One woman’s gripping firsthand account of falling into—and eventually escaping—a female guru–led cult as she seeks her own personal awakening.
Chasing Nirvana: A Seeker’s Story of Love, Loss, and Liberation
Growing up under the sway of a Brooklyn housewife turned guru, Priya Hutner is drawn into a world shaped by bizarre rituals, spiritual promises, and oppressive beliefs. What begins as a quest for enlightenment unravels into a stifling reality as the boundaries between spiritual devotion and control blur—and as Priya becomes an integral part of the ashram community, sharing the guru’s teachings, she becomes further entangled in a web of spiritual control and manipulation.
In this deeply personal memoir, Priya shares her struggle to break free from her guru and the cult-like grip to which she falls prey.
A spiritual adventure story and a cautionary tale, Chasing Nirvana is a story of love, heartbreak, and redemption that offers a powerful reflection on the perils of blind faith and the beauty of reclaiming one’s life on one’s own terms. (From book jacket).
365 pages Paperback: $17.99
eBook: $12.99 Pub Date: 03.03.2006
Publisher: She Writes Press
SEE OUR REVIEWS of CHASING NIRVANA here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Priya Hutner is a writer, teacher, entrepreneur, and passionate advocate for the literary arts. She is the co-founder of the Tahoe Literary Festival and the Truckee Literary Crawl, two events that celebrate storytelling and creative expression in the Sierra Nevada region.
The owner of The Seasoned Sage catering company and the arts and culture editor for The Tahoe Guide, her writing has been featured in The Tahoe Guide, Moonshine Ink, and Muse Magazine. As a food editor, arts and culture editor, feature writer, and journalist, she has authored over 800 stories on food culture, the arts, the environment, and outdoor recreation.
She also facilitates writing, breath meditation, and self-discovery workshops. When she is not writing, cooking, or teaching, Priya enjoys skiing, hiking, and biking in the Sierra Nevada.She lives in Truckee, California.
Book Release Event Dates Include:
March 5 – Truckee, CA. Book Release Launch Party. Alibi Ale Works, 6:00 p.m. Hosted by The Tahoe Literary Festival, Tahoe Guide and Wildbound PR. A Fireside Chat with Nevada County Poet Laureate, Karen Terrey discussing Priya’s debut memoir. Signed copies of Chasing Nirvana will be available for purchase.
April 10 – Truckee, CA. Truckee Literary Crawl. Free talk and book signing. Priya Hutner and Blair Glaser in Conversation – Cults, belief and spiritual entrapment and female gurus.
April 22 – Marin County, CA. Book Passage Corte Madera. In Conversation with Elizabeth Aden (author Mud, Microbes, and Medicine ) and Sheri Joseph.
Oct. 9-10 Tahoe City, CA. Tahoe Literary Festival – TBA
For updates and announcements, follow Priya on Instagram @priyahutner
