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You are right, Sahara. There are no mists, or veils, or…

“You are right, Sahara. There are no mists, or veils, or distances. But the mist is surrounded by a mist; and the veil is hidden behind a veil; and the distance continually draws away from the distance. That is why there are no mists, or veils, or distances. That is why it is called The Great…” quote by Leonard Cohen
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““You are right, Sahara. There are no mists, or veils, or distances. But the mist is surrounded by a mist; and the veil is hidden behind a veil; and the distance continually draws away from the distance. That is why there are no mists, or veils, or distances. That is why it is called The Great Distance of Mist and Veils. It is here that The Traveler becomes The Wanderer, and The Wanderer becomes The One Who Is Lost, and The One Who Is Lost becomes The Seeker, and The Seeker becomes The Passionate Lover, and The Passionate Lover becomes The Beggar, and The Beggar becomes The Wretch, and The Wretch becomes The One Who Must Be Sacrificed, and The One Who Must Be Sacrificed becomes The Resurrected One and The Resurrected One becomes The One Who has Transcended The Great Distance of Mist and Veils. Then for a thousand years, or the rest of the afternoon, such a One spins in the Blazing Fire of Changes, embodying all the transformations, one after the other, and then beginning again, and then ending again, 86,000 times a second. Then such a one, if he is a man, is ready to love the woman Sahara; and such a one, if she is a woman, is ready to love the man who can put into song The Great Distance of Mist and Veils. Is it you who are waiting, Sahara, or is it I?””

Leonard Cohen

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The lyric explores endless transformation, loss, and the quest for transcendence through cycles of identity.

In simple terms: Endless change and seeking.

Key Takeaway

Embrace transformation.

Themes

spirituality identity transcendence

Mood

mysterious contemplative

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal growth
  • creative writing
  • spiritual practice

Key Concepts

metaphor philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you experience personal cycles?
  • What does “The Great Distance” mean to you?
A Different Perspective

Interpretations can be obscure.

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