There are seconds, they come only five or six at a time…
““There are seconds, they come only five or six at a time, and you suddenly feel the presence of eternal harmony, fully achieved. It is nothing earthly; not that it's heavenly, but man cannot endure it in his earthly state. One must change physically or die. The feeling is clear and indisputable. As if you suddenly sense the whole of nature and suddenly say: yes, this is true. God, when he was creating the world, said at the end of each day of creation: 'Yes, this is true, this is good.' This . . . this is not tenderheartedness, but simply joy. You don't forgive anything, because there is no longer anything to forgive. You don't really love — oh, what is here is higher than love! What's most frightening is that it's so terribly clear, and there's such joy. If it were longer than five seconds — the soul couldn't endure it and would vanish. In those five seconds I live my life through, and for them I would give my whole life, because it's worth it. To endure ten seconds one would have to change physically . . . .””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A fleeting, intense experience of divine joy transcends ordinary love and forgiveness, but it is too brief for the human soul to sustain without transformation.
In simple terms: Brief moments of profound joy feel divine but are unsustainable.
Key Takeaway
Seek lasting fulfillment beyond fleeting ecstatic states.
Themes
spiritual ecstasy
transcendence
human limitation
divine joy
Mood
introspective
intense
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- meditative practice
- artistic inspiration
- spiritual crisis
- creative bursts
Key Concepts
existentialism
theology
psychology
human condition
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives you a lasting sense of purpose?
- How can you integrate brief ecstatic moments into daily life?
A Different Perspective
Such extreme experiences may be unsustainable and lead to alienation.