257: How to Turn Sadness Into a Superpower and Build Emotional Resilience | Susan Cain

Divine Love

Susan Cain discusses the deep-seated human desire for divine love, a theme prevalent in many cultures and religions. She highlights the teachings of Sufism, where the divine is seen as the beloved of the soul, and the importance of embracing longing as a path to spiritual fulfillment 1. This longing, she explains, is a universal truth often overlooked in modern culture.

The longing that you have is the return message. That is the return message from the divine, the longing itself.

--- Susan Cain

Cain emphasizes that this longing is not something to be numbed but embraced as a fundamental part of the human experience.

   

Longing for Eden

Cain also explores the biblical story of Eden, illustrating how the longing for a perfect world is embedded in our emotional DNA. This yearning is mirrored in various religious and secular narratives, from the longing for Zion and Mecca to Dorothy's wish for a place over the rainbow 2. She argues that this longing is a creative and loving impulse that drives us to seek what is good and beautiful.

It's the heart of our creative impulse. It's the thing that's saying, literally, the word longing means, like, to reach for.

--- Susan Cain

Cain believes that understanding and embracing this longing can lead to a more fulfilling life.

   

Longing for Immortality

Cain delves into the concept of longing for immortality, explaining how different traditions interpret this universal desire. Whether it's the psychological wish to return to the womb or the religious aspiration to reunite with the divine, she sees these as different expressions of the same state 3. This longing, she notes, catalyzes our adventures and creative endeavors.

The state of longing for perfect truth, perfect beauty that was unattainable on this earth... was understood to be the thing that catalyzed us to take our adventures in the first place.

--- Susan Cain

Cain suggests that recognizing this longing can profoundly shift our relationship with life's decisions.

   

Love and Meaning

Cain ties the pursuit of love to finding meaning in life, emphasizing that moments of longing, even if painful, are moments of intense love. She discusses how these emotions, while not always joyful, are integral to our experience of love and meaning 4. Embracing these feelings can lead to a richer, more meaningful life.

It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

--- Max Lugavere

Cain concludes that love and meaning are central to living a fulfilling life, urging listeners to share and reflect on these insights.