--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not until you awaken and become…" description: "\"It is not until you awaken and become fully present that you will realize that you have not been present. It is not until you awaken that you will real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/leonard-jacobson-8004_awake_it-is-not-until-you-awaken-and-become-fu_3151943.png" --- # It is not until you awaken and become fully present that… ![“It is not until you awaken and become fully present that you will realize that you have not been present. It is not until you awaken that you will realize you have been asleep, dreaming that you are awake.” quote by Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/leonard-jacobson-8004_awake_it-is-not-until-you-awaken-and-become-fu_3151943.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/leonard-jacobson-8004_awake_it-is-not-until-you-awaken-and-become-fu_3151943.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/leonard-jacobson-8004_awake_it-is-not-until-you-awaken-and-become-fu_3151943.png) > “It is not until you awaken and become fully present that you will realize that you have not been present. It is not until you awaken that you will realize you have been asleep, dreaming that you are awake.” [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness of the present moment reveals that we have been living in a state of unconsciousness, mistaking sleep for wakefulness. **In simple terms:** True presence shows we were asleep while thinking we were awake. Key Takeaway Cultivate mindful awareness. Themes mindfulness self‑realization consciousness Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - therapy sessions - teaching mindfulness Key Concepts present‑moment awareness spiritual growth psychology Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you from being fully present? - How can you differentiate between mental dreaming and waking? 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When you awaken, you will realize that everyone and everything has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/gratitude-generosity-and-humility-are-inherent-characteristics-of-one/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [At the bottom of great doubt lies great awakening. If you doubt fully, you will awaken fully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakuin-ekaku/at-the-bottom-of-great-doubt-lies-great-awakening-if-you-doubt-fully/) [Hakuin Ekaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakuin-ekaku/) > [“In order to awaken, first of all one must realize that one is in a state of sleep. And in order to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-awaken-first-of-all-one-must-realize-that-one-is-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can’t change what you haven’t realized yet. 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It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/when-did-you-know-you-were-in-love-i-didn-t-have-an-answer-to-that/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [What's poetry? It's not real but maybe it's more than real. It's dreaming while you're awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-churchill/what-s-poetry-it-s-not-real-but-maybe-it-s-more-than-real-it-s/) [Caryl Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-churchill/) > [“It was impossible to tell when they actually fell asleep because they started dreaming when they were still awake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cole/it-was-impossible-to-tell-when-they-actually-fell-asleep-because-they/) [Chris Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cole/) ## More by Leonard Jacobson > [As each one of us awakens, it is like a light going on, followed by another light, another light, and another light. The darkness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/as-each-one-of-us-awakens-it-is-like-a-light-going-on-followed-by/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [There is no greater power than the power of love, which arises from Presence. It overcomes all resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/there-is-no-greater-power-than-the-power-of-love-which-arises-from/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [To live a present and awakened life, simply be responsive to the moment. It is very simple. If you are hungry, eat. 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