Joe describes a developmental arc for the sense of self. A young child sees only “me” — they assume everyone wants what they want. Over time, the sense of self expands outward: me → family → community → tribe → nation → humanity → the Earth. Each expansion includes more in the circle of care.
But the arc doesn’t end at the widest circle. At some point, the expanding sense of self “implodes” — and you see yourself as everything, or as nothing. The boundary between self and other dissolves. This same pattern applies to one’s sense of time: from days, to years, to generations, to collapsing into the pure present.
“At some point it implodes on you and all of a sudden you see yourself as everything. Everything is you and you are everything. And or nothing.”
The implication is that transformation isn’t about becoming a bigger self — it’s about the self becoming transparent.
Related Concepts
- Growth means shedding identities
- The expansiveness of I Am
- Dissolution of self happens many ways
- Aloneness without loneliness is a sign of authentic self-discovery