Meditations of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Into the Green Future (Nature's Inspiration) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0899973523 ISBN 13: 9780899973524

Publisher: Wilderness Press, 2004

Synopsis

As an adventuring heretic, Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882) challenged comfortable assumptions about nature, scientific understanding and divine intelligence. The Sage of Concords writings continue to inspire and influence new generations of thinkers and readers as he bridges the wild places of the heart and intellect.

This portable sampler of 60 selections from 30 years of Emersons writings reveals the essence of Emersons spiritual vision. Complementing each passage is an inspirational quote from historical and contemporary luminaries as diverse as Margaret Fuller, the Dalai Lama and Jack Kerouac.

Journey into the mind and heart of this great 19th century author, poet and philosopher whose writings remain relevant and inspiring today.

About this title

About the Author

After serving as an interfaith chaplain and minister for many years, Chris Highland now identifies as a freethinker and Humanist celebrant.  He has taught at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Dominican University of California, College of Marin, Cherry Hill Seminary, UNC-Asheville and Blue Ridge Community College.

After leaving the ministry, he was the director of an emergency shelter and managed two innovative homes for independent seniors. 

Chris is the author of A Freethinkers' Gospel, Meditations of John Muir and other titles. He writes a weekly "Highland Views" column for the Religion page of a local paper.  His primary website is chighland.com where his essays, photography and videos are presented. Chris lives in Asheville, NC with his wife Carol, a Presbyterian minister.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Worship

Through all its kingdoms, to the suburbs and outskirts of things, [Nature] is faithful to the cause whence it had its origin. It always speaks of Spirit. It suggests the absolute. It is a perpetual effect. It is a great shadow pointing always to the sun behind us.

The aspect of Nature is devout. Like the figure of Jesus, she stands with bended head, and hands folded upon the breast. The happiest man is the one who learns from nature the lesson of worship.

Of that ineffable essence which we call Spirit, he that thinks most, will say least. We can foresee God in the coarse, and, as it were, distant phenomena of matter; but when we try to define and describe himself, both language and thought desert us, and we are as helpless as fools and savages. That essence refuses to be recorded in propositions, but when man has worshipped him intellectually, the noblest ministry of nature is to stand as the apparition of God....

Therefore, that spirit, that is, the Supreme Being, does not build up nature around us, but puts it forth through us, as the life of the tree puts forth new branches and leaves through the pores of the old. As a plant upon the earth, so a man rests upon the bosom of God; he is nourished by unfailing fountains, and draws at his need inexhaustible power.

*****

“You might step on a stone and it would be a more pious act.”
―Meister Eckhart in Classics of Western Spirituality

Edition details

• Publisher: Wilderness Press
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0899973523
• ISBN 13: 9780899973524
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 143
• Editor: Highland Chris