Spiritual Idealism in the Works of Emerson: An Indian Approach

Abstract

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American author, endeavoured to establish new dimension of ideology by balancing the scientific materialism and conventional interpretation and beliefs in religious realm. In fact, his literary creation reveals his faith and inclination towards the ideology of spirit rather than to peep into the religious orthodoxy. He along with William James motivated New Thought Churches in America and dedicated himself in enhancing and extending the effect of the spiritual movements of the 1950’s and 60’s. He continued to illustrate the depth of spirituality through his speeches, poems and essays. For him, there is an occult relation between man and the universe around him and in the wide expanse of nature, he could feel a liberation from the tyranny of things. A minute analysis of his works clarifies his penchant to stimulate the new generation to know about their own entity as well as, the adjacency of ultimate truth, and the realization of supremacy in natural phenomena. The present paper aims to present the compendious conceptions of Emerson about spirituality intermingled with idealism through the microscopic lens of Indian philosophy. This approach will highlight the need to have enough acumen and intrinsic potential to discover a new intellectual path in the realm of spiritual idealistic studies.