Attention Quote by Diane Ackerman
“We can't enchant the world, which makes its own magic; but we can enchant ourselves by paying deep attention”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Spell of the Sensuous, Diane Ackerman, 1987
We cannot control external events, but by focusing deeply we can create personal wonder and meaning.
In simple terms: Attention creates personal magic.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate deep attention.
Themes
mindfulness
self‑creation
wonder
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Meditation
- creative work
- daily routines
- stressful situations
Key Concepts
Phenomenology
subjective experience
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice deep attention today?
- What personal magic have you noticed when fully present?
A Different Perspective
Attention alone may not change external realities.
![“Symbolic of life, hair bolts from our head[s]. Like the earth, it can be harvested, but it will rise again. We can change its color and texture when the mood strikes us, but in time it will return to its original form, just as Nature will in time turn our precisely laid-out cities into a weed-way.” quote by Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/707/diane-ackerman-1035_cities_symbolic-of-life-hair-bolts-from-our-hea_194991.jpg)
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
