The Five Longings: What We've Always Wanted - and Already Have

Identifying the things you long for can reveal deep truths about yourself. The Five Longings can show you how to work with these desires to live in a happier, more satisfying way.

If you’ve ever had a vague sense that something’s missing from your life, congratulations: That longing for something better is a sign of being fully human, fully alive. But what’s even more wonderful, according to Dave Richo, is that when you identify and carefully examine the things you long for - like love, meaning, freedom, happiness, and growth - you not only discover deep truths about yourself, but you also find that the things you long for were never really “missing” at all. He provides enlightening advice and practices for accessing just this kind of profound self-discovery , illustrated by a wealth of examples from depth psychology, religion, and literature. Our longings in fact point to the presence of something transcendent in us, he shows. In seeking something better, we are seeking that which we already are.