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We only see what we want to see; we only hear what we want to hear. Our belief system is just like a mirror that only shows us what we believe.
Miguel Angel Ruiz
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Our perceptions are often limited by our beliefs and desires.

This quote by Miguel Angel Ruiz suggests that human perception is heavily influenced by individual beliefs and desires. It implies that we tend to filter our experiences through a subjective lens, often ignoring or overlooking information that contradicts our established beliefs, much like a mirror reflects only what is in front of it.

Themes

PerceptionBeliefsRealityMindSubjectivity

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about differing opinions, one might say this quote to emphasize that people tend to ignore views that challenge their beliefs.

More from Miguel Angel Ruiz

We have a tendency to make assumptions about everything! The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are truth. We could swear they are real. We make assumptions about what others are doing or thinking-we take it personally-then we blame them and react by sending emotional poison in our word. That is why whenever we make assumptions, we're asking for problems. We make assumptions, we misunderstand, we take it personally, and we end up creating a whole big drama for nothing.
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...What you are is a force--a force that makes it possible for your body to live, a force that makes it possible for your whole mind to dream...You are life
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What you will see is love coming out of the trees, love coming out of the sky, love coming out of the light. You will perceive love from everything around you. This is the state of bliss.
Miguel Angel RuizRead
Humans punish themselves endlessly for not being what they believe they should be. They become very self-abusive, and they use other people to abuse themselves as well.
Miguel Angel RuizRead
When we try to describe the truth with words, we distort it and it's no longer truth--it's our story. The story may be true for us, but that doesn't mean it's true for anyone else.
Miguel Angel RuizRead
When we believe in lies, we cannot see the truth, so we make thousands of assumptions and we take them as truth. One of the biggest assumptions we make is that the lies we believe are the truth!
Miguel Angel RuizRead

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