Follow the Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life

that even though I haven’t looked at any of the books I’d picked out for this goal, I’ve done lots of other things to learn about compassion. Also, Step 1 is never really going to be done – it’s a lifelong project. Therefore, I’d like to re-read Step 2 this month and set some goals to work on that.

I tried to get tickets to see the Dalai Lama speak here in April, but the site was overwhelmed the second tickets went on sale and they sold out within minutes. The great thing is that I will be able to watch his talks on Upholding Universal Ethics and Compassion in Challenging Times and Cultivating Peace and Justice via live webstream, even though I wasn’t able to get tickets. I will do that as part of this goal.

Well, I read the book, and then I got kind of stalled. I watched a TED Talk about compassion today (Joan Halifax) and that reminded me of this goal. Although this first step is ongoing for life, I’d like to set some concrete goals for it so I can start actively working on the second step and keep this goal more in my consciousness. I want to consciously seek out some new sources in this topic as part of my work on this goal (although I read/ watch this sort of thing all the time anyway.)

Learning about compassion:

Books I’ve read/ Talks I’ve watched

• Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life
• Joan Halifax TED Talk
• Karen Armstrong TED Talk
• Ethics for the New Millennium
• Peace is Every Step
• The Miracle of Mindfulness
• And many, many others on this topic

• Visions of Compassion (Davidson & Harrington eds)
• The Compassionate Mind (Gilbert)
• Strength to Love (MLK)
• The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World (the Dalai Lama)
• The Lost Art of Compassion (Ladner)

Then I will begin work on the second step: look at your own world. I will continue to learn about compassion, of course.

Starting by reading this book!

Then, I’m not sure what’s next. She has a suggested reading list, so I’ll look at that.

It seems Step One will be ongoing, even as I move on, but I’d like to have a period of time where I’m thinking about Step One and really being present with it, so as to be honest with myself about my progress.

For my birthday, I received Karen Armstrong’s book Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. I began reading it today and have been really moved and inspired by it. It will be a lifetime project (at least one lifetime!), but I want to start working through the twelve steps.

The twelve steps reflection of the AA twelve steps is deliberate because Armstrong believes we are addicted to our egotism. She also believes that we can change – and change the world in the process. So do I.

I already have the goal of developing self-compassion (Step 3). I have a feeling I will be “stuck” on this step for a good long time! I may make other sub-goals for the other steps and list them under this goal. I’ll see how this evolves.