---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That word means 'earth-dream'. And…"
description: "\"“That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you use it, it means we, the people, are dreaming the earth into being. And it also means the ear..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg"
---

#  That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you…

![“That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you use it, it means we, the people, are dreaming the earth into being. And it also means the earth is dreaming us, the people, into being. We are dreaming each other. And making each other real. And it means other things, too, that I don't…” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg)

> ““That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you use it, it means we, the people, are dreaming the earth into being. And it also means the earth is dreaming us, the people, into being. We are dreaming each other. And making each other real. And it means other things, too, that I don't understand. That I might never understand. But I am going to keep learning.””

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote explores mutual creation, suggesting humans and Earth co‑dream each other into existence, emphasizing interconnectedness and mystery.

**In simple terms:** People and Earth shape each other through shared dreams.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and nurture our connection with the planet.

Themes

interconnectedness creation humility learning

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

philosophical spiritual environmental

When to use this quote

- environmental activism
- community building
- personal growth
- education
- artistic practice

Key Concepts

Phenomenology ecology indigenous worldview

Questions to Reflect On

- How does recognizing mutual dreaming change your actions?
- What can we learn from the unknown aspects of this relationship?

A Different Perspective

Understanding is limited; the full meaning may remain elusive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/)

## Related quotes

> [To be a seer is to walk softly on the earth and dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-villoldo/to-be-a-seer-is-to-walk-softly-on-the-earth-and-dream/)

[Alberto Villoldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-villoldo/)

> [“I have a dream, humans were part of aliens on earth. I also dream, that some humans are really indigenous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/i-have-a-dream-humans-were-part-of-aliens-on-earth-i-also-dream-that/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [“I dream'd in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth, I dream'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-dream-d-in-a-dream-i-saw-a-city-invincible-to-the-attacks-of-the/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [“At home we can say to our ladies: 'I love you', or to our native earth. It means we rejoice in their lives…Love must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/at-home-we-can-say-to-our-ladies-i-love-you-or-to-our-native-earth-it/)

[Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/)

> [That the sky is brighter than the earth means little unless the earth itself is appreciated and enjoyed. Its beauty loved gives the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/that-the-sky-is-brighter-than-the-earth-means-little-unless-the-earth/)

[Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/)

> [Legends say if someone dies in their young age it means God loves them dearly but you are still on earth it means someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-the-best/legends-say-if-someone-dies-in-their-young-age-it-means-god-loves/)

SAM (THE BEST

> [“The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-conquest-of-the-earth-which-mostly-means-the-taking-it-away-from-3/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“What’s life? A frenzied, blurry haze. What’s life? Not anything it seems. A shadow. Fiction filling reams. All we possess on earth means nil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/what-s-life-a-frenzied-blurry-haze-what-s-life-not-anything-it-seems/)

[Pedro Calderón de la Barca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/)

> [Miss Earth, to me, means a lot more than an international beauty pageant. It implies a larger than life celebration of spirit, beauty, passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sobhita-dhulipala/miss-earth-to-me-means-a-lot-more-than-an-international-beauty/)

[Sobhita Dhulipala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sobhita-dhulipala/)

> [“The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-conquest-of-the-earth-which-mostly-means-the-taking-it-away-from-2/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-conquest-of-the-earth-which-mostly-means-the-taking-it-away-from/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“They don't make morgues with windows. In fact, if the geography allows for it, they hardly ever make morgues above the ground. I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/they-don-t-make-morgues-with-windows-in-fact-if-the-geography-allows/)

[Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/)

> [Because every time someone finds a new animal, or a new amazing thing on earth, it means we haven't broken everything yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-dahvana-headley/because-every-time-someone-finds-a-new-animal-or-a-new-amazing-thing/)

[Maria Dahvana Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-dahvana-headley/)

> [The decisions that you make and the actions that you take upon the earth are the means by which you evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/the-decisions-that-you-make-and-the-actions-that-you-take-upon-the/)

[Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/)

> [“Fill. The third phase of dominion is to “fill” or “replenish” the earth. Bearing fruit, refining our gift, and mastering the use of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/fill-the-third-phase-of-dominion-is-to-fill-or-replenish-the-earth/)

[Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/)

## More by Sherman Alexie

> [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

[Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## More Dream quotes

> [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/)

[Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/)

> [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/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/)

[Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/)

> [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

[Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you use it, it means we, the people, are dreaming the earth into being. And it also means the earth is dreaming us, the people, into being. We are dreaming each other. And making each other real. And it means other things, too, that I don't understand. That I might never understand. But I am going to keep learning.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sherman Alexie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-word-means-earth-dream-and-depending-on-how-you-use-it-it-means/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dream"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-word-means-earth-dream-and-depending-on-how-you-use-it-it-means/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/sherman-alexie-444_dream_that-word-means-earth-dream-and-dependin_1261540.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending on how you use it, it means we, the people, are dreaming the…” — Sherman Alexie",
                "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": "Sherman Alexie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“That word means 'earth-dream'. And, depending...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-word-means-earth-dream-and-depending-on-how-you-use-it-it-means/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-word-means-earth-dream-and-depending-on-how-you-use-it-it-means/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
