--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you…" description: "\"A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down. If you cannot refuse to stay down, lift your heart toward heaven, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_beggar_a-prayer-refuse-to-fall-down-if-you-cann_2613178.jpg" --- # A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall… ![“A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down. If you cannot refuse to stay down, lift your heart toward heaven, and like a hungry beggar, ask that it be filled. You may be pushed down. You may be kept from rising. But no one can keep you from lifting your…” quote by Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_beggar_a-prayer-refuse-to-fall-down-if-you-cann_2613178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_beggar_a-prayer-refuse-to-fall-down-if-you-cann_2613178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e0/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_beggar_a-prayer-refuse-to-fall-down-if-you-cann_2613178.jpg) > “A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down. If you cannot refuse to stay down, lift your heart toward heaven, and like a hungry beggar, ask that it be filled. You may be pushed down. You may be kept from rising. But no one can keep you from lifting your heart toward heaven only you. It is in the middle of misery that so much becomes clear. The one who says nothing good came of this, is not yet listening.” [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When you cannot control external forces, choose inner resilience and elevate your spirit toward higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Rise above hardship by focusing on inner strength. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner resilience. Themes resilience spirituality adversity self‑empowerment Mood determined reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief - career setbacks - health challenges Key Concepts mythic archetypes psychology hope Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture inner strength during hardship? - What does “lifting your heart toward heaven” mean to you? A Different Perspective Inner focus alone may not change external oppression; action may also be needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Falling down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-down/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Lifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifting/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ## Related quotes > [You stay in your lane and ill stay in mine. I refuse to let anyone bring out the person I use to be, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-stay-in-your-lane-and-ill-stay-in-mine-i-refuse-to-let-anyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to live like I don't care. I don't want to say another empty prayer. I refuse to just sit around and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-live-like-i-don-t-care-i-don-t-want-to-say-another/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a survivor, man. I done had my ups and downs, but I've got get-back skills for real for real. I refuse to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-a-survivor-man-i-done-had-my-ups-and-downs-but-i-ve-got-get-back/) E-40 > [Those insults aren't going to work on me.You can try to bring me down but I refuse to fall especially to the likes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-catalyst/those-insults-aren-t-going-to-work-on-me-you-can-try-to-bring-me-down/) [The Catalyst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-catalyst/) > [We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives - that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ann-seton/we-must-pray-without-ceasing-in-every-occurrence-and-employment-of/) [Elizabeth Ann Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ann-seton/) > [A little lifting up of the heart suffices; a little remembrance of God, an interior act of adoration, even though made on the march…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/a-little-lifting-up-of-the-heart-suffices-a-little-remembrance-of-god/) [Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/) > [Prayer is fundamentally a transformation of will, a lifting of the heart and will to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/prayer-is-fundamentally-a-transformation-of-will-a-lifting-of-the/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [A little lifting of the heart suffices; a little remembrance of God, one act of inward worship are prayers which, however short, are nevertheless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/a-little-lifting-of-the-heart-suffices-a-little-remembrance-of-god/) [Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/) > [It is the writer's privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-is-the-writer-s-privilege-to-help-man-endure-by-lifting-his-heart/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Necessity turns boss into a beggar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/necessity-turns-boss-into-a-beggar/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If you go to a tree with an ax and take five whacks at the tree every day, it doesn't matter if it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-go-to-a-tree-with-an-ax-and-take-five-whacks-at-the-tree-every/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling. And I give all the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/it-is-everything-i-thought-it-would-be-being-the-olympic-champion-it/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) ## More by Clarissa Pinkola Estes > [Tell the truth about your wound, and then you will get a truthful picture of the remedy to apply to it. Don't pack whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/tell-the-truth-about-your-wound-and-then-you-will-get-a-truthful/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“Whether you are possessed of a simple heart or the ambitions of an Amazon, whether you are trying to make it to the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/whether-you-are-possessed-of-a-simple-heart-or-the-ambitions-of-an/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [The doors to the world of the wild Self are few but precious. If you have a deep scar, that is a door, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/the-doors-to-the-world-of-the-wild-self-are-few-but-precious-if-you/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Friends who love you and have warmth for your creative life are the very best suns in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/friends-who-love-you-and-have-warmth-for-your-creative-life-are-the/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Creativity is not a solitary movement. That is its power. Whatever is touched by it, whoever hears it, sees it, senses it, knows it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/creativity-is-not-a-solitary-movement-that-is-its-power-whatever-is/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [A healthy woman is much like a wolf: robust, chock-full, strong life force, life-giving, territorially aware, inventive, loyal, roving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/a-healthy-woman-is-much-like-a-wolf-robust-chock-full-strong-life/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Do not cringe and make yourself small if you are called the black sheep, the maverick, the lone wolf. Those with slow seeing say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/do-not-cringe-and-make-yourself-small-if-you-are-called-the-black/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Dogs are the magicians of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/dogs-are-the-magicians-of-the-universe/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/ours-is-not-the-task-of-fixing-the-entire-world-all-at-once-but-of/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“Being real doesn't mean being reckless, it means allowing La Voz Mitologica, The Mythological Voice, to speak. One does that by shutting off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/being-real-doesn-t-mean-being-reckless-it-means-allowing-la-voz/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Without art we live under the illusion that there is only time, and not eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/without-art-we-live-under-the-illusion-that-there-is-only-time-and/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“Some psychological thinkers, including Freud and Bettelheim, have interpreted episodes such as those found in the Bluebeard tale as psychological punishments for women’s sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/some-psychological-thinkers-including-freud-and-bettelheim-have/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [If you have never been called a defiant, incorrigible, impossible woman… have faith. There is yet time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/if-you-have-never-been-called-a-defiant-incorrigible-impossible-woman/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [we all begin the process before we are ready, before we are strong enough, before we know enough; we begin a dialogue with thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/we-all-begin-the-process-before-we-are-ready-before-we-are-strong/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [“To love a woman, the mate must also love her wildish nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/to-love-a-woman-the-mate-must-also-love-her-wildish-nature/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) [Explore all 223 Clarissa Pinkola Estes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) ## More Beggar quotes > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) Peire Cardenal > [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Don't be doubtful to your goals or else you will end up your life as a beggar, keep faith on yourself and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/don-t-be-doubtful-to-your-goals-or-else-you-will-end-up-your-life-as/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/) Proverb > [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You obviously don't know what an Old Man of the Sea great wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/you-obviously-don-t-know-what-an-old-man-of-the-sea-great-wealth-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A beggar through the world am I, From place to place I wander by. Fill up my pilgrim's scrip for me, For Christ's sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/a-beggar-through-the-world-am-i-from-place-to-place-i-wander-by-fill/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The bashful beggar has an empty purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cranch-bond/the-bashful-beggar-has-an-empty-purse/) [William Cranch Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cranch-bond/) > [“A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wessel-zapffe/a-coin-is-examined-and-only-after-careful-deliberation-given-to-a/) [Peter Wessel Zapffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wessel-zapffe/) Browse all 455 Beggar quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A Prayer Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down. 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