Dimensions
159 x 235 x 51mm
This practical guide to cultivating compassion delivers Buddhist and psychological insight right where we need it most - navigating the difficulties of our daily lives.
Compassion is often seen as a distant, altruistic ideal cultivated by saints, or as an unrealistic response of the naively kind-hearted. Seeing compassion in this way, we lose out on experiencing the transformative potential of one of our most neglected inner resources.
Dr Lorne Ladner rescues compassion from this marginalised view, showing how its practical application in our life can be a powerful force in achieving happiness. Combining the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism and Western psychology, Ladner presents clear, effective practices for cultivating compassion in daily living.
Throughout its history Western psychology has emphasized helping people overcome unhealthy emotional and interpersonal patterns. But it has focused very little of its research or expertise on the cultivation of healthy, positive emotions. While there is new interest in positive psychology beginning within this tradition, Buddhism has already been studying the matter in great detail for 2,500 years.
Drawing from his experience as a longtime Tibetan practitioner and psychologist, Dr Ladner has brought together the Buddhist strategies best suited for helping modern, busy Americans become happier and more content.
While numerous popular books by the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan teachers present these methods from a Buddhist perspective, this is the first book to integrate these techniques with Western therapy. Ladner provides a clear explanation of what healthy compassion is and why it is so essential to our lives.
This synthesis of Buddhist practices and Western psychology is eminently practical, offering engaging and directly applicable wisdom for examining how we live and what we can do to improve the quality of our lives.
