Creating Harmony in Life

Creating Harmony in Life is a collection of lectures by Roberto Assagioli, originally published in Italian under the title Psicosintesi: Per l’armonia della vita (1966). Although some decades have passed since the first Italian edition, Creating Harmony in Life contains inspirational principles and expresses ideas in the fields of education and society which can still be considered innovative in our time. Many of the topics discussed were developed further by the author in subsequent texts and articles, nevertheless the value of this book lies in their being presented together, thus conveying a completely new vision of the world and humankind.

Psychosynthesis can (and must) be applied by each individual to their own self, favouring and accelerating inner development and self-control, which should be the common objective and is often perceived as being an inner impulse, an inner calling, a vital existential necessity.
This ‘self-psychosynthesis’ should be practised or at the very least attempted with determination, especially by each psychotherapist, social worker or educator, including parents. (R. Assagioli, 1961)

Book contents:
• Foreword by Maria Vittoria Randazzo, former President of the Istituto di Psicosintesi
• Introduction by Catherine Ann Lombard
• Foreword by William McKenzie of the original edition (1966)
• Preface by Roberto Assagioli (1966)
• Multiplicity of the Mind
• The Unconscious and its Exploration
• What is Synthesis?
• Types and Degrees of Psychosynthesis
• Heroes and Great Men
• The ‘I’ as the Unifying Center
• The Practice of Psychosynthesis
• Understanding – Evaluation – Choice – Plan of Action
• How to Eliminate the Excess of Eros – Right outlet – Right dissolution
• Transformation and Sublimation of Psychic Energies
• Transformation and Sublimation of Sexual Energies
• Transformation and Sublimation of Combative Energies
• Development of Deficient Faculties
• Development of Immature and Higher Faculties
• Spiritual Psychosynthesis
• Appendix I. Specific Aspects of Psychosynthesis
• Appendix II. Roberto Assagioli. A Multifaceted Life
• Chronology
• References
• Notes