--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is meditation?... It is fleeing from…" description: "\"What is meditation?... It is fleeing from the self, it is a short escape of the agony of being a self, it is a short numbing of the senses against the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/hermann-hesse-130_agony_what-is-meditation-it-is-fleeing-from-th_2981142.jpg" --- # What is meditation?... It is fleeing from the self, it is… ![“What is meditation?... It is fleeing from the self, it is a short escape of the agony of being a self, it is a short numbing of the senses against the pain and the pointlessness of life. The same escape, the same short numbing is what the driver of an ox-cart finds in the inn, drinking a few bowls…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/hermann-hesse-130_agony_what-is-meditation-it-is-fleeing-from-th_2981142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/hermann-hesse-130_agony_what-is-meditation-it-is-fleeing-from-th_2981142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d9/hermann-hesse-130_agony_what-is-meditation-it-is-fleeing-from-th_2981142.jpg) > “What is meditation?... It is fleeing from the self, it is a short escape of the agony of being a self, it is a short numbing of the senses against the pain and the pointlessness of life. The same escape, the same short numbing is what the driver of an ox-cart finds in the inn, drinking a few bowls of rice wine or fermented coconut-milk.” [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. Meditation is an escape from self‑pain, a temporary numbing of life's suffering. **In simple terms:** Meditation numbs self‑pain. Key Takeaway Use meditation wisely, not as avoidance. Themes meditation escape self‑pain Mood introspective serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - stress management - spiritual retreats - creative blocks Key Concepts existentialism spiritual practice Questions to Reflect On - When is meditation a true aid? - How to balance escape and engagement? A Different Perspective Escaping may avoid necessary growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Inns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inns/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pointlessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointlessness/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [“What is meditation? What is leaving one's body? What is fasting? What is holding one's breath? 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Filburn > [“When compared to the fact that he might very well be dead by this time tomorrow, whether he was courageous or not today was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/when-compared-to-the-fact-that-he-might-very-well-be-dead-by-this/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-getting-dressed-in-clothes-that-you-buy-for-work-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are the girls we love, the men we look up to, the tenderness, the friendships, the opportunities, the pleasures! But the fact remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/there-are-the-girls-we-love-the-men-we-look-up-to-the-tenderness-the/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The pointlessness of motherhood. I’d spent all that time saying, ‘Look both ways’, ‘Don’t go off with anyone’ and ‘Here’s a Haliborange and Omega-3’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-fisher/the-pointlessness-of-motherhood-i-d-spent-all-that-time-saying-look/) [Kerry Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-fisher/) ## 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. 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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 Agony quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. 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I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The young man shivered. 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