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by Robin Sharma
The step-by-step guide to bringing more compassion into the world
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong is a guide for developing compassion in ourselves and others. It provides 12 practical steps to cultivate empathy and kindness, and unlock our full potential for love and wisdom.
When you turn on the TV, you’ll find no shortage of horror stories. We see refugees turned away at the border, the brutality of war, starvation and poverty, and an increasing imbalance of power and wealth across the globe. This begs for a counterforce of compassion.
But what do we even mean when we say “compassion”?
Compassion means enduring something with someone. It comes from the Latin word patiri, which means “to suffer, undergo or experience.” When you feel compassion for someone, you essentially feel that person’s pain as if it were your own.
In practice, compassion can be summed up by the Golden Rule, which nearly all faiths share: treat others as you would have them treat you.
It was this principle that motivated philanthropists such as the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, to action. And it is what inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to fight against the oppression of his fellow African Americans and lead the civil rights movement.
If we are to cultivate compassion, then surely it must come from somewhere. But where?
Compassion, as well as its nemesis, selfishness, are hard-wired into our brains.
Our selfishness is rooted in what you might call our “old brain” – that is, the brain functions we share with our reptilian ancestors and which work to ensure our personal survival.
Over millennia we have evolved a “new brain” that coexists with the old one. We can thank this neocortex for our reasoning, reflection and compassion.
The new brain is what causes us to search for meaning rather than simply creature comforts. It’s what inspires our interest in art, religion and fellow humans.
The neocortex, as well as the brain system called the limbic system, is linked to positive emotions, such as joy and maternal affection. As a result, our old and new brains are in constant conflict.
With a firm understanding of compassion, the following blinks will outline the 12 steps that you can start using today to bring compassion into your life.
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is a step-by-step guide to bringing more compassion into the world. It shows you in concrete terms how you can cultivate compassion in your everyday life, and helps you to do your part in making the world a better place.
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (2010) by Karen Armstrong explores the idea of compassion and provides practical steps to cultivate it in our lives. Here's why this book is worth reading:
Compassion can be defined...as an attitude of principled, consistent altruism.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trialBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
What is the main message of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life?
The main message of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is the importance of cultivating compassion in our lives.
How long does it take to read Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life?
The estimated reading time for Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life a good book? Is it worth reading?
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is a valuable read for anyone seeking to bring more compassion into their lives. It offers practical guidance and insights for cultivating a more compassionate mindset.
Who is the author of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life?
The author of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is Karen Armstrong.