Sharon Salzberg is one of my all time favorite meditation teachers and her books never disappoint. She has a way of breaking things down into bite size, easily digestible pieces where you don’t get overwhelmed and are able to understand what she is teaching. There isn’t any preaching or woo involved. It’s just straightforward mindfulness for personal well-being.

Her newest book Real Change is one more book in her arsenal of self-help books; this one focusing on helping to offer best practices and wisdom on how to foster transformation in both ourselves and in society. This is especially relevant and needed in today’s chaotic world.

With this book, she offers us a way to use mindfulness to recharge ourselves so that we can have the energy and courage to stay active and be part of the better change in the world.

All of what is happening in the world might seem overwhelming, but the author offers us hope and a guide through her words and meditations. Along with the book, she also offers other tools such as online meditation groups, recorded meditations, journaling, and more!

I can’t recommend this book and all her other books enough for getting a road map to a better world that starts with yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have probably read everything written by this author. So my criticism for her writing is unusual. Somehow it just felt disjointed to me. Perhaps her reference to various people and their experiences interrupted the flow of her intention, and thus my concentration. I did like the fact that she concluded every chapter with a meditation related to that theme.

Another classic by Ms. Salzberg! Real Change was the kick in the pants I needed to re-start my meditation practice by reminding me how it facilitates my capacity to be more helpful and generous with others, especially in times of stress.

Free ARC via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this book. I often find great comfort and wisdom in other texts by Buddhist authors, such as Pema Chodron, but this book fell short for me. It was choppy and lacked a coherent overall narrative. I didn't leave with a sense of how to enact real change, and heal myself or the world.

I did appreciate the meditations at the end of each chapter, but the rest really didn't intrigue or engage me. I've read some other books recently on similar themes that were much more impactful and cohesive, and this one just didn't compare.

I am a student of mindfulness so I was thrilled to receive this for review. I was looking forward to studying the techniques i have listened to by the author on podcast. While I was interested in her mindfulness side of this book I found that it has a lot of reference to social activism which for me has nothing to do with leading a peaceful mindful existence. While I enjoyed reading and absorbing her recommendations on mindfulness the remainder of the book i was not interested in. During these trying times I find that the more mindful I can be and focused on self care the better i can cope with more strength for my family and myself. I am not prone to reading or wanting to know about social activism as some are today.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinion is my own . I do recommend this book highly for students of mindfulness.

In this book Sharon Salzberg offers wisdom and guidance for how to maintain a meditation and mindfulness practice amid trauma, grief, anger, and burnout. This book feels very timely and written in response to recent events. She assumes her readers are interested and invested in their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others, and she provides counsel on techniques for preventing burnout and feeling overwhelmed given current national and global circumstances.

I have read other books from Salzberg that were more narrative in tone. She doesn't necessarily follow a clear narrative in this book - instead, she offers some guidance and many anecdotes from activists, academics, researchers, and other leaders she has interviewed. It is clear that the author is also answering these questions for herself as well as for her audience. She is committed to mindfulness and meditation as powerful tools for transformation and grounding. I agree. I would, however, caution that for many people meditation and mindfulness alone will not resolve trauma or grief. They are very useful practices, but may need to be supplemented by medical intervention or work with a licensed counselor or therapist. Salzberg does not suggest that they will - but, I would have appreciated a note or an aside about other ways to address these very serious issues, and that mindfulness and meditation can be used with other methods of healing as well.

Salzberg has brought together many different perspectives from various interviews, and she relies more on these interviews than in past books. This was helpful in illustrating the variety of ways one can feel stressed or overstretched, what that feels like for different people, and how people from many different backgrounds are working to address their own needs while continuing in their activism. I highlighted many portions to return to later. This was an affirming book to read - even at this moment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Sharon Salzberg has again offered us a clear approach to walking the path of mindfulness in a challenging time. Her teachings are relevant and easily approached and assimilated.

Sharon Salzberg has been a voice of sanity and assurance for me during the quarantine and pandemic. launched Real Change on my Kindle app back in early April, and dipped into my free advance copy. Each night for months, reading just a few pages at a time, I found myself reminded of the power of the breath to ground myself deeply in the present moment, to cleanse myself of fear and worry, and to allow the oxygen of hope to wash over me. Along with instructions for practicing mindfulness, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World (published by Flatiron books) is filled with stories of activists and peacemakers who circumvent burnout and battle fatigue by employing mindfulness to replenish their minds, energize their bodies, and spark their spirits as they undertake the missions they’re called to and the visions they’re pursuing to bring about healing, justice, and positive change in the world. This wise, compassionate, and inspiring book deserves a permanent place on any bedside table. I know I’ll be returning to it again and again. You can get your copy on September 1st.

I didn’t quite gather from the title and blurb that this book is designed to be a guide to meditation for social activism. Much of the material is designed to combat burnout and other issues of those actively pursuing social activism. So, very narrowly designed. But, much to take away regardless.

Sharon Salzberg’s Real Change is a guide to using the techniques of mindfulness to support and sustain working towards a more just society. Each chapter addresses an internal roadblock that activists of all levels encounter, and features advice and mindfulness exercises to overcome the hurtle. The result is a hybrid of profiles of inspiring activists and meditation manual that will be helpful to aspirants of either practice.

Ironically, this guide to social action is being published during a time of social inaction and quarantine, but it will still help readers endure this different set of hardships.

This book did not change my life, but I sincerely enjoyed it and it was a calming read. Lovely to read before bedtime, especially after a really engrossing thriller or something like that. I recommend this book!

I've read all of Salzberg's books, as well as attended her lectures and workshops. I feel this is one of the most accessible books she has written. The chapters are arranged organically and at the end of each chapter is a guided meditation, which one can do with eyes open or closed, reading along or not, that pertains to that chapter. It is focused on mindfulness, concentration on one-pointedness, and the possibility of beginning again- in all aspects of life. Also, compassion and empathy, for oneself as well as others- their similarities and differences- are a major portion of the book, with accompanying meditation and contemplation.