A Guide to Compassionate Living (Shambhala Classics)

This book delivers guidance that one can use to further their practice. The basic principle that we already have what we need is at the root of all the teachings and this is makes this book very impactful.

This is a wonderful meditation guide as it gives you wonderful teachings to grow and learn from. She tells you the real words of what it means and how to put to use in your life.
After going through this book I see that it is a book you can read over and over and each time learn something new.
It made me want to go find her for a sit.

When I first got the book I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was made and how small it was. It is a hardback with a nice dust cover and a ribbon bookmark. It's about 4.5 inches by 7 inches (11.5 centimeters by 18 centimeters).

I read an article on Lojong "mind training" and it sounded really appealing to me because I like to approach endeavors rationally and systematically. The idea of developing an awakened heart through a structured program of meditation and progressively working through slogans sounded great so I bought this book as an introductory text, but I was mistaken. What I took away from the book is that Lojong mind training is actually quite a mysterious practice at times (oftentimes for a beginner), not unlike Zen.

To add to the inherent mysteriousness of the practice, I found that the text was too indirect and long-winded in making its' points, which made things more confusing. This is perhaps because the book is composed of numerous talks by Chodron that were patched together by five transcribers and two typists, as mentioned in the acknowledgments section.

If you are looking to cultivate an awakened heart in a more organized, coherent, rational and systematic way, I recommend texts that address the Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path wikipedia page happens to be more organized and coherent than most wikipedia pages, so it is a great introduction to a more systematic approach in my opinion. If that appeals to you, Bhikkhu Bodhi (who has a very direct, no-nonsense writing style) addresses the Noble Eightfold Path using much more detail in a short book-length work that is published for free online at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html

If you're more of an intuitive person and don't mind a less formal, free form, poetic, mysterious, zen-like approach, then this may still be the book for you!

My sister recommended this book as one of the few that she has kept over the years. It just isnt for me. I dont relate to it or have any connection to the subject matter. I kept thinking that I might be missing the point, then I realized that I wasnt really interested to begin with. I have a great deal of respect for my sister and she skews more spiritual than I, so you may find that you really enjoy it!

Pema is brilliant because she is so passionate and sincere about the path that she has taken. She is the most pragmatic Dharma teacher I have learned from. Without Pema Chodron, it would be hard for many Westener's to make sense of Buddhist teachings, in this case the mind training slogans. One of my favorite teachings from this book is to let everyone/everything teach us how to become better spiritual warriors. Even the people who greatly annoy us teach us how to be patient. She also describes the aspects of ourselves we don't like and try to hide--our shadow. One of her chapter's discusses the slogan "poison's as medicine." The three poisons are described as our passion, our aversion, and our disassociation to the present moment. Let's say that we are craving someone or something (this would be our passion). Rather than rushing into the situation un-mindfully or feeling guilty about having the craving, Chodron encourages us to simply be with the feeling the moment we feel its presence. She says that whatever you do, "don't push this feeling away from us." This is the path of the warrior.

She is an amazing teacher for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. (I have given this book to Catholics, atheists, Jews and various non-fundamentalist Christians and they have loved her.) I am a student of the Seven Point Mind Training and Ani Pema's book is quiet, subtle, inspiring, and may help you more than any shrink! Pema Chodron was a grade school teacher, studied Zen, then moved to Tibetan Buddhism when she found her root teacher, Chogyam Trungpa. She has a clear grasp of the subject and reduces it to everyday language (which I think is the mark of a brilliant teacher) without reducing the pithiness of it. It will change you, and reduce stress as you begin ot understand the many ways you step into it. If you like it you will want to go on to other books of her, and if you like the training then go from her to Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness by Chogyam Trungpa.

My girlfriend bought me this book over the holidays, and I blew it off but finally had a chance read it from start to finish in a matter of 2 days. Pema Chodron wrote this book with clarity for everyone to understand her beliefs. I've read numerous other books pertaining to Buddhism and this one is by the far the easiest one to understand and comprehend. This book is based around the idea of being compassionate to yourself which in turn will penetrate others around you to develop some level of compassion. Chodron does an excellent job of motivating oneself to clear their mind and avoid unnecessary feelings of anger, aggression, pleasure, etc. Not only does Chodron explain the necessary steps to clear your mind, but she compliments this explanation with examples from her personal experience with students and teachers. The verbage outlined in this book is very easy to comprehend versus other Buddhist books I picked up and read. I've noticed in the past I've had to re-read certain passages quite a few times to fully understand it's meaning, but not with this book. This book motivates me to "start" working on myself, and in doing so it will encourage me to open my eyes to everyone and everything in this world.

A guru, teacher, master etc. in Tibetan Buddhism is often called a "spiritual friend." Indeed, one of the great contemporary classics in this genre is "Advice from a Spiritual Friend" (a fine book, too). Pema Chodron's style typifies such a friend. Of course, a Buddha is supposed to have the rare ability to perceive what another person needs (vs. wants). A guru is supposed to try and do that. In a book, it's impossible to personalize the instruction. (Though you could get her wonderful 6-cassette set, "Awakening Compassion" which covers much of the same material = Lojong mind training). Nevertheless, her writing style makes it easy to read her books and her empathy seems to me to shine through her writing so that one can more easily adjust ones perspective to attune to the book and the point she is making. In this particular book she addresses the Lojong mind training she received from Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, her Guru. It includes many very helpful and useful precepts. This is a great book, but I did like some of her others a bit better. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could.

This book presents Buddhist ideas and practice based around the idea that your current situation, however good or bad, is the perfect starting point for your journey toward spiritual wellness. I found the book to be very compelling. Ive read it numerous times, and each time it has an impact me. Pema Chodron has a very down-to-earth, casual and genuine writing style that I think a lot of people would respond well to. I highly recommend this book. Especially to those who constantly feel they are 'waiting' for woes and challenges to pass before tackling inner obstacles.

Pema Chodron does an amazing job of being down to earth, yet on a whole different plane of thinking and feeling. Her writings made me question the way I see the world, the way I feel about the world and the way I feel about myself. Through her words and practices, I learned to be at peace with myself and the world around me.

This book takes a lay person through a wonderful journey of ones self. It enlightens one to unlock your own compassion that is trapped beneath this wonderfully crazy exterior we show everyone. This book will teach you how to live NOW. It will teach you how to separate yourself from anger. The book instructs you on a few basic types of meditation and how to change the way you react to everything. Most of all, it awakens a part of you that you may have never have known. This is my favorite book. I highly recommend it to everyone regardless of your religious views, the teachings in this book are valid for all of us as humans.

If you find yourself 'stuck' in life, and unable to find a path forward, this book will change your life. Practical, insightful, and down to earth. This book is not a guide to the 'mystical' aspects of Buddhism. Its a guide forward in your life. Its an instruction manual of sorts.

"... think about your thoughts which are labeled as thoughts.. everything is a dream and now that you understand this realize that you don't understand this... " wow, what a confusing bunch of nonsense. I'm only happy that I took it out of the library and didn't pay for it. This book was worthless to me and I wish I had the 3 hours back that I spent trying to read it.

First and foremost, you have to be open to Buddhism in order to feel comfortable with the teachings and meditation techniques presented here. I was introduced to this book by a friend and mistakenly thought this book as a self-help sort of reading material without much religious bent. I was wrong. It is definitely Buddhism, but not in-depth Buddhism either. Just some bits of advice here and there in the form of short slogans and some typical Eastern religous philosophical psychology mixed in to make it palatable for someone wanting mere self-improvement rather than the classic state of enlightenment sought in traditional Buddhism. The title aptly implies starter fare Buddhism. Starting where I am, that I don't like Buddhism, this book is not for me or anyone adverse to religion repackaged as self-help psychology.