Psychosynthesis: A Collection of Basic Writings (An Esalen Book)

by Roberto Assagioli

Book Overview

This seminal work by Dr. Assagioli, a contemporary and colleague of both Freud and Jung, discusses his theory of psychosynthesis as an evolution of the psychological thinking of the time to include... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140042636
• ISBN13: 9780140042634
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 5.3" x 0.8"

Customer Reviews

Great insight on the nature of men

Great insight on the nature of men. This book integrate the spiritual self with the other facets of our personality. Well written and easy to understand.

Excellent and poignant introduction

I really enjoyed and benefited from this book, particularly the first few chapters that outline Assagioli's theories. He was truly a pioneer in the area of transpersonal psychology. It has been a benefit to me to compare and contrast Assagioli and Jung's theories. I think that Assagioli emphasizes areas that are blind spots for Jung. The personality typology that is given here is useful as a practical and inspiring model for self development. Before reading other works in this field, I would go to the source.

Know Thyself - Psychosynthesis in an Eggshell

Roberto Assagioli's ideas can be encapsulated in a nutshell (egg) with the Greek concept of Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself. Psychosynthesis allows for an in-depth journey of discovery that will be different for every individual; yet the journey embodies similar experiences attained through similar techniques.The text is in a slightly clinical style, which is not surprising considering that Assagioli had a background in Psychoanalysis and Psychiatry. This book was most likely written to showcase his Psychosynthesis concepts to his peers in Psychiatry who had a Freudian background. However, don't let the prospect of a slightly clinical styled book put you off. If you are interested specifically in Psychosynthesis it is an essential read, and also highly recommended if you are in any way interested in Transpersonal Psychology or Self Development.Assagioli's comments on the "Spirit of Synthesis" bring to mind the concept (doctrine) of the 4 Elements in Western Qabalistic thought, where Earth, Air, Fire and Water are brought together (synthesised) into harmony to give rise to Spirit (i.e. all 4 elements when in harmony are pure/refined spirit). Assagioli comments that the most important results in Psychotherapy have come about from independent researchers rather than academic psychologists. This is perhaps due to the independent researchers (seemingly he refers mainly to medical and psychiatric doctors) have a great deal of experiential evidence and build their theories from observing a vast array of clients, rather than formulating theories based on laboratory experiments, other people's theories, or personal fancy. A key diagram in Psychosynthesis is the 'Egg diagram' that provides a simple but effective map of consciousness and framework for understanding the psyche. Assagioli describes the outer 'shell' of the 'Egg diagram' using the words "delimiting not dividing", which to me really encompasses the ideas of boundaries. Although we are all part of the 'oneness' we have boundaries, which are very important to us as individuals. We are delimited by these boundaries, not divided (cut-off) from all else. The whole concept of an egg is great, as eggs are permeable even though seemingly hard shelled. Two important concepts within Psychosynthesis are identification and dis-identification, the importance of which are briefly touched upon in the quote:"We are dominated by everything with which our self becomes identified. We can dominate and control everything from which we dis-identify ourselves." Assagioli outlines two approaches to Self-growth. Personally I favour the second approach, the intuitive method, of listening to "the Spirit within" - guidance by the Higher Self, and following feelings and intuitions.Assagioli talks about childish dependence carrying on into later life either on the parents or other individuals. This is really the root of co-dependence. Although Assagioli probably hadn't developed anything specific (at least terminology-wise) o

The Book

While Roberto Assagioli published this book in 1965, it is not only a classic to transpersonal psychology, but extremely important today. Assagioli integrates the personal self and the transpersonal self into a fully functioning being.

The best map of mind so far

This is just a brief summary of central Assagiolian doctrines: We may divide spiritual/life "paths" according the the question: who is the chief protagonist of psycho-spiritual process ? Basically, it's equal to answering the question: who am I ?1. The Transpersonal Self (TS)-the sun presiding over the "egg/field" of psyche. ( Transpersonal or Higher Self is different from Jungian definitions; it is not totality of psyche. It is Atman, containing & governing psychological life, but in essence, albeit reachable, utterly beyond & above. It's completely "other" & "closer than your jugular vein" at the same time ). This is the position of non-dual schools like Advaita Vedanta or Ch'an ( Zen) Buddhism.2. The "I"-radiant ray of the Self ( TS ) This is the position of various schools, having different goals. For brevity: Buddhist & Hindu ( not Kashmir Shaivite)Tantra, Taoist alchemy, some forms of Sufism. "Modern" schools & teachers include Psychosynthesis, Gurdjieff or Hazrat Inayat Khan.3. The psyche- the psychomental complex; in the diagram, it's the "egg" as if cut off from the the sun of TS ( of course, it never happens: just, in this process psyche/soul is an entity longing to contact & fuse with TS/God, who is experienced as "the other"). This is the way of majority of traditional mysyicisms, as well as some modern therapies ( Jung ). In Jungian school, "soul"/psyche, not pure "I", nor the Self ( especially as ego-consciousness ): so, the Jungians would say- I'm psyche currently reduced to ego consciousness, but passing through process of cleansing, maturing, expansion...Transpersonal consciousnessThe 2nd path, that of Tantra, is achieved by disidentification technique aiming to isolate the "I", empower it by activating its most essential attribute, will, and with this new, enriched & more efficient "I", mould the psyche & ascend the ladder of more & more heightened awareness, with the final goal of blending "I" with the source, the TS. In contrast to the Zen or Jungian approaches, it is an "activistic" one, projecting the "I" into a variety of states of mind/psyche. In Buddhist Tantricism there is a technique of identifying the dis-identified principle of consciousness/"I" with the multitude of real or imagined objects ( heart of guru; identifying with Boddhisattva of, say, compassion; entering the yantra/mandala signifying some aspect of Trikaya/Buddha Nature ). This is similar to Assagiolian Psychosynthesis. After achieving a degree of d-i and relatively balanced psyche in personal PS, the ascent of crystallized "I" begins, in course of which "I" controls, moulds & expands areas of awareness. On the way to & through the superconscious, the liberated "I" reshapes fields of conscious life, achieving a new position of center of conscious life & widening the channell through which the influx of spiritual energies feeds the psyche. The Assagiolian approach, as contrasted to orthodox