Yearnings

Rabbi Irwin Kula argues that desire need not pull us off the spiritual path. When we take the time to understand our longings, they can serve as doorways to self-discovery and may open onto a broader sense of God or a larger reality. Kula also contends that facing our most painful or forbidden wants, instead of suppressing them, can deepen our capacity to love and help us live more fully.

The Biblical writers did not portray flawless people. Their characters wrestle with yearnings for success, love, sex and happiness, and Kula reads these stories closely alongside teachings from other spiritual traditions. He also draws on his own desires and those of everyday people, using these examples to show how longing can be understood rather than feared.

At the heart of the book is the idea that the more we allow ourselves to grow, the less likely we are to fall apart, and that the more fully we engage with our desires, the richer life becomes. The book won the Books for a Better Life Award and was named one of the ten best spiritual books of 2006 by Spirituality and Health magazine.