Of the many contemporary books published on the spiritual life, most will pass quietly and quickly from the scene. Those that survive are rooted in the writers' intimate knowledge of the spiritual legacy of the past, on their appreciation of the best spiritual work of our era, and on a willingness to "take over" the wisdom of behavioral psychology and the social sciences. The best and most helpful writings on spirituality are vitalized by the personal experience of the authors. That is what gives this work the aura of authenticity which imparts to the reader the confidence that what is written in its pages has been lived and experienced deeply.