--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's only when you become love - in other…" description: "\"It's only when you become love - in other words, when you have dropped your illusions and attachments - that you will \"know.\" As you identify less and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png" --- # It's only when you become love - in other words, when you… ![“It's only when you become love - in other words, when you have dropped your illusions and attachments - that you will "know." As you identify less and less with the "me," you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png) > “It's only when you become love - in other words, when you have dropped your illusions and attachments - that you will "know." As you identify less and less with the "me," you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything.” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Letting go of self‑image and attachments leads to love, ease, and a deeper knowing of reality. **In simple terms:** Drop ego to know love. Key Takeaway Release attachments and practice self‑lessness. Themes love ego attachment knowledge peace Mood calm insightful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - relationship building - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts non‑attachment spiritual awakening self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice non‑attachment daily? - What does “knowing” feel like for you? A Different Perspective Complete self‑effacement may be unrealistic for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [As you identify less and less with the “me”, you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything. Do you know why?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-you-identify-less-and-less-with-the-me-you-will-be-more-at-ease/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [I shall rejoin myself to my native country, with new attachments, and with exaggerated esteem for its advantages; for though there is less wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-shall-rejoin-myself-to-my-native-country-with-new-attachments-and/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [All conflict comes from attachment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/all-conflict-comes-from-attachment/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [If you look carefully you will see that there is one thing and only one thing that causes unhappiness. The name of that thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/if-you-look-carefully-you-will-see-that-there-is-one-thing-and-only/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“I have no fear of losing you, for you aren’t an object of my property, or anyone else’s. I love you as you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/i-have-no-fear-of-losing-you-for-you-aren-t-an-object-of-my-property/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“Until the ignorance of the Self does not move away, moha (illusory attachment) will not leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/until-the-ignorance-of-the-self-does-not-move-away-moha-illusory/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The moment illusion (bhranti) departs, One Knows things as they are. As illusion departs, it means the ignorance of the Self (agnan) has gone. As ignorance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-moment-illusion-bhranti-departs-one-knows-things-as-they-are-as/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [All our attachments are outward oriented and hence this illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-our-attachments-are-outward-oriented-and-hence-this-illusion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The apparent ease of California life is an illusion, and those who believe the illusion will live here in only the most temporary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-apparent-ease-of-california-life-is-an-illusion-and-those-who/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [People with autism never, ever feel at ease, wherever we are. Because of this, we wander off - or run away - in search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/people-with-autism-never-ever-feel-at-ease-wherever-we-are-because-of/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [Some persons are so inclined to mortify themselves that at every opportunity they have, they do so. What a beautiful practice this is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-rodriguez/some-persons-are-so-inclined-to-mortify-themselves-that-at-every/) Alphonsus Rodriguez ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Attachment quotes > [Some persons are so inclined to mortify themselves that at every opportunity they have, they do so. What a beautiful practice this is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-rodriguez/some-persons-are-so-inclined-to-mortify-themselves-that-at-every/) Alphonsus Rodriguez > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [When attachment Dies… Formalities are Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-vaswani/when-attachment-dies-formalities-are-born/) [Hemant Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-vaswani/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/love-like-truth-and-beauty-is-concrete-love-is-not-fundamentally-a/) [Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/) > [The real goal of Zen is to find a way of life that's easy and undramatic. Strong attachments lead to upset and drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/the-real-goal-of-zen-is-to-find-a-way-of-life-that-s-easy-and/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [“The past is no good if you can't learn from it; therefore, no sense in dwelling on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arians-karlovi-s/the-past-is-no-good-if-you-can-t-learn-from-it-therefore-no-sense-in/) Arians Karlovičs > [“Remaining absolutely non-acquisitive (aparigrahi) amidst all possessions is the ultimate ‘test examination’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/remaining-absolutely-non-acquisitive-aparigrahi-amidst-all/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/interwoven-as-is-the-love-of-liberty-with-every-ligament-of-your/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Money is not a problem, but unintelligent attachment to it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/money-is-not-a-problem-but-unintelligent-attachment-to-it-is/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [All our attachments are outward oriented and hence this illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-our-attachments-are-outward-oriented-and-hence-this-illusion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is attachment that makes people forget not only their moral duties but even who they really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/it-is-attachment-that-makes-people-forget-not-only-their-moral-duties/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [... professing myself moreover convinced that the general's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/professing-myself-moreover-convinced-that-the-general-s-unjust/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) [Browse all 959 Attachment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's only when you become love - in other words, when you have dropped your illusions and attachments - that you will \"know.\" As you identify less and less with the \"me,\" you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other-words-when-you-have-dropped/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attachment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other-words-when-you-have-dropped/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/anthony-de-mello-1331_attachment_it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other_1309020.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's only when you become love - in other words, when you have dropped your illusions and attachments - that…” — Anthony de Mello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's only when you become love...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other-words-when-you-have-dropped/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-s-only-when-you-become-love-in-other-words-when-you-have-dropped/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```