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What We May Be
Book by Piero Ferrucci
250 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 1982
41 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Piero Ferrucci
47 books77 followersPiero Ferrucci is a psychotherapist and a philosopher. He graduated from the University of Torino in 1970.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 1, 2012
An Illuminating yet practical read for anyone on the journey of discovering the Self. Sometimes I wonder if the goal of human existence is finding the Transpersonal Self. Is it?
December 27, 2016
Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974) was an Italian psychiatrist and psychologist who developed Psychosynthesis, a form of psycho-spiritual theory about human consciousness, creativity and potential. Generally, he agreed with the work of Carl Jung (1875-1961), the distinguished Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist, but he added to the levels of human existence proposed by Jung to include spiritually empowered artistry and altruism. He also enhanced the roles of imagination and fantasy in mental and emotive perceptibility.
The author of this book, psychiatrist and lecturer Piero Ferrucci, studied under Assagioli. He has written at least six books related to the theory and practice of psychosynthesis, this being the first, published in 1982, the most recent ‘Your Inner Will’ published in 2014. Ferrucci is erudite but very comprehensible. He is not pretentious but realistically and spiritually practical. This is to a large degree a self-help manual to develop keener perception, explore the unconscious, examine our functionality, recognizing our sub-personalities (identities), discover ‘pure’ consciousness, activate the potential of inner love, and many other objectives used to open ourselves to transpersonal wholeness.
Our lives are works in progress and as Ferrucci states: “Awareness of the personal self is a precondition for psychological health.” And further: “The realization of the Transpersonal Self is the mark of spiritual fulfillment.” He concludes the book by saying: “If you work on yourself, you are already participating in the extraordinary, ageless work of overcoming darkness and pain, and of the evocation of latent potential. Take some time to realize that this work is not only your own private project, but the part of a wider unfoldment in which countless individuals are participating in many ways: the evolution of mankind.” This book is not one to read and then put in storage or on the shelf to collect dust. I keep going back to it to help me recognize the role of the personal self and realize the universal unifying presence of the Transpersonal Self.
The author of this book, psychiatrist and lecturer Piero Ferrucci, studied under Assagioli. He has written at least six books related to the theory and practice of psychosynthesis, this being the first, published in 1982, the most recent ‘Your Inner Will’ published in 2014. Ferrucci is erudite but very comprehensible. He is not pretentious but realistically and spiritually practical. This is to a large degree a self-help manual to develop keener perception, explore the unconscious, examine our functionality, recognizing our sub-personalities (identities), discover ‘pure’ consciousness, activate the potential of inner love, and many other objectives used to open ourselves to transpersonal wholeness.
Our lives are works in progress and as Ferrucci states: “Awareness of the personal self is a precondition for psychological health.” And further: “The realization of the Transpersonal Self is the mark of spiritual fulfillment.” He concludes the book by saying: “If you work on yourself, you are already participating in the extraordinary, ageless work of overcoming darkness and pain, and of the evocation of latent potential. Take some time to realize that this work is not only your own private project, but the part of a wider unfoldment in which countless individuals are participating in many ways: the evolution of mankind.” This book is not one to read and then put in storage or on the shelf to collect dust. I keep going back to it to help me recognize the role of the personal self and realize the universal unifying presence of the Transpersonal Self.
November 25, 2012
Read, reading again. Learn something new each time.
July 10, 2022
What a beautiful and insightful book.
Its very accessible, even to those not versed in psychology or Psychosynthesis. It covers both theory and practice and is backed with real-world case studies and examples. Ferrucci’s humanity and insight shines through on every page.
One or two of these methods on their own would provide tremendous value. But the book covers many if not all of the various stages on the journey of Psychosynthesis, offering a tool suitable for each.
I look forward to incorporating these techniques into my daily practices.
Its very accessible, even to those not versed in psychology or Psychosynthesis. It covers both theory and practice and is backed with real-world case studies and examples. Ferrucci’s humanity and insight shines through on every page.
One or two of these methods on their own would provide tremendous value. But the book covers many if not all of the various stages on the journey of Psychosynthesis, offering a tool suitable for each.
I look forward to incorporating these techniques into my daily practices.
May 14, 2023
Unparalleled. A set of practical techniques with explanations of the psychosynthesis tenets behind each one.
Give a copy to your therapist.
Give a copy to your therapist.
May 30, 2019
My favorite excerpts:
“The Transpersonal Self, while retaining a sense of individuality, lives at the level of universality, in a realm where personal plans and concerns are overshadowed by the wider vision of the whole. The realization of the Transpersonal Self is the mark of spiritual fulfilment.”
– Pg. 39
“Each of us is a crowd. There can be the rebel and the intellectual, the seducer and the housewife, the saboteur and the aesthete, the organizer and the bon vivant – each with its own mythology, and all more or less comfortably crowded into one single person. Often they are far from being at peace with one another. As Assagioli wrote, “We are not unified; we often feel that we are, because we do not have many bodies and many limbs, and because one hand doesn’t usually hit the other. But, metaphorically, that is exactly what does happen within us. Several personalities are continually scuffling; impulses, desires, principles, aspirations are engaged in an unceasing struggle.” – Pg. 42
“We cannot trust our feelings indiscriminately, as if they were oracles: to do so might lead us astray. On the other hand, we cannot disparage them because that would repress a precious dimension of our being.” – Pg. 121
“If you don’t want your feet to be hurt by thorns, you can try to carpet the whole earth; but it is easier and less expensive to buy a pair of shoes.” – Pg. 147
“Aristotle called the end of this process “entelechy” – the full and perfect realization of what was previously in a potential state. Whether it appears in a butterfly flying out of its cocoon, in a ripe fruit falling from a tree, or in the development of an acorn into an oak, this process clearly evidences qualities of harmony and underlying intelligence.
…Our entire life’s purpose is already present within us, and, furthermore at each stage of our life there are subordinate purposes – steps along the way toward fulfilment of our ideal pattern.”
– Pgs. 228-229
“The Transpersonal Self, while retaining a sense of individuality, lives at the level of universality, in a realm where personal plans and concerns are overshadowed by the wider vision of the whole. The realization of the Transpersonal Self is the mark of spiritual fulfilment.”
– Pg. 39
“Each of us is a crowd. There can be the rebel and the intellectual, the seducer and the housewife, the saboteur and the aesthete, the organizer and the bon vivant – each with its own mythology, and all more or less comfortably crowded into one single person. Often they are far from being at peace with one another. As Assagioli wrote, “We are not unified; we often feel that we are, because we do not have many bodies and many limbs, and because one hand doesn’t usually hit the other. But, metaphorically, that is exactly what does happen within us. Several personalities are continually scuffling; impulses, desires, principles, aspirations are engaged in an unceasing struggle.” – Pg. 42
“We cannot trust our feelings indiscriminately, as if they were oracles: to do so might lead us astray. On the other hand, we cannot disparage them because that would repress a precious dimension of our being.” – Pg. 121
“If you don’t want your feet to be hurt by thorns, you can try to carpet the whole earth; but it is easier and less expensive to buy a pair of shoes.” – Pg. 147
“Aristotle called the end of this process “entelechy” – the full and perfect realization of what was previously in a potential state. Whether it appears in a butterfly flying out of its cocoon, in a ripe fruit falling from a tree, or in the development of an acorn into an oak, this process clearly evidences qualities of harmony and underlying intelligence.
…Our entire life’s purpose is already present within us, and, furthermore at each stage of our life there are subordinate purposes – steps along the way toward fulfilment of our ideal pattern.”
– Pgs. 228-229
January 14, 2023
Simply astonishing. I first read this book many years ago whilst doing an astrology diploma course. It is simple, pure, practical philosophy, involving contemplation and meditative practices, with easy to do and apply exercises which help to enlighten the individual to the universal truths around one. Very highly recommended if you are not attached to organised religion.
March 1, 2023
Dr. Piero Ferrucci fluidly translates Assagioli's sometimes convoluted and veiled concepts into easy to understand insights. The exercises within are easy to employ and very effective. This is an invaluable book for anyone studying or interested in psychosynthesis, especially the earlier chapters on Assagioli's egg diagram and subpersonalities.
August 31, 2022
Turning the shadow into Light .
November 29, 2022
4 stars
lots of visualisations to do....
Will have to make time to have a go at these.
lots of visualisations to do....
Will have to make time to have a go at these.
April 6, 2014
This book changed my life. The Voracious Reader is my video series sharing the key points of books I've read. Check out my video on What We May Be here:
http://youtu.be/FN-sSngM1lg
I also did a free video series to share the great information in this book! The series can be found in it's own playlist at the same youtube channel as The Voracious Reader -- see link above.
http://youtu.be/FN-sSngM1lg
I also did a free video series to share the great information in this book! The series can be found in it's own playlist at the same youtube channel as The Voracious Reader -- see link above.
September 8, 2009
Piero Ferrucci is a genius. This book is beautiful and powerful.
August 16, 2011
excellent read
August 4, 2011
A very good meditational guide, and I'm picky about such things. I'll be coming back to this one: it's one to put on the shelf.
April 21, 2016
I read this one a lot, it's a favorite.
February 23, 2013
highly recommend it
August 29, 2013
من أفضل الكتب عن الإدراك الذاتي ومساعدة النفس. يتناول بشكل عام كيفية التعامل مع الماضي وحل المشكلات، وتنمية الحس الخلاق، مع توجيه المشاعر السلبية إلى قنوات مفيدة.
October 19, 2014
This book was really well written and includes some beautiful exercises for overcoming psychological obstacles to self-improvement and general creativity.
September 7, 2015
The book is easy to read. There are excellent exercises to do for self-exploration.
September 12, 2016
awesome:)
Read
December 26, 2018hard to read tbh
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews