The Holy Longing: The Hidden Power of Spiritual Yearning

by Zweig, Connie

• ISBN13: 9781591810179
• ISBN10: 1591810175
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

Many of our feelings of desire and disappointment can be traced back to our yearning to know God. This longing can be a powerful positive force. We need to understand our desire and begin to listen to it to turn it into an opportunity for greater spiritual development.

Author Biography

Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a Jungian-oriented therapist and non-denominational minister in Los Angeles

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE: My Longing for the Light: A Meditation on Up	1	(16)
PART I BEFORE THE FALL
A GUIDE FOR FAITHFUL BELIEVERS	17	(108)
CHAPTER 1. The Holy Longing	19	(26)
Awakening to Holy Longing	26	(5)
God Longs for Us as We Long for God	31	(5)
The Inner Marriage: A Story of Holy Longing in the Sufi Poet Rumi	36	(9)
CHAPTER 2. Longing for God: The Hidden Object of Desire	45	(24)
The Changing God-Image: Involution or Down	48	(10)
The Changing God-Image: Evolution or Up	58	(5)
The Inner Marriage: A Story of Holy Longing in the Hindu Master Ramakrishna	63	(6)
CHAPTER 3. Longing for the Human Beloved: The Search for Romantic Union	69	(22)
Beloved as Parent: The Psychology of Love	74	(5)
Beloved as God: The Archetypes of Love	79	(5)
The Inner Marriage: A Story of Holy Longing in the Sufi Lovers Majnun and Layla	84	(7)
CHAPTER 4. Longing for the Divine Human: The Searchfor Spiritual Communion	91	(34)
Priest or Teacher as Parent: The Psychology of Spirituality	94	(11)
Priest or Teacher as God: The Archetypes of Spirituality	105	(10)
Priest or Teacher as Divine Human: The Teacher-Student Relationship	115	(2)
The Inner Marriage: A Story of Holy Longing in the Christian Saint Catherine of Siena	117	(8)
PART II AFTER THE FALL
A GUIDE FOR DISILLUSIONED BELIEVERS	125	(100)
CHAPTER 5. Meeting Spiritual Shadow: Darkness on the Path	127	(50)
Encountering the Spiritual Other: The Breakdown of Communion	132	(17)
The Consequences of Spiritual Abuse	149	(5)
Uncovering Patterns of Abuse	154	(10)
Who Is Susceptible to Spiritual Abuse?	164	(6)
Meeting the Shadow of Addiction	170	(3)
Death and Transcendence	173	(4)
MIDLOGUE: My Longing for the Dark: A Meditation on Down	177	(48)
CHAPTER 6. Rekindling the Flame: Shadow-Work for Spiritual Abuse and Disillusionment	183	(42)
Communal Shadow-Work	185	(7)
Separating from a Teacher and Imago Dei	192	(3)
Reclaiming the Light	195	(2)
Reclaiming Independent Thinking	197	(4)
Reclaiming Authentic Feeling	201	(2)
Reclaiming the Body	203	(3)
Reclaiming Action on Our Own Behalf	206	(3)
Reclaiming Images of the Divine	209	(12)
Finding Our Spiritual Myths	221	(4)
EPILOGUE: Creativity as Practice	225	(6)
INDEX	231