---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do…"
description: "\"Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may receive yet they do not search: they are empt..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg"
---

#  Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they…

![“Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may receive yet they do not search: they are emptied of desire, with neither hunger nor passion.” quote by Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg)

> “Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may receive yet they do not search: they are emptied of desire, with neither hunger nor passion.”

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often receive information without true observation, belief without questioning, leading to emptiness of desire.

**In simple terms:** Blind acceptance empties desire.

Key Takeaway

Question and seek deeper understanding.

Themes

perception belief desire mindfulness emptiness

Mood

reflective critical

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- education
- media consumption
- personal reflection
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

critical thinking philosophy existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you accept without questioning?
- How can you rekindle genuine desire?

A Different Perspective

Overanalysis can also paralyze action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/)

## Related quotes

> [Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may receive yet they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-not-observe-they-may-believe-2/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“I am struck with incredible force by this proof that sight is like a hand that tries to seize flowing water. Yes, our eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-am-struck-with-incredible-force-by-this-proof-that-sight-is-like-a/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“Seeing is the property of our eyes. But we also use this word in other senses, when we apply the power of vision to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/seeing-is-the-property-of-our-eyes-but-we-also-use-this-word-in-other/)

[Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/)

> [“Zachariah's eyes were described as being of the deepest blue. Yet were a person to shine a light at him tonight, straight into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/zachariah-s-eyes-were-described-as-being-of-the-deepest-blue-yet-were/)

[Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/)

> [Love knows no distance like the eyes perceive; that which body fails in, can the heart freely be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-knows-no-distance-like-the-eyes-perceive-that-which-body-fails/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What the eyes perceive in herbs or stones or trees is not yet a remedy; the eyes see only the dross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/what-the-eyes-perceive-in-herbs-or-stones-or-trees-is-not-yet-a/)

[Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/)

> [I perceive we postpone all our joys of Christ, till He and we be in our own house above, thinking that there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/i-perceive-we-postpone-all-our-joys-of-christ-till-he-and-we-be-in/)

[Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/)

> [A great artist transforms our world, removes scales from our eyes, plugs from our ears, gloves from our fingertips, teaches us to perceive reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/a-great-artist-transforms-our-world-removes-scales-from-our-eyes/)

[John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/)

> [Each person carries an entire world within himself, and everything exists twice: once the way it is, the other the way he perceives it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korczak/each-person-carries-an-entire-world-within-himself-and-everything/)

[Janusz Korczak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korczak/)

> [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [You cannot perceive what you are not in the vibration of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-anka/you-cannot-perceive-what-you-are-not-in-the-vibration-of/)

[Darryl Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-anka/)

> [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

## More by Muriel Barbery

> [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, teach the teachers; and those who can't teach the teachers go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-teach/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [What is writing, no matter how lavish the pieces, if it says nothing of the truth, cares little for the heart, and is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/what-is-writing-no-matter-how-lavish-the-pieces-if-it-says-nothing-of/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [Live or die: mere consequences of what you have built. What matters is building well. So here we are I've assigned myself a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/live-or-die-mere-consequences-of-what-you-have-built-what-matters-is/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“A terroir only exists by virtue of one's childhood mythology . . . we have invented these words of tradition rooted deep in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/a-terroir-only-exists-by-virtue-of-one-s-childhood-mythology-we-have/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“The tea ritual: such a precise repetition of the same gestures and the same tastes; accession to simple,authentic and refined sensations, a license given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/the-tea-ritual-such-a-precise-repetition-of-the-same-gestures-and-the/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [As always, I am saved by the inability of living creatures to believe anything that might cause the walls of their little mental assumptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/as-always-i-am-saved-by-the-inability-of-living-creatures-to-believe/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“I wonder if I am not turning into a contemplative . . . But those roses . They were something else. I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-wonder-if-i-am-not-turning-into-a-contemplative-but-those-roses/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [To be poor, ugly and, moreover, intelligent condemns one in our society to a dark and disillusioned life...to beauty all is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-be-poor-ugly-and-moreover-intelligent-condemns-one-in-our-society/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [Beautiful things should belong to beautiful souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/beautiful-things-should-belong-to-beautiful-souls/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [I know that they're all unhappy because nobody loves the right person the way they should and because they don't understand that it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-know-that-they-re-all-unhappy-because-nobody-loves-the-right-person/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [We never look beyond our assumptions and what's worse, we have given up trying to meet others; we just meet ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/we-never-look-beyond-our-assumptions-and-what-s-worse-we-have-given/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“To rich people it must seem that the ordinary little people..experience human emotions with less intensity and greater indifference...The fact that we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-rich-people-it-must-seem-that-the-ordinary-little-people/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [I may know that the world is an ugly place, I still don't want to see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-may-know-that-the-world-is-an-ugly-place-i-still-don-t-want-to-see/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

> [“Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain Beauty. When you speak, or read, or write, you can tell if you’ve said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty-when-you/)

[Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

[Explore all 250 Muriel Barbery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [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/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [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/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may receive yet they do not search: they are emptied of desire, with neither hunger nor passion.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Muriel Barbery"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-not-observe-they-may-believe/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-not-observe-they-may-believe/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/muriel-barbery-1092_believe_yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-no_1047499.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet they do not observe; they may believe, yet they do not question; they may…” — Muriel Barbery",
                "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": "Muriel Barbery",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Yes, our eyes may perceive, yet...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-not-observe-they-may-believe/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/yes-our-eyes-may-perceive-yet-they-do-not-observe-they-may-believe/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
