--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is an experimental journey…" description: "\"Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit that tra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/fernando-pessoa-177_bed_life-is-an-experimental-journey-undertak_2703413.jpg" --- # Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily… ![“Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit that travels, it is the spirit that is experienced. That is why there exist contemplative souls who have lived more intensely, more widely, more…” quote by Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/fernando-pessoa-177_bed_life-is-an-experimental-journey-undertak_2703413.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/fernando-pessoa-177_bed_life-is-an-experimental-journey-undertak_2703413.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/fernando-pessoa-177_bed_life-is-an-experimental-journey-undertak_2703413.jpg) > “Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit that travels, it is the spirit that is experienced. That is why there exist contemplative souls who have lived more intensely, more widely, more tumultuously than others who have lived their lives purely externally. The end result is what matters. What one felt was what one experienced. One retires to bed as wearily from having dreamed as from having done hard physical labor. One never lives so intensely as when one has been thinking hard.” [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a forced experimental journey of the spirit through material existence, where inner experience outweighs external actions. **In simple terms:** Life is an involuntary experimental journey of the spirit. Key Takeaway Embrace deep reflection over mere activity. Themes spirituality experience introspection existence mindfulness Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - creative writing - philosophical study - personal growth Key Concepts phenomenology subjective reality consciousness Questions to Reflect On - How can you prioritize inner experience? - What does “intense thinking” mean to you? A Different Perspective External achievements cannot replace inner experiential depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Contemplative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplative/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [End result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-result/) [End results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-results/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Exist Contemplative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-contemplative-2750528/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Experimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experimental-2719466/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Lived Intensely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-intensely-232118/) [Lives Intensely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-intensely-1388100/) [Material world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-world/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Retiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retiring/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Experienced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-experienced-2750527/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-hard/) [What matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-matters/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is an experimental journey undertaken involuntarily. It is a journey of the spirit through the material world and, since it is the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/life-is-an-experimental-journey-undertaken-involuntarily-it-is-a/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [One never lives so intensely as when one has been thinking hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/one-never-lives-so-intensely-as-when-one-has-been-thinking-hard/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“...they had lived, they'd lived intensely. 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It was possible to squeeze an entire lifetime of living into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/she-understood-now-why-so-many-members-of-her-kind-died-so-young-it/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [“At times, working in big cities far from nature, I have been sick with nesomania, and I think the reason is this: On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/at-times-working-in-big-cities-far-from-nature-i-have-been-sick-with/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [Make your lives intensely Eucharistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/make-your-lives-intensely-eucharistic/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The most radical, audacious thing to think is that there might be some point to working hard and thinking hard and reading hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-radical-audacious-thing-to-think-is-that-there-might-be-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/all-the-problems-of-the-world-could-be-settled-easily-if-men-were/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Normally when people say they haven't decided, they're being polite but they're definitely not voting for you. I think it's different this time. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/normally-when-people-say-they-haven-t-decided-they-re-being-polite/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [Thinking is hard; that's why so few do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/thinking-is-hard-that-s-why-so-few-do-it/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Thinking is hard work, which is why you don't see many people doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/thinking-is-hard-work-which-is-why-you-don-t-see-many-people-doing-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“I know the you who’s in the margins. I know you’re thinking hard about what you want and why– more than some people ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dorst/i-know-the-you-who-s-in-the-margins-i-know-you-re-thinking-hard-about/) [Doug Dorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dorst/) ## More by Fernando Pessoa > [Everything interests me, but nothing holds me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-interests-me-but-nothing-holds-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“If only, I feel now, if only I could be someone able to see all this as if he had no other relation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/if-only-i-feel-now-if-only-i-could-be-someone-able-to-see-all-this-as/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [What's given, in fact, always depends on the person or thing it's given to. A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Smell is a strange sight. It evokes sentimental landscapes through a sudden sketching of the subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/smell-is-a-strange-sight-it-evokes-sentimental-landscapes-through-a/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Tudo vale a pena quando a alma não é pequena”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/tudo-vale-a-pena-quando-a-alma-n-o-pequena/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“no nostalgia hurts as much as nostalgia for things that never existed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-nostalgia-hurts-as-much-as-nostalgia-for-things-that-never-existed/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“The feelings that hurt most, the motions that sting most, are those that are absurd; the longing for impossible things, precisely because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/the-feelings-that-hurt-most-the-motions-that-sting-most-are-those/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“I try to say what I feel Without thinking about what I feel. I try to place words right next to my idea So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-try-to-say-what-i-feel-without-thinking-about-what-i-feel-i-try-to/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Have you ever considered, beloved other, how invisible we are to each other? We look at each other without seeing. We listen to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/have-you-ever-considered-beloved-other-how-invisible-we-are-to-each/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“To associate is to die. Only my consciousness of myself is real for me; other people are hazy phenomena in this consciousness, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/to-associate-is-to-die-only-my-consciousness-of-myself-is-real-for-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“When it comes to dreams, I’m no different from the errand boy and the seamstress. 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Nothing passes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-intelligent-idea-can-gain-general-acceptance-unless-some-stupidity/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [God gave the sea the danger and the abyss, but it was in it that He mirrored the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/god-gave-the-sea-the-danger-and-the-abyss-but-it-was-in-it-that-he/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Everything that surrounds us becomes part of us, it seeps into us with every experience of the flesh and of life and, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-that-surrounds-us-becomes-part-of-us-it-seeps-into-us-with/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) [Explore all 781 Fernando Pessoa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. 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