--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will no longer mutilate and destroy…" description: "\"I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.\" — Hermann Hesse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png" --- # I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to… ![“I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png) > “I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.” [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. Self‑destruction in search of hidden truths is harmful; seek growth without self‑harm. **In simple terms:** Don’t destroy yourself to find secrets. Key Takeaway Seek insight healthfully. Themes self‑discovery psychology spirituality Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - therapy - creative writing - personal growth - mindfulness Key Concepts existentialism self‑care Questions to Reflect On - How can you explore inner depths safely? - What alternatives to self‑harm exist? A Different Perspective Avoiding pain can limit breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Longer Mutilate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer-mutilate-5292256/) [Mutilate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutilate-782328/) [Mutilate Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutilate-destroy-5292255/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-ruins-5292254/) ## Related quotes > [We mutilate the meanings, so they are easy to deny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smashing-pumpkins/we-mutilate-the-meanings-so-they-are-easy-to-deny/) [Smashing Pumpkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smashing-pumpkins/) > [“Men do not become what by nature they are meant to be, but what society makes them... generous feelings... are, as it were, shrunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbridge-colby/men-do-not-become-what-by-nature-they-are-meant-to-be-but-what/) [Elbridge Colby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbridge-colby/) > [A man who wants to mutilate himself is certainly damned, isn't he?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/a-man-who-wants-to-mutilate-himself-is-certainly-damned-isn-t-he/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [When I was younger, I did self-mutilate. I'd be upset, so I'd do it, & it would calm me down. It's a horrible way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/when-i-was-younger-i-did-self-mutilate-i-d-be-upset-so-i-d-do-it-it/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [People out there must be told about the self-loathing that follows rape and how it's the greatest breakage in divine law to mutilate themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/people-out-there-must-be-told-about-the-self-loathing-that-follows/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [A man who would mutilate himself is well damned, isn't he?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/primo-levi/a-man-who-would-mutilate-himself-is-well-damned-isn-t-he/) [Primo Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/primo-levi/) > [“The pictures are bound to mutilate the words. Those words weren't meant to have pictures with them!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-pictures-are-bound-to-mutilate-the-words-those-words-weren-t/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [When you rape, beat, maim, mutilate, burn, bury, and terrorize women, you destroy the essential life energy on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-you-rape-beat-maim-mutilate-burn-bury-and-terrorize-women-you/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [When you mutilate movies for mass media, you tamper with the hearts and minds of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/when-you-mutilate-movies-for-mass-media-you-tamper-with-the-hearts/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [“Go forth and mutilate fish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-hardy/go-forth-and-mutilate-fish/) [Janice Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-hardy/) > [You'll never see the moments coming that will for ever mutilate your life-at least not until after they've mowed you down. -Savitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-ll-never-see-the-moments-coming-that-will-for-ever-mutilate-your/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I've never met a man I didn't mutilate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-stanshall/i-ve-never-met-a-man-i-didn-t-mutilate/) [Vivian Stanshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-stanshall/) > [Society isn't a simple organism with one nucleus and a fringe of little feet, it's an infinitely complex living structure and if you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/society-isn-t-a-simple-organism-with-one-nucleus-and-a-fringe-of/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [“They mutilate they torment each other with silences with words as if they had another life to live they do so as if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadeusz-r-ewicz/they-mutilate-they-torment-each-other-with-silences-with-words-as-if/) [Tadeusz Rózewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadeusz-r-ewicz/) > [Do not fold, spindle or mutilate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/do-not-fold-spindle-or-mutilate/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## 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 Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. 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If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hermann Hesse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-myself-in-order-to-find-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-myself-in-order-to-find-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60f/hermann-hesse-130_behinds_i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-my_2275724.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.” — 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 will no longer mutilate and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-myself-in-order-to-find-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-will-no-longer-mutilate-and-destroy-myself-in-order-to-find-a/#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 } } ] } ```