Maharajji told me, 'Give up anger and I'll help you.' I found _x000D_ that love freed me back into the ocean of love and my righteous anger didn't do that. And I would rather be free than right.
Ram DassRead
In most of our human relationships, we spend much of our time reassuring one another that our costumes of identity are on straight.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights how people often seek validation of their identities from others in relationships.
Ram Dass's quote suggests that in many of our interactions, we prioritize the appearance of our identities over genuine connection. We wear 'costumes' or personas that we feel we must adjust and reassess, often relying on others to confirm that we fit these roles adequately. This behavior can lead to superficial relationships that lack authenticity and deep understanding.
Themes
IdentityRelationshipsValidationAuthenticityConnection
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a discussion on the importance of authenticity in friendships.
More from Ram Dass
All quotes βThe gift you offer another person is just your being.
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The heart surrenders everything to the moment. The mind judges and holds back. _x000D_ _x000D_ In most of our human relationships, we spend much of our time reassuring one another that our costumes of identity are on straight. _x000D_ _x000D_ When we see the Beloved in each person, it's like walking through a garden, watching flowers bloom all around us.
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When I look at relationships, my own and others, I see a wide range of reasons for people to be together and ways in which they are together. I see ways in which a relationship - which means something that exists between two or more people - for the most part reinforces people's separateness as individual entities.
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