Selfishness – self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles

EDITOR’S NOTE: While not a panacea, and certainly not something I have “mastered,” the practice of unselfish behavior is a valuable tool that fosters both mental and spiritual health.

“Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.” -Dalai Lama

“Selfishness – self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.” AA Big Book, PG 62