The Spiritual Teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

by Richard G. Geldard, Robert Richardson (Foreword)

No one who has felt the life-changing pull of Emerson's enormous planetary mind has ever doubted his power or his greatness. Emerson's life was devoted to showing how one may still attain an original, that is to say, an authentic, relation to the universe, and Geldard's book aims to focus and distill the famously dispersed Emerson and put his central teachings into the modern reader's hand.

Genres: Philosophy

196 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2001

Reviews

[Emma]

In “The Spiritual Teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Geldard gives an overview of Emerson’s spiritual teachings and ideas, utilizing literature from Emerson himself, his forebears, and his contemporaries. Designed as a model by which the layman can interpret Emerson for use in daily life, this book tries to translate nineteenth-century ideas into modern sensibilities.

While many parts of this book struck a chord with me, just as many parts didn’t. Geldard has a bad habit of interpreting Emerson in such a way that his and Geldard’s philosophies align. This means skirting past Emerson’s Confucian influence and rather favoring his debt to Plato, Pythagoras, and the likes. Other times, however, he hits right on the mark, and Emerson’s spirituality is depicted in its true light. A worthwhile read as an entry point into Transcendentalism, but you’d be much better off reading Emerson himself and just trudging through the linguistic difficulty.

[David A. Beardsley]

I am aware of the irony of writing about Emerson, who urged everyone to reject quoting others and to find his or her own voice, and I know Richard Geldard is also. However, this book does a great service to modern Americans (humanity, in fact), by bringing to us a new appreciation of Emerson's deep spiritual insights. Drawing on the essays as well as his journals, Geldard mines the best from Emerson's work and creates the desire to tap into this deep vein of gold ourselves. (Full disclosure: I am acquainted with Richard Geldard and collaborated with him on the DVD "Emerson: The Ideal in America." However, I believe my assessment of this book would be the same if I weren't.)

[MeLani]

I find such a strong similarity between the beliefs I hold (Unity) and Emerson's. Before reading this, I suppose I never appreciated the universal spirituality of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I am finding many "aha" moments.

[Pradnya]

The language was somewhat difficult to follow. I would have preferred to read Emerson's views in a more straight forward presentation. It is possible that my unfamiliarity with the language of philosophy was the reason.

[Maan Kawas]

Great book!!! I found it so informative and enlightening! I particularly loved the excellent interpretation and analysis of Emerson's "Nature"!