--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason for the emphasis on shamanism…" description: "\"The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other techniques is, you will need techniques if you go into the deep water. And they can make your lif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png" --- # The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other… ![“The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other techniques is, you will need techniques if you go into the deep water. And they can make your life very simple and save you from unnecessary suffering. Not all suffering is necessary. Maybe no suffering is necessary.” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png) > “The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other techniques is, you will need techniques if you go into the deep water. And they can make your life very simple and save you from unnecessary suffering. Not all suffering is necessary. Maybe no suffering is necessary.” [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Techniques help navigate deep, challenging experiences, reducing unnecessary suffering and simplifying life. **In simple terms:** Tools ease difficult moments and lessen pain. Key Takeaway Use practical methods to handle hardship. Themes self‑help psychology spirituality Mood reflective calm Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - meditation retreats - daily stress management Key Concepts mindfulness resilience pain reduction Questions to Reflect On - What techniques have you tried for stress? - How can you tell necessary from unnecessary suffering? A Different Perspective Techniques may not eliminate all suffering and can be misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-water/) [Emphasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis/) [Emphasis Shamanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis-shamanism-4035144/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Shamanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shamanism/) [Shamanism Techniques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shamanism-techniques-4035145/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-necessary-1319011/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) [Techniques Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/techniques-need-4035146/) [Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary/) [Unnecessary suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary-suffering/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [True freedom and the end of suffering is living in such a way as if you had completely chosen whatever you feel or experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/true-freedom-and-the-end-of-suffering-is-living-in-such-a-way-as-if/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/suffering-is-necessary-until-you-realize-it-is-unnecessary/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Suffering cracks open the shell of ego, and then comes a point when it has served its purpose. Suffering is necessary until you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/suffering-cracks-open-the-shell-of-ego-and-then-comes-a-point-when-it/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [This is the key. If you get into deep water with these substances, this is true of psilocybin as well, you don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-key-if-you-get-into-deep-water-with-these-substances-this/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Mortality is a school of suffering and trials. We are here that we may be educated in a school of suffering and of fiery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-snow/mortality-is-a-school-of-suffering-and-trials-we-are-here-that-we-may/) [Lorenzo Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-snow/) > [“In this way, the Odyssey’s hero embodies one of its central themes, which is that the capacity to defer satisfaction and endure suffering is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/in-this-way-the-odyssey-s-hero-embodies-one-of-its-central-themes/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [suffering is as necessary to entertaining as vermouth is to a Martini - a small but vital ingredient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/suffering-is-as-necessary-to-entertaining-as-vermouth-is-to-a-martini/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [“This is the nonduality principle of Buddhism: there is nothing to throw away. If a person has never suffered, he or she will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/this-is-the-nonduality-principle-of-buddhism-there-is-nothing-to/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [Every sufferer who bears pain, or slander, or loss, or personal unkindness for Christ’s sake, is filling up that amount of suffering which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/every-sufferer-who-bears-pain-or-slander-or-loss-or-personal/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Perhaps it is that great suffering is necessary to produce great art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-banerjee/perhaps-it-is-that-great-suffering-is-necessary-to-produce-great-art/) [Victor Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-banerjee/) > [I envy all suffering, because suffering is necessary to become spiritually beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/i-envy-all-suffering-because-suffering-is-necessary-to-become/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [“It is painfully easy to define human beings. They are beings who, for no good reason at all, create their own unnecessary suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/it-is-painfully-easy-to-define-human-beings-they-are-beings-who-for/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [Suffering is not holding you. You are holding suffering. When you become good at the art of letting sufferings go, then you'll come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/suffering-is-not-holding-you-you-are-holding-suffering-when-you/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I would suggest that excellence occurs in direct proportion to necessary suffering, but in inverse proportion to unnecessary suffering or toxic stress. Connection is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hallowell/i-would-suggest-that-excellence-occurs-in-direct-proportion-to/) [Edward Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hallowell/) > [No matter how many people you kill, using a machine gun in battle is not a war crime because it does not cause unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/no-matter-how-many-people-you-kill-using-a-machine-gun-in-battle-is/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) ## More by Terence McKenna > [History was an incredibly damaging experience, and now it's over . . . in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/history-was-an-incredibly-damaging-experience-and-now-it-s-over-in-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What is happening here is we are living past the age, by the millions, living past the age where cultural values make any sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-here-is-we-are-living-past-the-age-by-the-millions/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What history is, essentially, is a careening, out-of-control effort to find our way back to this state of primordial balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-history-is-essentially-is-a-careening-out-of-control-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [And what is the primary datum? It's the felt presence of immediate experience. In other words, being here now is the primary datum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-the-primary-datum-it-s-the-felt-presence-of-immediate/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our culture difinitely takes an egocentric dominator view. The fear of the psychedelic experience is quite literally the fear of losing control. Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [This is the message of your life and my life - it’s that nothing lasts. Heraclitus said it: Panta Rhei. All flows, nothing lasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-message-of-your-life-and-my-life-it-s-that-nothing-lasts/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I often like to think that our map of the world is wrong, that where we have centered physics, we should actually place literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-often-like-to-think-that-our-map-of-the-world-is-wrong-that-where/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Knowledge, or verbal facility, is no proof that you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/knowledge-or-verbal-facility-is-no-proof-that-you-know-what-you-re/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [No culture on earth is as heavily narcotized as the industrial West in terms of being inured to the consequences of maladaptive behavior. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-culture-on-earth-is-as-heavily-narcotized-as-the-industrial-west/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Man was not put on this planet to toil in the mud. Or the god who put us on this planet to toil in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/man-was-not-put-on-this-planet-to-toil-in-the-mud-or-the-god-who-put/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If you take psychedelics and the Internet and music and put all of that together you have the basis for a new community that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-you-take-psychedelics-and-the-internet-and-music-and-put-all-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) [Explore all 745 Terence McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More Deep water quotes > [Of course, I don't mean to imply that all writers are working in the deep waters that border on the divine. Most writers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-keck/of-course-i-don-t-mean-to-imply-that-all-writers-are-working-in-the/) [Kevin Keck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-keck/) > [Even in the middle of a hurricane, the bottom of the sea is calm. As the storm rages and the winds howl, the deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-muller/even-in-the-middle-of-a-hurricane-the-bottom-of-the-sea-is-calm-as/) [Wayne Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-muller/) > [“Deep You, you’re deep water And I’m scared because I can’t defaulter I don’t know how to swim, So, if I jump in, I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nicole-wagner/deep-you-you-re-deep-water-and-i-m-scared-because-i-can-t-defaulter-i/) [Rachel Nicole Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nicole-wagner/) > [When you're testing to see how deep water is, never use two feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-testing-to-see-how-deep-water-is-never-use-two-feet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I get in deep water, I prefer to announce that I'm in over my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/when-i-get-in-deep-water-i-prefer-to-announce-that-i-m-in-over-my-head/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“If life was like a body of water, she had asked that she be allowed to walk again in its shallows; instead she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/if-life-was-like-a-body-of-water-she-had-asked-that-she-be-allowed-to/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [Never test how deep the water is with both feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/never-test-how-deep-the-water-is-with-both-feet/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“I was in the deep water. It was dark and unclear and the taste of the salt was in my mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/i-was-in-the-deep-water-it-was-dark-and-unclear-and-the-taste-of-the/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [“Far too many times in life we throw ourselves in ships without knowing how stable they are, or how deep is the water for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/far-too-many-times-in-life-we-throw-ourselves-in-ships-without/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [“When you look ito the still, deep water, you can feel it looking back, trying to come up with the proper punishment. Fucking water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-young/when-you-look-ito-the-still-deep-water-you-can-feel-it-looking-back/) [Dean Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-young/) > [When you can swim, who cares how deep the water is?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/when-you-can-swim-who-cares-how-deep-the-water-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Twenty, thirty, forty feet. The pressure wasn’t uncomfortable. I’d never tried to push it—to see if there was a limit to how deep I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/twenty-thirty-forty-feet-the-pressure-wasn-t-uncomfortable-i-d-never/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Bodies that drown in deep water may never surface.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/bodies-that-drown-in-deep-water-may-never-surface/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I think in those moments of being in that deep water, it's have you been in that deep water?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-plant/i-think-in-those-moments-of-being-in-that-deep-water-it-s-have-you/) [Caleb Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-plant/) > [Its from the deep waters that we come. And we are heartfelt and treacherous like those waters. We come with an unflinching devotion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bonet/its-from-the-deep-waters-that-we-come-and-we-are-heartfelt-and/) [Lisa Bonet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bonet/) [Browse all 63 Deep water quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-water/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other techniques is, you will need techniques if you go into the deep water. And they can make your life very simple and save you from unnecessary suffering. Not all suffering is necessary. Maybe no suffering is necessary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terence McKenna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism-and-on-other-techniques-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deep water" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism-and-on-other-techniques-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/terence-mckenna-287_deep-water_the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism_465577.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The reason for the emphasis on shamanism and on other techniques is, you will need techniques if you go into…” — Terence McKenna", "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": "Terence McKenna", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The reason for the emphasis on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism-and-on-other-techniques-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-reason-for-the-emphasis-on-shamanism-and-on-other-techniques-is/#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 } } ] } ```