Emerson and Emanations

Self-Portrait, 1889, Vincent Van Gogh

Richardson (348): "Emerson was particularly struck by two Neoplatonic teachings: the idea of the world as emanation and the idea of the ecstatic union with the One. For Plotinus everything emanates, or flows out, from the One, the ultimate power and unity of things."  Emerson writes...

As the river flows, and the plant flows (or emits odors) and the sun flows (or radiates) and the mind is a stream of thoughts, so was the universe an emanation of God.  Everything is an emanation, and from every emanation is a new emanation, and that from which it emanates is an emanation also.  If anything could stand still, it would be instantly crushed and dissipated by the torrent which it resisted.

This makes me think of Henry David Thoreau (in "Spring" of Walden) describing the moving, responsive frozen pond which I reflected on here.