'Self-Reliance' by Ralph Waldo Emerson contains the essence of transcendental philosophy. Emerson reflects upon human potential & encourages us to listen to the voice within. He explores & illuminates the concepts of idealism, individualism & spiritualism. His belief in determining one's values from personal insights rather than conforming to societal judgements remains pertinent today. Emerson has inspired classical writers from Thoreau, Whitman & Nietzsche to contemporary authors such as D. H. Lawrence, William Carlos Williams & Ernest Hemingway.