Henry Miller quotes

Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.

The legal system is often a mystery, and we, its priests, preside over rituals baffling to everyday citizens.

Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.

No matter how vast, how total, the failure of man here on earth, the work of man will be resumed elsewhere. War leaders talk of resuming operations on this front and that, but man's front embraces the whole universe.

True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself.

Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.

No matter how vast, how total, the failure of man here on earth, the work of man will be resumed elsewhere. War leaders talk of resuming operations on this front and that, but man's front embraces the whole universe.

Back of every creation, supporting it like an arch, is faith. Enthusiasm is nothing: it comes and goes. But if one believes, then miracles occur.

We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate.

The real leader has no need to lead - he is content to point the way.

In expanding the field of knowledge we but increase the horizon of ignorance.

The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.

Los Angeles gives one the feeling of the future more strongly than any city I know of. A bad future, too, like something out of Fritz Lang's feeble imagination.

In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.

No matter how vast, how total, the failure of man here on earth, the work of man will be resumed elsewhere. War leaders talk of resuming operations on this front and that, but man's front embraces the whole universe.

The great work must inevitably be obscure, except to the very few, to those who like the author himself are initiated into the mysteries. Communication then is secondary: it is perpetuation which is important. For this only one good reader is necessary.

An artist is always alone - if he is an artist. No, what the artist needs is loneliness.

Imagination is the voice of daring. If there is anything Godlike about God it is that. He dared to imagine everything.

Los Angeles gives one the feeling of the future more strongly than any city I know of. A bad future, too, like something out of Fritz Lang's feeble imagination.

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.

The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love.

Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.

Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack. We give it orders which make no sense.

The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.

All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without benefit of experience.

The waking mind is the least serviceable in the arts.

Sin, guilt, neurosis; they are one and the same, the fruit of the tree of knowledge.