--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Close your bodily eye, that you may see…" description: "\"Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first with the eye of the spirit. Then bring to light what you have seen in the darkness, that its..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/caspar-david-friedrich-25116_darkness_close-your-bodily-eye-that-you-may-see-y_1971171.png" --- # Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first… ![“Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first with the eye of the spirit. Then bring to light what you have seen in the darkness, that its effect may work back, from without to within.” quote by Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/caspar-david-friedrich-25116_darkness_close-your-bodily-eye-that-you-may-see-y_1971171.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/caspar-david-friedrich-25116_darkness_close-your-bodily-eye-that-you-may-see-y_1971171.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24e/caspar-david-friedrich-25116_darkness_close-your-bodily-eye-that-you-may-see-y_1971171.png) > “Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first with the eye of the spirit. Then bring to light what you have seen in the darkness, that its effect may work back, from without to within.” [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing with the spirit reveals deeper truths beyond physical sight. **In simple terms:** Spiritual insight uncovers hidden meaning. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner perception to understand deeper realities. Themes spiritual insight perception inner vision Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - meditation - creative writing - self‑reflection - visual analysis Key Concepts Philosophy art interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice seeing beyond the surface? - What inner truths guide your actions? A Different Perspective The quote may be too abstract for practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [You are not your body; you are the eye. When you see the spirit, you are free of the body. A human being is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-are-not-your-body-you-are-the-eye-when-you-see-the-spirit-you-are/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“You may possess only a small light, but uncover it, let it shine, use it in order to bring more light and understanding to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-murray/you-may-possess-only-a-small-light-but-uncover-it-let-it-shine-use-it/) [John Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-murray/) > [“These are the books that brought me closer to myself, that shaped me and my world -- I hope they'll bring you light and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-nisha-adams/these-are-the-books-that-brought-me-closer-to-myself-that-shaped-me/) Sara Nisha Adams > [Who would bring light must endure burning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zindell/who-would-bring-light-must-endure-burning/) [David Zindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zindell/) > [Men cannot improve a society by setting fire to it: they must seek out its old virtues, and bring them back into the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/men-cannot-improve-a-society-by-setting-fire-to-it-they-must-seek-out/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [“Scent, sound or sight, beneficent, malign – Who cares if you’re a blessing or a curse, So long as you bring light,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/scent-sound-or-sight-beneficent-malign-who-cares-if-you-re-a-blessing/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [We must bring light to as many people as possible. Who has time to indulge in self-pity or guilt? In advanced self-giving you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-must-bring-light-to-as-many-people-as-possible-who-has-time-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Instead of fighting the darkness, you bring in the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/instead-of-fighting-the-darkness-you-bring-in-the-light/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is time that we labored for the happiness of the people. Legislators who are to bring light and order into the world must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/it-is-time-that-we-labored-for-the-happiness-of-the-people/) [Louis Antoine de Saint-Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/) > [Bring light to those things that you are not proud of and work on them, you'll learn great lessons, and become a better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/bring-light-to-those-things-that-you-are-not-proud-of-and-work-on/) Senoraroy > [I think my content has a responsibility to bring light every day, whether it's in laughter, whether it's in inspiration, whether it's through food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabitha-brown/i-think-my-content-has-a-responsibility-to-bring-light-every-day/) [Tabitha Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabitha-brown/) > [“We should not stray from the darkness within us, that thing we call our Shadow. We should embrace it and learn from it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-carter/we-should-not-stray-from-the-darkness-within-us-that-thing-we-call/) Trevor Carter > [You are... my night and shining armor, you bring light into my world, lets just …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-urbina/you-are-my-night-and-shining-armor-you-bring-light-into-my-world-lets/) Kim Urbina > [The true musician is to bring light into people's hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-true-musician-is-to-bring-light-into-people-s-hearts/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I do talk about hard times, but I also try to bring out the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-mark/i-do-talk-about-hard-times-but-i-also-try-to-bring-out-the-light/) [Amber Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-mark/) ## More by Caspar David Friedrich > [God is everywhere, in the smallest grain of sand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/god-is-everywhere-in-the-smallest-grain-of-sand/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [“I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full; I have to surrender myself to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/i-must-stay-alone-and-know-that-i-am-alone-to-contemplate-and-feel/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [The painter should paint not only what he has in front of him, but also what he sees inside himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/the-painter-should-paint-not-only-what-he-has-in-front-of-him-but/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [If he sees nothing within, then he should stop painting what is in front of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/if-he-sees-nothing-within-then-he-should-stop-painting-what-is-in/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [I have to stay alone in order to fully contemplate and feel nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/i-have-to-stay-alone-in-order-to-fully-contemplate-and-feel-nature/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [“Why, it has often occurred to me to ask myself, do I so frequently choose death, transience, and the grave as subjects for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/why-it-has-often-occurred-to-me-to-ask-myself-do-i-so-frequently/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [I am not so weak as to submit to the demands of the age when they go against my convictions. I spin a cocoon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/i-am-not-so-weak-as-to-submit-to-the-demands-of-the-age-when-they-go/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [The feelings of another person should never be imposed upon us as a law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/the-feelings-of-another-person-should-never-be-imposed-upon-us-as-a/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [What the newer landscape artists see in a circle of a hundred degrees in Nature they press together unmercifully into an angle of vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/what-the-newer-landscape-artists-see-in-a-circle-of-a-hundred-degrees/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [You call me a misanthrope because I avoid society. You err; I love society. Yet in order not to hate people, I must avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/you-call-me-a-misanthrope-because-i-avoid-society-you-err-i-love/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [The artist should paint not only what he sees before him, but also what he sees within him. If, however, he sees nothing within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/the-artist-should-paint-not-only-what-he-sees-before-him-but-also/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full; I have to surrender myself to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/i-must-stay-alone-and-know-that-i-am-alone-to-contemplate-and-feel-2/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [The eye and fantasy feel more attracted by nebulous distance than by that which is close and distinct in front of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/the-eye-and-fantasy-feel-more-attracted-by-nebulous-distance-than-by/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [When a scene is shrouded in mist, it seems greater, nobler, and heightens the viewers' imaginative powers, increasing expectation - like a veiled girl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/when-a-scene-is-shrouded-in-mist-it-seems-greater-nobler-and/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [A painting which does not take its inspiration from the heart is nothing more than futile juggling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/a-painting-which-does-not-take-its-inspiration-from-the-heart-is/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) [Explore all 23 Caspar David Friedrich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Close your bodily eye, that you may see your picture first with the eye of the spirit. 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