#356 What Happens When the Self Disappears? - Ken Wilber

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What actually happens when the sense of “self” disappears — and does it make you wiser?

In this episode of Being Human, I’m joined by Ken Wilber, one of the most influential philosophers of human development and the founder of Integral Theory, something which played a big role in my own intellectual development. Ken shares his early awakening experience, in which he experienced a complete dissolution of the separate self, and explains why spiritual awakening alone does not equal psychological maturity or ethical wisdom.

We explore the crucial distinction between waking up and growing up. And why this explains how many spiritual gurus and their communities can become so toxic. Drawing on decades of scholarship, meditation, and systems thinking, Ken offers a comprehensive framework for understanding consciousness and development. This helps us to appreciate the multiple vectors and methods of human expansion.

We explore:

• What happens when the self dissolves
• Waking up vs growing up
• Stages of human development
• Why maturity still matters

Links: Ken’s Website