The Journey of the Übermensch - What Did Buddha, Jesus, and Nietzsche Know?

I am sure you know that Superman... The underwear over the pants, the "S" on the chest, the kryptonite, the classic flight... But what few realize is that this comic book icon carries within himself an idea much older — and much deeper — than any modern story.

Today, I want to invite you on a journey. A journey that passes through Nietzsche's philosophy, the mysteries of Ouspensky, and the millenary myths of Buddha, Jesus, Zoroaster, and other great beings who might have been the true supermen of humanity.

But before continuing, let me ask you: what if Superman wasn't a cape-wearing hero, but rather a possibility within all of us?

Nietzsche and the birth of the Übermensch

In 1883, Friedrich Nietzsche wrote "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" — and in this book, he introduced the idea of the Übermensch, translated as "beyond-human" or, more popularly, "superman."

Nietzsche looks at humanity and sees stagnation. People living on autopilot, obeying old rules, afraid to think for themselves. And then he says: "Man is something that must be surpassed." In other words, we are not ready. We are a bridge, not the final destination.

For him, the superman is the one who creates his own values, who does not depend on herd morality, who lives intensely and takes on the responsibility of existing fully. He does not wait for life's meaning — he creates his own meaning.

But hold on: this has nothing to do with being perfect or superior to others. Nietzsche's superman is the one who transforms. Who has the courage to face his abysses and dance with them.

Ouspensky and the evolution of consciousness

While Nietzsche pointed to an ideal of humanity, the Russian philosopher Ouspensky, the greatest disciple of Gurdjieff, went deeper into one point: how to get there?

Ouspensky believed that humans live in sleep. It's a psychological sleep. We live reacting, repeating patterns, thinking we are conscious... but we are 99% of the time in automatic.

According to him, the path to the superman is not exterior, it is internal. It requires effort, discipline and a different kind of “work on self.” It’s like waking up in the dream. It’s like awakening from the Matrix.

For Ouspensky, the average human being is unfinished—a plant that has not yet become fruit. What about the superman? It would be the ripe fruit. A being who has reached another level of consciousness, who sees reality without filters, that is completely free inside.

The Übermensch of the myths of humanity

Now comes the part that really matters…

In all my years traveling and studying, I ended up discovering in several civilizations, hidden books and even in the very journeys of overcoming many heroes that we have had among us many supermen.

Nietzsche and Ouspensky were geniuses, but they are not alone. Human history is full of reports of people who have gone far beyond the ordinary. In fact, civilization, from the dawn of its existence, admired and exalted these men.

Buddha abandons his life as prince to seek the end of suffering – and attains Nirvana.

Jesus walks among the humble, speaks of an inner kingdom, heals with his hands and dies to rise again. A gesture that echoes more as a symbol than as dogma.

Zoroaster reveals that the world is the scene of a battle between light and darkness—and that every person can be a warrior of that light.

Mithra, Krishna, Quetzalcoatl, Hermes Trismegistus... each culture has its version of someone who awakened, who has freed himself from the ordinary human condition and has become a symbol of transformation.

Furthermore, throughout ancient civilizations, philosophers like Pythagoras and even conquerors like Alexander the Great were elevated to this incredible status for their deeds, thoughts, and legacy.

They are archetypes. Maps. And more than that: an invitation to become like them.

How to become a Übermensch?

After all this, you might be wondering: great, but how do we get there?

There’s no shortcut. First of all, superman is an ideal. Recognizing that we are still halfway there and always seeking knowledge is one of the paths. Arrogance is the enemy of evolution. The true superman begins with active awareness. Ouspenksy preaches that whenever we fall asleep and do not actively strive for our evolution, we enter a state of gradual degeneration.

Then comes practice: attention, presence, wisdom, and self-knowledge. Start by observing your thoughts, your reactions. Ask yourself: why do I act this way? Who is making this decision? Is it me... or my fear? Are you acting like the herd, or are you truly becoming an individual?

The stoicism of Marcus Aurelius and Seneca and Nietzsche's "amor fati" also help. Loving one's destiny and accepting life as it is, with pain, beauty, tragedy, and miracles. Humanity's supermen have had their stories marked by struggles, doubts, internal and external battles, and yet they have overcome.

Ouspensky speaks of self-remembering. Being awake within the body, present in the moment. And this may seem simple... until you really try it.

And straight from myth, the lesson I learned is: the path is difficult. Always. The hero must cross the desert, face monsters, lose everything, die symbolically—and then be reborn.

It turns out that the superman is not always the one who flies, but the one who plunges into his own darkness.

Conclusion: The Hero Within

Today's world needs Supermen. Not those who have elevated their physical or mental human characteristics, but those who have transcended consciousness and attained attributes beyond humanity. These men transform their shadows into light. They don't run from pain, but embrace it. They choose the path of truth, even when it's uncomfortable.

You don't need to become perfect, like Superman. But you can become awakened.

The journey is open. And the first step begins where you are now—with a choice. Do you want to continue living on autopilot? Or will you begin, today, to build your own path toward the beyond?

“Man is a bridge stretched between the animal and the superman—a bridge over the abyss.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche