--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The inward man is faced with a new and…" description: "\"“The inward man is faced with a new and often dramatic task: He must come to terms with the inner tremendum. Since the God 'out there' or 'up there' is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_creative-life_the-inward-man-is-faced-with-a-new-and-o_881476.jpg" --- # The inward man is faced with a new and often dramatic… ![“The inward man is faced with a new and often dramatic task: He must come to terms with the inner tremendum. Since the God 'out there' or 'up there' is more or less dissolved in the many secular structures, the God within asks attention as never before. And just as the God outside could be…” quote by Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_creative-life_the-inward-man-is-faced-with-a-new-and-o_881476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_creative-life_the-inward-man-is-faced-with-a-new-and-o_881476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_creative-life_the-inward-man-is-faced-with-a-new-and-o_881476.jpg) > ““The inward man is faced with a new and often dramatic task: He must come to terms with the inner tremendum. Since the God 'out there' or 'up there' is more or less dissolved in the many secular structures, the God within asks attention as never before. And just as the God outside could be experienced not only as a loving father but also as a horrible demon, the God within can be not only the source of a new creative life but also the cause of a chaotic confusion. The greatest complaint of the Spanish mystics St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross was that they lacked a spiritual guide to lead them along the right paths and enable them to distinguish between creative and destructive spirits. We hardly need emphasize how dangerous the experimentation with the interior life can be. Drugs as well as different concentration practices and withdrawal into the self often do more harm than good. On the other hand it also is becoming obvious that those who avoid the painful encounter with the unseen are doomed to live a supercilious, boring and superficial life.”” [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must confront our inner divine, which can inspire creativity or cause chaos, without proper guidance. **In simple terms:** Facing inner divinity can be both creative and destructive. Key Takeaway Seek guidance when exploring inner spirituality. Themes spirituality inner conflict guidance creativity danger self‑exploration Mood contemplative cautious Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - meditation retreats - therapy sessions - creative projects - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate inner inspiration from inner turmoil? - What practices help you stay grounded? A Different Perspective Inner work can become harmful without disciplined practice or mentorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“The death of God has set the angels free. And they are terrible. There are principalities and powers. Angels are the thoughts of God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/the-death-of-god-has-set-the-angels-free-and-they-are-terrible-there/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbour-publishing-inc/for-which-cause-we-faint-not-but-though-our-outward-man-perish-yet/) [Barbour Publishing Inc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbour-publishing-inc/) > [“Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/give-me-beauty-in-the-inward-soul-may-the-outward-and-the-inward-man/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Time to go inward, man, I hope I have the nerve, to take inventory of the causes that I serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/time-to-go-inward-man-i-hope-i-have-the-nerve-to-take-inventory-of/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [“For according to the outward man, we are in this world, and according to the inward man, we are in the inward world… Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-boehme/for-according-to-the-outward-man-we-are-in-this-world-and-according/) [Jacob Boehme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-boehme/) > [“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/therefore-we-do-not-lose-heart-even-though-our-outward-man-is/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan The outward habit by the inward man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/opinion-s-but-a-fool-that-makes-us-scan-the-outward-habit-by-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“I am by nature an inward man, he said silently into the disconnected phone. I have struggled, in my fashion, to find my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-am-by-nature-an-inward-man-he-said-silently-into-the-disconnected/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [May the outward and inward man be at one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/may-the-outward-and-inward-man-be-at-one/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Beloved Pan and all ye other gods who haunt this place, give me beauty in the inward soul; and may the outward and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/beloved-pan-and-all-ye-other-gods-who-haunt-this-place-give-me-beauty/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Words . . . present a picture of the inward man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mott/words-present-a-picture-of-the-inward-man/) [John Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mott/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [St. Teresa of Avila wrote: 'All difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as if God were absent.' This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/st-teresa-of-avila-wrote-all-difficulties-in-prayer-can-be-traced-to/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [“The “interior castle” of the human soul, as Teresa of Avila called it, has many rooms, and they are slowly occupied by God, allowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-interior-castle-of-the-human-soul-as-teresa-of-avila-called-it/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. I summon Aquinas, Augustine, Paul \[of Tarsus\], Teresa of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/again-i-hear-almost-everyday-from-atheists-who-write-off-religion-as/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) ## More by Henri J.M. Nouwen > [“Spiritual reading, therefore, is slow, deliberate, meditative reading in which we allow the words to penetrate our heart and question our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/spiritual-reading-therefore-is-slow-deliberate-meditative-reading-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/the-mystery-of-ministry-is-that-we-have-been-chosen-to-make-our-own/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Jesus changes our history from a random series of sad incidents and accidents into a constant opportunity for a change of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/jesus-changes-our-history-from-a-random-series-of-sad-incidents-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“It wasn't that the Gospel proved useful for my many worries but that the Gospel proved the uselessness of my worries and so refocused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/it-wasn-t-that-the-gospel-proved-useful-for-my-many-worries-but-that/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“But mortification - literally, "making death" - is what life is all about, a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/but-mortification-literally-making-death-is-what-life-is-all-about-a/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Christians should put survival of the planet ahead of national security...Here is the mystery of our global responsibility: that we are in communion with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/christians-should-put-survival-of-the-planet-ahead-of-national/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“We want to live as people chosen, blessed, and broken, and thus become food for the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/we-want-to-live-as-people-chosen-blessed-and-broken-and-thus-become/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Those who really can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/those-who-really-can-receive-bread-from-a-stranger-and-smile-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Whereas discipline without discipleship leads to rigid formalism, discipleship without discipline ends in sentimental romanticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/whereas-discipline-without-discipleship-leads-to-rigid-formalism/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“When God makes a covenant with us, God says: 'I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/when-god-makes-a-covenant-with-us-god-says-i-will-love-you-with-an/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Am I afraid to die? I am every time I let myself be seduced by the noisy voices of my world telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/am-i-afraid-to-die-i-am-every-time-i-let-myself-be-seduced-by-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/our-life-is-a-short-time-in-expectation-a-time-in-which-sadness-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Here the mystery of drinking the cup becomes clear. The coming and leaving of friends, the experiences of love and betrayal, of care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/here-the-mystery-of-drinking-the-cup-becomes-clear-the-coming-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) [Explore all 115 Henri J.M. Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## More Creative life quotes > [The libertarian can have no truck with 'left' or 'right' because he regrets any form of authoritarianism - the use of police force to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/the-libertarian-can-have-no-truck-with-left-or-right-because-he/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [The secret of the creative life is to feel at ease with your own embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/the-secret-of-the-creative-life-is-to-feel-at-ease-with-your-own/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) > [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/) > [A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/a-creative-life-is-an-amplified-life-it-s-a-bigger-life-a-happier/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [In those who rest on their unshakable faith, pharisaism and fanaticism are the unmistakable symptoms of doubt which has been repressed. Doubt is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/in-those-who-rest-on-their-unshakable-faith-pharisaism-and-fanaticism/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [When it all comes together, a creative life has the nourishing power we normally associate with food, love and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/when-it-all-comes-together-a-creative-life-has-the-nourishing-power/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/a-creative-life-is-an-amplified-life-it-s-a-bigger-life-a-happier-2/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Now I'm able to align my work and creative life with who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/now-i-m-able-to-align-my-work-and-creative-life-with-who-i-am/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [You will pass through storms and heavy rains, and at times you will suffer defeat. The essence of the creative life, however, is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/you-will-pass-through-storms-and-heavy-rains-and-at-times-you-will/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Fundamentally, I do a job at which I can make a living and I like it. That's the bottom line. I still really enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-henshall/fundamentally-i-do-a-job-at-which-i-can-make-a-living-and-i-like-it/) [Douglas Henshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-henshall/) > [“With a new awareness, both painful and humorous, I begin to understand why the saints were rarely married women. I am convinced it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/with-a-new-awareness-both-painful-and-humorous-i-begin-to-understand/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [A creative life cannot be sustained by approval any more than it can be destroyed by criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/a-creative-life-cannot-be-sustained-by-approval-any-more-than-it-can/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [Woman's normal occupations in general run counter to creative life, or contemplative life, or saintly life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/woman-s-normal-occupations-in-general-run-counter-to-creative-life-or/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Elena Ferrante is the author of several novels. There is nothing mysterious about her, given how she manifests herself - perhaps even too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/elena-ferrante-is-the-author-of-several-novels-there-is-nothing/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) [Browse all 164 Creative life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The inward man is faced with a new and often dramatic task: He must come to terms with the inner tremendum. Since the God 'out there' or 'up there' is more or less dissolved in the many secular structures, the God within asks attention as never before. And just as the God outside could be experienced not only as a loving father but also as a horrible demon, the God within can be not only the source of a new creative life but also the cause of a chaotic confusion. The greatest complaint of the Spanish mystics St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross was that they lacked a spiritual guide to lead them along the right paths and enable them to distinguish between creative and destructive spirits. We hardly need emphasize how dangerous the experimentation with the interior life can be. Drugs as well as different concentration practices and withdrawal into the self often do more harm than good. On the other hand it also is becoming obvious that those who avoid the painful encounter with the unseen are doomed to live a supercilious, boring and superficial life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri J.M. 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