In Search of Inner Self:Yunus Emre’s Mysticism and Emerson’s Transcendentalism

Year 2023, Issue: 28, 508 - 523, 25.10.2023

Ercan Kaçmaz

https://doi.org/10.30767/diledeara.1379908

Abstract

How could a person seek freedom of inner self and find the truth? Acording to Ralph Waldo Emerson, this is possible through Self-Reliance. From Emerson’s transcendental perspective, the most important thing for a person is to know himself. On the other hand, approximately six hundred years before Emerson, the Turkish poet Yunus Emre gave a very similar message with the phrase Know Yourself. Emre’s perspective on inner self, truth, and love is closely related to Emerson’s ethical ideas, indicating that both writers lead us towards Neoplatonic theories of knowledge. Emre and Emerson came from contrasting cultural backgrounds and had distinct living and working conditions and learning envi- ronments. Emre hails from the Turkish culture and is a disciple (murid) of a Sufi spiritual teacher (murshid), in contrast Emerson comes from a Unitarian background, but he does not follow a lineage and relies on his individual actions. Despite this, they both have an inclu- sive attitude that encompasses all of humanity. Although there seems to be no references to the Turkish poet Emre in Emerson’s texts, there are a lot of commonalities in their writings in terms of self and inner-self. These philosophers - who lived in different continents, thou- sands of miles away from each other and at different times - listened to the universe with the same ear, with the same heart. Thus, they appear as two poets who aim to help people know themselves and add meaning to their lives, not only in their own society but also in other societies. Therefore, this study focuses on the unseen connection between these literary figures and through comparative analysis; it seeks to shed light on the shared mystical and transcendental themes that connect Emre and Emerson across time and cultural boundaries.

Keywords

Yunus Emre, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Islamic Mysticism, Transcendentalism, Know yourself, Self-reliance, Inner self.

İç Benliği Ararken: Yunus Emre’nin Mistisizmi ve Emerson’ın Aşkıncılığı

Abstract

How could a person seek freedom of inner self and find the truth? Acording to Ralph Waldo Emerson, this is possible through Self-Reliance. From Emerson’s transcendental perspective, the most important thing for a person is to know himself. On the other hand, approximately six hundred years before Emerson, the Turkish poet Yunus Emre gave a very similar message with the phrase Know Yourself. Emre’s perspective on inner self, truth, and love is closely related to Emerson’s ethical ideas, indicating that both writers lead us towards Neoplatonic theories of knowledge. Emre and Emerson came from contrasting cultural backgrounds and had distinct living and working conditions and learning envi- ronments. Emre hails from the Turkish culture and is a disciple (murid) of a Sufi spiritual teacher (murshid), in contrast Emerson comes from a Unitarian background, but he does not follow a lineage and relies on his individual actions. Despite this, they both have an inclu- sive attitude that encompasses all of humanity. Although there seems to be no references to the Turkish poet Emre in Emerson’s texts, there are a lot of commonalities in their writings in terms of self and inner-self. These philosophers - who lived in different continents, thou- sands of miles away from each other and at different times - listened to the universe with the same ear, with the same heart. Thus, they appear as two poets who aim to help people know themselves and add meaning to their lives, not only in their own society but also in other societies. Therefore, this study focuses on the unseen connection between these literary figures and through comparative analysis; it seeks to shed light on the shared mystical and transcendental themes that connect Emre and Emerson across time and cultural boundaries.

Keywords

Yunus Emre, Ralph Waldo Emerson, İslam Mistisizmi, Transandan- talizm, Kendini tanı, özgüven, içsel benlik

References

• Ay, R. (2012). “Bizans’tan Osmanlıya Anadolu’da Heterodoks inanışlar: ‘öteki’ dindarlığın ortak doğası üzerine (650– 1600)”. OTAM Ankara Üniversitesi Osmanlı Tarihi Araştırma ve Uygulama Merkezi Dergisi 31: 1-40.
• Albanese, C. L. (1988). The Spirituality of the American Transcendentalists. Georgia: Mercer University Press. Al-Ghazzali, A. H. M. (1993). Revival of Religious Learnings: Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum-id-Din. Vol. III. Translated by Fazl-ul-Karim. Karachi: Durul-Ishaat.
• Andrews, B. M. (2021). American Sage: The Spiritual Teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Amherst and Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.
• B. M. (2017). Transcendentalism and the Cultivation of the Soul. Amherst and Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.
• Ayoub, M. M. (2004). Islam: Faith and History. London: Oneworld Publications.
• Benazus, H. (2022). Yunus Emre. İstanbul: Sözcü Kitapevi.
• Buell, L. (2003). Emerson. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
• Cabot, J. E. (1895). A Memoir of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Vol. I, 8th ed., Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
• Cameron, K. W. (1989). “The Genesis and Meaning of Emerson’s ‘Gnothi Seauton’ (1831).” American Renaissance Literary Report 3: 85-120.
• Demir, R. (2020). Yunus Emre: Türk Felsefesinin Doğuşu. İstanbul: Muhayyel Yayıncılık. ........, R. W. (1850). Representative Men: Seven Lectures. Boston: Phillips, Sampson and Company. ........, R. W. (1950). The Complete Essays and Other Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Brooks Atkinson, New York: The Modern Library. ........, R. W. (1903b). Essays: Second Series. Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Edward Waldo Emerson, vol. 3, Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. ........, R. W. (1904a). Nature: Addresses and Lectures. Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Edward Waldo Emerson, vol. 1, Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. ........, R. W. (1904b). Letters and Social Aims. Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Edward Waldo Emerson, vol. 8, Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
• Emre, Y. (2018). Journey to the Beloved: Sufi Poems by Yunus Emre. Translated by Ersin Balcı. İstanbul: Kopernik. Goto, S. (2007). The Philosophy of Emerson and Thoreau: Orientals Meet Occidentals. Lewiston: The Edwin Mellen Press.
• Gölpınarlı, A. (2015). Yunus Emre. İstanbul: Kapı Yayınları.
• Helminski, K. (2000). The Knowing Heart: A Sufi Path of Transformation. Boston & London: Shambhala.
• “John 4:13.” New International Version. Bible Gateway. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://www.biblegateway.com/ verse/en/1%20John%204%3A13.
• Knysh, A. (2000). Islamic Mysticism: A Short History. Volume I, Boston: Brill.
• Köprülü, F. (1976). Türk Edebiyatında İlk Mutasavvıflar. 3rd Edition, Ankara: Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı Yayınları.
• Kuyumcu, F. (1984). “Tasavvufun Başlıca Terimleri ve Deyimleri Üzerine Bir Deneme.” Mavera (92-95), Tasavvuf Özel Sayısı 31-63.
• Locke, J. (1853). An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. 31st ed., London: William Tegg & Co.
• “Luke 17:21.” King James Bible Online. Org. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://www.kingjamesbible.me/Luke-17-21/.
• “Quran 50:16.” Quran.com. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://quran.com/qaf/16.
• Richardson, R. D. (1995). Emerson: The Mind on Fire. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• Rishmawi, G. K. (1995). “Emerson and the Sufis” The Muslim World 85: 147-155.
• Rose, A. C. (1981). Transcendentalism as a Social Movement, 1830-1850. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
• Schimmel, A. (1975). Mystical Dimensions of Islam. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
• Schmidt, L. E. (2012). Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality. Berkeley: University of California Press. Smith, G. M. (1993). The Poetry of Yunus Emre, A Turkish Sufi
• Poet. Berkeley: University of California Press. Spurgeon, C. F. E. (1922). Mysticism in English Literature. 2nd ed., London: Cambridge University Press.
• Sunar, C. (1966). Mistisizmin Ana Hatları. Ankara: Ankara Üniversitesi Basımevi.
• Tatcı, M. (2008). Yunus Emre Külliyâtı I: Yunus Emre Dîvânı- İnceleme. İstanbul: H Yayınları.
• Toprak, B. (2006). Yunus Emre Divanı. Odunpazarı Belediyesi Yayınları: 3, İstanbul: Promat Basım Yayın San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
• Türer, O. (2019). Ana Hatlarıyla Tasavvuf Tarihi. İstanbul: Ataç Yayıncılık.
• Versluis, A. (2001). The Esoteric Origins of the American Renaissance. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ______, A. (2019). “Multiculturalism and Transcendentalism.” Acad. Quest. 32: 515-520.