--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only themselves understand themselves…" description: "\"“Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls. Walt Whitman”\" — Jed McKenna" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg" --- # Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of… ![“Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls. Walt Whitman” quote by Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg) > ““Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls.   Walt Whitman”” [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individuals can truly know only those who share their nature, similar to souls understanding other souls. **In simple terms:** People understand those like themselves. Key Takeaway Seek connections with like‑minded individuals. Themes self‑knowledge empathy identity Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - personal relationships - spiritual communities - mentorship - creative collaborations Key Concepts existentialism human connection Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize reflections of yourself in others? - What barriers prevent you from seeing beyond your own nature? A Different Perspective Understanding may be limited by bias and lack of exposure to diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Only themselves understand themselves and the like of themselves, As souls only understand souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/only-themselves-understand-themselves-and-the-like-of-themselves-as/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [ “\[Walt\] Whitman would never get in the way of a boy trying to get off with another boy. Bros before prose.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-henry/walt-whitman-would-never-get-in-the-way-of-a-boy-trying-to-get-off/) [Lisa Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-henry/) > [I think there were two great gay Americans obviously, and that was Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-think-there-were-two-great-gay-americans-obviously-and-that-was/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [Certainly I'm participating in an already established and awesome tradition, but it's a tradition that sort of shoots up and through the mainstream in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/certainly-i-m-participating-in-an-already-established-and-awesome/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) > [In his very rejection of art Walt Whitman is an artist. He tried to produce a certain effect by certain means and he succeeded…He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-his-very-rejection-of-art-walt-whitman-is-an-artist-he-tried-to/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“But something special happened to American poetry in the 19th century when Walt Whitman broke with more traditional English poetics and fashioned an American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-something-special-happened-to-american-poetry-in-the-19th-century/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Walt Whitman, a kosmos, of Manhattan the son, Turbulent, fleshy, sensual, eating, drinking and breeding, No sentimentalist, no stander above men and women or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/walt-whitman-a-kosmos-of-manhattan-the-son-turbulent-fleshy-sensual/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Our culture is what we did together. What did Walt Whitman represent for all of us? What was his message to us? That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/our-culture-is-what-we-did-together-what-did-walt-whitman-represent/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [When I was young I once found a book in a Dutch translation, 'The leaves of Grass'. It was the first time a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-appel/when-i-was-young-i-once-found-a-book-in-a-dutch-translation-the/) [Karel Appel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-appel/) > [The English tourist in American literature wants above all things something different from what he has at home. For this reason the one American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-english-tourist-in-american-literature-wants-above-all-things/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Art is a luxury. It's not necessary for you to - you can work your job and you can make some money and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/art-is-a-luxury-it-s-not-necessary-for-you-to-you-can-work-your-job/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [“And among the prissiest. Gilder’s method of raising public standards of taste and morality required the production of bloodless pages. As custodian of genteel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/and-among-the-prissiest-gilder-s-method-of-raising-public-standards/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [“The last thing I want to hear from a crotch, I yell, is Walt Whitman!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-whipple/the-last-thing-i-want-to-hear-from-a-crotch-i-yell-is-walt-whitman/) Ron Whipple > [I always knew in my heart Walt Whitman's mind to be more like my own than any other man's living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/i-always-knew-in-my-heart-walt-whitman-s-mind-to-be-more-like-my-own/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Documentary is, therefore, an approach, which makes use of the artistic faculties to give vivification to fact - to use Walt Whitman's definition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beaumont-newhall/documentary-is-therefore-an-approach-which-makes-use-of-the-artistic/) [Beaumont Newhall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beaumont-newhall/) ## More by Jed McKenna > [“The American dream of freedom and abundance is just a child’s rendering of true freedom and abundance, and serves only to convince people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-american-dream-of-freedom-and-abundance-is-just-a-child-s/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“I don’t see it as my role to save or rescue anybody any more than regular people feel the need to rescue each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/i-don-t-see-it-as-my-role-to-save-or-rescue-anybody-any-more-than/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Before enlightenment I believed my ego was me, then enlightenment comes along and no more ego, only the underlying reality. Now it’s after enlightenment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/before-enlightenment-i-believed-my-ego-was-me-then-enlightenment/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“No disrespect to the Buddha is intended. If there was a Buddha and he was enlightened, then it’s Buddhism that insults his memory, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/no-disrespect-to-the-buddha-is-intended-if-there-was-a-buddha-and-he/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Suffering just means you’re having a bad dream. Happiness means you’re having a good dream. Enlightenment means getting out of the dream altogether.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/suffering-just-means-you-re-having-a-bad-dream-happiness-means-you-re/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The point is to wake up, not to earn a Ph.D. In waking up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-point-is-to-wake-up-not-to-earn-a-ph-d-in-waking-up/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“There’s nothing left to contend against and nothing left that must be done, and there will never be anything that must be done ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/there-s-nothing-left-to-contend-against-and-nothing-left-that-must-be/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“How many years have I spent lighting incense and candles? Meditating? 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This division…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/further-whoever-was-responsible-for-the-idea-of-dividing-self-into/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The emperor has no clothes, and sooner or later everyone is going to see what’s staring them right in the face. When that happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-emperor-has-no-clothes-and-sooner-or-later-everyone-is-going-to/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The you that you think of as you (and that thinks of you as you, and so on) is not you, it’s just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-you-that-you-think-of-as-you-and-that-thinks-of-you-as-you-and-so/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“There seems to be an attitude that opinion counts for something. Goethe said none are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/there-seems-to-be-an-attitude-that-opinion-counts-for-something/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“I don’t have something you don’t; you believe something I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/i-don-t-have-something-you-don-t-you-believe-something-i-don-t/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The really strange thing about being awake isn’t being awake; it’s the people that aren’t. They’re walking and talking in their dreamstates; some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-really-strange-thing-about-being-awake-isn-t-being-awake-it-s-the/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) [Explore all 41 Jed McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) ## More Spirituality quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As I do not seem able much to heal, then maybe I can simply be a responsible witness to the miracle of the ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-barry/as-i-do-not-seem-able-much-to-heal-then-maybe-i-can-simply-be-a/) [Sebastian Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-barry/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“You're never alone if you're with your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-armond-powell/you-re-never-alone-if-you-re-with-your-soul/) [Gerard Armond Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-armond-powell/) > [“The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. PSA116:07 Return unto thy rest, O my soul;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-lord-preserveth-the-simple-i-was-brought-low-and-he-helped-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/) [Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Your mind has the intellect to lift the world, your heart has the wisdom to better the world, and your soul has the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-mind-has-the-intellect-to-lift-the-world-your-heart-has-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Browse all 19,952 Spirituality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls.   Walt Whitman”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jed McKenna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/only-themselves-understand-themselves-and-the-like-of-themselves-as-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Spirituality" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/only-themselves-understand-themselves-and-the-like-of-themselves-as-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/jed-mckenna-15841_spirituality_only-themselves-understand-themselves-an_2660481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls. 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