At a time of collective anxiety, injustice, and suffering, this book helps us listen with compassion to the pulse of the world and to one another. Beloved meditation teacher Jack Kornfield guides us toward our basic goodness. He encourages us to remember our loving awareness, free ourselves and others from hatred and fear, and pave a path with heart where we all belong. Through stories, poems, and fables, Kornfield shows us that the way to build a wise society within ourselves and for our world is through remembering our interconnectedness. He reminds us to respect the world and ourselves even in the face of the incomprehensible. He invites us to envision a generous world and therefore change it. He guides us to heal our bodies and bring healing to the earth. He teaches us that being of service is an endless source of happiness, and to remember that death also brings rebirth. Accessible, timely, and heartfelt, the book offers a variety of perspectives, from Kornfield’s personal stories and the teachings of the Buddha to poetry from Mary Oliver and timeless legends. Throughout, Kornfield reminds us that the inescapable pain and beauty of our human experience is what can ultimately connect us. “Let yourself be tender with the world,” writes Kornfield, “The world is your lover in a way that almost nothing else is. It's always here. You can go out right now and kiss the earth.”

Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, Burma, and India and has taught worldwide since 1974. He is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practices to the West. He is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and of Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology and has written more than fifteen books, including The Wise Heart, A Path with Heart, and more. He lives in San Rafael, California. For more, visit jackkornfield.com.