Literary notes about spiritual (AI summary)
In literature, "spiritual" functions as a multifaceted term that often bridges the gap between the tangible and the transcendent. It evokes a range of meanings—from the calm of inner peace and the weight of ethical conscience [1, 2] to mystical vision and meditation that hint at a higher state of being [3, 4, 5]. Writers frequently employ the term to contrast ephemeral, worldly experiences with eternal, sacred values [6, 7] and to symbolize an inner force or insight that guides personal transformation and artistic expression [8, 9, 10]. In this way, "spiritual" captures the continual human search for meaning beyond the merely material, inviting readers to explore both the internal and transcendent dimensions of existence.
- Spiritual peace," "a quiet conscience"—these things
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book I and II by Nietzsche - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - But the spiritual sight I cannot nor may not shew it as openly nor as fully as I would.
— from Revelations of Divine Love - During deep meditation, the single or spiritual eye becomes visible within the central part of the forehead.
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - Thus leaving his material body, he remained absorbed in (spiritual) meditation.
— from The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 - But in the New Testament the goods that are promised us are spiritual and eternal; and temporal evils are turned into blessings.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Now concerning spiritual things, my brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - Observe the transitory courage of stags and the spiritual state of a soprano.
— from On Love by Stendhal - Our trouble springs from the fact that we who follow Christ inhabit at once two worlds, the spiritual and the natural.
— from The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer - That spiritual Person who is self-existent, absolute, and infinite, is the Ultimate Ground, the Final Cause of the Universe.
— from Know the Truth: A Critique on the Hamiltonian Theory of Limitation by Jesse Henry Jones