--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should understand well that all things…" description: "\"We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/black-elk-6745_all-things_we-should-understand-well-that-all-thing_25096.jpg" --- # We should understand well that all things are the work of… ![“We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and the four-legged and winged peoples; and even more important, we should understand that the Great Spirit is also…” quote by Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/black-elk-6745_all-things_we-should-understand-well-that-all-thing_25096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/black-elk-6745_all-things_we-should-understand-well-that-all-thing_25096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/black-elk-6745_all-things_we-should-understand-well-that-all-thing_25096.jpg) > “We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and the four-legged and winged peoples; and even more important, we should understand that the Great Spirit is also above all these things and peoples. When we do understand all this deeply in our hearts, then we will fear, and love, and know the Great Spirit, and then we will be and act and live as the Spirit intends.” [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage teaches that the divine permeates all of nature and humanity, urging reverence, love, and alignment with this sacred order. **In simple terms:** All is sacred, live accordingly Key Takeaway Recognize the divine in everything Themes spirituality interconnectedness respect for nature humility purpose Mood awe reverence hope Type philosophical spiritual didactic When to use this quote - personal meditation - environmental stewardship - community rituals - educational curricula Key Concepts Great Spirit nature humanity ethical living Practical Applications - spiritual counseling - conservation advocacy Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing the divine in nature change daily choices? - What responsibilities arise from this belief? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [And love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Great spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-spirit/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Love and fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-fear/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-know-409225/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Understand Deeply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-deeply-409223/) [Understand Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-great-409224/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“but I also understand deeply the tremendous power of community approval and judgment that my patients have to weigh as they ponder their abortion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/but-i-also-understand-deeply-the-tremendous-power-of-community/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [I have continued systematically to study the Book of Mormon and Bible to understand even more deeply what God expects of me and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/i-have-continued-systematically-to-study-the-book-of-mormon-and-bible/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [What you must understand about me is that I’m a deeply unhappy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/what-you-must-understand-about-me-is-that-i-m-a-deeply-unhappy-person/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Reflection is the connection of the self with the soul to understand deeply the mental peace and the heart's satisfaction on the whole to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/reflection-is-the-connection-of-the-self-with-the-soul-to-understand/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [“This works because when you communicate a skill to someone, you come to understand it more deeply yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-coyle/this-works-because-when-you-communicate-a-skill-to-someone-you-come/) [Daniel Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-coyle/) > [Don't try to understand others deeply...if u do, then either u'll go mad, or u'll start loving that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-try-to-understand-others-deeply-if-u-do-then-either-u-ll-go-mad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A person can understand almost everything deeply through quotations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-person-can-understand-almost-everything-deeply-through-quotations/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The only thing I understand deeply, because in my teens I was thinking about it, and every year of my life, is software. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-only-thing-i-understand-deeply-because-in-my-teens-i-was-thinking/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The Great Spirit is everywhere; he hears whatever is in our minds and our hearts, and it is not necessary to speak to Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/the-great-spirit-is-everywhere-he-hears-whatever-is-in-our-minds-and/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/grandfather-great-spirit-once-more-behold-me-on-earth-and-lean-to/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Perhaps you have noticed that even in the very lightest breeze you can hear the voice of the cottonwood tree; this we understand is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/perhaps-you-have-noticed-that-even-in-the-very-lightest-breeze-you/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [At the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit. And that center is really everywhere. It is within each of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/at-the-center-of-the-universe-dwells-the-great-spirit-and-that-center/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Great Spirit-I want no blood upon my land to stain the grass. I want it all clear and pure, and I wish it so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ten-bears/great-spirit-i-want-no-blood-upon-my-land-to-stain-the-grass-i-want/) [Ten Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ten-bears/) > [Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children-for-the-hearts-of/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I've never been able to understand where great artists come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-ve-never-been-able-to-understand-where-great-artists-come-from/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) ## More by Black Elk > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [So I took the bright red stick and at the center of the nation's hoop I thrust it in the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/so-i-took-the-bright-red-stick-and-at-the-center-of-the-nation-s-hoop/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Hear me, four quarters of the world-a relative I am! Give me the strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/hear-me-four-quarters-of-the-world-a-relative-i-am-give-me-the/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/everything-an-indian-does-is-in-a-circle-and-that-is-because-the/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Grown men can learn from very little children for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/grown-men-can-learn-from-very-little-children-for-the-hearts-of/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [It's in the darkness of men's eyes that they get lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/it-s-in-the-darkness-of-men-s-eyes-that-they-get-lost/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [“And I can see that something else died there in the bloody mud, and was buried in the blizzard. A people's dream died there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/and-i-can-see-that-something-else-died-there-in-the-bloody-mud-and/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Everything tries to be round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/everything-tries-to-be-round/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children-for-the-hearts-of/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [The boys of my people began very young to learn the ways of men, and no one taught us; we just learned by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/the-boys-of-my-people-began-very-young-to-learn-the-ways-of-men-and/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I know now what this meant, that the bison were the gift of a good spirit and were our strength, but we should lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/i-know-now-what-this-meant-that-the-bison-were-the-gift-of-a-good/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Peace will come to the hearts of men when they realize their oneness with the universe, It is every where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/peace-will-come-to-the-hearts-of-men-when-they-realize-their-oneness/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I think I have told you, but if I have not, you must have understood, that a man who has a vision is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/i-think-i-have-told-you-but-if-i-have-not-you-must-have-understood/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [You remember that my great vision came to me when I was only nine years old, and you have seen that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/you-remember-that-my-great-vision-came-to-me-when-i-was-only-nine/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [The center of the universe is everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/the-center-of-the-universe-is-everywhere/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) [Explore all 97 Black Elk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. Nadauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-nadauld/) > [The eternal principle, which never was born, never will die: it is in all things: it is in you now. You are the wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-eternal-principle-which-never-was-born-never-will-die-it-is-in/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The U.S. Army has recently removed the cross from the insignia worn by chaplains. In its place is a sun with its rays, symbolizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/the-u-s-army-has-recently-removed-the-cross-from-the-insignia-worn-by/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [...God does not possess a private knowledge of Himself and a separate knowledge of all the creatures in common. The universal Cause, by knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/god-does-not-possess-a-private-knowledge-of-himself-and-a-separate/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) [Browse all 2,486 All things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and the four-legged and winged peoples; and even more important, we should understand that the Great Spirit is also above all these things and peoples. 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