Review
“Altruistic love should ideally be a permanent state of mind, an unconditional wish that all beings may find happiness and the causes of happiness. It embraces all beings without exception. When altruistic love encounters suffering, it becomes compassion, which springs from the same benevolence, but more specifically wishes that beings may be free from suffering and from the many possible causes of suffering. Paul Gilbert and Choden’s Mindful Compassion is a precious and most welcome contribution toward bringing about a more compassionate society.”
―Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk and author of Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill
“An inspiring book that will be deeply appreciated by many therapists, teachers, and those who come to them for help with their suffering. Gilbert is internationally recognized for his contribution to the understanding and treatment of emotional disorders. His genius is being able to bring compelling theory together with practical application. Choden is widely known as a wonderful teacher, deeply based on his own long practice of mindfulness. In this book they come together to offer us keys that can both unlock our understanding and motivate our practice―showing how mindfulness and compassion realize their deepest potential when cultivated together. A book full of wisdom that will be a wonderful resource for a whole generation.”
―Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford and author of The Mindful Way through Depression and Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World
“This book is a brilliant synthesis of two grand psychological traditions―mindfulness and compassion. In clear, compelling prose, Gilbert and Choden illustrate how the human brain gets us into trouble time and time again. Then, they explain why we need both compassion and mindfulness to liberate ourselves from unnecessary suffering, and they offer elegant exercises to train the mind in those vital human capacities. Wise and hopeful, this landmark contribution to mindfulness literature is a modern reevaluation of human nature and the path to emotional freedom and cultural sanity.”
―Christopher Germer, PhD, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, and coeditor of Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy
“Mindful Compassion is a perfect mix of heart and smart. Gilbert and Choden blend sensibilities from evolutionary science with practices derived from ancient spiritual traditions. Their book offers an alternative to the driven, competitive, and often destructive forces that shape the modern world. Mindful Compassion is soul-soothing science.”
―Kelly G. Wilson, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of Mississippi and coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
“Packed full of useful resources for therapists and coaches, this book is for anyone interested in the links between evolutionary science, compassion, and mindfulness. It is especially of interest to those who wish to know more about Buddhist perspectives on mindfulness.”
―Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap
“The growing interaction between Western psychology and Buddhism has great significance to our contemporary understanding of what leads us to suffer in our lives and what can lead to happiness. In this book, Paul Gilbert and Choden create a rich blend of Buddhist and Western thinking around the importance of compassion at the heart of our lives and our emotional health. They offer invaluable insights into the way our minds creates our reality and how we can wake up to what leads to suffering and what can bring us happiness and peace of mind. Mindful Compassion is an illuminating, readable, and necessary background of Western and Buddhist understanding that will support and deepen the current application of mindfulness. It can also be a valuable resource for anyone wishing to deepen their own personal journey of awakening.”
―Rob Preece, author of The Wisdom of Imperfection and The Courage to Feel
“The wise and powerful lessons contained in this book hold many keys to our liberation from suffering. Reading the kind words of these authors, it feels as though the reader is receiving a direct, personal transmission from learned experts. Grounded in the state of the art of our science and steeped in the wisdom of Buddhist psychology, Mindful Compassion is often the first book I will recommend to people who seek to deepen their personal practice.”
―Dennis Tirch, PhD, adjunct assistant clinical professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and author of The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Overcoming Anxiety
About the Author
Paul Gilbert, PhD, is world-renowned for his work on depression, shame, and self-criticism. He is head of the mental health research unit at the University of Derby and author of The Compassionate Mind and Overcoming Depression.
Choden was a monk for seven years within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Choden (aka Sean McGovern) completed a three-year, three-month retreat in 1997 and has been a practicing Buddhist since 1985. He is originally from South Africa, where he trained as a lawyer and where he learned meditation under the guidance of Rob Nairn, an internationally renowned Buddhist teacher. He is now involved in developing secular mindfulness and compassion programs drawing upon the wisdom and methods of the Buddhist tradition, as well as contemporary insights from psychology and neuroscience. He is an honorary fellow of the University of Aberdeen and teaches on their postgraduate study program in mindfulness (MSc) that is the first of its kind to include compassion in its curriculum.
