Episode 8: Of Nothingness I sing, or Beat Buddhism

Hey hey hey you groovy hepcats, Mystical America is back after I was stuck battling a Mystery illness. And today, on this cigarette smoke filled, jazzy little episode, I'll be introducing you all to a favorite topic of mine- Buddhism and the Beat Generation. The Beats were a group of ragtag, bohemian writers coming out the 1950s who permanently changed American culture and writing. As some of you might know, they also helped to popularize Buddhism in the collective American consciousness. We'll explore Kerouac, Ginsberg, Snyder, Watts, and more. We'll dive into the how and why of the Beats obsession with Buddhism, but ultimately this show will serve as an introduction for later episodes in which I will dive deeper into the links between Buddhism and American literature.

Pull out your bongos, light up your reefer smokes, it's time for Mystical America!