Multiplicity is normal
Different settings naturally call forward different parts of us. That does not make us broken or fraudulent.
Have you ever argued with yourself?
A new way to understand personality
Your Symphony of Selves
Discover and Understand More of Who We Are
Each of us consists of distinct, autonomous, and inherently valuable “selves.” Recognizing them can help us become more accepting, creative, compassionate, and capable of being in the right mind at the right time.
A familiar experience, freshly understood
It’s beyond sometimes being inconsistent: you contain multitudes.
The book challenges the “Single Self Assumption”—the largely unexamined idea that each of us is, or ought to be, one unified and consistent self. Instead, it presents healthy multiplicity as a normal and valuable dimension of being human.
Why do different situations bring out different parts of us?
What changes when we stop treating multiplicity as a flaw?
How can we call forward the self best suited to the moment?
The Healthy Selves worldview
The goal is harmony—not sameness.
Our selves are more than passing moods. They are recognizable patterns of mind, body, perception, energy, and behavior. The practical task is not to eliminate them, but to know them, value them, and help them work together.
Every self has value
The book treats our distinct selves as inherently valuable, inviting curiosity and appreciation rather than shame or dismissal.
Choice replaces triggering
When we recognize our selves, we gain more freedom to call forward the one best equipped for the situation at hand.
Cohesion becomes possible
Healthy selves can disagree without becoming enemies. Greater cooperation brings more coherence to our decisions and relationships.
“A fascinating new book.”Michael Pollan
Groundbreaking insight into the dynamic nature of personality
The authors draw on psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, philosophy, art, literature, popular culture, and ancient traditions to show how healthy multiplicity has always been part of human experience.
448 pagesPark Street Press
Published 2020Paperback, ebook, and audio
ISBN 978164411026394 black-and-white illustrations
Praise for the book
Readers and thinkers recognize a new way of seeing ourselves.
“A game-changer for how we think about ourselves.”
Anodea Judith, Ph.D.
Author of Eastern Body, Western Mind
“A profound, brilliant, and convincing account.”
Richard Smoley
Author of A Theology of Love
“Look at ourselves and our lives in an entirely new way.”
Ayelet Waldman
Author of A Really Good Day
“Fascinating and useful.”
Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
Author of Neurodharma
“Your Symphony of Selves has the potential to help us evolve . . .”
Charles T. Tart, Ph.D.
Author of Altered States of Consciousness
“He isn’t confined to a single self. He is a team!”
Anne Fadiman
Author of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
The book has also been endorsed by Rob Brezsny, Foster Gamble, Dana Ullman, Bill Linton, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, Stanley Krippner, Buster Glosson, Chris Ryan, Erik Davis, and others.
About the authors
James Fadiman & Jordan Gruber
James Fadiman, Ph.D.
Psychologist, author, and educator, Jim co-founded the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and was the 2nd director of the Institute of Noetic Sciences. His book The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide (2011) played an important role in the reemergence of interest in psychedelics. He is considered the developer of modern psychedelic microdosing.
Jordan Gruber, JD, MA
Writer, ghostwriter, and editor, Jordan founded Enlightenment.com and writes The Enlightened Stack. From microdosing research to rebound exercise, his work helps people develop their mystical and magical dimensions and abilities.