On the surface, what appears to be a blatant rebellion against the Christian reforms that swept New England in the nineteenth century could be misinterpreted as a lack of spiritual inclinations. Looking beneath one’s crust, we will undoubtedly find true spirituality at the core of her endeavours; Far from disdaining God, but simply insisting on nothing less than a direct experience of Him.
The poet moved away from religious doctrine, so did she move away from religion? Certainly not as a whole, and even then it might just be a matter of grammar. The words “religion” and “spirituality” can sometimes be used interchangeably, and in other cases the distinction should be made nicely. Charles Anderson chose not to make the distinction, using the word “religion” in its broadest, perhaps most primitive sense:
“The final direction of her poetry, and the stresses that created it, can only be described as religious, using that word in its ‘dimension from depth.'”
Emily inherited the Puritan traits of austerity, simplicity, and practicality, as well as an astute observation of the inner self, but her communication with her higher self was more informal than her God-fearing ancestors would have dared. Daughter of the Squire of Amherst, she came from a line of brave, strong pioneers, bearing what was considered almost the blue blood of America. Her family was far from poor, but they did not lead a lavish life, for the Puritans abhor luxury and waste (even a waste of words, which the poet may have done well to inherit).
She accepted the Puritan ideals of being “called” or “chosen” by God, and fully embraced the advantages of overriding desire, but not the concept of being inherently sinful:
“While the clergyman says to Father and Vinnie that ‘this debauchee must put on depravity’ he has already done so and they go for the scam.”
She believed in her divinity, so she was probably more sure of God than her peers. She didn’t pretend to fully understand him, or even to have abiding faith in all his ways—her hair bore a constant strain of doubt—but she certainly didn’t fear him. The inner freedom which this gave her–rare for a woman of her age–made her almost insolent in her knowledge and certainty. This confidence lavishly nourished her hair, giving it its recognizable childlike quality. For her, the truth was in nature. In this beauty she can see and feel God directly:
Some keep the Sabbath by going to church –
keep it, stay home –
With Bobolink for Chorister –
And a grove for a dome –
Some keep the Sabbath at Surplice –
I just wear my wings –
And instead of ringing the bell for the church,
Our little sexton – he sings.
God preaches a famous cleric –
And the sermon never lasts
So instead of getting to heaven, finally –
I’m going all the time.”
In fact, Emily attended church regularly, and occasionally traveled to hear some of the charismatic preachers who stamped their mark on the era. She was often affected by these speeches, perhaps because of her delivery of the speaker and the construction of the words like the message within. But this was not enough to tempt her to submit to the fierce religious revival. One by one her friends received an inner calling and were “saved”, formally accepting Christianity. Her close-knit family eventually followed suit, including her strong-willed father, and finally her brother Austin, who is perhaps her closest ally. Emily wouldn’t commit to something she couldn’t genuinely feel, even given the unimaginable social pressure that surrounded her.
Until the age of 30, she continued to attend church, although she was excluded from certain meetings and services available only to those who were “saved.” She became increasingly reclusive throughout her thirties. It is tempting to view her isolation as further evidence of spiritual asceticism. Her spiritual path was certainly fiercely lonely in such a social climate, but she craved solitude more and more, and solitude somehow formed a symbiotic relationship with her art. Her art is increasingly becoming an expression of her spirituality.
Immortality (the “Flood Theme” as she called it) consumed Emily’s consciousness. Dwelling at death was a normal occurrence in those times when disease and general hardship often claimed the lives of those around her, and her consciousness was further heightened by the many years he spent in a house adjoining the cemetery. But Surrendering to Death was also an almost spiritual practice, a “cemetery meditation,” a way to focus, breathe life into notions of immortality, infinity and immortality.
Poet and philosopher Sri Chinmoy said of the poet:
“Emily Dickinson wrote thousands of psychological poems. One short poem of hers is enough to give sweet feelings and bring out the divine qualities of the soul.”
“With a deep sense of gratitude, allow me to call upon the immortal spirit of Emily Dickinson, whose spiritual inspiration impels a seeker to know precisely what the infinite God is. She says:
The Infinite Surprise Guest
It supposed to be ,
But how could this staggering come about?
that never disappeared? “
What pushed her constantly was that she needed the truth, at any cost. She needed to see it with her own eyes and feel it with her heart, not to understand it in the words of a clergyman, but to explain it to herself through her own words. It appears she was willing to die for her cause:
I died for beauty
“I died for beauty, but I was scarce
amended in the grave,
When the one who died for the truth was a liar
in an adjoining room.
Emily’s search for truth was a spiritual quest that governed her inner life, and blossomed naturally through her poetic works. Her own words, in a letter to a friend, succinctly claim eternity and immortality as her words. They may also foreshadow the enduring spiritual appeal of her writing, beyond the short period of her life:
“So I conclude that space and time are corporeal things and have little or no relation to ourselves. Mine is the truth.”