Whenever you hear someone say they’ve had a “Walden” experience, they are referencing Henry David Thoreau’s famous essay.


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Whenever you hear someone say they’ve had a “Walden” experience, they are referencing Henry David Thoreau’s famous essay.

Thoreau spent two years in a log cabin in the woods, and “Walden” is his account of the experience: what he observed in nature, and the changes in himself - how he expanded his inner freedom and awareness.

Thoreau spent two years in a log cabin in the woods, and “Walden” is his account of the experience: what he observed in nature, and the changes in himself - how he expanded his inner freedom and awareness.


Thoreau walked into the woods near Walden Pond on 4th July, 1845. They did not take long to get to, being only a couple of miles from the center of Concord, Massachusetts, where he had lived most of his life.

Thoreau walked into the woods near Walden Pond on 4th July, 1845. They did not take long to get to, being only a couple of miles from the center of Concord, Massachusetts, where he had lived most of his life.


Yet solitude could still be had, and Thoreau wanted to strip life to its core, away from the lies and gossip of society. After building a 10-by-15-foot cabin, his time was pretty much free.

Yet solitude could still be had, and Thoreau wanted to strip life to its core, away from the lies and gossip of society. After building a 10-by-15-foot cabin, his time was pretty much free.


He did grow some beans to sell at market, but only to cover some very modest costs. An idyllic life ensued, of walks, reading, watching birds, writing, and simply being. Thoreau felt that he was richer than anyone he knew. He had everything he needed, and time to enjoy it.

He did grow some beans to sell at market, but only to cover some very modest costs. An idyllic life ensued, of walks, reading, watching birds, writing, and simply being. Thoreau felt that he was richer than anyone he knew. He had everything he needed, and

The average person, with all their things, has to constantly labor to afford them, meanwhile neglecting nature’s beauty and the gentle work of the soul, which solitude brings.

The average person, with all their things, has to constantly labor to afford them, meanwhile neglecting nature’s beauty and the gentle work of the soul, which solitude brings.


Thoreau lived in the time of slavery, and once spent a night in jail for not paying his taxes as a protest. But his objection was not just to the slavery of black Americans, but of all people. Walden is an emancipation narrative, the chronicle of an escape from delusion.

Thoreau lived in the time of slavery, and once spent a night in jail for not paying his taxes as a protest. But his objection was not just to the slavery of black Americans, but of all people. Walden is an emancipation narrative, the chronicle of an escap

In his time by Walden Pond, Thoreau wanted to recover the total freedom of mind which was his at birth but which he suspected (despite his good education) had been warped by “conventional wisdom” and the prejudices of his upbringing.

In his time by Walden Pond, Thoreau wanted to recover the total freedom of mind which was his at birth but which he suspected (despite his good education) had been warped by “conventional wisdom” and the prejudices of his upbringing.


Concord, though it contained his friends and family, was a sort of prison. People did not know they were enslaved by materialism and conformity.

Concord, though it contained his friends and family, was a sort of prison. People did not know they were enslaved by materialism and conformity.


Thoreau famously declared to his blank page, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

Thoreau famously declared to his blank page, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”


Freedom of mind

Discussing the great explorers of the day, Thoreau muses over John Franklin, the Englishman who was lost on expedition, and Grinnell, the American who went looking for him:

Discussing the great explorers of the day, Thoreau muses over John Franklin, the Englishman who was lost on expedition, and Grinnell, the American who went looking for him:


“Is Franklin the only man lost, that his wife should be so earnest to find him? Does Mr Grinnell know himself where he himself is? Be rather the Mungo Park, the Lewis and Clarke and Frobisher, of your own streams and oceans; explore your own higher latitudes...”

“Is Franklin the only man lost, that his wife should be so earnest to find him? Does Mr Grinnell know himself where he himself is? Be rather the Mungo Park, the Lewis and Clarke and Frobisher, of your own streams and oceans; explore your own higher latitu

With his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau railed against what the United States and other countries had arguably become: rich consumer playgrounds shadowed by a lack of personal meaning. Emerson owned the land on which Thoreau built his hut.

With his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau railed against what the United States and other countries had arguably become: rich consumer playgrounds shadowed by a lack of personal meaning. Emerson owned the land on which Thoreau built his hut. 


Many of the thoughts and ideas in Walden have entered public consciousness, and it has been one of the key inspirations for the modern generation of personal development writers. For example, among the descriptions of nature and people we find:

Many of the thoughts and ideas in Walden have entered public consciousness, and it has been one of the key inspirations for the modern generation of personal development writers. For example, among the descriptions of nature and people we find:


“If one advances confidently in the direction of his own dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Thoreau

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his own dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Thoreau


“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.” Thoreau

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.” Thoreau


“The universe constantly and obediently answers to our conceptions; whether we travel fast or slow, the track is laid for us. Let us spend our lives in conceiving then.” Thoreau

“The universe constantly and obediently answers to our conceptions; whether we travel fast or slow, the track is laid for us. Let us spend our lives in conceiving then.” Thoreau


A few years before “Walden”, Thoreau published Civil Disobedience, the essay provoked by opposition to the Mexican war which was to influence Martin Luther King and Gandhi. The essay Slavery in Massachusetts was published in 1854, the same year as Walden.

A few years before “Walden”, Thoreau published Civil Disobedience, the essay provoked by opposition to the Mexican war which was to influence Martin Luther King and Gandhi. The essay Slavery in Massachusetts was published in 1854, the same year as Walden.

Walden was also ahead of its time in environmental sensibility. It roughly follows the sequence of the seasons. Thoreau enjoys the winter (having built himself a fireplace and chimney) but looked forward to the power and grace of spring’s renewal.

Walden was also ahead of its time in environmental sensibility. It roughly follows the sequence of the seasons. Thoreau enjoys the winter (having built himself a fireplace and chimney) but looked forward to the power and grace of spring’s renewal.


For Thoreau, few things were more instructive to the examined life than the trees, the waters and the creatures. In one classic confession, he remarks, “A match has been found for me at last: I have fallen in love with a shrub oak.”

For Thoreau, few things were more instructive to the examined life than the trees, the waters and the creatures. In one classic confession, he remarks, “A match has been found for me at last: I have fallen in love with a shrub oak.”


We can change

In some of the more poetic lines in “Walden”, Thoreau conveys a feeling of oneness with his environment: “This is a delicious evening, when the whole body is in one sense, and imbibes delight through every pore. I go and come with a strange liberty in Nature, a part of herself.”

In some of the more poetic lines in “Walden”, Thoreau conveys a feeling of oneness with his environment: “This is a delicious evening, when the whole body is in one sense, and imbibes delight through every pore. I go and come with a strange liberty in Nat

But what Thoreau sees in nature is never long left unrelated to what he sees in us. He writes: “I should be glad if all the meadows of the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence of men’s beginning to redeem themselves.”

But what Thoreau sees in nature is never long left unrelated to what he sees in us. He writes: “I should be glad if all the meadows of the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence of men’s beginning to redeem themselves.”


A railroad passed by the other end of Walden Pond, and its busy comings and goings fascinated Thoreau. Technological progress reflected the nation’s glory - or did it?

A railroad passed by the other end of Walden Pond, and its busy comings and goings fascinated Thoreau. Technological progress reflected the nation’s glory - or did it? 


“Men think that it is essential that the Nation have commerce, and export ice, and talk through a telegraph, and ride thirty miles an hour...; but whether we should live like baboons or like men, is a little uncertain.” Thoreau

“Men think that it is essential that the Nation have commerce, and export ice, and talk through a telegraph, and ride thirty miles an hour...; but whether we should live like baboons or like men, is a little uncertain.” Thoreau


Social standing is shallow, and prosperity is less something to be achieved as to be witnessed in the bounty of nature. Thoreau’s woods are symbolic of this abundance, which provides everything when we make the decision to act true to ourselves.

Social standing is shallow, and prosperity is less something to be achieved as to be witnessed in the bounty of nature. Thoreau’s woods are symbolic of this abundance, which provides everything when we make the decision to act true to ourselves.


By staying in the “village” of our minds, fearing what the next person will say about us, we will only see evidence of lack, pettiness and limited horizons.

By staying in the “village” of our minds, fearing what the next person will say about us, we will only see evidence of lack, pettiness and limited horizons.


Thoreau’s oft-quoted lines on staying unique: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away.”

Thoreau’s oft-quoted lines on staying unique: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away.”


Walden is the collective musings of a free spirit who was deeply knowledgeable of the classics, Eastern religion, and native Indian lore. It is sketched out against a background of great physical beauty and stillness. What better vacation for the reader’s mind?

Walden is the collective musings of a free spirit who was deeply knowledgeable of the classics, Eastern religion, and native Indian lore. It is sketched out against a background of great physical beauty and stillness. What better vacation for the reader’s

Near the end of Walden there is the story of a beetle that emerged from an old table, resurrected after a 60-year hibernation, thanks to the heat of an urn placed upon it.

Near the end of Walden there is the story of a beetle that emerged from an old table, resurrected after a 60-year hibernation, thanks to the heat of an urn placed upon it.


The story sums up Thoreau’s philosophy: he felt all of us have the potential to emerge from the “well-seasoned tomb” of society, like the beetle, to enjoy the summer of life.

The story sums up Thoreau’s philosophy: he felt all of us have the potential to emerge from the “well-seasoned tomb” of society, like the beetle, to enjoy the summer of life.


A different drummer

Walden

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