--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The spiritual path is one of falling on…" description: "\"The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, turning and looking sheepishly at God and then taking the next st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png" --- # The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting… ![“The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, turning and looking sheepishly at God and then taking the next step.” quote by Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png) > “The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, turning and looking sheepishly at God and then taking the next step.” [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual growth involves repeated failure, humility before the divine, and persistent effort toward higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Growth is falling, learning, and moving forward with humility. Key Takeaway Embrace setbacks as steps toward spiritual progress. Themes humility resilience faith Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - religious practice - daily meditation - overcoming doubt Key Concepts spiritual practice self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when you feel you have failed spiritually? - What does “looking sheepishly at God” mean to you? A Different Perspective Progress depends on genuine introspection, not just repeated attempts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brushing/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Falling Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-face-278651/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Next steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-steps/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Path Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-falling-4117495/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-path/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Taking Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-step/) [Your face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-face/) ## Related quotes > [It would be so great if it were possible to go through life without making a single mistake but there is no such path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/it-would-be-so-great-if-it-were-possible-to-go-through-life-without/) [Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/) > [Know that wherever you are in your life right now is both temporary, and exactly where you are supposed to be (otherwise you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/know-that-wherever-you-are-in-your-life-right-now-is-both-temporary-2/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Just keep taking the next step and keep having excellence in the ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/just-keep-taking-the-next-step-and-keep-having-excellence-in-the/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [The struggle is to stay present enough when you're taking your next step forward that you're really making your most honest choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/the-struggle-is-to-stay-present-enough-when-you-re-taking-your-next/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [Stay Positive.. Remember, falling on your face is still moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stay-positive-remember-falling-on-your-face-is-still-moving-forward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well, I always run the risk of falling on my face, which has in fact happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-carne/well-i-always-run-the-risk-of-falling-on-my-face-which-has-in-fact/) [Marcel Carne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-carne/) > [“My big move was to get out of my underpants without snagging my foot and falling on my face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/my-big-move-was-to-get-out-of-my-underpants-without-snagging-my-foot/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [ I started thinking about \[ what book is going to go next\] when I was working on As Easy as Falling Off the Face… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/i-started-thinking-about-what-book-is-going-to-go-next-when-i-was/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cooper/i-m-just-glad-it-ll-be-clark-gable-who-s-falling-on-his-face-and-not/) [Gary Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cooper/) > [Being edited is like falling face down into a threshing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/being-edited-is-like-falling-face-down-into-a-threshing-machine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Some comedies, they want you falling on your face and doing silly things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/some-comedies-they-want-you-falling-on-your-face-and-doing-silly/) [Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/) > [When you try to do something you've never done before, you risk falling on your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-taaffe-zwilich/when-you-try-to-do-something-you-ve-never-done-before-you-risk/) [Ellen Taaffe Zwilich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-taaffe-zwilich/) > [“car. If this mystery man wasn’t already standing in front of me, I would fear falling face first into the gravel. Once he’s gotten”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-elvira/car-if-this-mystery-man-wasn-t-already-standing-in-front-of-me-i/) [Justine Elvira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-elvira/) > [ One of my favorite moments in that book \[As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth\] was when something happened that I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/one-of-my-favorite-moments-in-that-book-as-easy-as-falling-off-the/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [I cant stop the tears from falling down my face I try and hold them back but I cant...He really is over me &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-cant-stop-the-tears-from-falling-down-my-face-i-try-and-hold-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sri Aurobindo > [“Across the threshold’s sleep she entered in And found herself amid great figures of gods Conscious in stone and living without breath, Watching with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/across-the-threshold-s-sleep-she-entered-in-and-found-herself-amid/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Perfect health, sincerity, honesty, straightforwardness, courage, disinterestedness, unselfishness, patience, endurance, perseverance, peace, calm, self control are all things that are taught infinitely better by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/perfect-health-sincerity-honesty-straightforwardness-courage/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Hinduism... gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/hinduism-gave-itself-no-name-because-it-set-itself-no-sectarian/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Do not belong to the past dawns,but to the noons of future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/do-not-belong-to-the-past-dawns-but-to-the-noons-of-future/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [There is no greater pride and glory than to be a perfect instrument of the Master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/there-is-no-greater-pride-and-glory-than-to-be-a-perfect-instrument/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Delight is the secret. Learn of pure delight and thou shalt learn of God. What then was the commencement of the whole matter? Existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/delight-is-the-secret-learn-of-pure-delight-and-thou-shalt-learn-of/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [You carry in yourself all the obstacles necessary to make your realization perfect. If you discover a very black hole, a thick shadow, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/you-carry-in-yourself-all-the-obstacles-necessary-to-make-your/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Indian religion has always felt that since the minds, the temperaments and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in their variety, a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/indian-religion-has-always-felt-that-since-the-minds-the-temperaments/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“One who has shaped this world is ever its lord: Our errors are his steps upon the way; He works through the fierce vicissitudes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/one-who-has-shaped-this-world-is-ever-its-lord-our-errors-are-his/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Not in the state of unconsciousness, but in full awareness when the higher Power will descend into and direct us, then only the yogic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/not-in-the-state-of-unconsciousness-but-in-full-awareness-when-the/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [A woman has the greatest opportunity to provide the best outcome for a baby and its potentialities. Not only by having a conscious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/a-woman-has-the-greatest-opportunity-to-provide-the-best-outcome-for/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [They proved to me by convincing reasons that God does not exist; Afterwards I saw God, for he came and embraced me. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/they-proved-to-me-by-convincing-reasons-that-god-does-not-exist/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [The yogin becomes aware in part of the action of the supramental power organizing the lower vehicle (ādhāra). A part of it remains behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-yogin-becomes-aware-in-part-of-the-action-of-the-supramental/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Spirituality is indeed the master key of the Indian mind; the sense of the infinitive is native to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/spirituality-is-indeed-the-master-key-of-the-indian-mind-the-sense-of/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [A hidden Bliss is at the root of things. A mute Delight regards Time's countless works: To house God's joy in things Space gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/a-hidden-bliss-is-at-the-root-of-things-a-mute-delight-regards-time-s/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) [Explore all 264 Sri Aurobindo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) ## More Brushing quotes > [ He \[A. J. Balfour\] was eminently one of the Cole Porter school of famous men, who only fell to rise again. Picking himself up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-balfour/he-a-j-balfour-was-eminently-one-of-the-cole-porter-school-of-famous/) [Arthur Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-balfour/) > [All that the Devil asks is acquiescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-massie/all-that-the-devil-asks-is-acquiescence/) [Suzanne Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-massie/) > [And of course there is nothing better than wearing the same T-shirt for days and not brushing my hair for weeks,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daria-werbowy/and-of-course-there-is-nothing-better-than-wearing-the-same-t-shirt/) [Daria Werbowy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daria-werbowy/) > [If you are capable of brushing your teeth in mindfulness, then you will be able to enjoy the time when you take a shower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-are-capable-of-brushing-your-teeth-in-mindfulness-then-you/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Growing up, I would have to watch the other children and learn from my mistakes. I would have to push myself to overcome the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/growing-up-i-would-have-to-watch-the-other-children-and-learn-from-my/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [If she gags when brushing her teeth, she isn't wife material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-she-gags-when-brushing-her-teeth-she-isn-t-wife-material/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you exchanged wedding vows, tape them to your bathroom mirror and read them aloud to yourself every morning along with the ritual brushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/if-you-exchanged-wedding-vows-tape-them-to-your-bathroom-mirror-and/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [“A pony who lives outdoors usually has healthy skin and hair and does not need to be groomed daily, except to get him clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-e-harris/a-pony-who-lives-outdoors-usually-has-healthy-skin-and-hair-and-does/) [Susan E. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-e-harris/) > [I don't mess around when it comes to brushing my teeth. Properly brushed, twice a day, every day, to get my day started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cruz/i-don-t-mess-around-when-it-comes-to-brushing-my-teeth-properly/) [Victor Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cruz/) > [What I find really works for me is dry body brushing; it helps improve the circulation and exfoliates your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/what-i-find-really-works-for-me-is-dry-body-brushing-it-helps-improve/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [I don't think it's man's function to write. I don't think it's a normal thing like teeth-brushing and going to the bathroom. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/i-don-t-think-it-s-man-s-function-to-write-i-don-t-think-it-s-a/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [You cannot keep on saying oh, you know, talking about disrespecting women as just being politically correct or it's not a big deal or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/you-cannot-keep-on-saying-oh-you-know-talking-about-disrespecting/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [I could've enjoyed a cigarette if I smoked back before everyone knew it was bad - say, like, 1923. Everybody smoked back then. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arj-barker/i-could-ve-enjoyed-a-cigarette-if-i-smoked-back-before-everyone-knew/) [Arj Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arj-barker/) > [Brushing your teeth six times before you go to the dentist so they think you have really good teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/brushing-your-teeth-six-times-before-you-go-to-the-dentist-so-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ritual he liked, but compulsory routine he hated. Thus, he resented every minute that he now had to surrender to showering, shampooing, shaving, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/ritual-he-liked-but-compulsory-routine-he-hated-thus-he-resented/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 92 Brushing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brushing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, turning and looking sheepishly at God and then taking the next step.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sri Aurobindo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on-your-face-getting-up-brushing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brushing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on-your-face-getting-up-brushing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/sri-aurobindo-1257_brushing_the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on_2381394.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The spiritual path is one of falling on your face, getting up, brushing yourself off, turning and looking…” — Sri Aurobindo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sri Aurobindo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The spiritual path is one of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on-your-face-getting-up-brushing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-spiritual-path-is-one-of-falling-on-your-face-getting-up-brushing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```