910 Railroad Ave

Novato, Calif. 94947

February 14, 1969

Marion Latvala

McAndrew Road

Ojai, Calif. 93023

My dear Marion,

I have been thinking a great deal about you lately. Now the news is out that Krishnamurti is going to sell his holdings in Ojai. Of course, I do not know that this is true. Will it affect the value of your property? I do not know whether it will shock your friends and neighbors, but it certainly means that Ojai will have new functions, whether agricultural, metaphysical, or otherwise.

There are some strange things going on. As travel is impossible, or impractical, one cannot give interpretations when one is involved one self. The Playboy for this March has an article,
“Cultsville, USA.” It deals largely with the cults of California. There is no basis for the material other than geography. Sam has been given considerable attention. Mr. Jennings, the writer, does not seem to have realized that Sam is an old hand in getting material of this sort and in writing for publications. Anyhow, there being no standard, it seems rather surprising that well-known figures such as Krishnamurti, Meher Baba, Manly hall and others are given scant or no attention. At the same time, Yogananda is, and not favorably. The result may be that readers will be led to believe Sam is important. Indeed the article may make him important.

This letter is being written before leaving Novato to speak in the Haight-Ashbury district. It is the hippies who wish Sam to address them rather than otherwise. Last week, at the first address, there was not only a large but a very lively audience. Young people are interested in experience, particularly their own. Indeed, in this age they would even classify Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg as older people.

This letter is being written at the spiritual headquarters or Khankah. It is now servicing and ever growing number of young people. We are presenting both traditional practices and new ones. Most of the traditional practices have been regarded as esoteric and occult. Sam had determined that the time had come to give some of them to the young who show every evidence of being more advanced than their elders. But Pir Vilayat Khan was already doing this and having to choose between the restrained esotericism of the past and the new policies of Pir Vilayat, Sam has coordinated all his work with the Pir.

I do not know whether you have contacted Pir Vilayat or have heard about his most recent visits. He is now operating on a world scale and I am informed privately that he ultimately may become very wealthy if he is not already.

Some months ago Sam began giving the dervish dances to the American young. This is largely in accord with the wishes of the late Mrs. Ruth St. Dennis. As the efforts were successful, we began giving instructions in yoga dances, both traditional and new. The new ones are based mostly on the mantra of the late Swami Papa Ramdas: Om Sri ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.

These efforts have bolstered Sam;s campaign “Joy Without Drugs.” No doubt there are other ways of having joy without drugs and if mature people were interested they could have them.  It is certain that the leaders of the Cayce Foundation told their audiences that jogging could cure a multitude of ills. It is equally certain that the audiences applauded vociferously but did not jog. Sam is a little easier. He has proposed walks—all sort of walks.

No attempt is being made to use propaganda. With Krishnamurti gone and Meher Baba dead, the young seem more concerned with a living teacher than with memories. It is this that keeps one busy all the time in this part of the country—every day. But it is also true that spiritual yoga keeps the body and mind in a wonderful state, and that the heart functions attract those in need; that the methods of love, tenderness, sympathy, and kindness are more effective than anything else.

Love and Blessings,

Samuel L. Lewis