“Our emotional mind will harness the rational mind to its purposes, for our feelings and reactions-- rationalizations-- justifying them in terms of the present moment, without realizing the influence of our emotional memory.”

“But the rational mind usually doesn't decide what emotions we "should" have !”

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.”

“In a very real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels”

“Feelings are self-justifying, with a set of perceptions and "proofs" all their own.”

“Threats to our standing in the eyes of others are remarkably potent biologically, almost as powerful as those to our very survival.”

“When we are in the grip of craving or fury, head-over-heals in love our recoiling in dread, it is the limbic system that has us in its grip.”