The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife

by Marianne Williamson

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.

 

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Self Help, Inspirational, Health, Audiobook, Psychology

187 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2007

About the author

Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed lecturer, activist, and author with six New York Times bestsellers. Her books include Tears to Triumph, A Return to Love, A Year of Miracles, The Law of Divine Compensation, The Gift of Change, The Age of Miracles, Everyday Grace, A Woman's Worth, Illuminata, and A Course in Weight Loss. She has been a popular guest on television programs such as Oprah and Good Morning America.

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because it really makes you think on what you want to do with the rest of your life. Up to a certain point your life does start when you hit midlife. You view life and the world differently by then. And you don't have much more time left to fool around, you really have to focus on what you truly want and how you want to experience it. Before this age you might have lived the life you needed to live, and not the life you wanted (which is my case), in order lo learn many things. But at this point you are entitled and obliged to live the life you really want to live.

The author gives good advice as to how we should live after we hit the midlife line in our life odometer. You can take it or leave it, but she does have a point. When you hit midlife it's more likely that you already have a different perspective of life due to experience and that you are more mature (which you reach at any age or not at all), so you can totally relate to her own experiences and enjoy her advice. You can even try changing some attitude traits and ideas for your best interest and improvement as human beings. The book is oriented to women, but men wont get hurt if they read it. They might even learn a couple of things and understand what women go through when they reach midlife.

[Rebecca Mordini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading Marianne Williamson all my adult life and just as I go through some new phase, she has just completed that phase and written a warm and loving book to help me through. Like a wise older sister. Is there anything new or life-changing in it? Probably not. Like the Bible, it is not that the ideas are so new, it is that the ideas are so true and have the ability to impact your life in different ways at different times in your life. If you are 20 years old, don't bother to read this book. This book is about what happens when you get to mid-life and it looks so different than you thought it would when you were 20. How to move forward and continue the journey of life with even more love and insight. I found something beautiful and inspiring on almost every page.

[LizG · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the book I was after in Chapters when Ryan diverted me with Ishmael and 2 other recommendations -- Chapters better not lose him as a sales person, I walked out with 4 books when I went in for 1.

I enjoyed this book as a great reminder that life is a journey and all of our experiences add up to make us who we are. Supportive and insightful about a new way to think of mid-life. Hey, I'm barely approaching mid-life and I enjoyed it.

I also told my older, truly mid-life siblings about it. Not only is it a positive way to view the transitions in life, it was a great opportunity to gloat about the fact that I'm still younger than all of them.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like who she tries to blend eastern thought in with all her god talk, it is a little interesting how certain ideas are slightly adapted or changed from their origins in buddhism - such as the meditations of attracting into your life the positive things you want verses the meditations of accepting things. But I still really like the idea that we can become something better through positive thinking because I'm not quiet ready to accept myself the way I am just yet ;) I did find a few gems in here.

[Kevin Orth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read, reframing the process of getting on in years and seeing the treasures, peace, and joy that can be gleaned from the experience.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. I'm not a self-help-book reader (this was passed on to me by a friend, so I felt an obligation to read). I found many things the author said of value. I wasn't able to read it as I do a great piece of non-fiction (where you can't put it down), but I'd read a chapter then may not go back for awhile. As hard as that is to get back into a book when you do that, I was able to pick up some valuable information each time. When you get old (like me), you view the world differently, or at least should, if you want to get rid of the baggage from your past, and move into the future with a sense of calmness throughout all the chaos the world brings. The author has spiritual tones in her book, altho not specifically religious. I found things that gave me validation on what I'm thinking/feeling, as well as enlightenment on things I may not have thought of. It was an easy-read, didn't think it was preachy. Recommend for women of any age...young women (who are open-minded to listening to those who have gone through many facets of life) may find some valuable information on their road thru life to becoming a strong woman.

[Yaaresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard of the author for years, but never read anything by her because she's so closely associated with the "happy, happy, joy, joy" fairy dust and sparkly unicorn crowd Oprah seems to recruit as pop gurus. I respect the hell out of what Oprah has accomplished in life, but there's only so much trademarked and copyrighted sugar-coated woo-woo one person can stand.

Surprisingly, I liked most of what she had to say. Yes, there is some cotton-candy in it, and it is a little self-absorbed in places. I could have done without the praise of motherhood bit and the Christian slant, but those are relatively brief. In its favor, there's some candid discussion about how getting older isn't the big, horrible, devastating deal people want to make it out to be and some prompting about getting on with things rather than living in the land of "what if" and "shoulda."

There's really nothing new here, but I didn't expect there to be. It's more like a good rousing "get over yourself" pep talk...which, sometimes, is just the ticket.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It felt a little rambling to me, but any book that makes me slow down, think, and do something differently as a result of reading it is worth reading. I always feel that way after I read one of her books.

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, a great read by Marianne, and surprisingly helpful to those of us not yet in midlife.

[Drea G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far and away THE best book I have encountered for my personal transformation. I listen to a portion of it almost EVERYDAY!!

[C Heaslip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially interested in passages about forgiveness (parents, ex-spouses).

[Ashley Connolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical and mystical thoughts on mid-life miracles

[Christine Beverly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish... got about 2/3 of the way through and just couldn't handle it once the messaging became contradictory and just a little over the top: apparently, I became a goddess once the hot flashes started...but the constant prayers indicate a Christian bent, so I'm not sure being a goddess is kosher. The many allusions to a text/seminar/? that had informed her lifestyle choices without any way for me to learn about the basics of that text/seminar/? made me feel like the outsider at a party.
Something had been going on and everyone was talking about it, but I lacked the context. And finally, at the point where the author began justifying relationships with many men or notably younger men after writing chapters about how prepared middle aged women are for long term relationships was the point where I just couldn't keep going. Yep...probably not going to try to tackle later either.

[Fred]

From an email I received about this book:

... welcome to Midlife! But don't run away screaming about your "lost" youth or the fear that you're "past your prime." New York Times best-selling author and spiritual activist Marianne Williamson reminds us that now is the time when you can have more fun, more meaning, more passion, and more enlightenment than you could ever imagine. In her new book: The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife, she discusses how!

How would you live if you related to age as a spiritual incline rather than a physical decline? How would you live if you felt full permission from yourself and others to give life all you've got? Would midlife be a time to shut down or a time to get started? Would it be time to give up or a time to claim what you really want? Would it be time to just hang out or time to stop messing around?

Of course, you can age on autopilot if you'd like. But Marianne would challenge you to reach beyond any predetermined formulas you or anyone else may have for what's possible at this time in your life. No matter what did or did not happen in your past, the present remains an endless fount of miraculous opportunities.

As Marianne attests, God works miracles anytime, anywhere, for anyone; the last thing that could slow Him down is the fact that you're older than you used to be.

Marianne Williamson's The Age of Miracles is the first book that has given us a refreshing look at the new midlife—where 40 is the new 30, 50 is the new 40. According to Marianne, baby boomers will not be considered the "lost" generation —but rather the generation that had to lose a decade or two in order to find themselves. Our generation has a lot to answer for, having partied so long and matured so late. Yet now that there is less time left, we're ready at last to show up for it!

In The Age of Miracles, Marianne will open your eyes and help you discover how to:

* Rewrite the script of your life to include more miraculous opportunities
* Pierce the veil of illusion that separates you from the world of infinite possibility
* Get back up after stumbling in a marriage, career, finances, parenting, or addictions
* Release the weight of unprocessed pain and embrace the lightheartedness of a wiser and more humble heart
* Identify more with the spiritual dimension of your life
* Be emotionally and psychologically younger even if you are physically older
* Bring enchantment back into your life
* Allow the pain of personal growth to be a crucible for your spirit
* Take a stand, once and for all, against the enemy and saboteur within you

According to Marianne, midlife doesn't have to feel like a cruise to the end of your life, so much as a cruise, at last, to the meaning of your life.

With A Course of Miracles as her compass, Marianne sprinkles its golden nuggets throughout her wonderful book—The Age of Miracles—as she helps us navigate through our pain and challenges, ultimately uncovering the path to our spiritual journey. She writes, It's important to celebrate your life—it's the one God gave you. If He were leaving you a text message, I think it would say, "Enjoy yourself."

Marianne claims that The Age of Miracles is a time of renewal. Nothing that happened before this moment has any bearing on what's possible now, except that what you learn from it can be fuel for a magnificent future.

With The Age of Miracles, Marianne teaches us how to forgive our past, using its struggles and challenges as catalysts for personal growth. As she reminds us, You may not be able to lift your legs as high in your aerobics class, but you can lift a knowing eyebrow in a way that only comes with years of experience!

The new midlife is a call of the soul not to end our lives but to finally begin them. Not to close our eyes, but to finally see. Start to see more possibilities in your own life when you read Marianne's new book, The Age of Miracles.

[Mary Keen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mainstream religious friend and i got interested in Marianne Williamson when she appeared at the edge of the first Democratic debate. we hadn't heard of her, altho now realize how well-known she is, at least in certain groups.

We each got 2nd hand books, planning to compare impressions. My Overdrive audio hold came thru faster, so i listened, mostly quite unimpressed, altho some good tips re aging, etc.

I did think the final section had some good information, so plan to read that in the book.

I also read a couple of articles about her unusual background and current influences on her life and think someone has written a biography on her.

Overdrive audio @ 1.25

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Midlife is not a crisis; it’s a time of rebirth.”
Marianne Williamson cultivates from the Course in Miracles throughout this book, focusing on what she refers to as the generation of "new midlife," a population that can be well into their 60s. I'm reading this in my early forties and certainly consider myself early midlife. Perhaps we are all in constant transition. All of Marianne's books focus on changing your thoughts in order to love and forgive. Chapter four focuses on forgiveness and it was pivotal for me. The miracle of forgiveness. Harboring grievances, learning to take responsibility in how we handle and interpret them and how we let them go in order to forgive.
The purpose of this book is well described as “to psychologically and spiritually reframe” the transition into midlife “so that it leads to a wonderful sense of joy and awakening.” This book does just that by making the reader/listener review the the past and step into their midlife with the understanding that we need to let go and learn from our youthful pain and failure in order to live fully in our later years. Marianne shares many personal stories in order to drive this point home.
Devotions to God are prominent throughout this book. There are short prayers that are book-ended around meaningful stories and topics. Marianne does a great job bridging life lessons with faith and devotion to God and keeping this all in line with the Course in Miracles. I intend to read again.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to reserve all the audiobooks available by Marianne Williamson at the library after she was recommended to me by an acquaintance. This was the first book to come in, and the first book I have read/listened to of hers. I have known who she is for a long time - I just never got around to reading her work. Anyway, this book is not meant for my age group, and I have about another 5-10 years of aging to do before I am in the target age range. Nonetheless, I felt what she had to say was applicable to my life, and had she not kept mentioning "middle-age" and "living in your 40's, 50's, and 60's," I would have been none the wiser. She speaks of healing our wounds, and how in order to heal our childhood wounds we keep getting into relationships that will force us to examine our past and heal those wounds. She also speaks a lot of forgiveness, of the self and others, and of world peace. The last chapter was not as interesting as the rest of the book, but overall Williamson offered some great insights. This was well worth 4 hours of my time.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

A friend from my yoga teacher training class was clearing out some books and offered this up. It seems to be aimed at women my age, so I took the copy to read.

August 16: Finished this book!

It was good, pretty much what I expected. I'm not one for self-help books--I much prefer novels, something with a plot. This books suffered from what I always dislike about self-help books: they have a good concept, but one that can easily be discussed in 16 pages, which isn't enough to make a book worth selling. But, as I say, this really is my issue with the type of book.

So, simply speaking of this book: it is well-written, clear, on point. But it didn't tell me anything I hadn't already figured out for myself. I think that's why I took so long to finish the book: I kept hoping for an insight that I wasn't already aware of. Perhaps this would better serve a woman who is just starting out on her spiritual journey of being "a woman of a certain age."

I'll be returning this to my friend or giving to the Salvation Army if my friend doesn't want it back.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discovered this book after enjoying an essay of hers in another book. She has a wonderful writing style. More conversational than literary. Once again, I found myself buoyed by her positivity and inspired by her ideas.

Having said that, I'm not the target audience here. I'm probably ten to fifteen years too young for this book at the moment, and I don't connect with the Christian symbolism and language that is sprinkled throughout. Still, I can definitely relate to the conflicting feelings that accompany the passing of early youth. It's like you look up one day, and SURPRISE, you're not twenty-five anymore. I can imagine that surprise only grows. Spending a few days with this book can help remind you remember that it's never too late to live the life you want, to fulfill your goals, and make an impact on the world. Wonderful, important thoughts for us all to keep in mind as the days, and months, and years pass whether we want them to or not.

[Beverly McCall · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my quest to live healthily, I re-read this book by Marianne Williamson and found it more relevant that when I read it the first time. The insight that hit me this time was the fact that life is what we program it to be. When we were created we were coded with what our destiny was to be. Our life’s journey then is the course we take to find out what it is. The most important factor for our success lies with our thought process. Especially, since our thoughts inform our cells which constitute he blueprint for our experiences. Our thoughts are reprogrammable. I liked the inference that lies then with the concept of aging. We can shed the stereotype of aging and have a healthier more active senior life if we concentrate on the right thoughts and exercise our muscles along with our thoughts. Eating a healthy diet is another contributing to factor to that end (healthy active senior years).

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I feel like she is speaking personally to me. As a woman in my 50s, there are so many issues I can relate to: letting go of your children, dealing with wounds from the past, learning how to lean on God, the freedom and excitement of empty nest and "starting a new life", giving myself permission to be excited about my life even though I am "middle age", mentoring others younger than me, and the list goes on......

I love the idea she shares on p. 46:

If there is something about your life you do not like, close your eyes and see yourself living your preferred life. Hold the vision for several seconds and expand into the new mold. Ask God to print it on your subconscious mind.

I love her prayers.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm listening to the audiobook edition of this book. I like it well enough that I ran out and purchased the hardcover edition. It's a relief to find out, after listening to Williamson, I'm not the only one who feels the way I do after having turned an age that is undeniably of the middle variety. This book validates so much of my experience. I'm still waiting for it to reveal something life-changing. Not sure it's coming. I'm a little bummed out by the chapter on romantic love but maybe it bores me because it's not one of my concerns. It might be revelatory to other readers. Definitely a good read for anyone who's past the state of denial that declares, "I'm not middle aged yet!"

[Cher Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I have loved some of her other books, but this one I just liked. As I read, I felt a deep sense of familiarity with most of her messages, and didn't encounter many ideas that were new for me. I'm almost on the other side of the midlife transition and I do a lot of new age reading, so had a feeling of "been there" as I read. However, someone else might find this book fresh and perfect for them. Someone described this book as a bit cheesy, and someone else called it preachy, and it does have a bit of both. I really enjoyed the prayers, and will revisit the book to find the ones that speak to me the most.

[Dayva · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my early fifties, this book could not have come at a more opportune moment. It challenged my very core beliefs about myself, religiously and politically. Ms. Williamson reaches into you and pulls forth thoughts you had in your developing years that are your 'true self'. The ones you were told were fantasy, and useless in getting you to adulthood. It's a shame. We would all be more joyfull and loving had we held to our true identity, instead of what we were told to be. The hope lies in the realization that it is never to late......to grow, to love, to seek a newer world.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about Marianne Williamson. I first blew her off as just another new age, feel good author hooking her star to the self-improvement movement. Later on I had the opportunity to meet her in person where I apparently said something that pissed her off and she was very frosty to me. (I'm still mad at her for embarrassing me in public.) I then saw her speak twice and was very impressed with her message and her delivery. So...this book is both insightful and trite but any clues about how to embrace middle age are welcome!

[Jaime Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been listening to this book while driving and am really enjoying it. You don't have to be "midlife" to get a lot out of it. In fact, twenty and thirty-somethings would get a lot out of it because Marianne talks about "looking back" to your earlier life and learning about yourself. So why not try to learn about yourself while you're younger and stop wasting time angsting and beating yourself up over the things you've done and what life has dealt you.

There is a lot of wisdom packed in here. I really enjoyed it and felt more enriched for having listened to it.

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite frankly, i was disappointed. I was intrigued by a reading by Marianne, of the forward or first chapter where she talked about changing the world. She talked of empowerment in the beginning of the book and at the end, but i found the middle of the book to be off topic (for me). For me there was too much talk about personal attributes. Maybe this says more about me than the book, but that was my experience.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the CD version of this book. I've listened I it several times, most recently in 3/12 I've also given it as a gift. I love the quote that we've added 10 years to our lives but it's not at the end, it's in the middle. That's kind of what it feels like. Marianne explores going deeper during midlife & relaxing into possibilities now that the first half is over. It's a nice assessment.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short book full of quality information. I'm a baby boomer and this has really sealed the deal for me in that I'm fully prepared to take on the next phase of my life. The author definitely knows what she's talking about in terms of the preparation it has taken some of us to fully become adults. I'm glad I read this book and definitely recommend it to anyone interested in preparing for life in general.

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Williamson does an amazing job addressing issues which will affect us all at some point in time. Writing from the perspective of her own middle-age, she explains how mid-life is a time to make real changes and how to see the possibilities in the rest of our life. If you're going through this transition yourself and feeling lost or discouraged, then this book would definitely change your opinion on the potential of the rest of your life.