“For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terrorwhich we are barely able to endure, and it amazes us so,because it serenely disdains to destroy us.Every angel is terrible.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke
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Have you ever been so moved by something beautiful that it actually felt overwhelming? ✨ Rainer Maria Rilke once wrote, “For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror which we are barely able to endure, and it amazes us so, because it serenely disdains to destroy us. Every angel is terrible.” True beauty doesn't just comfort us; it transforms us. What is one thing in this world that has left you completely breathless? 👇🌌
About this quote
We often mistake beauty for something merely pleasant or soothing, a gentle balm for the soul. But Rilke invites us to look deeper, suggesting that true beauty possesses a wild, overwhelming power that can leave us breathless and trembling. This 'terror' isn't a fear of harm, but rather the profound shock of encountering something so vast, so perfect, and so much greater than ourselves. It is the moment when the sublime meets the human spirit, challenging our ego and forcing us to expand our capacity to feel. In your own life, embrace the moments that feel 'too much.' When you encounter a love that feels overwhelming, a landscape that makes you feel small, or a truth that shatters your perspective, do not shrink away. This intensity is a sign of being truly alive. To experience the 'terrible beauty' of existence is to be invited into a deeper state of being. Let the greatness of the world refine you, rather than overwhelm you, and find strength in the awe that reminds you how magnificent it is to exist.
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Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash
