Narcissism finds its roots in Greek mythology. Narcissus was a man who fell in love with his own image when it was reflected in a pool of water. In today's terms, narcissism means to derive gratification from vanity or egotistical admiration of one's own attributes. It is seen as a form of self-defeating pride. This is not a viewpoint that Teal agrees with. Teal explains that the most important thing when it comes to understanding narcissism is to separate self-love from selfishness. Most people think that narcissism is an extreme form of self-love. It is not. In fact, narcissism has nothing to do with self-love. It has to do with someone who perceives an extreme lack of self-sustaining resources, like love. Compassion is necessary when interacting with narcissists. Narcissists hold some of the most painful beliefs and therefore live some of the most painful lives you can find on this earth. People often think narcissists have a high level of self-esteem. They do not. In fact, their life is a perpetual search for self worth and self-view gratification because they are very insecure.

In this episode of Ask Teal, Teal explains narcissism in depth. She then explains how a narcissist can find healing and what to do if you have attracted a narcissist into your life.

Kuan Yin's Mantra (c) 2002 Lisa Thiel - used by permission http://www.sacreddream.com