for three days during his wanderings. His host speaks of him with derision. He leaves to go someplace.

Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness Hiding tending-towards flying. Drooping one's wings. A chun tzu tending-towards moving: three days not taking in. Possessing directed going. A lord: people possessing words.

Shaughnessy: The calling pheasant in flight, drops its left wing: the gentleman on the move, for three days does not eat; there is someplace to go; the ruler has words.

Cleary (1): Concealing illumination in flight, letting the wings hang down; a superior man on a journey not eating for three days has a place to go. The master is criticized.

Cleary (2): Illumination concealed in flight, etc … The ruler has something to say.

Wu: It is like a bird in flight with its wings drooping. If the jun zi takes a journey, he may go without food for three days andhis host will have words about his undertakings.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In such a case he feels it right not to eat. Wilhelm/ Baynes: It is the obligation of the superior man to refrain from eating during his wanderings. Blofeld: It is the duty of the Superior Man to go without food for three days if his activities require this of him. Ritsema/Karcher: A chun tzu tending-towards moving: righteously not taking-in indeed. Cleary (2): It is right that they do not eat. [This is like a just person fleeing a vicious tyrant … such is the speed of travel that they do not have the leisure to eat for three days.]Wu: For righteousness sake, he refuses to eat.]

Legge: Line one is dynamic, and in its right place. He should be going forward, but the general signification of the hexagram supposes him to be wounded. The wound, received at the commencement of the action, is but slight. It suggests a bird hurt so that it must droop its wings. The subject then appears directly as the superior man. He understands that he must desist from the struggle for a time, and is so rapt in the thought that he can fast for three days and not think of it. When he does withdraw, opposition may follow him, but he holds to his own purpose. The commentary says that he does not purposely fast, but when he has nothing to eat he doesn't complain. He thinks it right that it should be so in this case.


NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: At the outset, the man encounters hostility and derision in his attempt to soar above all obstacles. He does not compromise but perseveres in his thinking and remains true to his principles. People do not understand him.

Wing: An attempt to rise above the obstacles in your environment will be met with hostility. If you decide to serve your personal drives and compromise the needs of society, you will be misunderstood and censured. Such is the difficulty of the position.

Editor: Flying: Air is the realm of thought. To fly is to move in the realm of ideas: to think, speculate, reason. Drooping wings: Wounded in the realm of thought: impaired thinking, inferior conceptualization, crippled by faulty ideas or incomplete information, “clipped wings.” He does not eat: he doesn't jump to conclusions, but reasons it out to the end. Three days: A period of completion. ("The Chinese say that numbers begin at one and are made perfect at three." -- Gaskell, Dictionary of Scriptures and Myths.) People speak derisively: Subordinate elements within the psyche (emotions, etc.) clamor for resolution, easy answers, etc. Psychologically, this combination of symbols points to a confused situation which demands careful differentiation. Though answers may not be forthcoming immediately, be patient and you will get what you seek. The line can also refer to painfully following one's path regardless of consequences. (Compare with symbolism of fourth line correlate.)

In a word: the first work of the hero is to retreat from the world scene of secondary effects to those causal zones of the psyche where the difficulties really reside, and there to clarify the difficulties, eradicate them in his own case (i.e., give battle to the nursery demons of his local culture) and break through to the undistorted direct experience and assimilation of what C.G. Jung has called "the archetypal images." This is the process known to Hindu and Buddhist philosophy as viveka, "discrimination."
Joseph Campbell --The Hero with a Thousand Faces

A. Your thinking is confused and requires a new point of view. Don't jump to easy conclusions. Even though you are anxious to resolve the issue, you are obliged to reason it through to the end.

Line 2

Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows its subject with clouded perception and wounded in the left thigh. She saves herself by the strength of a swift horse, and is fortunate.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh. He

gives aid with the strength of a horse. Good fortune. [Here the Lord of

Light is in a subordinate place and is wounded by the Lord of Darkness. But

the injury is not fatal; it is only a hindrance. Rescue is still possible.]

Blofeld: Though injured in the left thigh, he made use of a horse in relieving distress -- good fortune!

Liu: The darkened light injures his left thigh, but he is saved by a strong horse. Good fortune.

Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness Hiding. Hiding tending-towards the left thigh. Availing-of a rescuing horse, invigorating significant.

Shaughnessy: The calling pheasant is wounded in the left thigh; herewith hold aloft the horse's vitality; auspicious.

Cleary (1): Concealment of illumination. Getting hurt in the left leg calls for rescue; if the horse is strong, it bodes well.

Wu: His left thigh is wounded. There will be good fortune if a strong horse is used to save him.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Her good fortune is due to the proper fashion of her acting according to her circumstances. Wilhelm/Baynes: The good fortune comes from [the line's] devotion to the rule. Blofeld: This good fortune results from compliance with laws and regulations. [The implication would seem to be that, when charged with emergency duties, we must persist in carrying them out at all costs.] Ritsema/Karcher: Yielding used by-consequence indeed. [By-consequence (-of), TSE: very strong connection, reason, cause, result; rule, law, pattern, standard...] Cleary (2): The luck of the second yin is in model obedience. Wu: Abiding by the principle.

Legge: Line two is magnetic, but in her proper and central place, giving us the idea of an officer, obedient to duty and the right. Her wound in the left thigh may impede her movements, but it does not disable her. She finds the means to save herself and maintain her good purpose. The "proper fashion of acting" is suggested by the magnetic line being the central place.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man is injured but is not disabled. He recovers and pursues his good purpose with the strength of a horse.

Wing: Rather than disabling you, a recent injury that you have sustained on your path will serve to inspire you toward affirmative and vigorous action in the direction of the general good.

Editor: The thigh is a walking muscle, giving us the power to move or act. The left is a universal symbol of the unconscious psyche and its functions. The left thigh, then, is an image of unconscious motive power, or natural motivation. To be "wounded in the left thigh" suggests an impeded natural response, as opposed to a conscious, willed response. (When associated with the idea of Clouded Perception, this may refer to a failure of insight or intuition.) A horse represents energy in general; here it may be psychic energy relating to perception -- "horse- sense," if you will. One is reminded of the centaur Chiron, the “wounded healer” of Greek myth, who was also wounded in the thigh. In astrology, Chiron symbolizes unhealable wounds, and although it may be stretching the symbolism here, dealing with such wounds is a natural part of the Work: they may be unhealable, but they must be dealt with nonetheless. In the words of an old Blues lyric: “I may get better, but I won’t get well.” Sometimes receiving this line is a hint that if you were in touch with your inner processes you wouldn't have needed to ask the question.

Fusion, inner unity, is obtained by means of "friction," by the struggle between "yes" and "no" in man. If a man lives without inner struggle, if everything happens to him without opposition, if he goes wherever he is drawn or wherever the wind blows, he will remain such as he is. But if a struggle begins in him, and particularly if there is a definite line in this struggle, then, gradually, permanent traits begin to form themselves, he begins to "crystallize."
Gurdjieff

A. Crippled by ignorance, but saved by instinct -- let horse-sense be your guide.

B. A lack of awareness has crippled your ability to respond, but the impetus of your innate sense of what is correct will carry you through.

Line 5

Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows how the Count of Chi fulfilled the condition indicated by clouded perception. It will be advantageous to be firm and correct.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi. Perseverance furthers.

Blofeld: Prince Chi suffered injury, but his persistence along a righteous course was rewarded.

Liu: The darkened light of Prince Chi. Continuance benefits.

Ritsema/Karcher: The winnowing son's Brightness Hiding. Harvesting Trial.

Shaughnessy: Jizi's calling pheasant; beneficial to determine.

Cleary (1): Concealment of illumination in a basket is beneficial if correct.

Cleary (2): The concealment of illumination on the part of a just scion of an evil ruling house is beneficial and upright.

Wu: The way the Viscount of Qi handled the situation of Light Obliterated is advantageous only through perseverance.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: His brightness could not be quite extinguished. Wilhelm/ Baynes: The perseverance of Prince Chi shows that the light cannot be extinguished. Blofeld: His was a light which can never be extinguished. Ritsema/Karcher: Brightness not permitted to pause indeed. Cleary (2): His understanding cannot be suppressed. [This represents being outwardly flexible while inwardly strong, remaining balanced in the middle, appearing to be ignorant while actually being illuminated.] Wu: The perseverance of the Viscount of Qi made it impossible to obliterate the light.

Legge: Line five should be the place of the ruler, but in this hexagram line six takes that position. The officer here, in the center of the upper trigram, just below the sovereign, is modeled on the Count of Chi, an historical personage.


NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man recalls the manner in which Prince Chi preserved his convictions by feigning insanity when trapped in the court of the tyrant Chou Hsin. In coping with danger during times of darkness, he exhibits an invincibility of spirit, coupled with unusual caution.

Wing: You are in an obvious and important role in this situation, yet you are not in accord with it. You are not in a position to struggle against elements that run contrary to your principles. Conceal your ideals and acquiesce outwardly to the powers that be. You will ultimately be rewarded.

Editor: Count Chi "hid his light" by feigning insanity to deceive the tyrant holding him captive. Basically, the idea is that you are "imprisoned" by the situation at hand and powerless to do anything but adapt to it. If you don't surrender your integrity you can persevere through a dark and difficult time. As so often in fifth lines, the image is an echo of the ideas in the Judgment and/or Image of the hexagram as a whole. This particular predicament reminds us of the Biblical story of David:

David ... became very frightened of Achish the king of Gath. When their eyes were on him he played the madman and, when they held him, feigned lunacy. He would drum on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Achish said to his servants, "You can see this man is mad. Why bring him to me? Have I not enough madmen without your bringing me this one to weary me with his antics?"
I Samuel 21: 13--15:

A. In the presence of arrogance, the wise man plays the fool. (Now is the time to hide your light.)

B. The Dark Night of the Soul.

C. Clarity in the matter at hand is concealed for now.

48
The Well


Other titles: Welling, Potentialities Fulfilled, The Source, The Deep Psyche, "A resurrection or transformation. Generations coming and going and the continuance of life and development." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge: Although a town site may be altered, The Well remains the same. Its water level neither disappears nor receives any great increase, and the people can draw from it freely. Misfortune ensues if the rope breaks or the bucket is broken before it reaches the water.

Wilhelm/Baynes:The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If one gets down almost to the water and the rope does not go all the way, or the jug breaks, it brings misfortune.

Blofeld: A Well. A city may be moved, but not a well. [The building of a city depends upon ourselves; but wells cannot be moved to places where nature supplies no water. The implication is that our activities are limited by natural conditions.] A well suffers from no decrease and no increase; but often, when the people come to draw water there, the rope is too short or the pitcher gets broken before reaching the water -- misfortune! [What we desire is there for the taking, but we may not succeed in getting it.]

Liu: The Well. The city might be moved; but not the well. It neither overflows nor runs dry. People come and go, drawing from the well. The rope nearly reaches the water, but not quite; the jug breaks -- misfortune.

Ritsema/Karcher: The Well: amending the capital, not amending the Well. Without losing, without acquiring. Going, coming: Welling, Welling. Muddy culmination: truly not-yet the well- rope Well. Ruining one's pitcher: Pitfall. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of the life water coming from the depths that everyone may draw on. It emphasizes that maintaining access to this central source is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to go to the well!]

Shaughnessy: The Well: Changing the city but not changing the well; there is no loss, there is no gain. Going and coming so orderly; when the drying up arrives one also has not yet drawn from the well; burdening its formed earthenware jug; inauspicious.

Cleary (1):The Well: Changing the village, not changing the well; no loss, no gain. Those who come and go use the well as a well. If the rope does not reach all the way into the well, of if the bucket breaks, that is unfortunate.

Cleary (2): … People come and go, but the well remains a well. Lowering the bucket to the water, if you overturn the bucket before drawing it up from the well, this is unlucky.

Wu:The Well indicates that the planning of a district may be changed, but the location of the well may not. The water level of a well will neither increase nor decrease from use. There are wells here and there. When one is drawing water from a well, if he tangles the rope and damages the bucket just before it clears the well, it will be foreboding.

 

The Image

Legge: The image of water over wood forms The Well. The superior man comforts the people and stimulates their mutual cooperation.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Water over wood: the image of The Well. Thus the superior man encourages the people at their work and exhorts them to help one another.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes water over wood. The Superior Man encourages the people with advice and assistance.

Liu: Water on wood symbolizes The Well. The superior man inspires people to work diligently, and advises them to help each other.

Ritsema/Karcher: Above wood possessing stream. The Well. A chun tzu uses toiling commoners to encourage mutualizing.

Cleary (1): There is water above wood – A Well. Thus do superior people comfort the people and encourage reciprocity.

Wu: There is water above wood; this is The Well. Thus, the jun zi encourages people to work for the good of the public and to help one another for a better life.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Wood penetrates the water and raises it, giving the image ofThe Wellwhich gives nourishment yet is not exhausted. The dynamic central lines in the second and fifth places indicate that the town site may change, but the well does not. If the rope does not reach the water the well does not serve its purpose. A broken bucket brings about evil.

Legge: The upper trigram represents Water, and the lower symbolizes Wood, giving the image of a wooden bucket in the water of a well. What is said on this hexagram might be styled: "Lessons to be learned from a well for the proper government of a country." A well is to its users what a government is to its subjects, and if rulers would only apply the ancient precepts of government to the present circumstances, they and their people would benefit greatly.

In the Judgment we see the well remaining substantially the same through many changes of society -- a dependable source of refreshment to its users. As the fashion of the well remains changeless, so do the principles of human nature and good government. The value of the well depends upon the water being drawn up and used -- and so must the principles of good government be implemented.

Anthony: This hexagram usually indicates that we have a hidden doubt or fear. We may secretly disbelieve our path.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Amid the changes of life the only constant is the psyche itself -- to be alive is to draw upon its energy. The ego’s challenge lies in the correct comprehension of its images.

The Superior Man promotes the harmonious interplay of his thoughts and feelings. (Works on the integration of his complexes.)

A well is a universal symbol of a source of inner truth, and is often associated with a place that is sacred to the gods:

There he built an altar and invoked the name of Yahweh. There he pitched his tent, and there Isaac's servants sank a well.
Genesis 26: 25

From the first well, which is of animal nature and deep, the father drinks, together with his children and cattle; from the second, which is yet deeper and on the very margin of nature, there drink only the children of men, namely those whose reason has awakened and whom we call philosophers; from the third, the deepest of all drink the sons of the All-Highest, whom we call gods and true theologians.
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa

Psychologically interpreted, a well symbolizes the continuously flowing unconscious psyche, the fountain of all awareness. In this hexagram each line represents a level within the well -- by extension suggesting a hierarchy of value in the unconscious. It is important to remember that not all of our inner images, intuitions or impulses come from the Self. Note that lines one through four all show the water of the well not being utilized for one reason or another -- only in lines three, five and six is it actually available for use.

In some sensitive individuals there is an awakening of para-psychological perceptions. They have visions, which they believe to be of exalted beings; they may hear voices, or begin to write automatically, accepting the messages at their face value and obeying them unreservedly. The quality of such messages is very varied. Sometimes they contain fine teachings, but they should always be examined with much discrimination and sound judgment, and without being influenced by their uncommon origin or by any claim by their alleged transmitter. No validity should be attributed to messages containing definite orders and commanding blind obedience, and to those tending to exalt the personality of the recipient.
Roberto Assagioli --Psychosynthesis

The ego's point of view in relation to The Well is from the outside looking in – the insights emerge from beneath the surface of awareness and can be held in the light of consciousness only if one’s comprehension is able to contain them. If "the bucket breaks," our understanding is unequal to our observation and the insights are lost. (One might plausibly find the image for a cancer cure within one's psyche, but without a conscious frame of reference to acknowledge it, it would be unrecognized and lost.) Those who closely monitor their dreams know that there is an endless outpouring of strange images within the psyche which might be of inestimable value if only we knew what they referred to.

Wilhelm emphasizes the idea of "nourishing the people," which psychologically means that the role of the ego is to facilitate the cooperation of intra-psychic forces.

The solution lies, rather, along the lines of a harmonious integration of all drives into the total personality, first through the proper subordination and coordination, and then through the transformation and sublimation of the excessive or unused quota of energy.
Roberto Assagioli --Psychosynthesis