Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home

By: Toko-pa Turner

Narrated by: Toko-pa Turner

Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's Summary

A 2017 Nautilus Gold Award winner.

Feel like you don’t belong? You’re not alone. The world has never been more connected, yet people are lonelier than ever. Whether we feel unworthy, alienated, or anxious about our place in the world, the absence of belonging is the great silent wound of our times.

Most people think of belonging as a mythical place, and they spend a lifetime searching for it in vain. But what if belonging isn’t a place at all? What if it’s a skill that has been lost or forgotten?

With her signature depth and eloquence, Toko-pa maps a path to belonging from the inside out. Drawing on myth, stories, and dreams, she takes us into the origins of our estrangement, reframing exile as a necessary initiation into authenticity. Then she shares the competencies of belonging: a set of ancestral practices to heal our wounds and restore true belonging to our lives and to the world.

©2017 Toko-pa Turner (P)2018 Toko-pa Turner

Poor quality audio

The author was not taught breath control resulting in a never ending rhythm of gasps and thinly spoken words all held in a malaise like mood that had a depressing affect. Much of the content was interesting but ultimately the author is a fatalist and gives a nod to the incredible harmful new age myth that abuse or trauma are necessary part of one finding ones gifts and paths. To me this represents an unexamined need for certainty of meaning where respect for mystery and the limits of our understanding are a better fit.

Pseudo belonging

I can’t get past how often she puts down ‘friends’ (ie a friend is a lovely singer, but rather than celebrating her own voice, she tears down her friend by calling it sickeningly sweet and fake — one example of many). Some insights, yes, but a lot of vilifying others rather than accepting their faults as human. People can accidentally hurt you, and not be villains.

Less about community and belonging than I wanted, more about dealing with how to feel when people you love disappoint you, and you aren’t ready to forgive them.

Relevant content, flawed delivery

The content of this book is very relevant to the person seeking self knowledge / improvement. The problem with this audio version is not the message, but the messenger. The author/reader gasps quite loudly at the end of every sentence, and it takes away the attention from what she is saying. I was wondering if I had turned a bit too purist on the vocal quality, so I paid attention to the other book I was listening to at that point, one of Harry Potter's books read by Stephen Fry. If I pay close attention to the sound I can manage to hear the moment when he inhales after reading a whole paragraph, but it is soft enough to be ignored. Unfortunately in this book that is not the case (for me). I would suggest to you that (GASP) you'd be better reading the text version (GASP) of this very important material (GASP). At least, listen to a sample to gauge what I'm talking about.

This book will always remain downloaded on my device

Toko-pa’s book has become my bible and her self narrated audio version it’s song.
I cannot rate it high enough through my own inadequate words. And it’s not just for women. I gifted a copy to my neighbor and her husband READ IT FIRST!
Took-pa is tapped into a source you’ll recognize. And her astonishing, beautiful articulation not only lights the way home, but will embolden you to bravely trust that you can find it to too. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Audio needs editing

I didn't listen because the audio needs to be edited. The breathing sounds are a lot.

Inspiring story

I loved this book. The narration was hard for me to follow at times but overall, very moving and eye opening.

Deep nourishment in troubling times

I just finished listening to this absolutely fantastic book by the deeply cherished Toko-pa Turner .
It is hard to put into words what a tender and evocative gift she has woven with her luminous words and delicious voice. For hours I felt myself wrapped and held by her excellent reading, and the topics of belonging, living on this planet at this crucial moment in time, dreaming and most of the depth and breadth that make a life. Such a heartening, fortifying and just plain BEAUTIFUL book. Do yourself a huge favor, let Toko-Pa read to you.....even if you have read the book already, listen to it and blossom into a whole new appreciation of the wisdom and beauty through the tender care of her voice. ❤️❤️❤️

Absolutely love!

This may be one of my favorite, most cherished books of all time. Love her so much, feel so blessed to have experienced this book by having Toko-pa read it to me! Can’t recommend more for healing, root reweaving, and so much more magic!

Marvelous !

This book is a must read and has so much wisdom and knowledge! I loved this book and the messages within it!

Beautiful

Beautiful
I healed from this beautiful narrative. You are one special person. I can't wait to watch more.

Wow

What a woman. What a story. The richness of thought, the sharing of happenings in her own astonishing life, the joining of dots between that and the wider world, wider consciousness. So much to absorb and to reflect upon, I will be listening to it again in the very near future. And then probably again. And again

Great book , poor audio

Wonderful book but the breathiness of the narration is too distracting for me to enjoy it as an audio book.

Horrible narration

My friend recommended this book to me and I was so excited to listen and I can’t get past the first chapter.
I can hear her smacking and breathing and gasping and I’ve never been so distracted by the way somebody speaks.
If you get it narrated professionally it will add immense value to your book, whether you’re narrating to be ‘in touch’ or just to spend less, I don’t know, I don’t care, I just think you should have done it right!

exceptional read.

Loved this book. Will listen again. Applues to me in such a profound way. I found it clarifying and enriching.

Inspiring!

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of non-fiction I have ever read/listened to and appeared at the perfect time for me - Toko-pa’s skill as a writer and storyteller is extraordinary and the poetry of her expression reaches far beyond the page and brings her message alive - a message that the whole world urgently needs to hear!

horrible narration

it is very rare, that the author has a nice voice, or can read beautifully. Unfortunately, Toko-pa keeps drawing breath loudly, and just sighs and breathes into the microphone. Seems like she is fighting for air. It renders the listening experience unbearable, quite impossible. I'll get the physical book , as it seems like a nice one. The narration gave me a headache

Astonishingly excellent

11 hours of the sweetest, most healing and soulful love poetry I’ve heard in this lifetime. Thank you so much for your devotion to this cause. Truly inspiring

Amazing story, let down by recording

Who ever engineered this recording has let down what is an incredibly meaningful book. The recording is really poor. The vocals have not been compressed properly, and the edit it very amateur, with clearly audible background noise. I feel the narrator was set up poorly, making her force a whispered voice instead of feeling able to talk freely to express the book. (Have a listen to her voice on YouTube to compare).

You can hear a lot of breath and lip noises, lots of popping noises with P words which can make for a very distracting experience.

It’s such a shame because the story has a lot of depth and there’s so much to learn about where belonging comes from, and it’s always a treat to be able to hear from the author directly. Just wish she was setup and recorded professionally read the book in a way that it deserves.

Love this book but why is she whispering???

This book has such an important message and is well written but why oh why is the author speaking like this??? It is utterly distracting to listen to this author destroying this book by trying to sound earnest!!! Frustrating!!!

Poetic, thought provoking beauty

I loved this book.
A compelling story of hope and optimism while remaining wholly realistic with all the grit and grime intact.
Poetry that just speaks of beauty isn't beautifully.
This book is.