Psychosynthesis deals a lot with plan and planning. Assagioli writes that

“it is appropriate to bear in mind from the start that we need to refer and subordinate the various techniques to the specific purpose of which psychosynthesis to implement. This must always be remembered in the choice and application of techniques, which are only tools, mediums in order to achieve the principles and the aims of psychosynthesis” (Assagioli, 1965, p. 65).

Psychosynthesis identifies, as the highest purpose, the growing awareness of the transpersonal Self and the progressive activation of its energies. But before this becomes achievable, “it is essential to support the individual in eliminating existing obstacles and conflicts, in integrating and balancing the personality at all levels, and then, when possible, in promoting the union between the personal self and the transpersonal Self”.

Thus, there are many principles and aims in psychosynthesis, and in order to better understand them, we can identify two different levels:

A. The general plan of Psychosynthesis presupposes four specific phases; each single phase is connected with particular aims and principles and is characterised by certain exercises, techniques, and methods:

a) full knowledge of the personality (analysis)b) mastery/harmonisation of different elements which make up the personality (disidentification)

c) self-realisation; discovery or creation of a unifying centre (self-identification)

d) planning and reconstruction of the personality (psychosynthesis) through:
– utilisation and transmutation of physical and psychic energies
– development of the inadequate aspects of the personality
– coordination and subordination of different bio-psycho-spiritual elements

B. The fourth phase of the general plan (see pt. A.) – what we can define as “psychosynthetic” in the most specific sense of the word – consists of the planning and reconstruction of the personality (see pt. d). This stage is always [like a] tailor-made outfit and can be formulated in different ways:

• sometimes, when the temporarily achievable unifying centre is constituted by a role, a task, a subpersonality, a passion or an idea, the best that can be done is to promote a partial psychosynthesis (aggregation around this partial unifying centre of the content in line with suitable aims)
• other times, when the unifying centre is constituted instead by the personal “I”, it is about working on one’s own personal psychosynthesis (aggregation around the “I” of the content of middle and lower unconscious-mind)
• sometimes, finally, when the unifying centre is the transpersonal Self, the work consists in the employment of one’s own transpersonal psychosynthesis (aggregation around the Self of the content of middle, lower and upper unconscious-mind)

It is important to highlight that the phase of personality resetting, does not require only the simple combination of techniques that seem appropriate to the journey of that particular person. In other words, there is no such thing as an “objective plan” for psychosynthesis. This phase consists also and above all in the intuitive and imaginative revelation of the subject’s potential, in the empathic perception of the planning of the individual’s Self that takes shape within the relationship that is established with the psychosynthesist (Dattilo, 2010, p. 23 e Marra, 2010, p. 71). The planning phase is therefore, rather characterised by the dynamic integration of an approach aimed at identifying techniques, exercises and methods best suited for the resetting of the personality with what can be defined as “the intuitive, teleological, artistic element that gives form and reality to the Ideal Model that the person unconsciously carries within them as mere potential” (Dattilo, 2010, p. 27).

For more:

• Know, Love, Transform yourself (Vols. I), Psychosynthesis Books (pp. 92-93)

Buy now : Know, Love, Transform yourself (Vols. I)
Buy now : Know, Love, Transform yourself (Vols. II)