A selection of Merton's finest writing in which he discusses solitude, St John of the Cross, the primitive Carmelite ideal, Christianity and totalitarianism, and the power and meaning of love. The ideas and insight in this book reflect light on contemporary spiritual life.

Much of our spiritual training comes from churches which focus on duty and obedience, with an emphasis on controlling or even ignoring our emotions. Matthew Elliott shows from the scriptures how God is also concerned about the way we feel about things. He has created us to live with and through our emotions. God has clearly laid out what our emotional life can and should look like. Not only that, he has also told us how to work toward this goal. God wants us to be able to live freely in full joy, love and hope - the key ingredients of emotional health. The result of five years' research about the nature of emotions and their function, this popular book gives tools for understanding our emotions and equips us to grow healthy feelings and reject destructive ones.