Envy, if left unconscious and unchecked, breeds hatred and the urge to spoil and destroy. Gluttony, if left unconscious and unchecked, despoils our bodies, the lives of others, and even the planet itself. Wrath, if left unconscious and unchecked, generates acts of brutality, cruelty, and violence. Pride, if left unconscious and unchecked, leads to untrammelled displays of arrogance, power, and superiority that denigrate and oppress others. Lust, if left unconscious and unchecked, leads us into situations where we manipulate, betray, and justify our humiliation of others because we are driven by a compulsive need for self-gratification disguised as romantic desire. Deceit, if left unconscious and unchecked, turns us into liars, cheats, and schemers, full of cunning and willing to injure anyone who stands in our way. And Apathy, if left unconscious and unchecked, can make us expect other people to prop us up, emotionally and financially, because we feel we are owed something by life and have the right to demand that others give us what we need.

Liz Greene
Introduction to "The Seven Sins"