Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution

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What I disliked: I don’t think we need a new world religion – I think that idea is kind of dumb. I DO think we need to all focus less on who we want God to be and instead on who He actually is AND then start living like that. We’ve created God in our image instead of reminding ourselves that we were created in His – and we (individuals, communities, and culture) should be altering ourselves to transform to be more like Him, not changing who He is to reflect us – this book is all about creating a religion that conforms to the world as it is today – making everyone feel good. Soul Boom probes weighty issues, from consumerism to consciousness. But it illuminates the path to spiritual enlightenment with familiar reference-points, some drawn from pop culture. Wilson uses ‘70s TV shows Star Trek and Kung Fu as examples of transformative social thinking. One argued for a “spiritual revolution” ( Star Trek ), the other pushed for a personal journey of self-discovery ( Kung Fu )—philosophies we can practice in our daily lives. When I think of spirituality and the 1970s, a particular word comes to mind. It’s not “meditation.” It’s not “LSD.” It’s not “guru” or “incense” or “chakras.” True story: I recently came across a news headline about some model/celebrity who had undergone some kind of “spiritual transformation.” I was intrigued. After all, I love spiritual transformations! Have had a couple myself over the decades. In fact, I might be having one right now as I write this. Upon further reading, turns out that this model/celebrity had undergone an actual exorcism of some kind in a remote town in Switzerland. A shaman had released some kind of demon/energy from them, and they were finally, on the other side of it, able to practice “self-care” and enjoy yoga and raw juicing from home. Something like that. Which got me thinking about the word “spirituality.” It can mean so many different things to so many people. So… OK to move forward on the old booky-wook? Have a bit of clarity on the personal reasons that led me to create Soul Boom?

Hachette Book Group is a leading book publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the third-largest publisher in the world. Social Media A well-groomed man with a Ned Flanders mustache said, sipping some coffee, “Well, sometime in the near future, there will be a great rumbling from above, lightning will strike, and there will be terrible storms. The sky will open up, and down will come Jesus Christ on a cloud with a great trumpet blast. There will be an incredibly beautiful city with gold and silver turrets that descends with angels on it, and this is the kingdom of God. The good Christians will get into the city, and it will float away with Jesus to be with God, the Father, and the rest of the people will be left behind, left on earth to perish.” So refreshing and hopeful and inspiring...for the first time in yearsI'm getting to embrace spirituality in a way that...feels meaningful." "Almost Heretical" podcast What it’s about: Rainn has been a seeker of spirituality for a long time with his company SoulPancake has done a lot of good in this area of the world. He’s done a ton of research into a variety of world religions all to end with the conclusion that we need a revolution. His proposal is a brand new religion he’s calling Soul Boom. He outlines what all major religions have, what this new religion would have in those ten areas, and seven additional components that we should include in this new religion. It’s a LOT of religion and spirituality talk.I will try my darndest not be a cynic and refrain from using the word "optimistic" in reference to how Wilson envisions humanity's future. Soul Boom was hopeful and JOYFUL! Rainn Wilson presents the Best Politics or Opinion Podcast award during The Podcast Academy’s First Annual Awards For Audio Excellence – The Ambies on May 16, 2021 in Los Angeles. Getty Images for The Podcast Academy/The Ambies

I hope this book will ignite discussion and inspire you, gentle reader, to view some universal spiritual ideas through some different-colored lenses. Sometimes silly, sometimes profound and earnest, I will attempt to explore some very old ground with some very new perspectives. Ultimately, I believe this entire crazy Soul Boom dissertation boils down to a single concept: unity . What we must seek in this spiritual revolution is a profound unity unlike anything humanity has ever experienced before. The world, Wilson argues, has become increasingly polarized, self-interested, and vain. In place of the escapism of social media or technology, he proposes adopting spiritual tools, like prayer or meditation. His approach is pantheist, and he’s interested in the spiritual dimension of religious thought, not the religions or religious practice themselves. But he comes across as a man of faith, not science. A gracious and compassionate (and altogether engaging) book, by someone who truly believes that it is possible to love God, neighbor, and world, and to relate to them and cherish them in ways at once richly spiritual and impeccably rational.He’s right, of course: it is." Greetings Matthew. You have an interesting perspective on the link between Christianity and Buddhism. I ..." Ulf Turkewitsch

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THE BEAT GOES ON The suite sound of the Jerry Steinhilber Trio Band celebrating physical release of new album with Nov. 15 show Wilson examines the world’s religious writings and practices, challenging readers to identify the sacred in their lives, and concludes that the communal aspect of our faith has declined, exacerbating narcissism and disunity. He even advocates for the creation of a new religion…combining the best elements of major world faiths and encourages his audience to cultivate these virtues to spark spiritual revolution. Wilson’s wry wit and humorous comments punctuate snippets of wisdom from an array of clerics. This is entertaining and thought-provoking.”

This book is exactly what I expected. I enjoyed Rainn’s humor in the book and saw his sincerity as I read the book. Months before this book came out I let my Baha’i friend know that I was concerned about this book because the Baha’i Faith teaches there are multiple ways to God. This is why you see quotes from many of the religious founders throughout the book and their comments being true from Rainn’s viewpointIn a fun exercise, quotes from “Kung Fu” and from holy texts are presented together, and it is impressively difficult to differentiate; for example, “Peace lies not in the world … but in the man who walks the path” (“Kung Fu”) and “There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind” (Buddha). How did the death of your father help you deal with this topic and then write about it so others could read it in this book? Pop culture references, jokey humor and an entertaining and irreverent writing style keep “Soul Boom” from feeling preachy. Wilson uses “Star Trek” and “Kung Fu” to elucidate the twofold path of any spiritual journey; “Star Trek” representing collective spiritual aspirations (world peace, embracing diversity, etc.) and “Kung Fu,” the inner spiritual journey (wisdom, morality, etc.). To some, spirituality is completely synonymous with religious practice and “organized religion”: church, God, and so forth. To others, it can mean rituals involving hallucinogens. To many, because the word “spirit” is in it, it means that ghosts are involved. To still others, like the model/celebrity, it can mean exorcisms by Swiss shamans.

So, thank you Rainn. You have a lovely book that I’m confident will help a lot of people out with their spiritual journeys.

I wanted to kind of, and I hope that I succeeded throughout the course of the book, to reframe the entire idea and conception of spirituality. Some people think of spirituality as something very new age, and some people think of spirituality as only having to do with their particular church or their synagogue or their shrine. Spirituality runs through everything. It courses through everything, whether you're religious or you're not religious.