A fine addition to my meditation library.  Chodron, a nun, talks about why and how we meditate in simple but elegant prose with specific exercises and recommendations.  Lots of echoes of RAIN in different language, but the message is the same—live with lovingkindness towards yourself; open your heart and stop struggling for the life you don’t have; focus on the present moment and its beauty, and you will be better able to deal with the inevitable pain in life and limit the suffering; break through the stories we trap ourselves in and focus on changing your inner self and not the external circumstances.  WE CAN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!  Her five qualities nurtured by meditation are useful:  steadfastness, clear seeing, courage, meeting one’s edge, and NO BIG DEAL.  The concepts of settling and calm abiding are helpful.  All in all, an excellent ‘how to’ book that should be a first read for new meditators as well as experienced ones.