Longing as Relational Alchemy

Mirabai's songs overflow with longing—for Krishna, for union, for divine presence. This longing is not despair; it is the fuel of devotion. In Love & Disability, longing is abundant: for bodies that work differently, for relationships that look conventional, for the future that was imagined. This concept asks: what if longing itself becomes the practice? Rather than seeing unmet desires as failures, we can meet them with attention. A disabled person might long for sexual expression their body cannot currently offer, yet discover new forms of intimacy available now. Partners might long for the independence their relationship no longer permits, yet find unexpected presence in interdependence. Mirabai teaches that longing, when held consciously, becomes a bridge to what is possible rather than a wall between self and reality. Longing alchemizes into wisdom, compassion, and deeper love.