The Wisdom of a Broken Heart: How to Turn the Pain of a Breakup into Healing, Insight, and New Love

I bought this book the LAST time I was heartbroken, and found it incredibly helpful, and now, once again, I'm reading it while in the throes of a broken heart. The thing I like about this book is that the author is one of the only ones (besides Pema Chodron) I've read who writes about heartbreak the way it really IS, without implying that you shouldn't be in so much pain. Most self-help writers say "Yeah, it hurts, but you'll get over it." In this book, the author has humor and compassion for the pain, shares her own experience of heartbreak, doesn't tell us we shouldn't be feeling it, but also makes sure we see the options for walking out of it. That's a pretty fine line to walk: not too coddling, not too stern, not to blaming, and not too sentimental. I also like that the author shares her own stories and others' stories about how it actually FEELS and how we THINK when we're heartbroken, which makes the reader feel not so alone, not so crazy or out of whack. I loved the cornbread example, about how minor things can seem to trigger intense pain after loss. The exercises are profound, usually pretty simple, and unique, getting us to the somatic and soul levels rather than staying in the head, the way many self-help and therapeutic techniques often do. I'm very grateful for this book right now!

This book really taught me a new perspective on emotional pain and relationships. The average person is likely in for some really unique perspectives in this book. If you're heart is broken, sit with this book and understand that healing is hard, and that is what makes healing special. Read this book-you won't regret it.

The book is useful for those going through a break up or going through a loss and needs support to move through the pain. Lots of great stories but also a lot of wisdom that anyone can benefit from even if we are not feeling loss

Susan Piver's book is a loving treatise on the experience of a broken heart - something most of us have had to endure at least once in our lives. She portrays vividly her devastation and the long, sometimes unsteady, climb from inconsolable grief and loss to a place that is centered around loving kindness. Her writing is personal, descriptive and compassionate. She intersperses personal experiences with excellent lessons that teach us to allow the grief and anger to flow through us, be accepted and then released. Most important, the true Wisdom of a Broken Heart demonstrates that even the wrenching experiences we encounter can and will subside when we learn to project loving kindness on ourselves and to the Universe. Those difficult times are lessons that enrich us and prepare us for the love we are intended to experience. I recommend this book with my highest endorsement - even if you're not broken-hearted. It can help you realize that we have an endless supply of love that can be refreshed and given freely. My heart was broken badly not so long ago. This book has been a cornerstone of my healing process. While I've yet to meet the partner I yearn for, I'm absolutely certain that the learnings I've received from my broken heart and through Susan's book will make our lives fulfilling and precious. I can't wait for the opportunity to prove it to the woman I'm sure I'll meet some day!!!

This was revolutionary in my life. I read this book many years ago and I still use the wisdom I found in it on an almost weekly basis, particularly the simple concept of sitting with pain instead of resisting it. This is useful for broken hearts of all kinds, even grief over a death. She provides very real things you can "do" to help yourself, including incredibly powerful meditations (I know, for those of you granola-hating skeptics the idea of meditating on your pain sounds ridiculous and seld-defeating, but trust me on this.) It was also incredible to realize the sublime amount of creative energy being broken hearted unlocks, not to mention the ability to prioritize what really matters in life, or to feel things more deeply and more empathetically than ever before. At the same time she gives you permission to feel that, yes, having a really, really broken heart can be the worst pain imaginable. I was truly a wreck of a person before I found this book, I related to her level of heartbroken self-destruction. I can't recommend it enough, and I do every single time a friend is going through a break up.

It helped me gain a better perspective of my situation and to become more mindful of my emotions and the practice of meditation. A lot of helpful resources in case I want to further investigate. Didn’t really teach me stuff I didn’t already know though.

Susan does a wonderful job with empathy and understanding for that terrible heart-wrenching time when you are grieving the loss of a relationship. Her writing is so comfortable you feel like she is a friend by your side who knows exactly what you are feeling and experiencing. She then manages to gently guide you to see how your broken heart is your friend and not your enemy, and how you can move forward. Beautifully written and so cathartic. Many of the lessons are great anecdotes for just dealing with grief generally. This book helped me, and I've recommended it to friends who it has helped also. A must read for anyone who is experiencing or has experienced heartache, whether it was last week, last month, or last year.

Out of all the 'breakup' books I have read (and I have read a few!) this one is hands down the best! The author probes deeply into the underlying issues and emotions of grief, self image issues and attitudes towards the 'other' that people normally experience when a breakup occurs. The book recommends a deep level of self care, centering, reflection, re-evaluation, and helps people to understand the normalcy of having a wide range of emotions after a breakup as well as has a detailed method for healing and moving on from a Buddhist perspective. (You don't have to become or be Buddhist to benefit from this book)