An East Indian visitor to America said that he was surprised that so many people in this, the richest and most powerful country on earth, feel a lack of self-esteem. While my Indian friend was baffled, it is easy for many of us to understand our self-esteem issues. We live in transitionary times. Not only economic issues, but our relationships, value systems and even lifestyles may be in a state of flux and transition. Ours is a culture of change. We change jobs and careers; we change cars and houses, and often even our significant relationships may change. If we look to the outer life for our sense of self-worth and self-esteem, we may be doomed to disappointment and frustration. However, once we see clearly that outer conditions do not really provide a stable source for our self-esteem, we begin to look within ourselves, and we discover an intrinsic self-value. As Blake, Whitman, Emerson and others have pointed out, there is an inherent goodness in each of us, wherein lies the true source of our self-esteem.