Real Love by Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg began teaching meditation and mindfulness in the 1970s and this book, like others of hers, draws on her deep experience as a practitioner and as a meditation teacher.  She shares personal stories and stories shared with her by friends, colleagues and students over the years about how the practice of Loving Kindness has helped people lead happier, healthier lives.  There are step-by-step suggestions for how to practice Loving Kindness meditation. My favorite story offered in the book is that, after practicing loving kindness meditation for a week and feeling as though it had no benefit, Sharon dropped something and her inner voice said, “You are such a klutz”, bu then it added, “but I love you anyway”.  If you take nothing away from this book but this small way to be kinder to yourself, it will have been worth it (though the book is packed with gems like this)!