--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything happens as though I were only…" description: "\"Everything happens as though I were only one of the particular existences of some great incomprehensible and central being… Sometimes this great totali..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/arthur-adamov-35501_beast_everything-happens-as-though-i-were-only_2655565.jpg" --- # Everything happens as though I were only one of the… ![“Everything happens as though I were only one of the particular existences of some great incomprehensible and central being… Sometimes this great totality of life appears to me so dramatically beautiful that it plunges me into ecstasy. But more often it seems like a monstrous beast that penetrates…” quote by Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/arthur-adamov-35501_beast_everything-happens-as-though-i-were-only_2655565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/arthur-adamov-35501_beast_everything-happens-as-though-i-were-only_2655565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/arthur-adamov-35501_beast_everything-happens-as-though-i-were-only_2655565.jpg) > “Everything happens as though I were only one of the particular existences of some great incomprehensible and central being… Sometimes this great totality of life appears to me so dramatically beautiful that it plunges me into ecstasy. But more often it seems like a monstrous beast that penetrates and surpasses me and which is everywhere, within me and outside me… And terror grips and envelops me more powerfully from moment to moment… My only way out is to write, to make others aware of it, so as not to have to feel all of it alone, to get rid of however small a portion of it.” [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Existential overwhelm feels both beautiful and terrifying; writing becomes a coping mechanism to share and lessen the burden. **In simple terms:** Writing eases existential dread. Key Takeaway Write to process overwhelming feelings. Themes existentialism art therapy creativity Mood introspective melancholic Type therapeutic philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - journaling - creative writing Key Concepts psychology philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - What emotions drive your creative work? - How does sharing art affect your inner turmoil? A Different Perspective Writing may not fully resolve deep existential angst. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existences Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existences-great-2384475/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Appears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-appears-594459/) [Like Monstrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-monstrous-1504088/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Monstrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monstrous/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Particular Existences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular-existences-2384474/) [Penetrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penetrate/) [Plunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plunge/) [Portions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portions/) [Powerfully Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerfully-moment-2384476/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Totality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totality/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Great. He really does like Monstrous Sea. I don’t know if that should be flattering or terrifying. With the sheer number of people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/great-he-really-does-like-monstrous-sea-i-don-t-know-if-that-should/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [And let me touch those curving claws of yellow ivory; and grasp the tail that like a monstrous asp coils round your heavy velvet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/and-let-me-touch-those-curving-claws-of-yellow-ivory-and-grasp-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Once again Toll-by-Night had burst out of its captivity, like a monstrous jack from an innocent-looking box. And this time Mosca was a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/once-again-toll-by-night-had-burst-out-of-its-captivity-like-a/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“He was a horrid-looking fellow. Fat as a pig he was, and his face was the colour of cottage cheese. His collar was unbuttoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-moore/he-was-a-horrid-looking-fellow-fat-as-a-pig-he-was-and-his-face-was/) [Brian Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-moore/) > [“The murderers are loose! They search the world All through the night, oh God, all through the night! To find the fire kindled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrud-kolmar/the-murderers-are-loose-they-search-the-world-all-through-the-night/) [Gertrud Kolmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrud-kolmar/) > [However confused the scene of our life appears, however torn we may be who now do face that scene, and we can go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/however-confused-the-scene-of-our-life-appears-however-torn-we-may-be-2/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [Even when life appears to be going in circles the view is always changing if you are paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-peter-hall/even-when-life-appears-to-be-going-in-circles-the-view-is-always/) [Kevin Peter Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-peter-hall/) > [An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could only state that in some sense, the origin of life appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-crick/an-honest-man-armed-with-all-the-knowledge-available-to-us-now-could/) [Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-crick/) > [A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/a-small-step-in-the-midst-of-great-human-limitations-can-be-more/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [However confused the scene of our life appears, however torn we may be who now do face that scene, it can be faced, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/however-confused-the-scene-of-our-life-appears-however-torn-we-may-be/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [Life appears: a complex dampness, destined to an intricate future and charged with secret virtues, capable of challenge and creation. A kind of precarious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-caillois/life-appears-a-complex-dampness-destined-to-an-intricate-future-and/) [Roger Caillois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-caillois/) > [Life, individual or collective, personal or historic, is the one entity in the universe whose substance is compact of danger, of adventure. It is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/life-individual-or-collective-personal-or-historic-is-the-one-entity/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [“I find nothing so singular in life as that everything appears to lose its substance the instant one actually grapples with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/i-find-nothing-so-singular-in-life-as-that-everything-appears-to-lose/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [However bad your life appears, things could be far, far worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-somper/however-bad-your-life-appears-things-could-be-far-far-worse/) [Justin Somper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-somper/) > [The first thing I would like to tell you about death is that there is no bigger lie than death. And yet, death appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-first-thing-i-would-like-to-tell-you-about-death-is-that-there-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Arthur Adamov > [The crisis of our time is essentially a religious crisis. It is a matter of life or death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/the-crisis-of-our-time-is-essentially-a-religious-crisis-it-is-a/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [The only thing to know is how to use your neurosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/the-only-thing-to-know-is-how-to-use-your-neurosis/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [Things always happen in series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/things-always-happen-in-series/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [Passive pleasure is no pleasure at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/passive-pleasure-is-no-pleasure-at-all/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [It is nasty when you're playing in someone else's house to point out that they don't have enough balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/it-is-nasty-when-you-re-playing-in-someone-else-s-house-to-point-out/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [The name of God should no longer come from the mouth of man. This word that has so long been degraded by usage no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/the-name-of-god-should-no-longer-come-from-the-mouth-of-man-this-word/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [Misery's fine - as long as you know you can get out of it when you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/misery-s-fine-as-long-as-you-know-you-can-get-out-of-it-when-you-want/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [The reason why Absurdist plays take place in No Man's Land with only two characters is primarily financial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/the-reason-why-absurdist-plays-take-place-in-no-man-s-land-with-only/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [“What is there? I know first of all that I am. But who am I? All I know of myself is that I suffer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/what-is-there-i-know-first-of-all-that-i-am-but-who-am-i-all-i-know/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [I know I earn less at my primary school than you do, but I don't have to work as hard at my primary school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/i-know-i-earn-less-at-my-primary-school-than-you-do-but-i-don-t-have/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [A stage play ought to be the point of intersection between the visible and invisible worlds, or, in other words, the display, the manifestation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/a-stage-play-ought-to-be-the-point-of-intersection-between-the/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [Perhaps the sad and empty language that today's flabby humanity pours forth, will, in all its horror, in all its boundless absurdity, re-echo in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/perhaps-the-sad-and-empty-language-that-today-s-flabby-humanity-pours/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) [Explore all 13 Arthur Adamov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/in-giving-us-dominion-over-the-animal-kingdom-god-has-signified-his/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) [Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everything happens as though I were only one of the particular existences of some great incomprehensible and central being… Sometimes this great totality of life appears to me so dramatically beautiful that it plunges me into ecstasy. 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