Human beings have been created in the image of the Divine. As images of the Divine, we retain our deep seated need and desire to understand and connect with that which is beyond us. On an instinctive level, we know and understand that the natural world is also a Divine Creation. Just as one can gain an understanding of an artist through studying her art, one can gain an understanding of the Creator through the study of creation.
Sadly, in these latter times, humans have forgotten the connection between the Creator and creation, and have seen the natural as separate from the Divine. Even more sad is that many have forgotten the Creator altogether, and particularly in the West, have come to the conclusion that creation is all that exists. This error extends even more deeply as prompted by the scientific world view to conclude that the ONLY part of creation that exists is the small portion that we can experience through our physical senses. Technology has enhanced and extended our range as to how far our physical senses can perceive, but no technology can perceive that which is by its very nature beyond human perception.
The core of Essentialism is that all of creation exists because it was first conceived as an archetype in the mind of the Creator. The astrological aphorism, “as above, so below” at its deepest level speaks to this. Essentialism also teaches that substance, or what we can perceive with our senses or through technology, always proceeds from essence. Essence is that which was conceived in the mind of the Creator and as such, it is imperceptible through human means. There is a natural humility to essentialism in that, unlike the hubris of rationalism, at the heart of essentialism is a deep understanding that there is much beyond our human ability to grasp. An essentialist studies the natural world like an art connoisseur, in order to appreciate and come closer to the Ultimate Artist; however, she does not confuse the art with the Artist, or creation with the Creator.
The Wisdom of Our Grandmothers 