An enlightened state to which mages aspire. It is not clearly defined. Although mages dispute its meaning they agree unAwakened people cannot attain it. Like Golconda for vampires, this is a transcendent goal that the game’s original developers did not define on purpose. Masters of the Art states Ascension removes a mage from this universe. Originally an individual achievement, many Virtual Adepts believe in mass Ascension in the first 2 editions of Mage. Revised Edition pushed the idea of mass Ascension for all mage groups. Mage20 mentions both but favors individual Ascension.
2nd ed Core and Masters of the Art both have fiction depicting Ascension as an event that makes the mage disappear. Revised ed core pg. 22 “Since none return from Ascension, there’s no telling where it leads…”
Revised Edition introduced the idea of mass Ascension and stated that was always the goal of the Traditions in the Council of Nine.
Some in 2nd Edition & a lot in Revised Edition, we get the idea that the existing mage groups have given in to dogma & it keeps them from Ascension. We also are told in the published books that no Tradition seems to be the closest to Ascension. What gets omitted from this talk is Oracles, archmages and examplars. These powerful figures of mage society are mostly pushed out of the published books. When a particular group wants to prove the efficacy of its teachings it seems they would point to their members who have become archmages, Oracles or Ascended. But if these get cut out of the material in the published books it becomes impossible to even discuss which Paradigm or group is closest to the truth.
Some mages want to become gods instead of achieve Ascension. Interesting to suppose that these mages keep their agendas quiet for fear of upsetting their fellow mages.