Transcendentalism


 * __Some Basic Tenets of Transcendentalism__**
 * It is important to remember as you read this that Transcendentalism is a highly individualistic philosophy, so Transcendentalists tend to disagree with one another quite readily. This is merely a list of beliefs that //many// Transcendentalists //might// agree with…**


 * 1) All people and things desire to exist in their ideal state.
 * 2) One must have faith in intuition, for no church or creed can communicate truth.
 * 3) Self-reliance is the highest virtue.
 * 4) The goal of life is to "transcend" the lower animalistic impulses of life and move from the rational to a spiritual realm.
 * 5) The human soul is a part of the Oversoul and will return to it at death.
 * 6) This Oversoul/Life Force/God can be found everywhere; therefore, travel to holy places is unnecessary.
 * 7) Miracles are all about us - the whole world is a miracle and the smallest creature is one, no less significant than the miracles of the Bible or any other sacred text.
 * 8) More important than a concern about the afterlife, should be a concern for this life.
 * 9) Emphasis should be placed on the here and now.
 * 10) There is a relationship between all things.
 * 11) What we think of as evil is only the absence of good, just as darkness is just the absence of light.
 * 12) Light is more powerful than darkness because one ray of light penetrates the dark.
 * 13) Great leaders, philosophers, etc. show what an individual can become through thought and action.
 * 14) It is foolish to worry about consistency.
 * 15) Societal reform must not be emphasized - true reform comes from within.