Psychosynthesis is a school of spiritually-oriented psychology aimed at integrating the many facets of the human personality into a unified self who would therefore be a more authentic and functional person. It is broadly based to include the personal, educational and interpersonal dimensions, although nowadays it is best known as a school of psychotherapy. As such, it was one of the main influences on the Human Potential Movement. Psycho-synthesis believes that each human being has a vast potential that generally goes largely unrecognized and unused. It also believes that we each have within ourselves the power to access that potential. Psychosynthesis is often seen as an unfolding process where the person actually possesses an inner wisdom or knowledge of what is needed for that process at any given time.
Psychosynthesis was founded in Italy around 1910 by Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974). He was a medical doctor whose formative years were spent in the heyday of psychoanalysis of the Vienna school. He was a student of Freud who also worked with Jung, and was much influenced by Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious. In the 1960s he was active in the humanistic psychology movement led by Abraham Maslow (see Maslow, Abraham, Holistic Health Movement) and others. His students claim that he was the only known therapist whose professional career spanned psychoanalysis and humanistic psychology—the two greatest psychological traditions of the twentieth century. Certainly the historical importance of psychosynthesis lies in its pioneering synthesis of Jungian analytical psychology, humanistic psychology and mysticism into a system of psychotherapy and self-development. His books, still in print, are regarded as key historical texts.
Assagioli was a close friend of Foster and Alice Bailey, and a member of the Sundial group. He was committed to their spiritual vision, which gave rise to the New Age Movement. In her auto-biography, Alice Bailey describes him as ‘our representative in Italy’. His books were published by the Lucis Trust, the business organization of Alice Bailey. While he did not subscribe to all aspects of the Bailey world view, the idea that human beings have a higher spiritual or transcendent self remained a core part of psychosynthesis. Assagioli further believed that people had their own ‘inner wisdom’ that could inform their personal development, and the task of the guide or therapist is to help identify these inner resources, support the process, and be attentive to what is happening.
Assagioli stated that psychosynthesis has two main aims. The first is ‘the elimination of the obstacles and conflicts that block the complete and harmonious development of the personality’. The second is ‘the use of active techniques to stimulate the psychic functions that are weak and immature’. He emphasized the need to develop the body as well as the mind and spirit, although nowadays his school does not stress the physical dimension much. He held that psycho-synthesis was essentially a self-help method for personal and spiritual development, rather than a professional therapy practice. This is perhaps unsurprising given his connections with Alice Bailey. He went on to define the core features of ‘true’ psychosynthesis: disidentification, recognition of the personal self, the importance of the will, an ideal model, the need for synthesis of techniques, and recognition of the transpersonal or spiritual self (see Self-Religion, The Self and self).
Psychosynthesis has been often criticized for being too broad in its aims and lacking a clear focus. In reply, its proponents point out that humans are very diverse in their needs, no single method suits everyone, and nowadays the emphasis is on therapy. It is also claimed that psychosynthesis can act as a framework in which other therapies such as Jungian and Gestalt can operate. Assagioli held that psychosynthesis was not a school, had no orthodoxy, and that no one could claim to be a founder or leader, even himself.
Nowadays there is a vast range of schools and trainings in psychology and psychotherapy, but psychosynthesis courses are still popular. Many developments in the ongoing synthesis of psychotherapy and spirituality owe much to the work of Assagioli. Foremost among these is the transpersonal psychology movement which he helped found.
Its best known member is Ken Wilber, author of many influential books including the groundbreaking No Boundary (1979). Wilber also drew inspiration from the Indian guru Ramana Maharshi, whom he described as ‘the greatest sage of the twentieth century’. The Indian guru Osho also synthesized Eastern and Western methodologies, though he perceived meditation as primary and therapy as simply clearing the way for spiritual experience.
