--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even when we have realized oneness and…" description: "\"“Even when we have realized oneness and nothingness, we still have our personal lives to manage, bodies to take care of, and mouths to feed, and you wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/ilchi-lee-1445_ego_even-when-we-have-realized-oneness-and-n_3036535.png" --- # Even when we have realized oneness and nothingness, we… ![“Even when we have realized oneness and nothingness, we still have our personal lives to manage, bodies to take care of, and mouths to feed, and you will know which one is yours and which ones are others', so you won't put food into another person's mouth when you are hungry. Also you won't kiss a…” quote by Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/ilchi-lee-1445_ego_even-when-we-have-realized-oneness-and-n_3036535.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/ilchi-lee-1445_ego_even-when-we-have-realized-oneness-and-n_3036535.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/ilchi-lee-1445_ego_even-when-we-have-realized-oneness-and-n_3036535.png) > ““Even when we have realized oneness and nothingness, we still have our personal lives to manage, bodies to take care of, and mouths to feed, and you will know which one is yours and which ones are others', so you won't put food into another person's mouth when you are hungry. Also you won't kiss a rattlesnake or hug a cactus no matter how strong an affinity you feel toward them. But at the same time, we know these apparent separations are functional, not fundamental, and should be recognized as such without mistaking one for the other. I would call this apparent separation "functional ego," or you can call it your "character," which is the collection of your beliefs, habits, and other people's expectations.”” [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even with spiritual unity, functional separations like personal responsibilities remain; recognizing them as roles, not true divisions. **In simple terms:** We have functional roles despite unity. Key Takeaway Balance spiritual insight with practical duties. Themes spirituality identity functionality Mood reflective calm Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - daily responsibilities - relationship management - self‑growth Key Concepts ego theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor both unity and individuality? - What practical steps maintain this balance? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑intellectualizing personal life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-character-1956611/) [Functional Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/functional-ego-4984894/) [Inspirational wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-wisdom-92596/) [Oneness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneness/) [Oneness Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneness-nothingness-4984895/) [Realized Oneness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-oneness-1622427/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that Jesus realized his oneness with God and he showed, what he attempted to do was show the way to all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-believe-that-jesus-realized-his-oneness-with-god-and-he-showed-what/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [In a novel, I could submerge my ego in a character's and let his perceptions take over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-moon/in-a-novel-i-could-submerge-my-ego-in-a-character-s-and-let-his/) [Elizabeth Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-moon/) > [We get very little wisdom from success, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/we-get-very-little-wisdom-from-success-you-know/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“Doing what you love to do its what really makes you who you really are,so its apart of you, and will stay with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymousymous/doing-what-you-love-to-do-its-what-really-makes-you-who-you-really/) [Anonymousymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymousymous/) > [“I don't care what they say, we are only to love those who deserve our love and love them to the degree that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-don-t-care-what-they-say-we-are-only-to-love-those-who-deserve-our/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“We are all surrounded with so much static energy, that it is actually crucial to develop the ability to remove that and to flow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/we-are-all-surrounded-with-so-much-static-energy-that-it-is-actually/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“Hope is the heartbeat of the soul~”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-horst/hope-is-the-heartbeat-of-the-soul/) [Michelle Horst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-horst/) > [Faith lightens the path your shadowed mind has to walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-horst/faith-lightens-the-path-your-shadowed-mind-has-to-walk/) [Michelle Horst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-horst/) > [“There is such a thirst to be known, isn't there? What is it about being known that would cause us to hunger so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/there-is-such-a-thirst-to-be-known-isn-t-there-what-is-it-about-being/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“We doubt in others, what is in fact in ourselves. The skeletons in your own closet are the things that scare you the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/we-doubt-in-others-what-is-in-fact-in-ourselves-the-skeletons-in-your/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“Drinking the energy of the universe Breathing along with the Cosmos With each breath I am reborn Into a brand new existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/drinking-the-energy-of-the-universe-breathing-along-with-the-cosmos/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“For the person who is grounded in the timeless truth of the universe, there is no life and no death. He or she can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/for-the-person-who-is-grounded-in-the-timeless-truth-of-the-universe/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“When traversing the vast sea of loneliness, Oneness is the only true safe harbor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/when-traversing-the-vast-sea-of-loneliness-oneness-is-the-only-true/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [The goal of the Creator is for each entity to make a conscious choice to again seek Oneness, out of our own free will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilcock/the-goal-of-the-creator-is-for-each-entity-to-make-a-conscious-choice/) [David Wilcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilcock/) > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Ilchi Lee > [“Observing is not just seeing. It is watching with attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/observing-is-not-just-seeing-it-is-watching-with-attention/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Place your concentration in the center of your palm. Concentrate on making that part of your palm warmer than the rest of your hand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/place-your-concentration-in-the-center-of-your-palm-concentrate-on/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Awareness, when managed and directed, becomes attention. By turning into attention, awareness becomes localized, and attains a focal point. Because of this feature, attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/awareness-when-managed-and-directed-becomes-attention-by-turning-into/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Our true reality is not a limited phenomenon, existing only between birth and death. It is eternal life that exists alone, self-existent and self-sufficient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/our-true-reality-is-not-a-limited-phenomenon-existing-only-between/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“As a phenomenon, life has a beginning and ending, but life itself doesn’t. So, which one is truly me - a phenomenon that lasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/as-a-phenomenon-life-has-a-beginning-and-ending-but-life-itself-doesn/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Change is the very nature of Nature. if there's one thing that doesn't change, it is the fact that everything changes. In the Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/change-is-the-very-nature-of-nature-if-there-s-one-thing-that-doesn-t/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“The value of a human being depends on the quality of information held in his or her brain. Depending on whether that information is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/the-value-of-a-human-being-depends-on-the-quality-of-information-held/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Whatever path brought you here There is a reason why you came, Through you may not know it now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/whatever-path-brought-you-here-there-is-a-reason-why-you-came-through/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Everyday, Jay would sit under a giant elm tree and imagine the adventures his life might bring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/everyday-jay-would-sit-under-a-giant-elm-tree-and-imagine-the/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“It is important to realize that you are fundamentally made up of Life Particles, as is everyone else. Please realize that you, like everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/it-is-important-to-realize-that-you-are-fundamentally-made-up-of-life/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“My beloved Jay, remember me. Call my name every day. If you think of me and are with me, The infinite power of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/my-beloved-jay-remember-me-call-my-name-every-day-if-you-think-of-me/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Do you have a dream? If you do, what is it? Is your dream similar to mine? I hope that even more people dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/do-you-have-a-dream-if-you-do-what-is-it-is-your-dream-similar-to/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“It's only natural to experience times that are difficult and painful, no matter who you are. those are times when anyone would feel tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/it-s-only-natural-to-experience-times-that-are-difficult-and-painful/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [Now is a time for change, a time to become the greatest version of yourself. And a time to to make your grandest vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/now-is-a-time-for-change-a-time-to-become-the-greatest-version-of/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“How do we meditate? It is not thinking about the past or future. It starts with being present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/how-do-we-meditate-it-is-not-thinking-about-the-past-or-future-it/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) [Explore all 240 Ilchi Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) ## More Ego quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [I love playing ego and insecurity combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-playing-ego-and-insecurity-combined/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I'm a straight shooter, and most of the time my ego doesn't interrupt my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-macht/i-m-a-straight-shooter-and-most-of-the-time-my-ego-doesn-t-interrupt/) [Gabriel Macht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-macht/) > [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/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I hate acting when I see it. I don't want to feel it, I don't want to see it, I want to be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-hauer/i-hate-acting-when-i-see-it-i-don-t-want-to-feel-it-i-don-t-want-to/) [Rutger Hauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-hauer/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) > [Show me success without ego!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-trump/show-me-success-without-ego/) [Ivana Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-trump/) [Browse all 3,462 Ego quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Even when we have realized oneness and nothingness, we still have our personal lives to manage, bodies to take care of, and mouths to feed, and you will know which one is yours and which ones are others', so you won't put food into another person's mouth when you are hungry. Also you won't kiss a rattlesnake or hug a cactus no matter how strong an affinity you feel toward them. 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