Be here now. It sounds simplistic, like bumper sticker advice. But how come so many of us have such a difficult time being in the present, whether working, preparing a meal, or making love? Where are we and what are we yearning for? In The Hunger for Ecstasy, Jalaja Bonheim explores what keeps us from living a spiritually fulfilling life. In our natural pursuit of ecstasy-that far-from-sinful state of rapture without which we cannot thrive-we often don't realize what it is we're chasing, and thus end up with shallow attainments: a new pair of shoes, a fast car, a meaningless one-time sexual encounter. In our materially abundant but spiritually starved culture, it's easy to be misguided. Jalaja provides the know-how and the discipline necessary to direct your desire toward that which will best nourish your soul: the divine. Too often living a sacred life has meant checking your spiritual self at the door of the bedroom. Jalaja analyzes the traditional western understanding of the divine, sterile male and encourages you to dispense with conceptions of God that might cause you to feel shameful about your sexuality. In easy-to-understand terms, Jalaja shows how sex indeed is a yearning for the infinite, and she provides practical tips on how to experience beautiful, sacred sex in the context of an ecstatic life. Far from urging casual sex, Bonheim celebrates commitment and encourages you to nurture a long-time relationship, including marriage, while recognizing it doesn't have to last forever to be sacred-nor should you be wondering if it will. With nuggets of wisdom from poets and mystics, and vivid, inspiring anecdotes of real-life spiritual quests, The Hunger for Ecstasy connects you with a legion of people on their own unique journeys to sensual nourishment for the soul. Like any spiritual practice, the practice of ecstasy benefits immeasurably from community support, and Jalaja explores various ways to create ecstatic communion, such as jubilant singing and dancing and gathering in sacred spaces. So go ahead, join Jalaja and others on the path to real, lasting ecstasy. Rid yourself of shame. Embrace your desire. Achieve a mystical sexuality. Because the un-ecstatic life is not worth living, listen to your soul's yearning, then begin your own love affair with the divine, and with life itself.