Content warning: This section of the guide briefly mentions allegations of sexual assault.

Author Pema Chödrön’s books teach people how to live with loving compassion in a world filled with suffering. Her ideas derive from Buddhism, an ancient religious tradition. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering, that suffering comes from desire, that desire can be transcended through “awakening,” and that awakening is possible by following certain practices, including Meditation.

The Buddha, or “awakened one,” began his life roughly 2,500 years ago as a prince named Siddhartha Gautama in what is today the country of India. Deeply troubled by the suffering in the world, Gautama walked away from his royal life and searched for many years for an answer. Finally, he experienced a transformation of perspective on the nature of reality and human misery. He developed a system to teach others how to achieve this insight. The method consists of eight practices—the Noble Eightfold Path—which includes meditation, mindfulness, restraint in conduct and speech, and other virtues.

The Buddha and his disciples taught and lectured in northern India. A new religion based on their principles emerged and spread throughout the region and, later, into eastern Asia.