The transpersonal in personal wisdom

Abstract

Wisdom has returned to psychology, as a topic of study at least, and several approaches have been advanced, some very general and perhaps somewhat vague, and others quite specific. Wisdom has been understood in a number of quite different ways each of which has some domain-specific validity. Indeed, "wisdom" has such a broad range of denotation that it is difficult to use the term in a general way. Let it suffice to say that it seems to be agreed that there is more than one kind of wisdom. It is not our purpose in this chapter to review these approaches, especially in view of their having been reviewed quite ably elsewhere (cf. Staudinger & Glück, 2011; Sternberg & Jordon, 2005). Rather, we wish to present a view that begins in the domain of "personal wisdom" and aims to use such wisdom as a method of selfdevelopment through self-transcendence. This view is consistent with Kaplan's (1983) definition of development as "moving toward perfection." It also partakes of McKee and Barber's (1999) definition of wisdom as "seeing through illusion." It is our position that the authoritative sources in this approach are to be found in the contemplative traditions of each of the world's religions.