Self-transcendence at its core, this piece is about transcending & rising above the self & relating to that which is greater than the self. It’s the realization that you are one small part of a greater whole, and acting accordingly. Someone who is highly self-transcendent may also experience “plateau experiences” in which they consistently maintain or enter a state of serenity & higher perspective. Another type of expansion: transpersonal expansion, in which the individual connects with dimensions beyond the typically discernible world. Humans need some conceptual boundaries, of course, but the expansion of these boundaries outward to include more of the environment, more human beings, animals, mother nature, living organisms, etc., puts people in a state of greater connectedness with their environment & encourages a sense of “wholeness” they may not otherwise have. You don’t have to try to be part of the Universe & the Whole, because you are already part of it.

An1, 2023