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Sacred Selfishness: A Guide to Living a Life of Substance
This book guides the reader to discover what self-forgiveness, self-love, and loving life truly mean by helping resolve problems in modern life - unhappy relationships, stagnating career, financial issues, and even weight problems.
Using strategies such as analyzing dreams, developing inner dialogue, and keeping a detailed journal, Sacred Selfishness wisely assure us that our lives are sacred tasks, where holiness is love and the way to the Divine is through self-knowledge.
Sacred selfishness is valuing ourselves enough to develop into authentic human beings, who give back vitality and hope to all around us. While growing up, unselfishness was usually defined as putting the needs of others above our own. As a result, we became outward-directed people, cut off from our inner source of energy and vitality. If we have failed, through the years, to develop our own individuality, eventually we may slide into depression and ill health. It is only after becoming whole again that we can help others and truly renew our society. In the tradition of Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled and Thomas Moore's The Care of the Soul, Bud Harris shows us to value and love ourselves, to think for ourselves, to have lives of our own, and to be able to love others without losing ourselves. It is only after becoming whole again that we can help others and truly renew our society. This is the path of sacred selfishness.
Using strategies such as analyzing dreams, developing inner dialogue, and keeping a detailed journal, Sacred Selfishness wisely assure us that our lives are sacred tasks, where holiness is love and the way to the Divine is through self-knowledge.
Sacred selfishness is valuing ourselves enough to develop into authentic human beings, who give back vitality and hope to all around us. While growing up, unselfishness was usually defined as putting the needs of others above our own. As a result, we became outward-directed people, cut off from our inner source of energy and vitality. If we have failed, through the years, to develop our own individuality, eventually we may slide into depression and ill health. It is only after becoming whole again that we can help others and truly renew our society. In the tradition of Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled and Thomas Moore's The Care of the Soul, Bud Harris shows us to value and love ourselves, to think for ourselves, to have lives of our own, and to be able to love others without losing ourselves. It is only after becoming whole again that we can help others and truly renew our society. This is the path of sacred selfishness.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2002
29 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Bud Harris
28 books55 followers“Bud Harris is a lantern on the path—clear-eyed, big-hearted, and illuminating.”
– Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way
Bud Harris, PhD, is one of the most prolific Jungian authors of our time. He's authored and co-authored 15 books, and has been in the field of Jungian psychology for 30 years. At 82 years old, he has a long-standing practice in Asheville, North Carolina, which is still thriving.
Bud Harris defines himself as a husband, a father, grandfather, psychologist and Jungian analyst. Early in his life he earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Georgia Tech in Atlanta Georgia. After Tech, Bud became a businessman and then owned his own business which he operated successfully. However, in spite of his achievements, he found his life in the cul-de-sac that he explains in his book Sacred Selfishness.
Following a period of dissatisfaction and searching, he returned to school to change careers and eventually earned his Ph.D. in psychology.
After becoming a psychotherapist and psychologist, he experienced the call to further his growth by becoming a Jungian analyst. Bud moved to Zürich, Switzerland where he trained for over five years until he became a diplomate Jungian analyst. Bud explains that “In many ways my educational odyssey has been a reflection of the transformational pattern of my life.” Bud notes that writing Sacred Selfishness (his fourth book) was a labor of love. He says, “Jungian work becomes the path of a authentic life, a life that is fulfilling, passionate and full of love. And this journey is fueled by self-knowledge and awareness. This is the path that healed and
transformed my life.”
“I also wanted to write the book I wish someone had written when I was struggling in my early thirties or at midlife. By this I mean a book for everyone that isn’t loaded with professional jargon. While I love the books by Jung and other depth psychologists, I found them difficult until I became schooled in the field.”
– Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way
Bud Harris, PhD, is one of the most prolific Jungian authors of our time. He's authored and co-authored 15 books, and has been in the field of Jungian psychology for 30 years. At 82 years old, he has a long-standing practice in Asheville, North Carolina, which is still thriving.
Bud Harris defines himself as a husband, a father, grandfather, psychologist and Jungian analyst. Early in his life he earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Georgia Tech in Atlanta Georgia. After Tech, Bud became a businessman and then owned his own business which he operated successfully. However, in spite of his achievements, he found his life in the cul-de-sac that he explains in his book Sacred Selfishness.
Following a period of dissatisfaction and searching, he returned to school to change careers and eventually earned his Ph.D. in psychology.
After becoming a psychotherapist and psychologist, he experienced the call to further his growth by becoming a Jungian analyst. Bud moved to Zürich, Switzerland where he trained for over five years until he became a diplomate Jungian analyst. Bud explains that “In many ways my educational odyssey has been a reflection of the transformational pattern of my life.” Bud notes that writing Sacred Selfishness (his fourth book) was a labor of love. He says, “Jungian work becomes the path of a authentic life, a life that is fulfilling, passionate and full of love. And this journey is fueled by self-knowledge and awareness. This is the path that healed and
transformed my life.”
“I also wanted to write the book I wish someone had written when I was struggling in my early thirties or at midlife. By this I mean a book for everyone that isn’t loaded with professional jargon. While I love the books by Jung and other depth psychologists, I found them difficult until I became schooled in the field.”
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 21, 2007
This guide to living a life of substance chose me at the right time. Much of what I read in this book parallels the midlife transition that I am in right now. A lot was familiar and it encouraged me to begin a deeper self-examination rather than embrace a victim mentality to my challenges. Has suggested reading list worthy of looking at.
July 5, 2013
The author's objective is to help the reader become more self-aware of their true self in hopes that they can live the most fulfilling life. Considering how philosophical this issue can be, I was very impressed by how much practical, applicable advice was given, backed by experience with a multitude of real-life examples.
I didn't think I needed the advice this author/book had to offer until I was about half way through it. I picked it up because it was a gift and I was curious. I always thought of myself to be very opened-minded and self-aware, but I think I told myself this so many times that I had stopped nurturing it and as a result, it was becoming less and less true. I realized during my reading that I have not been as receptive and aware as I had previously thought. I've tagged several pages that spoke to me, so I can go back for a refresher and hopefully avoid becoming complacent again.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone in their late twenties through early retirement.
I didn't think I needed the advice this author/book had to offer until I was about half way through it. I picked it up because it was a gift and I was curious. I always thought of myself to be very opened-minded and self-aware, but I think I told myself this so many times that I had stopped nurturing it and as a result, it was becoming less and less true. I realized during my reading that I have not been as receptive and aware as I had previously thought. I've tagged several pages that spoke to me, so I can go back for a refresher and hopefully avoid becoming complacent again.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone in their late twenties through early retirement.
February 24, 2022
An interesting book basically. I enjoyed its discussion of discovering ourselves. That's mostly what he talks about. But he remains vague about the end part of that process. The ultimate conclusion that we are just thinking emotional animals and how we live our lives once we've reached those concussions. He just discusses the process. I also don't put much stock in dream analysis.
November 9, 2016
Sacred Selfishness introduces the concept of healthy self-interest, while contrasting it with narcissistic self-absorption. Dr. Harris details several examples of life-changing revelations from his work with clients. He invites you on a hero's journey to explore a world where your personality, strengths/weaknesses, preferences, triumphs and tragedies are deployed in service of your "personal best" and a greater good. Some of my favorite quotes include, "Cultivating self-love is an odyssey with moments of difficulty and joy. It's an excursion into knowing ourselves, learning to accept and deal with what we discover... and struggling with our fear of allowing in a little madness to set us free... Personal growth will cause a ripple effect as the growth in consciousness of enough people, one by one, can create general change, and lasting social improvements.” This book is your permission slip and field guide to a life of wholeness and substance.
March 30, 2013
Recommend highly to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews