Borders Quote by Sandra Cisneros
“As Indigenous peoples, we know there is more to the world. We know spirits exist. We know as women, because we're especially attuned to this kind of knowledge, that spirits exist and have a presence in our lives. Some of us are gifted and can communicate with the spirit world. Not everyone has that gift and can perceive the borders between the living and the dead and our society actively discourages us of exploring the knowledge of what many of us have already always known in our cultures.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Indigenous Knowledge and Spirituality, Sandra Cisneros, 2010
Indigenous cultures recognize a spiritual dimension accessible especially to women, but societal pressures suppress this awareness.
In simple terms: Spirits are part of life, especially for women.
Key Takeaway
Honor and explore spiritual gifts.
Themes
spirituality
culture
gender
Mood
respectful
thoughtful
Type
cultural
reflective
When to use this quote
- ritual practice
- community healing
- education
- advocacy
Key Concepts
anthropology
psychology
indigenous wisdom
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies support diverse spiritual experiences?
- What balance is needed between tradition and modern life?
A Different Perspective
Not everyone possesses this gift, and emphasizing it can marginalize those without it.
![“People have faces. […] Spirits don’t have faces. And yet we recognise them. We know who is who. Spirits don’t have eyes or mouths or ears either. And yet they can see and speak and hear. […] The spirits are all around us. […] They’re right here, but we can’t see them.” quote by Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b0f/henning-mankell-2068_quote_people-have-faces-spirits-don-t-have-fac_1473447.jpg)
![“[Jorge Luis Borges] had short stories, and I was trying to learn how to write short stories, and then he had these things in the middle that were like fables, and I loved hearing fables.” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a46/sandra-cisneros-862_borges_jorge-luis-borges-had-short-stories-and_102630.jpg)
![“We changed it to emocionó, the way you say in Spanish, "to emotion me" [to be moved]. That, as opposed to "haunt." We wanted the feeling of sadness and grief and obsession, so we used emocionó.” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8fc/sandra-cisneros-862_changed_we-changed-it-to-emocion-the-way-you-say_108295.jpg)
