The Goal Is to See Differently, Not to Blame

This is part two of a two-part interview.

At 86, Pali Summerlin is an author and wisdom teacher known for her deep insights into emotional wounding and the liberation of limiting self-concepts. She uses a radical method of self-inquiry known as the Six Steps to Freedom (originated by Diederik Wolsak), helping others to find their way through the maze of psychological distortion that underlies our suffering. A native of Alabama and the grandmother of six, Summerlin lives on the Hawaiian island of Maui, where we caught up to talk about her pioneering healing work.

Mark Matousek: Just to be clear, when someone is abusing you, you’re not saying they’re not abusing you?

Pali Summerlin: No, not at all. They are.

MM: But you're suggesting that our perception of their behavior is making it worse?

PS: In our sangha here recently, we’ve been engaged with a book by Paul Levy called The Quantum Revelation. The gist of it is, “As viewed, so appears.” When we believe things like there’s........

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