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I was obviously floating in the atmosphere; companioned not only by the strange child and the radiant pair, but by a constantly increasing throng of half-luminous, vine-crowned youths and maidens with wind-blown hair and joyful countenance. We slowly ascended together, as if borne on a fragrant breeze which blew not from the earth but from the golden nebulae, and the child whispered in my ear that I must look always upward to the pathways of light, and never backward to the sphere I had just left.

H. P. Lovecraft#32

GuidanceLightPastTranscendence

About this quote

What does it mean?
The narrator ascends into a luminous realm guided by a child who advises looking upward toward light rather than backward to the world left behind.
In plain terms
Moving forward into a better place means focusing on the light ahead not looking back.
What can you take from it?
Progress requires focusing on the path forward rather than the past.

Where it applies

  • spiritual awakening
  • moving on
  • guidance

Putting it to work

  • focus on positive paths
  • avoid looking back

Questions to consider

  • What does looking upward represent?
  • Why leave the past behind?

Another view

Looking back might be necessary for grounding in reality.

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