Body Quote by Paul Auster
“Reading, at the deepest level, is a physical experience. Most people are not attuned to this, most people don't learn how to read - poetry for example, or high-quality prose. They're used to reading magazines and newspapers, which are only of the mind, but not of the body.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Reading, Paul Auster, 2010
Reading deeply engages the body as well as the mind; many ignore this embodied aspect, favoring superficial texts.
In simple terms: Deep reading involves body and mind; most ignore it.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate embodied reading habits.
Themes
literature
embodiment
mindfulness
Mood
curious
inspired
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading poetry
- studying prose
- mindful reading
Key Concepts
cognitive science
poetics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you feel a text physically?
- What practices enhance embodied reading?
A Different Perspective
Physical engagement may be difficult for some.
![“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)
