Self-transcendence is an approach to wisdom that includes the willingness to subsume egocentric desires in the service of a greater good, coupled with a realization of the interconnection among living beings. The practice of self-transcendence is based on the development of self-knowledge, non-attachment, integration of the self, and a recognition of the interconnectedness of living beings. At the individual level, self-transcendence may affect stress, appraisal, and coping processes and thus promote individual resilience and growth in the face of adversity. At the community level, the ability to commit to larger social goals is the sine qua non of democracy, but the recognition of the fundamental interconnectedness of people is needed to avoid divisive, demagogic politics and promote collective resilience to adversity. We take a developmental systems approach to self-transcendence at the individual and community levels, showing how their co-actions can transform resilience processes into ones that will be required to face current and future social and environmental challenges.