--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can only hear clearly when you sit…" description: "\"You can only hear clearly when you sit quietly, when you give your attention. Nor can you have order if you are not free to watch, if you are not free ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_attention_you-can-only-hear-clearly-when-you-sit-q_1198061.jpg" --- # You can only hear clearly when you sit quietly, when you… ![“You can only hear clearly when you sit quietly, when you give your attention. Nor can you have order if you are not free to watch, if you are not free to listen, if you are not free to be considerate. This problem of freedom and order is one of the most difficult and urgent problems in life. It is…” quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_attention_you-can-only-hear-clearly-when-you-sit-q_1198061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_attention_you-can-only-hear-clearly-when-you-sit-q_1198061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_attention_you-can-only-hear-clearly-when-you-sit-q_1198061.jpg) > “You can only hear clearly when you sit quietly, when you give your attention. Nor can you have order if you are not free to watch, if you are not free to listen, if you are not free to be considerate. This problem of freedom and order is one of the most difficult and urgent problems in life. It is a very complex problem. It needs to be thought over much more than mathematics, geography, or history.” [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clarity and order arise from attentive, unrestricted observation; freedom to listen is essential for understanding life's complexities. **In simple terms:** Listen freely for clarity and order. Key Takeaway Cultivate mindful attention and openness. Themes mindfulness freedom order Mood contemplative thoughtful Type lecture philosophical When to use this quote - meditation practice - conflict resolution - creative brainstorming - personal reflection Key Concepts consciousness philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does attentive listening change your perception? - What practices help you stay free to observe? A Different Perspective May be difficult to maintain freedom in chaotic environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Complex problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex-problems/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Geography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geography/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problems in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-in-life/) [Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tao/) ## Related quotes > [“The problem with freedom is that you are free to succeed, as well as free to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/the-problem-with-freedom-is-that-you-are-free-to-succeed-as-well-as/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [The problem of freedom in America is that of maintaining a competition of ideas, and you do not achieve that by silencing one brand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/the-problem-of-freedom-in-america-is-that-of-maintaining-a/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [It would be nice, wouldn't it? if we could get comfortable about the problem of freedom. Kant thinks that we can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-would-be-nice-wouldn-t-it-if-we-could-get-comfortable-about-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [America's biggest problem is too much freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/america-s-biggest-problem-is-too-much-freedom/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [“The problem with freedom is that when people have it, they do what they want to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burr-gerrard/the-problem-with-freedom-is-that-when-people-have-it-they-do-what/) [David Burr Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burr-gerrard/) > [We forget that, although each of the liberties which have been won must be defended with utmost vigour, the problem of freedom is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-forget-that-although-each-of-the-liberties-which-have-been-won/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The problem with freedom is that you just can't go back. Once people see what it means to be free people, you can't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/the-problem-with-freedom-is-that-you-just-can-t-go-back-once-people/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Dreams and freedom are the same. In order for them to be, they come with a price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/dreams-and-freedom-are-the-same-in-order-for-them-to-be-they-come/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The good society is marked by a high degree of order, justice, and freedom. Among these, order has primacy: for justice cannot be enforced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/the-good-society-is-marked-by-a-high-degree-of-order-justice-and/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [I think: the powers like to talk about "freedom" in order to wash the population's brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-think-the-powers-like-to-talk-about-freedom-in-order-to-wash-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [“Freedom is order through law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-a-hayek/freedom-is-order-through-law/) [Friedrich A. Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-a-hayek/) > [“Freedom without order leads to chaos. We must have order around our freedom. It is God’s Word that sets the boundaries for our freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborrah-k-ogans/freedom-without-order-leads-to-chaos-we-must-have-order-around-our/) DeBorrah K. Ogans > [Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-desire-to-give-up-freedom-in-order-to-gain-security-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have either one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/those-who-desire-to-give-up-freedom-in-order-to-gain-security-will-2/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In any civilized society the most important task is achieving a proper balance between freedom and order. In wartime, reason and history both suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/in-any-civilized-society-the-most-important-task-is-achieving-a/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) ## More by Jiddu Krishnamurti > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Its beautiful to be alone. To be alone does not mean to be lonely. it means the mind is not influenced and contaminated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/its-beautiful-to-be-alone-to-be-alone-does-not-mean-to-be-lonely-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Whatever discipline you exercise should be based on the goal your child is eventually to reach, namely, freedom and happiness. I would show him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/whatever-discipline-you-exercise-should-be-based-on-the-goal-your/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Learning is the very essence of humility . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/learning-is-the-very-essence-of-humility/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [We need tremendous energy to bring about a psychological change in ourselves as human beings, because we have lived far too long in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-need-tremendous-energy-to-bring-about-a-psychological-change-in/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Life is a movement, a constant movement in relationship; and thought, trying to capture that movement in terms of the past, as memory, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/life-is-a-movement-a-constant-movement-in-relationship-and-thought/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Meditation is like going to a well, the waters of which are inexhaustible, with a pitcher that is always empty. The pitcher can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-like-going-to-a-well-the-waters-of-which-are/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The observer is the observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-observer-is-the-observed/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [When we stop fighting with ourselves, we aren't creating anymore conflict in our mind. Then our mind can for the first time relax and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/when-we-stop-fighting-with-ourselves-we-aren-t-creating-anymore/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) [Explore all 807 Jiddu Krishnamurti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can only hear clearly when you sit quietly, when you give your attention. 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