--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is precisely through the onset of old…" description: "\"It is precisely through the onset of old age, through loss or personal tragedy, that the spiritual dimension would traditionally come into people's liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/eckhart-tolle-81_age_it-is-precisely-through-the-onset-of-old_504619.jpg" --- # It is precisely through the onset of old age, through loss… ![“It is precisely through the onset of old age, through loss or personal tragedy, that the spiritual dimension would traditionally come into people's lives. This is to say, their inner purpose would emerge only as their outer purpose collapsed and the shell of the ego would begin to crack open. The…” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/eckhart-tolle-81_age_it-is-precisely-through-the-onset-of-old_504619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/eckhart-tolle-81_age_it-is-precisely-through-the-onset-of-old_504619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/eckhart-tolle-81_age_it-is-precisely-through-the-onset-of-old_504619.jpg) > “It is precisely through the onset of old age, through loss or personal tragedy, that the spiritual dimension would traditionally come into people's lives. This is to say, their inner purpose would emerge only as their outer purpose collapsed and the shell of the ego would begin to crack open. The emphasis shifts from doing to Being, and our civilization, which is lost in doing, knows nothing of Being. It asks: being? What do you do with it?” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging, loss, and tragedy often trigger a shift from external achievement to inner being, revealing purpose as ego dissolves. **In simple terms:** Loss can spark inner purpose as ego fades. Key Takeaway Embrace change, seek inner being. Themes spirituality aging purpose Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - life transitions - grief counseling - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism ego inner transformation Questions to Reflect On - How can one cultivate inner being? - What role does ego play in purpose? A Different Perspective Not everyone experiences this shift; some resist introspection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [“Does it matter whether we achieve our outer purpose, whether we succeed or fail in the world? It will matter to you as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/does-it-matter-whether-we-achieve-our-outer-purpose-whether-we/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The outer purpose belongs to the horizontal dimension of space and time; the inner purpose concerns a deepening of your Being in the vertical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-outer-purpose-belongs-to-the-horizontal-dimension-of-space-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Your inner purpose is an essential part of the purpose of the whole, the universe and its emerging intelligence. Your outer purpose can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/your-inner-purpose-is-an-essential-part-of-the-purpose-of-the-whole/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Your inner purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that. You share that purpose with every other person on the planet -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/your-inner-purpose-is-to-awaken-it-is-as-simple-as-that-you-share/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Does it matter whether we achieve our outer purpose, whether we succeed or fail in the world? It will matter to you as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/does-it-matter-whether-we-achieve-our-outer-purpose-whether-we-2/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you become anxious or stressed, outer purpose has taken over, and you lost sight of your inner purpose. You have forgotten that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-become-anxious-or-stressed-outer-purpose-has-taken-over/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may remember the paradox of time we mentioned earlier: Whatever you do takes time, and yet it is always now. So while your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-remember-the-paradox-of-time-we-mentioned-earlier-whatever/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Even if you achieve your outer purpose, it will never satisfy you if you haven't found your inner purpose, which is awakening, being present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/even-if-you-achieve-your-outer-purpose-it-will-never-satisfy-you-if/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You must have failed deeply on some level or experienced some deep loss or pain to be drawn to the spiritual dimension. Or perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-must-have-failed-deeply-on-some-level-or-experienced-some-deep/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Not until you surrender does the spiritual dimension become a living reality in your life. 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Despite this, it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/since-ancient-times-spiritual-masters-of-all-traditions-have-pointed/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Happiness is living by inner purpose, not by outer pressures. Happiness is having a sense of meaning, not a feeling of futility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-augsburger/happiness-is-living-by-inner-purpose-not-by-outer-pressures-happiness/) [David W Augsburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-augsburger/) > [You are the light. Your inner purpose is to connect with that light. Everything else will follow in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/you-are-the-light-your-inner-purpose-is-to-connect-with-that-light/) Senoraroy ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. 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There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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