American Yogi: Tibetan Buddhism, LSD and the Search For Truth

George Robert Bourke was on his own from an early age. The horrendous abuse he suffered at the hands of those in the California foster care system caused him to become a hardened and cynical young man.

Bourke’s escape was found on the streets of San Francisco. In this unique combination of personal narrative and spiritual memoir, Bourke recounts his early days on the streets and his time with the US Army in South Korea. During his tour of duty, Bourke became fascinated with Korean culture, especially Buddhism. It was a passion that would continue throughout his life.

First, however, there was the matter of Vietnam. As a country tore itself apart over a very unpopular war, Bourke took matters into his own hands. He fled to Canada to avoid being sent. Bourke wound up back on the streets, but his burgeoning Buddhist faith gave him the spiritual strength to get through. Bourke fully embraced the teachings and practices of Tibetan Buddhism. As he takes you on a tour of his fascinating life, he explains the main tenets of the religion as embodied by the Tibetan and American teachers he met along the way.