Discussion: Om Sweet Om
In this section, you will embark on a journey of enlightenment and self-discovery with Transcendentalist writers including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The Transcendentalists rebelled against the restrictive and authority-driven religious experience of Early America, and sought self-reliance. They believed in connecting to an "over-soul," the concept of god within each creature and the connection of all life through that inner god.Transcendentalists eschewed the idea of prayer and instead opened themselves up to the possibilities of human thought, emotion, and experience through meditation.
To give you an idea of Transcendentalist philosophy and its impact on the next phase of American Literature, you are now invited to sit in a silent, comfortable space and open up your minds through a guided meditation (the theme is neither specifically religious nor non-religious; it is merely an exercise to exemplify the ideas of Transcendentalist thought). Read and/or follow the instructions below, and concentrate only on the moment. Keep your thoughts within the parameters of the meditation, noting all of the physical and emotional facets of your reactions. When you are done, you will have an opportunity to write about what you learned/felt/thought; you will also read and react to others' posts.
- Find a quiet space with no visual or audio distractions.
- Place a pillow on the floor adjacent to a wall.
- Sit on the pillow cross-legged (or with your legs out if that is more comfortable) and your back and head supported by the wall.You should be able to relax fully without falling asleep.
- Rest your hands in your lap.
- Click the audio link below and listen to/experience the guided meditation.
- When the meditation is finished, continue to sit breathing deeply and "listening" to your inner voice as long as you wish.
- In two brief paragraphs, describe your experience in the discussion space.
- Respond to at least two other students' posts in a positive, supportive way.