“My observations are those of a beginner.”

—  René Daumal , book Mount Analogue

Mount Analogue (1952)
Context: My observations are those of a beginner. As they are completely fresh in my mind and concern the first difficulties a beginner encounters, they may be more useful to beginners making their first ascents than treatises written by professionals. These are no doubt more methodical and complete, but are intelligible only after a little preliminary experience. The entire aim of these notes is to help the beginner acquire this preliminary experience a little faster.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "My observations are those of a beginner." by René Daumal?
René Daumal photo
René Daumal 12
French poet and writer 1908–1944

Related quotes

“Those observations are but foul,
Which make me wise to lose my soul.”

Henry Vaughan (1621–1695) Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet

"Childhood".
Silex Scintillans (1655)
Context: Why should I not love childhood still?
Why, if I see a rock or shelf,
Shall I from thence cast down myself?
Or by complying with the world,
From the same precipice be hurled?
Those observations are but foul,
Which make me wise to lose my soul. And yet the practice worldlings call
Business, and weighty action all,
Checking the poor child for his play,
But gravely cast themselves away.

Thomas Merton photo

“We do not want to be beginners [at prayer]. but let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything but beginners, all our life!”

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) Priest and author
Helen Hayes photo

“The expert at anything was once a beginner.”

Helen Hayes (1900–1993) actress
Meister Eckhart photo

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”

Meister Eckhart (1260–1328) German theologian
Shunryu Suzuki photo

“In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few.”

Shunryu Suzuki (1904–1971) Japanese Buddhist missionary

Prologue
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (1973)
Variant: In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few
Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

M. Ward photo

“When you're absolute beginners,
It's a panoramic view”

M. Ward (1973) singer-songwriter and guitarist

"For Beginners"
Hold Time (2009)
Context: When you're absolute beginners,
It's a panoramic view,
From Her Majesty, Mt. Zion,
And the Kingdom is for you.

Theodore Roszak photo

“That is what Castle's work needed: a beginner's eye”

Theodore Roszak book Flicker

Flicker (1991)
Context: That is what Castle's work needed: a beginner's eye—my eye, before it became too schooled and guarded, while it was still in touch with the vulgar foundations of the art, still vulnerably naive enough to receive that faint and flickering revelation of the dark god whose scriptures are the secret history of the movies.

David Bowie photo

“Nothing much could happen
Nothing we can't shake
Oh we're absolute beginners
With nothing much at stake
As long as you're still smiling
There's nothing more I need
I absolutely love you
But we're absolute beginners.
But if my love is your love
We're certain to succeed.”

David Bowie (1947–2016) British musician, actor, record producer and arranger

Absolute Beginners (1986)
Song lyrics

Rainer Maria Rilke photo

“Young people, who are beginners in everything, cannot yet know love: they have to learn it.”

Rainer Maria Rilke book Letters to a Young Poet

Letter Seven (14 May 1904)
Letters to a Young Poet (1934)

Related topics