--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people hope a spiritual practice…" description: "\"Many people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid what they are ashamed of. But when you hide something from yourself, you are going to project..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/pema-ch-dr-n-327_about-yourself_many-people-hope-a-spiritual-practice-wi_1781286.png" --- # Many people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid… ![“Many people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid what they are ashamed of. But when you hide something from yourself, you are going to project it onto your world. You continually find it in others and it becomes the source of prejudices and dogmatic views. On top of that, you feel bad…” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/pema-ch-dr-n-327_about-yourself_many-people-hope-a-spiritual-practice-wi_1781286.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/pema-ch-dr-n-327_about-yourself_many-people-hope-a-spiritual-practice-wi_1781286.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/pema-ch-dr-n-327_about-yourself_many-people-hope-a-spiritual-practice-wi_1781286.png) > “Many people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid what they are ashamed of. But when you hide something from yourself, you are going to project it onto your world. You continually find it in others and it becomes the source of prejudices and dogmatic views. On top of that, you feel bad about yourself, because you aren't the loving, open-minded, "spiritual" person you'd like to be.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding inner shame through spiritual practice creates projection, leading to prejudice and self‑criticism. **In simple terms:** Hiding flaws causes us to see them in others and feel inadequate. Key Takeaway Recognize and own your shadows to foster true openness. Themes self‑awareness spirituality prejudice self‑compassion Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - mindfulness groups - groupnull Key Concepts projection shadow work psychology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself are you projecting? - How can you turn spiritual practice into honest self‑inquiry? A Different Perspective ; The practice can become a mask rather than a path to authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Ashamed Hide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed-hide-1864477/) [Avoid Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-ashamed-1864476/) [Dogmatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmatic/) [Feel Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-bad/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Open minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-minded/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-person/) [Spiritual practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-practice/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think that people that become as big as I became, when they lose the weight, they're kind of ashame. 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Christianity, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/men-are-tending-to-materialism-houses-lands-and-worldly-goods-attract/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [“I'm a spiritual person, she said. "I believe in Allah, you know, though I don't always call It 'Allah' and I pray the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-muhammad-knight/i-m-a-spiritual-person-she-said-i-believe-in-allah-you-know-though-i/) [Michael Muhammad Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-muhammad-knight/) > [I'm the type of spiritual person that doesn't speak openly about their spirituality. Irony is probably my religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raymond/i-m-the-type-of-spiritual-person-that-doesn-t-speak-openly-about/) [Jonathan Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raymond/) > [I'm a very driven, ambitious, positive person. But I'm a spiritual person as well. I believe in creative visualization. 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It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More About yourself quotes > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. 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