Advances in biotechnology are moving medicine beyond its traditional role of curing disease and alleviating suffering. These interventions are altering our most fundamental personal and social relations while posing challenges to our traditional sense of the meaning and purpose of human life.Against the background of evolutionary origins, natural embodiment, and biosocial rhythm of life, we consider the conceptual frame of biotechnology, the difficulty of distinguishing between enhancement and therapy, and the challenges our new powers may pose to basic human dignity. Drawing on a specific case study, technological efforts to extend the human lifespan, we will seek general ethical and spiritual principles that can align and guide our new powers with both wisdom and compassion.