Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic's Love Story

You know when exactly the right book finds you at exactly the right time? You know when you're reading a book and feel like your skin is on fire and you can't slow down or you can't blink or you can't even exhale or else you might miss something? You know when a book so thoroughly captures your attention that the world could be blowing up around you, buildings falling, babies crying, lightening crashing, floods flashing, and you don't even notice to look up? You know when the hands on the end of your heart strings are aching to reach through page and hold the contents buried there? You know when you start telling everyone you know? You know when you cry at the end, not because the ending is sad, but because the world of the book has become your world, the characters your best friends, and now, in the blink of a "the end" it's all over? For me, this was one of those. Thank you, sera. For your commitment, devotion, courage, follow through, and timing.

Delicious, eccentric, profound, TRUE. Sera Beak lets us SEE HER and in doing so reminds us that it is okay to BE WHO WE ARE-- every messy, dark, awful, painful, delightful, light, dazzling, joyous ounce of who we are.

This book pulses with life and vibrates with Spirit. It is my personal favorite book. Beak writes with personal intensity and integrity. She writes in the form of a memoir of her personal and intellectual search for connection with the Devine Feminine. It is brave in its honesty and detail. Part of what I like about the book is that she is passionate in her search without being caustic or critical of others. She also has a brief paragraph comparing the Divine Feminine with what she calls the Devine masculine which is the best list of masculine traits I have seen anywhere.
Graham Campbell

A gentle woman, a spiritual seeker, and a well-traveled, well-educated -- and articulate--scholar of religions and spiritual practices. You won't find this stuff in most religion classes or churches--not like this--because she goes where they won't. A woman's soul is different than man's.

Red Hot and Holy is something for young women. The ideas as such have been around for a long time so there is nothing new or original there. It's funny and at times really profound but as I am not a young woman and no longer into ego tripping it didn't really ring my bell....Sorry Sera!

Jumbled and confused and annoyingly packed with puns and alliteration. Beak is just at the beginning of any meaningful spiritual or divine insights. She quotes from works which sound interesting so there is some value to this book as a reading list of sorts. Her honesty is worth applauding, but this reads like it was written by somebody with too much free time who is searching for direction.

The endless play with the word "red" became exhausting by the third page and carries in throughout the whole book! If you want to read an unsensual quasi-spiritual book about a self absorbed white girl, here it is. This book brings nothing to the table for you to chew on. There is a promise of enbrightenment and a promise of sexuality dangled in front of the reader from the start and Beak fails to deliver a scrap of either simply, I think, because she has neither to offer.

I was both surprised and impressed by this book. I find most spiritual memoirs to be uninteresting, but this was different. I think the difference is that Sera Beak approaches spirituality with a kind of ruthless self-honesty that is rare to see.

Basically, this is a story of how a spiritual journey is ultimately one that you have to take alone. Not in a vacuum... Sera has lots of teachers and influences. She's tempted along the way to settle on one tradition or another, but there's something inside her that keeps pushing her to find her own truth. She's very candid about her stumbles and fears along the way, and some of the chapters are uncomfortable to read because she's so frank about the self-delusions that she uncovers. I really got the impression that she was opening up her soul in this book.

For the most part, I don't "do" spirituality like Sera Beak does. There are some insights that I liked a lot (like the difference between "spirit" and "soul" work... that's really interesting), but on the whole I'm not that attracted to many of the practices or philosophies that speak most strongly to her, and all her "Redvolution" stuff doesn't really do much for me. But that's okay. The main point I got from this book is about being true to yourself, and NOT settling for someone else's version of spirituality. And that's what I found most inspiring about it.

I learned some good stuff from this book. I faced the reality that I share the same realization Sera has in this very book: I've denied my soul for the clean white light. I also found Plotkin's, work of art, "SoulCraft" through it as well.
That being said it was not an all the way through love affair for me.
I felt that she was trying too hard to find her place in this book, her spiritual or soul-driven place, and it felt exhausting at times as a reader.
The on-going proof of her feelings and thoughts were backed up with a constant myriad of quotes from others, and although I appreciated being introduced to new authors, it felt like she didn't believe in her own experience enough to let her words ride.
The issues she experienced near the end of the book with her university friend were really unsettling for me. I couldn't help but feel that she had to, yet again, provide herself with validation by finally stating she's the only human incarnate of the red lady at this time. It felt so full of ego and desperation. I wanted more of an honest reflection of what that situation evoked in her - why does she need to be the only one? Even if it's true what does that matter or what difference would it make?
To me these actions made sense for someone who is seeking validation; that they would be protective of what they have worked so hard on making into their validation. But I wanted more honesty in that, and although I know this is her story/path, the lack of naked truth made parts of this book less enjoyable for me personally.
The obvious thing is that Sera is still in this, she's still seeking, and making sense of everything, as we all are. I think the book left me understanding my own journey with that much more clarity and I've come to realize that seeking quickly becomes overrated, and really it comes down to trusting that what you are in any given moment is enough. I thought that was the direction her book was heading in, but it failed to arrive.
I think this could partially be a personality clash, and again, I'd like to repeat that I did learn a lot of great stuff from her. I'm thankful to Sera for putting this all out there and having the bravery to shake up her usual schtick.
But this wasn't it for me. She may very well be the incarnate of whomever, but it's not that which impresses me, it's the simple truth.
And I guess I wanted more of hers served up raw, rather than red hot.

The author bares the story of her soul journey in a way that's informal, irreverent, but also scholarly, and ultimately, very brave. Whether you identify or not with her experience, it is still very interesting (and entertaining) to read about. The scholarly explanations and quotes are well placed, accessible, and very informative. You will learn about a lot of interesting concepts (such as soul vs. spirit; gnostics and mystics; and a lot more related to the Divine Feminine). For a reader like me, raised in Western culture, the book was indeed revolutionary and earth shattering. It awakened me to a part of me and the Universe I crave but don't quite know how to access and explore. The ideas are not as radical for someone who comes from a religious/cultural background such as Hinduism, which has a lot of Goddess worship.

There is a lot about this book I don't (yet?) understand and can't quite identify with, but I learned a lot, and I am in awe of the author's braveness to bare it all in this book - and grateful to her for that.

Must read for every conscious woman, who's ready to take her awakening to a higher level, who's ready to dig deeper into her own soul's truth.....Such a great understanding of our own unconscious patriarchy, wonderful tool for shadow work as well, which alone I feel can lead to our inner light.....the way to ascend is through the descent.....Absolutely love Sera's vulnerability, authenticity, courage, honesty....and ofcourse SASSINESS AND HUMOR ;)
Truly speaking, I have no words to describe it, you just have GOT TO READ IT.....I wish to get the audio book some day and listen to it over and over again, deprogramming can take time, I need many reminders....
Thank you Sera from the bottom of my heart, and feminine Soul!!!
Love

I just purchased this book last night at an indie bookstore and read it over night. This book is a spiritual memoire of Sera's personal spiritual/soul journey. The book is filled with brilliant scholarly work, quotes from interviews with such notable authors as Nancy Qualls- Corbett (whose work I'm very familiar with. Loved her book The Sacred Prostitute), poetry and her own experiences traveling her path. For me as a woman, I especially like it when an author anchors the knowledge they're imparting through the vehicle of personal story and experiences dealing with what they're sharing. It puts a human face on it and this book was a massive Aha! for me in many ways. I was actually looking for another book to read, saw the cover of this one and that's what drew me. I love the red font in parts of the book; it's simply a sumptuous experience to read it. I found a great deal in it extraordinarily helpful as I am at the same crossroad she wrote about. I just didn't have a name or frame of reference for it. This book helped immensely. My favorite quote in the book sums up how I feel about it: "Are you a princess?" I asked. She said, "I'm much more than a princess, but you don't have a name for it yet on earth." - Brian Andreas

Before you read this book, ask yourself - no wait - ask your SELF - what you most fear about it's bright slashing beauty - your SELF's and this book's. When you have the answer to that question, you will know what the gift of this read for you might be.

I howled with laughter at how "Her Redness" (quotes and title mine) obliterated a writer's block... mostly because I have been through the exact same thing and was re-incarnated in exactly the same way... different words perhaps... same drill sergeant ("Ma'am, yes Ma'am") We are here to fully embody divinity... each in our own unique way... as our purest, truest relationship with and as that Divinity... in other words, AS our love for that, AS that...Sera has illustrated this magnificently as That which She Is. Our journeys have much in common... but then Truth tends to be felt resonating 'in common'. For decades I said (quietly and only to a few) Kali is my GIRL... until I found out I had it the wrong way 'round. For those who are this embodiment, this book will ring the chimes of your heart. May their rhythm be authentically, rhythmically and wonderfully THAT!

"On this holy day, German researchers looking into the subversive activism of female American gnostic mystics were lead to a secluded monastery in central Germany, where they were secretly able to take this photo of the Altar.

Whilst they were confused by the symbolism of a headless Buddha (remaining undecided as to what to make of it). They have been clear for some time that the addition of the heart (across from the cross) represents the full acknowledgement Mary Magdalene as Jesus' partner in shrine. Though this is not entirely new, they attest much of the recent spread of this practice to the influence Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault.

However, they were most excited to find confirmed, a phenomenon just beginning to emerge across the continent in monasteries like this one, which they are calling the Essential Emergence of a Third. Though some will remember that initially - when this addition was still performed secretly in the mind of a monk or nun - it was known as the Glint in the Messiah's Eye. We leave you to make your own sense of that.

The budding new custom is now characterized by the addition of any beautiful, everyday, red and gold glittery thing (in this case gold-star-on-red-background beer-bottle-top gifted to a monk by a little girl) to the altar space between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

Inspite of the rhizomatic emergence pattern of this phenomenon, the researchers are largely attributing the cultural ignition of this daring step to externalize, thereby explicitly acknowledge this part of the holy story, to little known American, freak, cowgirl mystic, Sera Beak, and her new book. It should not come as a surprise that this is being handled as one of the most potent subversive contributions to healing on this planet that anyone could ever make.

Happy Holy Day ;-)"

- From an Article in The Guardian of Imaginal Realms, July 22nd, 2013

I would say that makes this book need to be read.

She, the Divine Feminine, is out-doing herself in her coming out.

Sera's book Red, Hot and Holy is an enlivening, engaging AND educational aspect of the Divine Feminine's way of making this perfectly clear for anyone who is looking for HerSelf.

I am here to be this one, Barbara. It is not possible to get this wrong.
She is compelling, unrelenting, "loose with compassion" and as passionately in love with me, as I am in love with Her.

Red is the color of my blood and my blood-line, and yours.

Thank you Sera, for your compelling, relentless, feisty, compassionate Passion to speak and live Her, your way.
When we stop comparing ourselves to one another we will be empowered and enlivened, and the creativity released could cause peace and joy of epidemic proportions to cover the earth.

True Service is the living result this empowerment.

This book is raw, edgy, earthy, soul-ly, and REAL with a capital "R". Sera condenses her experiences and channels through the divine some of the very same conversations that so many of us have been having within ourselves about life, friends, family, our sexuality, spirituality and more! Not many are unveiling their hearts these days....Sera is something special. When I look for products to invest in that will help catapult me back INTO life, this is the template. Ever had questions about how to be your authentic self: you can find solice in this book. Ever had questions about how the divine views sex: you can find comfort here as well. How about ...feeling like you want to have a conversation with someone that "gets you".....Sera does in this book. I've had so many encounters with my own "red lady" so to speak since reading this book, because Sera points you back to the Divine at work in YOU. My RED heart burst open when I discovered that there is a space and a community of authentic people that aren't bound by perceived notions of "norm" even when it comes to spiritual "norm."..I realize from reading this book that through a combination of the Divine Masculine "OM" and the Divine Feminine "Ah" that my life can explode with enough love, passion, zest, and zeal that will magnetize every good gift that the divine has destined for my life. I'm exstatic to know Sera, and I'm excited at this beautiful gift she has birthed. THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE.........ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Jesse Herriott, M.A.

Sera Beak invites us into her at times chaotic, and always interesting, entertaining and crazy love story with the Divine or as she calls it, her "Red Lady." I absolutely adore this book because it's a refreshing break from the dogmatic/superficial writings one usually comes across in the Religious/Spiritual/New Age arena these days. Sera Beak exudes authenticity, and a fearless voice that resonates with anyone who has lost their way in the modern "spiritual buffet" of books, principles, and practices pushed by every self-help guru, healer, preacher, and motivational speaker. I fiercely recommend this book to anyone who has the desire to form an authentic relationship with the Divine (and life in general) and who is looking for humor, sexiness, wit, lots of Red, and a soulful voice to guide them in learning to know, feel, and experience who they Truly Are.

I found this author's amazing journey resonated very strongly for me. I went on to read "The Red Book" (also 5 stars) and then further to take Ms Beak's on-line course. Absolutely fabulous! I feel that I am living more authentically and also truer to my self than ever before. I am so grateful - thank you for sharing your story!

Red, Hot, and Holy is a rich, red, beautifully woven tapestry of a memoir. Poignant, honest, brave, sexy, hilarious...it drips with soul. At times, it turned my fingers black. Reading it is like soaring on a magic carpet ride and having the rug pulled out from under you, alternately and all at once. It is the first book that caused me to spontaneously stop reading and kiss it. At times, her words may even leap off the page and kiss you... I would give it a fifty-burning-red-stars rating if I could.

Oooooh this book was so incredibly amazing. So many authors try to water down their work for the public, but Sera doesn't shy away from speaking her spiritual truth which is what ultimately makes her so relatable. Many of us have experienced the heretical journey of a religious wanderer, and it was thrilling to allow her stories to inspire my own. You may have crazy dreams while you're reading this, but probably for good reason. This book is a spiritual awakening!

...This is "Eat Pray Love" for the hipper, short-attention span, non-sequitor, over-educated crowd that can argue endlessly with itself over "theory" in a red tent in a paid-for apartment in SAN FRANCISCO without having to get a regular crappy job. Oh man, I wanted to love her, I did! I SWEAR I DID, as I've been going my own kind of crazy dancing in the streets here in San Francisco, but as an over-educated but verrrrry non-affluent colored girl, I don't think that what the world needs is another affluent white woman writing odes and love letters to her vaginas, imaginary friends, and traveling the world surveying us all while we're unable to love our vaginas as thoroughly as they've come to because we're fighting for the few remaining minimum wage part time jobs.

I've gone her kind of crazy, but I've learned the way you "check" yourself for the best kind of crazy, is to ask yourself if you're actually more CONNECTED to living beings with love and empathy. Or when you find yourself dancing on the floor and competing for the attention of men from another woman, instead of playing theoretical games to compete without feeling stupid and as crude as us regular girls, SCREW THE GUYS AND PULL THE WALLFLOWER GIRLS OUT TO DANCE WITH YOU!!!!

Ask if your awakenings involve more "me me me!" or if you're inclined to feel more empathy and want to bring others along without some Manifest Destiny thing, or turning it into some life coaching thing where you charge? How do you charge to help another through craziness? You can't. It's something we must give FREELY to each other. That's the sacred whore thing where you actually stay dry and don't have so many sheets to wash afterwards.

So beware of your lessons from the ones who got us into this situation in the first place.

Ask if sitting in a red tent for months and talking to an imaginary woman who tells you how to get more is really giving? Maybe it is.

And Beak is a slippery, clever, over-educated girl, and has an explanation/answer for everything she does (and no doubt, will do).

If you're a white girl who wants ever more encouragement to love your vagina, frolic in your menses, and stare in the mirror, Sera Beak's your girl (or many of the other neo-conservative Feminist writers out there who have neo-black maids and the rest of us as baby surrogates so they can have it all. Or at least, MORE).

If you're just a regular girl, then use your common sense and beware of the Sacred Whore trap that's made the rounds again and again. I've done a lot of the whoring that actually was accidentally, or did become "sacred," but after a lot of shame and darkness, because I got to screw a lot of great men and women before the internet and texting and all these female "lists" rendered everyone socially retarded and skittish, and I wouldn't waste your most precious self on much whoring around. If it was ever sacred, it takes the heart of a saint, but the time, work, resources that only a rich woman with time to recuperate in her own red tent for YEARS would have.

Don't be so cavalier with what is so precious in the first place. It's hell to get back.

And if you're poor, or among the new poor, plan on being broke longer if you take these going crazy routes.

I thought I could go and come back in, but I was never "in" in the first place.

(smile)

Best of luck and be careful what you read and who you listen to. Pretty white girls can entice you to your death if you forget the reality most of us must live with.

And I believe in magic. Magic is sweaty hard, often ugly work. And the voices are real. They are from many different places sometimes, mystical, metaphysical, artistic, archetypal, social, familial, societal, sick, healthy, nurturing, abusive etcetera. Just be responsible and listen to what they're SAYING. They're not gods. They are ideas and energies to incorporate into your being. Not energies to CEDE to. You are ALWAYS in charge, even when you play helpless, and can pick and choose as if you are making a "bouquet," an arrangement for your own soul. (Words are clumsy here. Meaningless. Shallow.)

That's why be careful with that Sacred Whore thing. Few of us find our way back to the preciousness we so cavalierly tossed out to be so cool in the first place. This is a different world. All too willing to make you feel bad just for existing so that you can try and buy your way out and keep this game going with self-hatred turned inward and outward.

And be careful of all these affluent people with their neo new age religions. Those are the ones who ask "what do you want?"

It's never been about what any of us "WANTS." What are we here to do and give?

Don't exploit men or other lovers for your inner playground. You only hurt people and throw them back in the water for us to have to deal with and fix.

Sacred Whore is way too easy. Pardon the pun.

It is harder to have community and love one intensely and nakedly. Fearlessly. To be truly fearless is so terrifying, as to be the only truly thrilling sexual act left to me now.

Dance for each other, but remember to bring the wallflowers out with you. The most miraculous people are often the silent ones not hunched over their phones. The silent ones watching EVERYTHING. They are too fascinating--and NECESSARY-- to be used and discarded.

So be careful.

I'd fear any girl who loves this book. Oy. Just what the world needs. Another rich and pretty American girl without any late night student loan debt panic attacks telling us to write love letters to our vaginas and splashing around in our menses. Because it's the REST OF US who end up begging for jobs CATERING to these vaginas. And wiping the seats clean.

Spiritual revolutions must involve all of us. Not create a class of surrogates, maids, coaches.

It's scarier to care about your neighbor. Other women. Other men. And less of an amazing story (not to me). But try it.

I half expected this book to be written in red bubble letters. It's too cute to make it to the end.

And writing this review is an act of love to the other searching women who don't have their "eat pray love" purse or Ivy League education.

Go your own kind of crazy, but make sure you're not too cut off from humanity. That's how we got into all this "ego" crap in the first place.

--Erika Lopez, San Francisco