[1][4] Paulsen's doctrine has been defined as a syncretic religion which incorporates alternative spiritual beliefs and ideas brought form ufology, theosophy, esoteric Christianity, Hopi traditions, Kriya yoga, and meditation.

[1] Norman Paulsen, who started the Sunburst community in the late 1960s as a small group, was a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the 1946 spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi.

Paulsen's book, Life, Love, God: Story of a Soul Traveler, explains his concept of Self-realization, his idea that at the core of every human being is a pure Self, a consciousness of Christ, and the realization of this Self is attained through the practice of meditation.

The Times said the following about the community, the office, a converted ice cream factory, is headquarters for a unique brotherhood and business that includes four ranches, three organic food markets, a bakery, two restaurants, a trucking service, and a 158-foot (48 m) sailing-vessel being restored at San Pedro.

The married couple's joint journal won the “Best Non-Fiction Award” at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and was later published by AVANT Books in 1982 with the title Sunburst: A People, A Path, A Purpose.

This in turn caused financial constraints that led to the California property being sold, and some members moved to Big Springs Ranch in Northeastern Nevada and later Salt Lake City, where they began natural foods businesses.