What if the version of you the world sees isn’t the real you?
This book explores identity as the bridge between Being and Becoming—the conduit through which essence within meets expression outside. Drawing on Western psychology (Rogers on congruence and group processes, Erikson on identity, Winnicott on the true self), Indian philosophy (Sāṅkhya, Upaniṣads, Yoga Sūtra), and over four decades of group facilitation, the author offers conceptual clarity and practical pathways for facilitators, therapists, educators, leaders, and seekers.
Identity, a well-researched psychological construct, is shaped by memory, culture, and relationships, yet it is often distorted by childhood rules, cultural expectations, and the “musts” and “shoulds” of society. This book invites readers to move beyond inherited scripts towards volition-based choices and a more grounded, self-authored identity—where Being and Becoming work in harmony. Through role-play, psychodrama, sensing, and reflective dialogue, readers learn to recognise masks, shadows, and inner voices, reclaiming the living essence of the true self. This is not just a book—it is a guide for transformation. Essential reading for facilitators, therapists, educators, leaders, and seekers ready to reflect, realign, and reconnect.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction to Section I: Foundations of I-Group Work and Identity Formation
1. Conceptual Foundations of Identity Formation and I-Group Work — Western Social Influences and Indian Perspectives
2. Identity-Based Group Work
3. “Sensing” (Sentire): Field Awareness: Psychological Meaning and Practice in I-Group Work
4. The Evolution of Group Work in India and Elsewhere
5. : Exploring Identity-Based Group Work: Perspectives and Principles
6. Core Principles of Indian Psychology and Western Psychology: A Comparative Perspective
7. Indian Institutions Working on Identity-Based Group Work Manual for Section 1: Indicative Identity Mapping Profiler (IIMP)
Introduction to Section II: Indian Cultural Heritage
8. Indic Wisdom, Sāṅkhya Insights, and I-Group Work
9. Satsang and I-Group: Distinct Traditions, Shared Group Dynamics
10. The Identity-Based Group Work Tradition in India: A Look at Gurukul, Yoga, and Sāṅkhya Manual for Section 2: Integrating Indic Wisdom into I-Group Work
Introduction to Section III: Core Frameworks for Pattern, Dynamics, Contagion, and Ritual in Identity-Based Group Work
11. Understanding Behaviour: The Puzzle of Patterns, Identity, and Theories
12. Group Dynamics in Working with Identities
13. Principles of Contagion Mobilised Through Identity Groups
14. Exploring the Power and Purpose of Rituals: From Cultural Traditions to Therapeutic Practices Manual for Section 3: Pattern Reading and Contagion
Introduction to Section IV: Advanced Concepts in Symbolic Imagery and Personal Myths
15. The Role of Rituals in Identity-Based Group Work: A journey through Hindu Saṁskāras and Cross-Cultural Practices
16. Identity-Based Group Work: The Purpose and Core Processes
17. The Dynamics of Being and Becoming in I-Group Process Work
18. The role of Introjects, Projects, Internalisations, and Engrams and Their Influence on I-Group Work
19. Alter Egos and Shifting Perspectives in Group Work Manual for Section 4: Exploring Introjects and Alter Egos: Individual and Group Exercises
Introduction to Section V: Techniques and Processes in I-Group Work
20. Subjecthood and Objecthood: A Comprehensive Exploration of Identity and Power Dynamics
21. Introjects and the Role of Parents: Shaping the Inner Voice
22. Associative Logic and the Alpha Function in Identity-Based Work
23. Multiple Meanings Behind a Symbol
24. The Dynamics of Associative and Formal Logic in I-Group Work
25. The World of Associative Logic of Similes, Analogies, and Upamas
26. Dream Analysis and Identity Work: A Comprehensive Integration Manual for Section 5: Exploring Associative Logic, Subject–Objecthood, and Symbolism
Introduction to Section VI: Advanced Psychodrama Techniques
27. Psychodrama: An exploration of Self-Development Theatre as per Moreno
28. Dr Garg’s Adaptation of Psychodrama
29. In Search of Symbolic Role Identities: “Role Space” Psychodrama
30. Psychodrama with Role Space -symbols for Understanding the Locations of Individuals
31. Psychodrama of “Walking the Razor’s Edge”: understanding the dynamics of Ambivalence and Frozenness
32. Psychodrama on “Question Your Beliefs”
33. Resolving Conflicting Dualities in Identities: “Parallel Mirrors” Psychodrama
34. Bridging Being and Becoming: A Psychodrama of Self-Integration
35. Face Your Introjects: A Psychodrama of Shoulds and Musts Manual for Section 6: Psychodramatic Processes
Introduction to Section VI: Identity in Transition: Myths, Rituals, and Cultural Clashes
36. The Living Epic and the Deities of India and Their Role in Shaping Identity
37. Cultural Transition and the Clash of Introjects Manual for Section 7: Myth/Epic-Oriented Cultural Clashes
Introduction to Section VIII: The Facilitator’s Lens: Interviews on I-Group Practice
38. Facilitator Wisdom and Ethical Foundations in Identity-Based Group Work
39. Voices from the Circle: Journeys in Identity-Based Group Work
Closing
40. Closing: The Journey Toward the True Self