Our cultures guiding myth is the story of Adam and Eve’s exile from the Garden of Eden. It has seeped right into us. The message of original sin is unequivocal, we are flawed, not deserving to be happy, loved by others, and at ease with life.
The Dalai Lama was invited to meet with a group of therapists and teachers to talk about emotions and health. When asked to speak about the suffering of self-hatred, a look of confusion came into his face. “What is self-hatred?” he asked. He looked increasingly bewildered as they tried to explain and asked if this mental state was a sickness. When they told him that self-hatred was a very common experience for their students and clients, the Dalai Lama was astonished.