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The Resource Esalen : America and the religion of no religion, Jeffrey J. Kripal

Esalen : America and the religion of no religion, Jeffrey J. Kripal

Creator
Summary
Esalen has always been on the edge. Famous for its natural hot springs and stunning locale on the face of the Pacific coastline, the institute has long been a world leader in alternative and experiential education. Such luminaries as Henry Miller, Joseph Campbell, Aldous Huxley, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson, and others have gathered there to develop their revolutionary ideas, transformative spiritual practices, and innovative art forms. Jeffrey Kripal here recounts the spectacular history of Esalen and its birth in the American counterculture. Forged in the literary and mythical leanings of the Beat Generation, inspired in the lecture halls of Stanford by radical scholars of comparative religion, the institute was the remarkable brainchild of Michael Murphy and Richard Price. Set against the heady backdrop of California during the revolutionary 1960s, Esalen recounts in fascinating detail how these two maverick thinkers sought to fuse the spiritual revelations of the East with the scientific revolutions of the West, or to combine the very best elements of Zen Buddhism, Western alchemy, and Indian yoga particularly in its Tantric forms into a decidedly utopian vision that rejected the dogmas of conventional religion. In their religion of no religion, the natural world was just as crucial as the spiritual one, science and faith not only commingled but became staunch allies, and the enlightenment of the body through self-enhancement and, yes, free love could lead to the full realization of our development as human beings. Darwin, Tantric sex, cold war physics, psychedelic drugs, golf, and, of course, religion all come into play in a book that can only be described as monumental. Esalen is a prehistory of our nation s current fascination with Eastern religions, our steadily growing acceptance of the supernatural in everyday life and a surprising page-turner
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xiii, 575 pages
Contents
  • Openings : Introduction: on wild facts and altered categories
  • Geographic, historical, and literary orientations (1882-1962)
  • Slate's Hot Springs : homestead, family spa, literary paradise
  • The empowerment of the founders (1950-1960)
  • The professor and the saint : the early inspirations of Michael Murphy
  • Buddhism, breakdown, breakthrough : the early inspirations of Richard Price
  • The outlaw era and the American counterculture (1960-1970)
  • "Totally on fire" : the experience of founding Esalen
  • Mind manifest : psychedelia at early Esalen and beyond
  • Mesmer to Maslow : energy and the Freudian left
  • Perls to Price: consciousness and the gestalt lineage
  • Esalen goes to the city: the San Francisco center
  • On ecstasy, education, and the end of sex : George Leonard and the human potential
  • The serpent spine of spirit and sex : Don Hanlon Johnson and the somatics movement
  • The occult imaginal and Cold War activism (1970-1985)
  • The cosmic womb : Stanislav and Christina Grof and the counsels of spiritual emergence
  • Golf in the kingdom : Plato and Ramakrishna for Republicans
  • Jacob Atabet and the Tantra of physics
  • Superpowers : Cold War psychics and citizen diplomats
  • Sex with the angels : nonlocal mind, UFOs, and an end to ordinary history
  • The Tao of Esalen : the spiritual art and intuitive business of managing emptiness
  • Crisis and the religion of no religion (1985-1993)
  • The religion of no religion : the Donovan era
  • Realizing Darwin's dream : the transformation project and the future of the body
  • Before and after the storm (1993-2006)
  • After the storm : reassessment, disaster, and renewal
  • (In)conclusion
  • The future of the past and the mystical idea of "America."
Isbn
9780226453699
Link
Instance
Label
Esalen : America and the religion of no religion
Title
Esalen
Title remainder
America and the religion of no religion
Statement of responsibility
Jeffrey J. Kripal
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
Esalen has always been on the edge. Famous for its natural hot springs and stunning locale on the face of the Pacific coastline, the institute has long been a world leader in alternative and experiential education. Such luminaries as Henry Miller, Joseph Campbell, Aldous Huxley, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson, and others have gathered there to develop their revolutionary ideas, transformative spiritual practices, and innovative art forms. Jeffrey Kripal here recounts the spectacular history of Esalen and its birth in the American counterculture. Forged in the literary and mythical leanings of the Beat Generation, inspired in the lecture halls of Stanford by radical scholars of comparative religion, the institute was the remarkable brainchild of Michael Murphy and Richard Price. Set against the heady backdrop of California during the revolutionary 1960s, Esalen recounts in fascinating detail how these two maverick thinkers sought to fuse the spiritual revelations of the East with the scientific revolutions of the West, or to combine the very best elements of Zen Buddhism, Western alchemy, and Indian yoga particularly in its Tantric forms into a decidedly utopian vision that rejected the dogmas of conventional religion. In their religion of no religion, the natural world was just as crucial as the spiritual one, science and faith not only commingled but became staunch allies, and the enlightenment of the body through self-enhancement and, yes, free love could lead to the full realization of our development as human beings. Darwin, Tantric sex, cold war physics, psychedelic drugs, golf, and, of course, religion all come into play in a book that can only be described as monumental. Esalen is a prehistory of our nation s current fascination with Eastern religions, our steadily growing acceptance of the supernatural in everyday life and a surprising page-turner
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1962-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Kripal, Jeffrey J.
Dewey number
150.71/179476
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
BL2525
LC item number
.K75 2007
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Esalen Institute
  • Esalen Institute
  • Esalen Institute
  • United States
  • Religion and culture
  • Religion
  • Religion and culture
  • United States
  • New Age
  • Geloofsgemeenschappen
  • Verenigde Staten
  • Kultur
  • Religion
  • USA
  • Geschichte
  • Kultur
  • Religion
  • Spiritualität
  • USA
  • Kultur
  • Religion
  • USA
  • Religion och kultur
Label
Esalen : America and the religion of no religion, Jeffrey J. Kripal
Link
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 521-534) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Openings : Introduction: on wild facts and altered categories -- Geographic, historical, and literary orientations (1882-1962) -- Slate's Hot Springs : homestead, family spa, literary paradise -- The empowerment of the founders (1950-1960) -- The professor and the saint : the early inspirations of Michael Murphy -- Buddhism, breakdown, breakthrough : the early inspirations of Richard Price -- The outlaw era and the American counterculture (1960-1970) -- "Totally on fire" : the experience of founding Esalen -- Mind manifest : psychedelia at early Esalen and beyond -- Mesmer to Maslow : energy and the Freudian left -- Perls to Price: consciousness and the gestalt lineage -- Esalen goes to the city: the San Francisco center -- On ecstasy, education, and the end of sex : George Leonard and the human potential -- The serpent spine of spirit and sex : Don Hanlon Johnson and the somatics movement -- The occult imaginal and Cold War activism (1970-1985) -- The cosmic womb : Stanislav and Christina Grof and the counsels of spiritual emergence -- Golf in the kingdom : Plato and Ramakrishna for Republicans -- Jacob Atabet and the Tantra of physics -- Superpowers : Cold War psychics and citizen diplomats -- Sex with the angels : nonlocal mind, UFOs, and an end to ordinary history -- The Tao of Esalen : the spiritual art and intuitive business of managing emptiness -- Crisis and the religion of no religion (1985-1993) -- The religion of no religion : the Donovan era -- Realizing Darwin's dream : the transformation project and the future of the body -- Before and after the storm (1993-2006) -- After the storm : reassessment, disaster, and renewal -- (In)conclusion -- The future of the past and the mystical idea of "America."
Control code
ocm71552179
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiii, 575 pages
Isbn
9780226453699
Lccn
2006029913
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some color)
System control number
  • (Sirsi) o71552179
  • (OCoLC)71552179
Label
Esalen : America and the religion of no religion, Jeffrey J. Kripal
Link
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 521-534) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Openings : Introduction: on wild facts and altered categories -- Geographic, historical, and literary orientations (1882-1962) -- Slate's Hot Springs : homestead, family spa, literary paradise -- The empowerment of the founders (1950-1960) -- The professor and the saint : the early inspirations of Michael Murphy -- Buddhism, breakdown, breakthrough : the early inspirations of Richard Price -- The outlaw era and the American counterculture (1960-1970) -- "Totally on fire" : the experience of founding Esalen -- Mind manifest : psychedelia at early Esalen and beyond -- Mesmer to Maslow : energy and the Freudian left -- Perls to Price: consciousness and the gestalt lineage -- Esalen goes to the city: the San Francisco center -- On ecstasy, education, and the end of sex : George Leonard and the human potential -- The serpent spine of spirit and sex : Don Hanlon Johnson and the somatics movement -- The occult imaginal and Cold War activism (1970-1985) -- The cosmic womb : Stanislav and Christina Grof and the counsels of spiritual emergence -- Golf in the kingdom : Plato and Ramakrishna for Republicans -- Jacob Atabet and the Tantra of physics -- Superpowers : Cold War psychics and citizen diplomats -- Sex with the angels : nonlocal mind, UFOs, and an end to ordinary history -- The Tao of Esalen : the spiritual art and intuitive business of managing emptiness -- Crisis and the religion of no religion (1985-1993) -- The religion of no religion : the Donovan era -- Realizing Darwin's dream : the transformation project and the future of the body -- Before and after the storm (1993-2006) -- After the storm : reassessment, disaster, and renewal -- (In)conclusion -- The future of the past and the mystical idea of "America."
Control code
ocm71552179
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiii, 575 pages
Isbn
9780226453699
Lccn
2006029913
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some color)
System control number
  • (Sirsi) o71552179
  • (OCoLC)71552179

Subject

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