You and I were born human. Have you ever wondered what that means?
I have.
Not once.
Many times.
Most times, I wonder why our entire life experience is tied to the name human. Yet, we don’t take enough time to understand what the word truly means.
The way we think, feel, and act throughout our existence is associated with the name. If we were called something else, say cat, cow, or dog, we wouldn’t have to deal with the problems we face on a daily or go through the motions we go through.
Yet, there are no formal or informal courses to equip us with proper basic knowledge of what a human is.
Chances are, those who came before us thousands of years ago didn’t feel the need to make this information available. They didn’t have to because they intuitively knew what they were and explored their nature in a way that made them more in tune with their core.
It’s the curiosity to explore their intuition that laid the foundation for the discoveries and creations we rely on today.
Based on their understanding of what or who they were, our forefathers created systems to help them experience and express themselves better. But didn’t find it necessary to keep adequate external records of what they knew about themselves and how this knowledge evolved as they continued to create tools or systems to refine their living.
They could not tell, at the time, how the creations meant to help them would one day confuse and cause their descendants to detach from their natural existence and only live in a cultured mess.
Now, we are stuck…
Almost all of us are moving through life as something we don’t understand, and this is causing so much chaos and mental anguish. It’s the reason many experience more pain than joy throughout their lives. We are stuck in a problem-creation and solution-seeking loop, constantly searching for something we don’t know or have completely forgotten. We can change this, though. And that’s the intent of this discussion.
We want to explore the meaning of the word human for two reasons:
- To start understanding the core of what or who we are. This will reveal the possibilities we are designed for.
- To start gaining wholesome clarity in how we see and interpret things moving forward.
Once you understand your design and can explore perspectives clearly, it will be easier to get unstuck and start approaching life in a way that works for you instead of working against yourself.
Let’s go back to the beginning – the origins of the term.
What is the origin of the name human?
The word human is a combination of two parts: Hu + Man. Each part hints at something different, but combined, the two form a new meaning.
Man – the main part of the term – is a monosyllabic word that came from one of our world’s oldest language families: the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language. According to the earliest etymology, the first known form of the word man is mon.
Mon is the last syllable of the now-extinct Proto-Indo-European (PIE) term *(dh)ghom-on- [1], which means “earthling” or “earth dweller.”
Other early etymologies connect the origin of the word man to the Indo-European roots men- and manu-:
- *Men- means “to think.” This speaks to the mental or mind aspect of an individual.
- *Manu- is a Sanskrit term similar to Latin’s *manus, meaning “hand” and symbolizing the physical form or body.
So, man essentially refers to an earth dweller with a mind and a unique physique.
What does hu mean in the word human?
The meaning of hu in human is rarely talked about. There’s a good reason why. It’s often not used on its own. You have to dig deep to figure it out.
My quest took me back to 3200 BCE in Ancient Egypt – one of the oldest and most notable cradles of civilization. It was about the time written language was beginning to take form as wedge-shaped marks. There, hu represented creative command, i.e., the ability or power to create/ bring forth.
I also went back to the old Iranian period (around 1500 BCE.) In Avestan, a now-extinct language that was widely spoken in the Eastern side of Greater Iran at the time, hu meant good or goodness. It was mostly used with other Avestan terms, such as:
- Humata – meaning good thoughts
- Hūkhta – good words
- Huvaršta – good deeds
- Vohu – a higher form of good, or goodness.
When you Join the two, hu + man, two literal meanings of the term human emerge.
The literal meaning of human
The entire word – human- takes up several meanings in current English. All of them are testaments to the historical development of its origin and meaning.
Some of the latest etymological views, for instance, connect the origin of the entire word human to various Latin and Old French terms, including:
- The Latin words humus, meaning earth/soil, and the more refined humanus, meaning, “of man”
- The Old French terms, humaigne, humain, and umain, meaning “of man” or “belonging to man” [2]
However, these explanations seem to be lacking. They all describe something that is of or belonging to an entity without really mentioning what the “thing” is.
When we consider the meaning of hu, though, we can fit in the last piece of the puzzle, and two literal meanings of the term emerge.
Literally, hu.man refers to:
- The creative ability of man (an earth dweller with a mind and physical body).
- The goodness of man.
From these literal translations, one of the best definitions of human would be
A creative ability anchored in goodness of an earth dweller with a mind and body
This definition highlights a few things about us we don’t pay enough attention to:
3 Key Takeaways… 1 Question
- As a man, you are one of many earthlings or earth dwellers. Scientifically, this is likely what places us in the same category as other life entities on Earth, especially animals. The only difference between us and other earthlings is our physique and capacity to think. But as a human, you are more than your mind or body. You are ableness or can-ness waiting to be explored. This is likely what we often call human potential, and it’s infinite. There’s no limit to it.
- The creative ableness that forms your core is anchored in goodness. It could be the type of goodness Plato called perfect goodness, i.e.,
“That towards which all things move for the fulfillment of their natures”
Or, it could be a higher form of goodness. (We’ll explore this in due course)
3. The seed of your existence is an infinite can-ness, and it’s always growing (this is the being part of the full-term human being). Everything else is an extension of it. That means, by design, you have the capacity to create and experience life as you wish. The reality you are living now is an outcome of how you are interpreting and exploring this capacity.
What Next?
If the reality you are experiencing is different from the life you imagine and know you should live, two things might be true:
- You’re not connected to your core, meaning you’re not present with your creative essence or ableness
- You’re connected, but incorrectly or in a misguided manner.
To start turning things around, your next best step should be evaluating your relationship with your mind because this is the bridge between your essence and body. It’s also one of the major internal communication systems that help convert essence into form.
Block a few minutes off your schedule to actively talk with (not to) your mind.
One important question to start with is: What does your mind think of you? What is it telling you about you? Then, based on what you now know a human is, assess whether what your mind thinks of you is true or not.
[One quick tip:
Approach this reflection exercise as though you are catching up with a best friend you haven’t actively connected with for a long time. And pay attention to the answer that’ll come to mind first.]
If it’s untrue, you’re disconnected from your core. The best corrective measure would be to start helping your mind understand your capabilities by changing its story of you.
If it’s true and you’re still not experiencing life with all the possibilities you can imagine: you’re connected, but the connection is not secure. It could be as a result of a conflict of being (we’ll explore what this means in-depth and demonstrate how to change the situation in the next discussion.)
Meanwhile, let’s keep the conversation going in the comment section: Have you ever wondered what a human is? Did you explore the wonder? Share your thoughts and insights on what the curiosity led you to, below.
