In short, disidentification consists in the process of creating psychological distance between the conscious subject – the personal self or “I” – and the contents of consciousness; it means recovering our subjectivity, becoming aware of our “self” as the centre of subjectivity, and moving towards self-identification (self-realisation).

At its highest point, self-identification means consciousness perceiving itself without any content or external crutch. It is that “self-consciousness, which gives us the sense of being, of absolute being, without any attributes” (Assagioli, 1991, p. 25).

It is a state of laying ourselves psychologically bare, of shedding all the layers of thoughts, feelings, images, physical sensations which clothe our being. What is accessed then is the ontological experience of being, pure self-consciousness. One is no longer overwhelmed by the incessant flow of emotions, images, thoughts and desires, or by the turmoil caused by the various subpersonalities. In fact, this process, which Assagioli (1965, pp. 24) has also defined as:

“uniting the lower with the higher Self,
the reflection with the source”

requires long and arduous work and goes through many intermediate stages. In turn, these intermediate stages imply new identifications. The “I” does not know how to fully abide in Self, and must seek other vital supports and connections, must create or choose an image, an “ideal model” of the perfect personality, adequate to [the person’s] calibre, their stage of development and their psychological type, and therefore … practicable in real life.

For more:

• Know, Love, Transform yourself (Vol. I)  (pp. 241-242) – Buy now
  
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• The Way of Psychosynthesis, Synthesis Insights (pp. 233-242) – Buy now