Transcendence

Transcendence occurs in a person's experience as the immediately communicated presence of particular identities and awarenesses. There is a pervasive unity or sameness through experience of the kinship of all awarenesses and meanings. As a particular being, the person is taken up in events that are not governed by his particularity, but in the presence of which the person is alert as to who he is and also alert in awarenesses that are not particularly his. Transcendence names immediate alertness in both the person's consciousness and in the awareness constituted as the presence of something. Transcendence means dialogical contact, address and claim. Awareness and consciousness are events in which transcending continually and immediately goes on. Any state of awareness or consciousness is beyond its singularity in the immediate presence of other awarenesses and consciousnesses.

Described as the highest, most inclusive and holistic levels of consciousness, transcendence is a relating to one's self, to particular others, to all human beings, to all species, to nature and to the cosmos. Numerous meanings or facets are listed:< - Loss of self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-observation so that there is forgetfulness of self, in concentration or meditation on something outside the individual psyche, can lead to self-forgetfulness.

- The body and all its components are transcended so there is no identification with it.

- One with those who have lived before and who will live after, time is transcended in the unity of experience. Emotional ties can be felt with people who are no longer living in the accepted sense.

- Although the individual is rooted in a particular culture, he can transcend that culture and become one with the whole species. Self actualization leads to resistance to enculturation and the ability to examine one's own culture with detachment while still living within it.

- Understanding one's self leads to acceptance of one's past, aware that one was free to act and make choices and is responsible for the consequences without negative feelings towards one's self because of this.

- In harmony with one's surroundings, activities are carried out as required by circumstances, in accordance with others' needs and not in response to one's own selfish demands. The ego is transcended.

- There is a mystic experience of fusion or oneness with another person, with other people, even with the whole cosmos.

- The normally negative aspects of existence such as pain, sickness and death are accepted as necessary. The usual reactions of anger, bitterness and resentment are reduced.

- The natural world is accepted as it is, irrespective of how it responds to the individual's apparent needs.

- Levels of synergy are ascended until there is no distinction between "them" and "us".

- Self can be transcended in unselfish love for another or others, even for the whole human race. One's own self can be included in this love.

- There is detachment from less-than-worthy situations and behaviour of others, even when such behaviour is direct against one's self.

- Self-confident and self-determining, the individual resists the roles others try to impose and transcends their opinions.

- Beyond the super-ego the individual is at the level of intrinsic conscience.

- One is strong rather than weak, independent rather than dependent, responsible rather than irresponsible.

- One is aware of the possible as well as the actual.

- Opposites and dichotomies are transcended in unity, ultimately in holistic perception of the cosmos as one.

- Rising above the personal will, the individual embraces his destiny.

- All that one does surpasses what one has previously done or thought one could do.

- As one reaches further heights of human potential one appears god-like. While accepting one's cultural roots, one transcends them.

- Living serenely in the realm of being, one accepts as natural the ecstasy of the peak experience and the insight such experience brings.

- Both the subjective and the non-involved or neutral objective attitude are transcended.

- Reconciled to the perception of evil, denials and refusals are transcended.

- Oneness with all humanity means physical distances are meaningless in transcendence of space.

- Allowing things to happen rather than forcing them to happen means lack of strife, there is always a sense of having arrived rather than trying to get somewhere.

- Fear is transcended by courage or lack of fear.

- There is a sense of belonging in the universe, a right to be here.

- Differences are still seen to exist but are accepted and enjoyed in wonder, while the individual rises above them in the universal similarity that exists among human beings.

- Even one's own views, beliefs and value systems can be transcended in acceptance of a larger, inclusive structure.