Contemplation Quote by Leo Tolstoy
““Yet that grief and this joy were alike outside all the ordinary conditions of life; they were loop-holes, as it were, in that ordinary life through which there came glimpses of something sublime. And in the contemplation of this sublime something the soul was exalted to inconceivable heights of which it had before had no conception which reason lagged behind, unable to keep up with it.””
About This Quote
Grief and joy break ordinary life, revealing glimpses of the sublime that elevate the soul beyond ordinary understanding, outpacing reason.
In simple terms: Extreme emotions expose the sublime, transcending reason.
Key Takeaway
Intense feelings can lift consciousness beyond the mundane.
Themes
Transcendence
Emotion
Sublime
Soul
Reason
Life
Mood
Awe
Melancholy
Elevated
Type
Philosophical
Poetic
Reflective
When to use this quote
- Artistic creation
- Philosophical reflection
- Therapeutic processing of loss
- Spiritual meditation
- Crisis moments
Key Concepts
Emotion as portal
Limits of rationality
Spiritual elevation
Contrast of joy and grief
Practical Applications
- Poetry that captures deep feeling
- Therapeutic counseling using emotional insight
Questions to Reflect On
- How do intense emotions expand perception?
- What role does reason play when confronted with the sublime?
![“My contemplation of life and human nature in that secluded place [cell 54 of Cairo Central Prison] taught me that he who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never, therefore, make any progress.” quote by Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/543/anwar-sadat-18573_adaptability_my-contemplation-of-life-and-human-natur_36590.jpg)
