This is the BBC World Service. I'm Sanna Safi and welcome to Walter Wisdom, where we explore

some of the personal, moral or even spiritual issues that we come across in life.

This episode focuses on that powerful negative feeling, guilt. It can feel like a stain on

the soul, or a positive inspiration to action. Either way, it is something I have to admit

that I struggle with myself sometimes. For that reason, I was particularly interested

in what our new advisor, Rabbi Label Wolf from Australia, would say on the subject.

Anna contacted us from Switzerland. This is the shortened version of a long discussion

they had together.

I feel guilty all the time. Everything I see or experience evokes some kind of guilt.

I often feel I should have done more, or that I should have done things differently,

or not at all. I've lived with these feelings as long as I can remember. I try to ignore

them when I'm not busy, when I'm unaware or worse, when I'm tired or gloomy. They

just jump at me from behind. Keeping guilt away requires so much energy. I would love to

find a way to deal constructively with these feelings, not having to constantly fight

them or drown in them, to live a complete life in a thankful and humble way.

Firstly, I want to say it's an honour to have the opportunity to share someone else's

life, compare notes, and be able to see whether between the two of us we can help each other.

Can you share with me perhaps a little bit what you're day-like? What do you do?

There's several segments of my life. One, I'm a professional woman. I have a consultant

agency, and right now I'm sitting in different boards of hospitals and of one big hospital

group. I'm the president, so I preside this board. There's quite a lot to do, as you can

imagine. I look after my grandchildren at least one day a week. My life is quite fulfilled,

...