--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only did I find that trying to…" description: "\"“Not only did I find that trying to describe my experience enhanced the quality of it, but also this effort to describe had made me more observant of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/865/marion-milner-18189_psychology_not-only-did-i-find-that-trying-to-descr_2304727.jpg" --- # Not only did I find that trying to describe my experience… ![“Not only did I find that trying to describe my experience enhanced the quality of it, but also this effort to describe had made me more observant of the small movements of the mind. So now I began to discover that there were a multitude of ways of perceiving, ways that were controllable by what I…” quote by Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/865/marion-milner-18189_psychology_not-only-did-i-find-that-trying-to-descr_2304727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/865/marion-milner-18189_psychology_not-only-did-i-find-that-trying-to-descr_2304727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/865/marion-milner-18189_psychology_not-only-did-i-find-that-trying-to-descr_2304727.jpg) > ““Not only did I find that trying to describe my experience enhanced the quality of it, but also this effort to describe had made me more observant of the small movements of the mind. So now I began to discover that there were a multitude of ways of perceiving, ways that were controllable by what I can only describe as an internal gesture of the mind. It was as if one’s self-awareness had a central point of interest being, the very core of one’s I-ness. And this core of being could, I now discovered, be moved about at will; but to explain just how it is done to someone who has never felt it for himself is like trying to explain how to move one’s ears.”” [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑observation can be enhanced by describing experiences, revealing inner mental gestures. **In simple terms:** Describing thoughts sharpens awareness. Key Takeaway Use description to deepen self‑knowledge. Themes mindfulness self‑awareness perception language Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation practice - creative writing - therapy sessions - personal development Key Concepts cognitive psychology neuroplasticity inner dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape inner experience? - Can you observe without describing? A Different Perspective Describing may be limited by language constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gesture Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gesture-mind-1167235/) [Movements Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movements-mind-1907627/) [Perceiving Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceiving-ways-5456673/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Self Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-3/) [Ways Perceiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-perceiving-541739/) ## Related quotes > [“As soon as I began to study my perception, to look at my own experience, I found that there were different ways of perceiving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/as-soon-as-i-began-to-study-my-perception-to-look-at-my-own/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [My most persistent memory of stand - up is of my mouth being in the present and my mind being in the future: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/my-most-persistent-memory-of-stand-up-is-of-my-mouth-being-in-the/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Give your brain some rest by switching off the movements of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-your-brain-some-rest-by-switching-off-the-movements-of-the-mind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind. Then there is abiding in the Seer's own form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/yoga-is-the-cessation-of-the-movements-of-the-mind-then-there-is/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [There are as many forms of memory as there are ways of perceiving, and every one of them is worth mining for inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/there-are-as-many-forms-of-memory-as-there-are-ways-of-perceiving-and/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [What you see is real - but only on the particular level to which you've developed your sense of seeing. You can expand your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynn-bullock/what-you-see-is-real-but-only-on-the-particular-level-to-which-you-ve/) [Wynn Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynn-bullock/) > [You can expand your reality by developing new ways of perceiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynn-bullock/you-can-expand-your-reality-by-developing-new-ways-of-perceiving/) [Wynn Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynn-bullock/) > [We are always searching our eye glasses by wearing the same eye glasses.Self awareness required for growth.But still we are behind other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumesh-nair/we-are-always-searching-our-eye-glasses-by-wearing-the-same-eye/) [Sumesh Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumesh-nair/) > [You can't be a great comedian without having self-awareness about others or your own faults. You need a strong sense of self and view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eichner/you-can-t-be-a-great-comedian-without-having-self-awareness-about/) [Billy Eichner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eichner/) > [“The notion that animals are not self-aware is based on nothing more than a stipulation that the only way to be self-aware is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/the-notion-that-animals-are-not-self-aware-is-based-on-nothing-more/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Self-awareness cant be built on looking at our pluses and minuses before we look at the most basic essence of what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/self-awareness-cant-be-built-on-looking-at-our-pluses-and-minuses/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [“And in taking on the subject of themselves-making themselves vulnerable to the unseen reader-they have exchanged powerlessness for for the power that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/and-in-taking-on-the-subject-of-themselves-making-themselves/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“The emotional intelligence model consists of four clusters: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.  ● Self-Awareness is a propensity for self-reflection and thoughtfulness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-bolton/the-emotional-intelligence-model-consists-of-four-clusters-self/) [Chuck Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-bolton/) > [If you think about what you do, if you become self-conscious about it, you've got to be very careful. Because I really like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/if-you-think-about-what-you-do-if-you-become-self-conscious-about-it/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) ## More by Marion Milner > [Sometimes I find that in my happy moments I could not believe that I had ever been miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/sometimes-i-find-that-in-my-happy-moments-i-could-not-believe-that-i/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“By continual watching and expression I must learn to observe my thought and maintain a vigilance, not against “wrong” thoughts, but against refusal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/by-continual-watching-and-expression-i-must-learn-to-observe-my/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [Happiness not only needs no justification, but it is also the only final test of whether what I am doing is right for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/happiness-not-only-needs-no-justification-but-it-is-also-the-only/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sacrifice-and-sacrifice-is/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“Blind thinking… could make me pretend I was being true to myself when really I was only being true to an infantile fear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/blind-thinking-could-make-me-pretend-i-was-being-true-to-myself-when/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [until you have, once at least, faced everything you know - the whole universe - with utter giving in, and let all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/until-you-have-once-at-least-faced-everything-you-know-the-whole/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy one would know the things that were necessary in one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/perhaps-if-one-really-knew-when-one-was-happy-one-would-know-the/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“Let no one think it is an easy way because it is concerned with moments of happiness rather than with stern duty or high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/let-no-one-think-it-is-an-easy-way-because-it-is-concerned-with/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [It's weak and despicable to go on wanting things and not trying to get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/it-s-weak-and-despicable-to-go-on-wanting-things-and-not-trying-to/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“If emotion and fatigue lowered the potency of thought, what raised it? I began to reconsider my moments of delight in terms of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/if-emotion-and-fatigue-lowered-the-potency-of-thought-what-raised-it/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“I had just begun to ponder over the fact that all the things which I had found to be sources of happiness seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/i-had-just-begun-to-ponder-over-the-fact-that-all-the-things-which-i/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“It struck me as odd that it had taken me so long to reach a feeling of sureness that there was something in me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/it-struck-me-as-odd-that-it-had-taken-me-so-long-to-reach-a-feeling/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“Here then was a deadlock. 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Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [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/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. 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