Experiences during the 60’s and 70’s

From Liberation to Disillusionment: A Personal Journey Through the Spiritual and Social Upheaval of the ’60s and ’70s

Sexual liberation was at the heart of the social and spiritual upheaval of the 1960s and ’70s. With the advent of the Pill, intimacy was no longer tethered to reproduction—and everything began to shift.

Divorce shed its stigma, and single-parent households, for better or worse, became common across all walks of life. Once rigid in its doctrines, even religion began to loosen its grip, offering a more flexible, no-fault approach to faith.

Psychedelic drugs were a defining force in the counterculture of the 1960s and ’70s. Substances like LSD, magic mushrooms, mescaline, and peyote propelled countless baby boomers into altered states of consciousness—brief but profound journeys into expanded awareness and a deep sense of interconnectedness.

It’s an experience I’ve never forgotten and, if […]

When Love Turns Dangerous: My Escape from a Cult-Influenced Relationship

Ron had invited three members of the Rajneesh movement to move into our home. I didn’t want any part of it.

He said they were teaching him about life and wanted to include me in that journey; however, I was not interested in what they offered.

Their beliefs clashed with mine. They spoke to Ron about how society conditions us to live a certain way, but I had spent my whole life pushing back against those exact expectations.

I was raised by parents who tried to shape me into someone I was never meant to be—urging me to conceal the very gifts that made me unique.

Deep down, I had always embraced the unknown and moved through life with openness and flow.

Ron was now […]

Living in the Redwoods: A Tribe, a Guru, and a Truth I Couldn’t Ignore

We watched the last of them drift out the door, laughter echoing faintly as the house finally quieted. Another long, lazy party had come and gone in our rambling house just beyond Big Basin State Park, tucked in the Santa Cruz Mountains off Highway 9. We were about 45 minutes from Santa Cruz, living amid the towering Coastal Redwoods—some of the most awe-inspiring trees on earth, found nowhere else but California.

The house was a sprawling 5,000-square-foot haven on eight acres, with a vegetable garden out front, composting toilets, a deep well we had to monitor, propane for heat, and a gas stove that got heavy use. An expansive wooden deck wrapped halfway around the […]

What Was Normal in the 60s? A Nostalgic Look Back

It’s profoundly disheartening and frankly absurd that we still fight the same battles we did in the 1960s. That era was marked by profound movements that reshaped society: the Civil Rights movement, the Stonewall riots, the Women’s Liberation movement, anti-war demonstrations, environmental advocacy, the Red Power and Chicano movements, not to mention the cultural awakening of the Summer of Love.

Yet, we still grapple with fundamental questions: Do Black lives truly matter? Do gay and trans individuals deserve equal protection under the law? Do women have the right to control their bodies? And do shareholder profits and military dominance outweigh the preservation of life on this planet?

Incredibly, we made it through childhood in the 1960s!

Back then, kids were often exposed to […]

Growing Up in the Sixties: A Nostalgic Reflection

I was born in San Francisco, a city teeming with self-proclaimed messiahs. I’ve encountered everyone from American gurus and spiritual teachers to private jet owners, Playboy playmates, self-help swamis, and even cult leaders. The city has seen its share—there are too many to count. Among them, I met deeply compassionate, unforgettable souls and witnessed more than my fair share of corruption alongside kindness.

I was born in 1953, right into the heart of the Sixties counterculture—a time of communes, cults, meditation centers, music, and alternative spiritual movements. Those years taught me countless lessons. Feminism, rock ‘n’ roll, the drug scene, the gay rights movement, and the sexual revolution all challenged traditional religious norms and left a lasting impact on many lives. […]

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