Although it is easy to discuss and accept the concept of “no- self,” this understanding is only of limited use to us at present.

A lot of people have asked this question: if I already know for certain the “self” does not exist, why do I still have these afflictions?

It is because our afflictions cannot be eradicated if we only understand the concept but do not engage in practice. In The Way of the Bodhisattva, this point is also made: “When the tendency of cognizing emptiness is weak, desire will still arise; if one persists in practicing emptiness, the habit of seeing phenomena as real will end.” Without practice, we cannot really grasp the concept of “no-self”; we cannot quickly overturn the attachment to self that has been deeply ingrained in us since beginningless time. To cultivate the wisdom to overcome this attachment, we must practice. As we gain strength and power in the practice, our attachment to the self will gradually weaken.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"