This Season's People: A Book of Spiritual Teachings

by Stephen Gaskin, Alan Bishop (Illustrator), Peter Hoyt (Illustrator)

A pocket book of spiritual teachings collected from talks given by Stephen Gaskin, co-founder of The Farm in Tennessee, explaining the common ground of the great religions and how to follow their teachings in order to change oneself. Includes photographs of The Farm community life in the '70s.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Stephen Gaskin was an American counterculture Hippie icon best known for his presence in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in the 1960s and for co-founding "The Farm", a famous spiritual intentional community in Summertown, Tennessee.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I was born on The Farm, the commune founded by author Stephen Gaskin, I found it interesting, nostalgic and a bit of a mirror to read. I recognised some of the thinking that I was imprinted with in my early formative years. No wonder I turned out like this, ha ha.

Ahead of its time, groundbreaking, it might seem cliche in today´s saturated new agey book scene, but considering the time it was written, it´s pioneering... it´s an entertaining, easy read in that it contains many pictures and eye pleasing graphics. It´s not a book to be read cover to cover but can be opened on any page, with each section a short, unique little insight. The language is hilarious (the word "stoned" for instance, is used not to describe being high on weed, but sort of tuned in or high on life, or just far out or groovy. While my feelings about Gaskin himself are mixed, I think he had some really good things to say about life, spirituality, religion, common sense, getting along in peace and cooperating with your fellow human beings, and it´s easy to see why so many people flocked around his obvious charisma.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a young teenager, many years ago. Opening it's pages, and intending on just a peek, I became transfixed. I stood in the middle of my room reading, eventually settling down into my shag carpet. Just reading it made me feel high! I read cover to cover, and was buzzing with peaceful energy by the books end.

Needless to say, in the spirit it was written in, I loaned my copy to an equally impressed friend. The friend was transfixed, and I said, "keep it!" I bought another... which I loaned to another friend. And so on and so on. Finally, I went to repurchase only to find it was out of print! Bummer!!!

I wrote Stephen Gaskin, explaining my dilemma, asking for a copy. I had no idea how much he might charge for the book, but I was willing to save up. Each day I checked my mailbox for a letter (this was before the internet). :) For a while, I experienced the books Unbeing in my life. ;)

One day, maybe six months later, I arrived home to a huge box on my doorstep. Mr Gaskin had sent me about 50 copies - absolutely for free! This was one of those pivotal moments in life when you realize some people really just are THAT cool.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I clearly remember the trippy sensation of the top of my head floating away from me the first time I read this book. My favorite page says, "You are supposed to be grooving as hard as you can all the time".

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel conflicted about how to rate this book. It is hard on the eyes as the typeface changes every page. Gaskin too often takes simple ideas and obscures them with hippie and new age jargon. However, at the base of Gaskin’s teachings are meaningful universal truths for living a better life. This lifts an otherwise limited book to a higher plane, providing value to any reader.