Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature with Sixteen Writers, Healers, Teache [Paperback]

Mark Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 1995

Gay spirituality and sensibility come to light in these pages of striking portraits and trenchant interviews. Thompson brings out the unique contributions of the esteemed gay men – including Will Roscoe, Joseph Kramer, Harry Hay, James Broughton, Andrew Harvey, Paul Monette, Malcolm Boyd, and Ram Dass – who lead the spiritual life.Thompson elicits vivid musings on such provocative issues as the third gender, S&M, ritual as ‘holy fire’, and spirituality in the age of Aids. His interviews call out the deepest emotions of each of these vibrant leaders who reveal, as never before, the spirit and the soul of the gay life.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thompson (Gay Spirit, St. Martin's, 1987) plumbs "the potentialities of otherness" in these compelling interviews with a remarkably diverse, insightful roster of gay men, all of whom ponder and exemplify the spiritual possibilities of the gay experience. At 81, poet and filmmaker James Broughton is yet the imp of the collection, gleefully exhorting readers to revel in "the delicious absurdities of the world." Spiritual activist Ram Dass invites us to understand suffering as grace, to see one's "incarnation as a curriculum." Jungian psychotherapist Robert Hopcke suggests that drag queens embody the trickster archetype in American culture. And anthropologist Will Roscoe sees promise in the Native American berdache tradition of the third cultural gender accepted because he "mediates the divisions and contradictions within the community." Rife with uncommon visions, Gay Soul is an excellent sourcebook of psychical constructions of queerness.
Thomas Tavis, San Francisco P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (May 12, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006251041X
• ISBN-13: 978-0062510419
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A long needed look at Gay Spirituality, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature with Sixteen Writers, Healers, Teache (Paperback)

At long last someone has done a study of gay spirituality! Soul and Spirituality among gay men are increasingly becoming much stronger and deeper as we approach the millenium and the Age of Aquarius. When overcoming difficulties of the modern age such as homophobia and the stigmatisation of the AIDS epidemic, gay men such as myself have started to look inside themselves for the fulfilment that lacks in society, and this book is one of very few available that studies the many different aspects of this new spritiuality. The interview format takes a bit of getting used to at first, but from the start the writing has a conversational style which makes it much easier to read, and more difficult to put down! I would highly recommend this for any gay man seeking to discover his true spirituality in whatever form- it truly is a brilliant book!

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must For Anyone Interested In Understanding Gay Spirituality, December 5, 2009

By 

Mac Tire na Siog (Connemara, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature with Sixteen Writers, Healers, Teache (Paperback)

If you are a gay man who is seeking to broaden your understanding of your own spirituality, if you are any other member of the gay community, or have gay friends or gay relations, then this lovely book is essential reading. I first read Gay Soul a few years ago and have gone back to it repeatedly. It opened doors for me regarding my own role as a gay man who has long sought a context for my unique spiritual expression. Written by men who have years of experience working as healers, teachers, and mediators the book outlines an historical context for gay spirituality as the shaman and the berdache. The writing is gentle, simple and yet profound. In a world where our histories as gay people have been brutally suppressed and denied, Gay Soul goes a long way towards recovery of what has been lost and towards presenting a real alternative to those of us who are deeply moved by nature, healing, shamanism, and other forms of spiritual mediation. It affirms how essential our roles as cross-dressers, taboo-breakers, faeries, and gender-benders are to a healthy social psychology. It is a book which has had such a profound effect on my partner and I, that we keep giving copies to friends and fellow seekers. The interview format means that you can read each chapter independently, yet there is a consistent flow of thought and energy running through all of the interviews. It is a must for all faeries and a voice of clear hope for young gays. Hold on; you are not alone; we have always been here; the magic you feel within you is real; you matter; your contribution is a critical one; the world cannot survive and be healthy without us.

4.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of essays!, November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature with Sixteen Writers, Healers, Teache (Paperback)

This book is a great resource for a gay male looking for viewpoints on sexuality, spirituality, and morality. The various essays included are mostly in interview form, and make it feel that you are "listening" into a conversation. In this indirect eavesdropping, you find a wealth of viewpoints and guidance on issues that have traditionally plagued many gay men -- sex, self-esteem, and sense of purpose in society.