{"product_id":"the-guru-papers-isbn-9781883319007","title":"The Guru Papers","description":"\u003cb\u003eOne of “the most comprehensive, erudite, and timely” explorations of power dynamics and authoritarianism in religions, institutions, relationships and even personal struggles (\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAuthoritarian control, which once held societies together, is now at the core of personal, social, and planetary problems, and thus a key factor in social disintegration. Authoritarianism is embedded in the way people think—hiding in culture, values, daily life, and in the very morality people try to live by.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Guru Papers\u003c\/i\u003e, authors Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad unmask authoritarianism in areas such as relationships, cults, 12-step groups, religion, and contemporary morality. Chapters on addiction and love show the insidious nature of authoritarian values and ideologies in the most intimate corners of life, offering new frameworks for understanding why people get addicted and why intimacy is laden with conflict. By exposing the inner authoritarian that people use to control themselves and others, the authors show why people give up their power, and how others get and maintain it.\u003cb\u003ePreface and Map of the Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIntroduction:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhy Focus on Authoritarianism?\u003cbr\u003eAuthority, Hierarchy, and Power\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 1:  Personal Masks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.  Religion, Cults, \u0026amp; the Spiritual Vacuum           \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eReligion and Morality\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Challenge of Science \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Who Defines Reality in Religions and Cults? \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Reexamining the Sacred\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 2.  Gurus and Times of Upheaval \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 3.  The Seductions of Surrender \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Control and Surrender\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Scandals, Saints, \u0026amp; Self-Centeredness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Recognizing Authoritarian Control \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 4.   Guru Ploys \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e          \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eInducing Surrender \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Maintaining Dominance\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 5.  The Assault on Reason \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 6.  Stages of Cults -- Proselytizing to Paranoia \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e          \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Messianic Phase\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Apocalyptic Phase\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 7.  The Attractions of Cult Hierarchy \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 8.  Gurus \u0026amp; Sexual Manipulation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e          \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Betrayal of Trust\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Spiritual Hedonism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 9.  Gurus, Psychotherapy, \u0026amp; the Unconscious   \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e10.  The Traps of Being a Guru \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e          \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eNarcissism and Adulation\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Deceit and Corruption\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e11.  Jim Jones \u0026amp; the Jonestown Mass Suicide  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e12.  On Channeling Disembodied Authorities  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e          \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eAssumptions about Channeling\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          An Example of Channeled Writing:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e               A Course in Miracles \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          What Are Channels Channeling?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e13.  Do You Create Your Own Reality?   \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e14.  Healing Crippled Self-Trust  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 2:  Ideological Masks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction: \u003cb\u003e The Morality Wars  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.  Fundamentalism \u0026amp; the Need for Certainty\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Essence of Fundamentalism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Quandaries of Revisionism \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Revisionism and the Need for Identity\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          What's at Stake?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.   Satanism \u0026amp; the Worship of the Forbidden:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e      Why It Feels Good to Be Bad\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e          \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eGood and Evil\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Problem of Evil \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Satanism as an Avenue to Power\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Divided Self:  Good and Evil Internalized\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Satanism as the Dark Side of Monotheism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.  Who Is in Control?  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e      The Authoritarian Roots of Addiction\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e          \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat Is Addiction? \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Divided Psyche:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e               Symptom of a Dysfunctional Morality\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Taming the Beast: \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e              The Inner Battle for Control \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Addiction as Revolt Against the Inner Authoritarian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          The Failings of Disease \u0026amp; Responsibility Models  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Twelve Steps to Where?  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Developing Wholeness and Self-Trust  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.  Love \u0026amp; Control:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e     The Conditions underlying Unconditional Love \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e          \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat Is Unconditional Love?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Love, Time, and Timelessness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  Self-Sacrifice, Power, and Passion\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e          Control and Boundaries\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  \"Love Addiction\" \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  Measuring and Roles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  Forgiving and Letting Go\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  The Religious Foundation of Unconditional Love\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e  Timeless Love through Time\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 5. Oneness, Enlightenment \u0026amp; the Mystical Experience\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Mystical Experience\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDualism and Renunciation \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Function of Enlightenment\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe One-Sidedness of Oneness  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHolism and Interconnectedness \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRenunciation as Accumulation\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.  The Power of Abstraction:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e     The Sacred Word \u0026amp; the Evolution of Morality\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e     \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbstractions and Power\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eFrom  Animism to Polytheism: \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e     The Concrete Abstractions of Idolatry\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMonotheism:  A Universal Abstraction \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eOneness:  The Culmination of Religious Abstraction \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbstraction, Either\/or Thinking, and Dualism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSymbol Systems and Power \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTransforming the Symbol System:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e     A Dialectical Perspective \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEpilogue:  Where to Go from Here?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndex\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Easily the most comprehensive, erudite, and timely book … to explore authoritarianism in religion, institutions, power, the family, intimacy and sexual relations, and personal problems such as addiction.… Argue[s] persuasively that any system of values that places tradition and the past above the imperative to question the present is destined to become increasingly lethal.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—San Francisco Chronicle Book Review  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “A thorough, wide-ranging analysis of the way power has historically been maintained.… A diagnosis of what’s wrong with the world and how to fix it … Its thesis is elegant and nearly unlimited in its ramifications.… [Shows that] authoritarianism is … part of the way we think.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—The New Mexican\u003c\/i\u003e (Santa Fe)\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Don’t be deceived by the title. \u003ci\u003eThe Guru Papers\u003c\/i\u003e is about much more than cult groups. A profoundly important critique of the covert authoritarianism of most religions … and of such cultural values as unconditional love, addiction, and 12-step programs … Thought-provoking and radically important …Extraordinarily rich and complex … An important contribution to changing [old paradigms].” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Liberty  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Spells out … the dangers of becoming addicted to another’s authority in any sphere of life.”\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e —Times Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e (London)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A breathtakingly profound analysis.… One of the most deeply insightful works of our time … Nearly every page crackles with statements that … provoked one ‘Aha!’ after another as I saw elements of culture, history, and my own experience from a new perspective that made immediate sense … A magnificent contribution … The most reasonable and coherent picture of the evolution of religious ideas to date, and brilliant sections on love and control, and … addiction … A vision of spirituality beyond authoritarianism … [and] tremendous contribution to our collective understanding.” \u003cb\u003e—Richard Heinberg, author of \u003ci\u003eBlackout\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Provocative and thorough.… Unmask[s] the countless manifestations of authoritarianism in our contemporary culture. Cover[s] vast territory … rais[es] all the vitally important questions …It should definitely be placed in the hands of anyone who has been, or is, or contemplates becoming involved with a guru.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eGeorg Feuerstein\u003ci\u003e, Yoga Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Expands the concept of authoritarianism and gives a new slant on the human condition … Shows that to overcome our staggering problems, we must learn to think non-authoritarian … The convincing arguments will make readers re-sort their thinking.”\u003cb\u003e —John Irwin, sociologist, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Felon \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Answers a host of questions about the source of recurring problems.… Unmasks the insidiously pervasive nature of authoritarian values that permeate society … Without awareness of how authoritarianism operates below the level of awareness, we too are likely to become its victims …Perceptive guidelines for detecting hidden authoritarianism and intervention strategies for self-empowerment …Deals with the most fundamental aspects of the Yin and Yang of human nature and the meaning of social community.” \u003cb\u003e—Philip Zimbardo, author of \u003ci\u003ePsychology and Life\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “The questions raised by it are so profound … that they can never be put out of one’s mind.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Humanist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Don’t let the title fool you … A more apt title would be “Masks of Power” as the book has great relevance for a secular audience as well … [Can] shift readers’ minds in a deep way. [They’re] onto something big … Elegantly articulates many of [our] … unformed thoughts” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSynapse\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Laser clarity.… Fascinating insights into the leader\/follower relationship … [and] the usually veiled authoritarianism embedded in world views and values …One of the most compelling, ‘can’t put it down’ books I’ve read in a long time, [it] offers challenging concepts for egalitarian communities” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Communities Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “With x-ray analysis and laser precision it discloses authoritarian structures. It expands consciousness of the consciousness journey itself, exposing its ever present darker side … Even offer[s] a flashlight guide through this darkness. Uncompromising in its thesis, sparing no current idol, it is a poignant attack on the illusions of our times.” \u003cb\u003e—Mike Arons, professor emeritus of psychology, West Georgia College\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Undertake[s] the monumental task of reforming the very basis of civilization.… Step[s] on … nearly every sacred cow …Offers both affirmation and optimism.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Creative Loafing  \u003c\/i\u003e(Atlanta)\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “For those … who prefer to have their world grounded in comfortable, familiar dogmas, this book will make their hair stand on end … Dissect[s], with the best scientific rigor, many old standards of belief.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Fate Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Offers new insights for restructuring a more functional and caring society by exposing the cultural authoritarianism that undermines democracy.” \u003cb\u003e—James Austin, criminologist, coauthor of \u003ci\u003eIt’s About Time\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Filled with insight …Deconstructs the authoritarianism of modernity … \u003ci\u003eThe Guru Papers\u003c\/i\u003e can help change agents reconceptualize what they are trying to do and how they are trying to do it” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Journal of Organizational Change Management \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The chapter on addiction presents an exciting and provocative new concept about the origin and process of addiction. A must read for therapists and addiction counselors.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eAnn McKain, past President of The American Academy of Psychotherapists\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A \u003ci\u003etour-de-force\u003c\/i\u003e … Fascinating model of the psychology of addictive behavior … Profound and compelling account of the endless battle between warring aspects of our being—and how we might become whole … Their writings are an indispensable resource in my clinical work.” \u003cb\u003e—Jeffrey Rubin, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Flourishing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Ambitious treatise [on] the foundation of our social and self-control mechanisms … [The addiction chapter] take[s] on the disease model … and also … ‘responsibility models’ … As a long time researcher … of addiction, I found [it] a refreshing analysis of predominant theories of substance abuse. [Their] own model of the divided psyche and ‘why it feels good to be bad’ was not only original but resonant … Particularly useful regarding the futility of the drug war\/punitive approach …” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eMarsha Rosenbaum, \u003ci\u003eJournal of Psychoactive Drugs\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Anyone who reads \u003ci\u003eThe Guru Papers\u003c\/i\u003e will be profoundly changed. Its ideas are like a medical laser beam vaporizing cancer cells with the power of truth.” \u003cb\u003e—Steven Hassan, author of \u003ci\u003eCombatting Cult Mind Control \u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Delivers what it promises … Describ[es how] …  overt and covert authoritarianism can intrude into social, political, and religious beliefs and interfere with normal personality development.… Part II explores subtle, indirect forces in values and beliefs … concealed in what people assume and take for granted …Merits wide readership … highly recommended.”\u003cb\u003e \u003ci\u003e—Cultic Studies Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Crystal-clear.…  [Goes] deeply into the inherent paradoxes in … world religion … Explain[s] with blistering clarity why we get seduced.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Whole Earth Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A bold, timely, important book. It can teach us to think responsibly about ‘spiritual’ questions.… Deserves to be a basic text in comparative religion.” \u003cb\u003e—Abraham Levitsky, coauthor with Fritz Perls of \u003ci\u003eThe Rules and Games of Gestalt Therapy \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A contribution of the highest order … Of immense and immediate consequence” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Brain\/Mind Bulletin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A brilliant book inspiring new insights with each re-reading. Opening it randomly, I’ve received just the wisdom I needed for my next step toward freedom.” \u003cb\u003e—Susan Campbell, author of \u003ci\u003eGetting Real\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Very important … Simply and elegantly written … One of the most helpful books on psychological oppression of the decade.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Creation Spirituality\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “Brilliantly analytical, always probing … this adventurous book offers an unflinching view of the structure and psychology of reality.” \u003cb\u003e—John Tytell, author of \u003ci\u003eNaked Angels\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Explores [how] the struggle for independence … is countered by deeply embedded structures within every aspect of society … and within the individual psyche.”\u003cb\u003e \u003ci\u003e—Noetic Sciences Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Elegantly identifies the masks that power uses to hide its abuse[s] … Hard-hitting practical logic that rips the guts out of sacred cows that have fed too long in pastures provided by a naïve … population.” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Point Reyes Light\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Alarming, enlightening, and riveting … Eminently readable … Powerful tools for building a more humane society.”\u003cb\u003e —Merrill Joan Gerber, author of \u003ci\u003eGut Feelings \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Subversive … Challenges core beliefs with powerful arguments that seem self-evident … Offers hope … Shows the authoritarian virus is not in the bio-computer, but in the way it’s programmed.” \u003cb\u003e—Timothy Leary, author of \u003ci\u003eFlashbacks\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A powerful, magnificent book about our own individual integrity beyond any historic and self-appointed authority.” \u003cb\u003e—James Kavanaugh, author of \u003ci\u003eGod Lives \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “How authoritarian leaders manipulate followers and why people surrender to them” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “An essential key to understanding … control and manipulation” \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—The Bookwatch\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “It’s unusual to find a book that covers [so] much ground … and does it so well.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eTruth Seeker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “Sheds light on our darkening political spirit … Compelling theory about why we keep taking the same tired approaches, despite their proven failure.”\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e —Magical Blend \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “Displays appropriate irreverence toward all organized religions—with a powerful analysis.” \u003cb\u003e—Paul Krassner, author of \u003ci\u003eBest of the Realist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoel Kramer and Diana Alstad\u003c\/b\u003e are co-authors of \u003ci\u003eThe Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power\u003c\/i\u003e. They have written and taught together since 1974 on evolution, spirituality, relationships, values, awareness, yoga, and social issues. Their website is: www.joeldiana.com.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Joel Kramer, also the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Passionate Mind\u003c\/i\u003e, did post-graduate work in philosophy and psychology and was a resident teacher at Esalen Institute (1968-1970). He is a pioneer and legend of modern American yoga whose evolutionary vision of yoga freed it from its authoritarian roots, re-visioning it for the West.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Diana Alstad, a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, received a doctorate from Yale University in 1971. She taught in the humanities and initiated and taught the first Women's Studies courses at Yale and Duke. She envisioned the Yoga of Relationship and developed it with Kramer.","brand":"Frog Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302124343525,"sku":"NP9781883319007","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781883319007.jpg?v=1767739693","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-guru-papers-isbn-9781883319007","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}