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em_ham's review against another edition
4.0
There's so much in this book; I'd probably do well to reread it once in a while for the rest of my life. The choices Pema Chödrön describes around how to react to people, events and thoughts seem impossible to make - we're so stuck in automatic, reactive mode. This book made me realise what a valuable use of time meditation is...
I'm not very knowledgeable about Buddhism and actually put this book down halfway through before restarting it over a year later. Sometimes the concepts felt pretty alien and complicated, but now I'm glad I learnt about them, and from a writer with such a warm, humorous voice. Still, I'd recommend Start Where You Are to people who have already learnt how to meditate and have some basic awareness of Buddhist ideas.
I'm not very knowledgeable about Buddhism and actually put this book down halfway through before restarting it over a year later. Sometimes the concepts felt pretty alien and complicated, but now I'm glad I learnt about them, and from a writer with such a warm, humorous voice. Still, I'd recommend Start Where You Are to people who have already learnt how to meditate and have some basic awareness of Buddhist ideas.
abbythompson's review
5.0
"Abandon all hope of fruition. Give up all hope. Give up. Give." Just a short paraphrase from this amazing author and book. Transcribed from one of Pema Chodron's lecture series, START WHERE YOU ARE, is an accessible, deceptively simple guide to living a compassionate life. Using examples from her own life, other stories and thoughtful metaphors, Chodron provides a map for starting where you are today and creating a more loving and compassionate life.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is a caregiver, body worker, yoga teacher or works with any healing modality. The message of connecting with other people is too important to be missed, and Chodron's wise words will uplift even the grumpiest curmudgeon.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is a caregiver, body worker, yoga teacher or works with any healing modality. The message of connecting with other people is too important to be missed, and Chodron's wise words will uplift even the grumpiest curmudgeon.
delapatent's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
Not a beginner book. Dense and challenging
constantreader82's review
5.0
I just finished this. Already know I'm going to reread it multiple times. This was my first book by Pema. The title says it all. I've been confused and left feeling like I just can't grasp a lot of teachings before. This was delightful and I think I just might have a shot. Her tone and relatability is a welcome reminder that we are all human. With the same feelings.
I took a photo of page 1. The line that snapped my head up in understanding is, " You can feel like the world's most hopeless basket case, but that feeling is your wealth, not something to be thrown out or improved upon."
I took a photo of page 1. The line that snapped my head up in understanding is, " You can feel like the world's most hopeless basket case, but that feeling is your wealth, not something to be thrown out or improved upon."
lauralauralaura's review
5.0
In the continued theme of 2018 and 2019, I keep finding the teacher I need.
“The Buddha within is bad and good coexisting, evil and purity coexisting; the Buddha within is not just all the nice stuff. The Buddha within is messy as well as clean. The Buddha within is really sordid as well as wholesome - yucky, smelly, repulsive as well as the opposite: they coexist.”
“The Buddha within is bad and good coexisting, evil and purity coexisting; the Buddha within is not just all the nice stuff. The Buddha within is messy as well as clean. The Buddha within is really sordid as well as wholesome - yucky, smelly, repulsive as well as the opposite: they coexist.”