How do we transcend "Normal"?

As the numbers rise in the coronavirus pandemic, so does talk of normal. We want normal. We remember normal. We desire things to be normal again. Such language echoes from the existential crisis postwar America faced in the mid-20th century following decades of economic depression and armed conflict. At the time, the public was flooded with coercive rhetoric and imagery telling people how they should think, behave, and feel. By the 1960s, it became clear that human beings cannot fit into a homogeneous mold and cultural backlash ensued. Nonetheless, the concept of normality remains embedded within our collective psyche. More enlightened voices may refer to adopting a new normal or reintegrating into a baseline which is better than the old normal. This all raises questions about what the word “normal” actually represents. Why do we want normal—or even a new normal? How can business and policy leaders show people a more nuanced understanding of the concept of normality? Better yet, how do we transcend it altogether?

What is transcendental normality?

Time is running out—we need to rethink normal. The conventional definition of normality refers to common standards, conformity, and regression to a baseline. In truth, the purest representation of normality may actually be constant change, natural deviation, and collective expansion. This is transcendental normality.

The idea of normality emerged surprisingly recently. In fact, we didn’t start using the word “normal” in the English lexicon until around 1840, at which point it was defined as “constituting, conforming to, not deviating or differing from, the common type or standard, regular, usual.” Ironically, until that time the word “norm” was a synonym of “perpendicular,” which in a sense is the mathematical antithesis of normality as we know it today. In linear algebra, for example, introducing a vector that is perpendicular, or orthogonal, to the existing vector space creates an entirely new dimension. From this perspective, the norm could represent that which expands the universe of possibilities.

Now this is a definition we can work with. Transcendental normality connotes that there exist universal principles that we can harness consciously. When we face an unfathomable mystery, we can tap into different states of being to expand reality for ourselves and others.

This change in perspective has profound implications for individuals and organizations, especially given the dramatic changes happening in the world right now. Cultivating a culture that brings to light a broader range of possibilities in the present moment naturally increases adaptability, resilience, and joy in the face of tumultuous uncertainty. This begins within you, as the leader.

Leaders can practice transcendental normality by applying three principles:

1. Recognize that the only constant in the universe is change
2. Embrace emerging deviations with curiosity and equanimity
3. Continuously tune into reality through multiple perspectives

Before we unpack these, let’s take a look at what’s in the way—our conventional definition of normality has pervaded the narrative of modern society. We will then explore each principle and provide some tools for leaders to manifest transcendental normality in their lives and their work.

The origins of conventional normality

Before normality as we know it today, we as humans aspired to embody unattainable qualities such as those of mythological gods and the natural world. When depicting the human body in sculptures and paintings, classical artists would begin with the assumption that perfection was not possible for mortals and thus their works would combine the best features from multiple human models to create a visual representation of the divine ideal. Similarly, Plato argued that the world is an imperfect replica of an idea that a divine craftsman once held. Ancient civilizations the world over were deeply connected with their lands and modeled nature as the foundation for their beliefs and traditions in areas ranging from agriculture to social mores. The world was a mystery unfolding and humans were part of this cosmic order.

With the introduction of conventional normality, the point of reference shifted away from ideals and nature towards the concept of averages—in a sense, this was a fall from grace. The field of statistics, which began in the wake of the Industrial Revolution as a means to rationalize state policies by using data, has contributed significantly to the generalization of normal as an imperative. By compiling many measurements and considering each individual data point as a deviation from the mean, one can find a scientific justification to pursue standards and enforce conformity. The danger of statistical thinking becomes clear with the revelation that most early statisticians were eugenicists who preferred some deviations over others and sought to alter the population in pursuit of their own beliefs. With this context, one could conclude that the statistical foundation for what constitutes conventional normality both obfuscates ideals by imposing averages and denies natural deviations based on biased perspectives.

In practice, research has shown that people’s perceptions of “normality” typically fall somewhere between their representations of descriptive norms (i.e. averages) and prescriptive norms (i.e. ideals). Conversely, one’s ideals are influenced by the averages they observe, particularly as young children. Even adults tend to base their own beliefs on views which are generally accepted by others. Conformity to the perceived group consensus is often driven by the desire for social acceptance and protection of one’s identity, which includes a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Encouragingly, people tend to cast off the pressure of conformity whenever self-interest or accountability for one’s decisions impacts their reputation or wellbeing. This is particularly important in the context of leaders, as they are typically accountable to their constituents for the consequences of their choices and actions.

We humans naturally converge on the equilibrium we've known from our past—even during uncertain circumstances. However, change often happens in sudden traumatic shifts, much like the coronavirus pandemic or natural disasters. Looking back through the fossil record, it has been found that species either evolve or go extinct in precipitous events. It is incumbent upon leaders to recognize this tendency and choose a different path, which can even become a competitive advantage.

In the context of organizational strategy, emergent disruptive forces such as a low-priced new entrant or a disruptive new technology can seem benign until the market shifts away from established players. Much like the physical principle of inertia, it can be difficult to change course when presented with new information. Rather than seeking refuge in normality, effective leadership demands that we remain adaptable by tuning our awareness towards the truths that exist beyond the bounds of conventional, familiar, or even empirical realities.

How to practice transcendental normality

Transcendental normality is the recognition that infinite possibilities are arising every moment. In order to manifest higher dimensions of being from the vast unknown that is unfolding beyond our understanding, we must transcend ourselves. This requires us to embody qualities such as acceptance, curiosity, equanimity, humility, and radiance. To guide leaders through this process of transformation, the Merkaba Group has developed a methodology, including principles and practices, that supports the integration of transcendental qualities.

Principle 1: Recognize that the only constant in the universe is change

In ancient times, philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus made the famous assertion that all that exists is in a constant state of flux. The wisdom in his teaching was that given that the nature of existence is change, resistance to this fundamental truth is “a kind of death in that the individual is refusing to participate in that which defines life.” More recently, astronomers have discovered evidence that the universe has been continuously expanding since the Big Bang, a phenomenon known as quintessence, which further supports the notion that the only constant in the universe is change. Conversely, at smaller scales the fundamental forces of electromagnetism, nuclear forces, and gravity counter the universe’s expansion to hold finite matter together in clusters. These forces are also mirrored in the human experience, for example as the exercise of willpower to shape circumstances.

On a metaphysical level, human consciousness can access the forces of contraction and expansion by tuning into their energetic resonances. Contraction is ruled by the egoic self, which emphasizes separation and self-preservation. Expansion is experienced as love and ruled by oneness, which represents a boundless infinity. This duality was conceptualized in ancient Chinese philosophy as the Yin and Yang symbol. The Yang embodies the masculine energy of “doing” and the Yin embodies the feminine energy of “being.” These seemingly opposite forces are actually both part of each of us and exist in an interdependent balance. Living in modern society, most of us have been conditioned to overuse our Yang energy by exercising willpower to shape reality. This excess contraction is often driven by the fear that we will lose control if we let go. Conventional normality has reinforced this imbalance on a collective level by creating the illusion that we must preserve the status quo. 

Restoring the balance between Yin and Yang energies begins within ourselves through acceptance of what is happening right now and surrender to the ever-changing nature of the universe. To practice this, think of a situation in your life where you are resisting change. Close your eyes and bring awareness to your breath until you find a sense of inner peace. Visualize yourself as a levee restricting the flow of a river. Feel the pressure of the water pushing against your boundary. Ask yourself: “What am I holding against?” Now imagine that you are all of nature, including the system of river inflows and weather cycles that bring water toward the levee. Ask yourself: “Where is the water flowing?” From your heart, feel the possibilities that the flowing water brings to the landscape and ecosystems that exist within the context of your situation. Ask yourself: “How can I receive the river?” Allow the water to flow through you as the levee opens. Take note of the possibilities you have uncovered by accepting what is present. What are you being asked to let go? What are you ready to receive?

Principle 2: Embrace emerging deviations with curiosity and equanimity

What we think are deviations that seem off-base may actually be beneficial adaptations. That is what Charles Darwin suggested in his theory of evolution, where he regarded the principle of divergence as an essential component to natural selection. Divergence implies that living species can inhabit more environments and increase their odds of survival by diversifying themselves. For example, over time a genus of plants can evolve to consume less water, making it possible to spread further into more arid terrain and become resilient to droughts. Within an individual being, deviations from the usual state of being can also be a mechanism for survival. Homeostasis is the tendency of a living system to maintain internal stability (i.e. “normality”) through coordinated response to external disturbances. Allostasis, in contrast, refers to changes in an organism that help it adapt to new or changing environments. For example, bears preparing to hibernate will eat significantly more to accumulate fat reserves. Normality, depending on context, could either be beneficial homeostasis or a harmful suppression of allostasis.

Of course, not all deviations are positive adaptations. For example, it has been shown that racial minorities who experience daily stressors due to societal traumas suffer harmful allostatic burdens that cause chronic health problems and contribute to shorter life expectancy relative to their white counterparts. Although discernment is warranted about which deviations from the expected equilibrium or standard should be encouraged, there is wisdom in embracing divergence as it emerges rather than turning away from it. For example, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster happened because NASA engineers trivialized O-ring irregularities as normal rather than facing the inconvenient truth. 

Making the most of deviations hinges on our ability to remain receptive to what emerges without resistance or judgment. In Buddhism, the term “equanimity” is used to signify a mental attitude of balance, detachment, and impartiality. To be equanimous is to observe reality as it is, without attachment or meaning. This practice was originally developed by the Buddha to reach his own enlightenment and is taught in Vipassana silent meditation retreats. You can begin to experience this on your own. Find a quiet place indoors where you can sit comfortably and without distractions for at least 15 minutes. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to the natural flow of your breath. Allow your inhales and exhales to happen as they would unconsciously; simply observe. Witness your thoughts and let them go. As you settle into stillness, bring your awareness to the sensations occurring throughout your body. Whether they are pleasant or uncomfortable, allow those sensations to happen without attachment or meaning; simply observe. As elementary as it may seem, the profundity of being in full awareness of the present moment while remaining equanimous is boundless.

To cultivate broader awareness of the changes happening around us, the key is to remain curious, which can be achieved by resonating with love rather than fear. In a fear-based paradigm, the desire for safety fuels an aversion away from the unknown and thus contraction towards that which is familiar. In a love-based paradigm, rather than turning away from discovery and expansion, curiosity allows one to tune into the higher caliber possibilities emerging from the unknown. To resonate with love is a choice that we make every moment and which can be supported with consistent spiritual practice.

Principle 3: Continuously tune into reality through multiple perspectives

Quantum physicists are finding that reality may not be singular or objective. In practice, observable reality itself is often subjective. For example, gravity likely occurs quite differently for birds or fish than it does for humans; we would have to ask them to be sure. Similarly, impacts of climate change such as flooding and heat waves are experienced differently between social classes according to their respective subjective realities. In other words, reality depends on the observer, and collective experience matters. Normality is an intersubjective construct, which is to say that it is a shared agreement of meaning among a group of people. Deviations from what is considered “normal” by some may be experienced differently by others. The important distinction to make in the context of transcending normality is that factual representations of reality are entangled with interpretations of those facts.  

Astronomers originally developed the method of least squares to calibrate observations about phenomena such as sunspots and chart the location of stars based on multiple measurements that each contained some degree of error. Such practice was based on the humility that people and instruments are prone to intrinsic errors and the wisdom that each incremental perspective converges the aggregate towards the truth. This insight has become known as the wisdom of the crowd phenomenon, which suggests that the collective opinion of a diverse and independent group of individuals often convergences to more accurate estimations than those of individual experts.

With the presumption that everything is always changing, it would seem ideal to make every choice from a refreshed perspective. It has been shown, however, that individuals’ choices are heavily influenced by their past behaviours and assumptions. Organizations’ shared beliefs and processes, which are imprinted upon by past successes or failures, can become crippling disabilities when underlying conditions such as technological or competitive landscapes shift. We tend to disregard or even avoid new information that alters our perception of reality. Several cognitive biases help explain this phenomenon. Confirmation bias narrows our focus to evidence that supports our existing beliefs. Default bias makes the status quo more appealing than it should be. Escalation of commitment makes us more resistant to changing our minds the more we invest in a position. The illusory truth effect makes information feel more credible when repeated often. The ostrich effect is the tendency to avoid negative information. Rosy retrospection makes past events seem more positive in hindsight.

In order to transcend normality, we need to continuously tune into reality from multiple perspectives, thus accessing new dimensions of being that are aligned with our inner truth as well as the outer context which we operate in. In practice, this can be achieved with humble inquiry—asking questions to which we do not already know the answer from people whose perspectives differ from our own and listening with an open heart. The more diverse and independent perspectives we can gather, the more reality-based our discoveries will be. Furthermore, we must cultivate the habit of letting go of our pre-existing assumptions thereby creating the space for new possibilities which we may not have fathomed otherwise. 

To tune into reality optimally, we must also tend to inner being through daily practice. Scientists have theorized that everything in the universe, including atoms and electrons, is fundamentally composed of energetic vibrations that bring matter into being from an infinity of dimensional fields. As humans, we can tune our vibrations higher—both as a choice in the moment (e.g. gratitude, compassion, and surrender) and through practice (e.g. meditation, spirituality, and wellness). When we raise our vibrational quality, we resonate with higher possibilities. Our presence also influences our environment, thus shaping reality for both ourselves and others. This empowers leaders to achieve transformational impact more easefully, regardless of external circumstances.

Let there be light: Manifesting from radiance

Fundamentally, we are all oneness. To manifest from radiance is to shine light from within by transcending the illusion of separation. This is the final step to transcending normality.

“As I alone give light to this body, so I do to the world; As a result the whole world is mine, or else nothing is.”

- King Janaka, Ashtavakra Gita (ancient Hindu text)

The discovery of quantum mechanics unraveled scientists’ understanding of the nature of the universe. Whereas classical physics assumes that matter exists in a fixed state, in a quantum world the universe is immaterial and conscious awareness shapes manifested reality. Although this notion remains an area of heated debate in the scientific community, mystics and philosophers have known since ancient times that our human experience is part of a divine unfolding. For example, Pythagoras and his followers believed that numbers and geometry are more representative of reality than matter itself. One is unity, which is God and encompasses everything. Two is duality, such as male-female or yes-no, which introduces separation and the concept of “other.” Three is trinity, which represents inception by virtue of the knower, the knowing, and the known. Four is quaternity, the basis for three-dimensional space, matter, and the natural world. Five is quintessence, or dark energy, which imbues matter with the capacity for transdimensional expansion. Six, the hexad, resolves into perfection, structure, and order. Seven, the heptad, alchemizes the spiritual and physical realms to fuel creation. This unfolding goes on.

Even while duality happens when we discern “me” from “other,” oneness remains eternally present and accessible to all existence. As it folds back into unity, the noumenon that we are—the conscious awareness that perceives itself through human experience—remembers itself as the totality of all possible manifestations. The human mind tends to favor some conditions and resist others. To embody our inner radiance, we first need to surrender to what is, which includes the full range of polarities and opposites. From this surrendered state, by choosing to radiate the higher frequencies of love, gratitude, and compassion, we imbue our manifestations with abundance and longevity.

In practice, radiance comes down to living in the heart. While our minds function within duality, analyzing phenomena as separate from ourselves, the human heart has the capacity to experience oneness. Intuitively, when we have strong emotions, whether blissful or painful, our hand is naturally drawn to our heart. Research by the HeartMath Institute has empirically shown that our breathing and feelings of gratitude directly affect the rhythm patterns of our heart, which in turn determine many other aspects of our experience in the moment. To start living in the heart, make a regular practice of bringing awareness to your heart and breathing through the space of your heart center to radiate love, kindness, and compassion to all beings. This outward radiance creates an energy field which emanates from the heart, interacts with the surrounding environment—even beyond—and feeds back into the heart in an endless loop. The energy we radiate from our heart center affects both our own reality, as it is reflected back into ourselves, and that of others, as we all influence each other’s energy fields. This way, to manifest transcendental normality is to channel unfolding possibilities from higher vibrational frequencies such that collective reality reflects the divine within each of us.

About the Merkaba Group

The Merkaba Group works with leaders and their teams to transcend limits and unleash their highest potential. Visit our website at https://merkaba.group

Program offerings

One-on-one coaching

Coaching calls are a safe and courageous space for self-exploration, re-alignment, and accountability. The coaching process is focused on cultivating the individual's full potential. The format for one-on-one coaching is regular calls, either in-person or via telepresence.

Psychospiritual practices

Cultivating a powerful presence with a strong foundation is accomplished through transformational experiences and daily integration practices. To complement coaching, we offer resources such as meditation, breathwork, sound healing, and plant medicines such as cacao.

Strategy sessions

Manifesting tangible results from clarity of purpose requires viable strategies that bring together team members and stakeholders. Our facilitated strategy sessions bring the leader's inner work into outer being through collaborative problem solving and co-creation of audacious action plans.

Our process

Being

Cultivate a powerful presence that resonates with the positive energy, abundance, and possibility that emerges when embodying love from within.

Purpose

Focalize energy toward the transformations that matter most to your constellation by tuning into reality perceptions that manifest the highest potential.

Strategies

Unfold audacious plans that honor the perspectives of your stakeholders by grounding your decision-making in curiosity, courage, and kindness.

Results

Maximize outcomes by assessing progress with integrity, deliberately learning from failures with acceptance, and celebrating successes with humility.

Schedule a discovery call now: [email protected]