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The American Soul Rush: Esalen and the Rise of Spiritual Privilege (Qualitative Studies in Religion, 3) Hardcover – January 1, 2012

by Marion Goldman (Author)
3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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Yoga. Humanistic Psychology. Meditation. Holistic Healing. These practices are commonplace today. Yet before the early 1960s they were atypical options for most people outside of the upper class or small groups of educated spiritual seekers.

Esalen Institute, a retreat for spiritual and personal growth in Big Sur, California, played a pioneering role in popularizing quests for self-transformation and personalized spirituality. This “soul rush” spread quickly throughout the United States as the Institute made ordinary people aware of hundreds of ways to select, combine, and revise their beliefs about the sacred and to explore diverse mystical experiences. Millions of Americans now identify themselves as spiritual, not religious, because Esalen paved the way for them to explore spirituality without affiliating with established denominations

The American Soul Rush explores the concept of spiritual privilege and Esalen’s foundational influence on the growth and spread of diverse spiritual practices that affirm individuals’ self-worth and possibilities for positive personal change. The book also describes the people, narratives, and relationships at the Institute that produced persistent, almost accidental inequalities in order to illuminate the ways that gender is central to religion and spirituality in most contexts.

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  1. Part of series
    Qualitative Studies in Religion
  2. Print length
    219 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    NYU Press
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 2012
  6. Dimensions
    6.36 x 0.78 x 9.15 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0814732879
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0814732878
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"With a particular focus on the exclusion of women and working-class participants, Goldman successfully illuminates the gap between the Esalen ideal and the actuality of spiritual democracy. Resisting the urge to romanticize or caustically dismiss Esalen and its inclusive bricolage spirituality, Goldman has produced a meticulously researched and accessible text that is recommended for classes on American religion, sociology of religion, and new religious movements." ― Religious Studies Review

"Goldman's study is the first book to take a hard look at how issues of social class and male chauvinism have influenced the governance and direction of this seminal institution....Goldman's greatest contribution in The American Soul Rush is to remind us that it is not a coincidence that wealthy enclaves like Marin County have become meccas for seekers interested in Buddhist meditation and other techniques designed to foster 'higher consciousness." ― San Francisco Chronicle

"This book is a useful introduction to these issues and to the work of Walter Truett Anderson, who created archival resources on which Goldman depends...Recommended [for] lower-division undergraduates and above, [and] general readers." ― CHOICE

"Based on careful and thorough research of archival files, oral accounts, legal and financial records, and unpublished manuscripts, newspaper and magazine articles, field notes, and scholarly writing, American Soul Rushis an important addition to the Qualitative Studies in Religion series as well as our understanding of Esalen specifically....For students of American religion and culture as well as unaffiliated spiritual seekers curious about their contemporary roots, Goldman's book is a must read." -- Linda Sargent Wood,Nova Religio

"Finally, a reliable, insightful, and very entertaining revelation of goings on at the front of California spirituality." -- Rodney Stark, Co-Director, Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University

"Sure to become a standard work on the evolution of Esalen and the spiritual counterculture of North America in the decades following World War II. Goldman demonstrates clearly the influence of Esalen and its participants far beyond Big Sur. -" -- Douglas Cowan, Renison University College, Waterloo, Ontario

"Goldman conducted in-depth interviews with former Esalen participants and founders.." ― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Marion Goldman is Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Oregon. Her many books include Passionate Journeys: Why Successful Women Joined a Cult.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ NYU Press (January 1, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 219 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0814732879
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0814732878
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.36 x 0.78 x 9.15 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

About the author

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Marion S. Goldman

Marion S. Goldman

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I believe that scholarship should be interesting and accessible to readers both within and outside of universities. My books reflect my longstanding interest in personal and social transformation, collective behavior, and minority religions.

All of my books are grounded in historical research, intensive interviewing and participant observation. They offer sociological surprises that I hope will deepen and widen everyone’s understandings of both cultural patterns and their own lives.

My book, Passionate Journeys, explores the lives of Rajneeshees in Central Oregon and provides insights and understandings that humanize the sensationalized events in the early 1980s. The Spiritual Virtuoso: Personal Faith and Social Transformation continues to examine how religious commitment motivates people to work for personal and social change.

Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Roger Carlson
2.0 out of 5 stars Esalen is bad because it was founded by men who were not ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
The author of this book is not a credible source of information about Esalen. By her own admission, her "research" consisted of dropping into a few workshops and sitting in the lodge. She was not an objective observer and she filters everything she saw through her own political blinders. From her limited point of view, Esalen is bad because it was founded by men who were not poor. Her descriptions of historical aspects of Esalen are simply paraphrased recountings of descriptions in other, better books. She seems to know nothing about the past 20 years of Esalen. The worst thing about her book is the many factual errors. If she cannot be trusted to get names and dates correct, why trust her on anything more important? Anyone who wants an accurate account of Esalen should read the book Esalen by Kripal.
3 people found this helpful
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Bernard W. Martin
3.0 out of 5 stars The idea was tough to follow.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
The challenges were difficult to sort out. I had a great respect for Michael Murphy's section, his book on the Golf Kingdom. The book was put together and some editing would have made the story more convincing.
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Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
Goldman's book gave me an insider's view of what was going on inside Esalen - with her stories and narratives - but analyzed the growth of the Institute from a critical perspective. I appreciated her focus on women at the Institute - how they were powerful forces of change, but did not necessarily have the same spiritual privilege as some of the male founding members.

Esalen has grown and changed over the years, and Goldman provides a solid understanding of where Esalen started from, especially in regards to the shaping and reshaping of gender roles.

Goldman's book is easy to understand and well-researched, and her evidence is rooted in the community itself. I like that. The stories about Dick and Michael were funny and interesting, and gave me a better understanding of the Esalen community.
2 people found this helpful
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K.D.
2.0 out of 5 stars Goldman provides many fascinating details about the Esalen's history but ...
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
Goldman provides many fascinating details about the Esalen's history but fails to bring the book's narrative together in a compelling way.
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John R. Sumser
2.0 out of 5 stars An Empty Vessal
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2013
Without the author blurb on the jacket, I would have assumed the book was written by a journalist; it reads as if the author has no knowledge of or interest in either sociology or religion. Esalen is, I believe, an important institution to understand if one is to grasp contemporary American spirituality but this book will not help in gaining that understanding. The value of sociology, in my view, is that events, trends, or institutions are placed in contemporary social-structural contexts and Goldman fails to do that. I am very surprised that a press as good as NYU published this book. I give it two stars only because it could serve as a source of information about "Michael," "Dick," and all the other sui generis creators of Esalen for someone able to write a more serious book.
One person found this helpful
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avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2016
Fascinating read!
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gooddar
5.0 out of 5 stars Great intellectual reading
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2014
This book captures essential element of current society . For those familiar with the Eslan movement its even more interesting. Be sure to read it! Marion Goldman is a wonderful writer.
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BayArea
5.0 out of 5 stars Insight into Esalen's influence .....
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2012
I have lived in the Bay Area for decades, attended lectures by Esalen's leaders, taken yoga, and meditated. Before reading this book, I never connected the dots between the Institute and American spirituality. Goldman does not offer a complete picture of Esalen because she focuses on its wider impact. Some of the academic language is a little rocky, but it's definitely worth the trek.

Highly recommended!!
2 people found this helpful
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