The true qualities of the higher self are then distorted by the lower self into an “imitation” of the higher self which we hope will make us both invulnerable and acceptable to others. The fear in the lower self distorts a true capacity for love into submission and dependency (the mask of love). The self-will of the little ego of the lower self

In relation to God, the child/primitive in us is superstitious. We make God into an outer authority figure who will reward or punish our behavior, much as we expected our parents to do. In the child mentality, all inner psychological and spiritual currents are projected outward, and the world is peopled with devils and angels, good and bad spirits,

When we repress our awareness of our own capacity for evil, we remain split within ourselves.

The observer self is made up of the tools which James discovered in the course of his work on himself—objectivity and detachment (the microscope of the scientist) along with love and compassion (the first-aid kit of the friend) toward our many other selves.

Every negative experience is an invitation to look deeper into ourselves and discover the day’s lessons.

The emptiness and even temporary depression we feel on releasing an image is the “abyss” that comes from surrendering a false belief that had seemed to make our lives understandable. An image creates a false unity of belief and experience which gives us a kind of security because it seems to make our lives coherent and our experiences familiar. But

"The more you accept imperfection, the more joy you will give and receive. Your capacity for joy and happiness depends on your capacity to accept imperfection, not just intellectually, but as an emotional experience.

Every fault acknowledged, every defense dismantled, and every pain felt and released, gives us powerful new reserves of thought and feeling for creating our lives in positive new directions. And, on the other hand, every negative attitude unconsciously perpetrated, every defense held on to, and every pain denied, ties up our life energies and

It is extremely difficult to contain in our awareness the many contradictions of being human. We easily fall into the temptation to oversimplify our experience. When we see our flaws, we lose sight of our magnificence. When we recognize our beauty, we forget our pain and vulnerability. When our consciousness expands, we can know ourselves as one