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Meditation and Self-transcendence: A Human Need?
1, Aalborg, Denmark. simone.indius@gmail.com.
This study integrates mindfulness and Taoist principles into Maslow's hierarchy of needs, introducing self-transcendence as a higher human need. It analyzes meditative experiences as peak-experiences, highlighting the innate drive for self-transcendence.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Spirituality
Background:
- Integrates theoretical and historical roots of mindfulness into psychology.
- Connects Taoism (polarity, wu wei) and Mead's Social Psychology.
- Builds upon Fircks (2023) work on mindfulness.
Purpose of the Study:
- Explore the role of mindfulness, meditation, and self-transcendence in human needs.
- Introduce a new layer of self-transcendence to Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
- Analyze meditative experiences as peak-experiences.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis within Abraham Maslow's motivation theory.
- Conceptualization of autoethnographic meditative experience as a peak-experience.
- Integration of Taoist philosophy and social psychology concepts.
Main Results:
- Presents a modified hierarchy of needs including self-transcendence.
- Demonstrates how mindfulness and meditation facilitate peak-experiences.
- Highlights the human drive towards self-transcendent states.
Conclusions:
- Self-transcendence represents a fundamental human need beyond basic psychological requirements.
- Mindfulness and meditation are pathways to achieving self-transcendent states.
- Understanding these states enriches theories of human motivation and well-being.
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