Body Quote by Louise Erdrich
“We have these earthly bodies. We don't know what they want. Half the time, we pretend they are under our mental thumb, but that is the illusion of the healthy and the protected. Of sedate lovers. For the body has emotions it conceives and carries through without concern for anyone or anything else. Love is one of those, I guess. Going back to something very old knit into the brain as we were growing. Hopeless. Scorching. Ordinary.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich, 2008
The quote reflects on the disconnect between bodily instincts and conscious control, suggesting emotions like love arise naturally and often beyond rational influence.
In simple terms: Bodies act on instinct, love is a natural emotion.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge and honor instinctual feelings.
Themes
human nature
emotion
instinct
control
love
Mood
reflective
melancholic
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
emotional
When to use this quote
- relationships
- self‑reflection
- mental health
- creative writing
Key Concepts
psychology
neuroscience
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance instinctual urges with conscious decisions?
- What role does love play in shaping our actions?
A Different Perspective
Instincts can conflict with rational goals, leading to inner tension.
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![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
