--- title: "4 Altered states Quotes By Huston Smith" description: "4 Altered states quotes by Huston Smith. Plus more from Huston Smith and more Altered states sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/huston-smith-2415_altered_the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altere_437818.png" --- > [The goal of spiritual life is not altered states, but altered traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altered-states-but-altered-traits/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/huston-smith-2415_altered_the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altere_437818.png) > [No one in human history has given as much thought to the interweaving of altered states of consciousness and religion as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-much-thought-to-the-interweaving/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/huston-smith-2415_altered_no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-muc_1063050.png) > [the heart of religion is not altered states but altered traits of character. For me, then, the test of a substance's religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-heart-of-religion-is-not-altered-states-but-altered-traits-of/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/huston-smith-2415_altered-states_the-heart-of-religion-is-not-altered-sta_1146624.jpg) > [When there are miles to go before we sleep, altered traits are more important than altered states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/when-there-are-miles-to-go-before-we-sleep-altered-traits-are-more/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/huston-smith-2415_altered-states_when-there-are-miles-to-go-before-we-sle_2040966.png) ## Other authors on Altered states - [James David Lewis-Williams 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altered-states/james-david-lewis-williams/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-frederick-lenz-36205.jpg) Frederick Lenz 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altered-states/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Huston Smith > [“The Transcendent was my morning meal, we had the Eternal at lunch, and I ate a slice of the Infinite at dinner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-transcendent-was-my-morning-meal-we-had-the-eternal-at-lunch-and/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [The first koan do not have rational answers. They are techniques devised over the millennia for triggering an actual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-first-koan-do-not-have-rational-answers-they-are-techniques/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [We all carry it within us: supreme strength, the fullness of wisdom, unquenchable joy. It is never thwarted, and cannot be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/we-all-carry-it-within-us-supreme-strength-the-fullness-of-wisdom/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [A nation can assume that the addition of the words "under God" to its pledge of allegiance gives evidence that its citizens actually believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/a-nation-can-assume-that-the-addition-of-the-words-under-god-to-its/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“Some friends accused me of whoring after the Infinite. Well, what better whoredom is there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/some-friends-accused-me-of-whoring-after-the-infinite-well-what/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Imagine a man besottedly in love: he won't waste time speculating whether other women equally merit his affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/imagine-a-man-besottedly-in-love-he-won-t-waste-time-speculating/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“If my opinion that substance requires a true unity were founded only on a definition I had formulated in opposition to common usage, \*then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/if-my-opinion-that-substance-requires-a-true-unity-were-founded-only/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [The New Age movement looks like a mixed bag. I see much in it that seems good: It's optimistic; it's enthusiastic; it has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-new-age-movement-looks-like-a-mixed-bag-i-see-much-in-it-that/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Science can prove nothing about God, because God lies outside its province.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/science-can-prove-nothing-about-god-because-god-lies-outside-its/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [I had assumed that Bush's seemingly inflexible policy to support Sharon was for political reasons of his getting elected. But as to whether he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/i-had-assumed-that-bush-s-seemingly-inflexible-policy-to-support/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [The Buddha is in me, the Buddha is in you. Live up to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-buddha-is-in-me-the-buddha-is-in-you-live-up-to-it/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“How many planes there are, we do not know. The levels of nature that science discriminates give us no clue, for these all pertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/how-many-planes-there-are-we-do-not-know-the-levels-of-nature-that/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [So always, if we look back, concern for face-to-face morality, and its modern emphasis on justice as well, have historically evolved as religious issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/so-always-if-we-look-back-concern-for-face-to-face-morality-and-its/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [All -isms end up in schisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/all-isms-end-up-in-schisms/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Most of the book deals with things we already know yet never learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/most-of-the-book-deals-with-things-we-already-know-yet-never-learn/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altered-states/huston-smith/#itemlist", "name": "4 Altered states Quotes By Huston Smith", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The goal of spiritual life is not altered states, but altered traits", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Huston Smith" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altered-states-but-altered-traits/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/huston-smith-2415_altered_the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altere_437818.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/huston-smith-2415_altered_the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altere_437818.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/huston-smith-2415_altered_the-goal-of-spiritual-life-is-not-altere_437818.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The goal of spiritual life is not altered states, but altered traits” — Huston Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one in human history has given as much thought to the interweaving of altered states of consciousness and religion as I have.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Huston Smith" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-much-thought-to-the-interweaving/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/huston-smith-2415_altered_no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-muc_1063050.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/huston-smith-2415_altered_no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-muc_1063050.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/huston-smith-2415_altered_no-one-in-human-history-has-given-as-muc_1063050.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No one in human history has given as much thought to the interweaving of altered states of consciousness and…” — Huston Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "the heart of religion is not altered states but altered traits of character. 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