--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Caught in the self-centered dream, only…" description: "\"Caught in the self-centered dream, only suffering; holding to self-centered thoughts, exactly the dream; each moment, life as it is, the only teacher; ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86e/joko-beck-18408_caught_caught-in-the-self-centered-dream-only-s_2529759.png" --- # Caught in the self-centered dream, only suffering; holding… ![“Caught in the self-centered dream, only suffering; holding to self-centered thoughts, exactly the dream; each moment, life as it is, the only teacher; being just this moment, compassion's way.” quote by Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86e/joko-beck-18408_caught_caught-in-the-self-centered-dream-only-s_2529759.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86e/joko-beck-18408_caught_caught-in-the-self-centered-dream-only-s_2529759.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86e/joko-beck-18408_caught_caught-in-the-self-centered-dream-only-s_2529759.png) > “Caught in the self-centered dream, only suffering; holding to self-centered thoughts, exactly the dream; each moment, life as it is, the only teacher; being just this moment, compassion's way.” [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-centered thinking creates suffering; mindfulness and compassion reveal life's true lessons. **In simple terms:** Selfish thoughts cause pain; mindfulness helps. Key Takeaway Practice present‑moment compassion. Themes mindfulness compassion suffering Mood calm reflective Type advice spiritual When to use this quote - stress - relationships - personal growth - meditation Key Concepts Buddhism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you notice selfish thoughts? - What compassionate action can you take now? A Different Perspective Compassion requires effort and may be challenging in crisis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self centered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-centered/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [We 'rid ourselves of conceptual thought' when, by persistent observation, we recognize the unreality of our self-centered thoughts. 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If you give up on your dream, you will suffer more……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-be-free-from-your-suffering-make-up-your-mind-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is of most moment of compassion is not feelings of pity but feelings of togetherness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/what-is-of-most-moment-of-compassion-is-not-feelings-of-pity-but/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [“Whenever I notice something about myself I don’t like, or whenever something goes wrong in my life, I silently repeat the following phrases: This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-neff/whenever-i-notice-something-about-myself-i-don-t-like-or-whenever/) [Kristin Neff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-neff/) > [“Our only freedom is in knowing, from years of observation and experiencing, that all personally centered thoughts and emotions (and the actions born of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-j-beck/our-only-freedom-is-in-knowing-from-years-of-observation-and/) [Charlotte J. Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-j-beck/) > [ “\[...\] if one seeks to resolve a problem, let it sit for a while, take time to think about the “Four Oaths” and subdue… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/if-one-seeks-to-resolve-a-problem-let-it-sit-for-a-while-take-time-to/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [We have self-centered minds which get us into plenty of trouble. If we do not come to understand the error in the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/we-have-self-centered-minds-which-get-us-into-plenty-of-trouble-if-we/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [My dog doesn't worry about the meaning of life. She may worry if she doesn't get her breakfast, but she doesn't sit around worrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/my-dog-doesn-t-worry-about-the-meaning-of-life-she-may-worry-if-she-2/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [There are people so blind and self-absorbed in all matters that they always believe that, whatever they desire or think, they can impose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/there-are-people-so-blind-and-self-absorbed-in-all-matters-that-they/) [Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/) > [The secret of achieving prosperity lies in so vividly keeping yourself centered in the inner focus of affluence that you literally exude the consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/the-secret-of-achieving-prosperity-lies-in-so-vividly-keeping/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [“Simon Stimson: "...That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/simon-stimson-that-s-what-it-was-to-be-alive-to-move-about-in-a-cloud/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) ## More by Joko Beck > [Meditation practice is simply moving from a life of hurting myself and others to a life of not hurting myself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/meditation-practice-is-simply-moving-from-a-life-of-hurting-myself/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [If I were to tell you that your life is already perfect, whole, and complete just as it is, you would think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/if-i-were-to-tell-you-that-your-life-is-already-perfect-whole-and/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [We tend to run our whole life trying to avoid all that hurts or displeases us, noticing the objects, people, or situations that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/we-tend-to-run-our-whole-life-trying-to-avoid-all-that-hurts-or/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [We are just living this moment; we don't have to live 150,000 moments at once. We are only living one. That's why I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/we-are-just-living-this-moment-we-don-t-have-to-live-150-000-moments/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [Practice can be stated very simply. It is moving from a life of hurting myself and others to a life of not hurting myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/practice-can-be-stated-very-simply-it-is-moving-from-a-life-of/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [We have to face the pain we have been running from. In fact, we need to learn to rest in it and let its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/we-have-to-face-the-pain-we-have-been-running-from-in-fact-we-need-to/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [There is one thing in life that you can always rely on: life being as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/there-is-one-thing-in-life-that-you-can-always-rely-on-life-being-as/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [You cannot avoid paradise. You can only avoid seeking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/you-cannot-avoid-paradise-you-can-only-avoid-seeking-it/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [But opinions, judgments, memories, dreaming about the future—ninety percent of the thoughts spinning around in our heads have no essential reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/but-opinions-judgments-memories-dreaming-about-the-future-ninety/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [My dog doesn't worry about the meaning of life. She may worry if she doesn't get her breakfast, but she doesn't sit around worrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/my-dog-doesn-t-worry-about-the-meaning-of-life-she-may-worry-if-she/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [An old Zen rule of thumb is not to answer until one has been asked three times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/an-old-zen-rule-of-thumb-is-not-to-answer-until-one-has-been-asked/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [In spiritual maturity, the opposite of injustice is not justice but compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/in-spiritual-maturity-the-opposite-of-injustice-is-not-justice-but/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [We 'rid ourselves of conceptual thought' when, by persistent observation, we recognize the unreality of our self-centered thoughts. Then we can remain dispassionate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/we-rid-ourselves-of-conceptual-thought-when-by-persistent-observation/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [None of us would choose to be Sisyphus; yet in a sense, we all are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/none-of-us-would-choose-to-be-sisyphus-yet-in-a-sense-we-all-are/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [All I can be is who I am right now; I can experience that and work with it. That's all I can do. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/all-i-can-be-is-who-i-am-right-now-i-can-experience-that-and-work/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) [Explore all 35 Joko Beck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) ## More Caught quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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