The Human Way: What Does it Mean?

The title of this post might seem unusual at first. What is “The Dog Way”? What is “The Caterpillar Way”? Animals don’t need guidance on how to live their best lives. They instinctively know how to thrive.

Yet, self-help is a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Why is it so challenging for us humans?

In short, The Human Way is the essence of the human experience. It is the way of life that brings out our best, and it is unique to each individual.

This blog critically examines how humanity has evolved over millennia, highlighting where we’ve progressed - and where we’ve strayed - from an ideal way of life.

100,000+ Years Ago: A Simpler Life

Just as animals instinctively know how to live, early humans likely had little need for self help guides. Despite the hardships faced by our hunter-gatherer ancestors, evidence suggests they worked less than most people today, and devoted significant time to socialising and creative pursuits.

What can we learn from them?

Roughly 100,000 years ago, homo sapiens began to resemble modern humans, both physically and behaviourally. By studying their lives, we gain valuable insight into the environment our bodies have evolved to thrive in - and the conditions our brains expect.

The reason we struggle to live The Human Way is because the modern world is vastly different from the one that our minds and bodies have adapted to. Though we created this new world ourselves, the pace of change has been too rapid for us to keep up.

The Double-Edged Swords of Technology and Evolution

This isn’t to suggest that evolution is perfect or that technology is inherently harmful.

On the contrary, evolution is a blind process with no concern for individual well-being. If endless suffering led to greater reproduction, evolution would deem it a success.

Technology on the other hand, is a guided process usually designed to improve quality of life.

How can these two forces work together?

• Evolution: Billions of years of trial and error, yielding tried-and-true methods for harnessing the planet’s resources.
• Technology: Billions of humans actively seeking innovative ways to add convenience and explore the universe.

Together, evolution and technology have the potential to elevate humanity to unimaginable heights. But when they work in opposition, the consequences can be catastrophic.

The Six Pillars of the Human Experience

There are a million and one ways to label and categorise what it means to be human, and how we interact with this world.

While there is no right or wrong way to do it, here are the six domains that I think neatly group the human experience.

1. Body

The physical body is the foundation of health and vitality. This domain covers everything necesary to achieve and maintain optimal physical well-being.

2. Mind

Our mental state governs how we reason, remember, and interpret the world.

3. Emotions

Emotions are integral to the human experience. Many self-help strategies focus on controlling or suppressing emotions, but doing so overlooks a core part of how we engage with life.

4. Nature

Reconnecting with nature is crucial. Research consistently highlights the benegits of regular immersion in natural environments. It’s where we come from - and it’s who we are.

5. Spirit

In this context, “spirit” doesn’t refer to anything supernatural. It represenst the uniquely human traits of creativity, self-reflection, and self-actualisation. It’s the spirit that drives us to grow and create.

6. Social

Humans are deeply social creatures. Our evolutionary history reveals a reliance on community and connection. Without each other, we cannot reach our full potential.

The Mindful Modern Human

So what is The Human Way? It’s a philosophy and a lifestyle that seeks to uncover what it truly means to be human - and to make the most of life.

We are a diverse species and there are as many “human ways” as there are human beings.

With the aid of technology and one another, there is no limit to our potential.

But expecting this transformation to happen naturally is naive.

Finding The Human Way is a lifelong journey. It will never be complete, but it is worth pursuing.

We owe it to ourselves - and to the world we’ve inherited - to find it.