Dr. Abraham Maslow and Self-Actualization

Maslow is one of the father's of Humanistic Psychology. He saw that at the time "Frued supplied us the sick half of psychology"  and felt that the healthy aspects of psychology needed to be developed to get a clear picture of the human psyche.

The study of crippled, stunted, immature, and unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy. The study of self-actualizing people must be the basis for a more universal science of psychology.   Motivation and Personality (1954), p. 234

Malow's Pyramid of Needs

He is famous for his "Hierarchy of Needs.  At the peak of the pyramid resides the Self-Actualizer.  The Self-Actualizer is a Bliss Seeker.  The Self-Actualizer is on the Journey Into Bliss.  He saw clearly that we, the human race, has a greater propensity toward well-being, toward Bliss.  He also saw that we are on a Hero's Journey.

Education is learning to grow, learning what to grow toward, learning what is good and bad, learning what is desirable and undesirable, learning what to choose and what not to choose. 

The Farther Reaches of Human Nature (1971)

Education is far more than what we learn in a classroom, it is about how we experience life and our awareness of our inner workings, our inner dialogue.  

What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

This awareness then becomes our guidance system, a GPS that we must use to help us navigate ourselves on this Journey Into Bliss, to attain Self-Actualization. If we do not develop this awareness we will not grow. 

We will either step forward into growth, or step backward into safety.

Being in the realm of safety is surviving.  We, most of us, are just surviving and life does not feel delicious to us.  We all have tasted a great meal, and have an awareness that it is possible.  We savoir our favorite foods because they are a scrumptious treat.  Life is suppose to be lived this way.  We are suppose to thrive.  Please, read the first quote by Maslow again.  Even newborns come into this world knowing that this is a "Journey Into Bliss."  So, why do so few of us ever Self-Actualize?  Maslow who died in 1970, "Less than 1% of people ever Self-Actualize."  Will you be part of the 99% or will you honor your life, your inner being and dare take a Journey Into Bliss, and actualize your authentic self?