Absinthe & Transcendentalists
5 Minutes of Peace
“I Am God”: Emerson’s Wrestle with the Divine
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“I Am God”: Emerson’s Wrestle with the Divine

In his journal entry for May 26, 1837, Emerson struggles to grasp the nature of the universe
gray concrete tunnel under green trees
Photo by Anna Gru on Unsplash

🔹 In This Episode:
Join us as we explore Ralph Waldo Emerson’s journal entry from May 26, 1837, where he grapples with pantheism, Manichaeism, and the nature of the self within the divine.

  • 🌿 What does it mean to be an individual?

  • Emerson’s radical statement: “I am God”—and why it matters

  • 🔥 His struggle with Manichaean dualism and the tension between body & spirit

  • 🌎 How harming the world is harming the divine (and ourselves)

🎧 Prefer to listen? Hit play above! Love to read? The full text version is on Absinthe & Transcendentalists.

💬 What do you think? Drop a comment—what does Emerson’s struggle tell us about him — where he was emotionally and spiritually when he wrote this?

How does his process of discernment reflect (or differ) from your own?

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📌 Next Episode: We continue with Emerson’s journal—please join us!

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Until then, peace be with you!

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