This book is W. R. Bion's systematic attempt at a theory of psychoanalytic practice. He explains how the inner state of the analyst can promote the psychological growth of their patient as well as their own psychological development. A primary focus on the past and future distracts from the intensity of the present moment and its perception. In contrast, attention to the moment, which can initiate psychological change, requires a conscious renunciation of memory, desire, and the need to understand. Author: Wilfred Ruprecht Bion (1897-1979) was born in India and moved to England at the age of eight. After serving as a tank commander in World War I, he studied medicine and later turned to psychoanalysis. His analysts were John Rickman and later Melanie Klein. Bion held leadership positions in the field.