Body Quote by Matsuo Basho
“In this poor body, composed of one hundred bones and nine openings, is something called spirit, a flimsy curtain swept this way and that by the slightest breeze. It is spirit, such as it is, which led me to poetry, at first little more than a pastime, then the full business of my life. There have been times when my spirit, so dejected, almost gave up the quest, other times when it was proud, triumphant. So it has been from the very start, never finding peace with itself, always doubting the worth of what it makes.”
About This Quote
Source Poetry collection: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo Basho, 1694
The poet describes the fragile spirit within the body, its influence on his art, and its fluctuating confidence.
In simple terms: Spirit is fragile, shaping poetry, with ups and downs.
Key Takeaway
Nurture your spirit to sustain creative purpose.
Themes
creativity
spirituality
self‑doubt
Mood
introspective
inspirational
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing sessions
- artistic blocks
- personal setbacks
Key Concepts
poetry
philosophy
human condition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconnect with your spirit when discouraged?
- What practices sustain your creative drive?
A Different Perspective
Spirit can be unstable, leading to creative paralysis.
![“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)
