16 Jun Way Of Way 310

Illeism is the act of referring to oneself in the third person. For example, saying: “Victor went to the store” instead of “I went to the store.”

This habit begins early in life. Young children, still learning the complexity of pronouns and self-reference, often speak in the third person. Parents reinforce this by saying things like “Mommy loves you.”

But illeism isn’t only a stage of development, it can also be a path to wisdom.

By referring to ourselves in the third person, we create a distance from our emotions and reactions to our circumstances in the now. This distance allows for greater objectivity, clarity, and thoughtful decision-making; “Solomon’s Paradox”, the observation that we reason more wisely about others’ problems than our own.

In some Eastern spiritual traditions, speaking in the third person reflects detachment from ego. As well, in the Bible, both YHWH and Jesus at times refer to themselves in the third person, implying they are beyond the personal self.

Practicing illeism is a subtle reminder: the person we were yesterday is not who we are today.

Moreover, in observing ourselves from a slight distance, we acknowledge we are not solely actors in the play of life, but also the audience, the gods, watching it unfold.