"We need an internal feeling of abundance to be able to give to others. We need the fulfilling knowledge of our connection to all that lives in order to love others," writes Sharon Salzberg, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society. Using the lessons, anecdotes, and encounters with seers she has accrued over the past 25 years, this accomplished Buddhist teacher unfolds the spirit of meditation, the practice of transformation, and the art of living with wisdom and compassion.

For Salzberg, meditation is a tool that enables us to see more clearly, to cherish the interconnectedness of all living beings, and to incline the mind toward lovingkindness. In her discussion of transformation, she assesses compassion as a verb and empathy as a bridge to those around us in need of help. The final section of this enlightening book contains insights the author has gained from the Dalai Lama; Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the pro-democracy movement in Burma; and Maha Ghosananda, a Cambodian monk. This is a watershed work of Buddhist wisdom.