---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If attachment then carries forward in a…"
description: "\"If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not healthy, we need to let it be there without making it wrong and bring as compassionate and hones..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png"
---

#  If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not…

![“If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not healthy, we need to let it be there without making it wrong and bring as compassionate and honest attention to it as possible. Honor that this is part of being human, but it's important to know when it's getting in the way.” quote by Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png)

> “If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not healthy, we need to let it be there without making it wrong and bring as compassionate and honest attention to it as possible. Honor that this is part of being human, but it's important to know when it's getting in the way.”

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When attachment becomes unhealthy, acknowledge it without judgment and bring gentle, honest awareness, recognizing its humanity while setting boundaries.

**In simple terms:** Notice unhealthy attachment, accept it, and set limits.

Key Takeaway

Practice mindful acceptance with boundaries.

Themes

mindfulness attachment self‑compassion

Mood

calm empathetic

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- relationship counseling
- personal meditation
- self‑care routines

Key Concepts

psychology boundary setting

Questions to Reflect On

- When do you need to set limits?
- How can compassion coexist with boundaries?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring attachment can worsen suffering.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Being human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-human/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/)

## Related quotes

> [Majorian presents the welcome discovery of a great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to vindicate the honor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/majorian-presents-the-welcome-discovery-of-a-great-and-heroic/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [I learned to honor human beings, and I would find myself far more useless than the common laborer if I did not believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/i-learned-to-honor-human-beings-and-i-would-find-myself-far-more/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [“The object of mathematics is the honor of the human spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-gustav-jacob-jacobi/the-object-of-mathematics-is-the-honor-of-the-human-spirit/)

[Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-gustav-jacob-jacobi/)

> [Chess is a game which reflects most honor on human wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/chess-is-a-game-which-reflects-most-honor-on-human-wit/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [I think the emotion that song carries makes it good. Because you have to produce around something - an emotional attachment and a feeling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-dream/i-think-the-emotion-that-song-carries-makes-it-good-because-you-have/)

[The-Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-dream/)

> [Longing, felt fully, carries us to belonging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/longing-felt-fully-carries-us-to-belonging/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [The fear side can have us pull away and protect us, but it's really a withdrawal, a disassociation, a cutting off. Rather than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/the-fear-side-can-have-us-pull-away-and-protect-us-but-it-s-really-a/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [I think it's possible to have experiences of love without attachment, but I think part of our conditioning is to grasp at times, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/i-think-it-s-possible-to-have-experiences-of-love-without-attachment/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [“I honour the clarity of the present moment, and the stillness at the centre of being (mine &amp; others), even in the midst of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/i-honour-the-clarity-of-the-present-moment-and-the-stillness-at-the/)

[Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/)

> [“There are countless reasons to be jealous. But that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/there-are-countless-reasons-to-be-jealous-but-that-doesn-t-mean-you/)

[Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/)

> [We’re built to deal with death, disease, failure, struggle, heartbreak, problems. It’s what separates us from the animals and why we envy and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/we-re-built-to-deal-with-death-disease-failure-struggle-heartbreak/)

[Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/)

> [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [“There are no greater or truer lords, gods, fathers, sons or holy spirits, than the humans. Humans are the highest beings on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-no-greater-or-truer-lords-gods-fathers-sons-or-holy-spirits/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/)

[Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/)

## More by Tara Brach

> [It is natural that our minds replay old stories, because that is our own mechanism for trying to work out unresolved problems. Yet rerunning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/it-is-natural-that-our-minds-replay-old-stories-because-that-is-our/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [The great gift of a spiritual path is coming to trust that you can find a way to true refuge. You realize that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/the-great-gift-of-a-spiritual-path-is-coming-to-trust-that-you-can/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Sometimes the easiest way to appreciate ourselves is by looking through the eyes of someone who loves us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/sometimes-the-easiest-way-to-appreciate-ourselves-is-by-looking/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [By taking the time to explore charged memories in therapy we might uncover feelings that have been buried for decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/by-taking-the-time-to-explore-charged-memories-in-therapy-we-might/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [To me, bringing mindfulness-bas ed practices to students, teachers and parents is some of the most important work we can be doing. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/to-me-bringing-mindfulness-bas-ed-practices-to-students-teachers-and/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [The mistake we make is that when we're feeling another person is not treating us in the way that makes us feel secure and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/the-mistake-we-make-is-that-when-we-re-feeling-another-person-is-not/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Emotions are the interaction of thoughts and of sensations in the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/emotions-are-the-interaction-of-thoughts-and-of-sensations-in-the-body/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Our attitude in the face of life's challenges determines our suffering or our freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/our-attitude-in-the-face-of-life-s-challenges-determines-our/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Become a witness to your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/become-a-witness-to-your-thoughts/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [My prayer became 'May I find peace... May I love this life no matter what.' I was seeking an inner refuge, an experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/my-prayer-became-may-i-find-peace-may-i-love-this-life-no-matter-what/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [When we see the secret beauty of anyone, including ourselves, we see past our judgment and fear into the core of who we truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/when-we-see-the-secret-beauty-of-anyone-including-ourselves-we-see/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [I think it's possible to have experiences of love without attachment, but I think part of our conditioning is to grasp at times, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/i-think-it-s-possible-to-have-experiences-of-love-without-attachment/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [But this revolutionary act of treating ourselves tenderly can begin to undo the aversive messages of a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/but-this-revolutionary-act-of-treating-ourselves-tenderly-can-begin/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Stories about ourselves and about the world continually arise in our minds and shape our beliefs about reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/stories-about-ourselves-and-about-the-world-continually-arise-in-our/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

> [Discovering a richer quality of being-ness means to keep surrendering and letting go of resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/discovering-a-richer-quality-of-being-ness-means-to-keep-surrendering/)

[Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

[Explore all 200 Tara Brach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/)

## More Attachment quotes

> [Some persons are so inclined to mortify themselves that at every opportunity they have, they do so. What a beautiful practice this is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-rodriguez/some-persons-are-so-inclined-to-mortify-themselves-that-at-every/)

Alphonsus Rodriguez

> [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/)

[Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/)

> [When attachment Dies… Formalities are Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-vaswani/when-attachment-dies-formalities-are-born/)

[Hemant Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-vaswani/)

> [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/love-like-truth-and-beauty-is-concrete-love-is-not-fundamentally-a/)

[Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/)

> [The real goal of Zen is to find a way of life that's easy and undramatic. Strong attachments lead to upset and drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/the-real-goal-of-zen-is-to-find-a-way-of-life-that-s-easy-and/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [“The past is no good if you can't learn from it; therefore, no sense in dwelling on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arians-karlovi-s/the-past-is-no-good-if-you-can-t-learn-from-it-therefore-no-sense-in/)

Arians Karlovičs

> [“Remaining absolutely non-acquisitive (aparigrahi) amidst all possessions is the ultimate ‘test examination’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/remaining-absolutely-non-acquisitive-aparigrahi-amidst-all/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/interwoven-as-is-the-love-of-liberty-with-every-ligament-of-your/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Money is not a problem, but unintelligent attachment to it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/money-is-not-a-problem-but-unintelligent-attachment-to-it-is/)

[Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/)

> [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [All our attachments are outward oriented and hence this illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-our-attachments-are-outward-oriented-and-hence-this-illusion/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It is attachment that makes people forget not only their moral duties but even who they really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/it-is-attachment-that-makes-people-forget-not-only-their-moral-duties/)

[Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/)

> [... professing myself moreover convinced that the general's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/professing-myself-moreover-convinced-that-the-general-s-unjust/)

[Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/)

[Browse all 959 Attachment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not healthy, we need to let it be there without making it wrong and bring as compassionate and honest attention to it as possible. Honor that this is part of being human, but it's important to know when it's getting in the way.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tara Brach"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a-way-that-s-not-healthy-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attachment"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a-way-that-s-not-healthy-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/tara-brach-1898_attachment_if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a_2520701.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If attachment then carries forward in a way that's not healthy, we need to let it be there without making it…” — Tara Brach",
                "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": "Tara Brach",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If attachment then carries forward in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a-way-that-s-not-healthy-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/if-attachment-then-carries-forward-in-a-way-that-s-not-healthy-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
