The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife

by Marianne Williamson

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The need for change as we get older—an emotional pressure for one phase of our lives to transition into another—is a human phenomenon, neither male nor female. There simply comes a time in our lives—not fundamentally different from the way puberty separates childhood from adulthood—when it's time for one part of ourselves to die and for something new to be born. The purpose of this book by best-selling author and lecturer Marianne Williamson is to psychologically and spiritually show more reframe this transition so that it leads to a wonderful sense of joy and awakening. In our ability to rethink our lives lies our greatest power to change them. What we have called "middle age" need not be seen as a turning point toward death. It can be viewed as a magical turning point toward life as we've never known it, if we allow ourselves the power of an independent imagination—thought-forms that don't flow in a perfunctory manner from ancient assumptions merely handed down to us, but rather flower into new archetypal images of a humanity just getting started at 45 or 50. What we've learned by that time, from both our failures as well as our successes, tends to have humbled us into purity. When we were young, we had energy but we were clueless about what to do with it. Today, we have less energy, perhaps, but we have far more understanding of what each breath of life is for. And now at last, we have a destiny to fulfill—not a destiny of a life that's simply over, but rather a destiny of a life that is finally truly lived. Midlife is not a crisis; it's a time of rebirth. It's not a time to accept your death; it's a time to accept your life—and to finally, truly live it, as you and you alone know deep in your heart it was meant to be lived.

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7 reviews
More one for folks involved in the Course of Miracles, this is about looking at midlife and deciding to do something rather than giving up and letting life pass you by. As you age you realise that the time to do things is now rather than tomorrow.

Offers some interesting ideas, most of which I've seen before, the prayers were a little introusive into the narrative of the text.
I love the way Marianne Williamson thinks and writes. This book is excellent for helping women reframe the second half of their lives.
Spiritual guru, Marianne Williamson discusses the aging of the baby boom generation and the power and security which can be found in the middle years. I enjoy the fact that she includes specific prayers interspersed in her discussions with regards to grace, growth and forgiveness.
½
This woman possess an inordinate amount of spiritual & everyday wisdom that she is thankfully willing to share.

'"There's little in life more satisfying than the feeling that at last you've taken ownership of yourself. You don't have to be afraid anymore that some part of you- some fractal not yet integrated into your personality- is going to trip you up. You feel at last like you inhabit yourself."
Amazon.com Review:

The need for change as we get older—an emotional pressure for one phase of our lives to transition into another—is a human phenomenon, neither male nor female. There simply comes a time in our lives—not fundamentally different from the way puberty separates childhood from adulthood—when it’s time for one part of ourselves to die and for something new to be born.

The purpose of this book by best-selling author and lecturer Marianne Williamson is to psychologically and spiritually reframe this transition so that it leads to a wonderful sense of joy and awakening.

In our ability to rethink our lives lies our greatest power to change them. What we have called “middle age” need not be seen as a turning point show more toward death. It can be viewed as a magical turning point toward life as we’ve never known it, if we allow ourselves the power of an independent imagination—thought-forms that don’t flow in a perfunctory manner from ancient assumptions merely handed down to us, but rather flower into new archetypal images of a humanity just getting started at 45 or 50.

What we’ve learned by that time, from both our failures as well as our successes, tends to have humbled us into purity. When we were young, we had energy but we were clueless about what to do with it. Today, we have less energy, perhaps, but we have far more understanding of what each breath of life is for. And now at last, we have a destiny to fulfill—not a destiny of a life that’s simply over, but rather a destiny of a life that is finally truly lived.

Midlife is not a crisis; it’s a time of rebirth. It’s not a time to accept your death; it’s a time to accept your life—and to finally, truly live it, as you and you alone know deep in your heart it was meant to be lived.
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104+ Works 6,207 Members
Author and lecturer Marianne Williamson was born in Houston, Texas on July 8, 1952. She attended Pomona College in Claremont California. She has lectured on spirituality and metaphysics for more than a decade and a half and is the founder of the America Renaissance Alliance which is a grass rooots campaign supporting legislation currently before show more Congress to establish a United States Department of Peace. She is also the founder of Project Angel Food, a meals on wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in Los Angeles. Return to Love was one of the best-selling books of 1992 and topped the New York Times bestseller list for 35 weeks. A Woman's Worth (1994) topped the list for 19 weeks. Marianne Williamson has published nine books which included four New York Times #1 bestsellers. She also appears on a weekly radio show on the Oprah & Friends channel of XM Satellite Radio. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
155.66Philosophy & psychologyPsychologyDifferential and developmental psychologyAdultsMid-Life
LCC
HQ1059.4 .W57Social sciencesThe family. Marriage, Women and SexualityThe Family. Marriage. WomenThe family. Marriage. Home
BISAC

Statistics

Members
250
Popularity
129,349
Reviews
5
Rating
½ (3.73)
Languages
5 — Dutch, English, French, Hungarian, Romanian
Media
Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
ISBNs
15
ASINs
3