2017-11-01
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Literally speaking, transcending (or going beyond) means rising above the ordinary plain of existence to a higher level of reality. This assumes that there is a level of reality that is higher than the material world.
Some mystics talk about transcendence in this literal sense: To transcend is to rise to a higher world. An example is the enigmatic books of Jewish Heikhalot mysticism, written about 2000 ago (long before the classic Jewish Kabala), which describe fantastic journeys to heaven. The mystic ascends to the seven heavenly palaces, where he sees great wonders such as angels, palaces, holy creatures and the divine throne. (All this may be metaphors, but it is hard to know what the unknown writers of the Heikhalot books had in mind.)
PLOTINUS – GOING BEYOND THROUGH CONTEMPLATION
It is possible, however, to believe in the possibility of rising to higher levels of reality without believing in mystical journeys to other worlds. Plotinus, the 3rd century philosopher and mystic, held that reality is a series of emanations, from the most perfect to the least perfect: The highest level of reality is the One – a unity beyond distinctions, divisions, and change. From the One emanates the next level of reality called the Intellect (Nous). From the Intellect emanates the Soul, and from the Soul emanates Nature, which includes our bodies and the rest of the material world.
All of creation, including the human soul, seeks to return to its source. The higher part of our soul is therefore constantly turned toward the Intellect and the One. But the lower part of our soul forgets its source and is preoccupied with material objects, such as bodily pleasures, money, food, fame.
That is why we often identify ourselves with our lower desires, and we forget our higher source and our true longing. But we are also capable of identifying ourselves with the higher part of the soul. Through intellectual contemplation we can turn to our source and attain union with the Intellect, and through it with the One. Interestingly, Plotinus’ student, Porphyry, writes that Plotinus had attained such a union four times during the years he stayed with him.
If we put aside the details of Plotinus’ complex metaphysical system, the basic idea is that we can go beyond our everyday concerns and turn toward a fuller, more fundamental, more perfect reality. This going-beyond does not mean that we literally go from one place to another, but rather that we identify ourselves with our true nature and true desire, and connect to the higher reality through contemplation.
