When the sage points at the moon, all that the idiot sees is the finger.
Anthony De MelloRead
As you identify less and less with the “me”, you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything. Do you know why? Because you are no longer afraid of being hurt or not liked. You no longer desire to impress anyone. Can you imagine the relief when you don't have to impress anybody anymore? Oh, what a relief. Happiness at last!
Interpretation
What this quote means
Letting go of ego and the need for approval leads to true happiness and ease with others.
This quote by Anthony De Mello emphasizes the liberation that comes from shedding our ego and the constant desire to impress others. By moving away from the fixation on the 'self', we find a deeper connection with those around us and experience true happiness, as we are no longer burdened by the fear of rejection or judgment.
Themes
HappinessEgoApprovalFearLiberation
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about personal growth and acceptance.
More from Anthony De Mello
All quotes →Perfect love casts out fear. Where there is love there are no demands, no expectations, no dependency. I do not demand that you make me happy; my happiness does not lie in you. If you were to leave me, I will not feel sorry for myself; I enjoy your company immensely, but I do not cling.
Anthony De MelloRead
The master never seemed to have his fill of gazing at his firstborn child. "What do you want him to be when he grows up?" someone asked. "Outrageously happy," said the master.
Anthony De MelloRead
The genius of a composer is found in the notes of his music; but analyzing the notes will not reveal his genius. The poet's greatness is contained in his words; yet the study of his words will not disclose his inspiration. God reveals himself in creation; but scrutinize creation as minutely as you wish, you will not find God, any more than you will find the soul through careful examination of your body.
Anthony De MelloRead
What is a loving heart? A loving heart is sensitive to the whole of life, to all persons; a loving heart doesn't harden itself to any persons or things.
Anthony De MelloRead
Problems only exist in the human mind.
Anthony De MelloRead
Similar quotes
Mankind . . . possesses two supreme blessings. First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery.
EuripidesRead
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.
EpictetusRead
I think there's every reason this 21st century will be much happier.
Dalai LamaRead
If you practice gratitude a little, your life will change a little. If you practice gratitude a lot every day, your life will change dramatically and in ways that you can hardly imagine.
Rhonda ByrneRead
[I]t is well to have as many holds upon happiness as possible.
Jane AustenRead
For me, beauty comes from natural happiness. I think that a woman glows, and a man, even, when they're healthy and they're happy.
Michelle YeohRead