While traveling in Italy recently, I visited with Piero Ferrucci, one of the international leaders and current authors in the psychosynthesis movement. He graciously received me in his office at Fiesole, a Tuscan countryside town just northwest of Florence.

Piero Ferrucci, Ph.D., is the author of several books familiar to many psychosynthesis students: What We May Be, Inevitable Grace, What Our Children Teach Us, The Child of Your Dreams (with Laura Huxley), and most recently, The Power of Kindness: the Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life, now available in bookstores.

He worked closely with Roberto Assagioli, M.D., the founder of psychosynthesis, before Assagioli's death in 1974 and continues to work in an office near Assagioli's original Institute of Psychosynthesis. Although The Institute of Psychosynthesis is being renovated, Assagioli’s library was open. Upon entering, I was greeted by a smiling, life-size bust of Assagioli; a pleasant experience which was a bit like going home.

I planned ahead to ask Ferrucci for his perspective about what several people perceive as a shadow over psychosynthesis in North America. Some of our alumni, while pursuing doctoral studies at various U.S. universities in which they tried to include psychosynthesis in their academic plans have found that psychosynthesis is not considered a legitimate psychology by some academic psychologists. One doctoral student, an alumna of the Minnesota Institute, had to change her plans at George Mason University. I once confronted Ken Wilber at a book signing for saying in one of his books that "Psychosynthesis attracts dissociative types." He said it started all right in Europe but "went crazy" when it came to the United States. He said that he meant the San Francisco experience in the late 1970s [This refers to a San Francisco psychosynthesis institute that closed after members of the institute as well as members of the greater psychosynthesis community questioned its leadership, policies, and direction.] I told him that other centers have been practicing and teaching for more than twenty years without going crazy. I had a similar experience at the Saybrook Institute, where two professors had expressed similar views.

I asked Ferrucci's opinion about this, and whether there had been any impact from this phenomenon in Europe. He said there had not been any discernable impact in Europe. I asked what he thought could be done about it in North America.

He said, "Wilber is correct, is he not?" Even psychology as a whole attracts dissociative types. Many people who go into psychology have a conscious or unconscious wish to connect the dots to learn how their personalities work. He advised avoiding trying to engage the shadow, or trying to correct or fix it. It will only get bigger, he said. The best approach is to attract and recruit quality people and do rigorous, exemplary work so your reputation is not sullied. He offered a metaphor: if you have a glass filled with muddy water and you can’t empty it, how do you fill it with clean water? Pour in enough clean water to displace the dirty water.

I was struck by the wisdom and simplicity of his answer.

Ferrucci, now in his sixth decade, spends his time writing, doing psychosynthesis psychotherapy, consulting, and teaching with other centers throughout the world.

Ferrucci's essence kept shining through our discussion. His kindness and profound clarity, couched in deceptively simple metaphors, allegories, and parables was persuasive and inspiring. This is also the essence of his new book, which is a delightful and yet profoundly moving read. I strongly recommend it.