Broken Open

How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

By: Elizabeth Lesser

Narrated by: Susan Denaker

Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller

This inspiring guide to healing and growth illuminates the richness and potential of every life, even in the face of loss and adversity.In the more than 25 years since she co-founded Omega Institute - now the world’s largest center for spiritual retreat and personal growth - Elizabeth Lesser has been an intimate witness to the ways in which people weather change and transition. In a beautifully crafted blend of moving stories, humorous insights, practical guidance, and personal memoir, she offers tools to help us make the choice we all face in times of challenge: Will we be broken down and defeated, or broken open and transformed?

Lesser shares tales of ordinary people who have risen from the ashes of illness, divorce, loss of a job or a loved one - stronger, wiser, and more in touch with their purpose and passion. And she draws on the world’s great spiritual and psychological traditions to support us as we too learn to break open and blossom into who we were meant to be.

©2004 Villard (P)2008 Random House

The most inspiring book

This book can really really change your spiritual path . Well done
So inspiring
I am forever grateful .

Good content; ok narrator

Elizabeth Lesser's framing of how we can learn from bad experiences should be required reading for everyone in their 20's. We'd all ignore it perhaps, but maybe some of it would stick as we mature and grow. If you have never considered what your "take-aways" or lessons learned are from really bad experiences, then read this book. Even if you understand this at your core, then read this book. I enjoy the framework that she uses especially in the last portion of the book to talk about what is possible. The parts that I didn't enjoy about listening to the book were twofold. I felt as if the narrator was talking in too "airy-fairy" a voice and was sing-songy. It made the text sound preachy and I don't think that was Lesser's intent. She seemed to modulate herself about halfway through the book, or maybe I just numbed out to the irritation because I wanted to get through the content.
The second thing that I didn't appreciated as much was the metaphor of a hero's journey that Lesser applied to her own life. I think she was trying to apply perhaps, some objectivity? But I think it came off as seeming smug or not really taking accountability for the harm she inflicted on others. Calling her extra-marital affair a journey with her "Shaman Lover", I thought was a bit affected. Come on Ms. Lesser, you cheated on your husband- simply put. Your other descriptions of what it was, were very well written and you did accept accountability, but I felt put off by some of the labels that didn't seem quite as useful as the rest of your writing.
Having said ALL of that, I still recommend reading the book, but this may be one that is better read than listened to.

I am listening to this yet again, pen in hand.

Lovely to listen to these stories and words of transition and transformations for the timing and agelessness of wisdom. Classic!

inspiring

I was confused with the death in session at first but once you fully immerse yourself into her lesson it comes together at the end understanding the Phoenix process and why death and creation is connected

Excellent Read! :-)

I absolutely loved it and there was an aha moment in every chapter. A must read for anyone struggling with issues such as trying understand one's purpose, making sense of loss, behaviours,etc. The story is beautifully narrated and sensitively written.

Struck in the gut!

Thank you Elizabeth for such storytelling and reminder after reminder of how we can all be broken open. Much needed and much appreciated during this time of my life. Parts that took my breath away. Highly recommend.

Horrible narrator

I love this book and print, and referred it to several people who are going through difficult time. I thought I'd relisten to it on audible, to pass my driving time. And the narration is completely awful I can't even sit through it. She sounds so forced fake, I find myself getting distracted by how horrible her narration is.

So thankful to have found this

A friend referred me to this book as I mentioned I’d be going to a retreat at Omega Institute. It couldn’t have found me at a better time and was exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my journey.

Great book!

I loved this book. It is well written and well performed. I enjoyed all of the stories about the human experience and I liked the explanations at the end about meditation, psychotherapy and prayer

Superb.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes

What was one of the most memorable moments of Broken Open?

It hits the right note at the right time

Which scene was your favorite?

The opening passage about children in part two.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

Bon Courage ~ Stay strong

Any additional comments?

Loved it!