The Spiritualists

The more mystical counterpart to the Religious School (see page 204), the Spiritualist School takes a non-organized-religious look at the spiritual quest for paradise, perfection, and a symbiotic relationship with the Godhead. Thus, the personal God and personal concerns with God—as in the Jesus Date poems of the Religious School—are dropped in favor of the cosmic.

Tommy Lee

b. 1962

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Enlightenment and transcendent perfection are, of course, the ultimate goals of the mystic. Some, like rocker Tommy Lee, actually find it—and he generously shows us his path.

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Paradise Regained

You must remove one article of clothing

—your pants, your top—

or else you are not allowed in my dressing room.

So in order to come back and dance and party

you gotta take off some clothing.

That gets the fucking party started so quick.

Everyone’s walking around topless,

and

shit’s going,

music’s bumping,

girls are dancing on the table,

and

you’re like,

“Okay, this is perfect.”

Kate Bosworth

b. 1983

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Sometimes the poet advances his or her own prescriptions for achieving the mystical state, as does actress Kate Bosworth in the following.

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Satori

It’s amazing.

Because if you, like,

Have everybody taking ten minutes a day

And really focusing on, like,

positivity

and a better world

and a better self, like,

Imagine all that,

just

all that

positivity

going out there?

Kanye West

b. 1977

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This brief poem by rapper Kanye West packs a powerful spiritual punch. One feels he or she too is “home” at Gucci.

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Past Life Regression

I won’t go into a big spiel

about reincarnation,

But the first time I was in the Gucci store

in Chicago

Was the closest I’ve ever felt

to

home.

Victoria Beckham

b. 1974

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What connotes spirituality? Who better than singer/model/fashion designer Victoria Beckham to tackle this complex yet simple question?

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Quite Spiritual

I’m quite spiritual.

I’m very good at visualization.

I was talking to Gordon Ramsay and David about this and they’re the same.

Gordon visualises a meal, then prepares it.

David visualizes the goal.

I’ll lie in bed and think, “What kind of look do I want tomorrow?”