Morland House,
16 Sharia Kemal el din Salah,
Kasr el Dubara, Cairo, U.A.R.
January 3, 1961
My dear Walt:
I hope the year has started out all right for you. It has for me. Indeed 1960 was a marvelous year for me, a series of reversals of reversals which began suddenly last February, continued on and is still going. It is the turn of the wheel-of-karma. And there is one thing that stands out clearly, the karma especially hits those personalities who think they avoid it by explaining it. I have seen farce-comedies and tragedies stalk the lives of such persons who know everything but human consideration.
I am being prepared now for another newspaper interview. Previously I was described as a great Yogi. My efforts to disenchant failed entirely and the reputation remains. The fact that I am a Sufi-Dervish only enhances the whole picture. I am now the official representative of the Rifa’i Dervishes and may meet more. This morning after mailing this I go to the U.S. Embassy to make some reports. These reports are taken seriously here and I think they are now being taken serious in the S.F. Bay region by American-Americans.
I have just completed the four Volumes of the History of Indian culture published by the Vedanta Society with the grace of the Central Government. To me it is a marvelous and monumental work, the contents of which are unknown in all the U.S. outside of Harvard, where brand names are more important than information or truth. I am going to have a battle, but it is assured that it will be a winning battle against the uniformed “experts” who got their knowledge from everywhere but direct sources. I shall not be above going to court but I am pretty sure that detractors will vanish and do not look for any such eventualities.
As a matter of fact during the last month the turn of the tide was tremendous. All my ideas in the fields between Oriental mysticism, philosophy and modern science have been accepted—no exceptions. I have been meeting the top scientists, not only of the UAR but any who come this way and all kinds of ideas which were rejected a priori in the S.F. Bay region have been listened to and mostly accepted as soon as I was permitted to present the case. Perhaps in the end I shall even get in on the “space-travel” stuff.
You see in his translations of the Upanishads Dr. Radhakrishnan translated three different words as “space.” I called to his attention that the three words had distinct meanings in Sanskrit and their translation into the same English word was misleading. The vice-president, being what he is, accepted this. So have the other Indian-Indian philosophers I have met. But the “experts” in the U.S.???
It is this same sort of thing that has lead to the impasse in the “space”-travel efforts. Space is not the word “space.” There are energies there, and the failure to take into account the types of these energies, known or unknown, is the fundamental reason for failure. Yes, there is one group which is an exception and they claim they will have ship “in space” in 1962. It is not a rocket-type at all. And these people do not reject occultism.
I am keeping complete diaries and may try to get extracts published on different subjects. I am fairly sure the American Friends of the Middle East will have some sort of gathering for me, but I don’t know when I shall return.
My immediate reason for writing is my friend Ray, who comes from Pittsburgh and works in Saudi Arabia. He is returning gradually to the States. He is very anxious to study Yoga. He was planning to go to Bombay but as he also is athletically inclined and again wants to learn how to meditate and concentrate. I strongly urged him to move to San Francisco, and he has your name. It may take some time, but I am inclined to believe he will come about the middle of the year.
Oddly enough there are quite a few books on Yoga on the markets here. It is regarded as strange but apparently nobody identifies it with idolatrous practices, and of course, it is not so concerned.
Physical development is neglected here, even by the army. I would like to see more of it and certainly there are plenty of playgrounds and athletic clubs. The next generation will be very different. I am sure. But one factor may be the absence of teachers. This government is growing rapidly in many directions; It cannot necessarily grow rapidly in all.
I am being rigged for more honors. I came here with a few simple missions but have been taken very seriously on all fronts. This is most true of my relations with the dervishes who are certainly nothing like Prof. “Von Plotz” tells us. “Von Plotz” is a synthesis of at least three men in the S.F. Bay region who earn their living and are connected with at least three different universities. As long as they stand eminent, we shall have a hard plugging in any part of Asia, but there they stand. And one of the not least reasons for Afro-Asian countries adhering to neutralism is that we do not try to find out what they believe and how, either from their own lips or from those who have been accredited by Asians. But not a single one of our “expects” in California is accredited in actual Asia, including here.
I have met the Minister of Culture who was visiting here from India and he gave me an introduction to his office. I am now preparing for my trip to Pakistan Although I shall not be leaving for over a month. I have not heard about the shipment of saris. There were small complications; I did everything possible, and only assume that all is well as I have not received any of my papers back.
But please tell Magaña that personal errands are most difficult. I am busy up to 12 hours a day 7 days a week, and only had one half-holiday even at this New Years and that chiefly to say good-bye to Ray previously referred to.
1960 was a year of wonders and wonderful things for me and 1961 has started out even better. Perhaps even bitterness and resentment will go, and the traces of them that remain are largely because of the very unfavorable international repercussions rising from stupidity and nonsense. Carl Jung is not an expert on Asia and his endorsement of Koestler just about does it. But I haven’t met any Germans who understand Oriental mysticism despite a load of books.
Faithfully,
Sam
Dear Norman: I have learned a lot and perhaps I know a lot, but I am not going to remain in the S.F. Bay region either without a fight or without being given open opportunities. Egotists always shun those who know, and usually to their own doom. Because a man speaks Tibetan is no assurance that he knows anything more about South India than he knows about Argentine and because a man gives lectures on Buddhism does not insure us that he knows the minds of the Chinese or Mongols. And because a man knows the King of Morocco gives him no more knowledge of Persian than of Tanganyika or the Ozarks for that matter.
May 28, 1961
Abbottabad
My dear Walt and Magaña:
This morning suddenly I felt the departure of weeks of gloom, a very sudden and as inexplicable as the gloom itself, so I thought I write would to you. It is very possible that this gloom was caused by or related to a Saturnian influence in the chart. Externally the only factors which might produce such a gloom have been the failure to receive letters, or the very cold responses or the rumors that my reports have been rejected and that I am guilty of “spiritual-egotism” whatever that is, for if there are any things further apart than spiritually and egotism I do not know what they are. Not that I am going to plead not-guilty of egotism. But the difference from the scientific attitude which demands factors and events and the “humanist” which is interested in the persons involved rather than the events marks itself off in everything.
I cannot explain this sudden twist of joy any more than I can explain the former gloom. But I am half thinking, if life continues as it has, that when I return we have our picture taken; or that if it be possible I take further courses with you and my pictures be used. For while nearing 65, I do not feel, think or act like it and even less look so. I climbed the mountain nearby the other day—I should say it is at least 2500 feet above the plain and excepting for a few heart-beats, not trouble with either lungs for feet and no rests excepting to look at the scenery. I wish to climb more mountains and probably shall whether for tourism, curiosity, exercise or other reasons.
On my next trip I hope to have an entourage and then enter when I write to people so there can be a continuum. So far as Pakistan is concerned it has been, from the ego-point of view nothing but triumphs. You meet the secretary of President Ayub who is the top intellectual of the country and before any conversation he launches into an unmitigated attack on the “Epoops,” i.e. European Professors of Oriental Philosophy who have been my bêtes noires for some time. When you get this from Princes Poon, Prof. Chatterji, Chaudhuri’s teacher; Rahul, the top Mahayanist of India and Nepal, and a lot of etceteras of the same caliber, it is emphatic enough; but when you cannot communicate it, it is certainly frustrating. The ridiculous situation of not being permitted to enroll as a student in California on certain subjects and not being permitted to enroll as a student in Harvard, either, but accepted there as a teacher ought to show that something is radically wrong, somewhere.
Well, there are no Sufis to account for anything and there are never in politics despite my meeting Syed Mahmud in India who was then Secretary or Minister of External Affairs. No, there are no Sufis. So I go to Lahore and every night a feast, because there are no Sufis. Either I go out, and usually to some mansion or else a grand parade to my friend, Major Sadiq, because there are no Sufis. Period or quit the course.
Major Sadiq and I have the same spiritual teacher, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor. He is a healer and also an advanced disciple. He is known all over Pakistan and people come for miles to have him touch them or bless water. This is a long subject which I shall be glad to take up with you when I return. Anyhow we are planning to introduce “International Sufi Brotherhood” into the United States.
Therefore we were invited twice to the home of Syed Maratab Ali, one of the most wealthy and important persons in this country. I never met so many important big wigs in my life—non-existing according to Landau, Von Grünebaum, and the faculties of Stanford and California, but my stomach protests. I met top generals, justices of the Supreme Court, professors, lawyers, high officials of all sorts—corroborating my meetings with Secretary Shahab, until I could not take it anymore. Plans were afoot, a little ahead of time. When I got back to Abbottabad, exhausted, Syed Maratab Ali died and I somewhat humorously infer that I was too much for him. But he is a living example to the lies given out in the name of Oriental cultures by persons who know very little of this continent but still are “experts”—or you flunk the course.
I spoke in the Punjabi University again—a terrific welcome. I spoke in a huge Mosque. I spoke before two groups of Sufis. I was lei-ed or garlanded until I could not hold my head up and plans were made for the future and all kinds of program started for me. But no, there are no Sufis and they are never important and never important and never in politics or you flunk the course and the Russians jump in.
I have been to holy places. This is all right for Russians who are “irreligious,” but Americans, hands off. I did not see the San Franciscan Abdurrahman Barker this time. He also visits shrines, which is naughty, naughty because we must not interfere with local religions even in a land where everybody is religious and how.
The gloom was enhanced by my totally successful scientific meetings. I know what will be said at home—the UNO or UNESCO or CARE or somebody is taking care of that problem. Period, end of subject. Same old stuff. Now there is nothing I am interested in more than the Tomato if it be not the Soybean. I have been hollering soy-beans and I am glad to say the Soy Bean Foundation, made up of farmers, not propagandists, became aware of it. Well, I visited an Agricultural Experimental Station. They were sent a lot of Soybean seeds by a world famous organization, sixty (60) varieties. One is growing. The others were all unfit. So I have to turn to parent bodies and Japan in hopes, and maybe someday a few Americans will get out of Phant-Asia and look at real Asia.
The same thing happened on many of my other scientific expeditions. I am doing exactly what they want, and in than I think everyone of the scientists I met but one is either a Sufi or interested in Sufism. Which is not going to effect, or maybe it will, our scholastic misrepresentations. The one exception was a story. I was challenged to produce a miracle. “I am not permitted.” “Who does not permit you?” “My spiritual teacher.” “And who is your spiritual teacher?” “Maulana Abdul Ghafoor.” “And who is Maulana Abdul Ghafoor?” A young engineer entered. “I will tell you who Maulana Abdul Ghafoor is for I lived with him two years.” The skeptic ran out as if he had been shot. But of course the engineer could not be a Sufi for these things are not permitted in our classrooms??
All my basic scientific work has been completed but it will take a long time to prepare for my home research and I have some to do here. The chief Forest Botanist, Abdul Hamid Khan, is also from Berkeley. We have gone over the main problems here, which men like Vice-President Johnson do not see. We need food here and for that the land must either be used or reclaimed. We have conferences, the Russians send in experts. American newspapers do not publish contributions from citizens abroad (“Creoles” I call them now) and you never know what is going on. Don’t think I did not know about S.E. Asia long before it happened; nothing mysterious. Friends wrote to me and told me. Any person reporting warnings is a trouble-maker; then we retreat.
Now I also have an important invitation to visit Malay from a friend of the Prime Minister. I suppose such a visit will be either climactic or anticlimactic. One is praying and one hopes not in vain that American will look at Asia as it is, not concepts, not pre-conclusions often from the minds of men who have never even visited the continent, but a grand totality of all kinds of things with a sense of belonging to the universe and infinity rather than being bound by time and other limitations.
At this point I was interrupted by a visitor, went for a walk and we have been invited to a grand gathering on Thursday night which will include folk dancing. I have not had a good chance to see these either in India or here—it always seemed to rain on such occasions, though I did see good dancing, classical and classroom in India.
I am much amused by the paper’s announcement of more mineral discoveries in this region. I do not know what can be done to make American see Asia as it is; or rather accept the reports of their fellows when they return. I have met quite a few “fellows” here and “not a cough in a carload” if you know what I mean. Well that’s enough now. Long time here yet, then long time India, then long time Malaya, longer time no see.
Sam
Dear Sam,
Want to thank you for all your lovely letters received.
So glad everything is working out so well for you, and that you are having so many opportunities to speak and to present your spirit and light and love to the world … and all those about you.
It was just great seeing you a few weeks ago at the other studio. You looked glowing as usual … and also thank you so for recommending me to Marcia…. She started with me last week, and she is a fine talented person, and a pleasure to work with.
Thanks again for you kind thoughts and words.
Our own work has been expanding in so many directions … daily fine opportunities and creative expression … and so many young fine beautiful people … we have always had a sincere magnificent talented group of people about us here at the studio and everywhere….
I give thanks daily for the opportunity of sharing my love, light and joy to others….
Om
Magaña
Sept. 9, 1969
Dear Walt and Magaña,
I have your kind invitations to attend affairs at your new headquarters at 149 Powell Street, but they were received too late to do anything about them. I have long given up trying to convince people with presumable interest in Oriental or spiritual matters that the laws of karma apply to them. It is certain in my own affairs that the young are being drawn to me more and more and more, and that the application of spiritual training through chanting and dance is most successful. It is a strange thing and quite apart tram our culture that are more Vietnamese Buddhists in the world than there are Jews, however we define theme, and that there are more members in Sufi Orders than Vietnamese Buddhists and Jews combined. I am not going to try and prove this in this country, but I am now making plans to attend a conference of the real religions of the real world where I shall be given ample time to support contentions based on hard facts of history and humanity.
I am now about to leave on a vacation I hope having had hardly a day off the whole year.
As truth is truth, you should not be surprised that one is becoming welcomed more and more at the universities and by the real professors of real Oriental Philosophy, not derived from textbooks or the academies of the West. You may or may not be surprised to learn that one has been greeted by more and more swamis and gurus and other representatives of living Indian cultures. These meetings have all been in public and those who have witnessed than realize the infinite possibilities of bringing about better understanding through love and devotion, than through all the yakkety yaks of platform spielers.
I am frankly not interested in Sai Baba nor any other claimant to avatarship who seem so unmoved by the poverty and misery of Calcutta. I personally believe and I am willing to stand any test that any person who permits adulation to his ego while masses are suffering will sooner or later in the eternal world have to stand before a bar of judgment. It seems today spurious claimants are not satisfied with a title of Guru or Swami but are Avatars or Messiahs or at the least Sad-Gurus. I haven’t too many of the real Saints, some of whom not even allow their names to be used or mentioned, while they are working for humanity, and I mean humanity, human beings, actualities.
I understand there is another “Messiah” also from Bengal (of course) in this vicinity, waiting to see me. I’ll let him wait.
In India, but not here, I was permitted to debate—in fact in some places I was compelled to debate with the highest spiritual masters—before being admitted into their companies, but Indian debates are not based on egotism and dualisms and knowing this beforehand it was a simple and easy matter to earn the right to associate with them. And I know today a similar requirement is now being established at our universities to determine whether or not a claimant is a fraud or a sage. I do not think a man is any wiser because be makes a more grandiose elate. I am not the least interested in any ego reaction to this letter; I am interested in the rejection of the Gita by so many pretenders: they do not demonstrate any acceptance of the Gita’s teaching “equal minded in pleasure and pain.” I am not interested in trying to prove or disprove—I me interested in watching to see how and if claimants prove their sanctity, their humility and their super-mental acclaim.
I have noticed that at least one of your teachers has declared publically that my own initiate into Sufism was a Saint. And this teacher did not proclaim that he himself was a Saint.
March 1, 1970
Mrs. Magaña Baptiste
149 Powell St.
San Francisco, Ca.
My dear Magaña (and Walt):
How are you? I have inadvertently noticed your name on the program sent to me by one of the metaphysical groups here, and which reminded me that we have not seen each other for some time. Actually, I have no tine off. Perhaps I do not need any time off. But I also recognize that there are certain classes of people to whom you can’t explain anything, so I do not try. Here I am referring to metaphysical persons and groups who in the last analysis seem more involved in personalities than in truth or accomplishment. There is nothing inherently “wrong” in that or them, but some people, and this includes my ego, are interested in accomplishments and not in theories or doctrines or emotional appeals, no matter how worthy. As one does not convince the metaphysical people, even with substantiable facts, one tends to stay away from them. One does not lose anything either by staying away. In a certain sense, one is even happy staying away.
The fact is today one is the ersatz spiritual grandfather of an ever-growing number of young people who are much more interested in spiritual awakening than in lectures on the subject. Nor do they care much shout the prowess of the platform-occupier if he does not deliver.
Today we are doing all and more than Dame Leake verbalized. My main attention in this direction has been the outer manifestation of astrological doctrines, and their involvement in the development of personality. We are not only demonstrating, pragmatizing traditional astrological teachings, but have gone ahead into the seemingly impossible realms associated with the distant planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto—and I mean Pluto and no nonsense. In other words, that which is demonstrable we utilize.
One should have thought that this kind of knowledge would be most welcome in verbalizing occult societies. So long as egotisms and parsonalisms are involved above all (and usually they are) this sort of thing does not go very far, and we haven’t any time to argue—plenty of time to demonstrate.
On March 21 we expect to have a Spring Festival in central Marin County somewhere near Lake Nicasio. We are going to demonstrate what is inferred here. We are not only going to demonstrate. God Willing, this demonstration will be filmed and even televised. This is no doubt a far cry from huh-hush pseudo-occultism.
Although I am accused of being overly verbose, I have seldom told people that my very first teacher in esotericism was a master in occultism in some either moribund or defunct schools of initiation. This does not take anything away. This makes it possible to give—not talk about giving but actually give, giving to those who are willing to receive, and they are receiving. In fact you and your family and friends are invited to come to this public event to witness our dances and demonstrations, to listen to our chants, and to notice what we are doing.
While San Francisco, and especially the metaphysical groups around San Francisco, will largely poohpooh such endeavors, some of us are already working in a much larger field—in fact an international field. For soon we are leaving to attend a conference of all the world’s religions to be hold shortly in Geneva, Switzerland.
You will no doubt remember the giant rally of holy men at The Family Dog. This for me successful venture was followed almost immediately by calls from the near and far, from the youth of the land, from the New Age people, and the road has not turned back at all. No doubt scuttlebutt and grapevine will say what is true or what is not true, but public exhibitions will not only impress or more than impress those who are willing to witness them, but may lead to a further recognition of what may be true regardless of subjective reactions of whomsoever.
In fact I am already booked to lecture on the conference of the religions, and more will come from this source.
Here we are teaching all sorts of things which have been regarded as esoteric or occult. We are teaching them. We are demonstrating them. We are getting students. We are getting earnest students. We are getting the New Age people. We are growing and growing and growing and growing. We are not groping we are growing. And it would seem that putative old age still offers what the gerontologists cannot conceive, and I have no intention of trying to impress them.
I hope you are doing well, for there is now tremendous interest in Yoga. There is even more tremendous interest in the New Age diet, and in pure foods.
Love and blessing to you all,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 18, 1970
Walt and Magaña Baptiste
249 Powell St.
San Francisco 92102
Beloved Ones of God:
A little event the other day prompts this letter, but first I must tell you of the background. We are no longer concerned with the refusal of various local groups and persons to recognize our backgrounds and abilities. In fact, such recognition today might even be dangerous. The trend and tenor of the day is that if you have been accepted by seniors there is something wrong with you, and if you have been rejected by them there must be something right with you. This is very unfortunate but it gives the key to a lot that is going on.
We attended a real world conference of the real leaders of the real religions of the day. A lot was accomplished. In addition to that there was no sanctimonious egocentric refusals to let this person speak. His real work is just beginning. But as I have always said, “When the Gods arrive, the half-Gods go.”
The efforts of the real leaders of the real religions of the real world to get together was totally successful. This is not going to stop promoters from seeking funds for their own private and often narrow so-called “world” organizations. There are enough wise men and women, enough clever men and women, enough learned men and women, and perhaps enough seers in the world, to at least try to accomplish what can be accomplished for world peace, understanding, and brotherhood. At least some of the young people here (including our good friends at the Family Dog) have sensed this, and more than sensed it. They are planning to renew their efforts to get spiritual leaders together. Perhaps this is as it should be.
There were two immediate aftermaths: one came in the personality-reactions, all distinctly favorable. The other is the acceptance by youth. We do not know which stands out more: barred from certain podiums locally we were given receptions from and at the Royal Asiatic Society and the World Congress of Faiths, no nonsense, and no stupidity masquerading as wisdom. But it is the reaction of youth which stands out the most.
The receptions by young people on the one hand and the growth of our spiritual dances on the other, have given us an endless scope for operations. We have already had pilot television recordings. In addition to that the creative work of disciples in music and dancing, not to say other arts, is being accepted. But it is not only youth that is opening doors, the universities also are opening doors. And as one has gained that great American moral stature, dollars, one may be able, God-Willing, to accomplish considerably more than one was permitted to try in the past. This even covers intrusions into the forbidden land now monopolized by psychiatrists.
But the little events which caused this letter to be written was a visit by a cousin from Houston, Texas. This person was always a black sheep, black goat, black wolf, and black of the family. One outsmarted them simply by living on. Legal and other matters brought the visit from this cousin who had already discovered the gossip about one is entirely wrong, as if gossip-mongers care a bit. For one of those reasons which are beyond reason she asked me about Sybil Leake. Then it came out that Sybil is one other neighbors in Houston, Texas, and seems to be in hiding. Why I don’t know, but there it is.
Well it is come out: all metaphysicians, spiritual leaders so-called, and cult Gurus who preach love and compassion do not practice absolute exclusion. Some of them actually listen to you, actually. The upshot is we are planning a private meeting for astrology teachers only who will be given free demonstrations of our work in what ought to be called esoteric astrology. We intend to show our walks and dances. It will be strictly private. No one will be bound to secrecy or otherwise. Our material may even be plagiarized. It will be to each astrologer to make his or her own decision.
Of course in addition to that we have people going far deeper into the occultism of herbs than Sybil dare approach. We are not the only ones. This is a new day, a New Age, in which honesty, integrity, and knowledge may go hand in hand. We are not going to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes but we can keep this knowledge confined as if to a profession. We are not going to cast pearls before swine.
Our spring dance was totally successful. We had hundreds of youths performing. We are planning an even larger gathering when we return from Lama Foundation. A fully organized summer school is awaiting us. Of course there is nothing to stop older persona from accepting what is obvious, but so long as personalities and leaderships are more involved than knowledge and wisdom, we shall carry on our efforts which seem today to be succeeding in every direction.
Love and Blessings,
Sam
August 18, 1970
Magaña Baptiste
110 Powell St.
San Francisco, Ca.
My dear Magaña:
This letter is for Walt also. I appreciate the invitation to attend the recent concert led by Kyra Nijinsky. I am sorry in one sense it was necessary for me to leave before the performance was over. I have three very heavy classes on Saturday. All of them are on subjects and in directions rejected a priori in the previous generation by persons set up as “experts” on Oriental culture. This day is gone, and the most regrettable thing is that these persons who proclaim the integrative and universal approach have excluded themselves from projects and movements into which they should be fitted if we had any real integration of Oriental and Occidental cultures. I am no longer concerned with being ejected and rejected by self-proud intellectuals. I have just returned from the University of California where I am setting up my own peace scholarship. Today I have a following which is growing and growing even more rapidly than my ability to assimilate them all.
It is utterly stupid on the part of persons and movements which verbally claim universality to deny my existence. There are so many of them but they deny each other even more than they deny me! Morally they would be declared fraudulent, but I have to watch them get the reward of their own karma. They are all establishing mutually exclusive Shangri-las and Shambalas, and they all would welcome money from any source, but knowledge from nobody else.
These stupid money-grabbers are now being denounced by the Universities. No doubt the University would like some of the money themselves. And the Universities are getting some of the money themselves, because they do not go around excluding everybody else. It takes an organization using a title of “world movement” to be champions in exclusiveness.
I have just returned from the University of California where I am setting up a peace scholarship. The department which will first benefit probably there from is that of the Near East Languages. Once they offered me a PhD degree on a subject totally derided by the former American Academy of Asian Studies. That Academy derided me and the University of California offered me a PhD on the very subject which Academy gave me nothing but derision. This is their morality.
It is interesting that when I returned, Alan Watts telephoned—it is the first time he has ever telephoned me—to ask if I could help one of the real institutions dealing with real American-Asian relations, and I honestly could neither give an affirmation or denial.
At the moment I am getting ready to go to the Eastern States with my “Dances of Universal Pace,” the inheritance form the late Miss Ruth St. Denis, which so many good people deny was possible. The good people are all out affirming their own goodness and denying the possibility that goodness might be found in the hands of others. Fortunately, God-Allah seems to have reached quite other conclusions.
He seems to be doing plenty for my offers, and He seems to be approving the sound but simple fact that young people are coming to my meetings more and more and more and more and more.
We are sending a team to Asia to film the spiritual efforts of groups, especially the Sufis, whose very existence is denied by the good people. But this team will also go to India to meet another team which will take films of all the spiritual movements in India not recognized by the good people. We have every reason to believe these films will be highly evaluated by our real intellectual institutions.
In the meanwhile the classes on spiritual dancing are growing. I have five such classes every week and I am sure the Universities will now recognize them. In fact only the good people will not.
Our efforts in every other direction are progressing. I am on excellent terms with the Birla family of India, who are very wealthy and very devout, and also expect to have disciples bring back plenty of saris in the not distant future. I already have two Ras Lila dances of my own, several Hare Krishna dances, and an enormous number of dances derived either from the Sufis or from forms of Yoga which depend upon conscious unity with the deity.
These are only a small portion of present activities.
We are involved in what might be called the New Age food activities in organic gardening and related undertaking. We are not only involved, we are prospering therefore and therefrom. The natural result is that this person works every day and is gloriously working every day.
The public opinion of the top spiritual teacher of Indian is totally different from the public opinions of the good people who have been proclaiming cultural integration. I am sorry. They should have joined real world movements, not as leaders but as beneficiaries. And they can’t.
There is every sign at this writing of world movements, led by young people, to promote peace and understand and those forms of Yoga which mean conscious unity with the deity.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel