--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not that God, the environment, and…" description: "\"“It's not that God, the environment, and other people cannot help us to be happy or find satisfaction. It's just that our happiness, satisfaction, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_happiness_it-s-not-that-god-the-environment-and-ot_2717529.png" --- # It's not that God, the environment, and other people… ![“It's not that God, the environment, and other people cannot help us to be happy or find satisfaction. It's just that our happiness, satisfaction, and our understanding, even of God, will be no deeper than our capacity to know ourselves inwardly, to encounter the world from the deep comfort that…” quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_happiness_it-s-not-that-god-the-environment-and-ot_2717529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_happiness_it-s-not-that-god-the-environment-and-ot_2717529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_happiness_it-s-not-that-god-the-environment-and-ot_2717529.png) > ““It's not that God, the environment, and other people cannot help us to be happy or find satisfaction. It's just that our happiness, satisfaction, and our understanding, even of God, will be no deeper than our capacity to know ourselves inwardly, to encounter the world from the deep comfort that comes from being at home in one's own skin, from an intimate familiarity with the ways of one's own mind and body.”” [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness and understanding depend on self-awareness and inner comfort. **In simple terms:** Know yourself to find deeper happiness. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner self‑knowledge. Themes self‑awareness mindfulness inner peace Mood calm thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - self‑reflection - meditation - therapy Key Concepts psychology spirituality self‑knowledge Questions to Reflect On - What practices deepen your self‑knowledge? - How does inner comfort affect daily life? A Different Perspective External factors alone cannot deepen fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Mind and body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-and-body/) [Mindfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindfulness/) ## Related quotes > [I will no longer act on the outside in a way that contradicts the truth that I hold deeply inside. I will no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosa-parks/i-will-no-longer-act-on-the-outside-in-a-way-that-contradicts-the/) [Rosa Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosa-parks/) > [“People who hear the call to conscience follow what they know inwardly --- what they know in consciousness or at higher levels of awareness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-d-pearson/people-who-hear-the-call-to-conscience-follow-what-they-know-inwardly/) [Carlton D. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-d-pearson/) > [“Contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction. The choices we make are our own decisions for how we want to live our life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/contentment-is-a-state-of-happiness-and-satisfaction-the-choices-we/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [my mother was taught the ch'an concept of happiness, which was to find satisfaction in small things. i was taught to appreciate the fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-mother-was-taught-the-ch-an-concept-of-happiness-which-was-to-find/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [If a dream scares you ,is not big enough to be pursued.Happiness & satisfaction is way of life,not a destination.Do all the good you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/if-a-dream-scares-you-is-not-big-enough-to-be-pursued-happiness/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Service to a just cause rewards the worker with more real happiness and satisfaction than any other venture of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-chapman-catt/service-to-a-just-cause-rewards-the-worker-with-more-real-happiness/) [Carrie Chapman Catt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-chapman-catt/) > [Every man judges his own happiness and satisfaction with life in terms of his possession or lack of possession of those things that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meir-kahane/every-man-judges-his-own-happiness-and-satisfaction-with-life-in/) [Meir Kahane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meir-kahane/) > [In my opinion happiness is nothing but satisfaction - satisfaction through work, thoughts and accomplishing our mission and vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/in-my-opinion-happiness-is-nothing-but-satisfaction-satisfaction/) [P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/) > [“Happiness is the satisfaction you feel. There's delight, joy, excitement and pleasant surprise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-artner/happiness-is-the-satisfaction-you-feel-there-s-delight-joy-excitement/) [Dee Dee Artner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-artner/) > [Man is meant for happiness and this happiness is in him, in the satisfaction of the daily needs of his existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/man-is-meant-for-happiness-and-this-happiness-is-in-him-in-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [There were instances when I felt cheated because my feeling of social service was neither acknowledged or reciprocated by the second party. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/there-were-instances-when-i-felt-cheated-because-my-feeling-of-social/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [We have been accustomed to thinking that we have to get something from outside us in order to be happy, but in truth it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/we-have-been-accustomed-to-thinking-that-we-have-to-get-something/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [No amount of money can replace the kind of happiness and satisfaction I derive out of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sreenivasan/no-amount-of-money-can-replace-the-kind-of-happiness-and-satisfaction/) [Sreenivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sreenivasan/) > [All right, let's get to work again!-This is the spirit of people of genuine substance. Those who avoid hard work or neglect the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/all-right-let-s-get-to-work-again-this-is-the-spirit-of-people-of/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [When you reach the moment to score, it is like liberating different emotions such as joy, happiness, and also satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/when-you-reach-the-moment-to-score-it-is-like-liberating-different/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) ## More by Jon Kabat-Zinn > [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/living-in-a-chronic-state-of-unawareness-can-cause-us-to-miss-much-of/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/mindfulness-means-moment-to-moment-non-judgmental-awareness-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/paying-attention-and-awareness-are-universal-capacities-of-human/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/one-practical-way-to-do-this-is-to-look-at-other-people-and-ask/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/dwell-in-stillness-and-to-observe-without-reacting-and-without-judging/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/arriving-someplace-more-desirable-at-some-future-time-is-an-illusion/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/give-yourself-permission-to-allow-this-moment-to-be-exactly-as-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non-2/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them… Without knowing it, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/look-at-other-people-and-ask-yourself-if-you-are-really-seeing-them/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“In fact, even if distraction does alleviate your pain or help to cope with it some of the time, bringing mindfulness to it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/in-fact-even-if-distraction-does-alleviate-your-pain-or-help-to-cope/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) [Explore all 252 Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not that God, the environment, and other people cannot help us to be happy or find satisfaction. 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