--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They have forgotten, if they ever knew…" description: "\"“They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it is good an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg" --- # They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient… ![“They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it is good and proper to throw up. Teach me how to be sick then, in the right time and place, so that I may again walk in the fields and with the wise and…” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg) > ““They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it is good and proper to throw up. Teach me how to be sick then, in the right time and place, so that I may again walk in the fields and with the wise and smiling dogs know enough to chew sweet grass. \*\*\*”” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True healing often follows a period of illness; embracing discomfort can lead to renewed vitality and insight. **In simple terms:** Illness can be a pathway to health. Key Takeaway Accept and learn from discomfort to grow. Themes health transformation acceptance Mood thoughtful inspirational Type literary motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - career burnout - creative block - spiritual practice Key Concepts biology philosophy of medicine Questions to Reflect On - When has discomfort sparked growth for you? - How do you differentiate harmful pain from useful challenge? A Different Perspective Not all suffering is productive; timing and context matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beasts Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beasts-know-539093/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health Beasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-beasts-539092/) [Right time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-time/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Sick Regain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-regain-539091/) [Teach Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-sick-539090/) ## Related quotes > [Through neglect, ignorance, or inability, the new intellectual Borgias cram hairballs down our throats and refuse us the convulsion that could make us well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/through-neglect-ignorance-or-inability-the-new-intellectual-borgias/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Man is a part of God, or else he is a beast; and beasts know love and fear and hate and hunger--but not exultation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-fast/man-is-a-part-of-god-or-else-he-is-a-beast-and-beasts-know-love-and/) [Howard Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-fast/) > [We are beasts, you know, beasts risen from the savannas and jungles and forests. We have come down from the trees and up out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-galenorn/we-are-beasts-you-know-beasts-risen-from-the-savannas-and-jungles-and/) [Yasmine Galenorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-galenorn/) > [“The primal sin of those like myself, mes amis, is that because we were once people who acted like beasts, we are forever cursed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-files/the-primal-sin-of-those-like-myself-mes-amis-is-that-because-we-were/) [Gemma Files](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-files/) > [Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nature-teaches-beasts-to-know-their-friends/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When I was born in 1920, the auto was only 20 years old. Radio didn't exist. TV didn't exist. I was born at just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/when-i-was-born-in-1920-the-auto-was-only-20-years-old-radio-didn-t/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Break ups are painful, but if initiated at the right time can fuel one's sense of optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/break-ups-are-painful-but-if-initiated-at-the-right-time-can-fuel-one/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [“Everything that was Chace Keaton urged him to follow her. To ask her to dinner. To get to know her. To find the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/everything-that-was-chace-keaton-urged-him-to-follow-her-to-ask-her/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can't tell you how good it is to go from 'Homeland' to be lucky enough to find 'The Blacklist' at the right time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-klattenhoff/i-can-t-tell-you-how-good-it-is-to-go-from-homeland-to-be-lucky/) [Diego Klattenhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-klattenhoff/) > [“It never seemed like the right time. But of course, it never is the right time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/it-never-seemed-like-the-right-time-but-of-course-it-never-is-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A person who really loves you is willing to wait for you until the right time will come, and that you can already say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mae-sajo-gallego/a-person-who-really-loves-you-is-willing-to-wait-for-you-until-the/) [Christine Mae Sajo Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mae-sajo-gallego/) > [“In Africa, if you are an hour late, you are right on time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-lungu/in-africa-if-you-are-an-hour-late-you-are-right-on-time/) [Stephen Lungu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-lungu/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Health quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I listen to my body, I give it things it wants and I eliminate things it doesn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-listen-to-my-body-i-give-it-things-it-wants-and-i-eliminate-things/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Mental health is an issue close to my heart - an issue, indeed, I've covered repeatedly for Channel 4 News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-newman/mental-health-is-an-issue-close-to-my-heart-an-issue-indeed-i-ve/) [Cathy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-newman/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Not only is a healthy America a strong America - it's vital to our national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/not-only-is-a-healthy-america-a-strong-america-it-s-vital-to-our/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) [Browse all 17,127 Health quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it is good and proper to throw up. Teach me how to be sick then, in the right time and place, so that I may again walk in the fields and with the wise and smiling dogs know enough to chew sweet grass. ***”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-the-ancient-knowledge-that-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Health" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-the-ancient-knowledge-that-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d94/ray-bradbury-75_health_they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-th_828603.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain…” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They have forgotten, if they ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-the-ancient-knowledge-that-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-the-ancient-knowledge-that-only/#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 } } ] } ```