--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a…" description: "\"“The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a metaphorical level because even in ones lifetime it's obvious how often we must repeat our same mistakes, ban..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f9/elizabeth-gilbert-131_next-time_the-karmic-philosophy-appeals-to-me-on-a_2186566.jpg" --- # The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a metaphorical… ![“The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a metaphorical level because even in ones lifetime it's obvious how often we must repeat our same mistakes, banging our heads against the same ole addictions and compulsions, generating the same old miserable and often catastrophic consequences, until we can…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f9/elizabeth-gilbert-131_next-time_the-karmic-philosophy-appeals-to-me-on-a_2186566.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f9/elizabeth-gilbert-131_next-time_the-karmic-philosophy-appeals-to-me-on-a_2186566.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f9/elizabeth-gilbert-131_next-time_the-karmic-philosophy-appeals-to-me-on-a_2186566.jpg) > ““The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a metaphorical level because even in ones lifetime it's obvious how often we must repeat our same mistakes, banging our heads against the same ole addictions and compulsions, generating the same old miserable and often catastrophic consequences, until we can finally stop and fix it. This is the supreme lesson of karma ( and also of western psychology, by the way)- take care of the problem now, or else you'll just have to suffer again later when you screw everything up the next time. And that repetition of suffering-that's hell. Moving out of that endless repetition to a new level of understanding-there's where you'll find heaven.”” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gilbert equates karmic cycles with repeated personal failures, urging immediate problem‑solving to avoid future suffering and achieve growth. **In simple terms:** Repeated mistakes cause suffering; fix them now. Key Takeaway Address issues promptly to break harmful cycles. Themes self‑improvement karma psychology Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - therapy sessions - self‑help workshops - daily reflection Key Concepts behavioral patterns mindfulness personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What recurring patterns do you notice in your life? - How can you intervene early to change outcomes? A Different Perspective Karma is not a guarantee of justice, only a metaphor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Karmic Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karmic-philosophy-4746369/) [Lesson Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson-karma-4746370/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Repetition Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetition-suffering-4746371/) [Western Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-psychology-2600735/) ## Related quotes > [“This supreme lesson of karma (and also of Western psychology, by the way)-take care of the problems now, or else you'll just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/this-supreme-lesson-of-karma-and-also-of-western-psychology-by-the/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Take care of the problems now, or else you'll just have to suffer again later when you scew everything up the next time. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/take-care-of-the-problems-now-or-else-you-ll-just-have-to-suffer/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I would say both Western psychology and Eastern paths would recognize that we get caught up in feeling like a separate self and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/i-would-say-both-western-psychology-and-eastern-paths-would-recognize/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [The psyche of the individual is commensurate with the totality of creative energy. This requires a most radical revision of Western psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/the-psyche-of-the-individual-is-commensurate-with-the-totality-of/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [I think the reason Buddhism and Western psychology are so compatible is that Western psychology helps to identify the stories and the patterns in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/i-think-the-reason-buddhism-and-western-psychology-are-so-compatible/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [You are new at every moment. You are an extension of the previous moment of your awareness. You can radically change, if you unhook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-new-at-every-moment-you-are-an-extension-of-the-previous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The measure of space & time creates an echo of haunting distance between us, yet we are close, we are united in the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/the-measure-of-space-time-creates-an-echo-of-haunting-distance/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [If good things come to those who wait then I must have something ridiculously awesome coming!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-then-i-must-have-something/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To catch you're elusive dreams you must be prepared to track it to the ends of the earth. Let nothing stop you're pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/to-catch-you-re-elusive-dreams-you-must-be-prepared-to-track-it-to/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More Karma quotes > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To catch you're elusive dreams you must be prepared to track it to the ends of the earth. Let nothing stop you're pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/to-catch-you-re-elusive-dreams-you-must-be-prepared-to-track-it-to/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If good things come to those who wait then I must have something ridiculously awesome coming!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-then-i-must-have-something/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The measure of space & time creates an echo of haunting distance between us, yet we are close, we are united in the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/the-measure-of-space-time-creates-an-echo-of-haunting-distance/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [You are new at every moment. You are an extension of the previous moment of your awareness. You can radically change, if you unhook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-new-at-every-moment-you-are-an-extension-of-the-previous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“There is a big park in the middle of the locality. Surrounded by at least 50 houses. That those residents got to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/there-is-a-big-park-in-the-middle-of-the-locality-surrounded-by-at/) [Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/) > [Karma-yoga is a supreme secret indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/karma-yoga-is-a-supreme-secret-indeed/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [KARMAS a bitch it will get you time and time again so fuck off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everyone-knowthis/karmas-a-bitch-it-will-get-you-time-and-time-again-so-fuck-off/) [EveryOne Knowthis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everyone-knowthis/) > [The karma that is most interesting is the mental karma because ultimately it generates physical action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-karma-that-is-most-interesting-is-the-mental-karma-because/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,951 Karma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The karmic philosophy appeals to me on a metaphorical level because even in ones lifetime it's obvious how often we must repeat our same mistakes, banging our heads against the same ole addictions and compulsions, generating the same old miserable and often catastrophic consequences, until we can finally stop and fix it. 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