A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Holy places are dark places. It is life and strength, not knowledge and words, that we get in them. Holy wisdom is not clear and thin like water, but thick and dark like blood.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True understanding comes from deep, lived experiences rather than from mere knowledge.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes that holy places, which symbolize spaces of deep spiritual significance, are often complex and profound rather than simple and easy to understand. He argues that the essence of wisdom derived from these experiences is rich and layered, akin to the vitality of blood, rather than straightforward like water; it reflects the depth of life and strength that can only be gleaned through lived experiences and emotional involvement.
Themes
WisdomLifeStrengthExperienceSpirituality
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about spirituality and the deeper meanings of life, this quote can underscore the importance of experience over mere book knowledge.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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