Identity Quote by Anna Kavan
““It was an alarming thought that these false selves should still have me in their power, and in my bewilderment I began wondering whether any such thing as my real self could be said to exist at all. Like a sudden revelation, then, it became clear to me that the self was always changing, always developing, only capable of evolving fully through the integration of all past semblances. I wouldn’t be my true self till I accepted and learned to know all those selves I’d disowned and deserted...As if this were something I could do consciously, there and then, the last of my inertia vanished, consumed by an ardent desire for identification with the essential ‘I’ – until this had been achieved I’d always be as I was now, wandering like a stranger, lost, frightened and confused, among the changes and contradictions of my own personality.””
About This Quote
The passage describes the evolving self, suggesting true identity emerges by integrating all past selves, not by clinging to a static notion.
In simple terms: Self grows by accepting all past versions.
Key Takeaway
Integrate past selves to evolve.
Themes
identity
growth
self‑acceptance
change
psychology
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
psychological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy
- creative work
- life transitions
- self‑reflection
- mindfulness
Key Concepts
personal development
integration
self‑concept
Questions to Reflect On
- What parts of yourself have you ignored?
- How can you honor those parts without being overwhelmed?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize integration without addressing trauma from disowned selves.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
