--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimately what we're touching is the…" description: "\"Ultimately what we're touching is the invisible, all-pervasive intelligence that surrounds us and penetrates us. It is grooming us to be able to tolera..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/terence-mckenna-287_able_ultimately-what-we-re-touching-is-the-in_670399.png" --- # Ultimately what we're touching is the invisible… ![“Ultimately what we're touching is the invisible, all-pervasive intelligence that surrounds us and penetrates us. It is grooming us to be able to tolerate its splendor. It can't just reveal itself openly because we would be forfeited; we'd never know what hit us.” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/terence-mckenna-287_able_ultimately-what-we-re-touching-is-the-in_670399.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/terence-mckenna-287_able_ultimately-what-we-re-touching-is-the-in_670399.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/terence-mckenna-287_able_ultimately-what-we-re-touching-is-the-in_670399.png) > “Ultimately what we're touching is the invisible, all-pervasive intelligence that surrounds us and penetrates us. It is grooming us to be able to tolerate its splendor. It can't just reveal itself openly because we would be forfeited; we'd never know what hit us.” [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests an unseen, pervasive intelligence shapes us, subtly guiding our tolerance for its grandeur, yet it remains hidden to avoid overwhelming us. **In simple terms:** An unseen force subtly guides us, staying hidden to protect us. Key Takeaway Recognize subtle influences and stay open to hidden guidance. Themes spirituality consciousness influence mysticism Mood reflective curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - decision making - mindfulness Key Concepts collective unconscious latent intelligence psychic ecology Questions to Reflect On - How do you sense unseen influences? - What practices help you stay receptive? A Different Perspective The intelligence may be a metaphor, not a literal force. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Grooming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grooming/) [Intelligence Surrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-surrounds-5324359/) [Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible/) [Invisible Pervasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-pervasive-5324358/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Penetrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penetrate/) [Reveal Openly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reveal-openly-5324360/) [Splendor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splendor/) [Surround](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround/) [Tolerate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerate/) [Touching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touching/) [Touching Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touching-invisible-5324357/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [If I could only have one grooming tool, it would be floss. I don't want to have broken Cheetos in my teeth. To protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/if-i-could-only-have-one-grooming-tool-it-would-be-floss-i-don-t-want/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [Fate often allows a future to take shape with no regard for our expectation, plan, or readiness. Fate's skillful editing of our life choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-richo/fate-often-allows-a-future-to-take-shape-with-no-regard-for-our/) [David Richo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-richo/) > [I use Secret... I'm always powder-fresh during the games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deandre-jordan/i-use-secret-i-m-always-powder-fresh-during-the-games/) [DeAndre Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deandre-jordan/) > [Grooming a successor, is it an inheritance? In a democratic party, you don't want leaders appointed that way. They have to be appointed properly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/grooming-a-successor-is-it-an-inheritance-in-a-democratic-party-you/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [Good grooming and hygiene are essential. It's never too early to start being concerned about your appearance - first impressions are everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/good-grooming-and-hygiene-are-essential-it-s-never-too-early-to-start/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [Bell Labs Cafeteria, New York, 1943: His high pitched voice already stood out above the general murmur of well-behaved junior executives grooming themselves for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-turing/bell-labs-cafeteria-new-york-1943-his-high-pitched-voice-already/) [Alan Turing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-turing/) > [“The capacity for dissociation enables the young child to exercise their innate life-sustaining need for attachment in spite of the fact that principal attachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-middleton/the-capacity-for-dissociation-enables-the-young-child-to-exercise/) [Warwick Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-middleton/) > [If you don't smell nice before the game, it's going to be pretty bad during and after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deandre-jordan/if-you-don-t-smell-nice-before-the-game-it-s-going-to-be-pretty-bad/) [DeAndre Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deandre-jordan/) > [Simplicity, good taste and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/simplicity-good-taste-and-grooming-are-the-three-fundamentals-of-good/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [“Everyone want to keep their dog under the best care and professional treatment, if you also want to homely and friendly environment for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janices-dog-grooming/everyone-want-to-keep-their-dog-under-the-best-care-and-professional/) [Janices Dog grooming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janices-dog-grooming/) > [The worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlots and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-nibley/the-worst-sinners-according-to-jesus-are-not-the-harlots-and/) [Hugh Nibley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-nibley/) > [Educational institutions, which are the grooming grounds for creating responsible citizens have to be kept tobacco and smoke-free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-jayachandran/educational-institutions-which-are-the-grooming-grounds-for-creating/) [M. Jayachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-jayachandran/) > [It would have been convenient to be gay. Just because of the grooming, the narcissism, stuff like that. But I have this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-would-have-been-convenient-to-be-gay-just-because-of-the-grooming/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [People used to think I was so strange because my toiletry bag used to contain so many grooming items and cosmetics and stuff. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-youngquest/people-used-to-think-i-was-so-strange-because-my-toiletry-bag-used-to/) [Nick Youngquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-youngquest/) > [So often, grooming is meant to make you feel better about yourself, and a lot of times, we use it to make ourselves feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/so-often-grooming-is-meant-to-make-you-feel-better-about-yourself-and/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) ## More by Terence McKenna > [History was an incredibly damaging experience, and now it's over . . . in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/history-was-an-incredibly-damaging-experience-and-now-it-s-over-in-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. 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In other words, being here now is the primary datum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-the-primary-datum-it-s-the-felt-presence-of-immediate/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our culture difinitely takes an egocentric dominator view. The fear of the psychedelic experience is quite literally the fear of losing control. Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [This is the message of your life and my life - it’s that nothing lasts. Heraclitus said it: Panta Rhei. All flows, nothing lasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-message-of-your-life-and-my-life-it-s-that-nothing-lasts/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I often like to think that our map of the world is wrong, that where we have centered physics, we should actually place literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-often-like-to-think-that-our-map-of-the-world-is-wrong-that-where/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Knowledge, or verbal facility, is no proof that you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/knowledge-or-verbal-facility-is-no-proof-that-you-know-what-you-re/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [No culture on earth is as heavily narcotized as the industrial West in terms of being inured to the consequences of maladaptive behavior. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-culture-on-earth-is-as-heavily-narcotized-as-the-industrial-west/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Man was not put on this planet to toil in the mud. 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