Buddhism-liteSeptember 13, 2008 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.
Start Where You AreSeptember 10, 2008 This is an excellent book to start your life in the recovery mode. No longer are we living in the past, but we are living for today and this book shows us how through compassion and simple learning.
Beautiful bookMarch 13, 2008 19 out of 19 found this review helpful
I truly enjoyed this book as it awakened a sense of compassion for myself and others, with insight and humor Pema Chodron guided me to a state of joy, and well being. I also discovered the 59 traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims and was able to relate them to every day life. This book reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane and their book Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment their short stories are inspiring and fun, and I felt a sense of ease and grace that lasted well after reading their book.
Being Versus AnalysisOctober 12, 2006 3 out of 10 found this review helpful
Compassion is born of the heart and served by a disciplined mind. What heals our dense energies and emotions is the capacity to embrace in our cells a sense of the seven virtues ... such as compassion. Now compassion is not allowing someone to hurt us constantly but rather it is seeing the pain in the other that provokes them to act out. And by that one can see and perceive beyond our ego's filter and into what really is going on. Often when someone hurts us it is because of their own hurt and corresponding vindictiveness to extend the pain. The Buddha once said that hate never begets hate ...only love begets hate. Detached love is still love in the agape sense ... and compassion is the key to opening the heart once more to allow this remedy to flow. It is a gift to yourself ... when you release yourself from the attachment of what you want a situation to result in. Self-love is your birthright and it is in self-love that you can experience compassion along side strong boundaries.
Absolutely Inspirational and Down to EarthMay 14, 2006 12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I loved this book. A friend recommended it to me when I said i was interested in meditation. Pema Chodron has a wonderfully practical down-to-Earth way of putting things, and she has a delightful sense of humor. If interested in Buddhism, meditation, or simply learning to live more fully in the present, with all of life's trials and beauty, you will find much to inspire you in this lovely book.
