* Drawing on a wide range of material - ranging from the spiritual
character of the world religions to the findings of contemporary
neuroscience - Karen Armstrong argues that compassion is hardwired
into our brains, yet is constantly pushed back by our more primitive
instincts for selfishness and survival. Since time immemorial
religion has enhanced our altruistic tendencies: all faiths insist that
the Golden Rule is the test of true spirituality – ‘Always treat others as you wish to be treated yourself’.
* Taking as her starting point the teachings of the great world religions, Karen Armstrong demonstrates in twelve practical steps how we can bring compassion to the forefront of our lives.
These steps both reveal the inadequacies of our knowledge of ourselves
and others and enable us to unlock our potential for understanding,
empathy and altruism that can be translated into acts of kindness and
charity.They culminate in the most radical and challenging of all
religious maxims – love your enemy. 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’.
* 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.
EAN: 9781847921581
Vydavateľstvo: Bodley Head
Autori: Karen Armstrong
Rok vydania: 2011
Jazyk: Anglický