Word of the Day: Transcend
Recently we explored the meaning of ascension. Today we will dive into the meaning of a related word: Transcendence.
Transcendence is used in a variety of ways. We might hear meaningful experiences of nature, music, and other works of art described as “transcendent.” We might also be invited to “transcend” challenging experiences and patterns.
To understand these transcendent experiences and invitations more deeply, let’s explore the meaning of transcend through etymology.
transcend (verb) :
to rise above or go beyond the limits of
to triumph over the negative or restrictive limits of; overcome
Transcend comes from the prefix trans- meaning “across, beyond” and scandere meaning “to climb.” When we put these two together we could define transcend as to climb across or to climb beyond. Transcend descends from the Old French word transcendre which means “transcend, surpass” and the Late Latin word transcendere which means “climb over or beyond, surmount, overstep.”
To transcend in a literal sense is to climb over or beyond something. The word was used in this literal sense at one point and has shifted more towards the figurative over time. Now we are more likely to use the word transcend to mean rise above, as in a limit.
If there is an experience that we are invited to transcend, perhaps a pattern of anger or fear for example, we might liken this to climbing a mountain. If you have ever climbed to an elevated peak, you know that it can at times be challenging and test our limits. There is still beauty along the way.
At the end of a long climb we reach a peak. Imagine the view at the top of a mountain peak. This view is often a welcome reward at the end of an upward journey. Transcendence can be likened to the amazing view at the top of a mountain after a challenging climb.
From the top of a mountain or tall building we see life from a different perspective. Things below look smaller. The sky, the elements of nature, and all life below forms one vast whole. Taken as a whole from this perspective, the view inspires awe and wonder.
Transcendence as it is defined in modern usage means “existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level.” When we transcend we rise above limits, witnessing and existing beyond what was normal before the climb.
We also see in the definition of transcendence that it can mean to exist beyond the physical level. This is a reminder that we are more than our physical bodies. Transcendence reminds us to rise beyond physical limits to exist also in our spirit and all aspects of our being. Like ascension, transcendence is a reminder of our connection to the divine, witnessed through personal growth.
If you are experiencing suffering or difficulty of some sort, remember that to transcend in essence is to climb. Can you witness this situation from a different vantage point, like the transcendent view from the top of the mountain?
