--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a human life is open to all that…" description: "\"“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a radical insight, and one the consci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/john-shelby-spong-1488_human-life_when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-hu_36746.png" --- # When a human life is open to all that humanity can be… ![“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a radical insight, and one the consciousness of the mystic is destined to understand.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/john-shelby-spong-1488_human-life_when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-hu_36746.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/john-shelby-spong-1488_human-life_when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-hu_36746.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/john-shelby-spong-1488_human-life_when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-hu_36746.png) > ““When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a radical insight, and one the consciousness of the mystic is destined to understand.”” [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that when a person fully embraces the potential of humanity, the divine and human aspects become unified, a profound realization reserved for mystics. **In simple terms:** Human potential merges with the divine. Key Takeaway Mystic insight reveals unity of humanity and divinity. Themes spirituality human potential mysticism unity consciousness Mood awe inspiration reverence Type philosophical spiritual reflective When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - philosophical study - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts humanity divinity mystic consciousness Practical Applications - inspiring meditation - guiding ethical frameworks Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing our divine potential affect our actions? - What practices can cultivate this mystic insight? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [History must stay open, it is all humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/history-must-stay-open-it-is-all-humanity/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [“Maybe we should just love one another, even if we don't completely understand the things that people bear in their dark, strange hearts, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-finney-boylan/maybe-we-should-just-love-one-another-even-if-we-don-t-completely/) [Jennifer Finney Boylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-finney-boylan/) > [“I have a different theory, which is even more harebrained. 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Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [The solution to the problem of the day is the awakening of the consciousness of humanity to the divinity within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/the-solution-to-the-problem-of-the-day-is-the-awakening-of-the/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [ “4.39 HUMANITY & DIVINITY When you lose reasoning you forget humanity, When you forget laughter you lose Divinity. \[222\] – 4” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munindra-munnan-misra/4-39-humanity-divinity-when-you-lose-reasoning-you-forget-humanity/) [Munindra (Munnan) Misra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munindra-munnan-misra/) > [Never for a moment do we lay aside our mistrust of the ideals established by society, and of the convictions which are kept by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/never-for-a-moment-do-we-lay-aside-our-mistrust-of-the-ideals/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Humanity? Humanity is not concerned with us. Today anything is allowed. Anything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/humanity-humanity-is-not-concerned-with-us-today-anything-is-allowed/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I was deeply interested in conveying what is a deeply felt conviction of my own. This is simply to suggest that human beings must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/i-was-deeply-interested-in-conveying-what-is-a-deeply-felt-conviction/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-not-lose-faith-in-humanity-humanity-is-like-an-ocean-if-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Religion belonged to the infancy of humanity. Now that humanity had come of age, it should be left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/religion-belonged-to-the-infancy-of-humanity-now-that-humanity-had/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“Earth can live longer then the humanity or the humanity can live longer than the earth! Both are possible!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/earth-can-live-longer-then-the-humanity-or-the-humanity-can-live/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Oh my God, does art engender humanity? It awakens your humanity. But humanity has nothing to do with political theory. Political theory is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/oh-my-god-does-art-engender-humanity-it-awakens-your-humanity-but/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) ## More by John Shelby Spong > [The way that I see Christianity is that its role is to enhance the life of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-way-that-i-see-christianity-is-that-its-role-is-to-enhance-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Sins of Scripture is an interesting title; most people don't put sins and scripture together in the same title. It jars people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-sins-of-scripture-is-an-interesting-title-most-people-don-t-put/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. 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Sometimes, you're just in the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/some-people-think-prayer-stops-bullets-or-rockets-or-land-mines-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I know Jerry \[Falwell\] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he-s-probably-not-bright-enough/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > ["You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's." Your neighbor is clearly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/you-shall-not-covet-your-neighbor-s-wife-nor-his-ox-nor-his-ass-nor/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) [Explore all 236 John Shelby Spong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More Human life quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. 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I just can't think of anything that has a higher purpose than putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-williams/i-free-slaves-because-i-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-i-just-can-t/) [Virginia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-williams/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [There seems to be a kind of order in the universe…in the movement of the stars and the turning of the Earth and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/there-seems-to-be-a-kind-of-order-in-the-universe-in-the-movement-of/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [I think we are not spend our life as it pick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-narwal/i-think-we-are-not-spend-our-life-as-it-pick/) ANKIT NARWAL > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. 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