The Basic Practice

Yearning is the force field of desire that draws us to God. It grows out of our sense of incompleteness and our deep need for something more which we know can only be met by The More. It is characterized by a restlessness in our souls. We desperately want to move beyond the petty wants of the ego and break out of the self-constructed prisons that confine us.

Yearning draws out the mystic inside us as we sense the sacred presence in the world and feel one with all that exists. By attending to this desire, we realize that it also fuels our drive for sexual fulfillment. Yearning reveals the sacramental dimensions of erotic love and makes it one of the most enthralling experiences of life.

Practice yearning by constantly rekindling your desire through seeking, study, and devotion. Notice who and what pulls you. Honor the fluid, boundless, and timeless qualities of this faculty. Allow yourself to reach for fulfillment.

Why This Practice May Be For You

A block to the practice of yearning is being stuck in the status quo, unwilling or unable to move. We may be satisfied with the way things are. But that does not mean that everything is hunky-dory. No, our world is probably too small; we don't realize there is a much bigger one available to us.

We may also stifle our yearning out of fear or a need for stability. We may be too cynical or pessimistic to believe that any life other than the one we are used to is possible. We've seen these same tendencies get in the way of other spiritual practices. The mystics see them, too, and they are not daunted. Come, they say, join us in the ecstatic life.

Daily Cue, Reminder, Vow, Blessing

  • The sight of a flower leaning toward the sun is my cue to practice yearning.
  • When I look at the moon, I am reminded of the great distances that can be traveled on the wings of our desire.
  • Reading a letter from an advocacy organization, I vow to make my yearnings into concrete demands for change.
  • Blessed is the Supreme One who dances with us in our yearning.