--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We never know self-realization. We are…" description: "\"“We never know self-realization. We are two abysses - a well staring at the sky.”\" — Fernando Pessoa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/fernando-pessoa-177_identity_we-never-know-self-realization-we-are-tw_1076112.jpg" --- # We never know self-realization. We are two abysses - a… ![“We never know self-realization. We are two abysses - a well staring at the sky.” quote by Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/fernando-pessoa-177_identity_we-never-know-self-realization-we-are-tw_1076112.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/fernando-pessoa-177_identity_we-never-know-self-realization-we-are-tw_1076112.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/fernando-pessoa-177_identity_we-never-know-self-realization-we-are-tw_1076112.jpg) > ““We never know self-realization. We are two abysses - a well staring at the sky.”” [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑realization is elusive; we are torn between deep introspection and external aspirations. **In simple terms:** We cannot fully know ourselves; we feel split between inner depth and outward view. Key Takeaway Accept the mystery of self and balance inner and outer focus. Themes identity philosophy duality Mood contemplative melancholic Type reflective poetic When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - spiritual practice - relationship counseling Key Concepts existentialism self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile inner depth with external expectations? - What practices help you explore self‑realization? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge may remain incomplete despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abysses Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abysses-staring-2707564/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Realization Abysses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization-abysses-2707562/) [Self realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-realization/) [Staring Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring-sky-368124/) ## Related quotes > [We are two abysses - a well staring at the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/we-are-two-abysses-a-well-staring-at-the-sky/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“The last time she was up here, she had been... staring up at the sky and dreaming of stars. Now, she looked down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/the-last-time-she-was-up-here-she-had-been-staring-up-at-the-sky-and/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Staring up at the sky on a bright, sunny day makes me dream and gives me ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/staring-up-at-the-sky-on-a-bright-sunny-day-makes-me-dream-and-gives/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [“The only barrier to Self-realization or enlightenment is the ego. The ego is the false identification with names and forms. Once this barrier dissolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kulkarni/the-only-barrier-to-self-realization-or-enlightenment-is-the-ego-the/) [Akshay Kulkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kulkarni/) > [Self-realization is great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-feldman/self-realization-is-great/) [Corey Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-feldman/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“Don't pretend to be what you're not, instead, pretend to what you want to be, it is not pretence, it is a journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-pretend-to-be-what-you-re-not-instead-pretend-to-what-you-want/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Psychosynthesis is a method of psychological development and self realization for those who refuse to remain the slave of their own inner phantasms or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-assagioli/psychosynthesis-is-a-method-of-psychological-development-and-self/) [Roberto Assagioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-assagioli/) > [The object of the Gita appears to me to be that of showing the most excellent way to attain self-realization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-object-of-the-gita-appears-to-me-to-be-that-of-showing-the-most/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Self-realization is not complete until it lives in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/self-realization-is-not-complete-until-it-lives-in-action/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [The highest goal of spirituality is Self-realization, but what does that mean? It means to feel your Self as a living reality in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gay-hendricks/the-highest-goal-of-spirituality-is-self-realization-but-what-does/) [Gay Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gay-hendricks/) > [The state of self-realization, as we call it, is not attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far away, but simply being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/the-state-of-self-realization-as-we-call-it-is-not-attaining/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [Many people meditate in order that a third eye may open. For that they feel they should close their two physical eyes. They thereby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/many-people-meditate-in-order-that-a-third-eye-may-open-for-that-they/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Some people have a very strange idea that material success does not coincide harmoniously with self-realization, which is absurd. The aversion to material success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/some-people-have-a-very-strange-idea-that-material-success-does-not/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Now the stage today is to know that Self Realization gives you experiences and then your faith is established. Not blind but open enlightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-the-stage-today-is-to-know-that-self-realization-gives-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) ## More by Fernando Pessoa > [Everything interests me, but nothing holds me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-interests-me-but-nothing-holds-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“If only, I feel now, if only I could be someone able to see all this as if he had no other relation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/if-only-i-feel-now-if-only-i-could-be-someone-able-to-see-all-this-as/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [What's given, in fact, always depends on the person or thing it's given to. A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Smell is a strange sight. It evokes sentimental landscapes through a sudden sketching of the subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/smell-is-a-strange-sight-it-evokes-sentimental-landscapes-through-a/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Tudo vale a pena quando a alma não é pequena”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/tudo-vale-a-pena-quando-a-alma-n-o-pequena/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“no nostalgia hurts as much as nostalgia for things that never existed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-nostalgia-hurts-as-much-as-nostalgia-for-things-that-never-existed/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“The feelings that hurt most, the motions that sting most, are those that are absurd; the longing for impossible things, precisely because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/the-feelings-that-hurt-most-the-motions-that-sting-most-are-those/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“I try to say what I feel Without thinking about what I feel. I try to place words right next to my idea So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-try-to-say-what-i-feel-without-thinking-about-what-i-feel-i-try-to/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Have you ever considered, beloved other, how invisible we are to each other? We look at each other without seeing. We listen to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/have-you-ever-considered-beloved-other-how-invisible-we-are-to-each/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“To associate is to die. Only my consciousness of myself is real for me; other people are hazy phenomena in this consciousness, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/to-associate-is-to-die-only-my-consciousness-of-myself-is-real-for-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“When it comes to dreams, I’m no different from the errand boy and the seamstress. The only thing that distinguishes me from them is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/when-it-comes-to-dreams-i-m-no-different-from-the-errand-boy-and-the/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it. Collective thought is stupid because it’s collective. Nothing passes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-intelligent-idea-can-gain-general-acceptance-unless-some-stupidity/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [God gave the sea the danger and the abyss, but it was in it that He mirrored the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/god-gave-the-sea-the-danger-and-the-abyss-but-it-was-in-it-that-he/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Everything that surrounds us becomes part of us, it seeps into us with every experience of the flesh and of life and, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-that-surrounds-us-becomes-part-of-us-it-seeps-into-us-with/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) [Explore all 781 Fernando Pessoa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. 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