Spiritual Democracy
Spiritual Democracy is akin to a kind of science of God that includes all faiths and all good knowledge.
Whitman’s concept of spiritual Democracy
Walt Whitman (1819-92) in section 5 of “Song of Myself” shows equal importance to both body and soul. So, he did not give much importance to the body for the soul, Nor the soul for the body. Here the soul represents God. God is traced as Whitman’s beloved. God loves Whitman and comes very close like intimate contact with his body.
More Notes: Song of Myself
Whitman feels that this woman’s soul of God places her head on his hips, licks his breast with her tongue, and caresses her all over the poet’s body. Only then the poet feels a mystical experience that provides him divinity and makes him also a super soul. So, the poet relates,
“Swiftly arose and spread around me the peace and joy and knowledge that pass all the art and argument of the earth”
Here, Whitman feels that both the soul and body are God’s creations. So, both of them are sacred and holy. Thus, the poet becomes a believer in democracy. Now he realizes that all the men of this universe are his brothers and all the women are either his sisters or beloveds. At this stage, he becomes able to realize that love unites this universe and supports them to live. Every single object of this universe whether good or bad is equally scary and significant.
Thus, Walt Whitman reveals his conception of spiritual Democracy and pantheism.
