Title: Guide to Spiritual L. A.: The Irreverent, the Awake & the True
Author: Catherine Auman
Genre: Travel, Spirituality
Book Blurb:
Los Angeles is the World Center of Spiritual Awakening
Los Angeles has long been known for its cultural diversity, and this new book by 4-time author Catherine Auman reveals a surprisingly rich and wide-ranging spiritual history that goes far beyond the stereotypical “new age” image evoked when most people think about the City of Angels.
Easy-to-read, the book is packed with stunning colorful photos of the many locations connected with the spiritual movements, gurus, cults, authors, preachers and teachers who originated in L.A. Auman’s latest work unveils a side of the city previously unknown even to most Angelenos.
Would you like to learn why Hollywood is considered a spiritual vortex? Did you know that the entire Pentecostal movement was born when the front porch of a little house in Echo Park collapsed in 1906? Or that one of the men who founded Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was expelled for dabbling in the occult? Rich with detail and birthed from years of research, this book manages to both inform and entertain the reader, page by page.
Guide to Spiritual L.A. isn’t just educational or entertaining, it makes you want to get out and tour. Auman’s book is peppered with city trips as well as Day Trips: tours of the various sites of spiritual significance located across L. A. and even as far as the Desert, Santa Barbara, Ojai and the Southland. Readers can get lost in L.A.’s spiritual history for an hour, a day, or a weekend. Take your time, Los Angeles isn’t going anywhere. Sit back in your favorite chair or head out on the road, spiritual L.A. awaits.
Buy this book NOW and learn why L.A. is the Spiritual Capital of the World.
My Review:
The first thing that strikes you when you open this book is the gorgeous photography. This book really takes one back to the fantastic days of coffee table books with the big pictures. I own a lighthouse one but if you are interested in a different source of light, this book might work on your coffee table.
The author takes the reader on a tour of Los Angeles unlike any of the other ones that people take. Set in a format that will be familiar to someone who has toured the stars’ homes or one of the big cemeteries. This book gives important visitor-centered info - how to get to a spot, where to park, is the parking free, etc..
If you are someone who either follows an Eastern-based spiritual path or is intrigued by the conceivable peace that comes with that kind of journey, this book could be for you. The author has done a tremendous job of covering every aspect of LA spirituality in an informative way. My personal interests lean more towards the Ultimate Baseball Roadtrip, but if you want to tour places of spirituality buy this book. A LA tour unlike any you have thought about before which makes this book unique!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Catherine Auman's distinguished 30+ year career in psychology has included working in virtually all aspects of mental heath: private practice, psychiatric hospitals, chemical dependency treatment centers, residential treatment, and consulting nationally with mental health facilities. She was previously Director of Behavioral Health Services at Glendale Memorial Hospital, Redlands Community Hospital, and the Alpha Recovery Center. She taught psychology and counseling at JFK University, the University of Phoenix, and The Chicago School for Professional Psychology. Catherine received her M.A. in Psychology from Antioch University in 1983, her license as a Marriage and Family Therapist in 1993 (30784), and she is a Certified NLP Practitioner. In 2011, she was elected by her peers to the State Board of her professional organization CAMFT. Catherine has frequently appeared as a mental health expert on the national TV show Extra. Her writings have been published in journals, magazines, and books in the US, Finland, and Norway. She has a BA in Literature and a Certificate in Creative Writing from Berkeley City College. Catherine began her search early. During childhood and adolescence she read widely in mythology, literature and philosophy. She began studying meditation and yoga in 1972, astrology in 1980, and entered a graduate Transpersonal (spiritual) Psychology program in 1983. Along the way she has explored a wide variety of spiritual and personal growth paths including Eastern religions, women's spirituality, 12-step programs, entheogens, massage and bodywork. She became a sanyassin of Osho in 1985 and was given the name Ma Dhyan Shaida ("intoxicated with love"). Catherine lived in India at the Osho Commune in 1999-2000 where she studied tantra and meditation. She has had the great fortune to sit with many Awakened Beings including Gangaji, Eli Jaxon-bear, John de Ruiter, and others.
Social Media Links:
Website https://catherineauman.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/catherineaumanlmft
Instagram: @catherineauman
YouTube: https.//YouTube.com/c/catherineauman
Reviewed by: Mr. N