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Yearnings (Abridged): Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life Audiobook
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(4.08) - 110 listener ratings
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The host of PBS's Simple Wisdom and The Wisdom of Our Yearnings explores life's most defining human experiences.
A perfect love, enduring happiness, discovering our purpose. Yearning for these experiences accompanies us through life, leading us to both joy and disappointment, and to a powerful vision of who we are, and who we can become. Far from being a burden, our yearnings can themselves become a path to blessing, prompting questions and insights, resulting in new ways of being and believing.
In Yearnings, renowned Rabbi Irwin Kula explores and celebrates seven of our deepest desires. He opens the spiritual toolbox of Jewish wisdom -- it has much to teach about the ambiguities and uncertainties we all encounter -- and takes us on an excursion into our age-old questions, merging ancient wisdom and stories with contemporary examples and insights. Whether it's a woman struggling with a breach in her marriage, a child wondering about the tooth fairy, or Moses yearning for answers in the story of the burning bush, Yearnings offers a broader perspective to enrich our search for meaning.
The practices and insights in this book are based on teachings that have evolved for over three thousand years, as generations have wrestled with the messiness and complexities of the human experience. Rabbi Kula invites us to do the same, urging us to seek answers to our deepest questions, to search for spiritual and personal fulfillment while knowing we will never finally get there, and to celebrate the discoveries we'll make along the way.
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"Love the title of this one and the juxtaposition of sacred and messiness. I found myself marking numerous pages as I explore what faith means to me. Yearnings and Devotion by Dani Shapiro have given me lots to chew on. I'm looking forward to exploring more of what the widsom traditions have to say."
— Jessica (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This wonderful book does what so many like it fail to do: embrace the magic of day-to-day living, the spirituality that can be found in our questions, our mistakes, our passions, and our doubts. Life is indeed messy, but as Irwin Kula shows us, sorting through it is what transforms us to higher ground.”
— Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven -
“Irwin Kula is a masterful teacher. He is passionate about his message and every page shimmers with excitement as he conveys his inner know that ‘you can become all you yearn to manifest’—very readable!”
— Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of Inspiration and The Power of Intention -
“Profound by accessible, challenging but persuasive, rooted in tradition but filled with startling insights, this book will leave you looking at yourself and the world differently. Highly recommended.”
— Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People -
“Passionate, eloquent, personal, and profound, this gem stands out from the crowd. Readers of all backgrounds will find themselves returning to Yearnings again and again as they struggle to deal with life’s everyday practical, ethical, and spiritual challenges.”
— Jeremy D. Safran, PhD, professor and director of clinical psychology, New School for Social Research
Yearnings Listener Reviews
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" I found this book immensely thought-provoking. A book I'm going to want to buy and re-read. I found much of what Kula said hopeful, especially the encouragement to embrace ambiguity and the messiness of life. "
— Katlet, 10/6/2013 -
" So far, I love this book... "
— Shanti, 6/24/2013 -
" Half way done with the book. The Rabbi has insight in how our lives are never perfect but rather in each bad or negative thing that happens in our lives can be also positive. "
— Francine, 1/19/2013 -
" Absolutely beautiful, thought-provoking, world-view altering, and just all around wonderful. "
— Allison, 11/9/2012 -
" Beautiful. Borrowed this, so will have to buy it for myself. "
— Kate, 7/31/2012 -
" I thought this was a really good book. It looked at many sides of life's unanswerable questions. It was refreshing that the book did not offer any absolute answers. It is a very positive and hopeful read. "
— Danny, 3/31/2012 -
" This book provided so much wisdom without ever being too religious/biblical or preachy. Highly recommended for anyone feeling confused, lost, uncertain or seeking. "
— Stacey, 1/31/2012 -
" I am using this as a discussion book for adults at Shir Ami. We are studying it in sections and expect to be finished by April. It has worked well this way but I suspect that on its own, it would be tedious. At various times the class has said "enough". "
— Diana, 8/16/2011 -
" This is one of the many books on my nightstand that I am slowly reading. I tend to read a lot of books at one time. I've been reading this book little by little for years! "
— April, 4/29/2011 -
" Very thoughtful book. "
— Verna, 12/6/2010 -
" An amazing and accessible meditation on life and God. I highly recommend! "
— Lauren, 9/2/2010 -
" This is one of the many books on my nightstand that I am slowly reading. I tend to read a lot of books at one time. I've been reading this book little by little for years! "
— April, 4/3/2010 -
" An amazing and accessible meditation on life and God. I highly recommend! "
— Lauren, 12/3/2008 -
" Half way done with the book. The Rabbi has insight in how our lives are never perfect but rather in each bad or negative thing that happens in our lives can be also positive. "
— Francine, 4/29/2008 -
" I am using this as a discussion book for adults at Shir Ami. We are studying it in sections and expect to be finished by April. It has worked well this way but I suspect that on its own, it would be tedious. At various times the class has said "enough". "
— Diana, 2/16/2008 -
" So far, I love this book... "
— Shanti, 12/21/2007 -
" I found this book immensely thought-provoking. A book I'm going to want to buy and re-read. I found much of what Kula said hopeful, especially the encouragement to embrace ambiguity and the messiness of life. "
— Katlet, 11/10/2007 -
" This book provided so much wisdom without ever being too religious/biblical or preachy. Highly recommended for anyone feeling confused, lost, uncertain or seeking. "
— Stacey, 2/1/2007
About Rabbi Irwin Kula
Rabbi Irwin Kula is an eighth-generation rabbi, nationally known speaker and teacher, and the president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. A repeat guest on Oprah, he is also the host of the public television broadcast The Wisdom of Our Yearnings. He was listed as one of Newsweek’s fifty most influential rabbis. He lives with his wife and daughters in New York City.