The spiritual life is part of the human essence. It is a defining characteristic of human nature, without which human nature is not fully human.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of spirituality in defining what it means to be human.
Abraham Maslow expresses the notion that spirituality is a fundamental aspect of human existence. He suggests that without recognizing and nurturing our spiritual selves, we cannot fully understand or appreciate the essence of human nature. This perspective highlights the significance of spiritual exploration and development as integral to the human experience.
In practice
In a speech about personal growth, one might say: 'As Abraham Maslow noted, the spiritual life is essential to our humanity.'
It looks as if there were a single ultimate goal for mankind, a far goal toward which all persons strive. This is called variously by different authors self-actualization, self-realization, integration, psychological health, individuation, autonomy, creativity, productivity, but they all agree that this amounts to realizing the potentialities of the person, that is to say, becoming fully human, everything that person can be.
Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth.
The study of crippled, stunted, immature, and unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy
Marriage is a school itself. Also, having children. Becoming a father changed my whole life. It taught me as if by revelation.
It seems that the necessary thing to do is not to fear mistakes, to plunge in, to do the best that one can, hoping to learn enough from blunders to correct them eventually.
I was awfully curious to find out why I didn't go insane.
There is no greater impotence in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.
The perpetual obstacle to human advancement is custom.
We are slow to believe that which if believed would hurt our feelings.
We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.
Free from gross passion or of mirth of anger constant spirit, not swerving with the blood, garnish'd and deck'd in modest compliment, not working with the eye without the ear, and but in purged judgement trusting neither? Such and so finely bolted didst thou seem.
Prudishness is pretense of innocence without innocence. Women have to remain prudish as long as men are sentimental, dense, and evil enough to demand of them eternal innocence and lack of education. For innocence is the only thing which can ennoble lack of education.
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