The Threefold Gaze
Seeking Transcendence
Defining the Term
One aspect of human flourishing is to have a sense of connectedness, being a part of something larger than oneself. William James called it "Something More." Another word for this is transcendence.
According to Vocabulary.com:
The English word Transcendence comes from the Latin prefix trans-, meaning "beyond," and the word scandare, meaning "to climb."
Adopting a Metaphor
Let's treat the Latin origins of this word as a metaphor. Let's imagine "transcendence" as the act of climbing up to a particular height in a particular place, such that we achieve a perspective (a "view") that allows us to see beyond what we usually see, or to see things in a new way.
This new way of being and seeing can be approached in countless ways. Below are several "hills to climb" that I find particularly meaningful in cultivate my own spirituality. Explore! If anything resonates, click the link to dig deeper.
The Web of Being
Seeking Transcendence through Nature
When asked about their spirituality, many, if not most, people make reference to nature. From the infinite vastness of outer space to the unfathomable depths of the ocean, it is no wonder that nature causes us to feel like a small part of something much larger. The aspects of nature that call to something deep within me include webs of connectivity, from root systems to neurons, and unexpected hints of life and consciousness that spark the imagination to wonder -- such as the startling discovery that the universe is humming!
Meaning and Myth
Seeking Transcendence through Story
Foundational to "narrative theory" is the belief that we make meaning, we do not "find" it ready-made. We construct our worldviews (beliefs) and priorities (values) based on the stories we have internalized since before we were born. If we find that our internalized meaning-making frameworks have led us to a life that feels empty or somehow "not right" for us, we can construct a new frame or tell a different story. When it comes to spirituality, we are not limited to the books we find on the shelves...
We can write our own!
Meaning and Vocation
Seeking Transcendence through Purpose
One way to conceptualize meaning and purpose is through "vocation," or a sense of "calling." In the resources below, you'll find writers and speakers who argue that as human beings, we are not just called to DO certain things; we are called to BE a certain way in this world. In order to find transcendence through our work, that work needs to align with things that we value. We need to believe in its importance and worth. It also has to "fit" who we are, what we are good at, what challenges us, and develops us. Finally, in order to be meaningful, our work has to contribute something -- meet a genuine need in our community.
Windows & Mirrors
Seeking Transcendence through the Arts
"Art is the irrepressible expression of human spirituality. So it is now, and so it has always been... The creation of a work of art takes place within spatial boundaries, but through the process of creating, the soul of the artist seeks union with that ultimate reality, what might be called cosmic life. A living work of art is life itself, born from the dynamic fusion of the self (the microcosm) and the universe (the macrocosm). Art is to the spirit what bread is to the body... I believe it is the power to integrate, to reveal the wholeness of things... If we accept this marvelous statement of the interconnection of all living things, then art becomes the elemental modality through which humans discover their bond with humans, humanity with nature, and humanity with the universe... "
"What if...?" & "As if..."
Constructing Transcendence through Faith
First, we'll look at William James' critique of "Pascal's Wager," and we'll see how James argued that if belief is a "live option" for us, we have a responsibility to explore that option.
Next, we'll look at a way of conceptualizing spirituality in terms of a particular kind of space. Plato called it “Khora.” Donald Winnicott called it “Potential Space.” Heinz Kohut described it as “intersubjectivity.” Each conceived of a “third area,” or a “third thing” that emerges in what I will simply call “the Space Between.” Some of what follows is drawn from Way to Water, a book by Callid Keefe Perry on Theopoetics, which is its own kind of “third thing.”
I will be borrowing a definition of faith drawn from The Grace of Playing by Courtney Goto. Goto writes that faith is living “as if…” In the face of something unknowable and unprovable (like the claims religions make about the Divine), an individual can choose to live “as if” certain things were true. Goto defends this practice based on Winnicott’s theory, which will be described in more detail below.