The Power of Compassion: Stories That Open the Heart, Heal the Soul, and Change the World The Power of Compassion: Stories That Open the Heart, Heal the Soul, and Change the World Hot

The Power of Compassion: Stories That Open the Heart, Heal the Soul, and Change the World
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Format
Number Of Pages, Discs, Etc.
256
Publisher
Date Published
May 01, 2010
ISBN-10
1571746293
ISBN-13
978-1571746290

Compassion is much more than a state of mind. That's because it has the power to move people to act on behalf of others.

Here more than forty, first-person stories by the likes of John F. Kennedy, Jr., Pema Chodron, Barbara Brodsky, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jay Jarvis Masters, Joan Halifax, and Sogyal Rinpoche that demonstrate how compassion can be a dynamic force that achieves concrete consequences. In one story, a monk welcomes a dying child into his home, providing the boy with practical care and a sense of peace during the boy's last nine months of life. In another story, a civil rights protester learns from a cellmate how to find compassion for those she once considered to be the "opposition."

In stories as gripping as they are inspirational, it becomes abundantly clear that intentional acts of kindness are nothing short of life-changing -- and sometimes even world-changing. The writings collected here also prove that while our compassion aids others, it is also a mighty force that opens our own hearts. Pamela Bloom believes compassion is contagious. She has compiled a timely book for times worth changing.

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The Power of Compassion: Stories That Open the Heart, Heal the Soul, and Change the World 2010-12-01 03:00:52 Marta Freundlich
Overall rating 
 
5.0
Style 
 
5.0
Content 
 
5.0
Consciousness 
 
5.0
Marta Freundlich Reviewed by Marta Freundlich    December 01, 2010
Last updated: December 01, 2010
Top 50 Reviewer  -   View all my reviews

We all experience distressful situations in our lives. Usually we want to avoid them or wish they had never happened: rarely do we believe they are a pathway to greater peace and happiness for ourselves and for others. In The Power of Compassion, Pamela Bloom, a practicing Buddhist and Minister shows us that through the transformational power of compassionate acts, every experience can become a vehicle for greater understanding and healing.

Bloom's beautifully compiled and written book, is full of wisdom and profound insights and yet, like all good books, is easy to read. It consists of forty inspirational stories of kindness and love told by the famous and the not so famous. They range from simple acts of compassion to ones dealing with torture and even life and death situations. The more challenging situations are just as compelling to read, as there is nothing gratuitous in the graphic details. They merely serve to further illustrate that by opening our hearts and letting love govern our actions, we are able to heal even the greatest horrors in this world.

Bloom’s book is a gentle introduction to Buddhism for those unfamiliar with its teachings. It is not about doctrines but shows clearly how a deeply reflective understanding of the interconnectedness and the goodness of life, coupled with compassionate action, brings great healing and blessings to the giver too and can be a path to enlightenment. As the Dalai Lama says, "My religion is compassion."

To help us to become more compassionate with others and just as importantly with ourselves, Bloom offers practical help by including several meditations. However, I found that reading this inspiring book is a meditation in itself as it opened my heart. Whether it is read from cover to cover, or used as a daily dip into healing waters, The Power of Compassion will help you to remember that no matter what type of loving-kindness action is taken, what is important, is the purity of intention underlying it, coupled with the understanding that when we serve others, we are truly serving ourselves.





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