Natural Abundance: Ralph Waldo Emerson's Guide to Prosperity

Dr. Ruth L. Miller interprets a few essential essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson that tell us how the world always responds to our thoughts, words, and actions, and what we can do to ensure that our life is truly joy-filled in all aspects. In clear, simple language, she gives us a direct sense of what Emerson felt, saw, and struggled to share with his fellow human beings.

Emerson transcended the limitations of his day. Using common sense, a love of nature, and his own particular genius, he expressed a higher truth about who we are and how the world gives us exactly what we demand from it.

Yet, perhaps because he was so popular, and because so much of what was popularized focused on the need to transcend materialism and reconnect with Nature, some of his core ideas were lost to later generations. They were there, buried in the long sentences and extended paragraphs of his often-overlooked essays—but were discovered only by the few who were willing to take the time and seek them out. These few became great teachers in their own right, the founders and leaders of institutions and movements that have changed history.

Natural Abundance makes the hidden treasures of Emerson’s wisdom accessible to 21st century readers. Through it, this great man’s alignment of his heart’s knowing and his intellect’s understanding can lead all of us to a more abundantly fulfilling life, today.

Ruth L. Miller was ordained in the New Thought tradition and became the pastor of the Lifeways Center in Portland, Oregon, then interim assistant at Unity of Beaverton. She is currently serving New Thought and Unitarian-Universalist churches in Oregon, Washington, and California. She earned a doctorate in systems science from Portland State University integrating intuition and analysis in impact assessment and decision-making. Her MS in cybernetic systems from San Jose State University was earned with a thesis integrating intuitive methods in systems planning. Her certificate in environmental studies is from Long Beach State University and a BA in anthropology with a minor in American Literature was earned at the University of New Mexico. For more information, please visit RuthLMillerPhD.com.

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading proponent of the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-nineteenth century. He was ordained as a Unitarian minister at Harvard Divinity School but served for only three years before developing his own spiritual philosophy based on individualism and intuition. His essay Nature is arguably his best-known work and was both groundbreaking and highly controversial when it was first published. Emerson also wrote poetry and lectured widely across the US.