In this important and thought-provoking work, Karen Armstrong—one of the most original thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world—provides an impassioned and practical guide to helping us make the world a more compassionate place. The twelve steps she suggests begin with “Learn About Compassion,” and close with “Love Your Enemies.” In between, she takes up self-love, mindfulness, suffering, sympathetic joy, the limits of our knowledge of others, and “concern for everybody.” She shares concrete methods to help us cultivate and expand our capacity for compassion, and provides a reading list to encourage us to “hear one another’s narratives.” Armstrong teaches us that becoming a compassionate human being is a lifelong project and a journey filled with rewards.The First Step: Learn About CompassionThe Second Step: Look at Your Own WorldThe Third Step: Compassion for YourselfThe Fourth Step: EmpathyThe Fifth Step: MindfulnessThe Sixth Step: ActionThe Seventh Step: How Little We KnowThe Eighth Step: How Should We Speak to One Another?The Ninth Step: Concern for EverybodyThe Tenth Step: KnowledgeThe Eleventh Step: RecognitionThe Twelfth Step: Love Your Enemies