Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
A man can spend several hours sitting cross-legged in the same position if he knows that noting prevents him from changing it; but if he knows that he has to sit with his legs crossed like that, he will get cramps, his legs will twitch and strain towards where he would like to stretch them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Freedom of choice can influence our comfort and peace.
Leo Tolstoy's quote highlights the psychological impact of perception on our experience of discomfort. When we feel we have the freedom to change our situation, we can endure challenges more easily; conversely, the knowledge of being stuck in a situation can cause restlessness and discomfort, even when the actual conditions may remain the same.
Themes
FreedomChoicePerceptionComfortDiscomfortPsychology
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation workshop, this quote can be used to illustrate the importance of mindset in enduring discomfort.
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