Awareness Quote by Henri Nouwen
“The life-converting experience is not the discovery that I have choices to make that determine the way I live out my existence, but the awareness that my that my existence itself is not in the center. Once I 'know' God, that is, once I experience God's love as the love in which all my human experiences are anchored, I can desire only one thing: to be in that love.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen, 1992
True freedom comes from seeing oneself as part of a larger whole, anchored in divine love, not as the sole center.
In simple terms: Self is not the center; love is.
Key Takeaway
Seek connection beyond self.
Themes
spirituality
selflessness
love
Mood
contemplative
hopeful
Type
spiritual
inspirational
When to use this quote
- relationships
- spiritual practice
- crisis of identity
Key Concepts
theology
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you experience love as the anchor of life?
- What does it mean to be “in that love”?
A Different Perspective
Self‑centered focus can limit growth.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
