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abetterbradley's review
4.0
One of my New Year's resolutions is to delve into spirituality. This is a book about meditation and how a person can start wherever they are and change their outlook.
olivia_piepmeier's review
3.0
I have randomly picked up several Pema Chödrön books at the local used bookstore over the past year. I'm not sure why I decided to start with this one; perhaps because it has "start" in the title?
Up until this point, I've only read one or two books that were very grounded in Buddhism. This book is focused on 50-something Buddhist phrases. Not all of them work for me and that's okay. As I was nearing the end I caught myself thinking about how someone would memorize the phrases, then in the last chapter she talks about how you don't have to do that. The act of reading the book is like rainfall on a hard, dry Earth and perhaps this book softened the ground some.
My main takeaway from this is to let go of the storyline in your head. I think at some point she phrases as just "dropping it." She also reiterates how the pain we may feel at any given time is being felt by many across the world. This idea alone could help us cope with our pain and send some goodness out to others.
Up until this point, I've only read one or two books that were very grounded in Buddhism. This book is focused on 50-something Buddhist phrases. Not all of them work for me and that's okay. As I was nearing the end I caught myself thinking about how someone would memorize the phrases, then in the last chapter she talks about how you don't have to do that. The act of reading the book is like rainfall on a hard, dry Earth and perhaps this book softened the ground some.
My main takeaway from this is to let go of the storyline in your head. I think at some point she phrases as just "dropping it." She also reiterates how the pain we may feel at any given time is being felt by many across the world. This idea alone could help us cope with our pain and send some goodness out to others.
emilyinherhead's review
5.0
I feel like the world would be an infinitely better place if this book were required reading for all humans. "So even at the risk of our own lives, if it's painful, breathe it in and think about all of the other people who are experiencing pain. If it's delightful, give it away and wish for all people to have that delight."
emkotch's review
4.0
The meditation practices detailed in the book were a bit beyond me. However, the underlying messages to get in touch with our emotions, to be grateful, and to live in the now were very powerful to me.
robinlm's review
4.0
I've been reading several books about Buddhism, mindfulness, and meditation recently, and this one gets referenced by other self-kindness books that I've read. Pema Chodron is a Mahayana Buddhist (as opposed to a Theravada Buddhist), so this book definitely sticks to the Mahayana belief system in vocabulary and suggestions for practice.
I think the most important messages in this book aren't the slogans per se, but rather the underlying message of self-love and self-acceptance. The catch, really, is that to change yourself into a compassionate, joyful person, you first have to accept yourself right now, as a potentially angry, grumpy old fart. Unconditionally accept yourself. Not "I'll accept myself once I'm nicer" but "even though I'm a grumpy old fart, I accept myself." After you do that, you can start to change. For some people (like myself), accepting all of your imperfections is something that does not necessarily come naturally.
But this book is a really helpful guide for starting to accept yourself, using compassion, humor, and gentleness. I took quite a bit of wisdom away from this book. I look forward to reading some of Chodron's other works.
I think the most important messages in this book aren't the slogans per se, but rather the underlying message of self-love and self-acceptance. The catch, really, is that to change yourself into a compassionate, joyful person, you first have to accept yourself right now, as a potentially angry, grumpy old fart. Unconditionally accept yourself. Not "I'll accept myself once I'm nicer" but "even though I'm a grumpy old fart, I accept myself." After you do that, you can start to change. For some people (like myself), accepting all of your imperfections is something that does not necessarily come naturally.
But this book is a really helpful guide for starting to accept yourself, using compassion, humor, and gentleness. I took quite a bit of wisdom away from this book. I look forward to reading some of Chodron's other works.
debnanceatreaderbuzz's review
4.0
My notes from Start Where You Are:
Lighten up.
It's all a dream.
Make friends with ourselves.
Start where we are.
Follow our breath.
Label our thoughts. Observe.
Be grateful---all situations teach us.
It's practice.
Whatever you meet unexpectedly, rest in it.
Soft heart.
Abandon hope of change.
Loving-kindness for self, for others.
Patience.
Train whole-heartedly.
Lighten up.
It's all a dream.
Make friends with ourselves.
Start where we are.
Follow our breath.
Label our thoughts. Observe.
Be grateful---all situations teach us.
It's practice.
Whatever you meet unexpectedly, rest in it.
Soft heart.
Abandon hope of change.
Loving-kindness for self, for others.
Patience.
Train whole-heartedly.
bionicjulia's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t always find it easy to follow along as I wasn’t used to Pema Chödrön's use of certain Buddhist terms or her style of language... but it's probably also a sign that I still need a lot of practice in focusing on the here and now! That being said, I persevered to the end because there are some good tips here on how to live life that I feel we should all be reminded of from time to time. They’re not earth-shattering insights, but common sense maxims which we can all put into daily practice to make the world a calmer place. ✌🏻
jennypgh's review
4.0
So I've been a bit frustrated with myself lately. Frustrated with my lack of patience (which has come out of nowhere), frustrated with my easy annoyance with others, frustrated with my temper (also coming out of nowhere) and mostly frustrated with myself for allowing these things to happen. So I found this book and decided it was worth a read. I have zero experience with Buddhism (aside from receiving the occasional mixed drink in a Buddha-shaped cup) and had never heard of Pema Chodron before purchasing this book. I've since bought two other of her books, as I've learned so much from this one.
While she does talk of some Buddhist principle and practices, it's relatively light and easy to follow. Mostly, she discusses how to deal with difficult situations or people and how to remain calm and positive in trying or frustrating spots. She uses 59 proverbs of lojong (a Buddhist mind-training program) as the basis of dealing with these issues. Some of these include:
-Be grateful to everyone. (Even those who frustrate you can teach you a lesson.)
-Always maintain only a joyful mind.
-Don’t talk about injured limbs (Don’t take pleasure contemplating others defects.)
-Don’t ponder others (Don’t take pleasure contemplating others weaknesses.)
-Abandon any hope of fruition. (Don’t get caught up in how you will be in the future, stay in the present moment.)
-Don’t bring things to a painful point — Don’t humiliate others. (This one is my favorite. So simple, yet so often overlooked in life.)
This book will definitely get a second read.
While she does talk of some Buddhist principle and practices, it's relatively light and easy to follow. Mostly, she discusses how to deal with difficult situations or people and how to remain calm and positive in trying or frustrating spots. She uses 59 proverbs of lojong (a Buddhist mind-training program) as the basis of dealing with these issues. Some of these include:
-Be grateful to everyone. (Even those who frustrate you can teach you a lesson.)
-Always maintain only a joyful mind.
-Don’t talk about injured limbs (Don’t take pleasure contemplating others defects.)
-Don’t ponder others (Don’t take pleasure contemplating others weaknesses.)
-Abandon any hope of fruition. (Don’t get caught up in how you will be in the future, stay in the present moment.)
-Don’t bring things to a painful point — Don’t humiliate others. (This one is my favorite. So simple, yet so often overlooked in life.)
This book will definitely get a second read.