The 7 best phrases of Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse’s phrases are an invitation to reflect on life and the search for identity. A gift for anyone who wants to delve deeper into themselves, question themselves and discover themselves. A legacy of great psychological and spiritual depth that is worth reading.

Hermann Hesse was a German writer and painter who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. in recognition of his literary career. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages ​​and more than 30 million copies of his works have been sold.

Some of his most important works are “Demian” (1919), “Siddharta” (1922) and “Steppenwolf” (1927), among others. In most of them, he reflects his interest in eastern mysticism and the spiritual realm, as well as the insatiable search for new values ​​and points of reference.
Those who knew him speak of him as a man with a difficult and somewhat unsociable personality. He liked solitude and diving into the depths of his interior. A creative, isolated and a little unstable person who knew how to put into words everything she felt inside. In fact, he is considered an “author in crisis” due to his constant search for identity.

The path to oneself

Destiny is a path to ourselves. A path that we travel every day to get to know ourselves a little better. Some people quickly realize it, others spend their time barely realizing it. Without a doubt, one of Hermann Hesse’s phrases to remember when we find ourselves lost.

The phenomenon of psychological projection

This is one of Hermann Hesse’s phrases that you may miss the most when reading it and may even cause rejection in some of his readers. Nevertheless, This phenomenon in the field of psychology is known as psychological projection. And it corresponds to the attribution of one’s own emotions and shortcomings to others.

From a positive point of view, an example would be the falling in love stage in a relationship. In it, both members project onto the other traits and virtues that do not correspond to reality. They praise his generosity, his sympathy or his good humor. While From a negative view, psychological projection happens when we blame someone else to avoid assuming what happened. For example, an insecure person may punish their partner by telling them that they do not make things easy for them because they always show signs of distrust, when in reality this is not the case.

Psychological projection is a complex topic. It is not easy to accept that we project onto others what we do not like about ourselves. Knowing ourselves, and above all accepting our shadows, will prevent us from being actors and victims of this type of projections.

The value of effort

Effort is key to getting what we want. It is the engine that moves us, along with determination, enthusiasm and desire. It is useless to dream if we do not plan, if we do not establish a plan and do not look for a path to achieve our goals.

Hermann Hesse was very clear about it: Whoever really wants something looks for all the means to get it. There are no excuses or possible obstacles for those who give their all to achieve their goal. At least… to try.

The complexity of empathy

Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is not an easy task. Observing the world from their perspective, embracing their feelings, and acting accordingly is more complex than it seems. In our own flesh – how many times have we felt that no one understood us? – or in someone else’s – how many times, no matter how much we have tried, have we not been able to find a logic to the way others behave or have we made mistakes in making attributions? ?-.

We believe that empathizing is putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and it is. But not from our vision of the world, but from theirs: from their circumstances, problems, hopes, fears, etc. To do it as accurately as possible we would have to have lived its history and that is impossible. This is the reason why it is so difficult for us to understand and feel understood.

liberating communication

This is one of Hermann Hesse’s phrases that we have to take into account the most in our daily lives. Drowning in discomfort, in negative feelings and, ultimately, in our problems does us harm. The best option is release everything that somehow makes us prisoners inside.

Giving voice to our negative emotions helps us vent, to unload that weight that sometimes tires and wears us out. In addition, expressing ourselves also improves our relationships. Silencing our opinion is an obstacle to understanding ourselves with others. A great wall that puts distance and makes ties lose complicity.

The relationship between love and happiness

After many years of introspection and contact with himself, Hesse came to this beautiful reflection. There is nothing like love to experience happiness. For him, nothing compares to this wonderful feeling.

This is one of Hermann Hesse’s phrases that contains the most wisdom and beauty. Through it he sends us a deep message to remind us What is the most important. An appeal from the depths of his being to humanity.

The importance of recognizing how we feel

How we feel is always important. Whether positive or negative, intense or weak. The emotional sphere is one of the central axes of our life. Therefore, recognizing how we feel and validating ourselves becomes essential. Otherwise, if we ignore how we feel, we will plunge into a dark halo of discomfort and suffering.

Dismissing our sadness, denying that we experience anger, or underestimating our moments of joy are behaviors that distance us from ourselves. That is precisely why Hesse sends this message. In his eternal search for identity he discovered the importance of recognizing his feelings to know himself.

As we see, Hermann Hesse’s phrases are a valuable legacy for anyone who wants to know more about what is happening inside. Sentences to consult in our most existential moments that invite us to reflect on the connection with ourselves.

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