--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is only one basic desire that…" description: "\"There is only one basic desire that motivates the spiritual seeker-to make the experience of God, of divine bliss and joy, the center of the life exper..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/douglas-bloch-42306_bliss_there-is-only-one-basic-desire-that-moti_2202100.jpg" --- # There is only one basic desire that motivates the… ![“There is only one basic desire that motivates the spiritual seeker-to make the experience of God, of divine bliss and joy, the center of the life experience. We are spiritual beings living in a material universe, and as such, our first priority is to nurture that eternal part of us. The eleventh…” quote by Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/douglas-bloch-42306_bliss_there-is-only-one-basic-desire-that-moti_2202100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/douglas-bloch-42306_bliss_there-is-only-one-basic-desire-that-moti_2202100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/douglas-bloch-42306_bliss_there-is-only-one-basic-desire-that-moti_2202100.jpg) > “There is only one basic desire that motivates the spiritual seeker-to make the experience of God, of divine bliss and joy, the center of the life experience. We are spiritual beings living in a material universe, and as such, our first priority is to nurture that eternal part of us. The eleventh step of AA's twelve-step program states it beautifully: "Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out."” [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual seekers prioritize divine connection and bliss, using prayer and meditation to align with God's will and gain strength. **In simple terms:** Seek divine joy through prayer and meditation. Key Takeaway Cultivate spiritual practice for inner fulfillment. Themes spirituality purpose inner peace Mood reflective serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - recovery - life purpose - stress relief Key Concepts meditation prayer AA program Questions to Reflect On - How does your belief shape your daily actions? - What practices deepen your sense of purpose? A Different Perspective May conflict with secular or non‑theistic perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bliss/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Motivates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-motivates-4842142/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Eleventh Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleventh-step-4842141/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [First priority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-priority/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experience/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Motivates Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivates-spiritual-4842140/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Nurture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurture/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Seekers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seekers/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-beings/) [Spiritual Seeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-seeker-424551/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Twelve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twelve/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up, the way that I looked was very important to me. I was always trying to impress people, and when I grew my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/growing-up-the-way-that-i-looked-was-very-important-to-me-i-was/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [The most challenging thing for the spiritual seeker to do is to stop struggling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-most-challenging-thing-for-the-spiritual-seeker-to-do-is-to-stop/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/silence-is-the-speech-of-the-spiritual-seeker/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [“The Wanderer then leaves behind the spiritual seeker, with all the accumulated knowledge and lofty spiritual experience, and takes the first step on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-m-wanderer/the-wanderer-then-leaves-behind-the-spiritual-seeker-with-all-the/) [Frank M. Wanderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-m-wanderer/) > [“One of the most distressing predicaments any earnest, open-minded spiritual seeker might face is the sheer difficulty of choosing from among the bewildering diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/one-of-the-most-distressing-predicaments-any-earnest-open-minded/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“The effort of the genuine spiritual seeker should be to cultivate love until the mind becomes saturated by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhante-y-wimala/the-effort-of-the-genuine-spiritual-seeker-should-be-to-cultivate/) [Bhante Y. Wimala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhante-y-wimala/) > [A true spiritual seeker should exercise control all the time, throughout the day and night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/a-true-spiritual-seeker-should-exercise-control-all-the-time/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [The part of me that is both a spiritual seeker and a social activist meet in this understanding of enlightened power coming from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/the-part-of-me-that-is-both-a-spiritual-seeker-and-a-social-activist/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“We are not human beings on a spiritual path, but spiritual beings on a human path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-artress/we-are-not-human-beings-on-a-spiritual-path-but-spiritual-beings-on-a/) [Lauren Artress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-artress/) > [We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/we-are-not-human-beings-having-a-spiritual-experience-we-are/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“We can remove the veil that shrouds our understanding and made us forget who we truly are. When we understand the core self and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-blizzard/we-can-remove-the-veil-that-shrouds-our-understanding-and-made-us/) [Cassandra Blizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-blizzard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“DECEMBER 1 You have one place of hope, security, and rest. It is found in these words: “God is love.” It is something every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/december-1-you-have-one-place-of-hope-security-and-rest-it-is-found/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Spiritual beings, either from the beginning or soon thereafter, become what they are to be for ever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/spiritual-beings-either-from-the-beginning-or-soon-thereafter-become/) [Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/) ## More by Douglas Bloch > [There is no pain quite like that of a broken heart. But a broken heart is an open heart. When we allow ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/there-is-no-pain-quite-like-that-of-a-broken-heart-but-a-broken-heart/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [Even more than the depression, it was my anxiety and agitation that became the defining symptoms of my illness. Like epileptic seizures, a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/even-more-than-the-depression-it-was-my-anxiety-and-agitation-that/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [The lesson is clear: As impractical as it may sound, the safest and most secure way to lead your life is to follow your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/the-lesson-is-clear-as-impractical-as-it-may-sound-the-safest-and/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [There is a tremendous power in positive thinking. When you expect the best, you literally create a thought field that magnetizes that which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/there-is-a-tremendous-power-in-positive-thinking-when-you-expect-the/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [You are a child of the universe, "fearfully and wonderfully made." In the history of creation, there has never been anyone like you. Accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/you-are-a-child-of-the-universe-fearfully-and-wonderfully-made-in-the/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [What steps can I take to reduce the clutter so that I may live simply and joyously?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/what-steps-can-i-take-to-reduce-the-clutter-so-that-i-may-live-simply/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [As you begin to live in the present moment, you will experience a subtle but profound change. Worrying about the future will cease. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/as-you-begin-to-live-in-the-present-moment-you-will-experience-a-2/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [Look at your own life. Has it become overly complex? Have you found yourself burdened by too many possessions or responsibilities? Take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/look-at-your-own-life-has-it-become-overly-complex-have-you-found/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) > [Abundance is the natural state of the universe--of this there can be no doubt. Just as the number of stars in the heavens or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-bloch/abundance-is-the-natural-state-of-the-universe-of-this-there-can-be/) [Douglas Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) [Explore all 10 Douglas Bloch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-bloch/) ## More Bliss quotes > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [The artist's experience lies so unbelievably close to the sexual, to its pain and its pleasure, that the two phenomena are really just different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/the-artist-s-experience-lies-so-unbelievably-close-to-the-sexual-to/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [and Venus among the fishes skips and is a she-dolphin she is the gay, delighted porpoise sporting with love and the sea she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/and-venus-among-the-fishes-skips-and-is-a-she-dolphin-she-is-the-gay/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Music is a lot more like solving an intricate puzzle with moments of pure, random creative bliss... whereas painting is much more purely random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/music-is-a-lot-more-like-solving-an-intricate-puzzle-with-moments-of/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [Work and leisure are complementary parts of the same living process and cannot be separated without destroying the joy of work and the bliss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/work-and-leisure-are-complementary-parts-of-the-same-living-process/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [“Being around her now was nine parts bliss and one part torment. And he wanted it to last as long as possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringle/being-around-her-now-was-nine-parts-bliss-and-one-part-torment-and-he/) [Molly Ringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringle/) > [“He was still a mystery to me. And God, did I want to play Nancy Drew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/he-was-still-a-mystery-to-me-and-god-did-i-want-to-play-nancy-drew/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [Eating, drinking, sleeping a little laughter ! much weeping! Is that all ? Do not die here like a worm. Wake up! Attain immortal bliss!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/eating-drinking-sleeping-a-little-laughter-much-weeping-is-that-all/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [How do you find the divine power in yourself? The word enthusiasm means 'filled with a god,' so what makes you enthusiastic? Follow it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/how-do-you-find-the-divine-power-in-yourself-the-word-enthusiasm/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you follow your bliss a kind of track opens up, that's always been there, waiting for you. And the life that you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/when-you-follow-your-bliss-a-kind-of-track-opens-up-that-s-always/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you drop your unnecessary things, you finally can swoop and fly in vast space. It is so blue, so bright, and so nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/when-you-drop-your-unnecessary-things-you-finally-can-swoop-and-fly/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“The smell of her hair lingered just out of reach of his memory and left him with a nervous hum resonating throughout his body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-tomblin/the-smell-of-her-hair-lingered-just-out-of-reach-of-his-memory-and/) [Erik Tomblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-tomblin/) > [“They happen only when you are distant,aloof. They happen, they cannot be brought. They happen you cannot force them to happen. They are spontaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/they-happen-only-when-you-are-distant-aloof-they-happen-they-cannot/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [“Ignorance was bliss. Or at least less painfull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/ignorance-was-bliss-or-at-least-less-painfull/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) [Browse all 1,311 Bliss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bliss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is only one basic desire that motivates the spiritual seeker-to make the experience of God, of divine bliss and joy, the center of the life experience. We are spiritual beings living in a material universe, and as such, our first priority is to nurture that eternal part of us. 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