--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be aware that what you think, to a large…" description: "\"Be aware that what you think, to a large extent, creates the emotions that you feel. See the link between your thinking and your emotions. Rather than ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/eckhart-tolle-81_awareness_be-aware-that-what-you-think-to-a-large_928035.jpg" --- # Be aware that what you think, to a large extent, creates… ![“Be aware that what you think, to a large extent, creates the emotions that you feel. See the link between your thinking and your emotions. Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/eckhart-tolle-81_awareness_be-aware-that-what-you-think-to-a-large_928035.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/eckhart-tolle-81_awareness_be-aware-that-what-you-think-to-a-large_928035.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/eckhart-tolle-81_awareness_be-aware-that-what-you-think-to-a-large_928035.jpg) > “Be aware that what you think, to a large extent, creates the emotions that you feel. See the link between your thinking and your emotions. Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts shape emotions; observing thoughts rather than identifying with them creates emotional freedom. **In simple terms:** Your mind creates feelings; watch it. Key Takeaway Practice mindful observation of thoughts. Themes mindfulness emotion self-awareness Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stress management - therapy - personal growth - leadership - education Key Concepts cognitive psychology consciousness detachment Questions to Reflect On - What habits can you adopt to stay present? - How does observing thoughts affect behavior? A Different Perspective Awareness alone may not change deep-seated emotional patterns without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thoughts and emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-and-emotions/) ## Related quotes > [Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/rather-than-being-your-thoughts-and-emotions-be-the-awareness-behind/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To be psychic is to see without the senses and to keep the thoughts and emotions of others out of your awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-be-psychic-is-to-see-without-the-senses-and-to-keep-the-thoughts/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you keep your attention in the body as much as possible, you will be anchored in the Now. You won't lose yourself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-you-keep-your-attention-in-the-body-as-much-as-possible-you-will/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The most decisive event in your life is when you discover you are not your thoughts or emotions. Instead, you can be present as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-most-decisive-event-in-your-life-is-when-you-discover-you-are-not/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Be present as the watcher of your mind- of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/be-present-as-the-watcher-of-your-mind-of-your-thoughts-and-emotions/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“We seldom realize, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/we-seldom-realize-for-example-that-our-most-private-thoughts-and/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [Every day I tell myself 'My thoughts and emotions are the only thing that are stopping me, so I am stopping them!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-day-i-tell-myself-my-thoughts-and-emotions-are-the-only-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thoughts and emotions will always arise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzigar-kongtrul-rinpoche/thoughts-and-emotions-will-always-arise/) [Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzigar-kongtrul-rinpoche/) > [“Normally we are so identified with our thoughts and emotions, that we are them. We are the happiness, we are the anger, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-mackenzie/normally-we-are-so-identified-with-our-thoughts-and-emotions-that-we/) Vicki Mackenzie > [Just as the ocean has waves or the sun has rays, so the minds's own radiance is its thoughts and emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/just-as-the-ocean-has-waves-or-the-sun-has-rays-so-the-minds-s-own/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [T Sixteen relised a cold world and relised my childhood was nothing but a dream.Then woke up and there it hit me the reall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcdonald/t-sixteen-relised-a-cold-world-and-relised-my-childhood-was-nothing/) Aaron Mcdonald > [The kind of happiness that stays with you is the happiness that springs from inward thoughts and emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-kind-of-happiness-that-stays-with-you-is-the-happiness-that/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [What good are thoughts and emotions-in fact all of our experiences-if not to increase our realization?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzigar-kongtrul-rinpoche/what-good-are-thoughts-and-emotions-in-fact-all-of-our-experiences-if/) [Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzigar-kongtrul-rinpoche/) > [“What shows up in our lives is a direct reflection of our inner thoughts and emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grout/what-shows-up-in-our-lives-is-a-direct-reflection-of-our-inner/) [Pam Grout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grout/) > [When I got to write for the 'Battlefield' record, it was almost therapeutic. I had gone through a few things in the two years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/when-i-got-to-write-for-the-battlefield-record-it-was-almost/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Awareness quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [I know the importance of highly trained awareness of the “moment” and the immediate and intuitive response of the photographer. It should be obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/i-know-the-importance-of-highly-trained-awareness-of-the-moment-and/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [I'm part of a team that raises millions of dollars and raises awareness of HIV and AIDS all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/i-m-part-of-a-team-that-raises-millions-of-dollars-and-raises/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. 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