SelfRealization

Selfrealization is a term used to describe the process by which an individual comes to know and realize their true nature, potential, or essence, and to live in accordance with that understanding. It encompasses personal insight, ethical alignment, and experiential knowledge that inform behavior, choices, and identity.

In Hindu philosophy, particularly Advaita Vedanta, self-realization denotes recognizing that the true self, or atman, is not the body or mind but identical with the ultimate reality, Brahman. This realization is traditionally linked to liberation from cycle of rebirth (moksha) and the dissolution of perceived separateness. Other Indian traditions describe related realizations in terms of dharma, yogic practice, or devotion that reveal one’s essential nature.

In Western psychology and humanistic thought, self-realization is closely related to self-actualization—the process of realizing one’s potential, pursuing authenticity, autonomy, and personal growth. Thinkers such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers described it as a higher, ongoing development rather than a final endpoint.

In practice, approaches to self-realization often involve contemplative disciplines such as meditation or reflective inquiry, ethical living, education, therapy, and engagement with life experiences that expose blind spots and build self-knowledge. Some spiritual traditions emphasize that the sense of a fixed self can be illusory, guiding realizations toward interdependence or emptiness rather than a substantive ego.

Critics note that the term can be culturally loaded or ambiguously defined, and that expectations of a singular “realization” can obscure ongoing, context-dependent growth. Nonetheless, self-realization is commonly understood as a sustained effort to understand and express one’s true nature within the world.