Everything Tim Ferriss has recommended in 5-Bullet Friday — 2,122 books, articles, quotes, films, products and more, gathered from 480 issues since 2015. Browse by category, sort by what the community values or how often Tim has returned to it, and spend your 25 votes on what matters most to you. Each item's note is quoted from Tim's own words in the newsletter.
This one is not suitable for work. It was sent to me by a veteran friend who interfaced with military intelligence, and now, I can’t stop forwarding them to other friends. So… you’re welcome? It’s a one-two combo: “Dealing with a dolphin’s ‘urges’ - The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins” “Teaching a dolphin to speak English - The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins”— Tim Ferriss
“The Quest to Reinvent Anesthesia” (UCSF Magazine). If successful, this could reshape healthcare and dramatically reduce costs. Description, bolding mine: “UCSF researchers are scouring millions of compounds – with help from tiny zebrafish – to create anesthetics safe enough to use without an anesthesiologist.”— Tim Ferriss
“Can A Sleeping Pill Help Fight Alzheimer’s?” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube) by Matt Walker. This is one of many reasons that I’m now experimenting with DORAs for sleep enhancement, given my genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease. Be sure to pay attention to the DORA vs. Ambien (zolpidem) comparison. From the episode description: “Matt explores the critical link between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease today, explaining how the brain’s ‘glymphatic system’ clears toxic proteins like amyloid and tau during deep sleep. … Matt goes on to discuss groundbreaking research on a new class of sl— Tim Ferriss
“Stoned on Shiva” (YouTube, Spotify) by Steve Gold.— Tim Ferriss
“When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become.” — . Henri J. M. Nouwen (Related: see a clever inversion of the quote here.)
“What advice do I give to my students?” by Dr. Michael Levin. This is a really profound piece, and I’ll be rereading it. It offers actionable advice for creating a meaningful life, harnessing creativity, generating ideas, and more. The initial focus on science and academia might throw some readers off, so I’ll suggest my personal favorite sections: “What not to do” and “Some specific personal techniques.”— Tim Ferriss
Mr. McMahon. I’ve long been fascinated by the business and art of professional wrestling. Pair this bullet with the Business Wars episode on Vince McMahon vs. Ted Turner and my podcast with Paul “Triple H” Levesque. All that aside, nothing prepared me for the Wild West entrepreneurship, brutality, and storytelling of this Netflix docuseries. Even if you don’t have time for the series, check out the trailer here. Here’s the official description: “Mr. McMahon chronicles the rise and fall of Vince McMahon, controversial businessman and co-founder of WWE. From his transformation of the WWE from a — Tim Ferriss
“Etta” (Apple Podcasts, Spotify) on Heavyweight by Jonathan Goldstein and team. Huge thanks to LK for the recommendation! This is one of the best podcasts that I’ve found this year. I’ve been blown away by the writing, which is clever, hilarious, and deep in equal measure. The below might sound boring, but I promise you that it’s anything but. Give it 10 minutes, and you’ll see what I mean. Episode description: “Gregor’s parents are pushing 90. Gregor wants to move them out of their big Victorian home. But they refuse. So, he’s come up with a bold plan.” >From Wikipedia ): Over the years, Heav— Tim Ferriss
Standard Omelet vs. Classic French Omelet by Jacques Pépin. The living legend. Jacques’ bio is unreal, and his eloquent and no-BS approach to teaching was an inspiration when I was working on The 4-Hour Chef. This recent video of Jacques shows him in fine form at almost 90 years of age!— Tim Ferriss
“As part of my interview process, I enlist each of my client’s coworkers to help me out. I want them to assist, not sabotage the change process. I let the coworker know how my process works by saying, ‘I’m going to be working with my client for the next year or so. I don’t get paid if he doesn’t get better. ‘Better’ is not defined by me. It’s not defined by my client. ‘Better’ is defined by you and the other coworkers who will be involved in this process.’ The raters usually respond well to that.” — What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith (Also see: 360-degree feedback)— Tim Ferriss
John Candy: I Like Me. As someone whose childhood was saturated with love for John Candy, this doc hit the mark. The first ~15 minutes start slow, and then it quickly ramps up. From the description: “From director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds comes John Candy: I Like Me. Those who knew John best [e.g., Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Catherine O’Hara] share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews. It’s a documentary of the life, career, and loss of one of the most beloved actors of all time.” You can watch the trailer here.— Tim Ferriss
Glass and Metal AeroPress. I wrote a lot about the amazing AeroPress in The 4-Hour Chef, but I always had reservations about putting hot water into a plastic container. I’ve increasingly tried to avoid plastics, especially in combination with heat (see this Dr. Rhonda Patrick podcast for more). This new and premium version of the AeroPress avoids the plastic problem altogether. If you want to go the extra mile, pair it with their reusable titanium-coated stainless steel filter. It ain’t cheap, but if you’re a coffee snob, it might be worth the ride.— Tim Ferriss
“Everything Is Television” by Derek Thompson. This is a superb piece. If you are online, you should read it. If you create online, you should read it twice. If you’re in a rush, just read the Meta anti-monopoly comments and look at the graphs. Derek’s observations and citations largely explain my deliberate down-scaling of video over the last few years, in addition to concerns around audience capture and privacy. Last, it’s always bothered me when techno-optimists insist AI will make the masses all a leisure class with more time than ever before for learning, knitting, or whatever. Putting asi— Tim Ferriss
“There are times when the world is rearranging itself, and at times like that, the right words can change the world.” ― , Ender’s Game
“It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.” —
“The history of Neurospora crassa in fermented foods.” Yes, this is a weird one, and it’s actually a fascinating read. Too busy to read? Take a peek at the below macros from the linked article, which are hard to believe: The above is on a dryweight basis, but even per 100 hydrated grams, Neurospora crassa contains: More fiber than oats (fungal polysaccharides, including substantial β-glucans). More protein than eggs. More iron and zinc than beef. More potassium than bananas. Not to mention spermidine and other goodies with longevity implications. But let me back up. Humans need protein. And wh— Tim Ferriss
“Advice for Young Men Who Are Feeling Lost.” This is a blog post with writing from Scott Galloway’s upcoming book, Notes on Being a Man. I heard Scott present a few weeks ago, and it hit very close to home. We are sitting on a tinderbox and need to address the elephant in the room: young men need help. In high school, I won the lottery by chancing upon one coach whose influence saved me from the fates of many of my male friends: jail, overdoses, DUI deaths, and more. Ever since, I’ve searched for ways that we might nudge young men (including 20s, 30s) towards optimism and better lives. Left un— Tim Ferriss
“Echos” by Metsa. From the description: “Metsa’s new album ‘Echos’ is a ceremonial album weaving traditional ikaros with cross-cultural sound. It blends Quechua-Lamista and Shipibo tonalities with Native American and West African influences.” I absolutely love Metsa’s music, and it’s a family affair. Start with Track 1 “Mariri” here. I could listen to it on repeat for hours. For those of you who occasionally sip South American tea, you might appreciate Track 3 “Muraray”. How many plants do you recognize? If you love it, buy an album and support the artist. I did. Last but not least, you can al— Tim Ferriss
“Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.” — . Jesse Jackson
“All Kings, a Retreat for Men, Tackles Masculine Rage, Sadness and Trauma” by Joseph Bernstein (The New York Times; alternate link). This is a great complement to The Work documentary I featured in this newsletter long ago, which will tear your heart apart and put it back together. I am going to donate $10,000 to All Kings, a nonprofit organization, as I believe in the mission. Every $1,000 sponsors a new member.— Tim Ferriss
“AI is killing the web. Can anything save it?” (The Economist). Alternate link if blocked. This is an important facet of the AI conversation that should get more airtime. What happens when the commercial lifeblood of much of the web—advertising and subscriptions—gets replaced by LLMs? What happens if Google, Wikipedia, and many more get wholly or partially displaced? For a quick teaser with some eye-popping numbers, watch this short clip from Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare. As always, I think there are opportunities hiding in the disruption.— Tim Ferriss
KAATSU. I’ve long been interested in blood-flow restriction (BFR) training, mostly for more gains with fewer injuries. This is particularly true after something like surgery. Since my Humpty Dumpty elbow was surgically repaired six weeks ago, BFR is once again top of mind, and I decided to test the C4 unit from Kaatsu, based on a few docs and coaches recommendations. There are also newer, cordless/tube-free versions. The jury is still out, but the results are promising. Here’s a decent overview of the science behind BFR and its many applications.— Tim Ferriss
Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical in Concert. If you don’t know Lloyd Price, his story will blow your mind. Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical is playing in London on Saturday, October 11th. Click here to learn more and buy tickets. Lloyd’s story is that of beating unbelievable odds. In the span of one year, Lloyd went from digging septic tanks in Louisiana to becoming the first teenager ever to sell more than a million records. Lloyd’s innovations went beyond performing music. He also promoted the legendary “Thrilla in Manila” and “Rumble in the Jungle” with Muhammad Ali. Price had the f— Tim Ferriss
“If You’re Struggling With Pull-Ups, THIS Is Why.” I’m just getting back on the exercise horse after elbow surgery five weeks ago, and I thought it’d be a good time to revisit pull-up form. This video is very helpful, though I’d suggest starting with progressions of the inverted row.— Tim Ferriss
“Pmarca Guide to Career Planning Part 2: Skills and education.” Long ago, Marc Andreessen, famed technologist and billionaire investor, had a blog with amazing advice. Then he took the whole thing down. The link in this bullet is a pirated copy of one of his essays from 2007, and there is a lot that overlaps with Sriram’s advice. I’ve basically built my career on some version of this, and it can apply to anyone—a new college student, someone mid-career seeking reinvention, and much more: “Seek to be a double/triple/quadruple threat. Scott Adams—the creator of Dilbert—nails it: If you want an a— Tim Ferriss
“Sriram Krishnan - The Man Leading America’s AI Race Against China” on The Shawn Ryan Show (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube). The portion that I want to highlight has nothing to do with AI. It has to do with how Sriram proved himself very early in his career when no one knew him. Click here to be taken to a great story of Sriram moving to Seattle and impressing one of the all-time best coders at Microsoft. What he did mirrors a lot of what I did after college (in totally different domains) following mentors’ advice, and the strategy still works like gangbusters. The clip is only 4–12 minutes — Tim Ferriss
They’re Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. Terry originally made his mark in the science-fiction community with his short story Bears Discover Fire, which won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. They’re Made Out of Meat, a short story you can read in minutes, has quite a fan base on the Internet and has been adapted for audio, video, and film. You can hear it performed on This American Life here.— Tim Ferriss
“I never sat on the bench and said, ‘Well, I learned a lot today.’” — “Coach Prime” Sanders, American football coach and former pro football and baseball player
“Most letters from a parent contain a parent’s own lost dreams disguised as good advice. My good advice to you is to pay somebody to teach you to speak some foreign language, to meet with you two or three times a week and talk. Also: get somebody to teach you to play a musical instrument. What makes this advice especially hollow and pious is that I am not dead yet. If it were any good, I could easily take it myself.” — , Nanette, 20th September 1972 via Letters of Note
If you haven’t bought a copy of COYOTE, why haven’t you? Answers can be totally anonymous! Knowing this would really help me a ton, as the reviews are fantastic, and the buzz is phenomenal (300M+ social views of game play), but compared to my books, only a small fraction of you have bought the game. I would love to know why, as that could help shape everything we do for the critical holiday season, which is the make-it-or-break-it period for games and toys. Could you please take literally one minute to let me know on this Google Form? I’ll choose 10 respondents at random and gladly mail out 10— Tim Ferriss
"Some people struggle after psychedelics. A new study wants to help." If you have experienced difficulties after taking a psychedelic, you may be eligible to participate in a study sponsored by Emory University. Click here to learn more. Adverse events and challenges are underreported, and it’s incredibly important to study them. They’re not as rare as you might think, and given the power of the tools, we need to find better and better ways to mitigate risk and treat people when they are destabilized. This isn’t for “bad trips,” per se; it’s about the after-effects. As explained on the website— Tim Ferriss
Our Thing with Sammy “The Bull” Gravano (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube). This was recommended to me by Oz “The Mentalist” Perlman, who’s also kinda scary in his own way. Check out this NFL clip as an example or Joe Rogan calling him a “witch” after a live demo. I was resistant to listening to Our Thing at first, as I don’t like glamorizing criminals, but I decided to give it a shot, since episodes are short and I grew up watching John Gotti in the news. Like a lot of people, I also have a fascination with the mafia from The Godfather, The Sopranos, Goodfellas, and others. From the descripti— Tim Ferriss
Deep Future: Creating Technology That Matters by Pablos Holman. This book really encouraged me to think a lot bigger. I recently described Pablos as “one of the scariest hackers I’ve ever met,” and I’ve enjoyed getting to know him and his work, both permitted and unpermitted. Pablos worked on spaceships at Blue Origin and helped build labs to invent a wide variety of breakthroughs, including a brain surgery tool, a machine to suppress hurricanes, 3D food printers, and a laser that can shoot down mosquitos, part of an impact invention effort to eradicate malaria with Bill Gates. In his spare ti— Tim Ferriss
“The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, ‘What? You too? I thought I was the only one.’” —
Guidelines for Ketamine Use. While ketamine holds incredible potential for treating certain conditions (e.g., acute suicidality, depression, chronic pain), I’ve also seen lives unravel because of its addictive properties, and it’s become a Faustian alcohol replacement for many. This PDF is one of the best overviews of ketamine-assisted therapies I’ve found, primarily because it also addresses mitigating the risks of addiction and long-term health consequences from excessive, chronic use. There is a baby in the bath water, but you need to know how to separate them. I found this to be a valuable— Tim Ferriss
Wick is Pain. This is the ultimate story of beating the odds, and it’s a miracle they captured all of the behind-the-scenes footage from the earliest beginnings. What a doc. From the official description: “Wick is Pain is the true story behind the John Wick phenomenon, starring Keanu Reeves—from independent film to billion-dollar franchise.” Check out the trailer here and you’ll likely be hooked. Plus, there are quite a few true stories (cue early puppy scenes) that made me laugh until I cried. Huge kudos to Chad Stahelski, David Leitch, Keanu Reeves, and the entire team involved.— Tim Ferriss
“Colors” from Radiolab. This was referred to me by my friend, MN, who knows how much I think about the malleability of perception. Here’s the description: “To what extent is color a physical thing in the physical world, and to what extent is it created in our minds? We start with Sir Isaac Newton, who was so eager to solve this very mystery, he stuck a knife in his eye to pinpoint the answer. Then, we meet a sea creature that sees a rainbow way beyond anything humans can experience, and we track down a woman who we’re pretty sure can see thousands (maybe even millions) more colors than the res— Tim Ferriss
“All the manifestations of the world of measurement—the winning and losing, the gaining of acceptance and the threatened rejection, the raised hopes and the dash into despair—all are based on a single assumption that is hidden from our awareness. The assumption is that life is about staying alive and making it through—surviving in a world of scarcity and peril.” — The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander You can complement this edition of 5-Bullet Friday with my conversation with Steve Jang on all things South Korea, recorded in Seoul. And, as always, please give me — Tim Ferriss
Korean Lyrics Explained: “Golden” by Huntrix. Now you’re off to the races! If we all give it a shot, we could probably double the number of Korean speakers in the world with all the 4–10-year-olds obsessed with KPop Demon Hunters in the US alone.— Tim Ferriss
“Impact of Long-Term Fasting on Skeletal Muscle: Structure, Energy Metabolism and Function Using 31P/1H MRS and MRI.” From the conclusions section: “Long-term fasting [250 kcal/day] did not alter muscle metabolism or performance, nor induced structural or inflammatory changes. The decrease in muscle volume is minor when accounting for glycogen and water depletion during fasting. Fat is relocated to the intracellular compartment of myocytes. Both anaerobic and aerobic metabolic pathways remain unchanged after 12 days of fasting in both sexes and older subjects. This suggests that human muscles,— Tim Ferriss
Elgato Wave:3. Based on reviews, I picked up this microphone for a last-minute virtual recording on the road. It’s easy to pack and looks great on camera. Most impressive to me, it seems to cancel bounce and echo far better than my pro studio gear. Go figure. So their tech black magic can work wonders, but there’s one bug to look out for: when you first plug in the mic, it will often auto-select to speaker or headset mode, and you need to press the big button on the front to ensure you’re actually recording on microphone.— Tim Ferriss
All the highlights below are from Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman: “After years of trying and failing to make time for her illustration work, by taming her to-do list and shuffling her schedule, Abel saw that her only viable option was to claim time instead—to just start drawing, for an hour or two, every day, and to accept the consequences, even if those included neglecting other activities she sincerely valued.” … “The derision we heap upon the avid stamp collector or train spotter might really be a kind of defense mechanism, to spare us from confronting t— Tim Ferriss
KPop Demon Hunters. I’m late to the party, but better late than never. Now, I’m gonzo. I’ve been force-feeding myself all of the related YouTube videos I can find. This animated action-musical is everywhere and has become Netflix’s most popular film of all time. But I didn’t know any of this until last night. I showed up for my annual full-body MRI (e.g., Biograph or Prenuvo) yesterday, and the technician said, “For your viewing, I see you requested KPop Demon Hunters,” to which I replied, “What the hell is that?” Then I realized that I’d been punked by my assistant. Nice one. I decided to rol— Tim Ferriss
“Psychedelic Therapy Crashed and Burned. MAHA Might Bring It Back” by John Semley (WIRED). As the young whippersnappers might say, there’s a lot of tea in this one.— Tim Ferriss
The Little Giant - Ryuju Nagayama (2025 World Champion). I thought I’d seen all the most explosive judo fighters, and I was wrong. Nagayama’s throws show power and dizzying versatility at the highest level. And, most impressive, his movement is crisp and clean, like a perfect bedsheet at the Four Seasons. From the description: “Nagayama is the 2025 world champion and two-time bronze medalist. He is also an Olympic bronze medalist and 2022 Asian champion. For a long time, Nagayama was one of the most exciting judokas in the world. Despite his small height, he is one of the most powerful athlete— Tim Ferriss
Optimal HRV Reader Version 2.0. I’m once again tracking my heart-rate variability (HRV), as I’m experimenting with vagus nerve stimulation to improve HRV and other metrics. But not all trackers are created equal. The latest Optimal HRV band enhances reading accuracy and significantly reduces artifacts, ensuring you get the most precise data possible. You can watch my video on HRV training here. The Morpheus device was also recommended to me by several high-level competitive athletes and is used by friends like Dr. Peter Attia and performance coach Andy Galpin. It seems clearly superior for tra— Tim Ferriss
“The Mongol was ideally suited to travel long distances; each man carried precisely what he needed, but nothing more. In addition to his deel, the traditional wool robe that reached to his ankles, he wore pants, a fur hat with earflaps, and riding boots with thick soles. In addition to clothes designed to protect him in the worst weather, each warrior carried flints for making fires, leather canteens for water and milk, files to sharpen arrowheads, a lasso for rounding up animals or prisoners, sewing needles for mending clothes, a knife and a hatchet for cutting, and a skin bag into which to p— Tim Ferriss
Via negativa: improving by removing. This principle is widely applied in the “Elimination” section of The 4-Hour Workweek, which is effectively 25% of the book. Here’s the basic heuristic, courtesy of Nassim Taleb: “In action, it is a recipe for what to avoid, what not to do—subtraction, not addition.” (Worthwhile short read: “Via Negativa: The Process of Making Good Decisions By Eliminating Bad Ones.”)
MobLand (Amazon, Paramount+). This is my favorite series in quite a while. From the description: “Power is up for grabs as the Harrigans and Stevensons, two warring London crime families, clash in a kill-or-be-killed battle that threatens to topple empires and ruin lives. Caught in the crossfire is Harry Da Souza, a street-smart fixer as dangerous as he is handsome, who knows all too well where loyalties lie when opposing forces collide. As kingdom goes up against kingdom, lines will be crossed—and the only saving grace is a bet-your-life guarantee: family above everything.” The series was cre— Tim Ferriss
“Decreased PTSD symptoms following a lucid dreaming workshop: A randomized controlled study.” Description: “A pilot study showed significant PTSD symptom reduction among participants following an online lucid dreaming workshop. The workshop, spanning 22 hours over six consecutive days, taught participants lucid dreaming induction techniques and how to use lucid dreaming to transform their nightmares and integrate their trauma.” I’ll be digging back into this world soon. For an introduction to lucid dreaming, check out my blog post titled “Lucid Dreaming: A Beginner's Guide.”— Tim Ferriss
Pan Slings. Huge thanks to Kelly Starrett for the introduction to… Biblical Tactical! If a sling was good enough for David versus Goliath, it’s definitely more than enough to sex up your outdoor time. I enjoy this 10x more than I expected, and the sling is small enough to roll up and carry in a pocket.— Tim Ferriss
“Psychedelic experiences are usually not about visiting some transcendent realm of angels and demons (though that does happen); more often than not, they are about experiencing the here and now in a very intense way.” — , The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss (Click here to share on X) You can complement this edition of 5-Bullet Friday with my brand-new interview with Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg on cutting-edge science for eye health, red light therapy, and the future of eyesight restoration. And, as always, please give me feedback on X. Which bullet above is your favorite? What do you
“Why Mitochondria Are More Like a Motherboard Than the Powerhouse of the Cell” (Scientific American). Alternate link: From the article: All well and good, you may think. What does all this mean for my health or how long I’m going to live? The short answer is that it may have everything to do with human health. Diabetes, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and even mental health illnesses are all emerging as metabolic disorders involving malfunctioning mitochondria. And these findings are indicating new routes for intervention. ... When cells are injured or stressed, they may leak mtDNA into t— Tim Ferriss
“Everything I Know about Self-Publishing” by Kevin Kelly. Kevin is the founding editor of WIRED magazine and a listener favorite on the podcast. His latest blog post on self-publishing covers practically everything: going the traditional route, on-demand, digital, distribution, crowd-funding, promotion, subscriptions, and more. Here’s the introduction: In my professional life, I’ve had several bestselling books published by New York publishers, as well as many other titles that sold modestly. I have also self-published a bunch of books, including one bestseller on Amazon and two massive hit Ki— Tim Ferriss
“You’ve been saying a lot about being able to experience suffering and depression and yet still be detached from it. I’m trying to understand clearly what you’re saying, but it seems such a contradiction to say that you can be happy and depressed, since depression, as I’ve always been taught, is the absence of contentment and happiness. Could you explain this a little more? That’s a good question. Aren’t depression and happiness two contradictory states? I think this is what you’re asking, right? Yes and no. If for you happiness means thrills, fun, pleasure, then, yes, they are contradictory. — Tim Ferriss
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. This extraordinary book was recommended to me by various friends for years. I had it on my Audible app but never got around to listening, putting it off out of a perceived heaviness. I’m so glad and grateful that one close friend pushed me to finally absorb this beautiful book. When Breath Becomes Air was a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. From the description: “At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. … Paul d— Tim Ferriss
“New hope for Alzheimer’s: lithium supplement reverses memory loss in mice” (Nature) “Research on reversing Alzheimer’s reveals lithium as potential key” (The Washington Post). Alternate link: From the subheadline: “Years of investigation by scientists at Harvard has revealed that lithium is deeply involved in Alzheimer’s disease, a finding that could lead to new treatments.”— Tim Ferriss
“Coyote and Badger Caught Playing on Camera.” The end of this short clip is particularly excellent.— Tim Ferriss
“Many native traditions held clowns and tricksters as essential to any contact with the sacred. People could not pray until they had laughed, because laughter opens and frees from rigid preconception. Humans had to have tricksters within the most sacred ceremonies for fear that they forget the sacred comes through upset, reversal, surprise. The trickster in most native traditions is essential to creation, to birth.” ―