--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Traditional spirituality often made…" description: "\"Traditional spirituality often made pleasure, joy, good feelings. the things to overcome. It said you couldn't just indulge in your desires; that would..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/charles-eisenstein-6748_being-selfish_traditional-spirituality-often-made-plea_1261466.jpg" --- # Traditional spirituality often made pleasure, joy, good… ![“Traditional spirituality often made pleasure, joy, good feelings. the things to overcome. It said you couldn't just indulge in your desires; that would be selfish. Anyone who has been in a spiritual community recognizes the dangers of this kind of joyless spirituality, where everything is somber…” quote by Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/charles-eisenstein-6748_being-selfish_traditional-spirituality-often-made-plea_1261466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/charles-eisenstein-6748_being-selfish_traditional-spirituality-often-made-plea_1261466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/charles-eisenstein-6748_being-selfish_traditional-spirituality-often-made-plea_1261466.jpg) > “Traditional spirituality often made pleasure, joy, good feelings. the things to overcome. It said you couldn't just indulge in your desires; that would be selfish. Anyone who has been in a spiritual community recognizes the dangers of this kind of joyless spirituality, where everything is somber and heavy and serious. We recognize that as kind of a trap, a false path.” [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spirituality that denies pleasure creates a bleak, joyless path; true spirituality embraces balance. **In simple terms:** Joyful spirituality is healthier. Key Takeaway Seek balanced spiritual practice. Themes spirituality joy balance community Mood reflective balanced Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - community building - mental health - religious practice Key Concepts psychology humanism Questions to Reflect On - What practices bring you joy without selfishness? - How can joy be integrated responsibly? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on joy can become escapism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-selfish/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Good Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-feelings/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Somber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somber/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes river flows very strong, sometimes it flows very small, but it makes no difference to the ocean because it is satisfied in itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/sometimes-river-flows-very-strong-sometimes-it-flows-very-small-but/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [A woman recently told me a story about her descent into chronic fatigue. 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I just need air and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/raging-and-having-good-feelings-and-having-fun-is-something-i-plan-on/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [“It appears to be a feature of System 1 that cognitive ease is associated with good feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-appears-to-be-a-feature-of-system-1-that-cognitive-ease-is/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Being in love is associated with emotions of joy and happiness, but happiness is not just about good feelings its also about the absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/being-in-love-is-associated-with-emotions-of-joy-and-happiness-but/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [“The initial disappointment for the misogynist usually occurs early in the relationship. 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The map that I'll use is this birthing process, this kind of profound transition that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/i-ll-start-with-where-we-are-right-now-the-map-that-i-ll-use-is-this/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [An economist says that essentially more for you is less for me, but the lover knows that more for you is more for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/an-economist-says-that-essentially-more-for-you-is-less-for-me-but/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [Joint consumption doesn’t create intimacy,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/joint-consumption-doesn-t-create-intimacy/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You could conceive spirituality as the study of the immeasurable, of the qualitative. 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You have to actually need each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/you-can-t-have-community-as-an-add-on-to-a-monetized-life-you-have-to/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Explore all 97 Charles Eisenstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) ## More Being selfish quotes > [To talk only about national security, national defense, means to be selfish, ambitious. It is discrimination, isolation. "It is just me. 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"I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-speak-of-sacrifice-but-it-is-not-my-sacrifice-i-offer-it-is-yours/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) [Browse all 138 Being selfish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-selfish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Traditional spirituality often made pleasure, joy, good feelings. the things to overcome. It said you couldn't just indulge in your desires; that would be selfish. Anyone who has been in a spiritual community recognizes the dangers of this kind of joyless spirituality, where everything is somber and heavy and serious. 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