1. Ralph Waldo Emerson

2. Philosopher, poet, essayist, and public speaker Urged people to think for themselves rather than follow traditional rules Left the ministry because his beliefs conflicted with the church Believed that each person contained a spark of divinity and should search for truths in nature and within themselves. Father of Transcendentalism

3. The idea that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, self, and other important matters, one must transcend (or go beyond) everyday human experience in the physical world.

4.  Everything in the world, is a reflection of the Divine Soul  The physical facts of the natural world are a doorway to the spiritual/idea world  People can use their intuition to behold God’s spirit revealed in nature or in their souls  Self-reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority  Spontaneous feelings and intuition are superior to intellectualism and rationality Basic Beliefs in Laymen’s Terms: 1. Quest for truth 2. Individualism 3. Strong connection to Nature 4. Dislike of materialism 5. Must rely on intuition 6. Self-Reliance

5. Intuition is our capacity to know things spontaneously through our emotions rather than through our reasoning abilities.