The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark

by Sera Beak

The Red Book is nothing less than a spiritual fire starter -- a combustible cocktail of Hindu Tantra and Zen Buddhism, Rumi and Carl Jung, goddesses and psychics, shaken with cosmic nudges, meaningful subway rides, haircuts, relationships, sex, dreams, and intuition. Author Sera Beak's unique hybrid perspective, hilarious personal anecdotes, and invaluable exercises encourage her readers to live more consciously so they can start making clearer choices across the board, from careers to relationships, politics to pop culture and everything in between. For smart, gutsy, spiritually curious women whose colorful and complicated lives aren't reflected in most spirituality books, The Red Book is an open invitation to find your true self and start sharing that delicious truth with the world.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Self Help, New Age, Art, Inspirational

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in an environment that exposed me to a lot of different religions... Protestant, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, etc.

As I got older I found that more and more people would tell me that I had to choose one religion as the "right" religion. What was so confusing to me was that they ALL said their religion was the one that needed to be followed in order to get into heaven. This caused me to fall away from churches in general because I didn't know WHO was right and I drove myself a little crazy worrying that I would pick the wrong one. It wasn't until recently that I really started thinking about my spirituality again. The one thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want to pick a religion so much as get in touch with God and my spirituality through my own set of beliefs.

I was searching for books on Spirituality and stumbled on to The Red Book and I am so glad that I did. This was exactly what I was looking for in terms of teaching me about all of the different types of beliefs and practices out there and showing how intertwined they all are with each other in so many different ways. Sera Beak has a beautiful way of connecting with the reader so that you feel you are sitting down with her and having a personal conversation. The book is filled with humor and wonderful insights into spirituality and individuality. She doesn't expect you to agree with everything she says and encourages you to delve deeper into the areas that resonate with you.

This book had everything that I was looking for and so much more. I think everyone... no matter how young or old, male or female, can take away and learn something from this book.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spirituality 101 for older teens and twentysomethings.

The reason there are many paths to the mountain is because different approaches appeal to different people. Beak's approach is one that will resonate with new adults, especially if they're of the sassy or quirky variety. The contents aren't anything we haven't seen before: setting intentions, the nature of god/dess, prayer/ritual, dreams, intuition, etc.; the presentation, however, is light and playful, perfect for anybody who might be close to experiencing their quarter-life crisis.

Though it appears fluffy on top, Beak's writing is actually underwritten by the serious stuff. A quick flip through the bibliography and suggested reading list demonstrates that she knows the correct primary sources, and which wells to hit for what. Not for everybody, but then again, not everything is. A good addition to teen nonfiction collections, or adult nonfiction in libraries that serve a significant new adult population. An optional purchase for all other medium to large collections.

[Áine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute, of this moment, chock full of references, an affirmation. Like Bust magazine, Sage Woman, and Shambhala Sun are in a women's group together. The style was a little over the top for me, (re: Bust, women's maggy), but the voice was exciting to hear. Representing young spiritual women that don't buy totally into anything without a healthy dose of skepticism. I would've appreciated an explanation of her philosophy of Red. (Later: ....oh, that's her next book.) Recommended for other up-and-coming "intrepid spiritual cowgirls," or if you're new to spiritual stuff, this is a very friendly welcome, and gives you a lot of great places to start.

Favorite quotation, from the sub-chapter, "What Shuts You Up?":

"These days, it seems that almost any body-centering, mind-calming practice or prayer gets lumped under the meditation umbrella, which I'm sure must make Buddha sigh and roll his third eye." (p.180)

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is very knowledgeable about a variety of traditions, and her discussion was positive and interesting at times. That said, most of the book felt like a remedial course to me. I appreciated the middle to end which involved more practical ideas and I look forward to checking our her reading list, which she provides in the back.

[Jude Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delicious little book is all it's cracked up to be, delightful and insightful. My favorite of the large variety of subjects touched upon were these two: sexuality is part of our spirituality; and after anything that has vibrated together no matter how separated or far apart they maintain that vibratory connection.

[Rebecca Waring-Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am not Beak's intended audience -- and, I confess, this was a small distraction as I began reading and she reminded her readers, more than once, that they are smart, twenty-something, post-modern women -- I moved past this snag with every intention of enjoying a slightly smug read of one more woo woo crystal approach to "get your spiritual feel-good on."

Well, her Harvard degree in mysticism and comparative religion, evidenced by her engaging, liberally-foot-noted prose, quickly reduced my slight smug to dust and called forth a bit of admiration. Either I'm way more post-modern than I realized, or I've been reading some of the same writers and so found myself nodding and smiling and generally feeling as if I've shared a fair bit of her journey. Woo hoo for Rumi, Jung, Jesus, and Buddha. Hello to the (new to me) Hindu group and a bit of wading in Tao and Gnostic thought. Hey, all truth is God's truth.

Beak asks questions that may serve as prompts if you choose to keep your own spiritual journal or Red Book. I liked these:

Am I being challenged to be more attuned in all areas of my life, not just the so-called spiritual areas? Am I encouraged to question beliefs and traditions? Am I made aware of the dark as well as the light? Am I encouraged to be honest about my issues and to take healthy action? Or am I avoiding some spiritual practice that would help me grow stronger because I know it would be demanding and would upset my easy life? Is compassion toward myself and other s a fundmental principe? Am I surrounded by wisdom, nonjudgment, sound ethics, and good humor?

One size does not fit all, and the
The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark presents guideposts, ideas, principles, and views with an invitation that honors flexibility and individual preferences and needs. Delicious, indeed.

[Tristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my mother gifted me this book and I flipped through it, I thought "Uh oh! Chick Lit meets Spiritual How-To? No thanks," and I put it aside. But then I found myself in a funk and needed a light, spiritual, female-focused pick-me-up and I picked up this book. What a sweet little gem! Sera Beak's style is very conversational, which I often find extremely annoying, but she pulls it off. She felt like a sweet girlfriend that I could respectfully tease the world with. She's got a great approach to spirituality, asking us to question and explore everything. Two of her big influences are SARK and Rob Brezsny and it shows - sweet, carefree and delightful, while still being extremely informative and accessible. This is most definitely a book I will be returning to again and again, when I need a little reminder not to take life too seriously and that there is divine inspiration and connection all around me - I just have to look.

[Veneta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent way to kick start our book club. It stimulated conversation that may not have ever been brought up otherwise.

It would be wise to start a discussion on this with the question of, "what is your religious upbringing?"

Written to stimulate thought on spirituality. Great if have never questioned why you believe or don’t believe what you do. The writing style is very simple and kind of fun. Written like sort of like a Cosmo (which can be good or bad).

My favorite chapters were the ones on self-actualization (pealing the onion), sexuality and the history of religious patriarchy, and the essentials of laughter.

A great quick read

[Uglyoldwitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I read this book at the wrong point in my life. Had I stumbled upon it ten or fifteen years ago (before it was written, lol) it may have had more of an impact on me. As it was, I abandoned it about three chapters in. I haven't discarded it - simply returned it to my shelf - I'm not convinced it WON'T be helpful to me at some point.

This is very, very spiritually based (which is great), but just coming off of Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art", I was looking for more of the divine-spark-end of things. I didn't make it that far...

[Amy Salvatore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A primer for anyone who wants information on various spiritual traditions. Beak's voice can be annoying, but I am not the audience. My 20 year old daughter, however, would appreciate her fresh take on religion and spiritual practices. She introduced me to some ideas and emphasized the need for people, women in particular, to be open to all the universe offers. Beak provides a decent bibliography at the end of the book that reminded me of authors I was introduced to in college, as well as new ones I am unfamiliar with but might like. It is a fun read during seriously crazy times.

[Marilyn Letts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing and sensible look at divinity:
"Does your view of the divine allow you to explore and be creative and remain open to diverse people and beliefs? Does it give you inner strength and peace and promote love and deep belly laughs and the desire to help others? Or does your view of the divine make you feel fearful, guilty, small, narcissistic, or overly critical?"
And this made me laugh till i cried:
"...just as there are lots of people who are only eating spiritual doughnuts, there are also those who will only eat raw brown rice that’s still rooted in the dirt, and only with a toothpick they whittled from a blessed tree in a blessed Hindu forest under a full moon in Pisces. And guess what? That’s not very balanced, either." Oh, yes I have been there!
There were a few new-agey things which seem a little dated and I found easy to ignore.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author is very knowledgeable about different religions, histories, traditions, and spiritual information.The beginning of the book dove into world religions and that was really interesting, but the spiritual rants did not connect with me. Would make an interesting coffee table book. Giving single spiritual aunt energy.

“Random acts of kindness become a necessity, not just a whim.” (19)

“There is no right text or correct religion that you must believe at the expense of others.” (29)

“Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth”
—- Ludwig Börne (1786-1832)

[Melanie Dufty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first cool spiritual book I read, having read tonnes of very earnest books by that stage - many of them amazing - but this one was refreshing as something for the modern spiritual woman. This book stands alone as a brilliant start for the modern seeker, and set a foundation for her books to come, which deepened a tonne and really went there on the truth of the gruelling yet wondrous spiritual path. Love Sera's work.

[Liyana Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic. A cult classic! A permission-granter for women anywhere and everywhere to claim that divine looks like us, and can be accessed anywhere and anyhow we say it can. Sera Beak is a true original and huge-hearted voice.

[Leire Saldivar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro maravilloso que habla sobre espiritualidad y muchas otras cosas, me parece que al principio fue un poco díficil de aceptar las ideas que presenta pero conforme avanzas se va volviendo más ligero y vas entendiendo cada parte de la estructura que maneja.
Súper recomendado.

[Tara Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

highly recommend for any femme/woman identifying person coming into their spirituality. not just for witchy women, this book is eye opening for ALL.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book as I was searching for Jung titles, believe it or not. The title was intriquing and I thought, "hey, getting the 'ol divine spark would be good." so I trooped myself over to the library and picked it up. It was a nice new perspective on finding a pathway to our own spirituality. It never takes itself too seriously but also maintains a solid integrity that many current "self-help" and/or "new age-y" titles tend to sacrifice for the sake of readership.
Sera has a wonderful broad view of spirituality and she gives us the go-ahead to do our own broadening of the heart and spirit. I enjoyed this title for it's whimsy and thoughtfullness without it being preachy or condemning of any spiritual practice. Yes, she advocates meditation but she backs off to the "how" to do so. She gives traditional examples of meditation but also gives the reader leave to meditate in any way that works for them.

A wonderful guide to a light-hearted approach to true inner spirits.

[Kellie]

I am just 16 pages into this book, and already have much food for thought. The author writes about a very tricky subject with flare, and fun. She discusses some aspects of many different religions and the shift of cultures away from a patriarchal view to more earth, feminine influences and how this effects everything from
religions to the Marlboro Man. She uses lots of luscious language and focuses a lot on finding what is right for each individual in the spiritual realm whatever form it might take. It is really good food for thought and I look forward to continuing to devour it. It is a good book for picking up and reading little bits to think about - so perfect for having little kids around!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be one of my all time favorite books ever! I downloaded this book on my Kindle after hearing Sera Beak interviewed by Dr. Oz on Oprah and Friends XM Radio the beginning of the year. After listening to her interviewed I knew that I had to read her book. She is funny, very knowledgeable of different religions and cultures of the world. She weaves different culture, religions into her own. Her book is one that I had to enjoy in little chunks. I highlighted and took lots of notes while reading it on my Kindle. I must buy a hard copy of it soon so I can enjoy turning pages, bookmarking and folding corners. I would love to hear her speak in person at one of her workshops. She was in Seattle a few months ago. It's divine!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beak's writing bursts with sass, and her message on spirituality is refreshingly progressive. She reiterates several times that her book is not the be-all end-all of finding yourself.

I found her take on prayer particularly memorable, in that it doesn't even have to be verbal, but can be artistic expression as well. There are some things I'm just not sure are for me, like conjuring up a personal altar in my home, but overall I think this was a good primer to spirituality and soul-searching. There were many great anecdotes from world religion showing that women are strong and kickass, and some great background on historical figures like Jesus and Rumi.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Gala Darling (who recommends The Red Book herself) or finding new ways to view the world.

[Marjanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a little bit of everything. It is definitely geared toward women, though I suppose men might get a little something out of it too. I liked that the author discusses such a variety of religions, beliefs, and spiritual practices. I appreciate that she encourages the reader to test their beliefs and rely on their own sense of what’s right and what works for them. There is a little bit that seemed too much for me (meshing spirituality and quantum physics, quoting questionable studies, and vibrating) but I like that she wouldn’t think badly of me because of it. This is definitely ‘meatier’ than your run-of-the-mill feminine spiritual guide.

[Tristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't entirely sure I was an atheist, I just found trouble believing one specific religion was the correct one. This book definitely helped guide me into understanding spirituality by gazing into several religions and recognizing a common thread. The book relies on meditation and learning to listen to your soul. Sera Beak writes as if she's having a one-on-one with you. A woman who can say shit and divinity in the same sentence is my kind of woman. She challenges your conditioned perception of what it is to be enlightened and introduces you to anecdotes, quotes and a completely new way of allowing yourself to be. I strangely enjoyed it and am eager to learn more from her.

[P Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my favorite books I own and have passed on to my daughter to read. I like she pulls from many traditions and religions instead of focusing on one. I have never forced a religion on my children and have let them come to decide for themselves so this was a right along with that. This is a spiritual GIRL POWER book and filled with lots of tidbits about how to connect to the Universe and yourself. It moves fast, reads quickly but is filled with so many ideas that you find yourself kind of overflowing with inspiration after reading a chapter. Nice weekend read if you need a spiritual/creative pick me upper.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Red Book is nothing less than a spiritual firestarter-- a combustible cocktail of Hindu Tantra and Zen Buddhism, Rumi and Carl Jung, goddesses and psychics, shaken with cosmic nudges, meaningful subway rides, haircuts, relationships, sex, dreams, and intuition. "

I absolutely agree with the above description written on the back of the book. Imagine if "Pronoia" was written specifically with women in mind. This would be close to the end product.

[Shira · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, hip, fast-paced, very girly (in a good way) inspiring little read about getting in touch with your own spirituality. Really just a friendly, forceful push to read some of the more academic writings on spirituality, Buddhism, Jainism, Juddaism, Christianity, Meditation, Yoga, sex and really anything and everything in-between, that you feel could lend spiritual guidance to you. A fun read for anyone needing a little inspiration.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I put this somewhere in the 3.5 range.

This book would be great for a woman a bit younger than me who is interested in meditation and thinking about spirituality and creativity in a non-patriarchal, non big white guy in the sky, way. I enjoyed it because it was a good reminder of the things I already want in my life, but it definately was designed for a woman much younger than me who is newer to this way of thinking. For me, it was a bit on the reductive side.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a fun read and look forward to discussing it with a group of lovely ladies. I like her open-mindedness and studies of various religions to back up what she's saying. The threading of a new age hipness woven through the prose got a little tedious at times, but was always redeemed with some profound wisdom that resonated within. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to those trying to find their 'Higher Power.'

[Steven Walker]

I found this book in Borders by pure coincidence and couldn't put it down, so I decided to buy it. So far, I really like the author's witty, down-to-earth, friend-to-friend style of writing. I also found each page I've so far looked at to be a treasure of imaginative insights. I look forward to reading it at length.

[Krista Skene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of mine bought this for me. She knew I was struggling with 'what to believe'. I am not religious at all, but I would love to have something in my life. I was really inspired by the way that she tackled many different ideas with such gusto. This book made me feel okay about what I believe or want to corporate into my life.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. It was written for younger women who are just starting to explore spirituality that might be different from the traditions they were raised in, so much of what the author said I've thought about or run across before. However, it was fun, creative and a good boost of inspiration to remind me to stay on my own path.