--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I found heaven, nirvana, elysium…" description: "\"“I found heaven, nirvana, elysium (whatever the hell you want to call it)...and it is not the heaven of the bible. It is in my backyard, on a bright su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/darrin-lettinga-230808_bible_i-found-heaven-nirvana-elysium-whatever_1833658.jpg" --- # I found heaven, nirvana, elysium (whatever the hell you… ![“I found heaven, nirvana, elysium (whatever the hell you want to call it)...and it is not the heaven of the bible. It is in my backyard, on a bright sunny, blue-sky day, underneath the green canopy of our hundred year old oak tree with a stack of books on the table next to my chair.” quote by Darrin Lettinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/darrin-lettinga-230808_bible_i-found-heaven-nirvana-elysium-whatever_1833658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/darrin-lettinga-230808_bible_i-found-heaven-nirvana-elysium-whatever_1833658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/darrin-lettinga-230808_bible_i-found-heaven-nirvana-elysium-whatever_1833658.jpg) > ““I found heaven, nirvana, elysium (whatever the hell you want to call it)...and it is not the heaven of the bible. It is in my backyard, on a bright sunny, blue-sky day, underneath the green canopy of our hundred year old oak tree with a stack of books on the table next to my chair.”” [Darrin Lettinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrin-lettinga/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker finds a personal heaven in nature, under an old oak tree with books, contrasting traditional religious heaven. **In simple terms:** Heaven can be found in simple, natural moments. Key Takeaway Seek serenity in nature and learning. Themes nature tranquility knowledge Mood peaceful reflective Type descriptive inspirational When to use this quote - reading outdoors - gardening - mindful walking - reflection in nature Key Concepts personal spirituality environmental appreciation Questions to Reflect On - What place feels like heaven to you? - How do books influence your sense of peace? A Different Perspective Not everyone may feel spiritual in nature. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Backyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-backyard-2294722/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-bible-1155177/) [Heaven Nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-nirvana-1044108/) [Nirvana Elysium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nirvana-elysium-2294723/) [Oak tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oak-tree/) ## Related quotes > [The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven. The Bible is the product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-bible-did-not-arrive-by-fax-from-heaven-the-bible-is-the-product/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Screw drugs, or religious transcendence. No, my path to Heaven or Nirvana is Apollo’s cock. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-angel/screw-drugs-or-religious-transcendence-no-my-path-to-heaven-or/) [Abby Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-angel/) > [“If you could possibly understand how precious and powerful your experience of this one lifetime as yourself is, you wouldn't be trying to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-nordby/if-you-could-possibly-understand-how-precious-and-powerful-your/) [Jacob Nordby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-nordby/) > [Whether it is seen in personal terms or trans-personal terms, whether it is Heaven or Nirvana or Happy Hunting Ground or the Garden of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smith/whether-it-is-seen-in-personal-terms-or-trans-personal-terms-whether/) [John Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smith/) > [“As we actually taste the flavor of what he's teaching, we begin to see that it's not proverbs for daily living, or ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-bourgeault/as-we-actually-taste-the-flavor-of-what-he-s-teaching-we-begin-to-see/) [Cynthia Bourgeault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-bourgeault/) > [It would be easier to grow oak trees by planting marbles than for someone to be saved without the seed of the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/it-would-be-easier-to-grow-oak-trees-by-planting-marbles-than-for/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [The tallest oak tree once was an acorn that any pig could have swallowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-tallest-oak-tree-once-was-an-acorn-that-any-pig-could-have/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“They came across more ragged men resting in the shade of an oak tree. These soldiers all wore blue uniforms. Again,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pope-osborne/they-came-across-more-ragged-men-resting-in-the-shade-of-an-oak-tree/) [Mary Pope Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pope-osborne/) > [Blow kisses to the oak trees and sparrows and elephants and weeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/blow-kisses-to-the-oak-trees-and-sparrows-and-elephants-and-weeds/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [“Negativity is totally unnatural. It is a psychic pollutant, and there is a deep link between the poisoning and destruction of nature and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/negativity-is-totally-unnatural-it-is-a-psychic-pollutant-and-there/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green, That creepeth o’er ruins old! Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/oh-a-dainty-plant-is-the-ivy-green-that-creepeth-o-er-ruins-old-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Our ordinary mind always tried to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-ordinary-mind-always-tried-to-persuade-us-that-we-are-nothing-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [“Well, make up your mind. I don’t have all night.” Fidelia set her beer on the porch and removed a set of keys from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/well-make-up-your-mind-i-don-t-have-all-night-fidelia-set-her-beer-on/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [You never quite know what you do in life that leaves a seed behind that grows into an oak tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/you-never-quite-know-what-you-do-in-life-that-leaves-a-seed-behind/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. 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Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . 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