Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality Paperback – January 18, 2017

Too hard to keep up with. I love spirituality books and I enjoy self help books. This one was a little too difficult for me to read. I gave it to my father and he agreed. He has a degree in psychology so I thought maybe he could follow the author a little better. But he said it was hard to follow also.

Love it

"Our spiritual yearning to unite deeply with something greater than ourselves can take us to ecstatic, transcendent states of mind. It can lead us to wise teachers and timeless teachings. That is the theme of the first half of this terrific book. But those who stay on the path over time, there comes an inevitable meeting with the shadow. It usually arrives as an encounter with a dark aspect of ourselves or with the dark side of a teacher or institution. This "dark night of the soul" is the subject of Part 2, which serves as a practical guide for disillusioned believers. Dr. Zweig's expertise in shadow-work, as applied to issues like spiritual abuse and crises of faith is a timeless teaching of its own."

"Perhaps you feel a yearning beneath your other yearnings that gnaws at you, despite the fulfillment of so many desires," Dr. Zweig suggests in her preface. This innate need to commune with something beyond ego can easily be misplaced, she says, causing people to expect spiritual fulfillment from romantic partners or even fall into destructive addictions, unconsciously believing that food or alcohol will meet their deepest needs. She also shows how this longing causes seekers to become the prey of power-tripping gurus, fanatical religious orders, or priest pedophiles. But our spiritual aspiration is also revealing our authentic heart's desire. The trick is to stop trying to fix it or satiate it and, instead, to 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."

"As co-author of Romancing the Shadow with Connie Zweig, I know the depth and value of her work. In this book, she applies shadow-work to our relationships with spiritual teachers, communities, and beliefs. She explores our religious aspirations and yearnings and describes what happens when they go awry -- and we suffer betrayal and a crisis of faith. And she guides us back on the path toward the light."

"This profound book reveals the whispering of our souls, the restless wandering and thirst for god, the burning desire for love everlasting. Using her profound understanding of psychology and spirituality, the author weaves together the larger story of the timeless search for the Beloved in divine and human form. Then, using her insight into shadow-work, she focuses on the meaning of the dark night of the soul.A sweeping work."

"If you are a seeker who longs for the light, if you practice yoga and meditation to connect with the divine, if you yearn for a spiritual teacher to meet your deepest needs, then this book is for you. Also, if you have experienced spiritual abuse, if you have felt heartbreak on the path, then this book offers spiritual shadow-work to rekindle the flame of faith."

When i read this book, i discovered the meaning of my lifelong yearning for the divine. And i understood more deeply what took place in my spiritual community and with my teachers. Our longing for god is the voice of our own soul, and this brilliant book shows us how to follow it. Connie Zweig brings the same deep wisdom to this writing as to her other books on the shadow.