21 Quotes From The Alchemist That Teaches You About Life and Love

Hands down, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It’s a story of hope, dreams, perseverance and above all, the heart.

The Alchemist touches the soul in ways only some will understand and my goal today is to open your hearts up to this book in hopes that you will read and share your thoughts on this deeply meaningful story.

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First, for those who haven’t read The Alchemist, here’s a synopsis…

(As described in the book)

“Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within…”

The best way to unveil The Alchemist is to share the most powerful exerts (quotes) from the book itself.

Hold onto your hearts and enjoy xo

The Alchemist, Quotes for the Heart

The Alchemist touches on so many lessons for the heart to learn… not only how precious love for another is, once found, but the importance of loving yourself. In love, there is fear and suffering, which is worth the heartache for the moments of pure bliss.

“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.”

“You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it is better to listen to what it has to say.”

“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.”

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

“Because, when you know that language, it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city. And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning.”

The Alchemist, Quotes for Perseverance

Life is hard and the journey that Santiago (the shepherd) takes is extremely challenging, but what The Alchemist teaches us is that it’s worth forging ahead, even when life gets you down and when it seems impossible. The tough times teach us to appreciate the gifts we truly do have. The gifts that are made possible because we worked for them. We didn’t give up.

“If it’s still in your mind, it’s still worth taking the risk.”

“It will work if you forget all the reasons it won’t.”

“His heart whispered… Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That’s where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.”

“People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.”

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

“And, when you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”

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The Alchemist, Quotes for Gratitude

Sometimes if we stop and look around we’ll be able to take in all the little things that are amazing in our lives. Usually, we are moving too fast to notice them when in fact we have hundreds of experiences, people and things to be grateful for. These quotes from The Alchemist remind us to live a life of gratitude, which in return allows us to find happiness.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

“When every day seems the same, that is because people have stopped noticing the good things that appear in their lives…”

“We are travellers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”

The Alchemist, Quotes for Hope

Can you imagine living life without hope? Even if something seems impossible, hope allows us to take a chance, to try harder and to find a way to make wonderful things happen. Hope keeps us going, is stronger than fear and can turn a dream into reality.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

“Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

'People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.' - The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho #Wisewords #Quotestoliveby #Quotes Click To Tweet

“It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”

“Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him.”

If you have yet to read Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, I hope this has made you curious about why 65+ Million copies have been sold worldwide and translated into 70 languages. A modern literary classic.

Have you read The Alchemist? What did you think?

What quotes touch your heart?

Share in the comments below 🙂

If you’re a fan of The Alchemist I also highly recommend these Paulo Coelho books…

The Pilgrimage – A journey across northern Spain, which pilgrims have travelled since Middle Ages.

By the River Piedra I Sat Down to Weep – A story of forgiveness and two young lovers.

Eleven Minutes – A sensual coming of age story for a young Brazilian girl (adult content).

The Witch of Portobello – A story that transforms the way you think about love, passion, joy and sacrifice.

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