Transcendentalism

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written in a response of Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about transcendentalism and similar Indian philosophy. Along with that, i am also going to discuss what is nature according to me. I hope my blogs will be helpful to you.

What is transcendentalism :- 

According to Oxford dictionary :- 

1)         Transcendentalism is an idealistic philosophical and social movement which developed in New England around 1836 in reaction to rationalism. Influenced by romanticism, Platonism, and Kantian philosophy, it taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity, and its members held progressive views on feminism and communal living. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were central figures.

2)        transcendentalism is a system developed by Immanuel Kant, based on the idea that, in order to understand the nature of reality, one must first examine and analyse the reasoning process which governs the nature of experience.

1} Transcendentalists talks about individual's relation with nature. What is nature for you? Share your views. 

According to me, Nature is a eternal, it's a Diversified. Nature is not only giving sources to survive all the beings.but also give mental peace.and when it is about me! then nature for me is a Vitality, as well as peace. I never get tired of watching nature. Instead of watching i should use the word feeling nature. It is not just giving peace, along with that nature give many life lessons also. It taught me how to reduce anger, and stress and increases pleasant feelings in mind.also nature, at some point of time make me fearless. So for me Nature is a teacher, friend, home, peace, shelter, and a disaster too.

2} Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that influenced American Literature at length. Can you find any Indian/ Regional literature or philosophy came up with such similar thought? 

Transcendentalists are used to believe in self love and for that they tell to be separate from society. We find many similar thoughts in Indian philosophy. Some of them I have discuss here. 

1) Meditation :

Meditation is a process of disconnecting from world and it is a process of self identification. There is one meditation form called Transcendental meditation, originated by Maharishi Mahesh yogi, in India in the mid - 1950s. The technique of Transcendental meditation is about awareness,stress relief and access to high states of consciousness. This kind of meditation is involves use of a silently used mantra for fifteen to twenty minutes, twice in a day, while sitting with the eyes closed. This is similar of what transcendentalists said about.

2) Samakhya :- 

Samakhya is oldest philosophical school, and it believes that everything in reality originated from Purusha and prakriti. Purusha is something we can consider self or soul or mind. Prakriti is matter or energy. According to this school, the ultimate goal of life is liberation which is soul's realisations. Which is suppose to transcendentalists are also believes.

3) Samsara :- 

In this indian Philosophy, most of the philosophers believe that, world (Society) is a suffering, and the highest goal of life is lliberation.

4) Buddhism :- 

As similar of Philosophy of Samsara, Buddhism is also believe that all the pain and suffering ends when we separate ourselves from world. And try to understand one own self. For them self is most important as transcendentalists gave three basic essential values : Individualism, Idealism, and divinity of nature.

5) Vedas, Puranas, Mahakavyas :-

When we analyse Tales of vedas, puranas, Mahakavyas. We found that nature is always in the center and human's relations with nature are portrayed in very positive light. In transcendentalism we find divinity of nature, similar divinity of nature we find in most of the ancient writing. If we see Kavyas of Kalidasa, we find beautiful description of nature. Not only the description of nature but man's relations with nature is also shown gloriously. Which again reminds us nature love and thoughts of Transcendentalists.

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Images :- 3

References :-

Wikipedia.com

Indian philosophy