When analytic thought, the knife, is applied to experience, something is always killed in the process.
Robert M. PirsigRead
The way to see what looks good and understand the reasons it looks good, and to be at one with this goodness as the work proceeds, is to cultivate an inner quietness, a peace of mind so that goodness can shine through.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cultivating inner peace allows one to appreciate and understand beauty in art and life.
In this quote, Robert M. Pirsig emphasizes the importance of inner tranquility in recognizing and appreciating beauty, both in art and in our lives. He suggests that through achieving peace of mind, one can allow goodness and artistic quality to emerge and be fully appreciated during the creative process.
Themes
Inner PeaceArtBeautyCreativityGoodness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared in an art class to inspire students to find peace in their creative process.
More from Robert M. Pirsig
All quotes →The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain.
Robert M. PirsigRead
It's better not to see than to see wrongly.
Robert M. PirsigRead
The truth knocks on the door and you say, go away, I'm looking for the truth, and it goes away. Puzzling.
Robert M. PirsigRead
You want to know how to paint a perfect painting? It's easy. Make yourself perfect and then just paint naturally.
Robert M. PirsigRead
This inner peace of mind occurs on three levels of understanding. Physical quietness seems the easiest to achieve, although there are levels and levels of this too, as attested by the ability of Hindu mystics to live buried alive for many days. Mental quietness, in which one has no wandering thoughts at all, seems more difficult, but can be achieved. But value quietness, in which one has no wandering desires at all but simply performs the acts of his life without desire, that seems the hardest.
Robert M. PirsigRead
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