ABSTRACT
It was said of Rabbi Bunim, the Chassidic sage, that he always carried two notes, one in each pocket of his trousers. One note read: “The world was made entirely for you”, while the other note said: “You are nothing but dust and ashes”. Depending on whether his self-esteem was too high or too low, he would reach into one pocket or the other and read the appropriate note to help rebalance his narcissistic equilibrium. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we are all continuously engaged in rebalancing our narcissistic equilibrium and in helping our patients rebalance theirs, even if only by our steady presence.
