I cannot find a source (book) for this. Can anyone help? Many thanks!!!

“There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.”

-- Rainer Maria Rilke

This became a fascination to me. I have searched every resource I know on the net and hard copy as well and have not been able to find the source of the quotation although it is all over the web attributed to Rilke.

The closest I was able to find was from the text of a letter from his book "Letters to a Young Poet". The letter was dated February 17, 1903, and in it he advises,

"There is only one single way. Go into yourself."

Sorry I was unable to give you the information you requested but if I am able to unearth any new resources, I will post again. Good luck!

The difference in your texts probably lies in translation. The quotation in German is Es gibt nur ein einziges Mittel. Gehen Sie in sich. The word "Mittel" might also be translated "means," as "the only means to this end." Of course you wouldn't translate it in that way because it sounds so clunky. So it comes out "way" or possibly "journey" (although that wouldn't be a good translation in my opinion).

The longer quote from "Letters to a Young Poet" is: Niemand kann Ihnen raten und helfen, niemand. Es gibt nur ein einziges Mittel. Gehen Sie in sich. Erforschen Sie den Grund, der Sie schreiben heißt; prüfen Sie, ob er in der tiefsten Stelle Ihres Herzens seine Wurzeln ausstreckt, gestehen Sie sich ein, ob Sie sterben müßten, wenn es Ihnen versagt würde zu schreiben.
http://www.rilke.de/briefe/170203.htm

I'm not finding a translation that I like, but I also don't trust my own translation. Still, I would say, "No one can advise or help you--no one. Go inside yourself. Examine the grounds of your writing; test whether its roots extend to the deepest places in your heart; find out if you would die if writing were forbidden to you."

We must learn to love life without ever trusting it. G.K. Chesterton
Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?

My translation really is unreliable--I left out a whole sentence! Trying again--

"No one can advise or help you--no one. There is only one single way. Go inside yourself. Examine the grounds of your writing; test whether its roots extend to the deepest places in your heart; find out if you would die if writing were forbidden to you."

We must learn to love life without ever trusting it. G.K. Chesterton
Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?

Thank you, Galatea and Viktoria.

I appreciate your great help!

~Dawn