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Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life

Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life

Summary

Welcome to a life guided by compassion. This book presents twelve practical steps for how we can bring compassion to the forefront of our lives - creating a happier, better world.

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.

Taking as her starting point the teachings of the great world religions,this book argues that compassion is hardwired into our brains, yet is constantly pushed back by our more primitive instincts for selfishness and survival. 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'.

‘A profound and lucid mixture of philosophy, theology and self-help… A perfect detox for the soul’ The Times

‘Challenging, persuasive self-help book that seeks to distil the very best of religion’ Independent

Reviews

  • A profound and lucid mixture of philosophy, theology and self-help. It's a perfect detox for the soul... Spry, eloquent, pacy.... Armstrong has a knack for grappling with complex ideas in the lightest of ways
    The Times

About the author

Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong is one of the world's leading commentators on religious affairs. She spent seven years as a Roman Catholic nun but left her teaching order in 1969 to read English at St Anne's College, Oxford. In 1982, she became a full-time writer and broadcaster. She is the author of sixteen books and has been awarded with honours and prizes across the globe, including the British Academy's inaugural Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for improving transcultural understanding in 2013.
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