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Religions are founded by what mystics say when they come back; but what the mystics say is not the same as what happened to them.
Ram Dass
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Mystics' interpretations of their experiences often differ from the actual events they describe.

This quote by Ram Dass highlights the distinction between the personal, often ineffable experiences of mystics and the interpretations they provide to articulate those experiences. It suggests that while religions may be built on the revelations of mystics, the language they use to describe their transcendent encounters might not fully capture the essence of what they truly perceived or underwent.

Themes

MysticsReligionExperienceInterpretationPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about spirituality, you could use this quote to emphasize the gap between experience and expression.

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