--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think my quarry is illusion. I war…" description: "\"I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I believe that, though illusion often cheers and comforts, it ultimately and invariably weakens and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png" --- # I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I… ![“I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I believe that, though illusion often cheers and comforts, it ultimately and invariably weakens and constricts the spirit.” quote by Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png) > “I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I believe that, though illusion often cheers and comforts, it ultimately and invariably weakens and constricts the spirit.” [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Illusion offers comfort but erodes inner strength, so confronting reality builds a resilient spirit. **In simple terms:** Illusion comforts but weakens; confronting reality strengthens. Key Takeaway Choose truth over comforting illusion. Themes psychology spirituality self‑growth Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal crises - creative work - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism illusion resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does illusion serve you? - When is confronting reality most painful? A Different Perspective Illusion can sometimes protect mental health in trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There is no more cruel illusion than that war makes a people richer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/there-is-no-more-cruel-illusion-than-that-war-makes-a-people-richer/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [“The illusion of free will is so strong in my mind that I can't get away from it, but I believe it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-illusion-of-free-will-is-so-strong-in-my-mind-that-i-can-t-get/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“Who can believe in illusion even if we all live the Illusion of Life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/who-can-believe-in-illusion-even-if-we-all-live-the-illusion-of-life/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“Survival is an ancient dream Life is nothing but an everlasting illusion Nothing is Real Don’t believe in illusion, Remember me, I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rixa-white/survival-is-an-ancient-dream-life-is-nothing-but-an-everlasting/) [Rixa White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rixa-white/) > [I believe in illusion - I don't believe in magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-believe-in-illusion-i-don-t-believe-in-magic/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [The illusion of design is so successful that to this day most Americans (including, significantly, many influential and rich Americans) stubbornly refuse to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-illusion-of-design-is-so-successful-that-to-this-day-most/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“They probably didn't care if it was the real thing or not. They wanted it to be. And by suspending their disbelief they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-potter/they-probably-didn-t-care-if-it-was-the-real-thing-or-not-they-wanted/) [Alexandra Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-potter/) > [I'm in show business. I believe in illusion and delusions and in holding aloft the bubble of a dream of some sort because, really,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-m-in-show-business-i-believe-in-illusion-and-delusions-and-in/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I believe in everything. I believe that everything is an illusion, and everything is there to be believed in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/i-believe-in-everything-i-believe-that-everything-is-an-illusion-and/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [“If we are to love sincerely, and with simplicity, we must first of all overcome the fear of not being loved. And this cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-we-are-to-love-sincerely-and-with-simplicity-we-must-first-of-all-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The apparent ease of California life is an illusion, and those who believe the illusion real live here in only the most temporary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-apparent-ease-of-california-life-is-an-illusion-and-those-who-2/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [The apparent ease of California life is an illusion, and those who believe the illusion will live here in only the most temporary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-apparent-ease-of-california-life-is-an-illusion-and-those-who/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I believe that all is illusion and vanity outside the treasure of truths slowly accumulated, and which will never again be lost. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/i-believe-that-all-is-illusion-and-vanity-outside-the-treasure-of/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“The dogs are still playing in the yard, but the quarry will not escape them, never mind how fast it is running through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-dogs-are-still-playing-in-the-yard-but-the-quarry-will-not-escape/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/sustained-and-soothed-by-an-unfaltering-trust-approach-thy-grave-like/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) ## More by Irvin D. Yalom > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [I dream of a love that is more than two people craving to possess one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-dream-of-a-love-that-is-more-than-two-people-craving-to-possess-one/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Ümitsizlik özfarkındalık uğruna ödenen bedeldir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/mitsizlik-zfark-ndal-k-u-runa-denen-bedeldir/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Therapists need to have a long experience in personal therapy to see what it's like to be on the other side of the couch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/therapists-need-to-have-a-long-experience-in-personal-therapy-to-see/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Beginning therapists must learn that there are times to sit in silence, sometimes in silent communion, sometimes simply while waiting for patients' thoughts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/beginning-therapists-must-learn-that-there-are-times-to-sit-in/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [If one is to learn to live with the dead, one must first learn to live with the living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/if-one-is-to-learn-to-live-with-the-dead-one-must-first-learn-to-live/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Specialness as a primary mode of death transcendence takes a number of other maladaptive forms. The drive for power is not uncommonly motivated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/specialness-as-a-primary-mode-of-death-transcendence-takes-a-number/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Exactly. We know that the great Goethe carried a copy of Spinoza’s Ethics in his pocket for a year. Imagine that—an entire year! And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/exactly-we-know-that-the-great-goethe-carried-a-copy-of-spinoza-s/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Hope is the worst of evils because it protracts torment.” “Your”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/hope-is-the-worst-of-evils-because-it-protracts-torment-your/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Mature love is loving, not being loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/mature-love-is-loving-not-being-loved/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Absolute power, as we have always known, corrupts absolutely; it corrupts because it does not do the trick for the individual. Reality always creeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/absolute-power-as-we-have-always-known-corrupts-absolutely-it/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Indeed, the capacity to tolerate uncertainty is a prerequisite for the profession. Though the public may believe that therapists guide patients systematically and sure-handedly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/indeed-the-capacity-to-tolerate-uncertainty-is-a-prerequisite-for-the/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Rollo May quipped that anxiety about nothing tries to become anxiety about something. In other words, anxiety about nothingness quickly attaches itself to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/rollo-may-quipped-that-anxiety-about-nothing-tries-to-become-anxiety/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“I often urge patients to project themselves into the future and to consider how they can live now so that five years hence they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-often-urge-patients-to-project-themselves-into-the-future-and-to/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [When people don't have any curiosity about themselves, that is always a bad sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/when-people-don-t-have-any-curiosity-about-themselves-that-is-always/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) [Explore all 184 Irvin D. Yalom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I believe that, though illusion often cheers and comforts, it ultimately and invariably weakens and constricts the spirit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irvin D. Yalom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-against-magic-i-believe-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-against-magic-i-believe-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/irvin-d-yalom-1519_believe_i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-agai_2617524.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think my quarry is illusion. I war against magic. I believe that, though illusion often cheers and…” — Irvin D. Yalom", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Irvin D. Yalom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think my quarry is illusion....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-against-magic-i-believe-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/i-think-my-quarry-is-illusion-i-war-against-magic-i-believe-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```