Toypurina Organized and led her people on an attack against the White Predators even though they were vastly outnumbered, doesn’t get more badass than that. Aimee Semple McPherson The first media star evangelist, started her own religion which is still going strong, faked her own death,...
Rockstars: Glamorous, charismatic, and sexually magnetic. Moving about the world with a freedom the rest of us envy; all doors are open to them. They incite massive desire, are media sensations, and command the world stage. Whew! These L.A. icons wear the rockstar mantle with...
Of all the major world religions, Islam has the second number of believers, and it is the third largest religion in the United States. Most people think of Islam as belonging to the Middle East, but in fact only twenty percent live there. Most Muslims...
Including TV shows and videos. In no particular order – watch them all and you decide -- What's your favorite? Holy Hell – Sex and scandal abound in this film about the Buddhafield cult surrounding the charismatic teacher, Michel. But wait, isn’t there something about his...
Along Melrose or La Brea on Friday nights, you might see a parade of men dressed in medieval black with circular fur hats, their wives behind them wearing wigs or other head coverings – Orthodox Jews en route to celebrate Shabbat, the Jewish day of...
Mountains everywhere have inspired spiritual feelings -- in the face of vast vistas, the ego becomes right-sized. Whether we’re in a car or standing still after hiking with all our endorphins pumping, the view from the summit is exhilarating,. We can’t deny that we’re not...
Spain’s plan to steal the land of the indigenous people and bully them into accepting Catholicism was in full force in Southern California. In the 18th Century the Church established 21 missions along the Camino Royale, now known as the 101. The missions were built...
Toypurina (1760-1799) had watched the white settlers at the San Gabriel Mission steal her people’s land and steadily usurp their culture since she was 12 years old. She was sister to the head of her village and a powerful shaman, spiritual leader, and medicine woman...
It was a major birthday – one of those years when you take stock of if you’re where you want to be. In most areas of life, I had to admit I was doing great: successful in my chosen career, great health, lovely friends, a...
I often tell my clients and the participants in my workshops about Osho’s technique of envisioning ourselves as headless people. It always makes me laugh: “Just drop it, be headless. Try it as a meditation. It is one of the most beautiful Tantra meditations. Walk, and...