--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our arms start from the back because they…" description: "\"Our arms start from the back because they were once wings.\" — Martha Graham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png" --- # Our arms start from the back because they were once wings. ![“Our arms start from the back because they were once wings.” quote by Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png) > “Our arms start from the back because they were once wings.” [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our bodies retain memories of past forms, influencing present movement. **In simple terms:** Past shapes present posture. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden influences on behavior. Themes memory embodiment creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - dance rehearsal - personal growth - therapy Key Concepts kinesthetic intelligence historical echo Questions to Reflect On - What past habits affect your current actions? - How can you transform old patterns? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on past may limit innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Arms Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms-start-5901952/) [Choreographers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choreographers/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Wings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-wings-5901953/) [Wings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wings/) ## Related quotes > [Dance is the hidden langauge of the soul, of the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/dance-is-the-hidden-langauge-of-the-soul-of-the-body/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/there-is-a-vitality-a-life-force-a-quickening-that-is-translated-2/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction , a blessed unrest that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/no-artist-is-pleased-there-is-no-satisfaction-whatever-at-any-time/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/you-do-not-even-have-to-believe-in-yourself-or-your-work-you-have-to/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/practice-is-a-means-of-inviting-the-perfection-desired/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [Unlike a lot of choreographers, I don't always start with the music. I often start with a visual artist, and then find music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-mcgregor/unlike-a-lot-of-choreographers-i-don-t-always-start-with-the-music-i/) [Wayne McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-mcgregor/) > [Away! Away! The spell of arms and voices: the white arms of roads, their promise of close embraces and the black arms of tall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/away-away-the-spell-of-arms-and-voices-the-white-arms-of-roads-their/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I was an angel of the desert. In your arms I broke my wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-boullosa/i-was-an-angel-of-the-desert-in-your-arms-i-broke-my-wings/) [Carmen Boullosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-boullosa/) > [Every time a good child dies, an angel of God comes down to earth. He takes the child in his arms, spreads out his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/every-time-a-good-child-dies-an-angel-of-god-comes-down-to-earth-he/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [Turbulence, like many forms of trouble, cannot always be seen. We bounce so hard my arms sail helplessly above my head. In evolution, wing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/turbulence-like-many-forms-of-trouble-cannot-always-be-seen-we-bounce/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [I loved being at the Royal Ballet. Those choreographers, MacMillan and Ashton, they knew how to translate complicated life into choreography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-loved-being-at-the-royal-ballet-those-choreographers-macmillan-and/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Shakespeare has always been up for grabs, and choreographers have every right to use him any way they choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/shakespeare-has-always-been-up-for-grabs-and-choreographers-have/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [We dance to difference genres such as krumping, ballet and hip-hop, together with invited foreign choreographers who are well-known internationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie/we-dance-to-difference-genres-such-as-krumping-ballet-and-hip-hop/) [Jennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie/) > [I am sincerely trying now to create a dance technique based entirely upon corrective exercises, created with a knowledge of human anatomy; a technique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-horton/i-am-sincerely-trying-now-to-create-a-dance-technique-based-entirely/) [Lester Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-horton/) > [The number of e-mails and letters that I get from choreographers, from sculptors, from composers who are being inspired by science is huge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-number-of-e-mails-and-letters-that-i-get-from-choreographers-from/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) ## More by Martha Graham > [The body never lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/the-body-never-lies/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [You have no right to go before a public without an adequate technique, just because you feel. Anything feels - a leaf feels, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/you-have-no-right-to-go-before-a-public-without-an-adequate-technique/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/there-is-a-vitality-a-life-force-an-energy-a-quickening-that-is/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [Misery is a communicable disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/misery-is-a-communicable-disease/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/people-have-asked-me-why-i-chose-to-be-a-dancer-i-did-not-choose-i/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [All things I do are in every woman. Every woman is Medea. Every woman is Jocasta. There comes a time when a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/all-things-i-do-are-in-every-woman-every-woman-is-medea-every-woman/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and in time, trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/the-body-is-shaped-disciplined-honored-and-in-time-trusted/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [The secret to dancing is that it is about everything except dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/the-secret-to-dancing-is-that-it-is-about-everything-except-dancing/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [What makes a great dancer is not technique. What makes a great dancer is passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/what-makes-a-great-dancer-is-not-technique-what-makes-a-great-dancer/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [The body is a sacred garment. It's your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/the-body-is-a-sacred-garment-it-s-your-first-and-last-garment-it-is/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/you-are-unique-and-if-that-is-not-fulfilled-then-something-has-been/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [You see, when weaving a blanket, an Indian woman leaves a flaw in the weaving of that blanket to let the soul out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/you-see-when-weaving-a-blanket-an-indian-woman-leaves-a-flaw-in-the/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [Dancing is just discovery, discovery, discovery - what it all means, the way the little bone near the ankle relates itself to the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/dancing-is-just-discovery-discovery-discovery-what-it-all-means-the/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [Theater used to be a verb; it used to be an act. But nowadays it is just a noun. It is a place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/theater-used-to-be-a-verb-it-used-to-be-an-act-but-nowadays-it-is/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [There is a force, a quickness that is translated through you into action. If you block it, the world will not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/there-is-a-force-a-quickness-that-is-translated-through-you-into/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) [Explore all 148 Martha Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our arms start from the back because they were once wings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martha Graham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-they-were-once-wings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-they-were-once-wings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/martha-graham-2832_arms_our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-the_1568855.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our arms start from the back because they were once wings.” — Martha Graham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martha Graham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our arms start from the back...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-they-were-once-wings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/our-arms-start-from-the-back-because-they-were-once-wings/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```