--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That which exists through itself is…" description: "\"That which exists through itself is called The Eternal. The Eternal has neither name nor shape. It is the one essence, the one primal spirit. Essence a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/bertrand-russell-69_essence_that-which-exists-through-itself-is-call_1561629.jpg" --- # That which exists through itself is called The Eternal… ![“That which exists through itself is called The Eternal. The Eternal has neither name nor shape. It is the one essence, the one primal spirit. Essence and life cannot be seen. They are contained in the light of heaven. The light of heaven cannot be seen. It is contained in the two eyes.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/bertrand-russell-69_essence_that-which-exists-through-itself-is-call_1561629.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/bertrand-russell-69_essence_that-which-exists-through-itself-is-call_1561629.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/bertrand-russell-69_essence_that-which-exists-through-itself-is-call_1561629.jpg) > “That which exists through itself is called The Eternal. The Eternal has neither name nor shape. It is the one essence, the one primal spirit. Essence and life cannot be seen. They are contained in the light of heaven. The light of heaven cannot be seen. It is contained in the two eyes.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes an abstract, indescribable ultimate reality that is beyond name, form, and direct perception, yet is present in all existence and perception. **In simple terms:** An unseen ultimate reality underlies everything. Key Takeaway Seek deeper understanding beyond surface appearances. Themes philosophy metaphysics spirituality Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - philosophical study - spiritual practice - artistic inspiration Key Concepts essence primal spirit light of heaven Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize the unseen essence in daily life? - What practices help you contemplate the primal spirit? A Different Perspective The concept may be too abstract for practical application without concrete examples. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-eternal-632770/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Eternal Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-eternal-501153/) [Eternal Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-shape-5859084/) [Exists Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exists-called-5859085/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Primal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primal/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [The fire of hell is called eternal, only because it never ends. Still, there is change in the pains of the lost... Hence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-fire-of-hell-is-called-eternal-only-because-it-never-ends-still/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Nothing returns, nothing begins anew; it is never the same thing, and yet it seems always the same. For, if the days never return,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/nothing-returns-nothing-begins-anew-it-is-never-the-same-thing-and/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [“Look the devil straight in the face And say bring it on For my God has a reward for you It's called Eternal hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-a-smikle/look-the-devil-straight-in-the-face-and-say-bring-it-on-for-my-god/) [Maisie A. Smikle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-a-smikle/) > ['I am that I am,' said the Eternal. The Eternal - it is the race. One in substance - undifferentiated. One in time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadmi-cohen/i-am-that-i-am-said-the-eternal-the-eternal-it-is-the-race-one-in/) [Kadmi Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadmi-cohen/) > [Harmony is called the eternal. Knowing the eternal is called clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/harmony-is-called-the-eternal-knowing-the-eternal-is-called-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is infinite, eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born; thus it can never die. Why is it infinite? It has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-infinite-eternal-why-is-it-eternal-it-was-never-born-thus/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Bahá'u'lláh is not the Intermediary between other Manifestations and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source. But in the sense that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoghi-effendi/bah-u-ll-h-is-not-the-intermediary-between-other-manifestations-and/) [Shoghi Effendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoghi-effendi/) > [It's like a woman's birthright to knit. It's primal. It's timeless. You don't need electricity to knit. You can do it with a candle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-ullman/it-s-like-a-woman-s-birthright-to-knit-it-s-primal-it-s-timeless-you/) [Tracey Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-ullman/) > [I find myself to be truly primal and passionate. Everything I do comes from a primal place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-find-myself-to-be-truly-primal-and-passionate-everything-i-do-comes/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [Almost any dog thinks almost any human is the Great Spirit, the Primal Creator, and the Universal Force Behind the Sun and Tides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/almost-any-dog-thinks-almost-any-human-is-the-great-spirit-the-primal/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from. The finality of the universe is the God Arunachala. Meditating on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/that-which-rises-and-sinks-is-made-up-of-what-it-rises-from-the/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [Animals do have emotion. But fear tends to be one of the most primal emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/animals-do-have-emotion-but-fear-tends-to-be-one-of-the-most-primal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Games are a trigger for adults to again become primitive, primal, as a way of thinking and remembering. An adult is a child who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-miyamoto/games-are-a-trigger-for-adults-to-again-become-primitive-primal-as-a/) [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-miyamoto/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When forced to survive in an apocalyptic world, there are some characters that embrace their higher selves with some emerging as natural born leaders,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/when-forced-to-survive-in-an-apocalyptic-world-there-are-some/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Essence quotes > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [It's all the unwordable things one wants to write about, just as it's all the unformable things one wants to paint - essence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-carr/it-s-all-the-unwordable-things-one-wants-to-write-about-just-as-it-s/) [Emily Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-carr/) > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/) [Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/) > [I am alive. Up here with the song of the engine and the air whispering on my face as the sunlight and shadows play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-coonts/i-am-alive-up-here-with-the-song-of-the-engine-and-the-air-whispering/) [Stephen Coonts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-coonts/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The wisdom or the essence of Guru Tattwa is a balance. Like when you maintain a plant, if you do not give it water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-wisdom-or-the-essence-of-guru-tattwa-is-a-balance-like-when-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [This is the pathless path - returning to where you were initially before you got lost. The deepest truth in you is where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/this-is-the-pathless-path-returning-to-where-you-were-initially/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Communism... is the genuine resolution of the antagonism between man and nature and between man and man; it is the true resolution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/communism-is-the-genuine-resolution-of-the-antagonism-between-man-and/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [I'm not so much in the future as always in the present. The future always takes care of itself. 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