I hold the most archaic values on earth ... the fertility of the soul, the magic of the animals, the power-vision in solitude.... the love and ecstasy of the dance, the common work of the tribe.
Gary SnyderRead
In the belly of the furnace of creativity is a sexual fire; the flames twine about each other in fear and delight. The same sort of coiling, at a cooler, slower pace, is what the life of this planet looks like. The enormous spirals of typhoons, the twists and turns of mountain ranges and gorges, the waves and the deep ocean currents - a dragonlike writhing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Creativity is a powerful force that intertwines passion and nature, reflecting the complexities of life.
Gary Snyder's quote emphasizes the intricate connection between creativity and the natural world, likening the creative process to a fiery and dynamic force. The vivid imagery of fire and the coiling movements of nature captures the essence of life’s rhythm, suggesting that both creativity and natural phenomena are manifestations of the same underlying energy and complexity.
Themes
CreativityNatureArtLifeEnergy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of environmental conservation, one could use this quote to illustrate the beauty and complexity of nature.
More from Gary Snyder
All quotes →Being the Stream Meditation is not just a rest or retreat from the turmoil of the stream or the impurity of the world. It is a way of being the stream, so that one can be at home in both the white water and the eddies. Meditation may take one out of the world, but it also puts one totally into it.
Gary SnyderRead
We . . . must try to live without causing unnecessary harm, not just to fellow humans but to all beings. We must try not to be stingy, or to exploit others. There will be enough pain in the world as it is.
Gary SnyderRead
Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.
Gary SnyderRead
Forests in the tropics are cut to make pasture to raise beef for the American market. Our distance from the source of our food enables us to be superficially more comfortable, and distinctly more ignorant.
Gary SnyderRead
Wherever man exists, he finds the need to redesign, to recreate the world. A more beautiful world, purer, sweeter smelling and more colorful. A garden is probably the spot where the hopes for civilization are best captured. In fact, man defines himself by his garden. My Grandmother standing wordless fifteen minutes Between rows of loganberries, clippers poised in her hand.
Gary SnyderRead
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