--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are graced with a godlike ability to…" description: "\"We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.\" — Russell Shorto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png" --- # We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and… ![“We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.” quote by Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png) > “We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.” [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human imagination can transcend physical limits, yet mortality grounds us. **In simple terms:** Mind transcends, body remains mortal. Key Takeaway Use imagination while embracing mortality. Themes imagination mortality philosophy human potential Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - artistic creation - scientific research - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism psychology creativity Questions to Reflect On - How does imagination shape your life? - What does “chained to death” mean to you? A Different Perspective Focusing too much on transcendence may ignore practical needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Chained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chained/) [Chained Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chained-death-699362/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [End time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-time/) [End times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-times/) [Godlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godlike/) [Godlike Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godlike-ability-699364/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Chained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-chained-699361/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) [Transcend Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcend-time-699363/) ## Related quotes > [“If you’re sensitive to the flow of energy and semantics, you can unambiguously feel the Dragon at work in all things internet, blockchain, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/if-you-re-sensitive-to-the-flow-of-energy-and-semantics-you-can/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [How spiritually blind are men that they fail to see that we are bound together. We rise or fall together; we are dwarfed or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/how-spiritually-blind-are-men-that-they-fail-to-see-that-we-are-bound/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“I am glad to have found and have knowledge of a love that could transcend time even if it was Forbidden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-r-jones/i-am-glad-to-have-found-and-have-knowledge-of-a-love-that-could/) [E.L.R. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-r-jones/) > [“What we have is strong enough to transcend time. I've never trusted anything more in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-madow/what-we-have-is-strong-enough-to-transcend-time-i-ve-never-trusted/) [Michelle Madow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-madow/) > [Don't set time limits for achieving goals. They should transcend time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pena/don-t-set-time-limits-for-achieving-goals-they-should-transcend-time/) [Dan Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pena/) > [“I wonder why trying to transcend time never even succeeds in stopping it...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-wonder-why-trying-to-transcend-time-never-even-succeeds-in-stopping/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Considering the amount of information we're bombarded by, it's amazing if a song can transcend time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/considering-the-amount-of-information-we-re-bombarded-by-it-s-amazing/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [The stories on 'The Cosby Show' transcend time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-knight-pulliam/the-stories-on-the-cosby-show-transcend-time/) [Keshia Knight Pulliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-knight-pulliam/) > [a masterpiece doesn't so much transcend its time as perpetuate it; it keeps its moment alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-croce/a-masterpiece-doesn-t-so-much-transcend-its-time-as-perpetuate-it-it/) [Arlene Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-croce/) > [“Sight is bound by time and space, vision isn't! 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For it allows you to put off until tomorrow what you bought today, while you are still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morrissette/a-credit-card-allows-you-transcend-time-for-it-allows-you-to-put-off/) [Robert Morrissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morrissette/) > [In fact, because I am very time conscious and want to make the most of every moment, I make it a practice to remove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-brown/in-fact-because-i-am-very-time-conscious-and-want-to-make-the-most-of/) [Erica Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-brown/) > [Being an artist is a totally godlike thing to do - and I have a god complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/being-an-artist-is-a-totally-godlike-thing-to-do-and-i-have-a-god/) [Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/) ## More by Russell Shorto > [“devote what time I may still have to live to no other occupation than that of endeavoring to acquire some knowledge of Nature, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/devote-what-time-i-may-still-have-to-live-to-no-other-occupation-than/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [“So how, in an increasingly interconnected world, do we integrate and still keep our values?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/so-how-in-an-increasingly-interconnected-world-do-we-integrate-and/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [Embedded in this outlook is an idea of the body as a machine, so that illness is seen as a breakdown of the machine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/embedded-in-this-outlook-is-an-idea-of-the-body-as-a-machine-so-that/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [For liberalism is a delicate thing. 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He was applying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/in-asking-for-a-relic-of-descartes-the-chevalier-de-terlon-was/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [“It was possible, as far as they knew, that the western shore, which in fifty years’ time would be christened New Jersey, was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/it-was-possible-as-far-as-they-knew-that-the-western-shore-which-in/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [Manhattan is where America began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/manhattan-is-where-america-began/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [“a basic component of individual rights is the right to own property.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/a-basic-component-of-individual-rights-is-the-right-to-own-property/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [“...the curious Dutch classification gedogen, which means 'technically illegal but officially tolerated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/the-curious-dutch-classification-gedogen-which-means-technically/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [They had applied their doubts to the very head that had introduced doubt as a tool for advancing knowledge. And in the end they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/they-had-applied-their-doubts-to-the-very-head-that-had-introduced/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) > [“No,” he answered. If Stanton figured he was teaching the slave a lesson, Venture knew that by staying locked up he was depriving Stanton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/no-he-answered-if-stanton-figured-he-was-teaching-the-slave-a-lesson/) [Russell Shorto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) [Explore all 15 Russell Shorto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Russell Shorto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to-transcend-time-and-space-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to-transcend-time-and-space-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/russell-shorto-32329_ability_we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to_1655349.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are graced with a godlike ability to transcend time and space in our minds but are chained to death.” — Russell Shorto", "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": "Russell Shorto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-shorto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are graced with a godlike...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to-transcend-time-and-space-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-shorto/we-are-graced-with-a-godlike-ability-to-transcend-time-and-space-in/#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 } } ] } ```