The idea of transcendence
The idea of transcendence is mainly rooted in the philosophical traditions of India, particularly in the Upanishads, around 800 BC, and later in the various schools of Yoga and Hindu philosophy. Although “transcendence” itself is an English term, the concept is ancient and refers to moving beyond our ordinary identification with the body, mind, senses, desires, trauma, and the changing world around us. In the Upanishads, the deeper nature of Ātman (the deepest essence of who we are, beyond the body, personality, thoughts, emotions, and changing experiences) is explored, while in Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras, this idea of moving beyond identification is reflected in liberation and the recognition of Puruṣa as distinct from Prakṛti, as described by Sāṃkhya philosophy.
Guilt, shame, and regret are among the emotions that can keep us tied to our past and trauma. Guilt tells us we have wronged someone or done something wrong, while shame can make us feel that something is wrong with who we are. Regret keeps bringing us back to what we wish we had done differently. Although these emotions can sometimes help us recognize our mistakes and grow from them, they can also become a source of suffering when we continue to relive the past and allow it to define how we see ourselves in the present. The inability to move beyond what has already happened can become its own form of bondage and karma, especially when the pattern or cycle continues. These are all qualities of Prakrti, the active and unconscious.
Sadhana | Meditation & self-awareness
Sadhana comes from the Sanskrit root “sādh,” meaning to accomplish, attain, or bring something to completion. In Yoga and other Indian spiritual traditions, Sadhana refers to a disciplined spiritual practice with the intention of moving toward greater awareness, self-knowledge, and ultimately liberation. It can include meditation, yoga, prayer, study, devotion, breathwork, or other forms of practice. But Sadhana is not necessarily about what I am doing, performing a particular practice perfectly, or following a set of rituals. At its heart, it is the ongoing process of becoming aware of what I am thinking, working with myself, and becoming more conscious of what is happening within. You can sit in meditation for an hour, but if you are thinking about that missed opportunity, or what you’re going to cook for dinner, and then worrying about your cat’s medical bills, your “doing” is pretty much futile when it comes to the true practice of Sadhana.
When we want to transform what is happening within us, regardless of our circumstances, we need an anchor of values to guide that transformation. Without a clear understanding of what we value, self-awareness alone can become directionless. We may become very good at observing our thoughts, desires, and emotions without knowing what we are actually trying to cultivate within ourselves. This becomes especially important when we are trying to transform or transcend thoughts rooted in shame, powerlessness, guilt, or fear. We may have learned to see ourselves through these thoughts for so long that they begin to reveal themselves as truth rather than something we have internalized.
We need some kind of framework for questioning our identifications with trauma, rather than simply believing everything the mind tells us. Ethical principles can provide that framework, especially principles that apply to ourselves rather than ones we want to impose on others. These principles can give us an inner compass for the kind of person we want to become. Without some kind of clear anchor or direction, we can mistake change for growth simply because something within us has changed.
When the psyche loses its anchor | Trauma
In the ancient myth of Psyche and Eros, Psyche, a beautiful mortal woman, is so beautiful that Aphrodite becomes jealous and sends her son Eros, the god of love, to punish her. But when Eros sees Psyche, he falls in love with her instead and secretly takes her as his wife, on the condition that she never look at his face. When her sisters plant doubt and fear in her mind, Psyche becomes consumed by uncertainty and secretly looks at him while he sleeps. She is then forced to go through a series of impossible trials in order to win him back. The trials become a journey of transformation, forcing her to develop the strength, discernment, and awareness to move beyond those impulses rather than be governed by them.
What I’d like to offer here is to see Psyche and Eros as complementary forces within ourselves, with their eventual union representing a deeper psychological integration. Eros does not only represent romantic love, but the powerful forces of love, desire, passion, and connection. Psyche, meanwhile, represents the soul and the conscious inner life that must learn to navigate these powerful forces.
When repeated pain or trauma pushes our psyche to its limits, the mind can become increasingly malleable, especially when we have not developed an inner framework of values to anchor us. Without ethical principles that we consciously choose to live by, our thoughts, unchanneled and irrational impulses, fears, and unresolved pain can begin to take over our perception of reality. The psyche can become so consumed by what it has experienced that it seeks an outward, destructive channel to express itself rather than consciously integrate what is happening within. We lose our ability to control ourselves, step back from automatic or negative thoughts, and recognize that they are not necessarily the truth, or our truth. In its most extreme forms, this loss of inner direction can be seen in some of the senseless and violent acts we’ve encountered in the news lately, like the recent stabbings in Times Square. This does not mean that trauma itself causes violence, but that when suffering and negative impulses are left without any internal structure to challenge or contain them, the psyche can become increasingly governed by forces that are destructive rather than conscious.
