--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You see, a secret is not something…" description: "\"You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.\" — Terence McKenna" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png" --- # You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something… ![“You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png) > “You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.” [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. A secret is not merely hidden information; it is something ineffable that cannot be fully expressed in language. **In simple terms:** Secrets are beyond words. Key Takeaway Accept mystery, don’t force explanation. Themes mystery communication knowledge Mood curious contemplative Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - spiritual practice - teaching complex Key Concepts ineffability subjective experience Questions to Reflect On - Can you describe something that feels beyond language? - What does it mean to hold an unspoken truth? A Different Perspective Words may fail to capture the depth of some truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind blowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-blowing/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [We are told No, you're unimportant, you're peripheral - get a degree, get a job, get a this, get that, and then you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-told-no-you-re-unimportant-you-re-peripheral-get-a-degree-get/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Culture is a perversion. It fetishizes objects, creates consumer mania, it preaches endless forms of false happiness, endless forms of false understanding in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/culture-is-a-perversion-it-fetishizes-objects-creates-consumer-mania/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Ego is a structure that is erected by a neurotic individual who is a member of a neurotic culture against the facts of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/ego-is-a-structure-that-is-erected-by-a-neurotic-individual-who-is-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The apocalypse is not something which is coming. The apocalypse has arrived in major portions of the planet and it’s only because we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-apocalypse-is-not-something-which-is-coming-the-apocalypse-has/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [My technique is don’t believe anything. If you believe in something, you are automatically precluded from believing its opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/my-technique-is-don-t-believe-anything-if-you-believe-in-something/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You have to take seriously the notion that understanding the universe is your responsibility, because the only understanding of the universe that will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-have-to-take-seriously-the-notion-that-understanding-the-universe/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The shaman is not merely a sick man, or a madman; he is a sick man who has healed himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-shaman-is-not-merely-a-sick-man-or-a-madman-he-is-a-sick-man-who/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-world-is-in-crisis-because-of-the-absence-of-consciousness/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The message of psychedelics is that culture can be re-engineered as a set of emotional and spiritual values rather than products. This is terrifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-message-of-psychedelics-is-that-culture-can-be-re-engineered-as-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We have been to the moon, we have charted the depths of the ocean and the heart of the atom, but we have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-have-been-to-the-moon-we-have-charted-the-depths-of-the-ocean-and/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-real-secret-of-magic-is-that-the-world-is-made-of-words-and-that/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are led by the least among us - the least intelligent, the least noble, the least visionary. We are led by the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-led-by-the-least-among-us-the-least-intelligent-the-least/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If the words 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' don't include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-the-words-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness-don-t-include/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-are-an-explorer-and-you-represent-our-species-and-the-greatest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The imagination is the goal of history. I see culture as an effort to literally realize our collective dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-imagination-is-the-goal-of-history-i-see-culture-as-an-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## 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. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What is happening here is we are living past the age, by the millions, living past the age where cultural values make any sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-here-is-we-are-living-past-the-age-by-the-millions/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What history is, essentially, is a careening, out-of-control effort to find our way back to this state of primordial balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-history-is-essentially-is-a-careening-out-of-control-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [And what is the primary datum? It's the felt presence of immediate experience. 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. Or the god who put us on this planet to toil in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/man-was-not-put-on-this-planet-to-toil-in-the-mud-or-the-god-who-put/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If you take psychedelics and the Internet and music and put all of that together you have the basis for a new community that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-you-take-psychedelics-and-the-internet-and-music-and-put-all-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) [Explore all 745 Terence McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More Mind blowing quotes > [The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-american-people-intuitively-understand-this-which-is-why-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It was a mind-blowing experience, it really was-absolutely an awesome thing. . . . As I got to the top I released a bag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-mind-blowing-experience-it-really-was-absolutely-an-awesome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [we will encourage more Americans to study in Muslim communities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-will-encourage-more-americans-to-study-in-muslim-communities/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [When 'Baby Come Naa' was offered to me, I found the script so mind-blowing that I had to gather the courage to perform or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/when-baby-come-naa-was-offered-to-me-i-found-the-script-so-mind/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [“Duff's little moans traveled up her spine, made her head buzz. And another thought grabbed hold: She was doing this. She had the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/duff-s-little-moans-traveled-up-her-spine-made-her-head-buzz-and/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I've been getting really into mixing, and there's kinda like an art to it I think. I feel like I still have a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-baio/i-ve-been-getting-really-into-mixing-and-there-s-kinda-like-an-art-to/) [Chris Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-baio/) > [For people to even think that I'd be considered or a good candidate for a supporting actress nomination is mind blowing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/for-people-to-even-think-that-i-d-be-considered-or-a-good-candidate/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [Math is the language of the universe. So the more equations you know, the more you can converse with the cosmos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/math-is-the-language-of-the-universe-so-the-more-equations-you-know/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can never tell which way the train went by looking at the track.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet/you-can-never-tell-which-way-the-train-went-by-looking-at-the-track/) [Jeet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet/) > [The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-good-thing-about-science-is-that-it-s-true-whether-or-not-you/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [With genetic engineering, we will be able to increase the complexity of our DNA, and improve the human race. But it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/with-genetic-engineering-we-will-be-able-to-increase-the-complexity/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ \[on Jessica Simpson\] LEAVE HER ALONE!!! She is so drop dead gorgeous, and the fact that the media is sending this message out to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/on-jessica-simpson-leave-her-alone-she-is-so-drop-dead-gorgeous-and/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [We are told No, you're unimportant, you're peripheral - get a degree, get a job, get a this, get that, and then you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-told-no-you-re-unimportant-you-re-peripheral-get-a-degree-get/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-are-an-explorer-and-you-represent-our-species-and-the-greatest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [In other words, If you don't take action, you won't get any results You are not your resume, you are your work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/in-other-words-if-you-don-t-take-action-you-won-t-get-any-results-you/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) [Browse all 213 Mind blowing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-blowing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terence McKenna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold-it-s-something-which-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mind blowing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold-it-s-something-which-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/terence-mckenna-287_mind-blowing_you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold_591565.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You see, a secret is not something untold. It’s something which can’t be told.” — Terence McKenna", "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": "Terence McKenna", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You see, a secret is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold-it-s-something-which-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/you-see-a-secret-is-not-something-untold-it-s-something-which-can-t/#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 } } ] } ```