---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Heaven is under our feet as well as over…"
description: "\"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.\" — Henry David Thoreau"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg"
---

#  Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.

![“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg)

> “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## About This Quote

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

Thoreau suggests that heaven is not only above us but also beneath our feet, implying that spiritual fulfillment can be found in everyday surroundings.

**In simple terms:** Heaven is both above and below.

Key Takeaway

Seek wonder in ordinary places.

Themes

spirituality nature mindfulness

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

philosophical nature

When to use this quote

- hiking
- gardening
- urban walks
- meditation

Key Concepts

transcendence environmental philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you experience “heaven” in daily life?
- What places feel sacred to you?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on the metaphor may ignore practical hardships.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [Kilbane's head is better than his feet. If only he had three heads, one on the end of each leg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/kilbane-s-head-is-better-than-his-feet-if-only-he-had-three-heads-one/)

[Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/)

> [There are some famous people, and I've met them, who you might think are great, and then you meet them, and you discover that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-beatts/there-are-some-famous-people-and-i-ve-met-them-who-you-might-think/)

[Anne Beatts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-beatts/)

> [Philosophy is a goddess, whose head indeed is in heaven, but whose feet are upon earth; she attempts more than she accomplishes, and promises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/philosophy-is-a-goddess-whose-head-indeed-is-in-heaven-but-whose-feet/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [Although skin color is undoubtedly the most salient signal of racial identity in America, other actual or imagined bodily features have also been seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-kennedy/although-skin-color-is-undoubtedly-the-most-salient-signal-of-racial/)

[Randall Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-kennedy/)

> [When we consider the weak and nerveless periods of some literary men, who perchance in feet and inches come up to the standard oftheir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-the-weak-and-nerveless-periods-of-some-literary-men/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [That devilish Iron Horse, whose ear-rending neigh is heard throughout the town, has muddied the Boiling Spring with his foot, and he it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-devilish-iron-horse-whose-ear-rending-neigh-is-heard-throughout/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle. The groves of these trees looked like vast forest sheds, their branches stoppingshort at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sugar-maple-is-remarkable-for-its-clean-ankle-the-groves-of-these/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-must-live-in-the-present-launch-yourself-on-every-wave-find-your/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/)

[Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/)

> [Heaven lieth at the feet of mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/heaven-lieth-at-the-feet-of-mothers/)

[Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/)

> [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. It's one of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/the-three-of-us-just-try-put-our-heads-down-and-stay-creative-the/)

[Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/)

> [Ambition devours gold and drinks blood and climbs so high by other men's heads, that at the length in the fall, it breaks its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wentworth-1st-earl-of-strafford/ambition-devours-gold-and-drinks-blood-and-climbs-so-high-by-other/)

Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford

> [“Some of us think with our heads, others with our hearts. Though neither is good or bad, it seems that one solves problems while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-p-mauro-sr/some-of-us-think-with-our-heads-others-with-our-hearts-though-neither/)

[Anthony P. Mauro, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-p-mauro-sr/)

> [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/)

[Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/)

> [Some people you speak to you speak into their heads. It's logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/some-people-you-speak-to-you-speak-into-their-heads-it-s-logical/)

[Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/)

## More by Henry David Thoreau

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## More Feet quotes

> [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/)

[Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/)

[Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/)

> [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/)

[Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/)

> [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/)

[Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/)

> [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/)

[J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/)

> [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/)

[Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/)

> [“Always wash you feet last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-wash-you-feet-last/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My husband really loves my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-husband-really-loves-my-feet/)

[Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/)

> [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/)

[Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/)

> [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/)

[Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/)

> [Griezmann is an exceptional player. He's brimming with talent, and he knows how to keep his feet on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-matuidi/griezmann-is-an-exceptional-player-he-s-brimming-with-talent-and-he/)

[Blaise Matuidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-matuidi/)

> [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [I could not prove the Years had feet-/Yet confident they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-could-not-prove-the-years-had-feet-yet-confident-they-run/)

[Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/)

Browse all 6,557 Feet quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over-our-heads/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feet"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over-our-heads/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_feet_heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over_2020509.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” — Henry David Thoreau",
                "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": "Henry David Thoreau",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Heaven is under our feet as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over-our-heads/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/heaven-is-under-our-feet-as-well-as-over-our-heads/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
