--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sped through heaven and saw god at…" description: "\"I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid of nothing in the world. I accepted all thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg" --- # I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy… ![“I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid of nothing in the world. I accepted all things and to all things I gave up my heart.” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg) > “I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid of nothing in the world. I accepted all things and to all things I gave up my heart.” [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A transformative journey where confronting divine presence and suffering leads to surrendering defenses, embracing fearlessness, and offering one's heart fully. **In simple terms:** Spiritual surrender after confronting the divine. Key Takeaway True freedom comes from letting go. Themes spiritual awakening self-transcendence fearlessness surrender divine encounter inner peace Mood awe reverence catharsis Type philosophical poetic spiritual When to use this quote - deep meditation - near-death experience - intense personal crisis - ritual purification Key Concepts theology psychology existentialism Practical Applications - guiding therapeutic introspection - inspiring artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to truly let go? - How can confronting suffering transform one's outlook? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Gave up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-up/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy Pains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-pains-1028770/) [My heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-heart/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pains Dropped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pains-dropped-1028771/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Sped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sped/) [Suffered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffered/) [Suffered Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffered-holy-1028769/) [Work Suffered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-suffered-1028772/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There were now and then, though rarely, the hours that brought the welcome shock, pulled down the walls and brought me back again from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/there-were-now-and-then-though-rarely-the-hours-that-brought-the/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“It was at a concert of lovely old music. After two or three notes of the piano the door was opened of a sudden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-was-at-a-concert-of-lovely-old-music-after-two-or-three-notes-of/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [When I got to know about my cancer, I was at the rock bottom of my life, and my work suffered for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/when-i-got-to-know-about-my-cancer-i-was-at-the-rock-bottom-of-my/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [We sped on, across the plains, toward Metz. I hung back, saving myself. It is called the Race of Truth. The early stages separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/we-sped-on-across-the-plains-toward-metz-i-hung-back-saving-myself-it/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [And connected I had been. When the fish changed directions, I felt it. when it slowed or sped up, I felt that too. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-maxwell/and-connected-i-had-been-when-the-fish-changed-directions-i-felt-it/) [Jessica Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-maxwell/) > [...he put his foot on one pedal, scooted a few yards and swung his other leg over the saddle. He soared left into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/he-put-his-foot-on-one-pedal-scooted-a-few-yards-and-swung-his-other/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [They sped by a pack of sea lions lounging on the docks, and she swore she saw an old homeless guy sitting among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/they-sped-by-a-pack-of-sea-lions-lounging-on-the-docks-and-she-swore/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Science has grown frightfully audacious in these days -- swift-footed, ponderous, careering over her iron ways with unslacking pace. This rampant dragon, on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/science-has-grown-frightfully-audacious-in-these-days-swift-footed/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [the fire seven times tried this; seven times tried that judgement is that did never choose amiss some there be that shadows kiss; such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fire-seven-times-tried-this-seven-times-tried-that-judgement-is/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ Digital \[photography\] has sped up the process to a point that it's a bit self-destructive. It is like driving by a new neighborhood without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-kuhn/digital-photography-has-sped-up-the-process-to-a-point-that-it-s-a/) [Mona Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-kuhn/) > [Time sped. And the poet through sorrow Became like his suffering kind. Again he toiled over his poems To lighten the grief of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/time-sped-and-the-poet-through-sorrow-became-like-his-suffering-kind/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [For years, Blockbuster Video has edited movies. Like The Bad Lieutenant, when he's masturbating while the girls in the car are doing the thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/for-years-blockbuster-video-has-edited-movies-like-the-bad-lieutenant/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [The moving light, rejoicing in its strength, Sped from the pyre of pine, and urged its way, In golden glory, like some strange new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-moving-light-rejoicing-in-its-strength-sped-from-the-pyre-of-pine/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“XXIV I saw a man pursuing the horizon; Round and round they sped. I was disturbed at this; I accosted the man. "It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/xxiv-i-saw-a-man-pursuing-the-horizon-round-and-round-they-sped-i-was/) [Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/) > [I gave my heart to the mountains the minute I stood beside this river with its spray in my face and watched it thunder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-gave-my-heart-to-the-mountains-the-minute-i-stood-beside-this-river/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) ## More by Hermann Hesse > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More Accepted quotes > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [In Quebec City many Muslims have said that they hide their faith because they know that if they don't, if they show that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-pratte/in-quebec-city-many-muslims-have-said-that-they-hide-their-faith/) [Andre Pratte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-pratte/) > [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. But I was raised to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-yearwood/divorce-is-so-common-and-accepted-in-america-that-beating-myself-up/) [Trisha Yearwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-yearwood/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Browse all 2,128 Accepted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid of nothing in the world. I accepted all things and to all things I gave up my heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hermann Hesse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-work-i-suffered-holy-pains-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepted" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-work-i-suffered-holy-pains-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/hermann-hesse-130_accepted_i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-wor_80698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid…” — Hermann Hesse", "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": "Hermann Hesse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I sped through heaven and saw...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-work-i-suffered-holy-pains-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-work-i-suffered-holy-pains-i/#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 } } ] } ```