--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Superstition is related to this life…" description: "\"Superstition is related to this life, religion to the next; superstition is allied to fatality, religion to virtue; it is by the vivacity of earthly de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/madame-de-stael-2069_contrary_superstition-is-related-to-this-life-rel_638635.jpg" --- # Superstition is related to this life, religion to the… ![“Superstition is related to this life, religion to the next; superstition is allied to fatality, religion to virtue; it is by the vivacity of earthly desires that we become superstitious; it is, on the contrary, by the sacrifice of these desires that we become religious.” quote by Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/madame-de-stael-2069_contrary_superstition-is-related-to-this-life-rel_638635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/madame-de-stael-2069_contrary_superstition-is-related-to-this-life-rel_638635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63d/madame-de-stael-2069_contrary_superstition-is-related-to-this-life-rel_638635.jpg) > “Superstition is related to this life, religion to the next; superstition is allied to fatality, religion to virtue; it is by the vivacity of earthly desires that we become superstitious; it is, on the contrary, by the sacrifice of these desires that we become religious.” [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Superstition arises from worldly cravings, while religion stems from transcending them. **In simple terms:** Worldly desires breed superstition; renouncing them fosters religion. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline to move beyond superstition. Themes spirituality desire self‑control Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do your desires shape your beliefs? - Can you identify a desire you could let go? A Different Perspective Superstition can also serve as a coping mechanism in uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Fatality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatality/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) [Superstitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitious/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Vivacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivacity/) ## Related quotes > [I make this chief distinction between religion and superstition, that the latter is founded on ignorance, the former on knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/i-make-this-chief-distinction-between-religion-and-superstition-that/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Religion is a superstition that originated in man's mental inability to solve natural phenomena. The Church is an orgainized institution that has always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/religion-is-a-superstition-that-originated-in-man-s-mental-inability/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [When the war started, religion and superstition (whatever the difference is) permeated the lives of ordinary soldiers, who lived in a thought world not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/when-the-war-started-religion-and-superstition-whatever-the/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“All too often people confuse religion with superstition, spirituality, belief in supernatural powers or belief in gods. Religion is none of these things. Religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/all-too-often-people-confuse-religion-with-superstition-spirituality/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation, all which may be guides to an outward moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/atheism-leaves-a-man-to-sense-to-philosophy-to-natural-piety-to-laws-2/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“All earthly desires are but streams, but God is the ocean. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathon-edwards/all-earthly-desires-are-but-streams-but-god-is-the-ocean/) Jonathon Edwards > [By an increase in anger, warfare arises. By an increase of greed, famine arises. By an increase of stupidity, pestilence arises. Because these three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/by-an-increase-in-anger-warfare-arises-by-an-increase-of-greed-famine/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Anyone who is not totally dead to himself will soon find that he is tempted and overcome by piddling and frivolous things. Whoever is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/anyone-who-is-not-totally-dead-to-himself-will-soon-find-that-he-is/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“When a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/when-a-man-desires-a-thing-too-much-he-at-once-becomes-ill-at-ease-a/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“The earthly desires men cherish are shadows. There is no true happiness in fulfilling them. Why, then, do we continue to pursue joys without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-earthly-desires-men-cherish-are-shadows-there-is-no-true/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Himmlisch ist's wenn ich bezwungen Meine irdische Begier; Aber doch wenn's nich gelungen Hatt' ich auch recht huebsch Plaisir! Loosely translated: It is heavenly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/himmlisch-ist-s-wenn-ich-bezwungen-meine-irdische-begier-aber-doch/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Buddhism - Tibetan Buddhism - teaches us many things, peace comes from within, we must be free ourselves from earthly desires...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/buddhism-tibetan-buddhism-teaches-us-many-things-peace-comes-from/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Apart from the representational content of an idea there is another component: its force and vivacity, its impetus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/apart-from-the-representational-content-of-an-idea-there-is-another/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [No one expects a Broadway musical comedy to be in the vanguard of what is bohemian, raunchy, folkloric, academic or aggressively experimental. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-jefferson/no-one-expects-a-broadway-musical-comedy-to-be-in-the-vanguard-of/) [Margo Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-jefferson/) > [A problem with my novels is that they, from the start, have been infantile and incredibly childish. There are childishness, stupidity, lack of wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgard/a-problem-with-my-novels-is-that-they-from-the-start-have-been/) [Karl Ove Knausgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgard/) ## More by Madame de Stael > [Good taste cannot supply the place of genius in literature, for the best proof of taste, when there is no genius, would be, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/good-taste-cannot-supply-the-place-of-genius-in-literature-for-the/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [There is no reality on this earth except religion and the power of love; all the rest is even more fugitive than life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/there-is-no-reality-on-this-earth-except-religion-and-the-power-of/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [in Italy, almost at every step, history and poetry add to the graces of nature, sweeten the memory of the past, and seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/in-italy-almost-at-every-step-history-and-poetry-add-to-the-graces-of/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [ \[Ridicule\] laughs at all those who see the earnestness of life and who still believe in true feelings and in serious thought ... It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/ridicule-laughs-at-all-those-who-see-the-earnestness-of-life-and-who/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Ought not every woman, like every man, to follow the bent of her own talents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/ought-not-every-woman-like-every-man-to-follow-the-bent-of-her-own/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [The more we know the better we forgive. Whoever feels deeply, feels for all who live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-more-we-know-the-better-we-forgive-whoever-feels-deeply-feels-for/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Let us then blend everything: love, religion, genius, with sunshine, perfume, music, and poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/let-us-then-blend-everything-love-religion-genius-with-sunshine/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Man's most valuable faculty is his imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/man-s-most-valuable-faculty-is-his-imagination/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Taste is to literature what bon ton is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/taste-is-to-literature-what-bon-ton-is-in-society/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [A voyage without companionship, that is to say without conversation, is one of the saddest pleasures of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/a-voyage-without-companionship-that-is-to-say-without-conversation-is/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [However old a conjugal union, it still garners some sweetness. Winter has some cloudless days, and under the snow a few flowers still bloom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/however-old-a-conjugal-union-it-still-garners-some-sweetness-winter/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [The sight of such a monument is like continual and stationary music, which one hears for one's good as one approaches it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-sight-of-such-a-monument-is-like-continual-and-stationary-music/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [If we would succeed in works of the imagination, we must offer a mild morality in the midst of rigid manners; but where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/if-we-would-succeed-in-works-of-the-imagination-we-must-offer-a-mild/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Innocence in genius, and candor in power, are both noble qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/innocence-in-genius-and-candor-in-power-are-both-noble-qualities/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [“The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress made in spirals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-human-mind-always-makes-progress-but-it-is-a-progress-made-in/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) [Explore all 187 Madame de Stael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) ## More Contrary quotes > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. 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