What Is Self-Transcendence?
By Brad Bell
Self-transcendence is an important concept, and there could be a number of conceptualizations of the concept. In my book, Finding Meaning (Bell, 2007), I stated, "self-transcendence involves understanding, appreciating, caring about, and feeling connected to things that transcend the self." (p. 31). This quotation from my book can be viewed as one self-transcendence definition.
To gain a better understanding of the concept of self-transcendence, it is important to consider possible examples of self-transcendence. Some self-transcendence examples would include starting a nonprofit that would benefit society, developing an identity that transcends the self (e.g., the feeling of being part of society), donating money to a charitable organization, and other altruistic behaviors.
References
Bell, B. (2007). Finding meaning (3rd. ed.). Portland, OR: Blue Fox Communications.