--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human spirit is not indestructible…" description: "\"The human spirit is not indestructible; but a courageous few discover that, when in hell, they are granted a glimpse of heaven.\" — Anthony Storr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/anthony-storr-15918_courageous_the-human-spirit-is-not-indestructible-b_1779270.png" --- # The human spirit is not indestructible; but a courageous… ![“The human spirit is not indestructible; but a courageous few discover that, when in hell, they are granted a glimpse of heaven.” quote by Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/anthony-storr-15918_courageous_the-human-spirit-is-not-indestructible-b_1779270.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/anthony-storr-15918_courageous_the-human-spirit-is-not-indestructible-b_1779270.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/anthony-storr-15918_courageous_the-human-spirit-is-not-indestructible-b_1779270.png) > “The human spirit is not indestructible; but a courageous few discover that, when in hell, they are granted a glimpse of heaven.” [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human resilience is not absolute, yet in extreme hardship, a few courageous individuals experience profound insight or hope, akin to a glimpse of heaven. **In simple terms:** Even in dire circumstances, courage can reveal profound hope. Key Takeaway Cultivate courage to find meaning in adversity. Themes resilience courage hope Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - combat zones - prison - personal crises - creative endeavors Key Concepts existential psychology spiritual insight Questions to Reflect On - What practices foster courage during suffering? - How does this view align with modern psychology? A Different Perspective Not everyone can access such moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courageous/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-spirit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [Home - that blessed word, which opens to the human heart the most perfect glimpse of Heaven, and helps to carry it thither, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-m-child/home-that-blessed-word-which-opens-to-the-human-heart-the-most/) [Lydia M. 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I find my paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-look-me-in-the-eyes-i-catch-a-glimpse-of-heaven-i-find-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I imagine our first glimpse of Heaven will cause us to gasp in amazement and delight. 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Logsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-logsdon/) ## More by Anthony Storr > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [All the world loves a lover, and a lover loves all the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/all-the-world-loves-a-lover-and-a-lover-loves-all-the-world/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I owed Lewis one thing, at least. 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Belief systems which may be just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/idiosyncratic-belief-systems-which-are-shared-by-only-a-few-adherents/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [Whether a belief is considered to be a delusion or not depends partly upon the intensity with which it is defended, and partly upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/whether-a-belief-is-considered-to-be-a-delusion-or-not-depends-partly/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [The creative consequences of man's imaginative strivings may never make him whole; but they constitute his deepest consolations and his greatest glories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/the-creative-consequences-of-man-s-imaginative-strivings-may-never/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I want to show that the dividing lines between sanity and mental illness have been drawn in the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/i-want-to-show-that-the-dividing-lines-between-sanity-and-mental/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [Since I was not able wholly to subscribe to any one set of beliefs advanced by any 'guru' I had to fall back on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/since-i-was-not-able-wholly-to-subscribe-to-any-one-set-of-beliefs/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [Avoidance behavior is a response designed to protect the infant from behavioral disorganization. If we transfer this concept to adult life, we can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/avoidance-behavior-is-a-response-designed-to-protect-the-infant-from/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) [Explore all 41 Anthony Storr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) ## More Courageous quotes > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“Fate and future both are servant to the determined, for they are nothing but creation of human determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fate-and-future-both-are-servant-to-the-determined-for-they-are/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) Frank H. T. Rhodes > [I love awards, especially if I get them. 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Henry Fonda, Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/clarence-darrow-was-a-unique-and-courageous-man-several-of-my/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [There should be a burnished tablet let into the ground on the spot where some courageous man first ate Stilton cheese, and survived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-should-be-a-burnished-tablet-let-into-the-ground-on-the-spot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a person life has always been a bit of a challenge for me and I have spent so much of my early years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sudol/as-a-person-life-has-always-been-a-bit-of-a-challenge-for-me-and-i/) [Alison Sudol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sudol/) > [Now is the time to take stock of a painful part of our history. Only then can we move past it. 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