--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And the world cannot be discovered by a…" description: "\"And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg" --- # And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles… ![“And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home.” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg) > “And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home.” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True insight comes from humble, inward exploration rather than distant travel; it grounds us in our own experience. **In simple terms:** Look inward for real discovery. Key Takeaway Embrace small, mindful steps. Themes spirituality humility self‑discovery mindfulness Mood contemplative hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - journaling - nature walks - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophy existentialism inner work Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate inner growth with daily life? - What small practice grounds you? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on inner work may neglect external responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arduous Humbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arduous-humbling-6093412/) [Discovered Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-journey-3256447/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Humbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbling/) [Inches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inches/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Journey Inch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-inch-6093413/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-journey/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles...only by a spiritual journey...by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a-journey-of-miles-only-by-a/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [Marriage is not a static state between two unchanging people. Marriage is a psychological and spiritual journey that begins in the ecstasy of attraction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-not-a-static-state-between-two-unchanging-people-marriage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Math is the beautiful, rich, joyful, playful, surprising, frustrating, humbling and creative art that speaks to something transcendental. It is worthy of much exploration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tanton/math-is-the-beautiful-rich-joyful-playful-surprising-frustrating/) [James Tanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tanton/) > [It's a joyful, humbling feeling to be in different places around the planet and people have seen shows that I'm proud of being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/it-s-a-joyful-humbling-feeling-to-be-in-different-places-around-the/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [The real work of planet-saving will be small, humble, and humbling, and (insofar as it involves love) pleasing and rewarding. Its jobs will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-real-work-of-planet-saving-will-be-small-humble-and-humbling-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laugh-laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful-though-you-have-considered/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [If they had only themselves to consider, lovers would not need to marry, but they must think of others and of other things. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/if-they-had-only-themselves-to-consider-lovers-would-not-need-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [When I rise up, let me rise up joyful like a bird. When I fall, let me fall without regret like a leaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/when-i-rise-up-let-me-rise-up-joyful-like-a-bird-when-i-fall-let-me/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [So, friends, every day do something that won't compute...Give your approval to all you cannot understand...Ask the questions that have no answers. Put your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/so-friends-every-day-do-something-that-won-t-compute-give-your/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“Zeena Schreck believes that the right-hand path and the left-hand path have traditionally had the same end goal; it is only the method that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/zeena-schreck-believes-that-the-right-hand-path-and-the-left-hand/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [My sangha, what I seem to attract, are people who have been practicing a long time, they're teaching, they're more serious about their spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-bender-birch/my-sangha-what-i-seem-to-attract-are-people-who-have-been-practicing/) [Beryl Bender Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-bender-birch/) > [This is the pathless path - returning to where you were initially before you got lost. The deepest truth in you is where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/this-is-the-pathless-path-returning-to-where-you-were-initially/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [People wander about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/people-wander-about-what-you-are-pursuing-you-have-to-explain-about/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Feet quotes > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [“Always wash you feet last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-wash-you-feet-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My husband really loves my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-husband-really-loves-my-feet/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Griezmann is an exceptional player. He's brimming with talent, and he knows how to keep his feet on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-matuidi/griezmann-is-an-exceptional-player-he-s-brimming-with-talent-and-he/) [Blaise Matuidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-matuidi/) > [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I could not prove the Years had feet-/Yet confident they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-could-not-prove-the-years-had-feet-yet-confident-they-run/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) [Browse all 6,557 Feet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendell Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a-journey-of-miles-no-matter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a-journey-of-miles-no-matter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/wendell-berry-236_feet_and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a_3227732.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual…” — Wendell Berry", "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": "Wendell Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And the world cannot be discovered...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a-journey-of-miles-no-matter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-the-world-cannot-be-discovered-by-a-journey-of-miles-no-matter/#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 } } ] } ```