The self who is undone in the encounter with the abyss…
““The self who is undone in the encounter with the abyss, that is, the preabyssal self, lives with a misguided consciousness. Without having faced or embraced the vertiginous depths beneath the precarious ground of its being, this self views itself as coherent and independent. I am here referring to the self who operates in clearly demarcated binaries and boundaries, the self who views God as distinct from the world, the other as separate from the "I," the spiritual as distinct from the physical. Conversely, the new self that emerges—if it does at all—from the abyss understands its nature not as an immutable substance but as multiple, fragmented, and always-in-becoming. In the abyss the old self is dissolved, emptied, abandoned, annihilated, lost, crushed, dismembered, shattered, and drowned.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Encountering the abyss dissolves the old, binary self, leading to a fragmented, evolving identity beyond fixed boundaries.
In simple terms: Abyss reshapes self.
Key Takeaway
Embrace fluid identity.
Themes
identity
philosophy
self‑transformation
existential
spirituality
psychology
Mood
introspective
philosophical
Type
abyss:1
identity:1
old self:1
self:1
philosophy of mind:1
self emerges:1
abyss understands:1
abyss old:1
fragmented abyss:1
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- spiritual practice
- creative work
Key Concepts
ontological change
non‑duality
self‑fragmentation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does confronting emptiness change you?
- Can identity be both stable and fluid?
A Different Perspective
Concept may be abstract.