In Every Mystical Tradition, saints and poets speak eloquently of the soul's search for the divine, its yearning for the gods, its longing for heaven. This holy longing for something transcendent, something beyond our skin-bound individuality, leads us to sit still, eyes closed, as the splendors of spring pass us by. It urges us to lose ourselves in one another in ecstatic embrace, glimpsing the divine beloved in another human being. It guides us to teachers and priests who offer timeless wisdom and a direction for our devotion. And, if we learn to hold the tension of our yearning, to honor the restlessness of the soul rather than resist it, our holy longing points the way home. In her counseling work with clients from many religious denominations, Dr. Connie Zweig found that this universal yearning -- a secret feeling with many disguises -- lies hidden at the source of our life stories. This obscure object of desire calls us to follow it, and we respond, even unknowingly.

We pursue a romantic union, imagining that it will finally meet our deepest needs. Or we long for the light of god and undertake a demanding religious practice or discipleship, hoping that it will quench our thirst. Or we chase a vision of the ideal home or community, which promises an end to our wandering. In this way, a life story unfolds, invisibly shaped by the object of our longing.