The time for sleepwalking is over

Ben Okri (born March 15, 1959, Minna, Nigeria) is a Nigerian novelist, short-story writer, and poet who used magic realism to convey the social and political chaos in the country of his birth. Okri attended Urhobo College in Warri, Nigeria, and the University of Essex in Colchester, England.

Ben Okri is a profound writer whose quotes often reflect his deep insights into life, humanity, and the world. Here are 50 quotes attributed to him, drawn from his novels, poems, essays, and interviews:

On Life and Existence:

1. “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering.”
2. “Life is full of riddles that only the dead can answer.”
3. “We are all miracles of the universe, and we carry within us the infinite possibilities of existence.”
4. “The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.”
5. “The fact of storytelling hints at a fundamental human unease, hints at human imperfection.”

On Love and Relationships:

6. “Love is the most intense form of focus we have.”
7. “In love, everything is both simple and difficult.”
8. “The greatest religions convert the world through stories, and the greatest stories convert the world through love.”
9. “Love is the hardest habit to break, and the most difficult to satisfy.”
10. “We are all born with the capacity to love, but we must learn how to practice it.”

On Creativity and Art:

11. “Stories are the secret reservoir of values: change the stories individuals and nations live by and you change the individuals and nations.”
12. “The writer is the shaman of the modern world.”
13. “Poetry is the language of intensity. Because we are going to die, an expression of intensity is justified.”
14. “Art is the mirror of our betrayed dreams.”
15. “Creativity is the highest form of intelligence.”

On Struggle and Resilience:

16. “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering.”
17. “The most important things are the hardest to say.”
18. “We are all stronger than we think, and we all have the power to change our lives.”
19. “The worst realities of our age are manufactured realities.”
20. “The most difficult thing is to overcome the fear of failure.”

On Humanity and Society:

21. “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
22. “We are all born mad. Some remain so.”
23. “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering.”
24. “The greatest nations are those that tell the best stories.”
25. “The world is not what it seems; it is a stage, and we are all actors.”

On Spirituality and Wisdom:

26. “The soul is the mirror of the universe.”
27. “The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.”
28. “The greatest wisdom is in simplicity.”
29. “The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love.”
30. “The stars are the dreams of the universe.”

On Time and Change:

31. “Time is the great teacher, but unfortunately, it kills all its pupils.”
32. “Change is the only constant, and yet we resist it with all our might.”
33. “The past is a ghost, the future a dream, and all we ever have is now.”
34. “Time is the great healer, but it is also the great destroyer.”
35. “The future is always beginning now.”

On Nature and the Universe:

36. “Nature is the greatest teacher, and the greatest healer.”
37. “The stars are the dreams of the universe.”
38. “The earth is a living being, and we are its children.”
39. “The wind is the breath of the earth.”
40. “The universe is a vast, interconnected web of life.”

On Dreams and Imagination:

41. “Dreams are the seeds of change.”
42. “Imagination is the highest form of freedom.”
43. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
44. “Dreams are the language of the soul.”
45. “Without dreams, we are nothing but walking shadows.”

On Writing and Literature:

46. “Writing is a struggle against silence.”
47. “A story is a way to say something that can’t be said any other way.”
48. “The writer is the shaman of the modern world.”
49. “Literature is the memory of humanity.”
50. “Words are the most powerful drugs used by mankind.”

These quotes capture Ben Okri’s philosophical depth, poetic sensibility, and profound understanding of the human condition.