My Transcendentalism Experiences

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature." This was a quote by Anne Frank, this quote alone greatly reflects Emerson's and Thoreau's views of Transcendentalism. Emerson and Thoreau view things as a reflection of the Divine soul, and they share the idea that nature is a doorway to the spiritual world. Also Transcendentalism is the idea that people can use their intuition to hold god's spirit in their own souls. Emerson and Thoreau's ideas of Transcendentalism match my own experiences with nature throughout my life.
Every fall, usually in November, I take a walk around my lake. During this time of the year, all the leaves are fallen, and the lake sits still like glass. During my walk, everything is quiet, and all I hear is the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet. Alone in solitude, I truly feel at peace in that moment in time. I like to stop halfway through my walk, and find a old fallen tree to sit on and gaze on the lake and the horizon. Sitting there, gazing into the woods, with the yellow and orange leaves catching my eye, I feel a sense of confidence, like nothing can touch me, and all of my problems disappear. Then I become overwhelmed with amazement of what a wonderful world God has created for us to enjoy. A quote by Thoreau explains why I take these walks, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." By taking these walks, I feel like it teaches me to appreciate God's work, and bring be closer to him.
God is a large part of my life, and I look to him in many ways which ties me in with the idea of Transcendentalism. I have been a part of Younglife since the eighth grade, it is a youth group that meets every week, and we go on spiritual retreats in the winter and summer. Two years ago, I went to Windy Gap, a Younglife retreat center in North Carolina. The camp was in a Valley between the mountains, and it was the only site of civilization for a few miles. During the camps, you spend your time making an effort to become closer to God. One morning my cabin woke up at six in the morning to go sit on the mountainside, to watch the sun come up, and during this time our counselor told us to sit there and think of the things we were thankful to have in life. This became extremely easy as I sat curled up in my blanket, keeping warm, staring at the colossal sun rising above the leafless trees. Everything in nature was just waking up, and it was so calm. I felt like God was begging me to take advantage of this time and treasure every second. I definitely did take advantage, and I only wish I could have an experience like this every morning. It opens your mind to the true beauty of nature. Also as I stared into the breathtaking horizon I felt a rush of happiness, that God would make this for humans, and it made me feel so confident that I felt like I could climb the mountain all the way to the top. As Emerson said, "Our faith comes in moments...yet there is a depth in those brief moments which constrains us to ascribe more reality to them than all other experiences." Emerson's quote shares the feelings I had during that cold morning in Windy Gap. At that moment it hit me and I realized how thankful I should be that god created this paradise for us to live in, and all he asks of us is to have a relationship with him. These two of many spiritual experiences, prove that the concept of Transcendentalism can still be reached in our modern world today. Emerson and Thoreau believe that when you seperate yourself into nature you can use your intuition to behold god's spirit. When you find yourself distraught and you feel that your one against the world, put your self into solitude, and take a second, breathe, and appreciate all of the wonderful things God has put forth on this earth. Like Anne Frank said, when you feel lonely or unhappy, lead yourself to a place of solitude in nature where you can be one with nature and god.