Drawing on a wide range of material - ranging from the spiritual
character of the world religions to the findings of contemporary
neuroscience - Karen Armstrong argues that compassion is hardwired
into our brains, yet is constantly pushed back by our more
primitive instincts for selfishness and survival. Since time
immemorial religion has enhanced our altruistic tendencies: all
faiths insist that the Golden Rule is the test of true spirituality
- 'Always treat others as you wish to be treated yourself'. Taking
as her starting point the teachings of the great world religions,
Karen Armstrong demonstrates in twelve practical steps how we can
bring compassion to the forefront of our lives. These steps both
reveal the inadequacies of our knowledge of ourselves and others
and enable us to unlock our potential for understanding, empathy
and altruism that can be translated into acts of kindness and
charity.They culminate in the most radical and challenging of all
religious maxims - love your enemy. Yet in today's world,
compassion in no longer a luxury but, in the words of Martin Luther
King, 'an absolute necessity for our survival'. Practising these
steps will not change our lives overnight and turn us into saints
or sages: the attempt to become a more compassionate human being is
a lifelong project. Yet Karen Armstrong argues that compassion is
inseparable from humanity, and by transcending the limitations of
selfishness on a daily basis we will not only make a difference in
the world but also lead happier, more fulfilled, lives.
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Review This Product
We can learn to overcome hatred with compassion
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 | Review
by: Judy Croome | @judy_croome
A well-structured and systematic programme encouraging people of all faiths to practice conscious compassion in the same way we would learn any new skill. Armstrong’s belief that humanity has an innate capacity for goodness, which can override the baser instincts of the “crocodile brain” is reassuring. Her twelve steps provide a simple enough guide and, based on Socratic dialogue, ask questions that challenge the reader’s known perceptions.
Containing what seems like common sense to people who have already struggled with the concept of forgiveness and compassion this book will be a good place to start if one is just beginning the journey of enlightened (or compassionate) living.
Although she touches briefly on the need to apply the Golden Rule (to love our neighbour as we love ourselves) in families and neighbourhoods, the focus was more on the universal than the personal. Given Armstrong’s background as a strong advocate of interfaith dialogue, this is understandable, but I would have gained more if there’d been deeper discussion on the challenges of living a compassionate life in my ordinary day-to-day existence before I start worrying about healing breaches with people across the oceans. Yes, we live in a global village, but as Armstrong herself points out, compassion has to start at the very centre of our personal lives before it can spread to the outer reaches of the larger world we live in.
Still, any book that emphasises the need for love and compassion in our current world is a worthwhile read. I turned the last page feeling more hopeful for the souls of the human race than I have in a long time
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