--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Find what is it that never sleeps and…" description: "\"Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of 'I'\" — Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png" --- # Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and… ![“Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of 'I'” quote by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png) > “Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of 'I'” [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The riddle points to consciousness, the ever‑present witness that never truly rests or awakens, reflecting our sense of self. **In simple terms:** Consciousness is the constant inner observer behind our identity. Key Takeaway Recognize the timeless witness within. Themes philosophy spirituality identity mindfulness self‑inquiry Mood calm inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - self‑inquiry - philosophical contemplation Key Concepts non‑dual awareness ego subject‑object duality Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing the witness change your life? - Can you experience awareness without labeling? A Different Perspective The concept may be abstract for practical daily use. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Never sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-sleep/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Self-Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-2/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [He had learned from experience that what he succeeded in putting down on paper was only ever a pale reflection of what he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lix-j-palma/he-had-learned-from-experience-that-what-he-succeeded-in-putting-down/) [Félix J. Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lix-j-palma/) > [All this knowledge of the objective world is of no value in comparison to having a little glimpse of the inner sky and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/all-this-knowledge-of-the-objective-world-is-of-no-value-in/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [There is nothing of permanent value (putting aside a few human affections) nothing that satisfies quiet reflection--except the sense of having worked according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/there-is-nothing-of-permanent-value-putting-aside-a-few-human/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [A pale reflection of myself wavers in my consciousness...and suddenly the “I” pales, pales, and fades out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/a-pale-reflection-of-myself-wavers-in-my-consciousness-and-suddenly/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [If I had lady-spider legs, I would weave a sky where the stars lined up. Matresses would be tied down tight to their trucks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/if-i-had-lady-spider-legs-i-would-weave-a-sky-where-the-stars-lined/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [ \[On Las Vegas:\] ... The City That Never Sleeps. The City That Sins and Smiles and Lives On the Edge. The city where vices… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kijewski/on-las-vegas-the-city-that-never-sleeps-the-city-that-sins-and-smiles/) [Karen Kijewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kijewski/) > [I usually record all through the night, but I'm known for waking up early in the morning. Even if I had recorded till 3…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gucci-mane/i-usually-record-all-through-the-night-but-i-m-known-for-waking-up/) [Gucci Mane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gucci-mane/) > [To pretend angels do not exist because they are invisible is to believe we never sleep because we don't see ourselves sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/to-pretend-angels-do-not-exist-because-they-are-invisible-is-to/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Rock and roll never sleeps. It just passes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/rock-and-roll-never-sleeps-it-just-passes-out/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Never sleep with someone whose troubles are worse than your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-algren/never-sleep-with-someone-whose-troubles-are-worse-than-your-own/) [Nelson Algren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-algren/) > [The forces of retribution are always listening. They never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-greenfield/the-forces-of-retribution-are-always-listening-they-never-sleep/) [Meg Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-greenfield/) > [If science exterminates a disease which has been working for God, it is God that gets the credit and all the pulpits break into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-science-exterminates-a-disease-which-has-been-working-for-god-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Ocean waters..oceans deep..Serious poets never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ann-roberts/ocean-waters-oceans-deep-serious-poets-never-sleep/) Sally-Ann Roberts > [I never sleep on the plane. I have to be awake and using my mind power to keep it in the air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/i-never-sleep-on-the-plane-i-have-to-be-awake-and-using-my-mind-power/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [Tact, if it be genuine, never sleeps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/tact-if-it-be-genuine-never-sleeps/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) ## More by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Let the dream unroll itself to its very end. You cannot help it. But you can look at the dream as a dream, refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/let-the-dream-unroll-itself-to-its-very-end-you-cannot-help-it-but/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [As long as the mind is there, your body and your world are there. Your world is mind-made, subjective, enclosed within the mind, fragmentary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/as-long-as-the-mind-is-there-your-body-and-your-world-are-there-your/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [I ask you what is the taste of your mouth all you can do is to say: it is neither sweet nor bitter, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/i-ask-you-what-is-the-taste-of-your-mouth-all-you-can-do-is-to-say-it/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [It is your restlessness that causes chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/it-is-your-restlessness-that-causes-chaos/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [To go beyond the mind, you must be silent and quiet. Peace and silence, silence and peace - this is the way beyond. Stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/to-go-beyond-the-mind-you-must-be-silent-and-quiet-peace-and-silence/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Absolute perfection is here and now, not in some future, near or far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/absolute-perfection-is-here-and-now-not-in-some-future-near-or-far/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Having never left the house you are looking for the way home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/having-never-left-the-house-you-are-looking-for-the-way-home/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Once you understand that the false needs time and what needs time is false, you are nearer the Reality, which is timeless, ever in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/once-you-understand-that-the-false-needs-time-and-what-needs-time-is/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [The universe is but a partial manifestation of your limitless capacity to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-universe-is-but-a-partial-manifestation-of-your-limitless/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [In reality, time and space exist in you. You do not exist in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/in-reality-time-and-space-exist-in-you-you-do-not-exist-in-them/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Whatever happens, happens to you by you, through you; you are the creator, enjoyer and destroyer of all you perceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/whatever-happens-happens-to-you-by-you-through-you-you-are-the/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Life is love and love is life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/life-is-love-and-love-is-life/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [The real does not die, the unreal never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-real-does-not-die-the-unreal-never-lived/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) [Explore all 321 Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) ## More Never sleep quotes > [ \[On Las Vegas:\] ... The City That Never Sleeps. The City That Sins and Smiles and Lives On the Edge. The city where vices… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kijewski/on-las-vegas-the-city-that-never-sleeps-the-city-that-sins-and-smiles/) [Karen Kijewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kijewski/) > [I usually record all through the night, but I'm known for waking up early in the morning. Even if I had recorded till 3…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gucci-mane/i-usually-record-all-through-the-night-but-i-m-known-for-waking-up/) [Gucci Mane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gucci-mane/) > [If science exterminates a disease which has been working for God, it is God that gets the credit and all the pulpits break into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-science-exterminates-a-disease-which-has-been-working-for-god-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If I had lady-spider legs, I would weave a sky where the stars lined up. Matresses would be tied down tight to their trucks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/if-i-had-lady-spider-legs-i-would-weave-a-sky-where-the-stars-lined/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I never sleep on the plane. I have to be awake and using my mind power to keep it in the air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/i-never-sleep-on-the-plane-i-have-to-be-awake-and-using-my-mind-power/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [Ocean waters..oceans deep..Serious poets never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ann-roberts/ocean-waters-oceans-deep-serious-poets-never-sleep/) Sally-Ann Roberts > [Tact, if it be genuine, never sleeps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/tact-if-it-be-genuine-never-sleeps/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The forces of retribution are always listening. They never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-greenfield/the-forces-of-retribution-are-always-listening-they-never-sleep/) [Meg Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-greenfield/) > [Never sleep with someone whose troubles are worse than your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-algren/never-sleep-with-someone-whose-troubles-are-worse-than-your-own/) [Nelson Algren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-algren/) > [Rock and roll never sleeps. It just passes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/rock-and-roll-never-sleeps-it-just-passes-out/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [To pretend angels do not exist because they are invisible is to believe we never sleep because we don't see ourselves sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/to-pretend-angels-do-not-exist-because-they-are-invisible-is-to/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If I lived alone, Mom'd never sleep because she wouldn't know I was okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-baio/if-i-lived-alone-mom-d-never-sleep-because-she-wouldn-t-know-i-was/) [Scott Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-baio/) > [Yet never sleep the sun up. Prayer shou'd Dawn with the day. There are set, awful hours 'Twixt heaven and us. The manna was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/yet-never-sleep-the-sun-up-prayer-shou-d-dawn-with-the-day-there-are/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [I'm so exhausted and yet I feel like I'll never sleep again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/i-m-so-exhausted-and-yet-i-feel-like-i-ll-never-sleep-again/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [L.A., its nice, but I think of sunshine and people on rollerblades eating sushi. New York, I think of nighttime, I think of Times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/l-a-its-nice-but-i-think-of-sunshine-and-people-on-rollerblades/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) [Browse all 63 Never sleep quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-sleep/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of 'I'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-never-wakes-and-whose-pale/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Never sleep" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-never-wakes-and-whose-pale/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_never-sleep_find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-ne_167482.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Find what is it that never sleeps and never wakes, and whose pale reflection is our sense of 'I'” — Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj", "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": "Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Find what is it that never...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-never-wakes-and-whose-pale/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/find-what-is-it-that-never-sleeps-and-never-wakes-and-whose-pale/#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 } } ] } ```