How Words and Concepts Blind You to What’s There

Words are shortcuts: “leaf” stands for billions of unique green shapes, and “failure” stands for countless specific experiences. As soon as you label something, you turn a flowing phenomenon into a static concept. A classic experiment by Eleanor Rosch in the 1970s showed that people more quickly identify a “robin” when prompted than a “bird,” but that also makes us miss sparrows and penguins when searching for the category “bird.”

Neurologically, labels activate the temporal lobes and suppress richer sensory regions, narrowing your world. In fMRI studies, participants who watched scenes without labeling them showed greater activation in the visual cortex and felt more present. In contrast, when they used words to describe a mountain or a painting, their brains skipped over the raw data for abstract symbols. This tendency is efficient for communication but costly for direct experience.

To overcome it, mindfulness researcher Tara Brach suggests “noting.” Instead of “I see a tree,” you simply experience the texture of bark, the wind tickling leaves, and the drip of sap. Over time, this practice enlarges your brain’s capacity to hold paradox and detail. As you weaken the filter of concepts, reality flows back in—and you learn to see without distortion.

Start by choosing one familiar label—maybe “car” or “tired”—and notice the moment you catch yourself using it. Then spend two minutes simply observing a real example of that category—watch the curves of paint and chrome on an actual vehicle or feel the weight of drooping eyelids—without words. Finally, practice noting each incoming sound in your room without naming it, just sensing how it washes in and out. This simple shift widens your perception of the world.