--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as we believe ourselves to be…" description: "\"As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we know ourselves to be the One, fear goes; of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg" --- # As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least… ![“As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we know ourselves to be the One, fear goes; of what can we be afraid.?” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg) > “As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we know ourselves to be the One, fear goes; of what can we be afraid.?” [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing our unity with the divine eliminates fear, while seeing ourselves as separate sustains it. **In simple terms:** Seeing ourselves as one with God removes fear. Key Takeaway Embrace unity with the divine. Themes spirituality fear self‑realization Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - prayer - self‑inquiry - life crises Key Concepts non‑duality ego divine unity Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing yourself as part of the divine change your response to fear? - What practices help you experience on‑duality? A Different Perspective Fear may persist despite belief in unity if ego remains strong. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) ## Related quotes > [There is the fear that we shan't prove worthy in the eyes of someone who knows us at least as well as we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/there-is-the-fear-that-we-shan-t-prove-worthy-in-the-eyes-of-someone/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“the religion of personal fear remains nearly at the level of the savage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-religion-of-personal-fear-remains-nearly-at-the-level-of-the/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“For, without the knowledge of love, fear is all that remains, and we can never feel safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-borysenko/for-without-the-knowledge-of-love-fear-is-all-that-remains-and-we-can/) [Joan Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-borysenko/) > [“The wicked people were gone, but fear remained.Fear always remains. A man may destroy everything within himself, love and hate and belief, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-wicked-people-were-gone-but-fear-remained-fear-always-remains-a/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Your fear remains strong. You are not ready to face your story, preferring instead to surround yourself with knots. Someday, they will strangle you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/your-fear-remains-strong-you-are-not-ready-to-face-your-story/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [“hear not what I say like the howl, words fade away only fear remains”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-brindley/hear-not-what-i-say-like-the-howl-words-fade-away-only-fear-remains/) Kurt Brindley > [“each man braces his fear against his love. What you love may change. But if you love still, your fear remains”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/each-man-braces-his-fear-against-his-love-what-you-love-may-change/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [What the world wants today is twenty men and women who can dare to stand in the street yonder and say that they possess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/what-the-world-wants-today-is-twenty-men-and-women-who-can-dare-to/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I know what the fear is. The fear is not for what is lost. What is lost is already in the wall. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-know-what-the-fear-is-the-fear-is-not-for-what-is-lost-what-is-lost/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [We came to enjoy; we are being enjoyed. We came to rule; we are being ruled. We came to work; we are being worked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-came-to-enjoy-we-are-being-enjoyed-we-came-to-rule-we-are-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Those who work at a thing heart and soul not only achieve success in it but through their absorption in that they also realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/those-who-work-at-a-thing-heart-and-soul-not-only-achieve-success-in/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I, for one, thoroughly believe that no power in the universe can withhold from anyone anything they really deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/i-for-one-thoroughly-believe-that-no-power-in-the-universe-can/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The brain and muscles must develop simultaneously. Iron nerves with an intelligent brain — and the whole world is at your feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-brain-and-muscles-must-develop-simultaneously-iron-nerves-with-an/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [You do not know fear until you are stuck in a lift…with a flying cockroach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey/you-do-not-know-fear-until-you-are-stuck-in-a-lift-with-a-flying/) [Joey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) ## More by Swami Vivekananda > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the free alone which never changes, and the unchangeable alone which is free; for change is produced by something exterior to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-free-alone-which-never-changes-and-the-unchangeable-alone/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Above all, India is the land of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/above-all-india-is-the-land-of-religion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. "Let the dead past bury its dead." The infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/all-the-strength-and-succour-you-want-is-within-yourselves-therefore/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“there is a continuity of mind, as the Yogis call it. The mind is universal. Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-a-continuity-of-mind-as-the-yogis-call-it-the-mind-is/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) [Explore all 1,889 Swami Vivekananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we know ourselves to be the One, fear goes; of what can we be afraid.?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Swami Vivekananda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-even-the-least-different-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-even-the-least-different-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/swami-vivekananda-53_afraid_as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-ev_328025.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we…” — Swami Vivekananda", "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": "Swami Vivekananda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As long as we believe ourselves...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-even-the-least-different-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/as-long-as-we-believe-ourselves-to-be-even-the-least-different-from/#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 } } ] } ```