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it

English translation: the (most) important thing / what one is really looking for

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:it
Selected answer:the (most) important thing / what one is really looking for
Entered by: Charles Davis

18:38 Feb 21, 2019
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / a passage by John O’Donohue
English term or phrase: it
Hi,
I’m not sure about the meaning of “it” in the sentence “I think that being here is it” taken from the passage below.
Might it refer to “the end” mentioned in the previous sentence (I think that being here is **the end**) ?
What’s your opinion?
Thanks for any hint!

***************
PRESENCE BEYOND METHODS
I think one of the terrible dangers in spirituality and in trying to become aware is to privilege some particular method to take you there—because then I think the method becomes the end, not the means. *** I think that being here is it ***, and that ten thousand times a day you can slow a little and throw one savoring glimpse at the miracle of being around. I think that ultimately the test of even very rigorous practice over long years is actually to invest all of the non-practice moments with the presence. I think the presence is it.
John O’Donohue
Awakening the Mind Workshop
haribert
Local time: 00:19
the (most) important thing / what one is really looking for
Explanation:
"It" meaning the real point of everything.

"it
5 : a crucial or climactic point this is it"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/it
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 00:19
Grading comment
Thank you so much for your valuable help, Charles!
A sincere thanks also to all the other participants!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6the (most) important thing / what one is really looking for
Charles Davis
4the means
Andrea Pilenso
4the objective
airmailrpl


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the means


Explanation:
He refers to the method as the end and one of the great errors of the process of developing spirituality, and values the process as a whole. To decelerate, to become aware slowly, as being the best choice. "It" in the case is the means, not the end, in my understanding.

Andrea Pilenso
Brazil
Local time: 19:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Portuguese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi, Andrea, thanks for your contribution, although I'm not sure that it here means "means" (no pun intended!).

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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
the (most) important thing / what one is really looking for


Explanation:
"It" meaning the real point of everything.

"it
5 : a crucial or climactic point this is it"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/it

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 00:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 72
Grading comment
Thank you so much for your valuable help, Charles!
A sincere thanks also to all the other participants!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much, Charles!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MPGS: :-)
12 mins
  -> Thanks, MPGS :-)
agree  philgoddard: Your answer is it.
23 mins
  -> Many thanks, Phil :-)
agree  Tony M: That's it!
53 mins
  -> LOL! Thanks, Tony :-)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, in this case becoming aware, being present is it
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Yvonne :-)
agree  David Hollywood: the essence
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, David :-)
agree  Sarah Lewis-Morgan
17 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sarah :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
being here is it
the objective


Explanation:
being here is it => being here is the objective

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 19:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 32
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