The Five Longings

David Richo has returned to us our very own longings. He shows us how they can reveal what it means to be truly human. Held with discernment and released from the requirement of a specific outcome, longings can be instructive guides on the path. The blind pursuit of more is usually a corrosive fuel, but Richo demonstrates how holding our longings for more can be evolutionary. Paradoxically, we can experience them within us as the riches of enough. Finally, he reminds us that we are longing for what we already have and are: What a liberating discovery! This rich harvest is conveyed with clarity and illustrated with wonderful poetry ranging from Shakespeare and Dickenson to Frost and Lowell. --Joseph Bobrow, Roshi, Ph.D. author of Zen And Psychotherapy: Partners In Liberation David Richo selected a fascinating topic for The Five Longings. He skillfully and beautifully clarifies the often confusing differences between healthy, necessary longings and the painful alleyways of desire and addiction. The book offers both a broad vision of the topic and precise suggestions for handling the powerful energies of longing. -- Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness The Five Longings is a beautifully crafted contemplative journey that leads the reader home to the felt experience of our human heart. In choosing to explore the subject of longing, author David Richo has illuminated a topic that is intimately familiar but rarely understood. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone yearning to live with greater presence and compassion. -Susan Gillis Chapman, author of Five Keys to Mindful Communication