The Center Letter
A network of communication for those forming a coalition of concern for man’s future
Published by The Deerfield Foundation Communications Division New York City
Address Correspondence to:
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
May 9, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Thank you so much for your letter of May 1st. I would like to know your views on the evolutionary significance of mankind’s birth into the universe. What do you feel will be the effect of the union of men on earth? Do you feel mankind will be a self-contained entity—or do you think that we are at a new beginning as mankind in the universe?
One of the purposes of Center Letter is to draw forth ideas on this new theme. I look forward to knowing more of your views.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Earl Hubbard
The Center Letter
A network of communication for those forming a coalition of concern for man’s future
Published by The Deerfield Foundation Communications Division New York City
Address Correspondence to:
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
July 18, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, California 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
I am delighted to hear that you are going to help build Auroville. I am sure that all your skills will be needed. I wish you every success.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Earl Hubbard
September 4, 1968
The Center Letter
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
Beloved Ones of God,
“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” (Ps. 127) I am very much interested in “ The Center Letter.” My skepticism is aroused because I believe that in Lakeville there is also a center for the General Semanticists. These people hold that words are not things. My skepticism is aroused because I also am under this influence. The word people is still a thought form unless it involves actual persons.
I am having some difficulties here with some people who call themselves Buddhists and with some others who are vegetarians, who use the word compassion constantly; who wail and weep over the sufferings of clams and oysters and who have not the slightest compunction at calling others liars or otherwise insulting them. This is happening all the time.
The word mankind that excludes human beings and their experiences is thus to me a useless noise. It can easily compound hypocrisy and ignorance.
I began my “joy without drugs” several years ago. I have succeeded in convincing exactly two people of mature age as to its validity. I have succeeded however in convincing many scores of those under forty, and all signs are that it will run up into hundreds or more. But the hard facts of actualities do not always impress people with well-intended emotions or those capable of writing noble editorials. The success in this field has led me into contacts with numerous “utopian” groups. They are all out to revolutionize the world without being able to control either their emotions or their bodies. They pretend spiritual outlooks and always ignore karma when it applies to themselves. This does not affect the karma.
At this writing I am involved in the near tragedies of these utopians. I have been compelled to bring out some solid personal history. When this history is contrary to the dreams, fancies, and fantasies of well-meaning people they generally reject you and go on with their beautiful literature about humanity. I must agree that sentimentally there is nothing but total acceptance from this individual; But I also find that my acceptance of others does not lead to their acceptance of this ego-personality. Or leaving the self out, in their various mutual relations. It is remarkable how idealists can ignore the existence of each other.
At the present moment I am preparing a team to go to India. Their immediate objective is a convocation at Darjeeling, India, of the actual real spiritual ecclesiastical and religious leaders of the real world. No one is left out; no one is ignored because of non-agreement.
This team will be given letters of introduction to a great many real notables of a real world, including Dr. Zukair Hussein, the President of India whose unknown views so contradict many peoples’ hyperbolic dreams that they ignore his existence.
This team is also directed to visit Auroville, in Pondicherry, both to exchange—and I mean exchange—ideas and experiences and to ascertain ways by which they might help the very worthy Auroville project. But so far I have been unable to obtain import permits and other most necessary material requirements which would validate such help.
I am sending copy of one of my recent letters to the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, one of a multitude of institutions which has hyperbolic claims and simply ignores letters and refuses interviews. Having chucked out God, nuisance human beings are also excluded. This is a customary “only in America” behavior pattern found among those who misappropriate words like humanity, democracy, people, etc.
I am sending Dr. Oliver Reiser at Pittsburgh University my actual achievements in both his Project: Prometheus, and Project: Krishna. These are actual accomplishments of an actual person in an actual world. They have now been accepted by the celebrated Dr. Huston Smith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with accumulated knowledge in various fields.
While at the moment all attention is being paid to affairs occurring in India, I hope soon to have annotated and an accumulation of research papers and direct experiences which could answer all the sob-slob editorials of famous people about coming world starvation.
Fortunately there are plenty of young people who examine objective data rather than their own subjective reactions to various persons. Jesus Christ has said, “Whatsoever ye do to the least of these my creatures, ye do it also unto Me.” In my work here I personally practice “I am the vine and ye are the branches thereof.” There is no sense of separation permitted by me to myself in dealing with disciples and those on probation. There is no nonsense about “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
I therefore take without apology an attitude toward originations which claim to be humanitarian quite different from that taken toward individual people. With persons there is heart recognition and heart feeling. With institutions I accept no longer any one-way streets. God made man; man made institutions. I return to “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
I am not particularly happy because from outward signs God seems showing his favors with increased following, increased opportunities and potentially a large increase in increments. But I am now compelled by an inner discipline not to share with those who do not recognize spiritually and intellectual accumulations. Whether it be the reconciliation’s of religions to each other or the pragmatic solution to world food problems, one has adhered to hard facts and the recognition of other human beings as belonging to the universal stream of life. It is not by editorials, but our pragmatic acceptance of “Love ye one another” that I see the way out. I happen to be the first American validated by numerous Asian masters to represent their various cosmic outlooks.
I am no longer asking quid pro quo. The heart is not concerned with commercialism. But the heart functions both ways, and today there are so many groups working in the same direction that I am actually confused. All mean well—there is no doubt of it.
At the present time I am particularly interested in the manifestation of “utopianism” of the late Sri Aurobindo. I do not demand this from others. I return to the acceptance of God-reality.
Love and blessings,
Samuel. L. Lewis
December 9, 1968
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
My dear Mrs. Hubbard:
This morning I wrote to our mutual friend, Dr. Oliver Reiser. This was written in good faith (copy enclosed) and I then intended to write to Mr. Edward Cornish.
But hardly had the envelope been sealed, another letter came from our good friend, Miss Julie Medlock of Auroville who is doing things, not writing editorials and is facing various what I call real problems of the real world.
She has made me feel utterly ashamed of planners who plan, end imagine the world is going to accept their plans. It is just like here: this person started out to advertise himself as a Pied Piper. It failed utterly? Only the young showed up. The young show up very week more and more living humanity, nearly all under 30 and they accept the outlooks of Heart and a global attitude attained and obtained by travel and studying under many non-Americans of many outlooks in many directions.
No doubt I am emotionally upset or inspired at the moment but I feel I must support Julie all the way and not with words—plenty do that—but with actions and even try to get her financial help.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
[see Julie Medlock file for letter written to her on this date-Ed]
The Center Letter
A network of communication for those forming a coalition of concern for man’s future
Published by The Deerfield Foundation Communications Division New York City
Address Correspondence to:
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
December 18, 1968
Mr. Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Thank you for your letter. I certainly agree with you that the work of Auroville is of primary importance. But I do not feel that because we feel one thing is important that we should call other things less real. I think that our effort must be to find the way to include the constructive endeavors of all different kinds of people—not because they agree with each other, but because they are all attracted toward a common goal.
I think that those who write editorials, as well as spiritual leaders, have a contribution to make as well as those facing the materials problems of city building. We need each other and we must not exclude each other.
With every good wish,
Sincerely,
Mrs. Earl Hubbard
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
December 22, 1968
Mrs. Earl Hubbard,
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
Beloved One of God:
Your very encouraging letter of the 18th has come Just at a time when we are celebrating the reality of the Christ-consciousness. Not just some ceremonial, not just a series of lectures, sermons, homilies, emotional or non-emotional appeals that have the same effect as a cocktail, but the rousing of the consciousness of those who are quite willing, eager and hopeful to find their true natures and to see their inner consciousness operate more to the full in the daily life.
The Sufis stand out almost preeminently in that they have recognized the spirituality of others, but others do not recognize them or each other very often. And there are more living Sufis now and generally have been then all other types of mystics and spiritual devotees combined.
It is the failure of the American culture that not only do Americans expect others to recognize them; they do not recognize others so much and have power to almost compel or bribe weaker nations groups, and individuals to accepting them.
Vietnam is only one case in point that we as a Nation, doves and hawks alike think—dare to defy the universe—by suggesting that we alone have the ability to tell these unfortunately people what their destiny is. Whatever course we pursue, it is based on a narrow national selfishness, not so evil as unconsciously blind.
We shall soon have hear Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj, who is one of the men in the world with a complete cosmic consciousness, not literary stuff of important or self import people in this direction. His atmosphere speaks for itself and himself. And there are others.
We encourage Auroville and at the same time we are building our own work with the Divine Help that comes when the devotee has the heart awakened to God-concourses and is able to respond to that consciousness. The cosmic consciousness of the realized mystic is often quite different from that of the literati.
On December 24th we hope to have the Christ Darshan just as we have had the Buddha Darshan the Krishna Darshan, the Rama Darshan and the Islamic Tawajjeh. I have no time to write on this subject and much time to use the glance to demonstrate that “the eyes are the windows of the soul.”
Sufism, which has many millions for disciples, is either excluded from the academies and conferences or (mis)-represented by others. A great Sufi has said: “Consideration consists of showing consideration for others and not demanding consideration from them.” I am glad to report that our good friend Julie Medlock has now come to their point of view.
We may not have influence or affluence yet but we have the awareness of Divine Guidance and the growing acceptance by the New Age people.
Love and blessings,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Samuel L. Lewis
Feb. 24, 1969
Mrs. Earl Hubbard, Editor
The Center Letter
Lakeville, Conn. 06039
Dear Mrs. Hubbard:
You have placed me in the strangest quandary I have ever encountered in a long life. I was all set to make some remarks on The Center Letter which remarks would be dualistic. The very basis was that I felt that Earl’s statements do not conform to the principles (or revelations) of the late Sri Aurobindo. Then I read references to my colleagues Oliver Raiser and Julie Medlock.
I am too much under the influence of what Aldous Huxley called “The Perennial Philosophy” to accept a blank statement, “All Societies in the past have been dominated by the need for food, clothing and bodily security. The bull’s eye of human endeavor was the predication of enough material goods to survive from day to day.” This is quite out of line only with the teachings of Sri Aurobindo but with a good deal that has come out of various Asian philosophies and religions.
The statement, “Man’s attention has already shifted from goods to man,” is simply not true. I repeat it is simply not true. It is true only in certain traditions. Even today the influence of Lord Buddha makes it untrue, e.g., Burma, so that these people do not always welcome us. It is also the nexus of the misunderstandings between the Americans and others with the Vietnamese.
I agree entirely with Oliver Raiser’s cosmic humanism. I should like to see us very superior Americans and Europeans sit down with Asians and occasionally listen to them. I should like to see how many of the older people can listen and learn.
Today I am addressing a slowly but steadily increasing number of younger people who think our over attention to material wants and lusts is absolutely absurd. We call it “generation gap.” Being beclouded with humility we are unable to picture life, or the universe, as do Japanese, Chinese, Arabs, and a lot of other Asians. I think this is the only country in the world that has a world Brotherhood restricted to Christians and Jews.
I do not think you mean anything of the kind.
I should like to fill out the questionnaire of “The Cathedral of Action” but until we become as impersonal or super-personal as geographers etc.; until we are willing to sit down and listen to other outlooks, other potentially wise people, either the aged of Asia or the young of America, I am totally stumped.
In my private life I am receiving more and more attention from the young and now not only locally but from distant places. I want to join. I want to exculpate, but I reject anything that even by innuendo suggests one group of people is more equal than another. As I said before, I don’t think this is your intent. I am therefore leaving the matter of membership unsettled, but send my love and blessings.
Samuel L. Lewis