--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be wild; that is how to clear the river…" description: "\"Be wild; that is how to clear the river. The river does not flow in polluted, we manage that. The river does not dry up, we block it. If we want to all..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_art_be-wild-that-is-how-to-clear-the-river-t_682815.jpg" --- # Be wild; that is how to clear the river. The river does… ![“Be wild; that is how to clear the river. The river does not flow in polluted, we manage that. The river does not dry up, we block it. If we want to allow it its freedom, we have to allow our ideational lives to be let loose, to stream, letting anything come, initially censoring nothing. That is…” quote by Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_art_be-wild-that-is-how-to-clear-the-river-t_682815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_art_be-wild-that-is-how-to-clear-the-river-t_682815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/clarissa-pinkola-estes-1461_art_be-wild-that-is-how-to-clear-the-river-t_682815.jpg) > “Be wild; that is how to clear the river. The river does not flow in polluted, we manage that. The river does not dry up, we block it. If we want to allow it its freedom, we have to allow our ideational lives to be let loose, to stream, letting anything come, initially censoring nothing. That is creative life. It is made up of divine paradox. To create one must be willing to be stone stupid, to sit upon a throne on top of a jackass and spill rubies from one’s mouth. Then the river will flow, then we can stand in the stream of it raining down.” [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. Creative freedom requires embracing chaos and paradox, allowing ideas to flow unrestricted like a river, even if it feels foolish. **In simple terms:** True creativity comes from letting ideas run wild. Key Takeaway Allow your thoughts to flow without premature judgment. Themes creativity freedom paradox wildness self‑expression Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - artistic practice - writing - meditation - brainstorming sessions Key Concepts stream of consciousness divine paradox creative process Questions to Reflect On - What does “stone stupid” teach about humility in creation? - How can you balance freedom with structure? A Different Perspective Uncontrolled flow can lead to lack of focus or wasted effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-life/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Rubies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubies/) ## Related quotes > [To create one must be willing to be stone stupid, to sit upon a throne on top of a jackass and spill rubies from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/to-create-one-must-be-willing-to-be-stone-stupid-to-sit-upon-a-throne/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [I go to the river from time to time to ponder over the crazy days in my life. Watch the river flow, ease my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/i-go-to-the-river-from-time-to-time-to-ponder-over-the-crazy-days-in/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [“Even if you miss a hundred opportunities, there are a million ways for the river to flow into the sea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-ioannis/even-if-you-miss-a-hundred-opportunities-there-are-a-million-ways-for/) Angelos Ioannis > [“Don't force the river to flow. It will flow on its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverb/don-t-force-the-river-to-flow-it-will-flow-on-its-own/) Chinese proverb > [“It's not about the speed of the river, but flow of the current.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-rubins/it-s-not-about-the-speed-of-the-river-but-flow-of-the-current/) Lyle Rubins > [Callin' my river to let her know I'ma be on my way. Missin' how the river flow even though It's only been a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasure-p/callin-my-river-to-let-her-know-i-ma-be-on-my-way-missin-how-the/) [Pleasure P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pleasure-p/) > [Don't push the river, it will flow. Don't push the love, it will grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/don-t-push-the-river-it-will-flow-don-t-push-the-love-it-will-grow/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) > [The power of the river is to flow wildly! The power of the lake is to think calmly! Wise man both flows like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-power-of-the-river-is-to-flow-wildly-the-power-of-the-lake-is-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“A river flow freely from its source.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/a-river-flow-freely-from-its-source/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Be wild; that is how to clear the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/be-wild-that-is-how-to-clear-the-river/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [When wine drinkers tell me they taste notes of cherries, tobacco and rose petals, usually all I can detect is a whole lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-wine-drinkers-tell-me-they-taste-notes-of-cherries-tobacco-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [Ma'am, when I got up this morning, I didn't want to be jackass. You just pushed my jackass button.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-engvall/ma-am-when-i-got-up-this-morning-i-didn-t-want-to-be-jackass-you-just/) [Bill Engvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-engvall/) > [The jackasses at Elections Canada are out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/the-jackasses-at-elections-canada-are-out-of-control/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Friends don't let Jackasses drink and drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/friends-don-t-let-jackasses-drink-and-drive/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [And I will not be beaten by that jackass." "Jackass?" said Foaly, wounded. "My favorite uncle is a jackass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/and-i-will-not-be-beaten-by-that-jackass-jackass-said-foaly-wounded/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) ## 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 Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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