Spirituality: Session Ten A

Session Summary - Compensation

Janice began by recapping the chapter: In his essay on Compensation, Emerson writes that nature will level all; if there is a lack, nature will fill the hole to create balance. Skills must be worked for to be achieved. Virtue is a goal. Consequences come here and now on this planet. A couple of Emerson's ideas held meaning for Janice as she was able to relate them to her own experiences. When asked to testify against an abuser, she realized that she was more woman than he was man - a compensation for the power that he had once held over her weakness. Another point of resonance was the initial similarity between eastern ideas about which Janice was learning and Emerson's ideas of balance. Paul reiterated the similarity of thought in explaining that as soon as a deed is conceived the seed for judgement is planted. Compensation is immediate. Karma could be a parallel idea.

However, Janice was irked by Emerson's approach to compensation, saying that he missed the fundamentals of Eastern thought and instead produced a guide which sounds like works righteousness.

Emerson's purpose in writing compensation was to bring the divine to a sermon on compensation which he previously heard, and offer hope. A problem, however, is his use of the word 'success'. Emerson seems unwilling to lose the labels of 'good' and 'evil' and thus promotes a dualistic approach in contrast to the Buddhist goal which is to live in light and evil - to be oneself, to be whole or to be true in the moment.

In support of Emerson, there is something outside of Emerson's understanding of good and evil. This as beauty. When Emerson uses beauty instead of good, it works. Another point we must consider in understanding Emerson is that he was writing for his time and in his time. He didn't know how to leave the church and therefore he used the old language to speak of new ideas. His words are in the church for the church. But he was saying more than anything else anyone was saying at the time. He was open to many different ideas, but it's true that something in his personality probably prevented Emerson from dealing with the duality.

However, is it not hard for us to overcome duality from how we were brought up? Do we really understand this all encompassing life which Buddhist's speak of? It is when we work the idea, that we start to know it.

At what level is compensation happening? Compensatory actions exists for all behaviour. Everything works together and is dynamic. For example, one who is arrogant usually feels inferior. However, when Emerson gets to the level of nature, he moves it up to the spiritual realm. When one is with nature one is in the bosom of beauty.

Some of Emerson's theory about compensation might seem unbelievable. In one example, Emerson writes that the harsh father will be softened when he sees his innocent children. In other words, good will be matched by bad. But in other experiences, we see bad added to bad. Janice described how her problems with trust lead to aloofness. Grace is not all that she sees. On the other hand, the Buddhist idea of karma sounds very much like grace. Also, the constant choices we make in the face of 'bad' bring compensation. Emerson talks of an invisible ideal. In fact, Emerson speaks of the huge picture. Maybe justice is hard to appreciate from an individuals point of view but there is a working behind the scenes in Nature. Emerson is addressing where this hope can be found - on a level beyond.

What about the goal of success? Emerson seems to want prosperity to be possible, through the process of virtue rather than material gain.

Why do the godly suffer? If one doesn't have peace in one's heart, who cares what material wealth is had. But why can spirituality and material wealth not correspond? Why could we not think of those with material possession as having character or spiritual qualities? Why do the wealthy seem to prosper? When we think of various people who have material gain, we realize it is hard for us to see the inside of others and therefore impossible to know how they experience compensation.

Janice then outlined the differences she saw between Taoism and Emerson. Taoism reflects tension between dark and light. Energy is spent balancing out your energy and living accordingly through submission. Emerson's style of learning is not the feminine form as found in Taoism. Emerson approaches spirituality from a masculine perspective. Work hard, gain skills and become someone different. We make change according to Emerson. It is the difference between Tai Chi and boxing.

Hinduism teaches that one effects karma with every deed. We do what we are meant to do. The wheel of reincarnation is greater than our deeds. The energy is open to just be whatever you are. Being is the main idea with all three eastern approaches

But, having critiqued Emerson with eastern thought, what is to be critiqued in eastern thought? For some, one moment of being per day is an amazing experience. For others, such as Paul, an admitted idealist, grace is fundamental in the universe. He's not sure if he believes it, he just assumes it. There is love beyond the personal. He trusts the idea that the universe in unfolding. Those of us with less faith may wonder whether our upbringing was so twisted that we cannot assume these natural truths. Why is fundamentalism so damaging? Or are we that rebellious?

We all have the opportunity in the present to live a beautiful life. When we see someone, like Paul's acquaintance, who has a narrow mind but cares about those around him, we wonder how do we bring together the contradictions of who people are and what they believe? But who cares what someone believes; care about what the person is like, about his character. As an extension of this we can see the compensation of moving from a shitty childhood to an adult life of opportunity to choose and know love and grace.

If each of us would rewrite the Compensation essay, from what page would we start? We speak from a totally different era than Emerson. The mid-1800's were a time of much hope rather than the pervading despair that exists today because of modernization.

Janice would choose the word 'surrender' rather than 'success'. For those who lack a will to live, the invitation to let yourself fall into grace when nothing is left, could be hopeful. Reliance on others could encourage service in the presence of love. Weakness, rather than needing to be overcome, could call out dignity as the more one is in another's debt, the more society is enriched.

We all come at grace from different places. Emerson's approach is more masculine, an abstract or mathematical approach. Others may come from a more personal or feminine experience. The feminine act is that of creativity and formation, waiting for change to happen within us. In this case our being is not dependent on our actions. But for others, Emerson's masculine approach is welcomed.

For example, Paul would start his page with grace that is in him. After his debacle with religious authorities or spiritual crisis, he leans toward the Emerson way, knowing that holographically he is god; he is a creator, receptive to the creative energy which is within him. Human-beings are holographs or in Biblical terms icons of God - as carriers of this image they co-create with the universe. Like Emerson, he has an excessive sense that the big picture that is moving forward is him and beyond him. If we find out that we are worthy of all we have received, we find out that we are images of god. We are worth something because we are creators.

Bev starts with freedom. She has had to learn the definition of true freedom - freedom within limitation - freedom for rather than freedom apart from.

Lyle starts variously with law and enlightenment. Law when self punishment from projects closes in, but grace despite failings. He hopes character is developing and that he is moving toward Emerson's approach.

Cal starts with trust. He hopes in the courage to risk, trusting the universe that he deserves to be here and can pursue his dreams.

Eldon starts with dynamic energy rather than chaos. He hopes that within extremes, meaning can be found, and that order exists.

Martin L. starts with passion and resignation. He hopes to be able to rest and believe that life is unfolding, but feels unsure when passion is missing. He resonates more with Thoreau's gutsiness, but wants to have more of the resignation found in Emerson.

In comparing our responses to Emerson's we see that Emerson is not in touch with his feelings to know the feminine value. He doesn't cry when he should and various others things that might connect him with to the feminine. Emerson doesn't seem to acknowledge suffering and hardship in his own personal experience; by neglecting it he is unwittingly overlooking the truth of suffering and its dignity .

Emerson makes reference to the spiritual so much at the cost of the personal level of living. But the more godly one becomes the more personal one may become.

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