Gestalt Quotes

«I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine.» (Fritz Perls)

«Learning is the discovery that something is possible.» (Fritz Perls)

«Our dependency makes slaves out of us, especially if this dependency is a dependency of our self-esteem. If you need encouragement, praise, pats on the back from everybody, then you make everybody your judge.» (Fritz Perls)

«To mature means to take responsibility for your life, to be on your own. Psychoanalysis fosters the infantile state by considering that the past is responsible for the illness.» (Fritz Perls)

«...nobody can stand truth if it is told to him. Truth can be tolerated only if you discover it yourself because then, the pride of discovery makes the truth palatable.» (Fritz Perls)

«Lose your mind and come to your senses.» (Fritz Perls)

«You cannot achieve happiness. Happiness happens and is a transitory stage. Imagine how happy I felt when I got relief from bladder pressure. How long did that happiness last?» (Fritz Perls)

«The only difference between the wise man and the fool is that the wise man knows he is playing.» (Fritz Perls)

Gestalt Prayer

«I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.»

(Fritz Perls, 1969)