Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life

Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps is rich in historical, philosophical, and religious context. The book is not only informative, but truly inspiring, and inviting to read. I would recommend this to anyone curious about how to foster compassion in our global community.

If anyone desires to understand the relevance of compassion in living, this is the book to read - the text to study.
It brings an appreciation of how compassion gives peace to the individual and in communities as well as globally.

Karen Armstrong's book challenges us to live in a deeply engaged way. I have used the book with academics, clergy, and students. Virtually everyone has found it a uniquely useful vehicle for better understanding compassion and allowing it to form every aspect of their lives.

This is a thoughtful look at what could change our world in a positive way. It will be shared with my grandaughter---currently a sophomore in college with a focus on international studies and politics---off to a summer session in South Africa this year.
The author has a message worth sharing.

A concise overview of what drives human behavior and how to channel that behavior and response to life through empathy and compassion. Revealing, insiteful, disturbing, challenging. A call to action to overcome self-centered fear and walk the path of love.

I haven't finished the book completely, but so far I am enjoying it very much. The advice offered in the book is do able and the author inspires you to progress in your journey to love, serve and be compassionate in your dealings with life.

This book is an excellent blend of faith, history, advice and manual. As a medical student, the title caught my eye since compassion is at the heart of my professional obligations. I highly recommend this book to anybody who laments the cynical sordid spectacle of modernity. The 12 step format is an excellent manual for making necessary adjustments to one's core attitude about life. A well-written book I recommend without reservation.

I purchased this volume used and it was a little more water-damaged than I expected (the only reason I did not give a 5/5 star rating)

Step 1 was inspiring - learning about all the ancient people around the world who had taught compassion.
It went downhill from there. I don't think Karen Armstrong has actually experienced real compassion, based on reading this book. The first sentence of 'A Last Word' is typical: "The Trojan War did not end with the embrace of Achilles and Priam."

Who cares about the Trojan War and all those old myths in a genuine book about compassion?

Also, "Should" is not a compassionate word, as in the Eighth Step: "How Should We Speak to One Another?" Where is the self-compassion in a title like that?

Karen Armstrong needs to take compassion classes such as Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT)

this book might have merit with the idea that this trait of compassion could be the objective of a joint endeavor, such as a book club. Several concepts suggested are a bit stretched; e.g. that there is a reptile brain sans neocortex--just a hypothalamus and a limbic system. Another concept is that the religious founders, eg. Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammad were all heroes with equivalent challenges and compassionate responses. I think there is a disconnect there in regard to Mohammad, in that it would only apply to his earliest responses.

Am finding much valuable writing of compassion and the human person. Makes me feel that we are evolving to be more loving and appreciative of our fellow human beings despite the horrors we daily read of in our world. The challenges are there in these pages, as well as the motivation for action!

There is only one Karen Armstrong who can motivate hearts and open eyes to follow her passion to support and sign the: www.charterofcompassion.org The world would b much more alive with compassion and caring if they just read this compelling book.

This book arrived in very good condition as expected. With little time to read, I am now in early pages, but Armstrong gives a very good window on the various understandings of "compassion". I think I'll benefit from this reading.