--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking and seeing do not originate in…" description: "\"Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are able to look in your self because looking and seeing are before your self.\" — John de Ruiter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png" --- # Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are… ![“Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are able to look in your self because looking and seeing are before your self.” quote by John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png) > “Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are able to look in your self because looking and seeing are before your self.” [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing originates beyond the self; self‑awareness precedes perception. **In simple terms:** Seeing comes before the self. Key Takeaway Cultivate pre‑self awareness. Themes consciousness perception self Mood calm inquisitive Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - therapy - creative arts Key Concepts mindfulness inner observation spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑identity shape what you notice? - Can you experience perception without ego? A Different Perspective Self‑concept can limit perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [“Ah, the inner eye blinks, and the spirit trembles, at the dangerous cost of seeing one's self as one is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/ah-the-inner-eye-blinks-and-the-spirit-trembles-at-the-dangerous-cost/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [Seeing God without seeing the Self, one sees only mental image. Only he who has seen Himself has seen God, since he has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/seeing-god-without-seeing-the-self-one-sees-only-mental-image-only-he/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [Twitter is a great excuse to talk to your self without looking stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/twitter-is-a-great-excuse-to-talk-to-your-self-without-looking-stupid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people just don't like to be their self. I'm always looking, analyzing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/some-people-just-don-t-like-to-be-their-self-i-m-always-looking/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [~my ugly self looking in the mirror :/~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/my-ugly-self-looking-in-the-mirror/) She's\_gone > [“If you don't look back to self reflect, you're only going to repeat the same mistakes. Those mistakes will continue to show up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaha-knight/if-you-don-t-look-back-to-self-reflect-you-re-only-going-to-repeat/) [Jaha Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaha-knight/) > [When you get into your 40s, it's all about lighting. It's hard. You have to face whether the way you look is your self-worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-shue/when-you-get-into-your-40s-it-s-all-about-lighting-it-s-hard-you-have/) [Elisabeth Shue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-shue/) > [But let's face it, I still have to look at my self and look at the things I've done down the stretch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-allison/but-let-s-face-it-i-still-have-to-look-at-my-self-and-look-at-the/) [Luther Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-allison/) > [Have you ever seen how beautiful you are? well if you never did then you should start looking at yourself from the inside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dumi/have-you-ever-seen-how-beautiful-you-are-well-if-you-never-did-then/) [Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dumi/) > [For every look at self, take 10 looks at Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-murray-m-cheyne/for-every-look-at-self-take-10-looks-at-christ/) [Robert Murray M'Cheyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-murray-m-cheyne/) > [I remember walking into drugstores when I was younger and seeing all the hair color boxes on the shelves and just being so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/i-remember-walking-into-drugstores-when-i-was-younger-and-seeing-all/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [The tragedy is that so many people look for self-confidence and self-respect everywhere except within themselves, and so they fail in their search.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-tragedy-is-that-so-many-people-look-for-self-confidence-and-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I remember his eyes. They are just like mine. Every time I look in the mirror I see him. I try not to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-l-k-s/i-remember-his-eyes-they-are-just-like-mine-every-time-i-look-in-the/) [Ida Løkås](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-l-k-s/) > [“World is so beautiful when you look beyond your self-interest. Success and self do not work together. Rise up the ordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayur-ramgir/world-is-so-beautiful-when-you-look-beyond-your-self-interest-success/) [Mayur Ramgir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayur-ramgir/) > [I'd take a look at my own self in the mirror and wonder how it was possible that anybody could manage such an enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/i-d-take-a-look-at-my-own-self-in-the-mirror-and-wonder-how-it-was/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) ## More by John de Ruiter > [Your deeper sense isn’t a springboard; it’s a landing place. If you draw conclusions too quickly or too slowly, you’ll establish your self where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/your-deeper-sense-isn-t-a-springboard-it-s-a-landing-place-if-you/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [Relate to the little instead of relating to the big. The little is indomitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/relate-to-the-little-instead-of-relating-to-the-big-the-little-is/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you, awareness, are mastered by the deepest that you know the truth of, then you are no longer awareness. You are oneness aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-awareness-are-mastered-by-the-deepest-that-you-know-the/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The let-go of the last little bit is the biggest because, in that, there is no return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-let-go-of-the-last-little-bit-is-the-biggest-because-in-that/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [If you die of cancer with only openness and softness in your heart, you will live and die integrating your self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/if-you-die-of-cancer-with-only-openness-and-softness-in-your-heart/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you move as openness and softness of heart you’re moving in this life within your self in the same way that your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-move-as-openness-and-softness-of-heart-you-re-moving-in-this/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The more open you are within, the more capacity you will have to know, to see, and to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-more-open-you-are-within-the-more-capacity-you-will-have-to-know/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When resistance no longer serves you, you'll no longer have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-resistance-no-longer-serves-you-you-ll-no-longer-have-it/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [While sincerity is to carry the weight of knowledge in the self, it is also to be the lightness of being clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/while-sincerity-is-to-carry-the-weight-of-knowledge-in-the-self-it-is/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When awareness believes what it knows is true, the truth of what awareness really is, moves. That movement is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-awareness-believes-what-it-knows-is-true-the-truth-of-what/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [Believe only what you know and all of what you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/believe-only-what-you-know-and-all-of-what-you-know/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [For you to be free of your thinking mind, that will cost you the way that you've put your self together. It will cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/for-you-to-be-free-of-your-thinking-mind-that-will-cost-you-the-way/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The formless cannot be based on the form. The form needs to be based on the formless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-formless-cannot-be-based-on-the-form-the-form-needs-to-be-based/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [To really evolve as awareness, be just like your own being in a self like yours and on a planet like this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/to-really-evolve-as-awareness-be-just-like-your-own-being-in-a-self/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you lay down your life for what you are after you've died, you're clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-lay-down-your-life-for-what-you-are-after-you-ve-died-you-re/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) [Explore all 152 John de Ruiter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are able to look in your self because looking and seeing are before your self.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John de Ruiter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-your-self-you-are-able-to-look/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-your-self-you-are-able-to-look/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/john-de-ruiter-2726_able_looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-y_2820753.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Looking and seeing do not originate in your self. You are able to look in your self because looking and…” — John de Ruiter", "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": "John de Ruiter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Looking and seeing do not originate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-your-self-you-are-able-to-look/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/looking-and-seeing-do-not-originate-in-your-self-you-are-able-to-look/#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 } } ] } ```