If my life were not a dangerous, painful experiment, if I did not constantly skirt the abyss and feel the void under my feet, my life would have no meaning and I would not have been able to write anything.
Hermann Hesse
Existence, Meaning, Pain, Creativity, Struggle, Personal Experience
Hermann Hesse’s Quotes On Topics
Ask | Receive | Spiritual Creativity | Happy | Dream Symbolism | Universal Joy | Resilience | Positive Perspective | Self Conquest | Moment | Perspective | Simplicity | Universe | Moral Complexity | Fate | Emotional Growth | Emotional Intensity | Chain | Faults | Humanity | More
More Hermann Hesse Quotes
“In the beginning was the myth. God, in his search for self -expression, invested the souls of Hindus, Greeks, and Germans with poetic shapes and continues to invest each child 's soul with poetry every day.” Hermann Hesse
Myth, God, Poetry, Cultural Origin, Spiritual Creativity, Human Essence
Hermann Hesse Myth, God, Poetry, Cultural Origin, Spiritual Creativity, Human Essence“I will learn from myself, be my own pupil; I will learn from myself the secret of Siddhartha.” Hermann Hesse
Self Discovery, Introspection, Wisdom, Learning, Inner Teacher, Personal Growth
Hermann Hesse Self Discovery, Introspection, Wisdom, Learning, Inner Teacher, Personal Growth“There are many ways in which the god can make us lonely and lead us to ourselves.” Hermann Hesse
God, Lonely, Ourselves, Spiritual Journey, Self-discovery, Divine Intervention
Hermann Hesse God, Lonely, Ourselves, Spiritual Journey, Self-discovery, Divine Intervention“The river is everywhere.” Hermann Hesse
Interconnectedness, Omnipresence, Flow, Nature, Universal Truth, Spiritual Metaphor
Hermann Hesse Interconnectedness, Omnipresence, Flow, Nature, Universal Truth, Spiritual Metaphor“like listening to music, but only the kind you play, absolute music, the kind that makes you feel that someone is rattling at the doors if heaven and hell. I like music very much, I think, because it's so unconcerned with morality.” Hermann Hesse
Music, Heaven, Hell, Transcendent Experience, Artistic Appreciation, Moral Freedom
Hermann Hesse Music, Heaven, Hell, Transcendent Experience, Artistic Appreciation, Moral Freedom“The words are not good for the secret meaning, everything always becomes a bit different, as soon as it is put into words, gets distorted a bit, a bit silly – yes, and this is also very good, and I like it a lot, I also very much agree with this, that this what is one man's treasure and wisdom always sounds like foolishness to another person.” Hermann Hesse
Language, Interpretation, Perspective, Wisdom, Individual Truth, Communication Challenges
Hermann Hesse Language, Interpretation, Perspective, Wisdom, Individual Truth, Communication Challenges“Faith is stronger than so-called reason.” Hermann Hesse
Faith, Belief, Reason, Strength, Spirituality, Conviction
Hermann Hesse Faith, Belief, Reason, Strength, Spirituality, Conviction“Knowledge can be expressed, but not wisdom. One can discover it, one can live it, one can be borne along by it, one can do miracles with it, but one cannot express it and teach it.” Hermann Hesse
Knowledge, Wisdom, Experience, Understanding, Communication, Discovery
Hermann Hesse Knowledge, Wisdom, Experience, Understanding, Communication, Discovery“Oh, I know it today: nothing in the world is more repugnant to a man than following the path that leads him to himself!” Hermann Hesse
Self Discovery, Resistance, Fear, Journey, Personal Growth, Inner Truth
Hermann Hesse Self Discovery, Resistance, Fear, Journey, Personal Growth, Inner Truth“There was once a man, Harry, called the steppenwolf. He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he was in reality a wolf of the steppes. He had learned a good deal of all that people of a good intelligence can, and was a fairly clever fellow. What he had not learned, however, was this: to find contentment in himself and his own life.” Hermann Hesse
Duality, Contentment, Self Acceptance, Identity, Inner Conflict, Human Nature
Hermann Hesse Duality, Contentment, Self Acceptance, Identity, Inner Conflict, Human Nature“How could I fail to be a lone wolf, and an uncouth hermit, as I did not share one of its aims nor understand one of its pleasures?” Hermann Hesse
Wolf, Hermit, Pleasures, Social Alienation, Personal Isolation, Cultural Disconnect
Hermann Hesse Wolf, Hermit, Pleasures, Social Alienation, Personal Isolation, Cultural Disconnect“Intensity of life is only possible at the expense of self. But there is nothing members of the bourgeoisie value more highly than self, albeit only at a rudimentary stage of development. Thus, at the expense of intensity, they manage to preserve their selves and make them secure. Instead of possession by God, an easy conscience is the reward they reap; instead of desire, contentment; instead of liberty, cosiness; instead of life-threatening heat, an agreeable temperature.” Hermann Hesse
Intensity, Self, Bourgeoisie, Complacency, Sacrifice, Existential Reflection
Hermann Hesse Intensity, Self, Bourgeoisie, Complacency, Sacrifice, Existential Reflection“He had very few doubts, and when the facts contradicted his views on life, he shut his eyes in disapproval.” Hermann Hesse
Doubts, Facts, Disapproval, Cognitive Dissonance, Willful Ignorance, Closed-mindedness
Hermann Hesse Doubts, Facts, Disapproval, Cognitive Dissonance, Willful Ignorance, Closed-mindedness“What you call passion is not spiritual force, but friction between the soul and the outside world.” Hermann Hesse
Passion, Spiritual, Friction, Psychological Insight, Emotional Definition, Existential Struggle
Hermann Hesse Passion, Spiritual, Friction, Psychological Insight, Emotional Definition, Existential Struggle“I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self.” Hermann Hesse
Self Conquest, Aspiration, Freedom, Authenticity, Inner Peace, Spiritual Growth
Hermann Hesse Self Conquest, Aspiration, Freedom, Authenticity, Inner Peace, Spiritual Growth“To hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.” Hermann Hesse
Harmony, Universe, Perception, Experience, Life, Connection
Hermann Hesse Harmony, Universe, Perception, Experience, Life, Connection“My God, rather than come to such a pass it would have been better for the Jews and every one else, let alone the Egyptians, to have perished in those days and forthwith of a violent and becoming death instead of this dismal pretence of dying by inches that we go in for today. Yes indeed!” Hermann Hesse
Jews, Egyptians, Dying, Historical Critique, Existential Despair, Societal Criticism
Hermann Hesse Jews, Egyptians, Dying, Historical Critique, Existential Despair, Societal Criticism“This happiness consisted of nothing else but the harmony of the few things around me with my own existence, a feeling of contentment and well-being that needed no changes and no intensification.” Hermann Hesse
Happiness, Harmony, Existence, Personal Contentment, Simple Pleasures, Existential Peace
Hermann Hesse Happiness, Harmony, Existence, Personal Contentment, Simple Pleasures, Existential Peace