The body says what words cannot.
Martha GrahamRead
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Every individual has a unique expression that must be freely channeled, as it contributes to the world in an irreplaceable way.
This quote by Martha Graham emphasizes the importance of individual creativity and expression. It suggests that every person's unique contribution is vital to the world, and if they inhibit their own creative force, that expression is lost forever. Graham encourages individuals to embrace their uniqueness without comparing it to others and to keep the flow of their creativity open and uninhibited.
Themes
CreativityUniqueExpressionVitalityArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing individuality.
More from Martha Graham
All quotes →Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Martha GrahamRead
Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul's weather to all who can read it.
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What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.
Martha GrahamRead
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
Martha GrahamRead
The body is your instrument in dance, but your art is outside that creature, the body.
Martha GrahamRead
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