THE HOLY LONGING: The Hidden Power of Spiritual Yearning

The longing to know God is probably the most powerful innate force among humans, according to Zweig, a counselor and non-denominational minister. "Perhaps you, too, feel a yearning beneath your other yearnings that gnaws at you, despite the fulfillment of so many desires," she suggests in her preface. Yet Zweig, who specializes in Jungian-based shadow work, also understands the dark side of this holy longing—"the inherent pitfalls that can result when religious yearning goes awry." Unfortunately, this inborn need to commune with the divine can easily be misplaced, causing people to expect spiritual fulfillment from romantic partners or even fall into destructive addictions. She shows how this also causes seekers to become the prey of power-tripping gurus, fanatical religious orders or priest pedophiles. But if it's starting to sound like the "holy longing" is more of a curse than a gift, Zweig assures readers this isn't the case. The longing is our guide, she explains; in many it is our raison d'être. The trick is to stop trying to satiate it, and instead listen to what it is trying to teach us. Zweig devotes her final chapter ("Rekindling the Flame") to specific ways readers can integrate this yearning into their spiritual development, such as using imagery, shadow work, and creative expression. Because her scope is broad, Zweig sometimes becomes tangential. Readers should stay the course; she is a resourceful teacher who offers many tools for living with our "holy longing." (Feb.)