Self-cultivation

Self-cultivation or personal cultivation (Chinese: 修身; pinyin: xiūshēn; Wade–Giles: hsiu-shen; lit. 'cultivate oneself') is the development of one's mind or capacities through one's own efforts.[1] Self-cultivation is the cultivation, integration, and coordination of mind and body. Although self-cultivation may be practiced and implemented as a form of cognitive therapy in psychotherapy, it goes beyond healing and self-help to also encompass self-development, self-improvement and self realisation. It is associated with attempts to go beyond and understand normal states of being, enhancing and polishing one's capacities and developing or uncovering innate human potential.[2]

Self-cultivation also alludes to philosophical models in Mohism, 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.[3]

  1. ^ "self-cultivation". Merriam-Webster Online-Dictionary. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  2. ^ Cohen, Avraham; Bai, Heesoon; Fiorini, Karen (2014). "The Self-Cultivation Model of Lifelong Learning". In Wang, Viktor (ed.). Handbook of Research on Adult and Community Health Education: Tools, Trends, and Methodologies. Medical Information Science Reference. pp. 333–351. ISBN 9781466662605. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  3. ^ Tang, Yijie (2015). Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity and Chinese Culture. Heidelberg: Springer. p. 29. ISBN 978-3-662-45532-6.