Includes bibliographical references (p. 197-205) and index.

Introduction: The spiritual search today -- Part I: The marriage of eros and grace -- Eros : naming and claiming life's energies -- Grace : receiving God's blessings and favors -- Discovering our God of passion and extravagance -- A spirituality of eros : praying for our heart's desire -- Part II: The body's romance with eros -- Eros in everyday life : sensuality, emotions, sexuality -- Benefits of the body : storehouse of wisdom and energy -- Befriending the body : lovely, limited, holy -- The eros of pleasure : pathway to presence and gratitude -- Part III: Unexpected pathways of eros -- Eros of hope : uninvited envoy from another world -- Eros of suffering : energy to resist and to accept -- Eros of anger : resource for social transformation -- Eros of compassion : passion's bridge to justice -- Part IV: The rhythms of eros -- Presence and absence : honoring light and darkness -- Holding on and letting go : learning the rules of engagement -- Feasting and fasting : nourishing the spirit -- Shadows of eros : vital energy gone astray -- Conclusion: The eros of the gift.