Knowing ourselves is crucial. I'll wager that the main impediment to psycho-spiritual growth is kidding ourselves. We distort our perceptions and interpretations of the facts of our lives to protect our egos from fracture or deflation. Unfortunately, we sacrifice golden opportunities to gain accurate self-understanding. Gurdjieff charged that most of us are asleep all of our lives.
Modern psychology echoes the theme.
Ego defense mechanisms are neurotic ways of hiding the truth about ourselves from ourselves because to admit them would disturb us. Forgiveness is important, too. Nancy Lane, an Episcopal priest, describes her descent into an abyss of rage, and the reversal of attitudes that followed. The pain of living with a disability can be like a hurricane raging inside. To carry this anger is to suffer and cause suffering around us.