What Is Psychosynthesis?

Psychosynthesis is one of the most effective methods that, in addition to its therapeutic benefits, also guides individuals toward personal and spiritual growth. It can be used as a method for psychological development and self-discovery, a way to treat psychosomatic disorders caused by internal conflicts or deep crises, and as an integrative approach to education that helps people realize their true spiritual nature. The founder of psychosynthesis is Roberto Assagioli. Psychosynthesis aims first at the development and improvement of the personality, and then at the realization and unification with one’s true (higher) Self.

Stages of Psychosynthesis

1. Deep Self-KnowledgeSelf-exploration begins with the lower unconscious, uncovering “complexes” inherited from early childhood. Assagioli refers to these as “fantasies” or “mental images.” Next, the middle and higher unconscious are explored. Through this process, we may discover hidden abilities, our true calling, and untapped potential. In psychosynthesis, deep self-knowledge is just the first stage in the process of recreating a whole and integrated personality.
2. DisidentificationWe are controlled by everything we identify with. We can control and manage what we disidentify from. The fundamental principle of psychosynthesis is that a person can become aware of different aspects of themselves as separate from their core self. Disidentification means separating out complexes and “mental images” from our conscious “I” and observing them calmly. The energy of negative feelings and desires should not be suppressed, but rather controlled and directed constructively.
3. Control Over Different Elements of the PersonalityTo gain control over individual elements of the personality, they must first be identified, which is only possible by distinguishing them from the true Self. Psychosynthesis uses the subpersonality method for this purpose.

   Subpersonalities are semi-autonomous parts of the personality that, having formed around a specific need and become complex enough, strive for independent existence. Subpersonalities use our body, emotions, and thoughts as tools for self-expression.

   There are no “good” or “bad” subpersonalities. Each represents an essential aspect of our being, even if it initially seems negative. Subpersonalities only become harmful when they control us. One of the goals in psychosynthesis is to prevent them from dominating us, and to develop the ability to identify with or disidentify from them at will.

   Goals of working with subpersonalities:

   • Learning to recognize the diverse and sometimes conflicting sides of our personality.
   • Accepting all parts of ourselves instead of banishing them to the unconscious.
   • Elevating each subpersonality to its highest potential.
   • Gradually removing masks to reveal the hidden core of our personality—our true Self.

   The process of working with subpersonalities includes:

   • Awareness and Recognition: Developing the ability to identify with and disidentify from a subpersonality.
   • Acceptance: It takes courage to face and accept the negative sides of ourselves, including fear, anger, and other difficult emotions. Acceptance is a conscious turning toward painful content.
   • Coordination and Transformation: This stage involves restructuring old belief systems. Limiting and destructive values are changed and transformed to broaden our worldview, where subpersonalities are intertwined.
   • Integration: Integration means uniting different elements, often of opposing natures, while preserving their individual qualities.
   • Synthesis: Synthesis occurs when two or more subpersonalities are ready to form a new whole. In synthesis, the individuality of the elements is lost, but their qualities are preserved in the new whole. Synthesis allows the “I” and “transpersonal I” to express themselves more freely through the personality and its qualities.
4. Realization of the True “I”This is the discovery or creation of a unifying center—the “I.” The essence of realizing the true Self lies in expanding the narrow field of personal consciousness, mainly through the higher unconscious, and uniting the lower “I” with the higher “I.” In psychosynthesis, the true Self is seen as the most basic and unchanging part of our personality—its core. The true Self can function as a unifying center, coordinating the interaction of all other elements of the personality. It is the part of us that can observe any aspect of our psyche without being involved in it, allowing us to find balance and harmony necessary for psychological and physical well-being.

Reflections on Psychosynthesis

1. You can practice psychosynthesis almost anywhere, doing almost nothing.Whether you’re sitting at home on the couch, taking a bath, lying in bed, riding public transport, or walking down the street, these external conditions can support inner work. You can focus on anything: your thoughts, memories, surroundings, breathing, or bodily sensations. This reduces conscious effort and enhances the work of your unconscious.
2. All you can do with your experience is observe, accept, and transform it.The rest is done by other parts of your personality—they express and use your experience! Outwardly, this may look like “doing nothing”: a person sits and thoughtfully analyzes or summarizes their past, dreams about the future, or returns to the present. In reality, during psychosynthesis practice, you “wash” your experience, making it clear, transparent, and useful for future use. It’s not always pleasant, but it’s essential.
3. Psychosynthesis aims to strengthen the conscious “I”—the center of your personality.This center can bring your body, thoughts, and emotions into harmony through conscious regulation of unconscious processes. The main function of our “I” is will. By developing will, you gain the ability to synthesize a new personality, uniting what you already have into a whole. This wholeness uses all your resources (including unconscious ones), with your “I” and its will at the center. Once you understand yourself, don’t forget to put yourself back together!
4. The conscious “I” is a reflection of the higher “I.”Roberto Assagioli, the founder of psychosynthesis, believed that our essence—the true “I”—exists in the unconscious and has always been and always will be. The higher “I” has its own calling and meaning, and it influences real life through its reflection—the conscious “I.” There are not two “I”s. There is one “I,” which is reflected in our daily life as we go about our activities. In other words, the conscious “I” is a reflection of the higher “I.”
5. Psychosynthesis is not a cure-all for illnesses and problems. It is not a quick-fix formula for happiness and success.The effects of psychosynthesis unfold over time. At first, there may be small qualitative changes, which later lead to more significant life transformations. In today’s world, many services promise instant happiness and success. That is not psychosynthesis! The process of psychosynthesis is gentle and gradual, like any growth, and its results may be subtle—but you won’t want to part with them.
6. Psychosynthesis begins when consciousness and imagination become one.As soon as your conscious “I” starts using imagination, you gain the skills to study, accept, transform, and even use your experience! This does not mean that psychosynthesis creates a world of illusions and dreams. Consciousness can not only include dreaming, but also bring you back to real life, where it can act in new ways to improve it.
7. Personal growth involves experiencing crises, which are a sign of development. This is normal.Without them, there are no changes leading to wholeness. Global experience with psychosynthesis shows that everyone goes through four crises of personal and spiritual development, which you can be prepared for if you learn about them in detail. According to Assagioli, the first crisis occurs before a major leap in self-development. The second crisis is directly related to this leap. The third crisis is the reaction of the person and those around them to obvious development. The fourth crisis is a qualitative restructuring of the personality as a result of achieving wholeness—that is, the realization of psychosynthesis.
8. The practice of psychosynthesis does not end with specific results at a specific time: self-development skills continue to grow throughout life, often unconsciously.Psychosynthesis is like a perennial plant: you plant it in the spring, it blooms in the summer while you water it, and the next spring it grows again—bigger and without your help. The plant is the skill you have acquired or developed, the soil is your unconscious, and you are you.