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Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
Throughout our lives we long to love ourselves more deeply and find a greater sense of connection with others. Our fear of intimacy—both with others and with ourselves—creates feelings of pain and longing. But these feelings can also awaken in us the desire for freedom and the willingness to take up the spiritual path.
In this inspiring book, Sharon Salzberg, one of America's leading spiritual teachers, shows us how the Buddhist path of lovingkindness ( metta in Pali), can help us discover the radiant, joyful heart within each of us. This practice of lovingkindness is revolutionary because it has the power to radically change our lives, helping us create true happiness in ourselves and genuine compassion for others. The Buddha described the nature of such a spiritual path as "the liberation of the heart, which is love." The author draws on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices, and her own experience from twenty-five years of practice and teaching to illustrate how each one of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity—the four "heavenly abodes" of traditional Buddhism.
In this inspiring book, Sharon Salzberg, one of America's leading spiritual teachers, shows us how the Buddhist path of lovingkindness ( metta in Pali), can help us discover the radiant, joyful heart within each of us. This practice of lovingkindness is revolutionary because it has the power to radically change our lives, helping us create true happiness in ourselves and genuine compassion for others. The Buddha described the nature of such a spiritual path as "the liberation of the heart, which is love." The author draws on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices, and her own experience from twenty-five years of practice and teaching to illustrate how each one of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity—the four "heavenly abodes" of traditional Buddhism.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
1194 people are currently reading
16327 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Salzberg
83 books1,373 followersOne of America’s leading spiritual teachers and authors, Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. She has played a crucial role in bringing Asian meditation practices to the West. The ancient Buddhist practices of vipassana (mindfulness) and metta (lovingkindness) are the foundations of her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
July 31, 2010
I surprised myself once when I took part in a values clarification exercise. I always thought honesty was my number one value. I believe very strongly in honesty and integrity but what I realized after completing this values activity was that if push came to shove, I would choose kindness over honesty every time. The highest value by which I live my life is kindness. That is not to say, I'm right and if you would choose honesty or any other value that you would be wrong. It's simply to say that in my life, I have chosen kindness as my highest purpose.
Therefore, when I saw a book entitled, Loving-Kindness, you can imagine it caught my attention. I was not surprised to enjoy reading it. Ms. Salzberg takes Buddhist psychology and simplifies it to a way of living that resonates with me and I'm sure it will with many of my readers.
Therefore, when I saw a book entitled, Loving-Kindness, you can imagine it caught my attention. I was not surprised to enjoy reading it. Ms. Salzberg takes Buddhist psychology and simplifies it to a way of living that resonates with me and I'm sure it will with many of my readers.
September 23, 2020
"Love can uproot fear or anger or guilt, because it is a greater power."
This is an amazing, life-changing, immensely wise book that everyone should read. Sharon Salzberg explains the Buddha's teachings about practicing lovingkidness, sympathetic joy, compassion and equanimity, together which brings us happiness. She illustrates the impediments to this practice - clinging, judgment, envy, anger, fear, and so forth - with tremendous insight. At the end of each chapter, she gives concrete, detailed instructions to meditation practice and real life practice that are simple to follow.
The key to achieving happiness lies within each of us. Start by reading this book.
——————-
Second read: My husband and I read through this book together by reading a few pages every night. It was a great conversation starter and we have learned a great deal. It has improved our relationship and outlook on the world. It is such a beautiful book that teaches how to truly be a better, happier person.
This is an amazing, life-changing, immensely wise book that everyone should read. Sharon Salzberg explains the Buddha's teachings about practicing lovingkidness, sympathetic joy, compassion and equanimity, together which brings us happiness. She illustrates the impediments to this practice - clinging, judgment, envy, anger, fear, and so forth - with tremendous insight. At the end of each chapter, she gives concrete, detailed instructions to meditation practice and real life practice that are simple to follow.
The key to achieving happiness lies within each of us. Start by reading this book.
——————-
Second read: My husband and I read through this book together by reading a few pages every night. It was a great conversation starter and we have learned a great deal. It has improved our relationship and outlook on the world. It is such a beautiful book that teaches how to truly be a better, happier person.
March 10, 2013
I can appreciate why this book has become a classic in its circles. Although it purports to be about metta (translated from the Pali as 'lovingkindness'), both what it is and how to cultivate it, it addresses much more than that, since metta can be seen as an entry point for just about every quality and practice that the Buddha suggested we nurture in order to live happily. Irrespective of your spiritual or philosophical bent, Salzberg makes it clear that starting simply by becoming aware of the ways in which we close ourselves off from metta--whether through pain, or fear, or denial, or simply by living life too quickly to notice--we can greatly improve the quality of our lives.
It wasn't by accident that I took this book with me to a metta meditation retreat that I attended recently, and I found it a very useful complement to the work i did there. Salzberg uses clear language and includes many examples from her own life to illustrate her points, making the concepts she discusses highly relatable and all the more useful for that. Salzberg includes exercises for traditional metta meditation, as well as approaches to related contemplative practice. Well worth reading, with the potential to be life-changing.
It wasn't by accident that I took this book with me to a metta meditation retreat that I attended recently, and I found it a very useful complement to the work i did there. Salzberg uses clear language and includes many examples from her own life to illustrate her points, making the concepts she discusses highly relatable and all the more useful for that. Salzberg includes exercises for traditional metta meditation, as well as approaches to related contemplative practice. Well worth reading, with the potential to be life-changing.
November 17, 2020
Loving kindness hay thiền tâm từ là một thực hành với sức mạnh vô cùng lớn.
Chúng ta đa phần lớn lên với sự bồi đắp cái tôi chật chội từ gia đình, nhà trường, xã hội. Thường ích kỉ để theo đuổi nhu cầu của bản thân mà ít khi để ý tới nhu cầu của người thân yêu, bạn bè. Thiền tâm từ sẽ giúp chúng ta có cái nhìn đúng đắn hơn trong việc yêu thương chính mình, yêu thương người khác và yêu thương toàn thể.
Sự hướng dẫn của Sharon Salzberg là rất dễ hiểu và dễ thực hành. Quá trình tu tập ở Ấn Độ cũng giúp tác giả trải nghiệm sâu sắc thể thiền tâm từ, để rồi có những hướng dẫn rất phù hợp để mọi người có thể thực hành.
Tuy vậy khi càng đọc nhiều sách thiền, hướng dẫn thiền mình mới nhận ra đây không phải là cách thức phù hợp dành cho đám đông. Đọc sách thì biết vậy nhưng khi ngồi xuống thì biết bao nhiêu là suy nghĩ sẽ trỗi dậy. Nếu không có sự dẫn dắt của vị thầy hoặc một ý thức thực hành thiền/tâm linh nghiêm túc, sẽ khó mà có thể làm theo được.
Nên là nếu bạn nào đã có đi thiền ở thiền viện, đã có người hướng dẫn thiền thì đọc cuốn này sẽ thích hơn. Còn không thì dễ rơi vào trạng thái hiểu biết mà thiếu đi thực nghiệm và sự dẫn dắt phù hợp.
Chúng ta đa phần lớn lên với sự bồi đắp cái tôi chật chội từ gia đình, nhà trường, xã hội. Thường ích kỉ để theo đuổi nhu cầu của bản thân mà ít khi để ý tới nhu cầu của người thân yêu, bạn bè. Thiền tâm từ sẽ giúp chúng ta có cái nhìn đúng đắn hơn trong việc yêu thương chính mình, yêu thương người khác và yêu thương toàn thể.
Sự hướng dẫn của Sharon Salzberg là rất dễ hiểu và dễ thực hành. Quá trình tu tập ở Ấn Độ cũng giúp tác giả trải nghiệm sâu sắc thể thiền tâm từ, để rồi có những hướng dẫn rất phù hợp để mọi người có thể thực hành.
Tuy vậy khi càng đọc nhiều sách thiền, hướng dẫn thiền mình mới nhận ra đây không phải là cách thức phù hợp dành cho đám đông. Đọc sách thì biết vậy nhưng khi ngồi xuống thì biết bao nhiêu là suy nghĩ sẽ trỗi dậy. Nếu không có sự dẫn dắt của vị thầy hoặc một ý thức thực hành thiền/tâm linh nghiêm túc, sẽ khó mà có thể làm theo được.
Nên là nếu bạn nào đã có đi thiền ở thiền viện, đã có người hướng dẫn thiền thì đọc cuốn này sẽ thích hơn. Còn không thì dễ rơi vào trạng thái hiểu biết mà thiếu đi thực nghiệm và sự dẫn dắt phù hợp.
October 22, 2016
This may be the first book on meditation that serves two very simple purposes in a highly organized fashion: (1) the user's manual, meaning it is very easy to return to it as a reference point for anything you may need; and (2) a coherent argument supporting the wisdom of mudita, metta, the Dharma, etc. Among the other purposes it fulfills are a quick overview of the brahma-viharas, an efficient balancing of Buddhist stories as well as modern examples from Salzberg's personal life, an accepting stance towards the theist/spiritual and non-theist/spiritual reader, and well-crafted meditations.
I've read enough self-help books, I suppose, to be able to forgive a title here and there, but this title, as cheesy as it is, is quite convincing. Loving-kindness meditation has been one of my favorite tools in meditation to return to, the second one being using sound instead of breath as a place to always return to when I practice.
The book, along with my usual classes on mindfulness, has finally inspired me to take my practice from a casual interest to something more akin to a dedication. As much as Jon-Kabat Zinn has to offer about the basics of mindfulness for anxiety and depression, Salzberg makes a compelling argument for why this particular 'arm' of insight meditation makes not just for a better, healthier attitude about one's mind and body, but how that branches out into living well.
And I have to say, anecdotally speaking, it's had some tangible benefits. I caught myself resisting donating some books that are dear to me or that I really, truly want to read...at some point. Salzberg does document an exercise about examining this resistance and pointing out how much suffering it did/could/would cause you. So I worked through it and donated some books to Claremont's Prison Library Project, because they need them more than I. Since donating them I haven't thought much about missing them, because, well, that grasping is one of the multitudes of transient attachments we experience everyday. And it feels like a load off, for sure.
Naturally, loving-kindness does not work for everybody. But I love how vulnerable of a meditation it is, and I enjoy reflecting on what is vulnerable about it. In some ways it has made me reflect on the defense mechanisms I've erected just to create a narrative about my strength, my pride, my purported manliness. The book fabulously disentangled some of my burning questions about the practice: (1) how does one cultivate that objective 'viewer' above the constant broadcast of images and thoughts and ensure it does not make one detached from the goings-on around them; and (2) at what point does opening oneself to the suffering of the world just lead to anger or grief, and how can that path be navigated?
That the book is so distilled for through-reading and additionally easy to return to as a guide is impressive, possibly a feat in craft for books like this. It excites me to remain in stillness. Here's hoping I enjoy myself at InsightLA tomorrow.
I've read enough self-help books, I suppose, to be able to forgive a title here and there, but this title, as cheesy as it is, is quite convincing. Loving-kindness meditation has been one of my favorite tools in meditation to return to, the second one being using sound instead of breath as a place to always return to when I practice.
The book, along with my usual classes on mindfulness, has finally inspired me to take my practice from a casual interest to something more akin to a dedication. As much as Jon-Kabat Zinn has to offer about the basics of mindfulness for anxiety and depression, Salzberg makes a compelling argument for why this particular 'arm' of insight meditation makes not just for a better, healthier attitude about one's mind and body, but how that branches out into living well.
And I have to say, anecdotally speaking, it's had some tangible benefits. I caught myself resisting donating some books that are dear to me or that I really, truly want to read...at some point. Salzberg does document an exercise about examining this resistance and pointing out how much suffering it did/could/would cause you. So I worked through it and donated some books to Claremont's Prison Library Project, because they need them more than I. Since donating them I haven't thought much about missing them, because, well, that grasping is one of the multitudes of transient attachments we experience everyday. And it feels like a load off, for sure.
Naturally, loving-kindness does not work for everybody. But I love how vulnerable of a meditation it is, and I enjoy reflecting on what is vulnerable about it. In some ways it has made me reflect on the defense mechanisms I've erected just to create a narrative about my strength, my pride, my purported manliness. The book fabulously disentangled some of my burning questions about the practice: (1) how does one cultivate that objective 'viewer' above the constant broadcast of images and thoughts and ensure it does not make one detached from the goings-on around them; and (2) at what point does opening oneself to the suffering of the world just lead to anger or grief, and how can that path be navigated?
That the book is so distilled for through-reading and additionally easy to return to as a guide is impressive, possibly a feat in craft for books like this. It excites me to remain in stillness. Here's hoping I enjoy myself at InsightLA tomorrow.
January 27, 2009
“Throughout our lives we long to love ourselves more deeply and find a greater sense of connection with others. Our fear of intimacy- both with others and with ourselves-creates feelings of pain and longing…The Buddha described the nature of such a spiritual path as ‘the liberation of the heart, which is love.’
Drawing on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices…the author shows how each of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity- the four “heavenly abodes” of traditional Buddhism.” from book jacket.
Metta means love or loving kindness, and is a powerful thought to send to others. I like the guided meditation practices. “To reteach a thing of its loveliness,” is the essential practice of metta. Desire and attachment are hindrances to metta, while there are also actual enemies: anger, fear, grief, impatience (!!!!), disappointment, rejection, anxiety. The book reminds me how to be compassionate, especially towards those who cause pain. My heart is more radiant and joyful right now.
Drawing on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices…the author shows how each of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity- the four “heavenly abodes” of traditional Buddhism.” from book jacket.
Metta means love or loving kindness, and is a powerful thought to send to others. I like the guided meditation practices. “To reteach a thing of its loveliness,” is the essential practice of metta. Desire and attachment are hindrances to metta, while there are also actual enemies: anger, fear, grief, impatience (!!!!), disappointment, rejection, anxiety. The book reminds me how to be compassionate, especially towards those who cause pain. My heart is more radiant and joyful right now.
October 21, 2014
Salzberg is a queen in the meditation field, and although I own a few of her books, this is the first one I actually read. I was inspired after doing a 4-week meditation series with my yoga teacher who talked about lovingkindness, and I thought--hey, I have a book on that at home! I've started using a pencil to underline and notate my spirituality books--there's too much good stuff I'll miss otherwise. This book got LOTS of underlining...so many beautiful concepts about the need to let go of our expectations of others, to be kind to those who frustrate us, love us, annoy us, and everything in between. Really, the tagline should be: just let others be who they're going to be, and love them anyway. I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it!
June 22, 2017
از کتاب های خوبی که راجع به بودیسم در زمینه مهربانی هستش. نثرش ساده س و خیلی سریع خوندنش به پایان میرسه و مثل آثار خوب در این زمینه، بعد از خوندنش حس خوبی رو بهتون میده. یاد میده که چجوری شاد و مهربان باشین.
The Dalai Lama has said: 'My religion is kindness.' If we all adopted such a stance and embodied it in thought and action, inner and outer peace would be immediate, for in reality they are never not present, only obscured, waiting to be dis-covered. This is the work and the power of lovingkindness, the embrace that allows no separation between self, others, and events - the affirmation and honoring of a core goodness in others and in oneself. The practice of lovingkindness is, in fact, the ground of mindfulness practice, requiring the same nonjudging, nongrasping, nonrejecting orientation toward the present moment, an orientation that invites and makes room for calmness, clarity of mind and heart, and understanding.
The Dalai Lama has said: 'My religion is kindness.' If we all adopted such a stance and embodied it in thought and action, inner and outer peace would be immediate, for in reality they are never not present, only obscured, waiting to be dis-covered. This is the work and the power of lovingkindness, the embrace that allows no separation between self, others, and events - the affirmation and honoring of a core goodness in others and in oneself. The practice of lovingkindness is, in fact, the ground of mindfulness practice, requiring the same nonjudging, nongrasping, nonrejecting orientation toward the present moment, an orientation that invites and makes room for calmness, clarity of mind and heart, and understanding.
July 4, 2018
This is a classic and a must read for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the mindfulness genre.
January 29, 2016
As a relatively inexperienced meditator, I have found this to be a helpful guidebook and will refer to it for exercises. Since this is Buddhism filtered through a Western lens, I sometimes feel like I'm being sort of person who says, "I love the blues. I listen to Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt."
August 8, 2014
Inspiring reading. It has provided me with answers on the questions I had on the practice of metta. My meditation background is mainly on the vipassana technique as taught by S.N. Goenka, which only gives a little place to metta, and had let me a bit confused on the subject. It was interesting to see how the two approaches seem to take paths in opposite directions (different starting points, and different sequence of progress) to get to the same goal.
As another reviewer pointed out, the chapter on generosity is especially inspiring, as it provides very concrete examples on things one can do to live better, even without having to go into intense meditation practice.
For readers (especially westerners I suppose) new to mediation and Buddhist philosophy, I think this book can be a very good primer on what it is all about. It covers all of the essential, told with a soft and gentle voice, with many concrete real-life examples, and little or none of the "technical details". As an example, it is impressive that the author manages to get the essence of Buddhist philosophy across without a single direct reference or explanation on the Four Noble Truths or the Eightfold Noble Path, even though both concepts are impregnated throughout the book as ideas to put in practice...
Will certainly become a book to return to every now and then to refresh my perspective and motivation on the path...
As another reviewer pointed out, the chapter on generosity is especially inspiring, as it provides very concrete examples on things one can do to live better, even without having to go into intense meditation practice.
For readers (especially westerners I suppose) new to mediation and Buddhist philosophy, I think this book can be a very good primer on what it is all about. It covers all of the essential, told with a soft and gentle voice, with many concrete real-life examples, and little or none of the "technical details". As an example, it is impressive that the author manages to get the essence of Buddhist philosophy across without a single direct reference or explanation on the Four Noble Truths or the Eightfold Noble Path, even though both concepts are impregnated throughout the book as ideas to put in practice...
Will certainly become a book to return to every now and then to refresh my perspective and motivation on the path...
July 20, 2021
I am a fan of Shambhala Publications, if you are as interested in the human psychology of mind, matter, and soul as I am. I had heard of ‘metta’ or lovingkindness before. I had been practising it after each meditation session, but then I felt something was lacking. I had been confusing being passive as being kind. I had allowed people to treat me miserably and thought that being quiet means I am compassionate. This book made me realize just how strong lovingkindness is.
To be kind is to not condone harmful actions. If you are truly kind, you will find that there is no difference in being kind to yourself or others. And that is where this book teaches me how to truly apply the concept of metta with love, forgiveness, and courage. Simple exercises, but beautiful, heartlifting ones. Say hi to a kinder me. (Hopefully, and not one who is a doormat)
To be kind is to not condone harmful actions. If you are truly kind, you will find that there is no difference in being kind to yourself or others. And that is where this book teaches me how to truly apply the concept of metta with love, forgiveness, and courage. Simple exercises, but beautiful, heartlifting ones. Say hi to a kinder me. (Hopefully, and not one who is a doormat)
October 29, 2025
My kink is karma
May 16, 2016
This was a good exercise in bearing witness to my own judging mind and my uneasy relationship to the more spiritual aspects of meditation.
I originally started it before reading Full Catastrophe Living, put it down about 1/3 way through for a few months, and then came back to it as I wrap up my 8-week mindfulness workshop.
Whether or not it's a good fit for me, I do think it's interesting to at least have some exposure to the lovingkindness practice while I continue to experiment with making mindfulness and meditation an ongoing part of my life. I also think it's valuable to gain a sense of context for the Eastern spiritual traditions (such as meditation and yoga) that we've imported to the West. While written for Western audiences, this is essentially as much of a beginner's guide to Buddhism as it is a beginner's guide to meditation.
If you're looking for a practical meditation guide, definitely start with Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, which is much more down-to-earth. While this one does contain some exercises, I found them much easier to understand once I had a little practical meditation experience under my belt.
I originally started it before reading Full Catastrophe Living, put it down about 1/3 way through for a few months, and then came back to it as I wrap up my 8-week mindfulness workshop.
Whether or not it's a good fit for me, I do think it's interesting to at least have some exposure to the lovingkindness practice while I continue to experiment with making mindfulness and meditation an ongoing part of my life. I also think it's valuable to gain a sense of context for the Eastern spiritual traditions (such as meditation and yoga) that we've imported to the West. While written for Western audiences, this is essentially as much of a beginner's guide to Buddhism as it is a beginner's guide to meditation.
If you're looking for a practical meditation guide, definitely start with Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, which is much more down-to-earth. While this one does contain some exercises, I found them much easier to understand once I had a little practical meditation experience under my belt.
September 3, 2007
This one is alternately encouraging and overwhelming, with odd exotic anecdotes. It's all about trying to be a kinder, better person - always a bit of a squirm inducing subject, but definitely worth reading about. I've been meditating regularly for a couple of months now and am hoping to wear some happier ruts in my brain. (August 12, 2006)
July 24, 2025
I spent a lot of time with this book- it was more of a workbook with exercises in meditation at the end of each chapter.
Lovingkindness is something I have 100% brought into my day-to-day. Uusually when I’m in the sauna, while swimming, while I can fully immerse myself in time with it. I was talking to a friend about how I’ve recently been feeling so stupid… replaying TikTok videos or gossip in my head when I’m trying to sit still and just relax without my phone or anything else to do. I’m not going to say this fully fixed the problem, but it’s been really really helping.
“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,
A cool breeze in summer, snow in winter—
If your mind is not clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.”
May we all be safe
May we all be happy
May we all be healthy
May we all be comfortable in our skin
Lovingkindness is something I have 100% brought into my day-to-day. Uusually when I’m in the sauna, while swimming, while I can fully immerse myself in time with it. I was talking to a friend about how I’ve recently been feeling so stupid… replaying TikTok videos or gossip in my head when I’m trying to sit still and just relax without my phone or anything else to do. I’m not going to say this fully fixed the problem, but it’s been really really helping.
“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,
A cool breeze in summer, snow in winter—
If your mind is not clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.”
May we all be safe
May we all be happy
May we all be healthy
May we all be comfortable in our skin
March 30, 2022
Really liked this, lots of simple and useful insights into the benefits of Buddhist ideas and how to implement them through meditation. The author is an American, and she spends a lot of time talking about the benefits of Buddhism in everyday Western life which is a perspective I thought was pretty useful. This book is definitely less academic, more anecdotal/self-help, but I still learned a good bit and now I'm a lot more curious about Buddhism.
February 19, 2023
Entering the list of books I reread once a year
May 31, 2023
This book delves into the four Brahma-viharas of Buddhism (lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity), explaining each and teaching the reader how to practice them. If you’re looking for ways to find happiness and peace in the midst of chaos and tumult, this is it. This book has been eye-opening and incredibly meaningful for me. 5 stars.
August 28, 2012
This is in the "Insight Meditation" tradition of Buddhism, and is basically about compassion as a path to more happiness in your life. If you read much of this type of thing, you're going to have a lot of "well, this sounds familiar" moments, and there's nothing wrong with that - they're all going to be dealing with a lot of the same basic teachings. Still, there should be something that's distinctly the author's contribution - personal experiences, stories, personal insights and so on. So I'd give this book four stars ont the basic teachings, since she does a good job of presenting those, but only three on unique contribution - her stories for the most part didn't really contribute much. I can't give the average of three and a half stars, though, so I'll err on the side of generosity - somehow fitting considering the subject matter of the book.
May 18, 2014
Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness was one of those books I had known about for years but just never got around to reading. In holistic education circles this book was a classic and people held the author Sharon Salzberg in high regard. Once I started the book I understood why. There are few books that actually teach the reader how to have compassion and kindness towards ourselves. Salzberg does this in a simple, but beautiful way. I love her meditation, May I be free from danger, May I have mental happiness, May I have physical happiness and May I have ease of well-being. She teaches the reader how to extend these concepts to ourselves first, then out to others. This is one of those beautifully written books I would recommend to everyone who is interested in Buddhist philosophy. It's easy to read, but its insights are deep and meaningful.
May 5, 2010
A profound, yet simple book on practicing "metta," or lovingkindness by Sharon Salzberg, the founder of Insight Meditation Society. We can all benefit from the four ideas of lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, whether or not we choose to meditate. All people deserve our compassionate attention and perhaps those who seem as the least likely candidates, need it the most. The beauty of metta is that as we learn to see ourselves with clarity, we will then move from this center of compassionate acceptance towards truly loving others.
November 30, 2010
This was a wonderful book the foundation of happiness for all of us. Sharon Salzberg has a true gift for putting into words and examples the teachings of the Buddhist path so that it is clear on how they do truly apply to everyday life. I particularly used this book to help me work through a situation where I was so hurt, angry and betrayed by a family member that I couldn't find the place in my heart to feel love. I knew it was there, but I just couldn't access it. Truly, if every human being on earth would read this book and apply the teachings our world would be a very different place.
May 12, 2012
Given to me By a fellow Mitra, Pat, from Missoula. This book was so essential in my Dhyanic breakthroughs, via, the Metta Bhavana. I give it a full 5-STARS (I admit, i am a bit liberal with the stars, i always 'round-up', from 4 1/2 to 5. But truthfully, If the book is a 3, I will Just stop, Not finish it, and find a 5-STAR book. My time and my Intentions, are valuable. My full mindfulness is Priceless. Only 4 and 5 star books are worthy of my mindfulness! Arrogance? You might think so. I think of it as tough Love!
June 17, 2012
This book has a lot of great wisdom in it about how equanimity, morality and lovingkindness all operate together to help us love ourselves and each other a little more deeply. it was a quick read and for those unfamiliar with metta meditation practice, there are some exercises that will guide you at the end of eacch chapter.
June 18, 2017
I love this book. Picked up at a used bookstore at a difficult time in my life and it gave me so much peace and a more positive outlook - it's one of the few books I would call life changing, and I reread it a while ago (a rare distinction usually reserved for my favorite novels!) I can't wait to read her other books!
August 30, 2010
This book is doing more to spread well-being than the many I'v read thus far. Practicing and teaching metta - lovingkindness - is being of incredibly great benefit. Thank you, Sharon Salzberg!
May 10, 2017
Some good moments... but this book took me forever to get through. It was a little too out there (even for me) I would read it before bed to help me fall asleep. Ha!
September 18, 2019
It took me forever to read this because it is not light reading. It is a book to be studied and practiced, with passages underlined and delighted in. I am not a Buddhist, though I do find myself drawn to teachers who are. I bought this book because of the title, and because I am familiar with Sharon Salzberg through the meditation app insight timer. (Which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to begin a meditation practice.)
Who doesn't want to be happy? And yet so often we fail to achieve that. Happiness remains elusive to most people. I have recognized this in my own life, and the fact that my happiness has been dependent on external, impermanent things has been disconcerting and has inspired my search for real meaning and true happiness.
"To be truly happy in this world is a revolutionary act because true happiness depends upon a revolution in ourselves. It is a radical change of view that liberates us so that we know who we are most deeply and can acknowledge our enormous ability to love."
Lovingkindness is a deep practice which begins with lovingkindness (metta) toward oneself. The author gives detailed instructions on the meditative practice of metta, which is a way of blessing one's self, then extending blessings to others. There are specific phrases one can use- "May all beings be happy. May all beings be free of suffering. May all beings know peace. May all beings awaken to the light of their own true nature.(lots of different versions, this is one of them.)"
But the book is much more than instruction in metta. There are Buddhist teachings explained and stories used to illustrate teachings in a practical, relatable manner.
These teachings are simple and easy to grasp for a novice like myself, while inspiring me to further my practice and study. Most books I like to pass on to a friend when I am done, but I am not done with this one. I want to study it more, take more notes, make sure I've learned all it has to teach me.
Who doesn't want to be happy? And yet so often we fail to achieve that. Happiness remains elusive to most people. I have recognized this in my own life, and the fact that my happiness has been dependent on external, impermanent things has been disconcerting and has inspired my search for real meaning and true happiness.
"To be truly happy in this world is a revolutionary act because true happiness depends upon a revolution in ourselves. It is a radical change of view that liberates us so that we know who we are most deeply and can acknowledge our enormous ability to love."
Lovingkindness is a deep practice which begins with lovingkindness (metta) toward oneself. The author gives detailed instructions on the meditative practice of metta, which is a way of blessing one's self, then extending blessings to others. There are specific phrases one can use- "May all beings be happy. May all beings be free of suffering. May all beings know peace. May all beings awaken to the light of their own true nature.(lots of different versions, this is one of them.)"
But the book is much more than instruction in metta. There are Buddhist teachings explained and stories used to illustrate teachings in a practical, relatable manner.
These teachings are simple and easy to grasp for a novice like myself, while inspiring me to further my practice and study. Most books I like to pass on to a friend when I am done, but I am not done with this one. I want to study it more, take more notes, make sure I've learned all it has to teach me.
August 21, 2024
This book is changing my life. I don’t know where I would be without it. It’s such a good guide for people who want to open themselves to love by practicing medication and understanding the buddha teachings. I read with a pencil nearby to underline teachings that really grab at me. My yoga studio prepped me for this book because they follow a lot of these practices but this book is much more comprehensive. Every time I read I feel it chips off a bit of the plaque around my soul and I’m left feeling fresh and filled with love. I cannot speak enough about how this book has helped me. I will treasure it forever.
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