“Why do we have to listen to our hearts?” the boy asked, when they had made camp that day.
“Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure.”
“But my heart is agitated,” the boy said. “It has its dreams, it gets emotional, and it’s become passionate over a woman of the desert. It asks things of me, and it keeps me from sleeping many nights, when I’m thinking about her.”
“Well, that’s good. Your heart is alive. Keep listening to what it has to say.”
“My heart is a traitor,” the boy said to the alchemist, when they had paused to rest the horses. “It doesn’t want me to go on.”
“That makes sense. Naturally it’s afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you’ve won.”
“Well, then, why should I listen to my heart?”
“Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. ”
“You mean I should listen, even if it’s treasonous?”
“Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you’ll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them.
“My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”
From “The Alchemist”
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Dear Nora,
As you may know,
“Everything happens for a reason.”
Your heart would definitely guide you to the man of your dreams,
And there’s no reason for you to be upset. :)
Life is brilliant.
Even in the darkest nights, fireflies await. :)
Be happy. :)
Learn cherishing the pain, as the night is darkest before the dawn. :)
Peace.
very well said.
Thank you Ishaan. I will try, however it is very hard to see the light when you so blinded with the pain and feeling guilty that you caused yourself all this pain by making the wrong choice.
thk u paulo
Ah. Thank you dear paulo. You are always reminding me what ive forgotten when i need it the most. :)
owesome story indeed,, i have read it many time and i love it,, but still i do not believe in the so called valentine day,, because love for us is not limited to one day or one person in this universe but rather it is spread everywhere; we love our God, our prophet, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our friends, and our community, etc. Even those whom we dont know; those who exist in far away parts of this universe we love them in allah,, and may allah guide them alla the way because we are one community, a single entity, and a coherent entity,,
you see now that our love has no specific time or place,, all our days are full of love, respect, estimate and ………..
thk u paulo i do love ur stories, and u r an inspiration for me always,, and so u will be…
Thank you. That’s all I’ve got. :)
Sir Paulo,
Happy valentine’s day! You’re one of the most inspiring people that I know. In fact, you’re my favorite author and my journal consists of your quotations from the different books you’ve wrote. Every time I read your books and your blog, they always give me something to think about and reflect about life.
So far, my favorite are The Valkyries and By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept.
More books for you to write! And hopefully, I can meet you in person and have your autograph!
Sincerely yours,
Angelic (your avid fan from the Philippines) ♥
my heart does fear of suffering and when i am;it fears for the next.
Thank you, happy valentine and people please do not forget Love is not only for lovers :)
He is right. Ultimately we get whatever we desire deep in our heart. Sometimes it takes time to find that, that was our truest desire. I would suggest @Nora to just bear the pain, so that you will feel the true happiness when you find the MAN, that deserve you.
Happy Valentines Day to Paulo as well as to others. I thank all the people who loved me in my life and the ones who are going to love me in the rest of my life. Wishes from India.
So many songs about the heart…
‘My heart belongs to daddy’, ‘my heart belongs to you’, ‘my heart will go on’, ‘my heart is broken’, ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ , ‘Listen to your heart’ ………. clearly ‘my heart’ can’t make up her mind……….!!
Happy Vanentine’s day to you and Christina, and everyone!
happy hearts day everyone!!!!
Happy Valentine’s day to you, Paulo, an d to everybody on this blog.
I found a nice “cartoon” in google.
A boy try to declare his love to a girl, who is juming with a rope.
He tries to take her attention with sweets, chocolate, presents and so on. In the end he starts playing with a rope near her.
She realize his presence, and they fall in love.
Saint Exupéry ( the writer of “The little Prince”) said that Love is not spending all time watching in each other’s eyes, but it’ watching together in the same directions.
This reminds me the secret of the sword.
Power it is not owing a sword, but it’s to know how to use it, anf use it well.
Once more this shows that the Universe it’s not made for being always the same, but that Universe in made for changing.
Love is change.
Cris
Se lasciassimo alla persona nella quale abbiamo riposto fiducia ,il solo potere dell’amore…la parola Amore perderebbe del suo significato…
Beautiful, true and wise! I love this book, even if it sooo long time since I read it! Maybe time to reread it again! ( I read it so many times) Cos every time i do read it I find new treasure in it!
Love and light to all….
Dearest Paulo
I am afraid I have to disagree with you, I had faith before in my heart and last time I listen to it, just few days back guided me to the man I thought will be the love of my life. Here I am with bleeding heart cursing the minute I listened to my heart. Heart words are the biggest lies we as a fools keep believing in it.
Love
Nora
No Nora… you just have to listen a little more closely. The heart plays tricks when its scared; sometimes it goes up and down quite quickly and makes irrational descisions just like we do. Those are the times you have to choose not to listen; or listen but dont act. Learn it’s tricks. It’s the quiet, calm voice of the heart that we can only hear when we’re peaceful that you listen to. It will never lie.
I’m not trying to be preachy… I am just trying to guide you on. It took me a long time to learn to listen. now I will never again not.
Good luck.
hi Nora,
I am no paulo and recently too had a break-up but still believe if we need to refine ourselves and grow as human we need to listen to heart, as this a poor innocent creature where as the world is crooked.
As a fellow traveller only thing at this point in time I can say is listen to your heart, mix it up with your mental thoughts and than take a judicious decision to move ahead.
Thanks,
Vikas Mehta
Dear Nora,
it’s not about your heart showing you the right choice or not. There is no right choice. But the heart always finds a way to get what it wants,otherwise doesn’t let you sleep at night and makes you suffer in other ways. So if it wasn’t that man,you wouldn’t have felt and understood many things about yourself.Believe me,it will never become silent,mine never does. When I had it all.at least everything I thought I wanted, I used to wake up in the middle of the night. I had an insatiable desire to leave all the comfort and go somewhere where I don’t know anything or anybody.And I did it,and I felt whole just for once in my life.Then I came back and I can’t sleep again.So leaving each time my heart tells me to probably is not the best decision,but what choice do I have?
Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger …. Maybe your heart just wanted you to grow stronger …. Don’t let fear rule you, rule your fears.
Well, the heart is not to be blamed, but its the feelings based on wrong thoughts that makes the worst deceptions, the heart is pure, but the delusions created by your mind and your thoughts that mislead it,
A heart without a mark of been broke has not lived and experienced the gift of love.
In the journey of loving we are bound to be broken which is how the heart grows, loves better, and be stronger.
Let your heart be, allow yourself to be human for this may not be the last time to go through this but am sure if it ever happens again you will be much stronger, wiser and ready.
Dear All,
I cannot thank you enough for all your nice and genuine words and feelings. Your replies filled my eyes with tears and touched my soul.
Thank you again and God bless you all.
Love
Nora
Oh my dear,oh my heart!
Bring me some medecine
Medecine of a kind of illness;
I’ve felt it near men and women;
And near all the whole creatures!
Come here dear and show me the way;
Come and throw me the stick
I become blind without you…
Tell me how I drive my fear away!
That is my heart tells to me!
Here the italian translation – Ecco la traduzione italiana per chi lo gradisce sotto questo messaggio in inghlese. Grazie :)
OF COURSE the heart is the door. And of course (refering on the video) Certitudes doesn´t exist, as well as absolute true doesn´t exist. On my point of vue, romantic love is an aspect of it, but true love is moving in very deep sferes inside the own being, when you give your heart you give all of yourself, all your soul, you love with your complete soul, with all what you are, not only with the sparks or the glitter, this can be beautiful, but the true meaning of LOVE is DIVINE. Love is the essence of the Light. How coudl it be less than DIVINE? This is the meaning to love in the Light, in God… because the essence of the feeling is divine. Than you can feel you as complete, as a tree who blows for all the Universe and the creation, you grow the inner being till you illuminate all the things of the creation, if you love a little bird, you grow up your soul, loving him and seeing him as on of the most complete and manifestation of creation. This is the meaning of Love, to be an essence of the divine and practice it, to show this nature to the others, to take everything as a gift, and to give everything as an enlightment. So loved Gautama Buddha the all creation, in this full enlightment to elevate the ground of the world in a new kind of dimension, so he can feel how his essence was taking part of the material world to elevate the vibration of all the creation. True love, unconditionnal Love is means a very high elevation, the meaning is in the tree of life, than you become the tree of life, connecting yourself with all the cosmos, so is the miracle, you become the miracle of God. Only the heart can maybe can give you the key to open the gates of the Light. As I´m building my catedral and my temple, my catedral as you said, As my body is a temple, I can´t forget my essence. At this precise moment that´s the point. I´m finding answers even in my own body, I´m writer it is true, and I need to perseverate this is also true. I have four books ready to send (three originals and one translation). I know I must send them. And I know why I didn´t do it again… fears? Yes. Of course. Achievement? Yes, of course. I don´t know honnestly why I´m keeping them and I´m not able to send it. But I will go trough this feeling. I´m writer that´s one of the meanings of my life, but the most important is writting on a tree. Wanted to write you Paulo, for the rest I agree with you. The one who is discovering love as a child is fortunate in someway, but you are true, you can be so high presence on this world if you don´t find meaning. The meaning is the fondation than comes the construction. It´s always nice to see you on video. Thank you!!! Sending you light, Cris
“Perché dobbiamo ascoltare il nostro cuore?” Chiese il ragazzo, quando fú giunto il giorno.
“Perché, ovunque è il tuo cuore, è qui che troverai il tuo tesoro.”
“Ma il mio cuore è agitato,” disse il ragazzo. “Ha i suoi sogni, si emoziona, ed è diventato appassionato per una donna del deserto. Lui m chiede delle cose e mi impedisce di dormire per molte notti quando penso a lei “.
“Beh, questo è un bene. Il tuo cuore è vivo. Continuare ad ascoltare cosa ha da dire.”
“Il mio cuore è un traditore”, il ragazzo disse all’alchimista quando si fermo per riposare i cavalli. “Non vuole che io vada via.”
“Questo ha senso. Naturalmente ha paura che, nel perseguire il tuo sogno tu possa perdere tutto quello che hai vinto. ”
“Bene, allora, perché dovrei ascoltare il mio cuore?”
“Perché non sarà mai in grado di tenerlo tranquillo. ”
“Vuoi dire che dovrei ascoltarlo anche se è tradimento?”
“Il tradimento è un colpo che arriva inaspettatamente. Se conosci bene il tuo cuore, non sarà mai in grado di farti questo. Perché tu conoscerai tuoi sogni e desideri, e saprai come comportarti con loro.
“Il mio cuore ha paura di dovere soffrire”, disse una notte, l’alchimista al ragazzo, mentre guardavano il cielo senza luna.
“Dí al tuo cuore che la paura della sofferenza è peggiore della sofferenza stessa. E che nessun cuore ha mai sofferto quando si va in cerca dei propri sogni, perché ogni secondo della ricerca è un secondo incontro con Dio e con l’eternità. “
“but you are true, you can be so high presence on this world if you don´t find meaning.” Sorry I wanted to say: but you are true you can´t be so high presence on this world if you don´t find meaning.” Buona giornata e Buon San Valentino a lei e a sua moglie Christina :)
My heart wants something that the society I am in does not accept or approve of.. Not my parents too. What do you do then? This message only makes me sad. As much as I want to pursue what’s in my heart, I know I’ll breaking the hearts of many. What’s bigger then ? I have so many questions and this message does not give me peace..
Be smarter.. you do not only have a beautiful heart, you do have a smart mind. What is it, that your parents do not want to let you do? Speak with them, tell them your true and your view of life. If it doesn’t work – don’t be afraid. The time will come and your wish will come true.
Make plans about your future, where your wish became true. Think about it every day and make out plans how to reach it.
Even if your parents and te society are against – if you are old enough you will find the way to reach the goals.
As a reply,I can say to you that we are not free to do eveything we want:Our acts and our says are limited and respectfully controlled by the others.We have to accept others and their opinions.Live is not absolutely agreed as our feelings tell to us and our freedom ,as we say, ends where other’s freedom bigins.
Sophie, if your parents were asked what they truly want for you in life, they would most likely answer that they want you to be happy. They think they know how that will happen, but they don’t really. Only you do – your heart does. Follow it and your parents will be happy when they see where your heart is taking you. Same goes for society.
One person following their heart can set an example that has the potential to set many others free.
Sophie, you have to live your own life and follow your own heart. We are on this planet for such a short time and we never know what is coming around the corner. Don’t waste your love and your life seeking other people’s approval. Good luck with everything.
Jackie
“Dite al vostro cuore che la paura della sofferenza è peggiore della stessa sofferenza. E che nessun cuore ha mai sofferto quando si va in cerca dei propri sogni, perché ogni secondo della ricerca è un secondo incontro con Dio e con l’eternità. “Buona giornata a tutti gli innamorati e agli innamorati del vivere*Magnifico libro**
thank you! ;)
This is one of my favorite parts from the book, it describes the nature of the heart very well. Everybody has an angel and an evil inside his heart. And the Germans say, there is also a “Schweinehund” (a pig dog) lives inside of everybody, which often tries to persuade us to be lazy and indecisive.
:D
Happy Valentines Day!
Yan
Chinese Version:
“为什么我们必须要倾听心灵呢？”那一天当他们露营时男孩问道。
“因为心灵所在之处，正是你的财宝所在之地。”
“我的心灵很不平静，”男孩说道，”它有梦想，容易激动，热恋上沙漠的一个女人。当我思念她的时候，心灵便要求我做这做那，许多夜晚都不让我人睡。”
“这是好事，说明你的心灵是活跃的。你继续倾听它有什么事情要对你说。”
“我的心灵对我不忠。”当两个人停下来让马歇息片刻时，男孩对炼金术士说道，”它不想让我继续前进。”
“这是好事，”炼金术士回答道，”证明你的心灵是活跃的。为了一个梦而失去己经得到的一切，有这种担心是很自然的。”
“那我为什么要倾听我的心灵呢？”
“因为你永远无法让它沉默。哪怕是你装作不听它所讲的东西，它也依然总是在你的心底反复陈述它对生活和世界的想法。”
“即使是它对我不忠？”
“它的不忠是你未曾预料到的打击。假如你很好地了解你的心灵，它就永远做不到这一点，因为你会了解它的梦想和希望，并且知道如何为之而努力。
“谁也无法逃避自己的心灵，因此最好是倾听它所讲的东西，这样的话，你预料不到的打击就永远不会发生。”
“我的心灵畏惧忍受痛苦。”一天晚上，当两个人望着没有月亮的天空时，男孩对炼金术士说道。
“告诉它，畏惧忍受痛苦比忍受痛苦本身更加糟糕。没有一个心灵在追寻它的梦想时会忍受痛苦，因为追寻中的每一刻都是与上帝和永恒相遇的时刻。”
选自：《炼金术士》 又名 《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》
DAnke :)
http://twitpic.com/1xgkqj/full
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” Paulo Coelho ‘The Alchemist’.
My favourite, ‘healing’ book..
Blessings, dearest Paulo Coelho and Happy Valentine’s day.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
ben ritrovata Thelma!
Este livro do Alquimista foi o que mais me impressionou, bastante pela realidade das nossas vidas e que por vezes deixamos passar sem dar valor pela grande importancia que tem para nos talvez por medo da aventura em si.
Happy Valentine`s Day to you and Cristina my master;)
Lovely…as always!! :)
Love your post. I also like your book :) I’ll share this to my blog.
Good Day sir Paolo
Glenn from Manila, Philippines :)
Happy Valentine’s Day, Paulo. =) Heart should be taken care well. It mustn’t fear to LOVE. LOVE is like flower where it must be nourished and grow healthy. =)
Very Good! I love the way you transform very common thoughts to the words which are very complex for us to describe. Cheers!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Alchemist is right. Often times my heart tells me not to pursue my dreams because of fear that I may lose everything that I have accomplished. Knowing this, I must tame and nourish my heart, take good care of it that it may able to regain the strength that it once have.
How to differ the voice of my heart from the voice of my mind? They are battle,, but I’m confused which one is which and which I have to follow.
When you find something in your Heart, never ever let it go…
this book is definitely amazing!! :))
I like this story. It´s very good <3
Beautiful….
Listen to your head-not your heart. This sentence “listen to your heart” sound good only on movies, in books, and love songs. When it comes to reality-your head is your best bet. I love Paulo Coelho but here I disagree with him, when it comes to love. The only way to make this sound right is to make it personal. Now people will think that I am lonely or disappointed or whatever, but let them think. I have listen to my heart all my life and all it got me is pain and disappointment, bitterness, and a category in a psychology research that says that women have unrealistic expectations. I have done amazing things for love and loved without expecting anything in return for a long long time. It is not fun! this is not a page from a book! The Pain is terrible! I have followed my heart and it have brought me more and more pain nothing but pain and it has to stop. I understood that you cannot control people’s feelings! You cannot make someone like you or not play with your feelings or not hurt you! You cannot make love happened and you have to walk away when you actually want to stay. I never want to feel love ever again! It is the worse feeling ever, it hurst so much and then you are always alone with it-The Pain, Yes because when he is done playing with you-all you have left is the Pain. It is even greater that that, sometimes I do not understand how can people treat each other so bad. How can someone use someone else? If love is pain I have paid my duties already. If I had listened to my head I might have saved myself from dawning. Love lasts few weeks then, you get used to each other-he starts watching porn, she gains weight and starts yelling at him for not taking the trash out. then he cheats and she finds out-ugh it makes me sick. Real love exist only where God sends the good souls. Love that doesn’t use. Love that happens only where it is mutual, Love that is not selfish and Love that reviles itself in a magic way. Love here in this world, stopped existing the moment when a selfish heart broke an innocent heart. So yes, fear love because fear is the only thing that could save you from another disappointment. And let me tell you, It doesn’t start hurting less, you’d think if you’ve hurt once, next time will be less painful but no! Every time it hurts more and more until your helplessness drives you insane
Yes, most people have been hurt and asked if love is worth the pain – the key is never to give up. It is out there for everytbody and just think about the love that does not end in disappointment!! The hard times are what makes a person stronger, we should thank the people who disappoint us as they help us to understand what we don’t want. Life is about moving forward…… please do not give up on love, love is what makes life worth living x
“Alchemist”…. My days & nights have been changed since last month;… When I found the :Alchemist”. & I really don’t know how should I appreciate you, my dear teacher!
Just wanna say: Thanks a million!
YA SUFRÍ MUCHO…AHORA ME QUEDA SÓLO ENCONTRAR EL AMOR…AUNQUE PARECE QUE YA LLEGÓ A MI CORAZÓN..
Como amo leer este blog <3 !!!
so happy to read this post today. :-)
‘There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s beacuse that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth’ – This is such a beautiful thinking from Paulo. I cannot explain the happiness i felt after reading this. Because normally if you desire something, people tell you that you are ever unsatisfied, cannot be pleased, selfish etc. And Paulo became my saviour when he said that it’s good to be unsatisfied, to desire something, it’s normal and the want has been placed there by universal forces. I feel happy that i have found my tribe. Thanks for your books Paulo. May God bless you.
havent read any of your books but it seems you already touched my heart with your words. thank you for sharing this story, somehow it enlightened my heart over my mind
Felicita (:
I love the Alquimist, is so beatiful.
Beatiful.. i dont know how to listen to my hears sometimes, because when i do, everything falls apart. I think i have to start listening to it very quietly… thanks for your message =)
My heart does not suffer now,
I am free.
Wow I am experiencing so many amazing ..
The whole Universe is conspiring to help me on this part of my journey.
Love and gratitude Paulo
Much Love
Breda
x
May i please share this on my blog. Happy valentines day to those imperfect worthy heart who desires and knows to love endlessly..
Godbless and Thank you.
This book really changed my life and the last quote “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” gave me courage to face life again and pursue my dreams. This helped cure my anxiety and manic depression. I have suffered when I fell in love and got hurt but that gave me my kid which is so precious to me. There is still pain but I won’t close my heart and stop believing that in time I would find the one and achieve all my dreams in life. Just need to be reminded all the time each time I tend to lose faith. The suffering is still there but it makes me feel alive!
El corazon tiene miedo a sufrir cuando sufre una traicion que lo deja destrozado con un dolor intenso y una busqueda del por que fue rechazado el amor que ofrecio pensando que esa era la persona que buscaba. Lo bueno es que el corazon sana sus heridas, perdona y se siente una paz hermosa que puede permitirse darse una nueva oprtunidad. Muchas personas tenemos miedo a volver a entregar nuestro corazon por miedo a ser nuevamente traicionado.
Eu tenho medo de revelar este segredo que existe dentro de mim…Tenho medo que se abram as cortinas dos meus olhos e assim revele seu nome e eu não consiga mais esconder este sentimento.
Amar as vezes requer escolhas,escolhas muitas vezes são dolorosas demais…Mas doloroso mesmo é ver morrer aquela mulher ardente,viva em todos os sentidos, entre quatro paredes de uma rotina amarga e sem calor.
Preciso fazer uma escolha,ou vivo uma nova paixão ou verei a vida passar por mim afogada na solidão há dois.
“Nenhuma mulher nasceu para ser infeliz,algumas apenas se entregam a covarde tentativa de alguns homens, de torna-las um deserto humano de sentimentos”.
Beijos querido…
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