--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to experience both. I wanted…" description: "\"I wanted to experience both. I wanted worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. I wanted what the Greeks called kalos kai agathos, the singular balan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elizabeth-gilbert-131_anxiety_i-wanted-to-experience-both-i-wanted-wor_3003332.jpg" --- # I wanted to experience both. I wanted worldly enjoyment… ![“I wanted to experience both. I wanted worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. I wanted what the Greeks called kalos kai agathos, the singular balance of the good and the beautiful. I'd been missing both during these last hard years, because both pleasure and devotion require a stress-free…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elizabeth-gilbert-131_anxiety_i-wanted-to-experience-both-i-wanted-wor_3003332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elizabeth-gilbert-131_anxiety_i-wanted-to-experience-both-i-wanted-wor_3003332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/elizabeth-gilbert-131_anxiety_i-wanted-to-experience-both-i-wanted-wor_3003332.jpg) > “I wanted to experience both. I wanted worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. I wanted what the Greeks called kalos kai agathos, the singular balance of the good and the beautiful. I'd been missing both during these last hard years, because both pleasure and devotion require a stress-free space in which to flourish and I'd been living in a giant trash compactor of nonstop anxiety. As for how to balance the urge for pleasure against the longing for devotion...well, surely there was a way to learn that trick.” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing worldly pleasure with spiritual yearning requires a calm mind and intentional practice. **In simple terms:** Find balance between joy and devotion. Key Takeaway Cultivate peace to enjoy both. Themes balance pleasure spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily meditation - creative pursuits - mindful leisure Key Concepts philosophy psychology well‑being Questions to Reflect On - How to create space for both joy and devotion? - What practices sustain inner calm? A Different Perspective Anxiety can disrupt balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Devotion Require](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion-require-4779149/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Giants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giants/) [Greek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Longing Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing-devotion-3996900/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-devotion-4779147/) [Pleasure Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-longing-4779148/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Stress free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress-free/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) [Trash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash/) [Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricks/) [Urges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urges/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Worldly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldly/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Come to the Word with a spirit of longing with devotion and humble expectation. 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Laugh, stress free happiness will keep you healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/health-thank-the-universe-for-your-own-healing-laugh-stress-free/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [At the end of the day, we all just want to be happy, live stress free and have someone to comfort you without having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aalaynah-thompson/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-all-just-want-to-be-happy-live-stress-free/) [Aalaynah Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aalaynah-thompson/) > [“Your life will become more fulfilling when you loose the anger, stress, anxiety and “poor me” attitude. Let it go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/your-life-will-become-more-fulfilling-when-you-loose-the-anger-stress/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [There are no new stressful thoughts. They're all recycled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/there-are-no-new-stressful-thoughts-they-re-all-recycled/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Diffusers not only leave your home smelling clean and fresh, but the oils that you choose to use in it can leave you feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/diffusers-not-only-leave-your-home-smelling-clean-and-fresh-but-the/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [Moving to Australia was not a career move, but a quality of life issue. It has no guns, no God, and no gangster rap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklyn-ajaye/moving-to-australia-was-not-a-career-move-but-a-quality-of-life-issue/) [Franklyn Ajaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklyn-ajaye/) > [A disease-free body, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, obsession-free memory, ego that includes all, and soul which is free from sorrow is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/a-disease-free-body-quiver-free-breath-stress-free-mind-inhibition/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [CMR' is a happy, stress-free movie. It has family emotions and punches in the form of dialogues. It's a clean, family, summer entertainer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nithiin/cmr-is-a-happy-stress-free-movie-it-has-family-emotions-and-punches/) [Nithiin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nithiin/) > [I want a relationship that's stress free and worry free, because we trust each other. I want it to be spontaneous and fun, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-a-relationship-that-s-stress-free-and-worry-free-because-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You have everything you need today to do what God has for you to do today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-hendrix/you-have-everything-you-need-today-to-do-what-god-has-for-you-to-do/) [Shelley Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-hendrix/) > [Give Up To Be Happy From one of my mails I thought it was worth sharing 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-up-to-be-happy-from-one-of-my-mails-i-thought-it-was-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I try to make the set as relaxed and fun and stress-free as humanly possible, while still having control over things. It's usually tension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-zwigoff/i-try-to-make-the-set-as-relaxed-and-fun-and-stress-free-as-humanly/) [Terry Zwigoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-zwigoff/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? 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Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to experience both. 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