James Redfield
Encyclopedia
James Redfield is an American
author, lecturer, screenwriter and film producer. He is notable for his novel The Celestine Prophecy
(1993).
. As a young man, he studied Eastern philosophies
, including Taoism
and Zen
, while majoring in sociology
at Auburn University
. He later received a Master's degree in counseling and spent more than 15 years as a therapist to abused adolescents. During this time, he was drawn into the human potential movement
and turned to it for theories about intuitions and psychic phenomena that would help his clients.
In 1989, he quit his job as a therapist to write full-time, synthesizing his interest in interactive psychology, Eastern and Western philosophies, science
, futurism
, ecology
, history
, and mysticism
.
When Redfield self-published
his first novel in 1992 (Satori Publishing), the immediate interest from booksellers and readers made The Celestine Prophecy
one of the most successful self-published books of all time. Warner Books bought the rights and published the hard cover edition in March 1994. The book quickly climbed to the #1 position on the New York Times Best Seller List
. According to Publishing Trends, The Celestine Prophecy was the #1 international bestseller of 1996 (#2 in 1995). The novel spent over 3 years on the New York Times Best Seller List. As of May 2005, The Celestine Prophecy had sold over 20 million copies worldwide and had been translated into 34 languages. In 1996, the sequel, The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision
(Warner Books), also became a bestseller. The two books spent a combined 74 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List, making James Redfield the best-selling hard cover author in the world in 1996, as cited in BP Report (January 1997).
In his non-fiction
title, The Celestine Vision: Living the New Spiritual Awareness (Warner Books, 1997), Redfield explored the historical and scientific background of the "emerging spirituality" discussed in his novels. The Celestine series of adventure parable
s continued in 1999 with the publication of The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight
(Warner Books). In 2002, James joined author Michael Murphy
and filmmaker Sylvia Timbers in a collaborative non-fiction work entitled God and the Evolving Universe (J.P. Tarcher).
The novel was filmed as The Celestine Prophecy
, which made its U.S. theatrical (Celestine Films) and DVD (Sony Pictures) release in 2006. Redfield produced and co-wrote the screenplay (with Barnet Bain & Dan Gordon
).
James and Salle Redfield are the founders of the Global Prayer Project, a bi-weekly telewebcast which offers guided prayer
and meditation
.
Redfield's newest offering, "The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision," was published by Grand Central Publishing in February 2011.
, founder of Habitat For Humanity, as the only two recipients of Humanitarian of the Year honors from their alma mater, Auburn University. Two months later, he was honored by the International New Thought Alliance
with another Humanitarian of the Year award. In March 2004, James Redfield was honored by the Wisdom Media Group with the World View Award for engaging the discussion on the nature of human existence and for his ongoing efforts and contributions to the bettering of humanity.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author, lecturer, screenwriter and film producer. He is notable for his novel The Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy is a 1993 novel by James Redfield that discusses various psychological and spiritual ideas which are rooted in many ancient Eastern Traditions and New Age spirituality. The main character of the novel undertakes a journey to find and understand a series of nine spiritual...
(1993).
Biography
Redfield grew up in a rural area near Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. As a young man, he studied Eastern philosophies
Eastern philosophy
Eastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
, including Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
and Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, while majoring in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. He later received a Master's degree in counseling and spent more than 15 years as a therapist to abused adolescents. During this time, he was drawn into the human potential movement
Human Potential Movement
The Human Potential Movement arose out of the social and intellectual milieu of the 1960s and formed around the concept of cultivating extraordinary potential that its advocates believed to lie largely untapped in all people...
and turned to it for theories about intuitions and psychic phenomena that would help his clients.
In 1989, he quit his job as a therapist to write full-time, synthesizing his interest in interactive psychology, Eastern and Western philosophies, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
, ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, and mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
.
When Redfield self-published
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
his first novel in 1992 (Satori Publishing), the immediate interest from booksellers and readers made The Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy is a 1993 novel by James Redfield that discusses various psychological and spiritual ideas which are rooted in many ancient Eastern Traditions and New Age spirituality. The main character of the novel undertakes a journey to find and understand a series of nine spiritual...
one of the most successful self-published books of all time. Warner Books bought the rights and published the hard cover edition in March 1994. The book quickly climbed to the #1 position on the New York Times Best Seller List
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. According to Publishing Trends, The Celestine Prophecy was the #1 international bestseller of 1996 (#2 in 1995). The novel spent over 3 years on the New York Times Best Seller List. As of May 2005, The Celestine Prophecy had sold over 20 million copies worldwide and had been translated into 34 languages. In 1996, the sequel, The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision
The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision
The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision is the second novel in The Celestine Series, beginning with The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield. It was published in 1996.-Plot summary:...
(Warner Books), also became a bestseller. The two books spent a combined 74 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List, making James Redfield the best-selling hard cover author in the world in 1996, as cited in BP Report (January 1997).
In his non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
title, The Celestine Vision: Living the New Spiritual Awareness (Warner Books, 1997), Redfield explored the historical and scientific background of the "emerging spirituality" discussed in his novels. The Celestine series of adventure parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
s continued in 1999 with the publication of The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight
The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight
The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight is the third book in The Celestine Prophecy series by James Redfield.-Plot summary :...
(Warner Books). In 2002, James joined author Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy (author)
Michael Murphy is the co-founder of the Esalen Institute, a key figure in the Human Potential Movement and author of both fiction and non-fiction books on topics related to extraordinary human potential.- Biography :...
and filmmaker Sylvia Timbers in a collaborative non-fiction work entitled God and the Evolving Universe (J.P. Tarcher).
The novel was filmed as The Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy (film)
The Celestine Prophecy is a 2006 American film directed by Armand Mastroianni and starring Matthew Settle, Thomas Kretschmann, and Sarah Wayne Callies...
, which made its U.S. theatrical (Celestine Films) and DVD (Sony Pictures) release in 2006. Redfield produced and co-wrote the screenplay (with Barnet Bain & Dan Gordon
Dan Gordon
Dan Gordon was an American storyboard artist and film director, best known for his work at both Famous Studios and Hanna-Barbera Productions. Gordon was one of Famous' first directors, and he wrote and directed several Popeye the Sailor and Superman cartoons...
).
James and Salle Redfield are the founders of the Global Prayer Project, a bi-weekly telewebcast which offers guided prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
and meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
.
Redfield's newest offering, "The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision," was published by Grand Central Publishing in February 2011.
Awards
In October 1997, James Redfield was awarded the prestigious Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Senate at the XXIII Pio Manzu International Conference in Rimini, Italy. In the spring of 2000, James joined Millard FullerMillard Fuller
Millard Dean Fuller was the founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit organization known globally for building houses for those in need, and the founder and former president of The Fuller Center for Housing...
, founder of Habitat For Humanity, as the only two recipients of Humanitarian of the Year honors from their alma mater, Auburn University. Two months later, he was honored by the International New Thought Alliance
International New Thought Alliance
The International New Thought Alliance is an umbrella organization for New Thought adherents "dedicated to serving the New Thought Movement’s various branches, organizations and individuals".- History :...
with another Humanitarian of the Year award. In March 2004, James Redfield was honored by the Wisdom Media Group with the World View Award for engaging the discussion on the nature of human existence and for his ongoing efforts and contributions to the bettering of humanity.
Sources
- "Celestial reasoning." People Weekly. New York: Apr 25, 1994. Vol.41, Iss. 15; pg. 85
- McDonald, Marci. "Celestine prophet." Maclean's. Toronto: Oct 10, 1994. Vol.107, Iss. 41; pg. 54