What does (should) Self Actualization mean?
The term is rather subject to multiple interpretations. They depend upon personal reflections of each individuals as to what, according to her/him, the life stands to mean. Also the way one leads one's life plays a crucial part to enable one to understand what life is. That means meaning and purpose of life keeps on changing with the changing experience of (or about) reality. And what is reality? It is existence of 'That' which cannot be bracketed by your individual or collective power, wisdom, reason and intellect no matter how genius you perceive yourself to be.
Anyway without being more philosophical or wasting time in precisely defining the undefinable that the term Self Actualization happens to be, it is useful to return to the point that points towards recognising a person seeking self actualization.
*A person seeking self actualization ought to be desireless
nevertheless not actionless. He seeks to explore the meaning and purpose of his life through constantly perfecting his activities that provide him job, employment or engagement. The image of his self actualization is unmistakably discernible and visible in the indulgence of his work or duty.
* They like solitude and privacy and at the same time they retain their dignity even in undignified surroundings and situations.
*They like autonomy and freedom to pursue their endeavours in life and work.
* They derive ecstasy, inspiration and strength from the basic experience of life.
*They have mystic experience.
*They have a deep feeling of Identification, sympathy and affection for mankind irrespective of their religious faith or creed.
*They maintain interpersonal relation with few people nevertheless they have a uniquely intelligent, healthy and qualitative sense of humour.
* A self actualized person behaves like an innocent child for most of the time who can be easily duped by the unscrupulous dealers of material or emotional transactions. Nevertheless he is not a fool who doesn't understand your tricks and twists.
The above enumerations are merely illustrative and by no way exhaustive or assertive.
It was Abraham Maslow who identified self actualization as the highest order need of a human being. He observed that an individual continues to feel restless even though physical means of material happiness is made available to him in the way and the amount he had imagined. The person may not be able to identify the reasons for his being restless but the void created despite having full supply of creature comforts is on account of unfulfilled need for self actualization.
Maslow researched that a person is primarily concerned with the fulfilment of his physiological needs. Thereafter he begins to think about his safety and security. Given safety he starts to explore possibility of love and being loved. This is associational need what Maslow called the Need for Belongingness. Growing fulfilment of the Need for Belongingness gives rise to the desire for respect and
recognition. This Maslow called Esteem Needs.
While understandably physiological and safety needs are lower order needs, the need of belongingness and esteem needs are middle order needs as they are placed in the middle of the Need Hierarchy. At the top is the Need for Self Actualization as discussed above.
The topic will remain incomplete as well as incorrect also if we fail to mention that this need hierarchy is not fixed for all. Rather it is not unusual to find, particularly in Indian context, that a person shortsrifting lower and middle order needs have directly embarked upon the mission of actualising his self through penance and renunciation. Such is the potency of Indian soil which has been irrigated by the water of sacrifice from the time immemorial! Mathematically speaking, is not greatness the function of sacrifice? Hence, the seed of self actualization lies in the tendency of giving and giving up. This is the surest means of self actualization.
R.R.Prabhakar.
16.08.2019.
Anyway without being more philosophical or wasting time in precisely defining the undefinable that the term Self Actualization happens to be, it is useful to return to the point that points towards recognising a person seeking self actualization.
*A person seeking self actualization ought to be desireless
nevertheless not actionless. He seeks to explore the meaning and purpose of his life through constantly perfecting his activities that provide him job, employment or engagement. The image of his self actualization is unmistakably discernible and visible in the indulgence of his work or duty.
* They like solitude and privacy and at the same time they retain their dignity even in undignified surroundings and situations.
*They like autonomy and freedom to pursue their endeavours in life and work.
* They derive ecstasy, inspiration and strength from the basic experience of life.
*They have mystic experience.
*They have a deep feeling of Identification, sympathy and affection for mankind irrespective of their religious faith or creed.
*They maintain interpersonal relation with few people nevertheless they have a uniquely intelligent, healthy and qualitative sense of humour.
* A self actualized person behaves like an innocent child for most of the time who can be easily duped by the unscrupulous dealers of material or emotional transactions. Nevertheless he is not a fool who doesn't understand your tricks and twists.
The above enumerations are merely illustrative and by no way exhaustive or assertive.
It was Abraham Maslow who identified self actualization as the highest order need of a human being. He observed that an individual continues to feel restless even though physical means of material happiness is made available to him in the way and the amount he had imagined. The person may not be able to identify the reasons for his being restless but the void created despite having full supply of creature comforts is on account of unfulfilled need for self actualization.
Maslow researched that a person is primarily concerned with the fulfilment of his physiological needs. Thereafter he begins to think about his safety and security. Given safety he starts to explore possibility of love and being loved. This is associational need what Maslow called the Need for Belongingness. Growing fulfilment of the Need for Belongingness gives rise to the desire for respect and
recognition. This Maslow called Esteem Needs.
While understandably physiological and safety needs are lower order needs, the need of belongingness and esteem needs are middle order needs as they are placed in the middle of the Need Hierarchy. At the top is the Need for Self Actualization as discussed above.
The topic will remain incomplete as well as incorrect also if we fail to mention that this need hierarchy is not fixed for all. Rather it is not unusual to find, particularly in Indian context, that a person shortsrifting lower and middle order needs have directly embarked upon the mission of actualising his self through penance and renunciation. Such is the potency of Indian soil which has been irrigated by the water of sacrifice from the time immemorial! Mathematically speaking, is not greatness the function of sacrifice? Hence, the seed of self actualization lies in the tendency of giving and giving up. This is the surest means of self actualization.
R.R.Prabhakar.
16.08.2019.
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