A Heart As Wide as the World [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Sharon Salzberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

On this national bestseller, Sharon Salzberg reveals how our own happiness is found in the capacity to open our hearts to others – and shows that this capacity is far more vast than we may ever have thought possible. Through meditation and the practice of lovingkindness, Salzberg shows how we can discover our intimate connection to those around us and to the world as a whole.

Editorial Reviews

Review

     "Sharon Salzberg understands the power of story, skillfully [employing] anecdotes from her own life and others' to enliven Buddhist teachings and to demonstrate their relevance to every aspect of life. Salzberg has written a book brimming with the mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion that she teaches so well." – Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Sharon Salzberg has studied and practiced meditation with Burmese, Indian, and Tibetan teachers for the past 25 years. She is a cofounder of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where she lives and teaches. She is the author of Lovingkindness, A Heart As Wide As the World, and, on audio, Lovingkindness Meditation and A Heart As Wide As the World.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Shambhala Lion Editions; Abridged edition (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570623732
• ISBN-13: 978-1570623738
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,889,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sharon Salzberg has been a student of Buddhism since 1971, and leading meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. She teaches both intensive awareness practice (vipassana or insight meditation) and the profound cultivation of lovingkindness and compassion (the Brahma Viharas). She is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.

Sharon's latest The Kindness Handbook, published by Sounds True, and she has recently begun to blog for the Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com. She is also the author of The Force of Kindness, published by Sounds True; Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, published by Riverhead Books; Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness and A Heart as Wide as the World, both published by Shambhala Publications; and co-author with Joseph Goldstein of Insight Meditation, a Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate (audio), from Sounds True. She has edited Voices of Insight, an anthology of writings by vipassana teachers in the West, also published by Shambhala.

Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. She has played a crucial role in bringing Asian meditation practices to the West. The ancient Buddhist practices of vipassana (mindfulness) and metta (lovingkindness) are the foundations of her work. "Each of us has a genuine capacity for love, forgiveness, wisdom and compassion. Meditation awakens these qualities so that we can discover for ourselves the unique happiness that is our birthright." For more information about Sharon, please visit: www.SharonSalzberg.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful, dharmic and profound book., April 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Heart As Wide As the World, A (Hardcover)

Sharon Salzberg has written a beautiful and profound book about practicing the dharma, living the dharma, and spreading the dharma. She relates wonderful stories of her own experiences, many involving the great spiritual teachers of our day. I was continuously inspired by her writing. I highly recommend this book for anyone who'd like to have an inspiring spiritual book around the house. The best part of the book is that it is written in 1-2 page chapters, each one an immediate hit of pure dharma. So, I can just flip the book open, have a quick read, and come away very happy. A great book, indeed!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Re-Reading, April 30, 2001

By 

Clark Freshman (Miami beach, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Heart as Wide as the World (Paperback)

I read this about a year ago when I first started meditating seriously, and I picked it up again a little while ago -- it's as if the book changed since I last read it. So much more of it resonates with me now, and I'm glad I bought it rather than just checking out from a library. What's very nice about the book is that it's written in nice little essay form -- like little talks -- and one can read them in a few minutes before bed and then sleep nicely thinking -- or perhaps NOT thinking! -- about them.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading again and again, January 3, 2001

By 

"bill_farrell" (San Carlos, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Heart as Wide as the World (Paperback)

Sharon Salzberg is such a capable, warm, and inspiring voice for Western Buddhism. This work beautifully weaves together Buddhist philosophy and practice, reality and practicality, compassion and joy. She fleshes out concepts of meditation and mindfulness using her own experiences, often amusing, without drawing attention to herself. Rather, she is a skilled teacher who guides the student on his/her own journey.

Whether Buddhist or not, beginner mind or monk, most readers will celebrate this work.