Google Alerts is great. Sometimes I found things about myself that I did not expect. Today I found an old interview for an Indian newspaper – and here are some Q&A
Could you recall from your life where you felt the feminine face of God?
It was in 1992, when I was sitting inside of a grotto, in Lourdes. Since then, I try to accept my feminine side. When I write, I am a woman. I got pregnant from life, and I don’t know how the baby looks like. My pregnancy cycle lasts for two years, and I don’t take notes, I don’t make plans. The only thing that I know is that life put inside me a seed that will grow when time comes. Then, when time comes, I sit and write. Every creative act demands a respect for mystery, and I respect the mystery, without trying to understand it.
What do you feel when readers hug you and confess in public how the book had changed their lives?
First and foremost, I am a writer – and a writer is always facing the challenge of a new book. This is, for me, what makes life interesting: there is always a new book to be written, which involves pain, joy, suffering, relief, feelings of a person who is alive. I don’t think why this or that happened, and I became a worldwide celebrity. I think: “Am I honest in which I am doing? Can I still talk to my soul?
The secret of the success of my books, if there is one; it is the absence of secrets.
Did you expect this world wide success?
When I wrote “The Alchemist”, I was trying to understand my own life, and the only way that I could do it was through a metaphor. Then, the book – with no support of the press, because the media normally refuses to publish anything about an unknown writer – made its way to the readers, and the readers start to discover that we share the same questions. Little by little, the book started to travel abroad, and today is one of the best seller books of all times. But this success came slowly, based on a word-of-mouth promotion, and this gives me the sensation, the wonderful sensation that I am not alone.
In an Interview with Juan Arias of El País you confessed that, “Happiness to me is very abstract, To tell you the truth, I am never happy”.
The fact that I don’t search for happiness, does not mean that unhappiness is the choice. The right choice is “joy”. Challenges, defeats, victories, excitement, never being bored by this peaceful Sunday afternoon “happiness”.
As a best-selling author how far has consumerism affected you. You have to go through a corporate capitalist structure.
As Buddha said, first you have to have, then you can renounce everything. It is easy to make a chastity vow if you are impotent. Easier to make a poverty vow if you are incapable of earning money with your choice, your dream. I could buy a castle, but I bought a watermill, not because I feel guilty – I work hard – but because a watermill is close to my way of seeing life, and easier to maintain. As for my work, no publisher dares to ask me anything – I don’t see the point of “corporate capitalist structure”.
In The Alchemist you have said that you have to pay a price for the perusal of ones dream. What’s the price you paid in the journey with your dream?
A very high one. But I am glad that I paid this price for my dream, instead of paying the price of living someone else’s dreams.
You have been into an asylum twice. People like Michael Foucault have written about the power discourses that create madness. How do you see you days in the asylum?
I cannot summarize that. I wrote a whole book on my experience, “Veronica Decides to Die”. But one thing I can say: it was not a traumatic experience, to begin with. It was in my path, I had to see it as something that I must overcome, not as something I was victimized by.
If you meet a person who has a deep sense of worthlessness, who is broken, and has decided to end her life, what would you tell her?
Dare to be different. You are unique, and you have to accept you as you are, instead of trying to repeat other people’s destinies or patterns. Insanity is to behave like someone that you are not. Normality is the capacity to express your feelings. From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person.
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I’ve yet not read the Alchemist.But i’ve had the pleasure to read two of your other works, Veronica decides to die and the witch o portobello.
I found them to be… for the lack of a better word beautiful. In everyway.
I find it amazing how you manage to be so optimistic and simple brilliant.
“But I am glad that I paid this price for my dream, instead of paying the price of living someone else’s dreams”.
Being 17 and finding my path in life, i found this to be an inspiration.
Bom dia Guerreiro
Mto boa a entrevista.
“Veronika..” é dos seus livros q mais gosto. Esse livro me salvou qdo o li, há uns 10 anos.
Gostei mto da parte da entrevista q vc fala q o bom é que vc pagou o preço pelo SEU sonho.
Por mto tempo eu tentei pagar pelo sonho de outras pessoas, não pelo meu. Q é caro, mas é MEU. E por isso vale a pena, e por isso eu não desisto, e por isso eu luto e rezo todos os dias. E é por isso q eu acredito mesmo q a vitória pareça distante ainda hj.
Eu sei q vou conseguir.
E vc é um dos anjos q Deus colocou na minha vida pra entender isso.
Vi q a Forbes colocou vc como segundo mais influente do Twitter.
No meu coração, vc está entre primeiros viu.
Vc e o Padre Fabio ocupam um lugar especial na minha vida, me ajudando e ensinando a valorizar a vida, e realizar o sonho, e seguir Deus.
Sinta-se abraçado, com todo meu amor pra vc.
Q Maria amplie seus caminhos, Deus te ilumine.
Te amo Guerreiro.
Obrigada por tudo.
I simply love the way you described your creation process, like a pregnancy.
Well, then let me say this Senhor Coelho, you have beautiful children :)
Elena
Dear Paulo,
“It was in my path, I had to see it as something that I must overcome, not as something I was victimized by”. –
This line brought me strength to fight and to overcome what I’m going through right now.. I guess i need to look at things in a different light, though its hard i need to accept that it is also in my path. Thank you so much for your words that never fails to inspire many..
NUEVAMENTE GRACIAS PAULO, DUDABA SI ESTABA EN EL CAMINO CORRECTO, AL EXPONER MI CORAZON Y SER VULNERABLE, PERO ES CIERTO, QUE MAS PRISION QUE ENCERRAR EL CORAZON. MIS SUEÑOS NO HAN SIDO FACILES, PERO VOY A SEGUIR SOÑANDO. EN ESTAS FECHAS ESPECIALES, LO MEJOR ES COMPARTIR LA FELICIDAD.
I’m not really a reader but The Alchemist is undoubtedly one of the Best books ever written and definitely the very best that I have / will ever read.
It has changed lives and the credit does NOT go to you sir. I say so because It’s not possible to write something like that without a Divine Intervention.
Keep writing:)
With Love Forever,
A Fan from India
I Love those lines ,
From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person.
These line makes me more comforting. one should follow all the day.
-DS
IO NON SO NIENTE DI TE, MA TI AMMIRO TANTO, TUTTO QUELLO CHE SCRIVI E’ INTERESSANTE, PENSO CHE NEL PERCORSO DELLA VITA DI OGNI PERSONA CI SIANO DELLE SCOPERTE MERAVIGLIOSE E DELLE VALUTAZIONI DA FARE. DIO NON HA SESSO, E’ IGNOTO, PERO’ TI DA L’ENERGIA NECESSARIA PER FARTI CAPIRE I SENSI. SONO UNA DONNA CHE AMA LE DONNE CON TUTTO QUELLO CHE COMPORTA, MA E’ UN AMORE SANO E QUANDO HO BISONGNO DEL MIO LATO MASCHILE ANCHE QUELLO E’ MOLTO VERITIERO E MOLTO FERMO NELLE DECISIONI. COMUNQUE NOI ESSERE UMANI ABBIAMO TUTTO BASTA CERCARE TRA SE STESSI.
beautiful words to convey oneself , very impressive
when the male is impregnanted with the feminine side and the female with the masculine side …then the revolution starts and the path opens further …….agree that is the time seed will start germinating into the tiny sapling
Your answers are So you dar Paulo ahaha :)
However will you give us the answer now about what you had to give up to achieve your dream ? I’ll respect it if you don’t want to though ;) xx
Caro Paulo,
tu dici che davanti alla grotta di Lourdes hai avvertito il tuo lato femminile, sei rimasto “incinto della vita”, allora, come consideri i tuoi lettori?
Siamo un poco “i tuoi figli”, oppure i tuoi figli sono le tue opere letterarie?
Ma se i tuoi libri dovessero essere “i tuoi figli”, come presumo essendo che tu partorisci ogni due anni, noi lettori, cosa siamo per te?
Amici? Ammiratori? Persone di cui tu hai bisogno per partorire ancora le tue opere? (perchè senza i tuoi lettori tu non saresti la persona che sei diventato, almeno non sotto il profilo della fama, ma anche sotto altri profili perchè la tua vita sarebbe stata profondamente diversa. Immaginati per un attimo che le tue opere non avessero avuto nessun riscontro di pubblico)
Ed infine, quanto vale una persona che ti chiede aiuto?
Sei disposto, come il “buon Pastore” evangelico ad ascoltare anche solo un tuo lettore che ti dovesse chiedere aiuto oppure lo consideri una scocciatura, un effetto collaterale della fama?
Se io fossi al posto tuo forse aprirei un canale preferenziale di contatto diretto con i lettori. DIRETTO.
Pensaci, forse è un consiglio stupido e del quale tu pensi che puoi fare a meno, ma io credo, e te lo dico col cuore, che ti sarebbe oltremodo utile e sopratutto che farebbe del bene a tanta, tanta gente.
In fondo, che colpa abbiamo noi, se crediamo in te e nelle tue parole?
Una ragione per tutto questo ci deve pur essere.
Questo blog è già una cosa molto grande, (anche se il suo limite è costituito dal fatto che sia gli argomenti che le risposte sono quasi sempre a senso unico, senza risposte per il destinatario finale) ma potrebbe essere potenziato ed approfondito perchè tu sai di avere un grande potere ed una grandissima responsabilità.
Sei grande, potresti diventarlo ancora di più e fare ancora di più per l’umanità. Non trascurare questa ipotesi, ti prego.
Con amore ed ammirazione.
Paolo Coelho, your words are like the leaves in autumn, they caress my soul and my heart… you are like a dance between the earth and the sky, I love you!
“I paid the price for my dream, instead of paying the price of living someone else’s dreams”
Beautiful..
amazing as usual!!! no wonder you are one of the wisest people on this planet!
DEAR PAUL,greetings..
Glad to read this interview of yours.i just want to state here that YOUR words,ideologies and experiences deeply influences a doctor like me. i am indebted to you for this.
Pray you be my path-light,
i love you so much… you always mine inspiration.
que boa foto com “Le pain de sucre.”
Dare to be different. You are unique, and you have to accept you as you are, instead of trying to repeat other people’s destinies or patterns. Insanity is to behave like someone that you are not. Normality is the capacity to express your feelings. From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person…….
THANK U MR.COELHO…LOVE U….FELT SO GOOD AFTER READING THESE LINES……LOVE U A LOT…
If i compile all of my dairy pages from adolescent age till date as a book, people will say i have copied Paulo’s books’ excerpts ditto. It has a bit of all Brida, London, Maria at different stages of my life.
Awaiting many more ‘sulakshana’ through your more books because they complete few of my open ended questions engraved in my dairy.
But i take pride not only in having common dreams but also common birth date with you. :)
Dear Sir,whatever you write, is so beautiful ,so very inspiring.When at times I am not able to understand ,I keep reading it again and again till ,think and feel that it is what you must have meant.There are times I read what you write as a bible to get answer to my questions on life ,on problems.
Today this excerpt from the interview made me think you too must be feeling like a God,where you turn yourself to a woman to give birth- on your own wish,you take the characters to the path that you chose and also make them them live happily ever after or let them die
Dear Paulo,
Your simple but true words are always so provoking and inspiring. Thank you so much.
Love from Kathmandu, Nepal
Uden
Looking at you at this photo & wish I was there with you, right now. I know I shouldn’t express private feelings like this in public, in writing, but I’m saying it anyway…
love
Qué bellos recuerdos has encontrado. Nos hacen conocer más de tu persona y tú vida. Qué lindo que Dios te permite escribir y a nosotros el privilegio de leer tus obras. Me gustaria tener ese lado “femenino” para gestar obras tan hermosas no importa que dure dos años escribiendolas o que tenga que pasar en el asilo,si tengoo la iluminación divina, llena de amor y de sueños aue has tenido para plasmarlas en escritos únicos .Bendiciones .Te admiro.
Comprendo su respuesta sobre la Felicidad, porque es una de las preguntas existenciales mas complejas.
Pienso en lo que hizo, lo que tengo y lo que me haria para ser feliz
Solo que descubrì que la primera respuesta que brota del alma esa es la verdadera pero la menos ùtil, porque corresponde al pasado.
As always, brilliant. Stay true to yourself and have respect for others is something we must all try to achieve.
Are there days Mr.Paulo when you just sit and do nothing? It does not look like. Have a wonderful day, whatever that is for you!
I have read this a long time ago, but I enjoyed reading it now once more! I love you, bye bye!x
“From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person.”
Thankyou Paulo!! You are in touch with your feminine energy. And now, like a grandfather too, with some of your books and readers.
Awoke this morning thinking about sensitivity, appreciating blessings, family, friends, children and creativity.
Christmas is my favorite time of year, usually very excited and sentimental. Looking forward to celebrating with my daughter and friends. But more intense this year. Trying to stiffle or maybe a better word is control all of the extra tenderness, sensitivity, desire to nurture and even dismissed as head cold, (rested for one day).
But that’s how I feel. Soft. Human. Emotional.
Love to All,
Jane xo
Gracias por permitirnos ver que existe un lado que a veces no queremos mirar, casi que obligarnos a pensar en el otro quieras o no quieras
I Love this picture, you look like a Writer ;))
Kisses
xxoo
Essa entrevista realmente está maravilhosa. Você está iluminado em todas as suas respostas. São preciosidades, sinceramente de todo coração, essa entrevista deve “rolar” pela internet no google pra todos lerem.
Por outro lado, achei mais interessante ainda “o momento” em que ela voltou para seus olhos.
Big beijo,
Amor,
Mari.
Dear Prof, What can be more truth than your words!
“Dare to be different. You are unique, and you have to accept you as you are, instead of trying to repeat other people’s destinies or patterns. Insanity is to behave like someone that you are not. Normality is the capacity to express your feelings. From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person”.
it is a very, very beautiful meaningful blog!
God bless you! Luv you!
every time i read you Paulo….u leave me touched, moved n inspired :) :) :)
What I love about this interview, and in fact pretty much everything I read of yours, is the underlying charge not only to be different, but to be simple, to be true… the great challenge and complexity of life!
posso dizer que a vida é um pequeno misterio pois todos querem saber qual é o segredo do sucesso , mas a vida é um eterno aprendizado pois posso dizer que as coisas acontecem naturalmente , as vezes digo também que muitos procuram a profissão ideal porem na maioria das vezes a profissão é quem nos procura , resumindo o ser humano faz parte de uma maquina fantastica onde existe na cadeia de funcionamento tarefas quais que classificam a titulo de predestinação , por exemplo , PAULO COELHO não nasceu escritor , não pensava em ser um , porem se transformou em um nome literario mundialmente conhecido , eu particularmente o chamo de predestinado .
Es hermoso es reportaje.y si no serias como eres no nos podrias trasmitir o hacernos reflecionar a cada uno de nosotros lo que ya sabemos y esta oculto en nuestro interior..yo particulaemente te doy las gracias ,en cada libro encontre pedacitos mios..no cambies nunca si ser loco es encontrar alegria seamos todos locos , te quiero de corazon.
EL CERO: Donde no hay nada cabe todo,
que es el cero para ti,
es el parámetro donde se mide,
es la espera, el que define, a donde ir…….
cero mas o cero menos,- que más da,
cuando a la izquierda esta……
-no es verdad!…porque al lado que este mide positiva mente o negativa mente, -define el transcurso de existir………….
¿que es el cero para mi?:
el cero es la partida; es el empezar en la nada
seguir sumando, y mientras sumamos….restamos al tiempo de partida, es el frió y el calor la cantidad la medida, es pura metafisica, locuaz que nos libera y nos engaña.
I loved ‘The Alchemist’.
My friend Aby Tharakan told me he interviewed you and I didn’t know the interview was this fabulous. Lucky Aby, that bugger got to interview you. Probing questions and intriguing answers.
Aby has posted the same interview on his blog.
http://grossblogalhappiness.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/my-2003-interview-with-paulo-coelho-published-in-english-for-the-first-time/
it is the same interview
thank you for yr comforting words.
WITHOUT HUMOR LIFE IS SUCKS;WITHOUT COUAGE LIFE IS HARD;WIYHOUT LOVE LIFE IS HOPLESS’ WITHOUT FRENDS LIFE IS IMPOSSIBLE;……….YOU AND YOUR BOOK ARE BEST FREANDS
.THANK U
Paulo, eres mi guia, por cierto ayer que llegue a la casa, antes de abrir la puerta, vi una estrella fugaz y dije waoooooo que lindo instante magico me ha tocado ver ahorita, eso es lo que he aprendido gracias a ti, a ir descubriendo infinidad de instantes magicos que se me han presentado….Saludos desde México.
Last line most poweful:
“From the moment that you don’t fear to share your heart, you are a free person.”
Beautiful!
Mi kier ekspresá mi mes den mi idioma Papiamentu.
Den un palabra bon Paulo, bo ta duna mi kuminda pa pensamentu tur pero tur dia. Tur dia mi ta buska bo pa tende kiko bo tin di bisami awe. Mi idioma no ta hasi bo kurioso?????
The last line is simply wonderful.
God Bless you..
Vaya, una gran entrevista!! es importante reconocer y conocer que cada una de las situaciones que nos tocado vivir son importantes, sean estás de origen alegre o triste. El camino está plagado de avenencias y desatinos, que nos hacen ser lo que somos, que nos ayudan a prosperar, a ser mejores. Atrevámonos a cambiar!! una gran frase. Gracias Sr. Coelho.
So grand……… I particularly liked the last paragraph. Simple, clear and rich…. Thanks a million Mr. Coelho
my dearest and only ,
ur words always with no exception,touch my soul and I most of the time find my self my life in them.U r true to urself and us and that what makes u real guru,..u say what u mean, what u believe, what u fell,u r open book to us,…and u said u paid the prize 4 staying truth to urself,…like I’m paying now…I pay every day 4 being different and not accepting under any conditions to change,..I’m sure u know its a hardest path u can walk on..but every time i read ur post I’m me again,u bring so much light and energy in my life u just cant even imagine.. U r sunshine and I would b ur admirer 4 life..Love u so much..Senka
Sir I Love your books,i feel there is something magical about them…I read Alchemist when I was going through a really difficult phase of life and it helped me get through tough times..
This was the best interview I read in that newspaper..I remember reading it so many times that I had worn it!!
Hope you keep Changing our lives by showing us a different perspective of things
God bless you.
Sonia
India
“It was in my path, I had to see it as something that I must overcome, not as something I was victimized by.”
I love it, thank you for sharing!
Beautiful!! Thank you for posting your interview :)
Love,
Sushi
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