'Men Descend to Meet'

Ralph Waldo Emerson is greatly quoted. There are many great one liners which for years I have appreciated but could never find at my finger tips. I'd see a quote and wonder if it included the complete context of what Emerson meant. After teaching a course on his Essays for the second time I feel like I get it. The great thing about teaching a course is that you get to experience the work twice- first in preparing and then in presenting and discussing with the adult learners interested in understanding Emerson's writings as they pertain to spiritual life.

The essay Oversoul is about the great idea, the Divine and how we are part of the Divine. It is considered to be his most mystical essay. Filled with metaphorical descriptions in this essay RWE says, "From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all'. The light is the Over-Soul.

For the past week I have been walking with the idea found about midway through Over-Soul. 'Men descend to meet'. Let me explain why it's been enlightening to me. I see it as there is a Divine idea, the Universe, that wants to articulate, to create, to show up in form here on Earth. We are a form of this creative energy. And so in my daily walk, daily life this passage reflects what I am here to do. The idea of me, the idea of you; both having descended into human form to meet. We are not identical but we are unique forms of the same Universe. How simple, how clear, how elegant, how purposeful.