Customer Reviews

The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I first flipped through it, I thought there was not much to this book - not just because of al the empty space. I have read it several times by now and what I started to like most about this book is just picking it up, at any time, opening it to a random page and to read a few lines. The book might not seem profound, but like focusing on the breath, it has a grounding effect. Plenty of other books on the shelve to learn about Buddhism - this one shows, very simply, how to live Buddhism. Thanks Jack.

This book is short yet profound. No wasted words. Each phrase is a short lesson to meditate on, full of meaning. There are modern quotes as well as ancient. A favorite was by Ben Franklin: "Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame". I was attracted to this book by its brevity and the resonance of the words.

Jack Kornfield has the voice of a deeply aware human being. It is extraordinary because you do not tire of hearing it. He exemplifies kindness. He demonstrates love. His compassion leaps off the page and into your heart. Energy is transmitted from the author to the reader in a very intentional and direct way.

The uniqueness of The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace is not so much in the message, but more in the artful way that the message is organized and presented. Kornfield is highly selective about his choice of material. He is very deliberate about the slow and mindful pace that it is relayed. And he is masterful at communicating in a cohesive, well honed way. The end result is a powerful and persuasive reading experience.

The spiritual reviewer (a/k/a Karen Bentley) gives this book an overall score of 8.5 on a scale of 10, which is very high and designates this book as a "classic." This book is a pleasure to read and a pleasure to recommend.

This is a spiritual chocolate truffle - you probably won't find profound enlightenment or to learn anything you don't already know, but a great book to pick up when you need a few moments of grounding and reconnection. It includes many wonderful quotes (my personal favorite was Mark Twain's: "My life has been filled with terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.")

I like best the definition of "to forgive" - to let go of hope of a different past.

Don't look for Buddhism in this book, at least not the Buddhism that can be contained in the mind. But you'll find great, simple wisdom that clearly shows that Buddhism in only one source of great wisdom.

This is a book to read slowly when you're at your lowest point -like after the death of a loved one. Many, many simple reminders that we hold peace in our hearts, even when our fear, anger, greed, and ignorance hide it.

Jack Kornfield has written a small book that packs a powerful and inpirational punch. Forgiveness, lovingkindess and peace are three attributes that lead to a happy life.

The 3 attributes are explained through stories and quotes from people like the Buddha, Benjamin Franklin and Nelson Mandela. And at the conclusion of the writings on each of the attributes are meditations.

One comment on peace from Kornfield's book that really hit home with me was, "Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control. We can love and care for others but we cannot possess our children, lovers, family, or friends. We can assist them, pray for them, and wish them well, yet in the end their happiness and suffering depend on their thoughts and actions, not on our wishes."

The older I become the simpler life seems. I've read Jack's work, though I haven't read this book yet. I'm fortunate to live in a community very close to the lovely San Geronimo vallery where Spirit Rock Meditation Center is located. I see Jack quite regularly standing with friends on a San Anselmo street corner Saturdays, offering witness of his commitment to peace and justice. The times I've heard him speak at Spirit Rock and elsewhere I was deeply touched by his simple humanity.

Learning to forgive, to treat others in our lives with loving kindness, as we cultivate peace...what more is there to realize in this human journey? There will always be what a teacher of mine once called "cookies for the mind." Jack offers something far more profound as he supports us in coming to each moment with our hearts open. This is what I hope to do with the remaining years of my life. It is comforting to share the journey with others who understand what is truly important. Jack Kornfield is surely one of them. Thank you Jack for sharing with us the wisdom you've come to.

Jack Kornfield is one teacher who undeniably lives in my head. I first read this book over twelve hours of flying across country on three planes, and for one of the few times in my life, I looked up when finishing the book and felt disoriented! What? You mean, it's over? I wanted to keep on flying so I could find hidden pages and read some more! I wanted to read it again, front to back!

That's how good this book is. One needn't be a Zen student to "get" what Kornfield is talking about. Making nimble use of marvelous quotes and his own unique wit and humor, Kornfield offers beautiful meditations on the cornerstones of any worthwhile spiritual practice. He is an author/mentor who always inspires and provokes me. I hope to meet him one day, but for now I delight in knowing he is among us, keeping the Yak butter lamps burning.

--Robert McDowell, The Poetry Mentor (www.robertmcdowell.net), is the bestselling author of POETRY AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (July, 2008) from Free Press.

I purchased this book for my very busy daughter but read most of it prior to giving it to her. It was an easy read, written in brief chapters allowing spots to stop and ponder. It provided a different approach to viewing forgiveness which was most worth while. I found it helpful & hope my daughter does as well.