Concealed Quote by Thomas Merton
“After all, what is your personal identity? It is what you really are, your real self. None of us is what he thinks he is, or what other people think he is, still less what his passport says he is And it is fortunate for most of us that we are mistaken. We do not generally know what is good for us. That is because, in St. Bernard's language, our true personality has been concealed under the 'disguise' of a false self, the ego, whom we tend to worship in place of God.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton, 1948
Explores the concept that true identity is hidden behind the ego and false self, and that we often misunderstand what is truly good for us
In simple terms: Our real self is concealed by the ego, leading to mistaken self‑perception
Key Takeaway
Seek deeper self‑knowledge beyond egoic disguises
Themes
identity
spirituality
self‑deception
Mood
contemplative
serious
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- meditation
- psychotherapy
- spiritual retreats
- journaling
Key Concepts
ego
authentic self
spiritual awakening
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your ego hide from you?
- How can you uncover your authentic self?
A Different Perspective
Ego can be resilient, making self‑discovery difficult
![“[When asked about the dangers of Internet trolls being able to say whatever they want because of false profiles] What interests me (if you ask me) in phenomenon – not only Facebook, but generally, this, let's call them 'staged identities' [...] – is how there can be more truth in the mask that you…” quote by Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/547/slavoj-i-ek-1738_identity_when-asked-about-the-dangers-of-internet_1659632.jpg)
![“[about being a father] I don't really remember what it was like before. Whatever I had going on, it was bullshit. It wasn't important. It's kind of a nice thing about being a dad. My identity is really about them now, and what I can do for them, so it sort of takes the pressure off of your own…” quote by Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/366/louis-c-k-1150_being-a-dad_about-being-a-father-i-don-t-really-reme_2678938.jpg)
