--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to…" description: "\"Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves holiness makes as it nears.\" — Annie Dillard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg" --- # Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves… ![“Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves holiness makes as it nears.” quote by Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg) > “Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves holiness makes as it nears.” [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual ecstasy arises when the soul senses the sacredness of approaching profound truth. **In simple terms:** Ecstasy is the soul’s reaction to near‑holy experiences. Key Takeaway Seek moments that bring you close to the divine. Themes spirituality beauty transcendence Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - nature walks - art appreciation - meditative practice - deep conversations Key Concepts mysticism aesthetic experience Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt a brush of the sacred? - How can ordinary moments become profound? A Different Perspective Such moments can be fleeting and hard to sustain in daily life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I have no doubt that for some to become a Christian may involve an experience of ecstasy. Yet I do not think such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/i-have-no-doubt-that-for-some-to-become-a-christian-may-involve-an/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [Heaven does not make holiness, but holiness makes heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/heaven-does-not-make-holiness-but-holiness-makes-heaven/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I've never understood the point of ecstasy. I think if I wanted to get dehydrated and jump about with a load of people I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-wood/i-ve-never-understood-the-point-of-ecstasy-i-think-if-i-wanted-to-get/) [Victoria Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-wood/) > [“Holiness makes sin useless because it is truthful, just, faithful, righteous, godly, loving, meek, and enduring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-choi/holiness-makes-sin-useless-because-it-is-truthful-just-faithful/) Joseph Choi > [“No matter how holy you are, holiness does not take satan to hell, it just makes you a better person. Holiness makes you an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-johnson/no-matter-how-holy-you-are-holiness-does-not-take-satan-to-hell-it/) [Patience Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-johnson/) > [“Grace does not preclude holiness, but makes it possible. Holiness springs from the fountain of grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-chapell/grace-does-not-preclude-holiness-but-makes-it-possible-holiness/) [Bryan Chapell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-chapell/) > [“…Genuine holiness…makes us more progressively aware of and disturbed by our ongoing struggles with indwelling sin. We grow more aware of our own need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/genuine-holiness-makes-us-more-progressively-aware-of-and-disturbed/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [“Related to this first reason is the fear that a passion for holiness makes you some kind of weird holdover from a bygone era.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/related-to-this-first-reason-is-the-fear-that-a-passion-for-holiness/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [We live in all we seek. The hidden shows up in too-plain sight. It lives captive on the face of the obvious - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-live-in-all-we-seek-the-hidden-shows-up-in-too-plain-sight-it/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [ “Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth." \[From: 19 Lessons On Tea\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/ecstasy-is-a-glass-full-of-tea-and-a-piece-of-sugar-in-the-mouth-from/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [“Haunted by the longing to feel something real, deep and magical; I searched for a shared ecstasy... that's when you came along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/haunted-by-the-longing-to-feel-something-real-deep-and-magical-i/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“Human milk is like ice cream, penicillin, and the drug ecstasy all wrapped up in two pretty packages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-williams/human-milk-is-like-ice-cream-penicillin-and-the-drug-ecstasy-all/) [Florence Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-williams/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More by Annie Dillard > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“This is a spendthrift economy; though nothing is lost, all is spent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/this-is-a-spendthrift-economy-though-nothing-is-lost-all-is-spent/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [The creatures I seek do not want to be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-creatures-i-seek-do-not-want-to-be-seen/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Nothing moves a woman so deeply as the boyhood of the man she loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/nothing-moves-a-woman-so-deeply-as-the-boyhood-of-the-man-she-loves/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [We live in all we seek. The hidden shows up in too-plain sight. It lives captive on the face of the obvious - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-live-in-all-we-seek-the-hidden-shows-up-in-too-plain-sight-it/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“...The mockingbird took a single step into the air and dropped. His wings were still folded against his sides as though he were singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-mockingbird-took-a-single-step-into-the-air-and-dropped-his-wings/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“Father had stretched out his long legs and was tilting back in his chair. Mother sat with her knees crossed, in blue slacks, smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/father-had-stretched-out-his-long-legs-and-was-tilting-back-in-his/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/i-am-a-frayed-and-nibbled-survivor-in-a-fallen-world-and-i-am-getting/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [It should surprise no one that the life of the writer - such as it is - is colorless to the point of sensory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-should-surprise-no-one-that-the-life-of-the-writer-such-as-it-is/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-is-madness-to-wear-ladies-straw-hats-and-velvet-hats-to-church-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [The sense impressions of one-celled animals are not edited for the brain. This is philosophically interesting in a rather mournful way, since it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-sense-impressions-of-one-celled-animals-are-not-edited-for-the/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“What can we make of the inexpressible joy of children? It is a kind of gratitude, I think—the gratitude of the ten-year-old who wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/what-can-we-make-of-the-inexpressible-joy-of-children-it-is-a-kind-of/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“If we were to judge nature by its common sense or likelihood, we wouldn't believe the world existed. In nature, improbabilities are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/if-we-were-to-judge-nature-by-its-common-sense-or-likelihood-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [For writing a first draft requires from the writer a peculiar internal state which ordinary life does not induce. ... how to set yourself spinning?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/for-writing-a-first-draft-requires-from-the-writer-a-peculiar/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I am a fugitive and a vagabond, a sojourner seeking signs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/i-am-a-fugitive-and-a-vagabond-a-sojourner-seeking-signs/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) [Explore all 509 Annie Dillard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) ## More Ecstasy quotes > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [“Haunted by the longing to feel something real, deep and magical; I searched for a shared ecstasy... that's when you came along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/haunted-by-the-longing-to-feel-something-real-deep-and-magical-i/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [ “Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth." \[From: 19 Lessons On Tea\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/ecstasy-is-a-glass-full-of-tea-and-a-piece-of-sugar-in-the-mouth-from/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [“Human milk is like ice cream, penicillin, and the drug ecstasy all wrapped up in two pretty packages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-williams/human-milk-is-like-ice-cream-penicillin-and-the-drug-ecstasy-all/) [Florence Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-williams/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > ['Born This Way' is shaping up to be creative ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/born-this-way-is-shaping-up-to-be-creative-ecstasy/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/beauty-is-not-a-need-but-an-ecstasy-it-is-not-a-mouth-thirsting-nor/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [If a person measures his spiritual fulfillment in terms of cosmic visions, surpassing peace of mind, or ecstasy, then he is not likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-a-person-measures-his-spiritual-fulfillment-in-terms-of-cosmic/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [People tend to link "sex and drugs" because both are condemned by society. Nevertheless, throughout the ages human beings have continually searched for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/people-tend-to-link-sex-and-drugs-because-both-are-condemned-by/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I revere the memory of Mr. F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-revere-the-memory-of-mr-f-as-an-estimable-man-and-most-indulgent/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It is the capacity to feel consuming grief and pain and despair that also allows me to embrace love and joy and beauty with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-white/it-is-the-capacity-to-feel-consuming-grief-and-pain-and-despair-that/) [Anna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-white/) > [When you meditate you feel joy, harmony, peace, stillness, ecstasy, laughter, certainty, courage, strength, awareness and immortality. In the beginning you will feel these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-meditate-you-feel-joy-harmony-peace-stillness-ecstasy/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) [Browse all 735 Ecstasy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves holiness makes as it nears.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annie Dillard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to-the-waves-holiness-makes-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ecstasy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to-the-waves-holiness-makes-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/annie-dillard-509_ecstasy_ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to_2720457.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's response to the waves holiness makes as it nears.” — Annie Dillard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Annie Dillard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ecstasy, I think, is a soul's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to-the-waves-holiness-makes-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/ecstasy-i-think-is-a-soul-s-response-to-the-waves-holiness-makes-as/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```