Book excerpt: Every century, every, culture has sought the spiritual dimensions of life in particular ways, in language and symbols and lifestyles it could embrace. Across the ages, countless women and men in East and West chose the path of monastic life, either in solitude or in community. One of them was Benedict of Nursia, the sixth-century founder of communal monasticism in the Western world. For Benedict, the spiritual life lay in simply living this life, our daily life, well. He turned the ordinary into an experience of the extraordinary, a union with the sacred in the here and now. His enduring legacy-Benedictine spiritually based on the Rule of Benedict-exists to this day, around the world. The Monastery of the Heart is Joan Chrittister's powerful spiritual guide for all of us who are seeking a more purposeful life today, in this time of social upheavals and global transformations. It is written for seekers of any faith or none-individuals, couples, families, and small groups-who are looking for true meaning while facing seemingly countless options, both spiritual and secular, and are feeling overwhelmed by choices. It builds on the ancient Rule of Benedict to show us new ways of meaningful living in the very center of our own world-without ever withdrawing from it. The Monastery of the Heart is anchored in the Rule, rooted in its values, but attempts to redefine it for seekers today. Fresh in its form and focus, it invites us to become within ourselves monastics of the heart. Book jacket.