To see a world in a grain of sand
and heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
and eternity in an hour.
Just wondered if anyone knew the meaning behind this
2007-03-06 10:25:45 · 9 answers · asked by crazytoad11 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
That would be "Auguries of Innocence" by William Blake. I think he would explain it thusly:
It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Me... I'd just say that he's commenting on how we see the entire word through the lenses of our own experience. Our interpretation of the immaterial (like Heaven, infinity, eternity, and the like) must be made in the context of things that we have personal experience with.
Further, he seems to be saying that it is proper, not bad, to do this. This is not an illusion or a false connection drawn by the mind, but learning and experience. He is arguing that a piece of Heaven literally IS in the wild flower, and a wise person sees this and gets better through life thereby. Likewise, to someone in darkness, God IS light. Or Blake again:
God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;
But does a human form display
To those who dwell in realms of day.
2007-03-06 10:32:33 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That quote I saw in the movie "Tomb Raider".
The meaning of it is to see the largest things in the smallest packages.
The world in a grain of sand:
Heaven in a wild flower:
Infinity in Your Hand:
Eternity in an Hour.
2007-03-06 11:10:34 · answer #2 · answered by Q 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To me, William Blake was saying that it is possible to see the essence of the universe in the minutest components of that universe. One can see all of humanity in the wrinkled face of an old woman. To understand vast truths, examine the smallest of things. The secret of joy is contained in a child's laughter.
2007-03-06 10:39:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means that to be able to understand and appreciate the magic in the smallest, simplest things in this world is the key to happiness.
2007-03-06 10:37:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
free your mind from delusion
wake up now to the ungraspable flux
life is a series of moments
things appear to come and go
inside and outside your mind
stop clinging
live
or dont
get lost in a maze of ideas
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oh, and do your homework
2007-03-06 11:45:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mr. Blake is talking about the four different types of lives on our world.
2007-03-06 11:22:57 · answer #6 · answered by Alex 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The simplest things can be your utopia, not everyone needs money, fast cars, and 12 bedroom house......just being is enough for some
2007-03-06 12:19:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be able to acknowledge the smallest thing and imagine infinity.
2007-03-06 10:38:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This means to limit yourself. Also it can be so: do not limit yourself.
You should not limit yourself, but try to find new doors to new worlds. New languages, new knowledge, new science can be those doors.
2007-03-06 10:32:48 · answer #9 · answered by archeraarash 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋