Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Self-cultivation
Summary
Self-cultivation or personal cultivation () is the development of one's mind or capacities through one's own efforts. Self-cultivation is the cultivation, integration and coordination of mind, body, and life-world. Although self-cultivation may be practiced as a form of psychotherapy, it goes beyond healing and self-help to also encompass self-development and self-improvement. It is associated with attempts to go beyond normal states of being, and enhancing and endless polishing of a person's capacities and the development of innate human potential.
Self-cultivation also alludes to philosophical models in Confucianism, Taoism and other Chinese philosophies, as well as in Epicureanism, and is an essential component of well-established East-Asian ethical values. Although this term applies to cultural traditions in Confucianism and Taoism, the goals and aspirations of self-cultivation in these traditions differ greatly.
Self-cultivation is an essential component of the context of existential relations. It enhances individuality and personal growth and centralises the idea of human agency. Self-cultivation is a psychological process that cultivates one's mind and body attempting to reach beyond the normal states of being. By enhancing their coordination and integration of thoughts and beliefs, it aims to polish a person's capacities and potentials endlessly.
During their history of evolution, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism have adopted parts of doctrine from one another to form new branches and sects. Some of them had been disseminated to neighbouring East Asian regions including Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.
Confucius believed that one's life is the continuation of their parents' life. Therefore, followers of Confucianism teach their children in such way that the younger generation is educated to cultivate themselves to live with a satisfactory level of self-discipline. Even though individuals see a clear-cut boundary between one's self and others, each person in a dyadic relationship is seen embedded in a particular social network.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.