The Rhythm of Compassion: Caring for Self, Connecting with Society

Description

By Gail Straub

“This book addresses the most pressing question of our times: Can we heal ourselves and society simultaneously? God bless Gail Straub for writing this book. We need it to alleviate suffering, to stand for justice—and to do so with grace, love, and a joie de vivre.”
— Elizabeth Lesser, author of “The Seeker’s Guide,” co-founder of Omega Institute

The Rhythm of Compassion addresses one of the central spiritual questions of our time: Can we heal ourselves and society simultaneously? The core premise of this book is that the health of the human psyche and the health of the world are inextricably related, and we cannot truly heal one without healing the other. The book is written to help you balance soul and society, offering a seamless set of values that unites the inner and the outer. You will learn how to integrate your rhythm so that your inner self-care helps you serve the world, and your caring for the world contributes to your soul. This book is for anyone who wants to develop greater compassion: including parents, teachers, business people, social workers, healers, or activists.

Specifically you will learn:

• To answer the ever-present questions: Am I doing enough? How do I find the time to make a contribution to the world?
• To deal with overwhelm, burn out, and compassion fatigue.
• To recognize if you’re lost in the mire of your own wounds.
• The qualities of mature compassion that allow you to balance self-care and contribution.
• To keep your heart open in the face of great suffering–your own, society’s, and the earth’s.
• To be radically present to suffering rather than trying to fix it.
• To serve from effortless generosity rather than moral obligation or shoulds.
• To transform service and stewardship into spiritual practice.

Providing real answers, inspiration, and practical exercises this is a book for those who long to make a difference in the world and search for a way to balance self-care with service to the world. Each chapter contains simple exercises on getting to the root of healing, developing compassion, and putting passion into action–to heal ourselves, others, and the very planet we live on.

What people are saying:

“Gail Straub has written a book that addresses with great insight one of the central spiritual questions of our time—how do we care for others while still caring for ourselves? Her book is a must for everyone seeking answers.”
— Caroline Myss, author, “Anatomy of the Spirit”

“Gail Straub has been a trusted mentor and friend for many years. She and her husband’s Empowerment Training gave me the courage and self-confidence to create the new model for women’s health that has become the basis for my writing and teaching. So it is an honor for me to endorse The Rhythm of Compassion, which embodies Gail’s profound, graceful, and life changing presence and teaching. This book, like Gail herself, can change and improve your life, just as Gail has changed and uplifted mine.”
— Christiane Northrup, M.D., author, “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”

“Gail Straub’s new book The Rhythm of Compassion is an invaluable book for people engaged in some form of social helping–whether it be as teacher or social worker, social change activist or healer. Straub provides tools and insights that will be invaluable for helping us to sustain a long-term commitment to transformation of the world. If you don’t have a spiritual practice that already sustains you, or if the very idea of “spiritual practice” brings up images of political reaction or inwardness unconnected to serving others, read this book and you’ll find a path that can provide balance in your life.”
— Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor, Tikkun magazine; author, “The Politics of Meaning: Restoring Hope and Possibility in an Age of Cynicism”

“Never was the question of the balance of action and contemplation as urgent. Gail Straub has lived the questions she explores here. This book is a thorough exploration of the creative and critical tension between action and contemplation. It is a wonderful achievement of the book to disclose so many of the secret bridges between the inner hemisphere of the soul and the outer world of action. Gail’s touch is sure as she grounds both worlds critically within the overarching world of narrative. An important book rich in story, reflection and suggestions for praxis. The balance she recommends will be crucial in setting the tonality of our new millennium.”
— John O’Donohue, author, “Anam-Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom”

“How many of us have turned away from the ever-present suffering in our troubled world, out of despair and hopelessness about knowing how to help? Gail Straub tackles this issue head-on in this beautiful, wise, and practical book. In showing how our personal well-being is inescapably intertwined with the fate of all beings and the planet as a whole, Gail speaks with a voice of total authenticity, great compassion, and a seasoned understanding of all the challenges, joys, and dangers that one is likely to encounter along the path of service. This book is a guide that can change your life and expand your vision of what you are here for. Highly recommended!”
– John Welwood, author, “Love and Awakening, Journey of the Heart”