--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one realises one is asleep, at that…" description: "\"When one realises one is asleep, at that moment one is already half-awake.\" — P.D. Ouspensky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/p-d-ouspensky-9110_asleep_when-one-realises-one-is-asleep-at-that_2325501.png" --- # When one realises one is asleep, at that moment one is… ![“When one realises one is asleep, at that moment one is already half-awake.” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/p-d-ouspensky-9110_asleep_when-one-realises-one-is-asleep-at-that_2325501.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/p-d-ouspensky-9110_asleep_when-one-realises-one-is-asleep-at-that_2325501.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/p-d-ouspensky-9110_asleep_when-one-realises-one-is-asleep-at-that_2325501.png) > “When one realises one is asleep, at that moment one is already half-awake.” [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## 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 one's unconscious state signals the beginning of consciousness. **In simple terms:** Realizing you're asleep means you're partly awake. Key Takeaway Recognize and act on emerging awareness. Themes self-awareness consciousness awakening Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - self-reflection - learning new personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain this half‑awake state? - What daily habits reinforce full awareness? A Different Perspective Awareness may be fleeting without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) [Awakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awakening/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It seemed that up until this moment she had been only half alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-winsor/it-seemed-that-up-until-this-moment-she-had-been-only-half-alive/) [Kathleen Winsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-winsor/) > [“Just before I fell asleep, I had a moment of panic ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryu-murakami/just-before-i-fell-asleep-i-had-a-moment-of-panic/) [Ryu Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryu-murakami/) > [“There is a moment that has happened over and over again, in every place children have ever slept, on every dark night for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-horn/there-is-a-moment-that-has-happened-over-and-over-again-in-every/) [Dara Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-horn/) > [That moment when you're up so late you start calculating how many hours of sleep you'd get if you fell asleep at that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-moment-when-you-re-up-so-late-you-start-calculating-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What was that?" Jace said. "Sorry, I think I fell asleep for a moment. Do, continue with whatever mesmerizing thing you were saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/what-was-that-jace-said-sorry-i-think-i-fell-asleep-for-a-moment-do/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked. We are making use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/compared-with-what-we-ought-to-be-we-are-only-half-awake-our-fires/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [It seems to me that the students are now half-awake enough to try and wake up their brother workers. If you don't pass on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/it-seems-to-me-that-the-students-are-now-half-awake-enough-to-try-and/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [“It was like he was always half-awake where other people were concerned. And then we met you, and he woke up." — Isabelle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-was-like-he-was-always-half-awake-where-other-people-were/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Any half-awake materialist well knows - that which you hold holds you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/any-half-awake-materialist-well-knows-that-which-you-hold-holds-you-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake. We are making use of only a small part of our physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/compared-to-what-we-ought-to-be-we-are-only-half-awake-we-are-making/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitement's of that day do not call forth. Compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/everyone-knows-that-on-any-given-day-there-are-energies-slumbering-in/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Any half-awake materialist well knows – that which you hold holds you.” — Tom Robbins”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-becker/any-half-awake-materialist-well-knows-that-which-you-hold-holds-you/) [Joshua Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-becker/) > [Compared to what we ought to be, we are half awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/compared-to-what-we-ought-to-be-we-are-half-awake/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Are you half awake, or half asleep?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/are-you-half-awake-or-half-asleep/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [“I should have gone through life half awake if you'd had the decency to leave me alone. Awake intellectually, yes, and emotionally in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-should-have-gone-through-life-half-awake-if-you-d-had-the-decency/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## More by P.D. Ouspensky > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [I had come to the conclusion a long time ago that there was no escape from the labyrinth of contradictions in which we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/i-had-come-to-the-conclusion-a-long-time-ago-that-there-was-no-escape/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/it-is-only-when-we-realize-that-life-is-taking-us-nowhere-that-it/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [To remember oneself means the same thing as to be aware of oneself - I am. It is not a function, not thinking, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/to-remember-oneself-means-the-same-thing-as-to-be-aware-of-oneself-i/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [In all living nature (and perhaps also in that which we consider as dead) love is the motive force which drives the creative activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/in-all-living-nature-and-perhaps-also-in-that-which-we-consider-as/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Begin with the possible: begin with one step. There is always a limit you cannot do more than you can do. If you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/begin-with-the-possible-begin-with-one-step-there-is-always-a-limit/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“Suddenly I began to find a strange meaning in old fairy-tales; woods, rivers, mountains, became living beings; mysterious life filled the night; with new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/suddenly-i-began-to-find-a-strange-meaning-in-old-fairy-tales-woods/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [The greatest barrier to consciousness is the belief that one is already conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-greatest-barrier-to-consciousness-is-the-belief-that-one-is/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Ideas by themselves cannot produce change of being; your effort must go in the right direction, and one must correspond to the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/ideas-by-themselves-cannot-produce-change-of-being-your-effort-must/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Desire is when you do what you want, will is when you can do what you do not want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/desire-is-when-you-do-what-you-want-will-is-when-you-can-do-what-you/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Divide in yourself the mechanical from the conscious, see how little there is of the conscious, how seldom it works, and how strong is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/divide-in-yourself-the-mechanical-from-the-conscious-see-how-little/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“The most important factor in every function is: ‘Is it under our control or not?’ So when imagination is under our control we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-most-important-factor-in-every-function-is-is-it-under-our/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Love is the eternally burning fire in which humanity & all the world are being purified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/love-is-the-eternally-burning-fire-in-which-humanity-all-the-world/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [a man can be given only what he can use; and he can use only that for which he has sacrificed something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/a-man-can-be-given-only-what-he-can-use-and-he-can-use-only-that-for/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction,' no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/if-a-man-gives-way-to-all-his-desires-or-panders-to-them-there-will/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) [Explore all 73 P.D. Ouspensky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## More Asleep quotes > [So sick of being single! Ready to fall asleep & wake next to someone special!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-sick-of-being-single-ready-to-fall-asleep-wake-next-to-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are asleep people, unconscious people, and this is what is serious. Unfortunately, we think the best of ourselves and not even suspect that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/we-are-asleep-people-unconscious-people-and-this-is-what-is-serious/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [“80. It normally takes 5-9 minutes for most healthy people to fall asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-shaw/80-it-normally-takes-5-9-minutes-for-most-healthy-people-to-fall/) [Lena Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-shaw/) > [I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-don-t-usually-have-time-for-tv-when-i-get-home-at-night-i-just-want/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I think about you every night before I sleep. I imagine you are here with me. With one arm around me and your legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-about-you-every-night-before-i-sleep-i-imagine-you-are-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to fall asleep is as hard as trying to wake up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-fall-asleep-is-as-hard-as-trying-to-wake-up-in-the-morning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [99% of the time my brain is thinking blah, meh, why, huh, WTF, food and computers. The other 1% I'm usually asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/99-of-the-time-my-brain-is-thinking-blah-meh-why-huh-wtf-food-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lit up the world as I fell asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/lit-up-the-world-as-i-fell-asleep/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [You can get anywhere on earth by falling asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/you-can-get-anywhere-on-earth-by-falling-asleep/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Your the First thing I think about when I wake up & your the last thing I think about when I fall asleep .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-lechuga/your-the-first-thing-i-think-about-when-i-wake-up-your-the-last-thing/) [Alejandro Lechuga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-lechuga/) > [I love reading but I never last very long because I fall asleep right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-love-reading-but-i-never-last-very-long-because-i-fall-asleep-right/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [What if I find someone new but still fall asleep to the thought of you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/what-if-i-find-someone-new-but-still-fall-asleep-to-the-thought-of-you/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Browse all 472 Asleep quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When one realises one is asleep, at that moment one is already half-awake.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P.D. 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