What is Transformational Philosophy?
This is where wisdom, philosophy, and self-inquiry — deepened through meditation — meet lived experience, making sense of the world we find ourselves in and shaping a way of being that is strong yet compassionate, peaceful yet fully engaged with life.
Drawing on the philosophies, wisdom, and meditative traditions of the East, alongside Western thought and science, philosophy here is not abstract argument. It is about uniting rationality and intuition to examine ourselves and the world in the laboratory of our own lives. Through reflective practices and transformational learning methods — rooted in lived experience, not abstract ideas — we foster empowering shifts in how we see ourselves, the world, and our place within it.
Some people see philosophy or transformation as serious, even heavy, pursuits. While we do explore life’s deepest questions here, the purpose of Transformational Philosophy is to help us enjoy life more fully — to live with meaning, clarity, and greater satisfaction. In this school, we approach transformation with depth, but also with lightness, humour, and a willingness not to take ourselves too seriously.
If you’d like to understand how Transformational Philosophy differs from other approaches to philosophy or personal growth, you’ll find it articulated in the seven core tenets of transformational philosophy. Formulated by Syd Siyadat, founder of the School of Transformational Philosophy, they outline the core orientation and approach of the school. They reflect a vision where inquiry, experience, and deep transformation come together as a lived path.
Core Principles and Approach in Transformational Philosophy
1. Transforming Our Perception Is Fundamental
Transformation begins with how we see — both the world and ourselves. Philosophical and self-inquiry can radically shift our perception, which in turn shapes how we think, feel, act, and experience life.
Our perception is not neutral; it is shaped by personal conditioning, beliefs, memories, and the emotional residue of lived experience. When we begin to see through the filters that distort our view, we open the door to deeper clarity, freedom, and meaningful change.
Transformation, in this school, begins not with fixing the world, but with refining how we relate to it. When we see differently, we live and feel differently.
2. Transformational Philosophy as a Path to Existential Freedom, Happiness, Clarity, and Meaning
This work engages the most essential human questions: Who are we? What is the meaning of life? What is this world?
While it seeks to understand the nature of reality, its purpose is not abstract analysis — it is to cultivate a more conscious, authentic, and fulfilling way of living.
We don’t practice philosophy to play with clever ideas. We use rationality and intuition together to make sense of our lives, to find freedom and joy, and to live with greater clarity and depth.
3. Transformational Philosophy as an Experiential Path Requiring Whole-Person Engagement
Transformational Philosophy is not a purely intellectual pursuit. We engage as full human beings — thinking, feeling, sensing. Direct experience is not only valid; it is often more transformative than abstract concepts.
This path calls for engagement at every level — mental, emotional, and embodied — and requires ongoing practice to translate insight into lasting change.
Our approach draws on the principles of transformational learning — a process that goes beyond acquiring knowledge to catalyse a shift in how we see, relate, and live.
4. Refining The Mind as Our Primary Instrument
Our mind is the primary instrument through which we perceive ourselves and the world. Transformational philosophy invites us to refine that instrument — our thoughts, beliefs, and emotional patterns — so we can see more clearly.
As our mind refines, so too does our understanding. What once made no sense may become obvious later. We remain open to this unfolding — knowing that clarity deepens with time, practice, and presence.
5. Illuminating the Beliefs That Shape Our Experience
Much of our perception and behaviour is shaped by unconscious assumptions and inherited beliefs. These beliefs are not only about the big questions of life, but also about what we’re capable of, how worthy we believe we are, what relationships should look like, what success means, what is good or bad, and what we should or should not do, and so on.
Transformational Philosophy invites us to bring these beliefs into awareness and to examine them — not through dogma or ideology, but through honest inquiry.
This approach does not ask you to adopt any particular worldview. Whether you follow a specific religion, a secular perspective, or none at all, you are welcome here. What it does ask is that we remain open to examining our beliefs and testing them — for their truth, depth, and usefulness in our lives.
When we question the beliefs that silently govern us, we begin to reclaim the freedom to live in new and more expansive ways.
6. Beyond Scientism: Examining the Truth of Our Own Experience
Science, as a method of inquiry, has produced powerful insights into the external world. But it is not the sole arbiter of truth. When science is treated as dogma — as the only valid lens through which reality can be understood — it limits human potential. It binds us to the current boundaries of scientific discovery and dismisses anything not yet measured or explained.
To accept only what science currently affirms is to deny ourselves access to dimensions of experience that science has not yet — or may never — successfully investigate.
We honour the value of scientific insight while also affirming that direct experience, personal inquiry, and inner knowing are equally vital pathways to understanding.
This school welcomes science — but it does not outsource truth to it.