This is a deep dive into <i>The Way of the Bodhisattva</i>, with Chodron expounding on each verse. Pretty interesting and inspiring if you already have an interest or background in Buddhism; if not, this probably won't be your cup of tea, as there's not a lot of "story" here. As usual, Chodron has a good writing style and a logical, easy-to-understand way of explaining complex concepts.

A selection from Iphelia.com’s Editor’s Bookshelf review: I initially thought Becoming Bodhisattvas was a novel text written by Chödrön herself, but it’s actually a commentary on The Way of the Bodhisattva, an eighth-century teaching by the Buddhist monk Shantideva. So, I literally stumbled into reading my first long-form Sanskrit verse, and thanks to Chödrön’s careful dissection and annotation of the ten-part text, I made it through—thinking and feeling a great deal along the way.

I appreciate that the book doesn’t assume the reader is Buddhist or considering “converting to Buddhism” (whatever that means). Chödrön speaks to anyone who’s willing to stick with her as she explores what becoming a bodhisattva means, and points out examples of bodhisattvas including Jesus, Mother Teresa, MLK, and Gandhi, who may be more relatable to her Western readers than Shantideva or various monks in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

That said, if you’re at all familiar with the chakras, it’s worth noting that the first four chapters of the book speak to the third eye, which is to say they will have you operating from your headspace. It was not until the fifth chapter, which begins Chödrön’s presentation of Shantideva’s verses on taming the mind (or working with anger), that I was able to drop in and really start feeling nourished by the text. Even then, Shantideva relies heavily on the shock-and-scare language of his time, which Chödrön acknowledges may not be best for Westerners considering we have our own distinct struggles with the material world and relating to our bodies that Shantideva couldn’t possibly have taken into account.

The text also oscillates in its treatment of feelings, expression, and “childishness” or the childlike parts of the self. While I am convicted that “making friends with our feelings” (language Chödrön uses but then seems to renege on), giving them healthy expression (not just trying to meditate them away), and tuning into our child selves (who are sweet, pure, and hopeful, not ignorant and selfish) is of the utmost importance, I’m still unclear on what Chödrön’s insights are in these areas.

Any acknowledgment of all the literature and evidence we have on trauma and abuse is completely lacking in this text, which significantly diminishes its practical value. It’s a powerful inspirational read that definitely does the work of awakening the spirit, inspiring empathy, and encouraging us to surround ourselves with supportive peers and venerable mentors, but like so many religious texts, it’s not something that’s fully-equipped to inform emotional, psychological, or physical healing.

All that said, there are so many beautiful verses and striking insights in this work. Perhaps it’s best approached as something poetic and allegorical—an invitation to know a great deal more about a tradition that goes so far beyond aesthetically appealing Buddha-bust decor.