Hello everyone, myself Latta Baraiya, and I'm a student at the department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. This thinking task is given by Vaidehi ma'am. So in this blog I'm going to share my views about transcendentalism. So let's discuss about this theory,
First of all we have to clear a concept of what is the theory of transcendentalism ? And what is the connection of transcendentalism with nature ?
Transcendentalism is an American theory. It is a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that "transcends" or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel. Five predominant elements of Transcendentalism are nonconformity, self-reliance, free thought, confidence, and the importance of nature. These concepts are liberally sprinkled throughout Emerson's essay "Nature." When Emerson says that we should
"demand our own works and laws and worship,"
He espouses nonconformity. Transcendentalism, or American Transcendentalism, was a multi-faceted movement. It introduced freethinking in religion, intuitive idealism in philosophy, individualism in literature, new spirit in social reforms, and new optimism in peoples’ minds. This New England movement flourished in a period between 1830 and 1860. After clarification of this theory of transcendentalism, here are my answers regarding this activity.
◆Transcendentalists talk about Individual’s relation with Nature. What is Nature for you? Share your views.
According to me, nature is objects like trees, wind, sun, moon, Star, water, flowers, grass, land, river, sea, mountain, valley, snow and the atmosphere.
Whenever we are in trouble we like to accompany nature. Nature gives us solutions to every problem. When we think of nature, most people believe that nature is the creator and it has all power to control over the world's people and everything it's about heaven and hell. People think that nature(God) will publish them if they do bad karma. This theory is also included in nature. But nature is that environment that gives us spirit. It's obvious that when we have any issues or we fail we clearly bleme nature. But nature also gave us solutions to problems. When I feel sad, I used to sit outside at home at night. Looking into the sky and watching the stars and moon. It gives me peace of mind. If we think in that way we can understand that, nature provides us the opportunity to be a good being. For me it's easy to stay moral with nature. They also provide morality. As we know that Thoreau and Emerson emphasized on the transcendentalist idea of human harmony with nature. They believed that,
Nature can help us improve spiritually and help us connect to the rest of the world.
According to Transcendental ideas, everything is connected, everything is one. I also believe that nature helps us to connect to the mind also. It has the power to conjunct and destroy. Nature also teaches us to be calm. So there are no special classes required to learn how to learn with nature. So I can say that nature is one my teacher.
◆Transcendentalism is an American Philosophy that influenced American Literature at length. Can you find any Indian/Regional literature or Philosophy that came up with such similar thoughts?
As we know, transcendentalism was the first American intellectual movement that showed true interests in Eastern philosophy. Emerson started to read about Indian philosophy and mythology in The Edinburgh Review between 1820 and 1825. His interest in Indian thought grew when he was a young Harvard graduate, and it continued until the end of his writing career. We see similar thoughts in this philosophy of the concept of Brahma and Karma. There is also very much similarity of this theory in the Bhagavad Gita also.
The Indian concept of Brahma had great influence. Brahma is the god of creation, and one of the Hindu trinity others being Visnu, the preserver and savior of the world, and Siva, the destroyer or dissolver of the world. Three concepts crucial to understanding Brahman are:
Para and Apara Brahma,
Atman, and
Maya.
There are two forms of Brahm: para and apara Brahman, one is the formed and the other formless. In the Upanishads, the form is described as unreal and the formless as real. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states that,
“Truly, there are two aspects of Brahman, the formed and the formless, the mortal and the immortal, the unmoving and moving, the existent and that which is beyond existence”.
The immortal Brahma enters into the mortal Brahma. When this happens, a human, a mortal Brahma, becomes united with the immortal. In this way, humans can be united with the “formless” Brahma, which can be difficult even for the strong gods. Another metaphysical concept of Brahma is Atman, which is synonymous with the Supreme Self or Spirit. Atman is the impersonal God, godlikeness, or the power of creation in the universe, which is found in all beings. We see this conception of atman in Emerson’s “Divinity School Address,” in which he says that: Jesus Christ belonged to the true race of prophets. He saw with open eyes the mystery of the soul….He saw that God incarnates himself in man, and evermore goes forth anew to take possession of his world. He said, in this jubilee of sublime emotion,
“I am divine. Through me, God acts; through me, speaks. Would you see God, see me; or, see thee, when thou also thinkest as I now think.”
In addition, Emerson constructs his own God and names Him the Over Soul. He believes that the nature of the relationship between the Over-Soul and the individual is one-to-one. There is no place for any mediators, such as churches or priests, in this sacred and organic relationship.
The idea of Maya is probably most important for understanding the concept of Brahma and its influence on Emerson. In its simplest form, Maya means a magical power in which the Creator reveals Himself and the mystery of His creation. Maya has a double meaning because it is simultaneously a product of power of creativity and the power itself. The Svetasvatara Upanisad says,
“Know that nature (prakriti) is maya and that the user of maya is great Isvara. And the whole world is filled with beings that are part of him”.
The concept of Maya is also related to that of atman, where all beings of the world are seen as parts of the Supreme Being. The way Maya works seems to be contradictory at times because we have to unite ourselves with Maya, and at the same time, we have to remain distinct from it. Thus, Emerson’s writings illustrate that he was heavily influenced by the concept of Maya.
So in that way we see the similar philosophy of transcendentalism.
Thanks. 😊
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