Mastery of self: What is it? What role do emotions and reason play?

Many systems of thought throughout history describe, in one form or another, an apex of human life. Hinduism refers to this apex as moksha. Abraham Maslow, in a sense, describes it as self-actualization. In Buddhism it is known as nirvana (closely related to moksha); scientology calls it as “getting clear” and Socrates used the familiar term “knowing thy self” while touting the “examined life”. It is no surprise that each of these terms, when considered in detail, all describe something very different; “getting clear” in scientology is very different from Buddhist nirvana. Despite these large differences, however, all of these terms seem to capture something similar in the imagination of people such that millions strive for nirvana as Buddhists and billions for moksha as Hindus.

Each term, in some way, seems to imply that all humans have a similar and inherent set of fundamental characteristics that causes them to suffer en masse. Those humans that can change these fundamental characteristics, or not be controlled by them, will, according to these terms, lead a more joyful life. Two fundamental characteristics often dealt with by these terms—either directly or by reference—are emotions and reason. Other characteristics include how humans understand the world they live in and how they understand themselves.

To a certain degree, each term takes a “one path fits most” path to joy for all humans. This seems to imply that humans are all similar to the point where a “one path fits most” becomes possible. In the novel Siddharta by Hermann Hesse, the character Siddharta questions the Buddha on this very implication. Siddharta reminds the Buddha that his own nirvana was attained not by following any specific doctrine, but by rejecting all doctrines and following his own path—essentially going his own way. He then questions why the Buddha is promoting his own structured doctrine to nirvana instead of suggesting that people do what he himself did: reject all doctrines, listen to themselves, and find their own path to nirvana. Siddharta proceeds to do just that and, in the end, does achieve nirvana.

To further Siddharta’s point, if someone today was having the same conversation with the Buddha they could go on to explain to him that his path has been tested over several hundred years by millions—if not billions—of people and apparently, very few have achieved the nirvana he describes. The same could be said of Hinduism and many other paths. How many people do we know of today that have followed these paths and actually attained what these paths describe as possible? Does this imply that, in the end, Siddharta was right and we should, instead, follow our own paths?

What does “self mastery” mean to you?

What is it exactly that you are mastering?

What is involved in self-mastery?

What does it mean to be a master of self? What characteristics do such people have? Know anyone?

Is mastering yourself important to you? Why?

Is “mastery of self” the same for all people?

Do pre-determined paths to self-mastery work, or does self-mastery require a unique path for each person?

Is it possible to discover your own path to self-mastery?