---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I would argue is that real…"
description: "\"What I would argue is that real spirituality is the ability to keep encountering two opposite thoughts at the same time and still maintain some kind of..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg"
---

#  What I would argue is that real spirituality is the…

![“What I would argue is that real spirituality is the ability to keep encountering two opposite thoughts at the same time and still maintain some kind of morality and perspective in the world. It is not the elimination of one side of the equation or the elimination of what you don't like; it is the…” quote by Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg)

> “What I would argue is that real spirituality is the ability to keep encountering two opposite thoughts at the same time and still maintain some kind of morality and perspective in the world. It is not the elimination of one side of the equation or the elimination of what you don't like; it is the investigation of everything.”

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

True spirituality embraces contradictory ideas simultaneously, fostering moral balance and broader perspective.

**In simple terms:** Spirituality holds opposing thoughts together.

Key Takeaway

Practice holding paradoxes without judgment.

Themes

spirituality paradox morality growth

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- meditation
- dialogue
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

philosophy mindfulness ethical inquiry

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you sit with conflicting beliefs?
- What benefits arise from exploring contradictions?

A Different Perspective

Balancing opposites can cause inner tension and confusion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Elimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elimination/) [Encountering Opposite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encountering-opposite-5665570/) [Equations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equations/) [Investigation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigation/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-perspective-3977292/) [Opposite Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite-thoughts-5665571/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-spirituality-256871/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Spirituality Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality-ability-4909216/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-opposites/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“There was just something very crystalizing about bullets whining over your head; it tended to put questions of morality in perspective.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-c-currie/there-was-just-something-very-crystalizing-about-bullets-whining-over/)

[Evan C. Currie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-c-currie/)

> [The true test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kent-hughes/the-true-test-of-a-man-s-spirituality-is-not-his-ability-to-speak-as/)

[R. Kent Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kent-hughes/)

> [“We are all living in the world, and we are part of what is going on all around us. We have things to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-chavda/we-are-all-living-in-the-world-and-we-are-part-of-what-is-going-on/)

[Mahesh Chavda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-chavda/)

> [“Spirituality is a path to bring one closer to the ‘Science’ (vignan). Spirituality is relative and ‘Science’ is real. Spirituality is ‘Knowledge’ (Gnan) and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/spirituality-is-a-path-to-bring-one-closer-to-the-science-vignan/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [It matters not how spiritual a church may profess to be, if souls are not saved, something is radically wrong, and the professed spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/it-matters-not-how-spiritual-a-church-may-profess-to-be-if-souls-are/)

[Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/)

> [Real spirituality is going through fire. Real spirituality is rebellion against all that is rotten, against all that is past, against all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/real-spirituality-is-going-through-fire-real-spirituality-is/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Serving the Truth becomes our life instead of just an isolated event. It takes the abstractness out of spirituality. That's the opportunity of real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/serving-the-truth-becomes-our-life-instead-of-just-an-isolated-event/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [prayer can be an easy substitute for real spirituality. It would be impossible to have spirituality without prayer, of course, but it is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/prayer-can-be-an-easy-substitute-for-real-spirituality-it-would-be/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Real spirituality and love is always manifest. It always goes to those who are with us and around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/real-spirituality-and-love-is-always-manifest-it-always-goes-to-those/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“Real spirituality is about getting the bullshit out of your life and getting real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/real-spirituality-is-about-getting-the-bullshit-out-of-your-life-and/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [Love and fear are the two opposite ends of the continuum, as far as I'm concerned. When we are not in love, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/love-and-fear-are-the-two-opposite-ends-of-the-continuum-as-far-as-i/)

[Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/)

> [The reputation of generosity is to be purchased pretty cheap; it does not depend so much upon a man's general expense, as it does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/the-reputation-of-generosity-is-to-be-purchased-pretty-cheap-it-does/)

[Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/)

> [Indiscriminate tolerance and indiscriminate condemnation are not two opposites: they are two variants of the same evasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/indiscriminate-tolerance-and-indiscriminate-condemnation-are-not-two/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [Men are constantly attracted and deluded by two opposite charms: the charm of competence which is engendered by mathematics and everything akin to mathematics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/men-are-constantly-attracted-and-deluded-by-two-opposite-charms-the/)

[Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/)

> [When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly half way between. It is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/when-two-opposite-points-of-view-are-expressed-with-equal-intensity/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

## More by Eve Ensler

> [I have been struggling to find my way back into my body my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-have-been-struggling-to-find-my-way-back-into-my-body-my-whole-life/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [When I wrote 'The Good Body,' I turned 40 and suddenly had this stomach. It seemed like the end of the world. Because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-wrote-the-good-body-i-turned-40-and-suddenly-had-this-stomach/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cherish-your-solitude-take-trains-by-yourself-to-places-you-have/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Why are women immobile? Because so many feel like they're waiting for someone to say, 'You're good, you're pretty, I give you permission'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/why-are-women-immobile-because-so-many-feel-like-they-re-waiting-for/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [What neo-capitalism does so brilliantly is that it's always subdividing and dividing, so that people are never able to be joined in their numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-neo-capitalism-does-so-brilliantly-is-that-it-s-always/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [The verb that's been enforced on girls is to please. Girls are trained to please...I want us all to change the verb. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-verb-that-s-been-enforced-on-girls-is-to-please-girls-are-trained/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [“De acordo com os congressistas, ouvir as experiências reais de mulheres vítimas de violência era diferente de ler as estatísticas de violência contra mulheres.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/de-acordo-com-os-congressistas-ouvir-as-experi-ncias-reais-de/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [stop fixing your bodies and start fixing the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/stop-fixing-your-bodies-and-start-fixing-the-world/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Anorexia was my attempt to have control over my body and manipulate my body and starve my body and shape my body. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/anorexia-was-my-attempt-to-have-control-over-my-body-and-manipulate/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [I believe in irony. And if V-Day has taught me anything, it's that if you go out with artistic, outrageous irony and humor, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-believe-in-irony-and-if-v-day-has-taught-me-anything-it-s-that-if/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [People didn't feel so much shame around it and that they didn't feel so much humiliation around it. And the other thing that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/people-didn-t-feel-so-much-shame-around-it-and-that-they-didn-t-feel/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Cancer essentially lives in us and becomes activated at some point, and then cells begin to psychotically divide. Initially, the cancer cell looks like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cancer-essentially-lives-in-us-and-becomes-activated-at-some-point/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [Today the United States has the highest prison population in the world, over 2.1 million people. ... We lock people up at a rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/today-the-united-states-has-the-highest-prison-population-in-the/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

[Explore all 241 Eve Ensler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What I would argue is that real spirituality is the ability to keep encountering two opposite thoughts at the same time and still maintain some kind of morality and perspective in the world. It is not the elimination of one side of the equation or the elimination of what you don't like; it is the investigation of everything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eve Ensler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spirituality-is-the-ability-to-keep/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spirituality-is-the-ability-to-keep/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/eve-ensler-1402_ability_what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spiritua_1528461.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What I would argue is that real spirituality is the ability to keep encountering two opposite thoughts at…” — Eve Ensler",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eve Ensler",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What I would argue is that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spirituality-is-the-ability-to-keep/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-i-would-argue-is-that-real-spirituality-is-the-ability-to-keep/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
