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Cover; Half-title; Title page; Copyright information; Table of contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1 San Francisco Renaissance: Kenneth Rexroth and Robert Duncan; 2 Visionary Poiesis, Hidden Religions: Diane di Prima; 3 In the Search for Meaning, in Reaching for the Pure Relation: Bob Kaufman; 4 American Road, Buddha Path: Jack Kerouac; 5 Cosmic Vibration Breakthrough: Allen Ginsberg; 6 Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted: William S. Burroughs; 7 An Astrologer Dabbling in Dragon Prose: Gregory Corso; 8 Nothing but the Marvelous: Philip Lamantia; 9 Exaltations, Highs, and Strange Knowledges: Philip Whalen10 Mountains and Rivers Without End: Gary Snyder; Epilogue; Notes. The Spiritual Imagination of the Beats is the first comprehensive study to explore the role of esoteric, occult, alchemical, shamanistic, mystical and magical traditions in the work of eleven major Beat authors. The opening chapter discusses Kenneth Rexroth and Robert Duncan as predecessors and important influences on the spiritual orientation of the Beats. David Stephen Calonne draws comparisons throughout the book between various approaches individual Beat writers took regarding sacred experience - for example, Burroughs had significant objections to Buddhist philosophy, while Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac both devoted considerable time to studying Buddhist history and texts. This book also focuses on authors who have traditionally been neglected in Beat Studies - Diane di Prima, Bob Kaufman, Philip Lamantia and Philip Whalen. In addition, several understudied work such as Gregory Corso's 'The Geometric Poem' - inspired by Corso's deep engagement with ancient Egyptian thought - are given close attention. Calonne introduces important themes from the history of heterodoxy - from Gnosticism, Manicheanism and Ismailism to Theosophy and Tarot - and demonstrates how inextricably these ideas shaped the Beat literary imagination The first comprehensive study to explore the role of esoteric, occult, alchemical, shamanistic, mystical and magical traditions in the work of major Beat authors
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