The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Marianne Williamson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2008

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 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.

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'I consider Marianne to be one of our most profound teachers of transformational wisdom' - Dr Wayne W. Dyer"

About the Author

Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed lecturer and the best-selling author of A Return to Love, The Healing of America, A Woman’s Worth, and Illuminata, among other works. Williamson has done extensive charitable organizing throughout the country in service to people with life-challenging illnesses (she founded Project Angel Food in Los Angeles); and is the founder of The Peace Alliance, a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to fostering a culture of peace.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hay House; Unabridged edition (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401917216
• ISBN-13: 978-1401917210
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > Books on CD > Reference
  • #74 in Books > Books on CD > Nonfiction
  • #98 in Books > Books on CD > Religion & Spirituality > General

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

121 of 127 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thoughtful and Memorable Perspective on Conscious Aging, January 14, 2008

By 

O. Brown "Ms. O. Khannah-Brown" (Twopeas, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife (Hardcover)

*****

The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife describes a refreshing way to approach midlife, not viewing midlife through glasses emphasizing decline and loss, but through a framework of endless possibility, wisdom, an embracing of and creation of new meaning, a turning towards life, a realization of the limitlessness of God, a forgiving of the past, a reimagination of relationships, and being one with the world around us.

Although this book is grounded in A Course in Miracles (as are all of Marianne Williamson's books), it is spiritual rather than religious and appropriate for readers of all spiritual and religious backgrounds. The book is not about ACIM per se, but about aging; there indeed are other books that can be read to find out more about ACIM. This work consists of Marianne Williamson's thoughtful musings on how to age well from a practical and spiritual point of view.

The book is peppered throughout with beautiful short prayers written by the author. The chapters cover the author's thoughts on the losses versus the gains of aging, family of origin issues, healing from childhood wounds, coping with regret, emotional baggage and more. The book describes how to fan into flames our passions, dreams, and inner fire that may seem to be ashes and cinders but is buried under "accumulated burdens and disappointments" by the time we hit midlife---and can be revived. How do we re-enchant ourselves with a new vision at this time of our lives?

Here is a quote that sums up the theme of this book: "Midlife today is a second puberty of sorts. The experience, including its length, is being redefined. It is a period distinctly unlike youth, yet distinctly unlike old age. It doesn't feel like a cruise to the end of our lives so much as a cruise, at last, to the meaning of our lives."

If reading the above excites you and sounds intriguing, you'll love the book as I did.

Highly recommended.

*****

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, January 20, 2008

By 

An Avid Book Lover (Okemos, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife (Hardcover)

I bought both the book and the CD series of this. I have only done that a handful of times.

However, Marianne's writing is so engaging that I wanted to read it. I love listening to her while driving as well as I resonate with her voice and her way of expressing herself.

For me, my life only gets better as I age. The early years were actually rougher for me than getting older. But, for those of you struggling with mid-life, this book will give you a very positive perspective on the whole thing and may be just the ticket if you're feeling down.

I find it very validating of thoughts and feelings I've had - and she puts things in a way that I never would have myself that I can really relate to.

Enjoy!

59 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Self-indulgent and depressing, May 31, 2008

By 

Savonna Blackwell "dogeared" (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife (Hardcover)

I was so excited when I heard about this book, having just turned 50 and looking for some positive inspiration. Although I'm generally a fan of Marianne Williamson's books, this one was sadly disappointing. She seems focused on grieving the loss of her youth, beauty & energy in most of the book which I found depressing. Then she reverts to the same thoughts & prayers we've heard in all her previous work to try to reassure herself. Nothing new, uplifting or inspiring here. I returned the book before finishing it & got my money back-which I can now use to buy some rope to hang myself! (just kidding, but really, I did not like this book)