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At Prometheus Path, our core mission is to guide individuals on their journeys toward self-transcendence.

What is self-transcendence?

Self-transcendence is the process of expanding one’s sense of self beyond personal interests and ego. It involves connecting with something larger than oneself, such as a higher purpose, community, nature, or universal values.

Transcending one’s self has been shown in scientific literature to be the key to unlocking lasting lives of meaningful eudaimonic well-being. Self-transcendence unlocks states of consciousness and levels of prosocial behavior that can’t be routinely accessed without without reaching a transcendent state.

The term was developed by Maslow and described as thus:

  • “Transcendence refers the very highest and most inclusive or holistic levels of human consciousness, behaving and relating, as ends rather than means, to oneself, to significant others, to human beings in general, to other species, to nature, and to the cosmos. (Holism in the sense of hierarchical integration is assumed; so also is cognitive and value isomorphism.)”
  • “Transcendence of self—living at the level of Being—is assumed to be most possible for the person with a strong and free identity, i.e., for the self-actualizing person.”

Self-transcendence is the top of the pyramid of human development and the pinnacle state of consciousness we can reach in life.

Once we reach a state where all our other needs are met, some people naturally break through the threshold into self-actualization where we feel we’ve reached the height of our own potential. Not everyone reaches this state, but once we do, it’s a natural progression for some people to step even further to self-transcendence where we live in a state of awakened living that’s driven by a desire to serve others to help them meet the needs we’ve already met.

This stable state of self-transcendence is very different than what we typically see when people serve others to meet one of the other basic needs. It’s also different than a flash of transcendence or a “peak experience” we may have as we live our lives. Peak experiences such as feeling overwhelmed with awe, gratitude, or love at the sight of a beatiful vista, recieving service from others, or becoming a parent for the first time are fleeting and don’t fundamentally change our core purpose or values.

Peak experiences can lead us toward a stable transcendent state, but most people never reach this place of equanamous, fulfilled living.

Why Pursue Self-Transcendence?

  1. Increased Fulfillment and Happiness:
    • Studies have shown that individuals who engage in self-transcendent activities often report higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. Focusing on something greater than oneself can provide a sense of purpose that simple material pursuits may not offer.
  2. Enhanced Relationships:
    • By prioritizing the well-being of others and fostering deeper connections, self-transcendence can lead to more meaningful and satisfying relationships.
  3. Stress Reduction and Resilience:
    • Connecting with a larger purpose or community can provide support during challenging times, helping individuals cope better with stress and adversity.
  4. Personal Growth and Self-Actualization:
    • Striving for self-transcendence encourages continuous learning, self-reflection, and personal development, contributing to a more enriched and balanced life.
  5. Contribution to Society:
    • Engaging in altruistic behaviors and contributing to the greater good can create positive change in the community and beyond, fostering a sense of legacy and impact.
  6. Spiritual Well-Being:
    • For many, self-transcendence is closely linked to spiritual fulfillment, offering a profound sense of peace, connection, and understanding of one’s place in the universe.

Where am I at in the self-transcendence journey?

The typical pattern looks like this:

  1. Meeting our deficiency needs: Before we can even really start thinking about self-development, we need to meet our base needs on the pyramid. Nobody worries about living at a higher state of conscioiusness if they don’t have money to pay rent or put food on the table.
  2. Stuck, scared, stressed, or sad: After doing as much work on our own as we know how to do, we often get stuck. This feels like aimlessness, boredom, depression, general anxiety, apathy, discouragement, resignation, frustration, or existential fear. Sometimes these states come and go along the path, but if you feel you’re stuck in a negative or neutral spot in life and don’t know how to proceed, you’re likely at this step.
  3. Ready to change: If you’re fed up with being stuck and feel the urge to do something to get out of the funk you’re in, you’re likely moving from step 1 to step 2. This is where you start reading personal development books, binging self-help podcasts, and … reading websites like this one. 🙂 This is the stage where you realise that no matter how many audiobooks about building good habits you listen to, nothing actually changes until you do!
  4. Enacting changes: This stage moves you from studying how to improve your life to actually doing it. You may start working out, eating healthy, or even doing some yoga or mediation. Here is where you’ll see progress. This is where we move up through the growth needs on the pyramid toward self-actualization. You’ll feel better about life and about yourself, but often times people cycle around and around in this stage for years or a whole lifetime without being able to create a life of lasting meaning and fulfillment. Some people break the cycle and move beyond themselves, but most never do unless they have a guide to show them the way.
  5. Seeking a guide: After spinning round and round in cycles of self improvement, some people see the light and realize we can all reach higher heights more quickly with a trusted guide at our side. This is when wise people seek out a mentor, coach, therapist, or gifted friend. The important key here is that the person selected as a guide has been where we want to go and knows the way to get there.
  6. Learning a new way: With a trusted guide by our side, we are free to let go of the patterns and habits we’ve held on to for so long as we’ve sought our destination. The guide will teach us new ways to see and new ways to be. If we follow their lead, we will progress, but sometimes people give up at this stage because they either have the wrong guide or aren’t able to fully release their old way of being.
  7. Crossing the threshold: As you put in the work of self-discovery with the guide and on your own, new horizons open up before you and you start to walk down these new paths. Glimpses will come and then full vistas of a new life. This stage blows your mind and invites you further in as you make your home in this new way of being. Sometimes this step never happens, sometimes it comes in an instant. Often we are pushed by challenging life circumstances such as serious illness, injury, death of loved ones, or other losses.
  8. Becoming the guide: By its definition, part of self-transcendence is that you turn around and see how where you’re at now makes so much more sense than where you came from. You have purpose, meaning, fulfillment, and life with peace, impact, and emotional stability. The natural reaction of most all transcendent people I’ve ever met or studied is to help others see the promised land. This comes in many different flavors from art, music, writing, teaching, coaching, social service, or charitable efforts.

Prometheus Path is designed specifically to guide people toward self-transcendence

I’ve spent years researching, practicing, coaching, and listening to other people’s experiences to develop a robust and reliable approach to guide you on your journey to self-transcendence. I’ve committed myself to understanding the latest neurosciene, psychology, and philosophy as well as time-tested wisdom traditions that point the way toward reaching our fullest potential and highest state of consciousness.

While the journey forward is highly personal and unique, patterns exist and several common steps can facilitate the transition:

  1. Cultivate Mindfulness: you may instantly think of this as sitting in lotus position for long stretches of time, but mindfulness is a way of living. It includes meditation as well as many other activities such as writing, running, yoga, listening to music, sitting in nature and many more common activities. MIndfulness is a key practice to unlock higher consciousness because it allows us to get outside the whirlwind of our own thoughts and see them for what they really are.
  2. Regulate Emotions: emotions are like an endless river. We get swept away in the current unless we can minfully see emotions for what they are – responses to thoughts. When we can regulate our emotions they no longer pull us wherever they please like a wild river. Instead we learn to sit on the riverbank and watch the emotions drift by. Choosing to embrace positive emotions such as gratitude, love, and serenity over ones like fear, anger, and greed will move us toward our higher self.
  3. Develop Compassion: Learning to see empathetically and meeting the needs of others is an important skill to learn on the journey toward transcdending self. It sometimes comes naturally and other times requires practice and study, but the scientific literature is clear – empathetic people are happier people.
  4. Seek Meaning and Purpose: identifying your own core values, setting a standard in life that truly matters to you, and defining your “why” are part of self-actualization and are prerequisite to self-transcendence. Oftentimes, these values and directional motivators change when we transcend, but we have to start by becoming crystal clear on who we are and what we stand for.
  5. Tame The Ego: through mindfulness practices, serious life events, or as part of dedicated self-study, we can recognize that the ego we’ve worked so hard to develop throughout our lives is an imagined reality that has served its purpose and is ready to be put in the appropriate box. A healthy ego is important for interfacing in society, but recognizing the voice of the ego and knowing when to leverage it properly are critical to developing lasting transcendence.
  6. Continue Personal Learning And Growth: Despite what many proclaimed personal development resources claim, achieving a state of enlightened consciousness will not miraculously and instantaneously change you for good. You have to let the neural pathways you’ve been using for decades erode while building new ones. This requires studying, practicing, and continually changing. Of course, with a higher consciousness, we can see how to proceed more clearly and will have more wisdom to grow and change effectively.
  7. Build Meaningful Relationships: Nearly without fail, those who follow through with the journey to reach the steady stage of transcendence will naturally turn outward and forget about self-interests (that’s really what self-transcendence means). It’s important to consciously develop the right relationships to help support your new perspectives on life and allow you to live out your new values and objectives.

Personalized Pathways

It’s essential to recognize that the path to self-transcendence is not linear and may vary significantly among individuals. Personal beliefs, cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and individual dispositions all influence how one approaches and experiences self-transcendence. Incorporating elements from various philosophies, religions, and psychological theories can help tailor the journey to fit personal needs and aspirations. Being able to figure out what the right path for you can be very challenging and overwhelming. I see people start a mediation practice and quit after a few months but when I recommend to them some other mindfulness practice, like trail running or painting, they progress quickly.

Practical Tips to Begin the Journey

  • Start Small: Begin with manageable practices like daily mindfulness or simple acts of kindness.
  • Stay Persistent: Understand that self-transcendence is a long-term journey that requires dedication and patience.
  • Be Open to Change: Allow yourself to evolve and adapt as you gain new insights and experiences.
  • Seek Guidance: Consider working with a mentor, counselor, coach, or spiritual leader who can provide support and insights. I won’t claim to be the right fit for everyone, but if you’re interested in learning more about what working with me on this journey looks like, you can learn more here:
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