An Introduction to Psychosynthesis

 

 

 

Here is am just offering you a small insight into the of the seven core concepts of Psychosynthesis.  It is a vast pool of knowledge and wisdom for personal and spiritual therapy.

 

Psychosynthesis has its roots in psychoanalysis. The Italian founder of psychosynthesis, Dr. Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974), initially trained as a doctor in neurology and psychiatry. He was a member of the Freud Society in Zurich. In 1909, he was among the first to bring psychoanalysis to Italy, alongside other pioneers of the psychoanalytic movement. However, he soon developed his ideas beyond Freud’s models to include connecting with higher manifestations of human nature, beyond pathology. A contemporary and student of Freud, Assagioli was more aligned with Jung’s approach to psychology.
History - The Psychosynthesis Trust

 

 

For me Psychosynthesis is the gift and the legacy of Roberto Assagioli enabling us as practitioners, Guides to fully stand present as we witness this time of transformation in the exploration of us as humans amidst the emerging developments within our field.

Psychosynthesis is applied to psychotherapy, psychology and self-development

Psychosynthesis is a school of psychology with ground breaking concepts and experiential techniques for people interested in personal and psychospiritual transformation.
Where suffering can be caused by a loss of contact with who we really are, psychosynthesis seeks to restore and renew this contact.

“Psychosynthesis is a holistic approach to helping the individual deal with dilemmas, conflicts and patterns of behaviours which inhibit or prevent living life in meaningful and fulfilling ways.” Sue Fox, Trustee

The Psychosynthesis Trust trains counsellors & psychotherapists

 

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Psychosynthesis practitioners I believe we have been gifted with ancient wisdom, transpersonal maps of the ages and the drawing together the mystical and the psychological  understanding of being human. Over the decades since my training began it for me has never completed just deepened and awakened as my individual map into the Supraconscious of the I AM.

 

There are certain insights which never change because they are based on fundamental truths ~Some of these insights constitute, according to Assagioli, the Seven Core Concepts of Psychosynthesis.

 

Assagioli wrote the following important statement just before his death: “While Psychosynthesis is offered as a synthesis of various therapies and educational approaches, it is well to keep in mind that it possesses its own original and central essence.”

These are:

 

1. Disidentification

2. The personal self

3. The Will: Good, Strong, Skillful, Transpersonal/Universal

4. The Ideal Model

5. Synthesis (in its various aspects)

6. The Superconscious

7. The Transpersonal Self

 

 

Disidentification and the personal self

Disidentification is the mother of the many techniques used in Psychosynthesis; it reveals the true nature of our identity as a point of pure self-awareness and will. Disidentification is the tool we use to discover our identity as consciousness itself. This is a radical and profound experience with many levels of understanding, and the process has a potential to reveal the different stages of the self, from the personal to the Universal Self. The simple yet profound exercise for Dis-identification ~ I am Not my body, I am NOT my thoughts, I am NOT my feelings is the beginning……..

 

In moving into this and letting go of the identifications we have embedded as belief constructs with our body, emotions, thoughts, roles and behaviour we gradually come to into awareness there is an Observer Beyond these aspects of what we call ‘ME’

 

As the observer of that which arises in our awareness the dissolution of attachments to these thoughts, feelings and behaviours we have called ‘ME’ occurs.  We are in actuality cultivating the potential for the emergence of True Self.

This wonderfully simple yet profound technique in Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy is the practice of one of the most fundamental healing modalities at hand today ~Awareness Based Psychotherapy which is the ancient practice of Mindful Awareness practiced in the many ancient wisdom schools and traditions for millennia!  

The purpose of this was to train the esoteric student and now the psychotherapeutic client to discover himself as a loving observer of self to observe whatever arises in consciousness opening space to realise the True Self.

 

The purpose of this was to train the esoteric student and now the psychotherapeutic client to discover himself as a loving observer of self to observe whatever arises in consciousness opening space to realise the True Self.

 

Guiding clients this way assists development in the connection with all the different states of consciousness that are arising within all levels of our full self and accept this movement of arising in thoughts, feelings, physiological responses without resisting, supressing or withdrawing form this emergence the fullness of Somatic Awareness is awakened. This acceptance in observation without attachment creates potential for reframing and release of past trauma. In particular the previously unacknowledged lower and middle unconscious can come into awareness for creating a loving space where we can hold in compassion our suffering and pain.

 

Through this process the self becomes truly transcendent and immanent in relation to that which we observe. The Awareness Based and Somatic based experience creates a loving centre in harmony with the present moment.

 

 

The Will and the Ideal Model

 

The next fundamental and essential aspects of Psychosynthesis is the discovery of the Will and of great importance the aspects of Will that are coexisting but usually without our knowledge. As we discover the aspects of Will – Good, Strong, Skilfull, Transcendant/Universal Will, we are empowered in cultivating each aspect to enable a wonderful and profound use of our full willpower.

 

The subject of Will is vast and profound but the first step is to know these aspects usually are distorted if not dormant and training of Will aspects is part of the harmonising all of our fullest nature.

The Will becomes a factual reality when we experience the-will-to-be-self. The Will is the living force driving our need for authenticity and uniqueness there’s not much freedom or joy in observing and accepting that we are slaves to limiting attachments if we have no means of liberation from these.

 

Without the aspects of Will being in harmony with the needs of self, others and of the Divine in congruence we are likely to easily fall prey to distorted inner and outer influences in our life. The main focus in our work with the Will is to define our identity at present and then to become aware of our interconnectivity to others and the Divine Will to be in congruence in Service that holds the greatest outcomes for all.

 

 

This is where the Ideal Models comes in, they are images of what we could be. Assagioli understood that our entire self-perception rest on internal self-images, most of them false because they are adopted from the external environment. But we can create new self-images, because the same psychological material within can be impressed with an authentic intention. This is where creative meditation comes in, because the work with ideal models are based on our ability to visualise. Once again he applies one of the most prominent techniques of the East and combines it with his psychotherapeutic insights.

 

For further information on the seven core concepts of psychosynthesis please use the link below to the Psychosynthesis Trust website.  You can also do your own search and find the many 1000s of articles on the net.

 

The Psychosynthesis Trust trains counsellors & psychotherapists