PYCHOSYNTHESIS, Basis for Hal & Sidra Stone’s VOICE DIALOGUE & Sasha Alex Lessin’s CENTERING PYCHOLOGY all derived from JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY
All of us hold within our overall personality many semi-autonomous SUBS–sub-personalities—also known as subpersonalities, parts, inner voices, attitudes, roles, statuses, avatars and introjected archetypes–each of which strive to express themselves. When any of these sub-selves gets to express itself we enact it in our behavior. When we enact one subself, the other subselves are cut-off from our awareness. The subselves we cut-off still exist inside us, but we’re often unaware of them even though we feel them as inner distress but we do not know that these internal subself conflicts are causing our unease. Particular subs limit us as do the conflicts, conscious or not that come up when two or more subselves disagree, for example, when our Pleaser of Others and our Self-Assertive subs conflict.. In such a conflict situation, each subpersonality wants to control us and express itself. Often neither of the opposed subs will yield, and they become deadlocked creating conflict and pain in our lives.
Subs of which we are unaware and are suppressed by subs in which we consciously operate may also “have beautiful, useful qualities that we may need, but not be in touch with.
“The easiest way to facilitate our growth is to get to know our subs. As we understand them better, we can regulate and direct their expression according to our own needs and goals, making them our helpers and our allies, and bringing them increasingly close to each other, toward greater harmony and integration. Recognizing the diversity of subs in us, learning to direct them, and to deal with them operationally in the moment, enhances our sense of personal identity and unity.
“Some subselves are typical, some are unique.” Examples of subs include Manipulator, Insurrectionist, Hag, Mystic, Materialist, Idealist, Claw, Clinger, Pillar of Strength, Traitor, Dictator, Sneak, Inner Child, Inner Patriarch, Killer-Critic, Judge, Religious Fanatic, Sensitive Listener, Crusader, Doubter, Sexpot, Grabbie, Frightened Child, Poisoner, Martyr, Struggler, Tester, Shining Light, The Bitch Goddess, Great High Gluck, Dummy, Messiah, etc.
CENTERING SYNTHESIZES OUR SUBS
Subs not only appear in pairs of opposites but many are interrelate without being opposite to one another. To synthesize our subs to act as an integrated system that enhances our consciousness and relations with other people, we must first recognize them, then accept them. Then we can coordinate them and integrate how we use them harmoniously.
The process of harmonization of our subs consists of five phases: RECOGNITION, ACCEPTANCE, COORDINATION, INTEGRATION, AND SYNTHESIS.
Subs interacting with one another can cooperate and combine but we need first to recognize and accept them. We achieve when we interact with other people as we develop our Spiritual with its neutral, Fair Witness/FullyAware&EverEvolving Self-Sense. [Vargiu: “Realization of the Self”, Synthesis Volume I:]
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