The question of what it means to be human has been asked for centuries. Philosophers, anthropologists, mystics, and everyday people have pondered the mystery of what makes us human.
Back in the 5th Century BCE, before Socrates and Plato, the Greek philosopher and sophist Protagoras put forth the theory of Relavitism. Reality is what me make it to be.
This was revolutionary and contrary to the dominant belief of the time — that the universe was something objective, outside human influence. Protagoras’ theory proposed that human consciousness is instrumental in creating our reality.
What does Protagoras’ theory have to do with being human? For me, it means we can choose how we show our humanness.
While there are many ways we can show being human, I believe these five are essential.
1. Self-Awareness
We are sentient beings. We know we exist. We have consciousness and awareness of self. But sometimes we are unconscious of our consciousness. We walk through life asleep. Moving and doing out of habit. To be truly human is to know not only that you exist, but that you exist in the Now, in the present.
It also means being mindful of who you are. Don’t let what you are, the roles you play in life, get in the way of who you are.
2. Compassion
A definition that resonates for me is by Thomas Merton. “Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.” Being interdependent allows us to be there with others, with deep awareness of their suffering. With an open heart, with an open mind. Compassion allows us to see others lives from a place of non-judgment and practice random acts of kindness. Compassion is a feeling in motion.
3. Connection
One of the greatest needs we have is to develop a sense of connection with one another, to belong. Our desire to create connections can be described as one of the most powerful motivators in our lives. While we all may not have the same level of need to be with other people, we all need to feel connected to others.
What makes us feel connected is a sense of mutuality, that we share something in common with another, the sharing of experience. The more we we share of ourselves, the deeper our sense of connection becomes.
4. Listening
There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a physiological process. Listening is understanding the true message of what is being said. When we really listen, we listen with our whole body, not just our ears. We listen with our eyes to capture all the signals the body is sending us, we listen with our heart to the feelings being expressed, and we listen with an open mind and not let our preconceptions or biases get in the way. To really listen is to grow, to learn.
5. Purpose
Having a sense of purpose helps us create a life of meaning.. Whether it means having meaningful relationships, meaningful work, or a better handle on life. Viktor Frankl’s experience as a long-time prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp led him to the discovery that finding meaning gives us a reason to continue living.
In essence, meaning is what ties life together so it makes sense. It’s the something that gets you out of bed in the morning and gives direction to your day and life.
To be human means to have self-awareness, to show compassion, to feel connection, to listen actively, and to live with purpose.
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