[postcard]
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Fernandez,
17 Lyell St.,
San Francisco, Calif.
January 24, 1938
Dear friends:
Have been to the Zen-do several times and started typing for it last week. Last night learned that Senzaki-san was indisposed. His lectures are becoming deeper and deeper. Meditation begins early and is all over by 8:30.
We had a nice hokku party last night. Next week the students will give a Japanese musical, but don’t think I shall attend. Miss Cumning is here but has not done well because the movie studios are doing nothing. In my line it is very different and the outlook is excellent all around. Guess I shall be doing public lecturing.
A group of high school students want me to teach them meditation! Talk about your next sub-race!
Heard Alice Bailey. Quite interesting, but her technique seems inferred rather than definite. Met Ted Reich there.
Best regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
4417 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif.
106 Ethel Ave.,
Mill Valley, Calif.
November 14, 1957
My dear Edna:
This is the letter of a man who leads three lives, and for the last days was so tired that he slept almost 36 hours to wake up refreshed at last, and the events which took place locally tie in so much with what you have written that it would seem a drama is going on synchronously on two sides of the earth.
There is a humorous side of me called “Mr. Puck of Pukhtunistan,” the largest, real imaginary country in the world—you will not find it on the map, but you will find it in the encyclopedia. He has said: “The heart is the shortest distance between two points.” Now I have to answer you from the heart, but first I have to answer you as if I were an advanced Vedantist, which it may be.
There are three levels: the levels of the discursive mind, the level of intuitive, integrative mind and the level of heart which extend beyond the realm of earth. The way you have written can only be explained that you know me not at all, or that you know me very, very well.
What you have written can only be taken most seriously and would require some deep meditation and consideration. Yes, the outward errands will be performed. The lady whom I expected would help me has failed, but in meditation I am reminded that one can order dresses very easily at Montgomery Ward which is just one block away and they would package them accordingly.
The mental level is direct and often unbeautiful. For while I feel and fall in with all you have said—which follows—physically I am already in my sixties. Ah! But then I am a Yogi, and you have touched very deeply some things. Years of my life have been extended, whether by Divine Grace or design or my own efforts I know not, but extended they have been and my journeys through India and Pakistan brought out a great deal of the hidden side of life. It has not been meant for me to be alone either. But while I have had romance and love-affairs, it has been almost impossible to get the ladies concerned to look into heart, and there one is stuck.
I came to the Orient to seek, or complete my legends and these legends found me. Have you ever read Mr. Isaacs of Marion Crawford? Although this is regarded as fiction, it is based on fact and although I have always said I was Mr. Isaacs, nobody believed it and yet my journey was nothing but a repetition of all that appears in that book—except on one point—it was not completed with romance.
But there was another legend also, and when I met you I was so awe-struck I
could not say anything. To me you were, and in a sense are Mumtaz Begum
returned. What does this mean? Ah, my dear, I would suggest you visit the
Durgah Nizam-ud-din Auliya which is not far from the tomb of Humayun, and ask
to visit the tomb of Pir-o-Murshid Sufi Inayat Khan; also to meet Khwaja
Husein Nizami. He has my full confidence in all things.
The day before I left New Delhi for Jaipur and Agra I went to the tomb of Humayun but did not go around. When I found there that Dara Shikoh was buried I walked 7 times around his grave and said, “Let us go.” He understood. So few Americans—indeed only the late Flora Annie Steel seemed to have fathomed the hearts of Akbar and his great-grandson Dara Shikoh who loved both Hindus and Muslims with a kind of love so akin to that we ascribe to Jesus Christ, as yet so little comprehended in this world, but which is the heart-love of the Sufis, and also of my guru, the saintly Ramdas in South India.
Husein Nizami also showed me the tomb of Jayanara, the eldest daughter of Shah Jehan and Mumtaz Begum, who also lies buried in the compound of Nizam-ud-din Auliya. He also took me to the Khankah of Nizam-ud-din Auliya and there my whole future was revealed; it began to be revealed in Calcutta when I visited the tomb of the late saintly Dadajan, and was completed in Lahore. I am to visit these places again, but not yet, not yet for several years as God wills.
Your letter was most aptly timed for it came just before the session of UNESCO in San Francisco with the theme: “Asia and the United States: What the American Citizen Can Do to Promote Mutual Understanding and Cooperation.” And there I constantly ran into your counterpart, my dear friend Emil Fairchild. His problem is exactly the symmetrically opposite of yours: to go to India to teach and learn dancing. I may be able to learn the details of what went on there from friends, but my own time was spent with the session purportedly devoted to religion and philosophy. Most of the panel sessions failed by far to touch the real heart of communication.
I am now rapidly reading Ambassador Bowles’ writings. I was able to say farewell to him: “What you have said I expect to do.”
What did I “see” at Taj, and Fatehpur Sikri? At the Imperial Hotel they were amazed. Or when you reach San Francisco I can introduce you to Mr. Singh at the Indian Travel Bureau: “You have seen what no other American has seen.”
I would also like you to visit a very different sort of friend, Mr. E. A. Srinavasan, who is now in charge of the department of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was long stationed in San Francisco has his picture of me is very real. But he may be able to give you suggestions and introductions.
You have given me just the strength and inspiration to put the final touch on my “Shiva! Shiva!” purporting to be a national poem for India. Edna, do you know what I did in India? Do you know what I dared to do? Again and again and again: “Do you want to hear the flute of Krishna? I am not talking poetry—do you want to hear the flute of Krishna?” And I chanted the flute of Krishna at the Krishna temples in Delhi and New Delhi, and before the great Swamis, and at the Krishna temple near Amravati and in the house of Tansen at Fatehpur Sikri and wherever I went, and was heard and understood, and no door was ever closed: Christian or Hindu or Muslim or Buddhist. I have always had a “song,” I gave always been looking for a “dancer.”
[next page(s) likely missing]
August 6, 1960
My dear Evelyn:
I am writing because Johnny may be taking off to Santa Rosa. I must say that so far everything has come out satisfactory in the forwarding of mail. I do not know whether he will be around much for the present. As I got my bank returns, the other things can pass by without too much concern.
It is not intolerable. My stay in Massachusetts was complicated and pleasant—complicated because it involved all sorts of things I did not dream of when I left the West. Life is full of surprises and ironies and there was probably no loss because three times the sailing date was changed on me twice, without notice. I changed to another line and if I like this like may continue to travel further on it.
There are not so many dreams and plans as a relaxed attitude to feel out the places and persons to be visited. Sometime one gets a jolt, sometimes a grand reception. I am prepared both ways.
There are several friends here in New York now—two groups of young people who visited Clementina when Gavin was there; and the son of a mutual friend (John Wingate). I am hoping they will help me a little in getting my luggage off. Today I spent some funds for liquor. This came because first the ticket finally cost me lots less, and then I got a good rebate on top of that which I feel should be splurged.
My sailing date is August 16 and about that time you will be receiving a date from the Wells Fargo Bank, and a little later from the Bank of America. I would appreciate it if the former could be air-mailed to Cairo with a notation: Please hold. All other mail should be regular—which, as I have written Johnny, is 8c for the first half once, 5c thereafter. No matter how seemingly important other mail is, it should ride.
I do not wish either of you to be put to any expense but ordinarily compensation would be in the form of some suitable gift when I get abroad. My address for the next two months (maybe longer) will be:
Morland House Pension,
16, Sharia Kamal Eddine Salah,
Kasr el Doubara,
Cairo, U.A.R.
They have accepted my reservations and know I am calling.
The garden and outside work in Massachusetts has kept the body fine. Tonight I have my first farewell party her—out of for me alone but for several people. I had one such with a cousin already in Boston. These are things one can enjoy.
Cordially,
Sam
Please put the enclosure with my things.
Morland House
16 Sharia Kemal ed din Salah
Kasr el Dubara
Cairo, U.A.R.
November 21, 1960
Martin Rosenblatt
Vice-President S.G. Gump Co.
San Francisco, Calif.
My dear Martin:
I did not expect to write to you from this part of the world nor had I any idea of remaining in the U.A.R. a long time. My life, roughly from the beginning of August, has taken such a revolutionary turn for the better that I can only give a brief summary. In turn I have gained the good-will of faculties of Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Harvard and Columbia, all of whom are interested in one of my several projects, and of an ever growing number of men connected with the University of California, chiefly alumni in this part of the field.
I came here on a special visa and entered as a V.I.P. It is more like a story than a truth, but I was not here five days when I was a guest of the Ministry of Agriculture and have remained more or less one ever since. Every single proposal offered to the Ministry and to the University of Cairo so far has been accepted; and every problem they have thrown my way has been answered, also without exception. But almost 50% of this “success” has been due to University of California connections, in conjunction with some branch of Agriculture—in the largest sense of the term.
I am at the moment taking a sort of break because it will be almost impossible to visit the Luxor-Karnack region after the first. Besides I may be making field trips and again here mostly with California graduates, both Americans and Egyptians, who have reached high places in many fields. There are more Cal. men here than either all other university graduates from the U.S. met so far, and also more advisers there from than all “Iron country” people combined. This is a side issue but has been the source of no end of encouragement.
My next step will be to get literature to the National Research Center and I am so encouraged I may ask for more than agricultural bulletins. For the worst feature of our relationships abroad and the greatest obstacle to good-will comes from the flooding of the market with lurid magazines which second the lurid movies which causes people to think we are a Nation of moral perverts and decadents. Outside the U.S.I.S. there seems to be little interest in showing the better side of our country, and one cannot find out why either. But there are plenty of profits in lurid magazines and questionable movies.
The upshot is that I am filling in gaps and am encouraged to remain here for some months more, so may not leave for Pakistan until February.
The Khan-i-Khalili bazaar area is one of the most picturesque in the world. There you can buy pieces of art, antiquities, pseudo-antiquities, Islamic art folk art. Except where persons have asked for scarabs, my interest runs to Islamic and folk art only.
I am arranging to send packages of goods next month to the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design, and to the Art Department of the University of Punjabi which will share them without he Lahore Museum. These will consist of one piece of Mameluk pottery and such metal wares I think should become the possession of an art school or gallery.
I have been introduced to one Isaac who is Jewish, a man of high moral and commercial reputation. Lately I have been elated to see large numbers of Americans visit his shop but on questioning I learned that his trade is almost entirely with tourists and that few representatives of commercial firms have visited him.
The other day he was showing a fine Persian piece. At that time I was not considering it but on reflection I think I ought to send it, or a companion piece to you, “For Display Purposes” only on the natural condition that if it be sold, you pay the requisite customs duty. I am not buying anything just at this writing, partly because I am sending for more dollars, but chiefly because I do not want anything to arrive in New York (or other port of entry)—until after the Christmas rush.
If for any reason the piece is not sold, it would be transferred on my return to the Rudolph Schaeffer School. But my belief, from what I have seen here, is that there are a number of pieces, at many different price ranges, which might find a market in California.
Of course if the piece is sold you could reimburse me, but as I have no commercial agency, it would be for the outlay, or such other compensation as you should see fit. I am much more concerned here with good-will than money. I see many opportunities for increased good-will though commerce, and had a short but cordial interview with Mr. Peters, our commercial attaché here on this subject.
In fact I have sent several bottles of essence to the Favermann Drug Co. on Larkin St. If a bottle is dilute with alcohol it can be made into 10 (ten) bottles of marketable perfume. So I may be able, in this case, to bring a San Francisco firm into contact with a local firm in this field. And the same thing may become true in your own field, if you or your firm is interested.
It is understood here that you are under no obligations. It is only that I have found opportunities here of a kind I have foreseen for you in India and Pakistan.
Cordially,
Sam
February 20, 1962
My dear Grace and Nick:
Your letter of the 8th found me in a Yoga Ashram. It is not what the average American calls “Yoga” which consists mostly of “making it like a fish, making it like a crocodile, making it like a stork, making it like a tree, but like a human, not making it.” I leave the postures to my good friends the Baptistes, and they are my good friends. There are three basic types of Yoga—work, love and calming the mind. I do not wish to go into that now. But this gives me a place to be quiet.
For two years now I have been moving incessantly and generally successfully. Indeed this year has been so successful so far that not only Asians have welcomed me (they always do), but also the Americans. Indeed you can do me a favor and that is let Porkie read this if he is around.
I start off by confessing my sins, that I am a hypocrite and there is nothing one can do about it. Visiting the American Consulate I was surprised to find a Tibetan Art Shop with the Diners Club Card sign and the next thing I sent some things to my friends, Chingwah Lee, Chinatown Lane. I also expect to get something from a Nepalese shop for the Rudolph Schaeffer School. And now comes the rub.
Having more dollars at home than rupees with me and not having to spend much because friends often look after me, I decided to buy some Saris. On top of that I am making a prophesy, that when Jacqueline arrives she will put on a Sari and then everybody will be buying the. So I Diners Club carded and sent some to Magaña. You see I have accepted the Baptistes as my god-children and perhaps in more ways than one. And at the moment I do not know how much money I have as mail and I do not always get together. I can’t buy Saris like I did shoes, but neither am I too sure I can’t. There is a cheap kind and I may look into the matter. So I’ll tell you about a part of my life story instead (Oh, that bore!).
When I was in India before I met one Ali Mirza. When I was in India before I also indulged in madventures of which I am an expert, the maddest of these was conflict with the communists—of which I have had several but the bore is not going to tell about them here. Ali Mirza showed up miraculously and besides his brother and I are spiritual brothers in both being Dervishes. So I called on Mirza Sahib.
He has four children, three of whom are destined to come to the U.S. for further education. The boy may come to Berkeley but the youngest girl wants to be a ballerina and also to study art and the chances are very much for S.F. Anyhow I began to plot how they might collect a few American ducats, and between art goods and saris, the chances are bright. The boy takes his examination in May and if he comes to California will probably arrive in August.
Actually I would like a Sari for my old friend, Ruth Prager. Never mind where and how we met. Ten years after that we met again. Twenty years after that we met again and again and again. But there are some other considerations, that if my debtors and I mean debtors and not creditors, want to pay me off, I want it to be in Saris and not in pesos, rupees or long green. I never saw an ugly Sari and someday I’ll tell you a story about my rubbing the diplomats the wrong way by admiring women’s clothes. There is no end to my perfidy.
The rest of the story of the Mirza family must wait until I return to Bombay. Now I’ll add some items for Porky: (not necessary to deliver, but)
Visited the oldest Jewish congregation on earth at Cochin. The synagogue is not so old and like all good anti-protocolians (of which I am one) they have a floor made out of wonderful blue-and-white Cantonese tiles of which there are no better on earth. (Ask Chingwah Lee haven’t I been studying Chinese art for generations!) If they ever had to mortgage the place they could reap in simeleons by the thousand! But think nothing of it—the tourists are coming, hurroo, hurray. I picked Friday p.m. for a visit which was the best time as the Rabbi was in. It was a delightful visit, somewhat technical, of course.
I had to go to Poona and there worked out my thesis: “How California Can Help the Orient.” This will go to the University of California but the paper will emphasize food and soil problems. A much larger version, not necessarily a larger paper, will go to James Wilson, International Section, C. of C. This will cover a number of other things. All my technical plans, proposals, suggestions, and what not have been approved, and when I get back to Delhi I think I’ll have some interesting reports for the Americans. In 1955 when Mr. Dulles asked for peaceful means to bring nations together I chose Horticulture. It is not “existing.” However after a long struggle even magazine editors accept my reports. This only leaves newspapers and commentators. The less often a commentator visits Asia, the more he is equipped to give his advice. But some of them may wonder why, just before Independence Day, when they were not granting interviews, I got in with the Chief of Protocol and Vice-President and both promised further and more extended talks. Porky got a little preview just before I left before. There are no “experts” on Asia but I am getting a fine all-around picture which may entitle me to write books and give lectures.
I get letters from Leonora and Audley. It was only natural to think of Leonora, both during a period when she lost all her other men friends by death and me, fur, fur away. I have had to take some ironies and tragedies in my “love life.” Now the augurs and soothsayers are unanimous that despite my superannuated torso, I may still go to the altar. Only this time the romance is promised for America, not the Orient. The only thing is that now I have three careers in front of me and have made progress on all.
My letters to Audley are often technical. You will understand we had been good friends in Martin County, we both joined Caroussel the same time and we are both in the same profession. When you add to that my thesis, “How California Can Help the Orient” there is much of mutual interest there. This theme will be shown to a beautiful college girl who just arrived from our Native State—she has been going to College of Pacific and her home is in Pasadena. Think nothing of that—I ran into and old friend in Poona and watched his jaw drop—aren’t we devils!
There is another side of Yoga and this can be associated with the word, “Shangrila.” Whatever has happened to me—and plenty has—this corpus does not seem anywhere near delicate. I am, if anything, more sprightly and have danced before thousands of children (I lecture their elders, not so good, but my audience total for this trip must be near 100,000! I bet I have embraced and been embraced by more people than any other genus home!) This, besides hand-shaking—Harding was an amateur.
I am hoping to return in May but am not sure—terrific conflict within myself between Northern and Southern California. I carry my castanets with me and subscribed to “Let’s Dance” for the American-Pakistani League. Never know what I am going to do next. As usual, every folk-dance festival I have expected to attend has been called off by rain. And it is now raining around my next destination: Bangalore!
Cordially,
Samuel L. Lewis
New Delhi,
March 26, 1962
Dear Margaret, Joe and Gay:
I am about to leave India, and am having a little trouble with the Royal. (Next time try a democratic typewriter!). Also with paper and I wish to get rid of what I have as there will be some excess baggage payments and I am running short of rupees. Don’t bother, Bank of America to the rescue and I have dollars again—not many, but some and that is wonderful.
The last hours are filled with events, calls and what not and I am not even sure of my farewells. This afternoon visit Ford Foundation. I am now an expert. I don’t know whether this means I know something or others don’t know but I get into the companies of the elite. This may be when I return, too. My scientific achievements will not be reported here. Indeed I don’t get time to annotate them anymore. I have a big vision of India and it is a little hard to get it in focus. So I’ll go to the Muses and let Pallas Athena shift for herself, or maybe it is Demeter who looks after the things of the field and forest.
Everything is running true to form. Every time I write a poem it is translated into Urdu and published. No wonder I got invitations from poets musicians and especially Sufis. The number of entertainments and meals I have from these “non-existing” people is tremendous. I have a letter from the top American expert in Islam—who, of course is neither a Muslim or American and he has apologized for hurting my feelings. He denies there are any important Sufis. I wish he had my stomach, boy, it never rests. Or maybe ghosts eat. I also have a letter from the No. 2 authority on Islam in USA who of course is neither American nor Muslim. And the same old bane of contention, whether there are Sufis. Anyhow when I got to Aligarh I found a lot of anti-Americanism. These people don’t like us to teach they don’t exist and were out yelling for Krishna Menon! There ought to be a lesson here but is there?
Everywhere I went they have changed the signs “Jacqueline was here.” Prices went up and oven out of sight. Tourist were offered entertainments at just 10 times the ordinary price—dancing and circus stuff at temples and shrines and sacred art things in front of hotels. Everything in the wrong place but Jacquie fell for it and boy did they fatten up!
One of my experiences is expressed herein. The ideas walked in as I wrote. As one Russian diplomat told me:
Berlin, check; Laos, check; Vietnam, check; Cambodia, check; Berlin, check again. Then you moved your queen and we got mated! Jacqueline got far more news than all the space-travelers and hundreds of times more effect on the common people. Indeed between our space-travelling and nuclear warheads we have created nothing but enmity. The Russians, also. But we pulled this fast one. Diplomats will never understand and will not imitate. To all diplomats people are either peasants or canaille—it is second nature and they don’t know it.
Of course there is more poetry but with time and paper shortages they can keep. Hope to be home before Spring is over but don’t know.
Regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
January 8, 1963
My dear Mr. Miller:
I have just read your article on Varda published in the Chronicle of today. This particularly interested me because I am leaving presently to give a lecture at the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design on the impact of the East and West on each other in art.
There is a Varda painting in the foyer of this School. This shows that Mr. Schaeffer (a life-long friend) agrees with you. But when I acted as part host last December and hundreds upon hundreds of people visitors the place hardly anybody knew of the printer of printing.
I am not an artist but a life-long art student and in view of your remarks must agree that this genius has, something like Whistler, produced a blend of East and West. But unlike Whistler and superior to him, he has freed himself from our conventional limited “metaphysics” of life and space.
Although I know and understand (his conclusion) Gordon Onslow Ford’s works, I have met Varda only once. After witnessing a number of art shows and exhibitions all over America and all over Asia (I don’t go to Europe), there is no question but your conclusions.
In regard to the Rudolph Schaeffer School which does show a Varda permanently, it is one of the few institutions recommended by the late Frank Lloyd Wright.
I shall mention your editorial in my talk today.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
June 1, 1963
My dear Madelynne:
Not having been a Vice-President of the U.S. I have not gone through “Six Crises.” but I have been in several places where the V.P. or the next V.P. or any V.P. has never been invited and I am through trying to convince my fellow-Americans.
I returned again from Asia with more information and perhaps honors and opportunities and so long as I went to the scientists it was easy. But having both biographical and literary materials I began concentrating on them—and “wang.” It got worse so I had to change the whole direction of life and stopped all diversions. But within two weeks after the change in directions, the doors began opening up for me and I grabbed not at the first straw but at the first opportunity and “then the fun began.”
I have never believed and nobody is going to convince me that we are going
to win any cold war with “Great Books” and E. Taylor and you cannot more
convince a diplomat or USIA underling or even an editor that “Great Books”
and E. Taylor are “it.” I was present in North Bombay when the Hindus said
that they would not accept “Great Books” and. E. Taylor under any
circumstances and we said it was communist money. But the communists are either
too stingy (in India quite true) or too clever to spend money for propaganda
when our “Great Books” and E. Taylor makes them
“l-o-v-e” us, whatever that means.
In order to gain friends with Asians I began associating with Asians more and more and more. Rather silly, don’t you think? Once an American wrote, “The way to learn about Confucius is to associate with Chinese.” As I told one part-Chinese here, “What? and throw a host of European professors of Oriental philosophy out of work?” The Chinese laugh, the Americans frown and you can watch “Oriental Wisdom” on KPFA and KQED which is the funniest stuff that ever came out of a Westerner’s head, made a hundred times more funny when you hear the tales of returned tourists and foreign advisers who have swallowed that stuff.
I had no more gotten in with the Chinese by associating with them, and the Japanese be showing them that Lewises can and do get in where Vice-Presidents are not even invited, that I was asked to join the staff of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism. I know this may react oddly on some of yours own around Big Sur where Asia is the grandest pipe dream and where there are modicums of something called “Asian Wisdom” which reject in to the actual moral principles of Buddhism. One may or may not accept the moral principles of Buddhism, but those of “Asian Wisdom” being diametrically opposed, some Asians have asked me to do the research on their forms of wisdom, no relation to TV and press and university versions.
Alas, I jumped too quickly. I have a motley collection of god-sons and god-daughters which take the place of real children, or let us say, flesh-and-blood children. When I was in the Orient the communists gave the Americans a terrible beating in an international philosophical conference. What we know about Asia—learned from Germans, Englishmen, Italians and Beatniks. The Russians studied under Asians, the Americans fled.
Well I was asked to go to the next conference and face the horrible Russians who learn Oriental “wisdom” from Asians—there is no end to what those devils won’t do. But I haven’t credentials. True I teach the teachers in real Asia but I haven’t credentials. So we conspired and asked my goddaughter to go.
She was at that time the youngest full professor on the whole continent because in “Islam” women have no rights and they are never chosen to be professors, etc. So she went and came out with prize No. I, which was ghost-written by U. No Who, the silent Burmese-American (c’est moi). The USIA in Pakistan know this, but nobody else.
This year the lady went to an international, All-Asian conference of Psychologists. People from “Great booksiana” not wanted. She came out No. 1, and her prestige has gone up and up. So has mine and also for other reasons. Then the two streams got together and today I have before me all the opportunities and perhaps even potential emoluments a man could desire. So I have been totally and absolutely busy trying to make friends with Asians by snubbing “Great Books” and either learning from them or teaching but always mingling.
So while we “Only in America” are studying Asian philosophies from Englishmen, Germans, Italians and Beatniks, this one is asked to return to Asia and teach them their own philosophies and the modern philosophies of the U.S., not in “Great Books.” Reaching my own “Six Crises” I come out with Groucho Marx and say, “Shall we dance?” So I shall follow Groucho and after my hurried trip South will hie me to thee and Mendocino. Think nothing of it.
In the meanwhile my big epic has been returned and portions of it have been shown to a few people, always with the best of reactions. I sent one of my earlier epics to Grace—it will be shocker, but it is based on Jewish traditions and it will be followed by quite different things. I have written a number of epics. In this one notices one cannot escape Robert Graves’ formulae. So I wrote to him and not an extreme surprise answer. The answer is not personal and benefits me not one whit in my poetry, etc. but it is of infinite value in my long battle against “Great Books” on one hand and the European cum Beatnik experts of Orientalia.
The sad thing is that unable to communicate I can see the troubles in South Vietnam and Indonesia, easily preventable.
The most pleasant part of my life is the contact with the scientists. Examine a soil and the scientists will welcome you; make a study of crops and they will welcome you. But live in a village and the social scientists will either ignore or abhor you and meet big wigs abroad and the editors will shun you.
I once was closeted with an Ambassador and he gave me a tip. I boldly announced it and was accepted as a prophet. Nobody would believe I could associate with Ambassadors, and since then several diplomats have tipped me off. Their secrets are absolutely safe, excepting that after steen dangers a few men in our foreign service recognized this and the life I saved happened to be my own.
I may bring some poetry with me to Mendocino but it is only a sideline.
Years ago I was impressed at the Roerich Museum in New York to work for World Peace through the arts and was before that and since associated with the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design. On a broad base I am for all arts to promote communication. I don’t know whether you are acquainted with Geoffrey Goerer. He did in fact what Havelock Ellis said in theory in The Dance of Life. That book influenced me no end. But the days of dancing for fun are over. Dancing for “spiritual” purpose and for communication will go on through life. Only I want discipline for myself and feeling everything in bones, muscles and sinews. And if I can’t feel not all the technique is going to satisfy me.
I am writing at some length because I don’t wish to talk at some length. There is a tremendous bridge between my position abroad and here and it is perhaps better not to force personality or view merely because one has had adventure.
I think you get the gist of my feelings and there is no need to add more.
Will see you as soon as I return from the South.
Sam
July 9, 1964
Dear Friends:
Dramatic Personae: Paul, Viola and Jack Harris.
Gott mitt uns. It is always nice to say that and maybe we shall prove it. Viola and I were in the same set many years ago in S.F. She returned home in 1925 and married Paul, a childhood sweetheart and most of their lives were spent in Cleveland. They are now both retired with social security and private pensions and hold two farm-estates in northwestern Pennsylvania.
This is farm country, rolling hills and most incomes are derived from dairy industry and Christmas tree groves. It is rolling country, with some fairly high hills. Most of the ground is lush, partly clay loam, but some heavy clay. On this heavier soil, which is not cultivated, there are fine spreads of blackberries and stands of ke-cherries. The main hardwood tree is the Maple and they make syrup in this region. But I am only slowly exploring and this is not about trees.
Viola has always been a deep student of philosophy and this drew her into the organic gardening movement. They get two monthlies from Emmaus and in general they have the forward look. We also belonged to the group which included Gaylord Hauser. This has been so much so that when Paul came here he began making compound heaps and all the cut greens and weeds are saved.
They put in a small dam and have a pond stocked with fishes. Paul told me it was in the wrong place. I said it would not matter, but it could be drained later into what we both consider the best location and the the lake bottom material could be spread on the land, or even used directly. This fits in with the usual organic gardening ideas. So the Atlas program should go alone nicely.
When I came into the house I saw the best pot African violets I have even seen and I have seen plenty. Yesterday Viola told me that when Atlas arrived she immediately tried some on the A.V. as a “guinea pig” and in two weeks the results are so marvelous she is already convinced.
I arrived just in time. The weather has been unusually cold and although they have nursery plots, the regular gardens were not laid out. Tomatoes were protected in the basements and there are all kinds of seed vegetables which have to be transplanted. Paul is interested in the vegetables and is put in the kitchen garden now. As soon as he is through I shall give the whole grounds a weak application, and then in about two seeks, after the rooting is secure a stronger one.
I explained, from my point of view—weak applications to Tomatoes and Peppers, fair at first on Potatoes but weaker after the greens were strong, fair on root vegetables and stronger on Cabbage and Cauliflower.
In general close to the house the soil is rich with at least a fair degree of organic matter. They are already sold on mulch programs which they have started and I have given them a few ideas. Later on I hope to visit Ohio State at Wooster and see if I can get more ideas, both for local use and for Asian lands.
This morning I began digging around the front. The only Lilac they have is rather stunted, and I will give it a good dosage—it is running over 70° so I am not troubled about the dosage. Then I will trim the Viburnum and have suggested more of these and Roses in the front and cut down on the dawn.
They have already been convinced that the lawn should be replaced and have heavy beds of Ajuga started which I shall also feed. Toward the road there is a local ground cover which the county advisor told them to use which kills out both grasses and “we do” and can take exhaust fumes.
Then I will have to work on Peonies and Mums—later on Iris and other Bulbs. I’ll give these a weak feeding as you have proposed, to begin with. I expect to stay here at the outside six weeks which will give a good chance to make proper applications during that period. Also fortunately they have long hose attachments and the applicator so these do not have to be bought.
They have heavy beds of strawberries which I shall not feed—enough organic material in the soil, fruit always up, large and lush. However, they have gotten out of hand and I have suggested throwing them on the slopes and let them ran half wild and use the present bed for other purposes.
Lettuce and some flowers will be transplanted and I’ll give them at least the weak dosage at start. I do not propose to go further East but when my colleagues arise from Pakistan may have to take mother trip and want to see you about the Rodales before I do.
The whole place here is 24 acres but they are cultivating only about thee. They also have another place which I may be visiting shortly. The soil is reflected in the forage groups and this in the Milk which is wonderful and rich at this time. They get milk, cream and maple syrup from near-by farms. I’ll know more later on. At least this is a good start
Cordially,
Sam
September 13, 1964
My dear Aramdarya:
This is the anniversary of our Pir-o-Murshid’s departure from India and I can report good news in everything but financial matters, and even there the clouds are clearing. As it is said in Nirtan, that the one who sticks to the truth will win in the end.
Putting it another way, “When the gods arrive, the half-gods go.” At one time I had what appeared to be ten sets of enemies, and in despair turned to prayer. The answer came, “Let your enemies destroy your enemies.” This has happened.
There is a class of persons who batten and fatten on others, pretend and exploit, and especially if they have positions of prowess, there is nothing they will not do to protect their insecurity. Several of these people, meeting the others, entered into fierce combat eliminating each other. Or when I protested loudly I found myself at the head of parades of “fellow-victims.”
I have always listened to those who claimed they were being persecuted and in 90% of the cases I found they were being persecuted. It is unfortunate that it took a lot of time for psychologists to see there are mental-sadists every much as physical sadists. The removal of these people found me unprepared for the reactions and this is one of the reasons I have not yet been able to adjust to present circumstances, but slowly.
Unfortunately these phonies and pretenders have many books on the market which are read and sometimes even used in class-room work as examples of Oriental wisdom. The replacing of Europeans by Americans in chairs of Oriental culture found me unprepared—instead of being rejected a priori, I am being accepted all over the place at a time, when due to commitments mentioned below, I have little reserve for this new form of cooperation and collaboration.
The sudden acceptance by the instructors on the cultures of the Near East and South Asia came at a time when, to put it brief, this incident, among many others occurred: I vowed that I was through teaching Oriental sages who taught professors who taught others who excluded me. Within half an hour a letter arrived announcing the appointment of a Sufi colleague to the chair of Oriental Philosophy at the American University of Beirut.
Following this a paper announcing a conference of world religions at Claremont College next year, and more. Very slowly every ideal I have stood for has come into objective activity.
My relations with the scientists at the universities and in particular on the campuses of the University of California may be divided into two groups—those who made appointments and those who saw me immediately.
Then one of these Masters got up in public meeting and said Sam was one of the few Americans who had experienced enlightenment. And after the meeting he arose again and took one by one Sam’s critics and by quoting the Holy Scriptures he said that they might be right but their opinions were contrary to those of Lord Buddha, etc. He kept on quoting scriptures and Vinaya on every point. And it is curious that now Sam is re-reading the work of Lord Buddha after many years, finding them very clear, but based on the Indian Cosmic Psychology which is utterly unknown here and which is seldom taught by anybody. However some of the Indian professors and representatives in foreign service know this.
It is a matter of behavior pattern that with the struggle going on in Vietnam all Asians answer all letters and all Americans ignore them excepting those Americans who have lived and worked in the Far East who are also ignored by their fellow Americans.
This is written because there is a sort of challenge over the world. Papa Ramdas said there would be no great war. Sam having “seen” two wars before they came—the late Winston Churchill had the same experience—sees only more and more peace and clarity in the “ethers.” The people do not know about the “ethers” (Akasha), not even President Radhakrishnan who is in many respects a great soul.
Sam found that the Tibetans teach about Akasha and their teaching is exactly
the same as that of the Sufis excepting the Sufis base everything on
God-consciousness while the Tibetans based it on Enlightenment, otherwise they
are the same. And the Mahamudra Meditation of the Tibetan
Vajrayana school is the same as the Islamic Mujahida, or “Great Battle”
(compare Kurukshetra) where one spends all his efforts in polishing his being
like the glass-makers polish reflecting mirrors for telescopes. Sam has already
used this method but permission must be obtained from God, especially if one is
called to work outwardly rather than inwardly.
Then the Sufis of Ceylon contacted him concerning which copy of letter is enclosed and this came after definite signs (Prajna). It is corroborating evidence that despite all the perturbations of Samsara, only God is both strong and wise and sooner or later the forces for Peace will come.
Sam had the full instructions on Peace which came because there is no division between the worlds within and without when one can remove the ego-cloak. But mostly the world thinks those people who have removed the ego-cloak are more egoistic than they are.
So Sam closes with two things that came to him:
“The thought of peace is but another thought,
Thoughts born of peace can resurrect the world.”
Allaho Akbar means, in the final essence Peace Is Power, and from the All - Embracing Living “Silence” comes all the force there is, of whatever mature.
Love and blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
P.S. Papa always called this person SAM. His Sufi initiatives are S.A.M. His Buddhist name begins SAM—.
This letter was substantiated by the sudden arrival of a World Buddhist leader here.
772 Clementina St.,
San Francisco 3, Calif.
January 1, 1965
Beloved Ones of God:
It has been my wont to start the New Year with a spiritual letter and as most optimistic reports have been already sent to Asia, this one is sent only to the United States. A detailed diary has been kept for years with the feeling—generally charged as “egotism’—that this person would “break through” and serve as the instrument for the accomplishment of many things that were expressedly or impressedly worded in the Message of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. And as the years have passed, and as others have abandoned the missions entrusted to them, one by one those missions have fallen into his hands with the additional of the basic instructions given in San Francisco and Los Angeles—too detailed for the so-called mureeds to accept, and thus also they one by one abandoned the real Message to uphold personality views. Not being versed in Oriental philosophies they are not to be blamed; and at the same time they have excluded themselves from the regions of bliss.
The end of 1964 ended so satisfactorily. For the first time a woman arose in public and challenged the writer’s detractors—a sign for which he had been looking in vain. But this came after the overwhelming acceptance of the persons by those in high places, or in the very highest places who have had Asian careers with the usually rejection by the press and channels of communication, and also the State Department. Our foreign policy being based on words and not principles, has bogged down in a morass of verbalisms, aphorisms, mottoes, and diabolic nonsense; excepting that also it has set other nations, particularly those most inimical, on the same dark path to destruction.
The most important Christmas cards came from President Radhakrishnan of India; Mr. Amin, head of the Indian farm bureau; and the Secretary of the World Buddhist Federation. The compulsion of events provoked Dr. Chaudhuri, teacher of Oriental philosophy here, to grant an interview after ten years effort. By this time the overwhelming evidence in this person’s favor enabled him to present some definite instructions in symbolism, so he would explain the basic problem in S.E. Asia. Evidently it went lovingly and soothingly.
This happened after the opportunity to open the real meaning of the Upanishads to mureeds here, who saw that the Sufi has often in his secret bag more treasures than all the claimants of other schools. And in the past week also the opportunity to give Dharani instructions to a world where sundry persons have made claims to knowledge of “esoteric Buddhism” and they have no such knowledge.
The New Years Evening preparation was exactly as the initiatory preparations in Purdah and came out more than perfectly for not only was there full acceptance by those from whom it was expected but also some surprises. The expected ones came from people who now understand the musical transmission from Hazrat Inayat Khan, of real music from the spheres.
At the home of his god-son, Norman McGhee, the writer not only demonstrated but before a professional musicologist who wants more. Both of these men are introduced in LSD and saw confirmed that the writer has had the same experiences without drugs.
Dr. Warwick, the representative of the Dalai Lama here has not only confirmed the position of this one in the Hierarchies, but has accepted everything and expects more. We had much a wonderful New Years which capped the climaxes presented below.
The afternoon and early evening were spent first in preparation and then at a party given by Della Goertz and Jean X. These women are deep in what they call “Zen” but without mystical insight—a peculiar situation. They, and others, keep on asking the writer to “act naturally” which means that they want him to believe as socially acceptable—to them—so that he can never be himself in their presence and they do not realize it.
Early in the evening the local Zen Master bowed to the writer and recognized his power. This, coming after that of Dr. Chaudhuri’s ends all the local nonsense about a Californian not having spiritual wisdom. But it was more of a surprise for it is not just a person-to-person conflict but one which will have nothing to do with other believers in brotherhood but devotees in integrational movements cooperate with other devotees in integrational movements and in that is the salvation of the world.” One cannot here report in detail either the visits of persons nor the effectiveness of new efforts, particularly in India, to bring the spiritual forces of the world together.
Perhaps the most dramatic situation was the meeting with a widow lady to whom he was not introduced. She is the mother-in-law of the local American Zen lay leader, who had originally been under the influence of Alan Watts and had inherited from him the disdain of this person. The lady has been all over the world, is a personal friend of Vilayat and not only accepted his changing but urged her son-in-law to listen. So both the flute-music and gong-music were presented and accepted.
Another person that suddenly became curious was a lady who has been quite a detraction but was present when Sri Aurobindo Ghose pointed out this one was the man he came to San Francisco to meet. She asked to hear the music, and as she is a San Franciscan of long standing, this was more encouraging than any favorable responses of strangers or newcomers into his life.
The most welcome Christmas card was one from one’s sister and
brother-in-law, after a lifetime of effort. Then New Year shows such signs of
possible undertakings and success that this is written. After one meets this
widow again letter may be sent to Vilayat. Today I learned she intends to open
her own home here and that I shall be sent for “spiritual concerts,” etc.
On January 23 I go to Mendocino to meet another Indian dancing teacher but must
attend recital here by another one the week before. All signs look now to the
manifestation of all the dreams and ideas maintained by
Pir-o-Murshid especially in this public lectures from 1911 to 1923 and also in
Gayan. One thinks this is a glorious beginnings for the New Year and so
sends
Love and blessings,
Samuel
September 8, 1965
My dear Della:
I wish to thank you for the Pillars of Zen and Aiem to read, but I am in a quandary why you say I am so complex and hard to understand. If you find either of these books easy and can explain them easily then I shall have to confess I am complex and hard to understand. For I do not find Aiem easy at all. Nor is it clear what is Truth from which both of these books may be derived and found valid.
I must tell you and I am ashamed to do this, that besides the subtle body which I can see only when crossed or criticized, there is a causal body (karana sharira) which is full of light and which we all possess. This may be called the deva or angelic body and it is of light with varying degrees both of light and heat. And when it manifests in somebody there is also the manifestation of light in some way.
When a person acts so that this light shines forth, it makes it easier for those who are called “spiritual teachers” to help them. There is no such thing as a Teacher; there is a positive pole when one makes of himself a negative pole.
I am ashamed to mention this because you and others received a lot of credits from the American Academy of Asian Studies and despite that very few seem to have any knowledge of the scriptures either of what we call “Buddhism” and what we call “Hinduism.” Dr. Robinson only accentuates “Dharma.” If your former or later American colleagues went to the Orient and were called upon to explain the “Dharma” do you think they could do it and do it to the satisfaction of audiences? To me it is not a question of being complex but being clear. Arithmetic may be simple, clear or not, but Integral Calculus will not be simple clear or not and Einstein’s Unified Field Theory certainly cannot be simple, true or not.
Now the karana sharira is not a kaya, but it may be a kosha. So you must look up Dr. Wood or some other dictionary and find out whether they are clear. If one goes through the stages of spiritual development things will be clear to him and they may be clear to those who have not made mental accumulations.
It is also a shame I have to repeat that Lord Buddha taught anatta, selflessness. As “Buddhists” do not study Lord Buddha every effort to bring any of his teachings elementary or not elementary, is met with the criticism of “complex,” “deep.” This coming from people who sit and listen to the Blue Cliff Records is a remarkable statement. If you can explain any Blue Cliff Records I am subject to contrition and fine both.
When you see the shadow of a person, or his “persona” you are confusing the ego with the real self, following Jung. The Masters have come and gone, leaving one man who has been criticized and misunderstood almost entirely. Maybe his mission is to be misunderstood excepting by those who are ready for further instruction and especially enlightenment. Lord Buddha challenged everybody who claimed Enlightenment and did not have it. We think if a person challenges he cannot be a “Buddhist” and maybe he can not be a “Buddhist” but he can certainly be a Buddha or at least a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva does not collect social friends; he wants to build a spiritual Dharma in accord with the real teachings of the real Lord Buddha, in both his historical and aeonic missions (I use the term “aeonic” purposely to conform with Jung).
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April 14, 1966
My dear Aramdarya:
The surprises on my recent trip have been most encouraging. Although there is a picture of three bodies on one of the last pages of “The soul, Whence and Whither” and although all scriptures posit three bodies, as scripture we have refused yet to recognize them. And this puts a wall between those who have “scientific,” occult, or mystical knowledge of these bodies and the generalities.
When I took Marion to Ruth St. Denis we discussed this a little and she immediately requested my poetry thereon. This is however a quantitative problem and those of us who are overworked are never understood on this point. Indeed it is easier—and this is most difficult—to impress occult knowledge than to impress of the loads put on one.
Although there are very definitive teachings in the literature of Hazrat Inayat Khan, these have not been accepted in either the mystical or scientific fashion. They have been accepted socially and psychologically and rarely on a moral basis. But scientifically and mystically they have not been accepted and this is especially true of those who have assumed leadership.
The social rejections of a mystic stand in awkward contradiction to the scientific acceptance. I have not been able to follow up the acceptance of this person by some of our top scientists—quantitatively impossible. Now the scholars and students in the classroom show at least respect, if not curiosity. And for the second time my geography has been accepted after a blanket of rejections in 1962 and 1963. The travels also were accepted by the top scientists and yesterday in the class room, ending up with a description of Anandashram, the center of the late swami Ramdas. This puts one back to Mrs. Hagood, and one hopes she will write to me. I have already gotten the data on Pir-o-Murshid’s books.
It is now forty years since the several meetings at the Beverly Hills Hotel and no matter how much and how many the rejection and the refusals to accept such interviews, every little detail stands and will stand. But there is one thing that I did not relate before and that is that strictly speaking Pir-o-Murshid gave me the sobriquet of “Sufi.” This was written in his original constitution which has been suppressed and altered. The earlier constitutions were in strict accord with the Sufi traditions, the later were modified to please legally minded Westerners.
There are some curious misinterpretations of Pir-o-Murshid’s work. One is to act as if he were the only Sufi. This is a double contradiction. For a Sufi is one who declares only God exists. And then there are schools of Sufis, several mentioned in the literature and the eager but ignorant followers act as if they were non-existent.
Therefore my first lectures will largely be confined to the Invocation, to explain Allah on one hand and Hierarchy on the other. It will be only after this point is deeply impressed that one can proceed. But in the meanwhile there would be meditations.
A number of years back there was an international philosophical Congress in your country. The press sent one Mrs. Julie Medlock to cover, she being the widow of a Hearst publisher. The Russians appeared and pointing to the Americans said: “We learned our Asian philosophies from Asians and not from Europeans as you did. We challenge you to reply to us.” The Americans did not stay until the end of the Congress but one Prof. Sen, grandson of the great Brahmo Samajists wiped out the Russians and converted Mrs. Medlock.
I met her in Lahore some years later. Another international congress was being held. Both she and the American Consulate begged me to go. “Yes, and be hounded by the Russians. I have addressed enough assemblies, never an American present, never any recognition but the communists recognize me all right.” So instead we sent my god-daughter. I wrote the paper, she got first prize and acclaim in many lands. This is a typical behavior pattern.
India: I have had important invitations from Ahmadabad, Ajmir and Delhi and must make a break-down.
I am hoping that Prof. Scalapino will recognize that sometimes an American on-the-scene has much different reports to give than a distant press reporter. I do remember than in Thanksgiving dinner in 1961 I was the only one not in foreign service and the only one who know the history of the back country.
One of the most important was the history of Kashmir. I have not been in Kashmir and will not go until carefully “cleared.” In 1956 I attended a grand reception dominated by Prime Minister Nehru. The incident I call “The Death of a Nation.” It was the abdication of Papa Tara Singh. No other Americans were there and 90% of the meeting did not appear in any press report whatsoever. Indeed few Americans ever heard of Sikhistan and care even less. These are the only people I know who for the sake of peace, internal or international, gave up the idea of sovereignty, but they certainly had more legal claims than many pretended or even real nations. I can assure you that when Muslim, Sikh and Hindu embrace it is not news, cannot be news and will not be news no matter how many times it happens. As Felix Green stated, we are perhaps the most uninformed nation on earth.
My own being in North Bombay during the Krishna Menon campaign or in Kerala State during the election has to be by-passed in favor of press reports from distances and then we write “histories.” But this is the unfortunate norm and I can name quite a few other real “ugly Americans” who are recognized neither by writer Burdick nor the State Department nor the press. Being an eye-witness is nothing if it goes contrary to “public policy.”
a. Agriculture. In all the tirades on the relativity of India and China, mostly “pure” dialectic abstractions, no attention has been paid to the contributions of science. I found this out myself in actual research at the National Research Center in Cairo when I annotated all the contributions to the sciences by all peoples, whatsoever. The conclusions are totally out of line with editorials.
China made practically no contributions at all despite our editors. India made few but it made up in quality if not quantity. The Nation that produced a Raman has done much more. My visits to Poona and Bangalore showed that roughly speaking Indian agricultural instructions were on a par with those of American agricultural colleges, perhaps lower than some, higher than some. At Poona this was entirely by Indians themselves; at Bangalore with the cooperation of Tennessee University. And the American people know nothing either of the contributions of our universities abroad or the successes of your people in the sciences.
I skip to yesterday’s mail when materials from UCR (Riverside) include the latest research of some of your new institutions, absolutely top level. I found the same both in personal contacts at Riverside and personal and research contacts at Ohio State University. Taking all in all, within a few years India may reach as high as second place in overall, scientific research, by-passing Russia, for example in everything but and space and atomic research and coming pretty close in maser-laser studies.
b. Cultural exchange. I received another beautiful letter from Sri Surendra Ghose which implies more than it says. The refusal of our foreign service, even our famous Ambassadors to look really into accomplishments is difficult. But you do not look outside your own department to observes that what UC professors have done in and with Indian culture is not an art of general knowledge.
c. Personal. I have been invited to Ajmir again from the Sufis and by Mr. Amin at Ahmadabad, head of the Indian Farm Bureau.
d. Arts. Locally there is in Berkeley a group dedicated to putting on performances of Oriental Arts and one Akbar Khan is coming soon. I heard him in Bombay in 1956. The recent performance of Shivaram and Janaki here was to an overflow audience. Surendra Ghose has already accepted my “Dance of Universal Peace” which was given tentatively at Fatehpur Sikri and apparently will be given officially at Delhi and Benares.
Source of Indian Tradition has been published at Columbia University. I find this very unequal to the volumes on Japanese and Chinese tradition, partly due to the fact I know more about India. There are excellent contributions on Dharma-Artha-Kama because these subjects are presented and not just taken for granted.
Americans simply will not look at shrine- and saint-functions. Emperor Harsha is practically omitted. The Mahrattis are hardly mentioned. Sri Aurobindo is badly reported; Vinoba Bhave (the American saint) is given more space and none at all to Dr. Radhakrishnan. It is too bad that this might become an official text book for the foreign services.
M.N. Roy has also been given attention. I met Mrs. Roy who is exceedingly western in her outlook and makes the mistake of assuming that logic will be successful against a mass of human which. I met many former co-worker with Subhas Chandra Bose upon which hangs many a tale.
When I come to the campus next I may call at your department.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 3, 1966
My dear Ones:
The book—two copies—arrived under strange circumstances, and had its immediate desired effect. I purchased two copies, one to be shared with my landlady and next-door neighbor and one for other purposes, and therefore anything said, is sort of with tongue-in-cheek.
The peculiar circumstance was that for the first time I had an intellectual instead of a musical or political program and psychiatrists were discussing whether mental states brought on aberrations or aberrations mental states. This is one of the subjects mentioned in Sufi Inayat Khan’s book, “Health” and has some effect on these remarks.
For the Sufi believes (along with the Yogis) that we occupy three bodies and that health depends not only on what we do with this body but on the coordination of them. This involves almost immediately the state of health from nerves and breathing as well as from food.
There were immediately two completely different (and perhaps unfair) reactions. One came from her apparent ignoring of Gaylord Hauser although she seems to occupy some of the same general territory as he does. In my case, no doubt, this reaction is enhanced because no matter what Hauser writes he believes also in the existence of three bodies; and second Hauser is still alive, strong and active and Metchnikoff is or was dead at the same age. So personal propensities and scientific fact that out for Hauser.
What stands the other way is the need for some new name or fresh vigor to support the same general area and so pragmatically it had the immediate effect.
I have just signed up for a seminar on Psychedelic Drugs. This is one of those odd-balls. In the past I have been black-balled and the universality which could be presented was not presented. In the case of food and nourishment and nutrition there is need to gain objective material from other than European sources. But in this case the writer drew liberally on Cayce.
Now I am not going to object to anything from Cayce and perhaps in a pinch one could say I prefer this additional material from Cayce over Hauser. And the approach on Cancer is excellent, so far as it goes. But I already know of Oregon-cures and South African cures based on near mono-diets.
But I doubt whether diet alone will cure all of cancer which I believe is a psychosomatic disease.
As soon as one touches Cayce one admits there is a certain stage of consciousness different from our waking stage. As soon as one touches Psychedelics one admits there is a certain stage of consciousness other than our waking stages. These easily fall in with the cosmic metaphysics of India and do not easily fall in with the universals of the western culture.
A question arises whether the change of stages of consciousness, or mental stages, or breathing experiences might not affect our well being, either along with or despite what comes into our bodies.
I met a top British scientist the other day who had to visit the University of California. We got along fine by discussing Lord Snow who says we have two cultures, the scientific and the literary-humanity. The former go on what people know and the latter on who people are. I have heard both Leland Stewart and more recently Pir-o-Murshid Musheraff Khan speak on the mystic against the scientist. Neither is a mystic and neither is a scientist and I know a lot of mystics who are scientists and some scientists who lean toward mysticism. But the literary- humanist portion of our culture is not going to accept that. I told him that I nearly always knew without any occult or psychological factor what the results of a meeting would be. If it were with a scientist or one under scientific trends it would be successful, and if under the literary-humanist trend it would, until recently, not be successful. He said that that had been his experience.
I have met—more women than men—who have gone in for quasi-scientific work and they have nearly always been right but they have not been universal. Perhaps it is too much to consider the universality. But I can consider the two cultures and know immediately that if I were to discuss this subject from a universal point of view the scientists would listen and the non-scientists generally would not.
Being nearly 70 I cannot accept Metchnikoff without more evidence. John Wingate, for instance, has given me a few folk suggestions which worked better for me personally. (I am cooking prunes at the moment.)
(This typewriter is away at the moment and I cannot get it fixed, short of coin but that is all right.)
At the scientific seminars being attended in the last year one finds an enormous amount of objectivity and a zeal for the truth. But these exclude the groups connected with the sciences of the human body. I once studied a Biochemist who worked out 20 human types. The Sufis work out types by methodologies which have been handed down from both the Greeks and Hindus and are based on approaches which we simply will not examine.
For instance, Burton’s (all these Richard Burtons!) Anatomy of Melancholy which I have not read. We scorn the folk-types of tradition and that without any reason. I am finding by studies in the sciences (and there are several) of breathing that these types still stand. Also that meditation, breath and nerve disciplines have important effects.
But I realize that in approaching the literary-humanist types one is wasting time. So one has to have patience.
The same is true of the difference between the young and old which today is not a difference only between young and old but between egocentric Pisceans and universal Aquarians and given half an opportunity the young will listen and the old will not.
I am using Inayat Khan’s “Health” for myself and others.
Now my own theory is drawn from the Hindus and is based on the Shiva-Shakti functions of the body. I am not going into it. When people are ready and ask, they will have it. Samuel has been initiated and ordained into almost every mystical school of Asia, and simply has to wait until people accept both the general statement and the particulars. This move into the seminar on “Psychedelics” is a step forward. Some of the panel are friends; the general direction is a friend. He also has coming up “The Existence of God.” Perhaps one will be permitted to say something. When the scientists met at the end of last year one was permitted to talk. One has not been permitted to say anything at conferences of either the literary-humanist people or at the phonies who dominate our so called sciences of flesh and personality.
One can benefit from the wisdom of others but many of these “others” cannot benefit from listening to still others. The vast areas of nerve-control and breath-control and consciousness control are still to be investigated impersonally and when this is done a lot of difficult illnesses are going to be cured.
But for the immediate this book is very good—it is already out of my hands. Love and blessing,
Sam
May 22, 1967
Dear Erica and Danny and Jimmy:
Now you have explained a great mystery. And who says there are no miracles! Indeed I am making a copy of this letter to show the disciples.
Last week I was able to visit Cost Plus here to purchase a Sari cloth for my own lady disciple here, named Pat. There was no trouble about that. But I went around looking for gongs and bells for myself and search as I may, there was nothing coming anywhere near what I wanted.
Imagine my amazement to receive a package (that was nothing—even from my dearest friends—that was nothing, but the gift!) I have the living witnesses that it was so—what was in the heart and mind, that came and that was a mystery, not being permitted to spend money that one now has because it was in the universe and perhaps much better than I might have found in the store!
No, I was not looking for the gong, the gong was looking for me.
Sometimes there is a karma about while man is trying to express himself through musical instruments the instruments are looking for man. There was a kettle drum performance Sunday and I always knew what was going to be played. But I have been waiting for a young man here to come to have his instruments magnetized.
What are drums going to tell us? What are guitars going to tell us? And now what is the gong going to tell Samuel? It will present the vibrations of love.
This has been hard in a joyful way because of so much attention, but also so many letters. The best came from my God-daughter in Pakistan who may come here this or next year. As I have just finished writing here I shall not again now. I think I shall remain in this region until the end of August unless the doctor counsels going away for a rest.
Please accept my appreciations of love and thanks.
Samuel
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
July 1, 1968
Mr. & Mrs. Russell Smith Sr.
Box 253
Ross, Calif.
My dear Mr. & Mrs Smith:
I hope this finds you well. I have been told that Mr. Smith is still functioning with Asia foundation.
Since last writing affairs have been rather prospering and on Wednesday night, July 2nd, I am expecting a rather large Sufi gathering at the San Francisco Theological Seminary not far from you.
It is also possible that we may see each other at the Ross Art and Garden Center which may be visited for other purposes.
The other day my Pakistan God-daughter Miss Saadia Khawar Khan, stopped off here for a few hours en route to Los Angeles from Cornell University. She is enrolled at this institution working for her PhD in clothing, fabrics and home economics.
She pulled a surprise by bringing out some wonderful costumes and dressed the young women who were here. This brought nothing but amazement from both the young men and women who were here.
It is probable that Khawar will be here again in a few weeks and I have spoken both to the Pakistan Consulate and Asia foundation (South Asia Desk) about the possibility of a small fashion show or exhibition later on. The women in both places became immediately interested.
I am hoping Asia Foundation also will be interested in such an affair and I may also call it to the attention of other organizations.
A very close friend, of Miss Saadia Khawar Khan, Dr. Seyyed Hussein Nasr may also visit this region later on. He is again at Harvard for the Summer. He would like to come to California and also meet this parson who has been a sort of colleague, and intermediary.
Cordially,
Sam
The Garden of Inayat
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94947
December 18, 1968
Ruth Cook,
Fields Book Store
San Francisco, Calif.
Bodhisattva:
Sam is blowing off steam and yet behind it is a seriousness which has not been taken seriously by the “only in America”-experts on Asian Philosophy. Last year Sam found that if he took transmutation and transformation seriously he was an outcaste before the “experts” on Asian Philosophy and now he is glad to be an outcaste for “when the gods arrive, the half-gods so.” And there are plenty of absolutely unforgivable sins, not the last of which is the direct experience of Krishna-consciousness which excludes you from the PhDeistic platforms.
One of my basic sins was that I won first consideration from a celebrated writer with my essay on the Gita. This has never been accepted here; indeed not permitted. True I had to talk on the Gita in India to enter certain circles. I got it. Sam has sat by the side, usually, of holy men and teachers from one end of real Asia to the other which means he is very unwelcome here.
And when the dirty murderer who is President of the UN said: “What the world needs is a moral and spiritual revolution” and everybody applauded, Sam weeped, for he saw nothing but murder and destruction. A politician in high places is a wonderful, person; a little person is nothing. And to hell with Jesus Christ who said, “Whatsoever ye do to the least of these, my creatures, ye do it unto me.” Try that and you will never get your degree in “Oriental Philosophy.”
Anyhow Sam thought he would like to see infinite compassion. He is a devotee of finite compassion. Sam was surprised to hear that one of his disciples told a stranger: “Yes, that man is a fine speaker but when we go to our Murshid he shoulders our troubles and consoles us and that is what the famous speaker does not.” But fame is fame and although it stops at the grave, why not get a degree in “Oriental Philosophy” and make the most of it!
Naturally Lama Govinda has the credential. Born in Europe and graduate of the proper school. Nyogen Senzaki was born in Kamchatka and got a PhD in Heidelberg but if anybody referred to that he got kicked out of the Zendo! Believe me, I was an eye-witness and no student of “Oriental Philosophy” dares to go to Sam if he writes a paper on Senzaki or indeed on the crap called “Zen Buddhism” which has nothing to do with Lord Buddha. (Sam nearly broke up a class at the university by cheering out loud for Phillip Kapleau but Phillip Kapleau was not a European with PhD degrees so he can’t qualify in “Asian Philosophy.”)
Sam was already to start something before the Lama. He had a paper which contradicted everything in the brochure. It was written by a thoroughly audacious person who cannot qualify because she is not a German or Englishman with PhD degrees! The paper was written by her Serene Highness, Princess Poon Diskul, President of the World Buddhist Federation and presented at the conference of the real faiths of the real world at Calcutta, under the auspices of The Temple of Understanding. The director of the Temple is not an Englishman or a European; it is a “she” who is not a PhD and is an ordinary or extraordinary housewife! This will never do. It was all right for Jesus Christ to say “In the hour (guise) ye think least the son of man cometh.” They did not have so many academicians in those days.
Well there was a summit meeting of the “only in America” kind between the mamamaha German and the mahhhhaaha Englishman, the experts on Buddhism but “only in America.” The Lama got tired. Superman has the privilege of tiring but us ordinary folks no! No wonder none of the “experts” on Asian philosophy will permit any lecture on Emperor Akbar by one who knows! This singular genius whose name must not even be mentioned among the elect and select never tired! He did a lot of things which interfere with the “experts.”
When Sam’s disciples tired they get it. Not being an “expert” in infinite compassion, Sam gives them spiritual exercises which seem to work and then he makes them apply and then they don’t get tired. This sought of thing is verboten among the elite. In Sufism which is not permissible among the elect and select the adepts—who are adepts—have practices to meet every human need and teach and apply them.
Behind all this is not infinite compassion and infinite love but very finite love, compassion, mercy, patience and tolerance which the young outcastes can appreciate. Now the young outcastes are growing in number—you must know that from the number who come into the store. And as they are the manifestation of the predictions of Sri Aurobindo the Sri Aurobindo people who have the faculty of the elect—frozen ears—will have none of it.
Anyhow if there is any resemblance between the Lama and the Buddha it comes from their knowledge of the same languages but hardly of the same experiences. Sam teaches Lord Buddha’s Yoga and this has been accepted by the Roshis and Thiens but hardly by the “elect.” And the young experience Love and Joy, Bliss and even Peace, more and more every week.
It is not surprising then that Sam should get pitiable letters from Pondicherry. Plenty of sermons and laudatory remarks but no help from America. When I spoke on Pondicherry at the Ashram, how many of the Ashramites showed up? Anyhow I shall not speak there again unless at least ten show up and half the money goes to Pondicherry!
Dr. Chaudhuri rightly taught that if you have Sri Krishna on your side you need nothing else. But he and Judith Tyberg and their “elite” allies joined in whole hearted in a project in Arizona under a Dr. Zitko, a veddy, veddy, exclusive “cosmic consciousness” undertaking which did not have Sri Krishna and flopped. They never refer to that. If they had put one modicum of this effort into Pondicherry it would have been entirely different.
Sam is not worried. The Sufi Pir Vilayat and the Vedantic Swami Maharaj Ranganathananda will be here soon. Swamiji permitted what no man in this country ever did excepting a single Prof. Pande at Berkeley and Prof. Huston Smith at M.I.T.—i.e. the remarks of a realized mystic as a contribution to the subject under discussion. In India they demand it; here they forbid it. But “when the gods arrive, the half-gods go.”
Sam never wished it that way. He would like to have seen the American Academy of Asian Studies succeed; or the California Academy of (presumed) Asian Studies succeed. His money is welcome, he is not. Fortunately the Indian students are organizing their own thing and we shall be able to present our Yoga dances to them. We should like to have given theme is whore and free but the very veddy PhD Prof. of various academies are afraid of the mysticisms of the mystics.
Next week we celebrate Christmas by the surrender of our own personal consciousness. To the mystic the transformation body is real, and demonstrable, and is. And the young know it and love it and learn love and not any lecture or exhortation. So we have to return to finite compassion and let the elite have their infinite compassion and please don’t interrupt me.
Love and blessings,
Sam
December 27, 1968
Beloved One of God:
How are you? This is a very sombre letter and a copy is going to Mr. Chaudhuri. I have given up hope that he will easily accept that occasionally God might manifest to a person who is not a PhD and that Sri Krishna is more apt to bless a little known person than a very professor or pseudo-adept out of some European university. It is very sad and it will require some strong pressures to make him accept the teachings of Sri Aurobindo actually. For the New Race, full of super minds is manifesting and not one of them is a graduate of a British or European educational institution, or for that matter, any particular educational institution excepting quite coincidentally.
What Sam has “seen” is coming to pass but even more strongly. There will be here in rapid succession three wise men of the East, real wise men of the real East and not one of them hold that a western super education is needed to bring a person nearer to divine consciousness. Jesus has said, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last,” and the Bible also teaches “I am in the first and the last.” The Indian tradition is Tat Tvam Asi, a teaching absolutely rejected by the rival “academies” of so-called Asian Culture.
Our big work now is in the dance, the joint heritage from the Sufi Hazrat Inayat Khan and the late Ruth St. Denis. We are putting on series of Sufi (dervish) dances and Yoga dances. On Christmas eve the real Krishna consciousness was demonstrated through the dance—the “wrong” person acting in the roll of Sri Krishna but then again the Avatar manifested in a simple cow-hand and now in a super-proud Brahmin. I do not wish to go into this now. It is self-manifesting.
The probabilities are that these dances will be offered before the Temple of Understanding in Washington. It is remarkable how the leaders of this project have leaned directly or indirectly on this person and how the proud clergy, metaphysician, cultists and all self-”humble” people refuse absolutely this possibility. But the stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.
The first person to arrive will be Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, son of my first spiritual teacher (which the elite reject, God bless them). He is coming for the young. The young are now asserting himself. The editors of “The Oracle” are either my disciples or close friends. The day of youth has arrived. And there is a long distance between editorials and sermons to listen to the young. Important persons have frozen ears.
The next will be Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj. I hope you will be able to meet him. On my sixteenth birthday he gave me a special tea and there I met Prof. S. C. Chatterji who attacked in no certain terms the European professors of the “only in America” Asian Philosophy. The very man he named and excoriated have been the associates of Dr. Chaudhuri. They have no standing in the Orient excepting to be excoriated and this is also the companion of Her Series Highness, Princess Poon Diskul; and W. Rahula, said to have a greater command over the English language than any other self-realized Buddhist. But these people have been of no account here before the intelligentsia.
But the climax is an example of Prajna. Dr. Radhakrishnan who has been to me always like an elder brother placed Prajna first and it is not even mentioned by most of the “elite” in the “only-in-America” Asian Philosophy. By Prajna one could see that both Karma and the Moral Law would counterbalance ego-claims.
This person is not only leaned upon by The Temple of Understanding but by the great Auroville project. The director of that project is an American lady, Miss Julie Medlock. She is like Sam in having been welcomed by the multitude of the real saints, real sages and real Masters of Asia from one end to the other and rejected by the establishments of all sorts. But we agree that to have the real Sri Krishna on our side is worth more than all the money, fame, prestige and self-important persons whomsoever.
But now the clincher. At the conference of the real world’s religions a Master approached my disciples and told them he excepted to come here. He also named Sam Lewis whom he said was his spiritual brother. This man, who has obliterated his name (and his prestiges of whatsoever source) is himself a disciple of Sri Aurobindo!
So it would appear that shortly we have a real Sri Aurobindo organization based on the manifestation of the advanced souls, demonstrating the validity of his predictions. We shall exclude at once all the professors whomsoever and whatsoever who are not valid, bonafide devotees. This man will manifest before the young. Like Paul Reps and to some extent Vilayat Khan he wants to speak before the young.
If this real Yogi joins with Vilayat Khan—and I believe they have met—we are going to see something interesting of mystics presenting mystical teaching without any more interposition of the self-proud-humble lecturers.
I myself am not inclined to exclude anybody but past experience shows that frozen ears may mean frozen hearts. I know you people have been interested in Sri Aurobindo and cannot accept the egoistic intellectual analytical aspects of our present day culture, with fancy labels substituted for divine knowledge.
It seems as if God Himself, so to speak, will present His teachings and I am welcoming this ingress of the real Wise Men of the Real East.
When the gods-arrive, the half-gods go.
With love and blessings,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
January 7, 1969
Dear Erica, Bill, and Boys:
This is a Happy New Year and I wish you the same. I do not know whether you will be seeing Vilayat, who has gone to Los Angeles. His visit here was an anticlimax.
This is a New Age, in which fundamental honesty is an asset. Older people decided everything on personality. This was true even of those who say they believe in Karma, but whose actions are not necessarily changed, that is, there is almost no difference in the behavior patterns of those who believe they believe in Karma and those who do not.
Youth is in revolt and will remain in revolt until seniors embark on careers of fundamental honesty, which is almost impossible for them. The whole culture is tuned and turned in other directions. This is so much so that leaders of revolts are often even more dishonest than those in authority. Changes do not make for a “better world,” just different persons or parties in saddles.
Coming out of the hospital, one began working with the young. Vilayat came and it was necessary to make a rapid decision. As the Western world is not made of people who believe in the Living God, it is only the young that can accept that God speaks directly to man, through man, in man. A decision was made and one knew one’s following world double, which it certainly did.
Putting it drolly one said that one’s effort to become a Pied Piper failed—only the young showed up. And when we needed money for a Sufi Khankah we did not go around begging from everybody else. We turned to the Living God and in a week had a house. So Sam has two homes so to speak, and the one here also is now a sort of Inn, for the young—older people do not accept such nonsense even if it be true.
The coming of Prof. Huston Smith, the top American Orientalist, turned another page. Although, no doubt, it is queer to have an American rather than a European or Englishman as an “expert” on Asia, he has been accepted in Asia. Unable to solve ko-ans (not necessary for Englishmen and Europeans who only write on the subject) he has accepted both Phillip Kapleau and Sam Lewis, two Americans born on the wrong side of the social and genealogical railway tracks but both accepted by Asian-Asians. Besides, Huston’s star pupil is Sam’s esoteric secretary. He is going South now to tape record Vilayat’s speech.
Christmas Eve was such a success we planned a larger New Year’s Eve. We are doing, while others are saying and that also is a difference between generations. We put on two types of Dervish dances, Yoga dances (really, real) and Vajrayana rituals and dances. Then Sam did a Darshan which is not done by our European, English and even most American “experts” on the Orient.
Part of the program was at the behest of an Asian-Asian who has not been successful with older people here, has turned to the young, and they are responding.
So many young people turned up that most of the program had to be performed three times. This is facilitated because Vilayat pointed out that in the finer Dervish dancing, there was the “turning of the spheres” so Sam applied Gavin Arthur’s astrology. It has been utterly successful and even Gavin is surprised, and of course delighted, to find his own Astrological teachings—both theoretical and from actual horoscopes, used. And they always work, a hard fact which is going to upset a lot of so-called “astrologers” and “occultists.”
We had no time to prepare for Vilayat. He had to call four times because of problems and when he arrived it was fortunately on Sam’s regular meeting night. I am not going to try to convince anybody of the existence of the Living God. Some people have said He is dead, but someone had better explain how and why, with only a few hours time to prepare and no advertising or anything over 80 people showed up here!
Mr. Hunt had moved and we are turning our garage into a meeting cum dancing place. Upstairs hold 30 comfortably and 50 uncomfortably and this happened. It was as if we had prepared and many, perhaps most of the disciples did not show up because they do not come to the open meetings.
Vilayat has gone to Los Angeles and has a big program for June. He is doing in public exactly as Sam had wished for—giving to the world practices, doctrines, exercises, hush-hushed by the strong, powerful, elite and acceptance—who haven’t them anyhow—at commercial figures. In some things he has broken from his father; in no thing has he broken from the Living God Who is his inspiration. He held the large number of young in thrall and they will be ready and Sam will be ready—one has to wait years and years. But as God is Life these years have not effected the body or mind—which disconcerts our metaphysical friends, so Sam has grown a beard. So has Vilayat. So has Gavin.
Neither Vilayat nor God wishes Sam to travel outside a small area here, so he will send representatives instead. And now he is doing what Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan wanted, and also he has been displaying the heritage of Nyogen Senzaki which the “nice” people say he hasn’t, so they are on display.
Have not heard from Bill for a long time. Originally this house was to have a place reserved for him. There are four here now—two young men and a young woman, but we hope to have sleeping bags also before long.
Love and blessings to my friends in Ojai,
Sam
January 26, 1969
My dear Yvonne [Child]:
For no particular reason, or perhaps for a multitude of hidden “reasons,” I write to you today, wondering how you are feeling. For me 1969 has been a “Brave New World” nothing like Huxley but perhaps like Tennyson. And it is certainly not loneliness which impels my writing, although one cannot be sure of the loneliness of others, or its absence.
When I returned in 1962 I wrote Thea and others an allegory, which has since come true, true in every respect. Honesty is not only not the best policy, it is not a policy at all with many over 40, and even the 30’s are in suspicion. And the very fact that this person has been given the coup de grace by so many people of mature bodies and immature hearts and minds, has helped, if anything, in building up an “anti-reputation” which comes in very good stead.
For example, If I wished, I could go to the Indian Independence Day celebration of the Indians. You never saw me on the platform in this country when “Indian” Independence Day was celebrated by Germans, Englishmen, Politicians and all sorts of “important people.” And the very hard fact that Sam has become a spiritual brother both of the present President of India and the former President only proves egotism, bombast and braggadocio on his part. Facts are unimportant, prestige most important but new prestige is on its way out.
It was surprising to get a phone call from a well known lecture bureau asking me to speak. In previous years I offered for nothing to get certain subjects out. Perhaps it was because of an event. A clairvoyant lady, friend and disciple of the late Dr. Blanche Baker was to speak in public on “Reincarnation.” I warned the person in charge that he did not have enough room. It was not believed. The green flag went up and my gang went in and there was not even standing room out in the hall. There were very few “old ladies” present.
My gang not only believed in the speaker because she is an old colleague of “Murshid” but because she spoke on “Reincarnation” because she remembers her former lives, the worst background. If she had been emotional and prestigious, that would have been wonderful, but to give facts and confirm them, that is not wanted by the self-satisfied seniors and is wanted by the hungry Juniors.
Last year I was flat on my back in the Chinese hospital. The good God who has refused to accept the press notices of His death came and told me that I would become the spiritual teacher of the Hippies. I was flat on my back and could not answer. I had six disciples. In no time my income went up (this is a marvelous virtue, more than anything else) and I had some 30 disciples. Then the Sufi (real Sufi and therefore unacceptable) Pir Vilayat Khan came here and I had to “join or die.” I Joined, the disciples doubled and the entourage increased. And these misguided young people actually believe in this braggart as against this and that Prof. Ph.D. who studied all kinds of things in all kinds of prestige universities under all kinds of important people. This is “Asian Philosophy”—only in America style.
I have more fun telling the young people real stories about real persons, many of whom I have met—anecdotes all over the place. An editor asked for some Sufi stories and I wrote that if he wanted repetitions of old wives tales he could go elsewhere but if he wanted real stories of real people living today, why??? The same is true of Zen. The real Zen Masters and Sam are on excellent terms. The “experts” won’t have anything to do with me.
A very great Oriental philosopher has just left. He was born right, i.e. in Germany and plenty of good academic education. Madison Ave. got hold of him and Esalen and you could met him if you had Maharshi money to spend. He has gone—he got just three disciples! Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj is here. You could see him for free—that doesn’t go, of course. Fortunately, he met Sam at the University of California where his gang was and also a lot of UC people who don’t give you the a priori rejection but accept your money and books.
Well, we started out [the] campaign of “Joy without Drugs” and at first nobody listened. But now the young listen and do we have a good time! A big family, two homes and open house here on Sunday and Monday nights. Also in Larkspur on Wednesday and possibly in Novato on other nights with chances to invade Height-Ash[bury] etc. And those misled young prefer to listen to an American who has studied Oriental philosophies under Orientals to prestige big-shots and big-names who are very popular but “only in America.”
Now two homes, one in S.F. with three young people (here) and one in Novato with three married couples. Once in a while older people get curious but mostly those who have been outcasts. And we demonstrate “Joy without Drugs” which the young people accept and older people snicker at—no sermons, no lectures, no scoldings, and if you don’t have experience is it Murshid’s fault.
There are only two things wrong—one does not get older, and one wears a beard. On New Year’s Eve we outdanced everybody and there were hardly any people there over half one’s age.
Mr. Paul Reps wants Sam to build up a big School and maybe we shall. We have to challenge those “only in America” Asian Philosophy Institutions like the American Academy and California Academy of “Asian” Studies! Now we are unable to share our funds because they won’t share our experiences. And what has been learned?
If your are ever free and curious, you might come here some Sunday or Monday nights. And tell your darling child I know where all the good ice cream is found all over the bay area. Young people are permitted in my “séances” which aren’t séances, but you have to find out for yourself. The principle of “Joy without Drugs” is demonstrable and you should see my family—the most handsome young men and women you can find.
Love,
Samuel L. Lewis
February 1, 1969
Fritzi Armstrong
435 Powell Street
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
My dear Fritzi:
A little event took place last night which makes me question the advisability of speaking before audiences of mature people at all.
There was a discussion going on at Gavin Arthur’s on the subject of “Saturn.” I am not an astrologer. I was initiated into esoteric occultism almost 50 years ago. The denial of this by non-initiates shows how little respect they have, either for karma or moral law. But, having been initiated into occultism, I was permitted to demonstrate how to correct defects arising from persons with afflicted Saturns. This is something I have wished to do for years, but mature people who quite obviously never have had initiations have denied this possibility. Seniors deny and juniors accept—this is a matter of simple elementary honesty and social decor.
There is no reason, now, not to give to the world a great deal of knowledge previously known as occult or esoteric. I think this matter it is for the initiate, not for the non-initiate to decide. The decision is to make public a good deal of previously restricted knowledge and wisdom. One can hardly do this before assemblages which deny one has such knowledge and wisdom. The question is merely: “Where shall one do this?”
I am now presenting I great deal of mystical and occult knowledge to the young on two levels: one for disciples, ore for non-disciples. I am quite willing, and before God—and I mean God—not only able to do this, but I am doing it. I am willing to do it anywhere, including your presumably new center.
For me, this is a new age—an age in which honesty, integrity, and moral virtues are to the fore, will be to the fore. I am not the least bit interested in the rejections of non-initiates. I am absolutely sensitive to the cries of the hungry young. If places are offered for lecturing, they will be accepted, provided my actual backgrounds and history are accepted. Divine knowledge is not and has never been the property of legal corporations and unconfirmed individuals who have sufficient largesse or publicity.
My colleague, Pir Vilayat Khan, is now offering the public a compendium of knowledge, previously hush-hushed. I am teaching occult sciences, some akin to astrology, to the eager and curious young. There is nothing in these than cannot be given to people of maturity, excepting their refusal to accept my actual backgrounds, and actual history in the actual world. I cannot demand that you accept this actual history, but it is upon this, more than anything else, that depend my appearance on any public platform.
Faithfully,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
February 9, 1969
Ralph R. Dunhower
3835 19th St.
San Francisco,
Calif 94110
Dear Mr. Dunhower:
I was amazed to read your article in the paper this morning. I was amazed that the publishers should print the broad point of view. And yet this is what the young people of the day want, peace and not a continuation of hostilities started by recent or remote ancestors.
In principle it is not too different from one I once had. Neither sociologist nor politician, I began with salt water conversion and desert reclamation projects, etc. The scheme was favored once by all UN officials, and to my surprise both Israelis and Arabs liked it. But not the State Department, nor our foreign office.
And when it came to the so-called “peace-societies” downright hostilities and it had to be dropped because of the attitude of some of these groups. So we had another war and will continue to have wars until we stop this nonsense of quoting scriptures and acting otherwise, generally to the contrary of our scriptures (whatever they are).
Even now the United States is having a so-called “East-West” Conference, purported to bring the religions of the world together. One for each faith: Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, Christianity (Protestant), Christianity (Catholic), Confucianist, Hindu, one conversed Christian to Buddhism, twelve in all—no Muslims, five Jews! This to represent the “world” and it is unfortunate something that happens but “only in America.”
Muslims teach (that’s the end of it): “Allah loves His creation more than a mother loves her offspring.” The Bible teaches (that’s the end of it): “One law for the Children of Israel and for the sojourners (goyim) in their midst.” So long as we live in a world that has one set of principles in writing and another in practice, we are faced with dilemmas.
If we could get the young together without “experts,” newsmen, etc., we might accomplish what you have proposed. I am all for it.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco 94110
February 25, 1969
Lieutenant General Edward Lansdale
1917 Wakefield Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22308
Dear General Lansdale:
I do not know whether you remember me. I regarded you as my war hero, and you accepted this regard by giving me your picture with a clover-leaf cap and a single star on the collar.
Time has passed, and history has given you a role of political and military importance, I have been particularly interested for, in a certain sense, much of Asia has been my beat. Though not yet recognized here, I have had the unusual history of having been a guest of honor at the Imperial Palace grounds in both Thailand and Japan, and have had tea served in the Presidential mansions of India and Pakistan, not to mention other matters. I became involved indirectly in Vietnamese affairs through a friend now deceased. We were both working separately and together in efforts to establish deep and lasting friendships between Asian countries and the United States. I am not going into this matter here, but on my first private mission in this regard, visiting the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles, the Dean of Studies, without looking up, asked me if I knew Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul Pismai, and without a moment’s hesitation, I replied, “Who the heck do you think sent me here?”
(Incidentally, the Princess warmly greeted my disciples at a conference of The Temple of Understanding held in Calcutta a short while back. I have long worked in this field of peace through religion.)
I have tried to reach you previously, but letters were always returned. Recently establishing a home in Novato—and thus back to Marin again—I found an address of one Edward Lansdale in Novato here. Assuming this was your son, I showed his wife your picture and thus obtained your address.
After 31 attempts to get a paper on Vietnamese Buddhism accepted, I threw in the sponge after receiving a much better paper from Dr. Thich Thien An at UCLA. I have yet personally to meet a Vietnamese with whom there has not been instant contact, but with rare exceptions have I been able to communicate the purport of it to my fellow American, The idea of peace through friendship with exotic peoples seems to be spurned by so-called “hawks” and absolutely abhorred by so-called “doves.”
I am not going into politics or foreign policy here. I do not know how you feel about the matter, but I have kept open ears, if not always an open mind.
I am now called upon to speak on “Zen” by the instructor in Vietnamese at the Monterey School. My Zen covers both Japan and China, and also Korea and Vietnam. I learned it from a number of masters of these respective countries and not from very famous, or not so famous, Englishmen and beatniks.
One thing I have not learned is how such knowledge can be of any use to my country. On the other hand, a very large sector of the so-called “anti-social” elements are now listening to one who has been there, in every sense of these words.
The office of the then Secretary of State, the late Mr. Dulles, encouraged my first trip to Asia to approach Asian nationals through nonpolitical avenues, and then absolutely refused, in any way, to receive objective reports. But I must say this was equally true of all so-called “peace organizations,” whosoever, whomsoever, whatsoever. I could say lots more here but do not wish to bore. I must, however, mention one incident in closing:
I was sent on a mission of peace and friendship between a certain spiritual group in Pakistan to a certain spiritual group in India. The castigation received from our foreign office was followed, and naturally, by the parties in question calling in Mr. Kosygin. Some day this will become open history. Alas! All my efforts, all of which have been spurned in this land, are recorded in diaries. PLAYBOY for March of this year has written me up, and other notices will follow in other publications.
I am now retired, comfortably off, and still am trying to bring about rapport between this land and Asian nationals.
With kindest personal regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti (Islamic name)
Reverend He Kwang (Zen-ch’an name)
910 Railroad Avenue
Novato, Calif. 94947
March 7, 1969
Mrs. Gloria Wachs
100 Edgewood Ave.
Mill Valley, Calif.
My Dear Gloria,
It is sometime since we have been in class together. I did not attend the last session but expect to enroll for two classes for the spring and also to see that some of my young friends enroll, especially for the courses taught by our good friend, Madame Becker-Colonna. I now have an excellent book on
Egyptian and contemporary costumes and have also purchased one each on the Etruscans and Nebateans. The latter may be of some use in the forthcoming course on early Arabic culture. I also may (or may not) make the trip with our good friends who live in Terra Linda which is not so far from here.
I suppose I have two very different reasons for writing. The first is all very positive. It is humorously put that the campaign to become a pied piper has failed miserably. I doubt if there is a single week this year where one or more adherents has not been gained, all young, of course. The young people want knowledge and sincerity, and their elders wish to smother them all too often with propaganda and opinions.
The program “Joy Without Drugs” has a facet which has become exceedingly interesting to the young (of course) and that is the use of dance patterns. The ignorant intelligentsia of the day bypass Havelock Ellis’ work, The Dance of Life, as they also bypass so much marvelous American literature of the last century. This does not prevent one from putting these bypassed principles into operation. Indeed we are having a dance festival at this place on Sunday afternoon, March 23rd, centering around the celebration of several birthdays. The dances were all choreographed by this person and are an objective manifestation of my inheritance from the late Miss Ruth St. Denis. I am also serving a curry dinner—the refreshments are free and the program is open to all. It depends almost entirely on our remaining free from rain, for the grounds here are ample.
I no longer hold forth in Mill Valley but have a regular group which meets at 263 Morningside Drive in Corte Madera, but for this there is an admission charge. The attendance has grown so steadily that sooner or later what is being done will break into print. Sooner or later it will break into print in the Larkspur publication, the Oracle. But autobiographical material is now in demand and the snubs of yesteryear may well become part of the history of tomorrow.
This is also part of a theme of “The Great Stone-face” of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Yesterday I spoke at Sonoma State College quoting liberally from a portion of our American heritage which is no longer popular among dissident groups of elder people, but which the young find very appealing. Thus I used, constantly, Emerson, the James family, Whitman and other Americans. There was a very old man in the audience, one of the Deans of the Institution. He was not only satisfied with the talk, but with my quoting from what used to be valid sources. The subject was “Asian-Asian philosophy.”
I’ve had to use the term because Asian philosophy in the hands of many prominent persons of the day has been paraded as a marvelous invention of certain European and English savants of this age. This certainly has been the stand of the acting president of San Francisco State College.
Now Gloria, I wish to end a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding which is entirely my fault. I began studying philosophy not through the usual channels but under the late Cassius Keyser of Columbia, long-time head of the Mathematics Dept. He was a marvelous soul, greatly beloved by his students. It was he who introduced me to Count Alfred Korzybski, the principal of the acting head of San Francisco State College. I have never been forgiven for this, never. All attempts to get a paper published or read on the work of the friend and mentor of the late Alfred Korzybski coming from this source have been spurned.
I have read and reread all of Science and Sanity many times. I doubt very much whether this is true of most of the so-called leaders in the so- called movement called “General Semantics.” I think you will agree that they are anti- Aristotelian, mostly in the sense that they are anti-logical in toto. Priests of a movement which theoretically excoriates name-calling, they are past masters at it and sometimes at little else.
I am not going to give my personal history here. The same type of treatment was offered to sons and daughters of members of prominent Marin families, one of the major reasons for the acting president’s being excluded from the Marin Rod and Gun Club. His remarks that it was due to race were ridiculous. He has never paid tribute to the many cultures stemming from his parental people. His “Zen” is a product of his former English-born friends. He broke with these “friends” because they tried psychedelic experiments, a priori rejected by him, as he has only too often a priori rejected other potential contributions to human knowledge. I think this is enough. There are too many beautiful things in the world, from the studying of ancient artifacts to the sorrows of contemporary hearts. Both of those studies are so foreign to the acting head of San Francisco State that I cannot help from participating in movements to remove him from a place of prominence in contemporary culture.
As the young people want my material, and as it is quite probable that I shall be reaching more and more of them, I am, out of decency, notifying some of the associates of the acting president. They are not to blame. Some of the finest disciples of Alfred Korzybski’s are my very closest friends. I am copying now articles on Asian logistics. Abhorrent as they are to the contemporary semantic movement they will sooner or later be examined by the world.
The forthcoming spring program will be followed by others. My concentration is on the restoration of a form of the Maypole dance and, along with it, some of the mystery rituals of earlier cultures. I am surrounded today by the most beautiful young men and women I have ever known. The relations are marvelously cordial, a huge and growing happy family with brotherly and sisterly feelings to and through all. I do not think anything more need be asked.
Outside the world of all arguments, the hard hard fact that vitality persists despite age, that energy does not flag, is also exemplified by the fact that this letter has been written without hesitancy from start to finish. If you or any of your young friends come here or to Corte Madera you will be most welcomed, and your initial appearance at Corte Madera will be without charge.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
March 19, 1969
My dear Harriet:
I hope good news can be encouraging. It has been my karma to be born, and to suffer as a doormat for many years in order to wipe out shortcomings of previous existences. Jesus has said, “Not woe, woe unto those to whom suffering comes, but woe, woe to those by whom suffering comes.” This, like a lot of other scriptural statements is ignored by religionists. In fact, today there is a choice between scripture and religion, and this also manifests in the so- called generation gap.
I do not know whether you have seen the article in the March Playboy. To pun it, it should be called Playboy. Samuel does not come out very well (nobody else does), but he comes out marvelously when contrasted with yogi Yogananda. For that matter, he comes out gloriously when contrasted with nearly everybody else mentioned.
It is very curious, and also to me very marvelous, that my chief secretary, Mansur, to whom I am dictating this letter, is taking up exactly where Luther Whiteman and I left off. No doubt this is because certain things are written in the ethers.
The idea “Joy without Drugs,” though 4 years old, is now taking on. To put it another way, the idea of becoming a Pied Piper has failed miserably, because only the young show up. Every single week this year the totality of the audiences has increased. The young are quite willing to listen to the little fellow who has been there, rather than to the big one who has not. Indeed the very fact that “he has been scorned and rejected of men” today adds to one’s luster.
Gradually, a network has been established. When the staff at the University of California saw the meeting with Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj, they did a solte voce. One is now not only welcomed, but is regarded as an authority, as against an “expert.”
In my private war with Dr. Hayakawa, I have tremendous materials today on Buddhist logics. The shameful a priori rejection of this culture is a mark against the United States. In checking over source materials, I found that not a single “expert” on Asia in this part of the world is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. A Sufi does not go around utilizing degrees, and I have never signed F.R.S. after my name, but I get sick and tired of multitudes of a priori rejections from important and self-important people. I am pleased to report that Dr. Hayakawa’s associates realize the dangers of their having totally derided Sam (quite prevalent amid the passing parade). We have solved no problems of any importance, and today Sam has been called on also to work for the Koreans and Vietnamese—culturally, not politically.
We are planning a huge work party here at Novato Sunday. This week marks the joint celebration of 5 birthday parties, 4 disciples and that of Gavin Arthur, the astrologer. The occasions mean meeting several VIP’s too important ever to answer letters, but now definitely on the carpet. It may also mean the introduction of my Godson, Norman to my Goddaughter, Nancy.
I have been most fortunate in my Godchildren. Norman, who is part Negro, has been succeeding, while departing utterly from the pathways of his father, who is one of the few Negro millionaires in this country. I did not know this until many years after I had met Norman. My Goddaughter Nancy lives in Sausalito, a sort of halfway station between my home in San Francisco and my home in Novato. They may be meeting at either Gavin’s or here in Novato this coming Sunday.
As to my other Goddaughter, who is Pakistani. She is a well-to-do, highly educated, and beautiful young woman. She is now a candidate for a PhD degree at Cornell. She has invited me to be guest of honor at both Cornell and Harvard In the next 2 weeks. While the matter is in abeyance, a rapid visit to these two campuses could greatly enhance my prestige. It also might include a few hours each at Columbia and Pennsylvania.
As my friends and disciples now control the publication The Oracle such visits would be highly publicized—for the young, of course—and would help in my life-long crusade, “Reality vs. Realism.”
This is only a small portion of what is going on. Still legal problems, but with every indication of increased remuneration. As I said above, the dormant career of Whiteman and Lewis is also now in operation. Only one day off so far this year and no signs of a break. Perhaps no need.
Ted is away now, but he would join me in sending,
love and blessings,
Samuel
San Francisco, Calif.
March 30, 1969
My dear Professor Williams:
I am impelled if not compelled to write a letter at this time before submitting a properly annotated paper on the position of contemporary Pakistan, based on the principle that traditional religion does often play a part in the social and political movements of the day. I am sending a copy to Prof. John Shover not at Penn whom you may know, and also to Prof. Cantwell Smith of Harvard. I am in the peculiar position of differing from Cantwell Smith on many facts but hardly differing from him at all on his conclusions and my fourth rereading of his materials was completed just before the present coup d’état.
In 1962 I had an interview with the head of the USIS at Karachi (I can look up all points in my carefully annotated memoirs) and I said: “I have written on “Maize Growing in Pakistan” and I am sure the paper will be accepting if it is not already published. But I have not written on the social and ethnographic factors of the people with whom I have lived because I know beforehand the paper would be rejected.” “I agree with you.”
This was before I came upon Lord Snow’s teachings which, to my regret, I must accept. And it is certain that all the professors I have met at U.C. Riverside and most of the professors in all the sciences (not only agriculture) have agreed with my premises, with one most notable and very sad exception.
A number of years back there was a seminar on the Food Problems of the world and Prof. Lavella, then Dean at UCD, gave a talk on “Salinity in the Indus Basin”. He expostulated on the problems. I wrote a long paper indicating the solution of all the problems seriatim. It was buried. It was either bypassed or ignored and this, in general, has been our attitude to many of the problems of Asia.
It is no use protesting that I have lived in “Little California.” All the so- called “peace” groups and organizations purporting to study “foreign affairs” have refused to give any heed to the little people who have lived in Asia among Asians—I know so many! It is not the knowledge of the little people but the opinions of the important (?) people which take up the time in public debates.
One of the greatest achievements in the Indus Valley was the completion of Warsak Dam. It was a joint enterprise between Canada and the graduate students of my friend and colleague Prof. U. Durrani of Peshawar University. Professor Durrani is “impossible.” His very existence refuses the subjectivities of many who are called dialecticians and humanists (excluding thereby and therefore a tremendous sector of mankind).
Prof, Durrani is one of the top physicists for the whole continent of Asia and during my stay was regarded also as the top electrical engineer of Pakistan. We could and did discuss the principles common to the deeper phases of certain sciences and mysticism. He has had the most thorough training and experience in Upanishadic life and has written about it too.
I know from the inside the place that Islam plays in the universities of Peshawar, Islamabad and Punjab. My visits to other universities was chiefly in connection with scientific and food problems.
And it is a crime against modern culture that even a great achievement such as Mangla Dam, by a local corporation too is not news. And when the great engineering achievements of Americans abroad are bypassed as if nonexistent I do not know what a simple person can do. But I have my diary notes and some incidents are now being accepted by two heterodox publications—I mean of the young, not of the so-called “left” who are just as subjective and dialectic as their opposing numbers, both keen supporters of “realism” and enemies of Reality.
I have piles of stuff on the growing of Maize and Sugar, of Fruits and of soils. And jumping a little because of an article in today’s paper on East Pakistan I am riled to the point of writing hastily. For the American press will certainly publish anything on Asia from a European newspaperman and it is almost impossible to get anything from in situ studies by Americans even thoroughly qualified ones—I have met so many.
Because of the article today on East Pakistan, let me say at its worst it unfortunately supports Prof. W. Cantwell Smith to the hilt. In Thailand there is a norm of three crops a year; sometimes five. In Burma two or three, but in “Islamic” Pakistan, they are fortunate to have one crop. There is no knowledge of the adaptation of crops to conditions, no ecological understanding.
When I was in East Pakistan I was the host of an American who was going to attend the world Eucalyptus conference at Rome. This tree can drain off surplus waters. But I tried in vain both in East Pakistan and India to stimulate any interest; the arguments used show a sort of obscurantism again fully supporting Prof. W. Cantwell Smith. The soil is excellent, and there can be drainage.
I did see success on one point, yelling and yelping they should have engineers from our southern states (I have lived in the Carolinas) and this was achieved, for there are many comparable conditions. But what can you do with a people who are poets, musicians, and dedicated to lopsided diets?
True, at that time practically all the officials met were from West Pakistan. Many became and are today my closest friends. I could never get any expression whether they wanted independence, to join their Indian relatives or be with their “Islamic brethren.” They were as ambivalent as the now deceased Sohrawardi.
All the time I was in Pakistan the editors were unanimous that “Islam can solve all problems.” They also said that Salinity was the worst of their problems. Now I have, done much research on Salinity and do not wish to go into it here. We have sent our best teams to Pakistan to no avail. They weren’t “Muslims.”
On the negative side, when I asked people if they had ever seen Jinnah go to a Mosque, I never had a single positive reply. Here was a heterodox, if not an unbelieving man setting up an “Islamic State.” Years later, fifteen to be exact, President Ayub Khan had to select a committee of eight people to decide just what Islam was and is. And between times there was the anti-Ahmahddiya outbreak! Nobody seemed to know exactly what “Islam” meant.
Not on the committee of eight was Pir Dewwal Shereef, the spiritual teacher (Murshid) of Ayub. He was to act ex officio. I have also had bayat from Pir Dewwal and when we get out of “realism” into Reality this will be accepted. I was later present during and after the debate between the Pir and the celebrated Sheikh Mahdudi. But what good is there being an eyewitness report? This sort of thing does not belong to Lord Snow’s “other culture.”
I think I have addressed publicly a hundred thousand people in Pakistan and met, in some form or other, about an equal number. I have seen religion at work. The work was when the question came up about becoming an agricultural adviser. There were five men on the top committee on “agriculture”—two generals, two legal men and a divine—not even a landlord! I was asked to explain the fifty-seventh Sura of Holy Qur’an—this actually happened, and on this point the interview was abruptly ended!
As usual, you have to say you pray five times daily to people who seldom
pray at all (vide
Jinnah). At the same time I know devotees in high places such as his Excellency
Q. Shahab and Ansar Nasri of Radio Pakistan and a lot of others.
The whole complex is worsened because of the exclusion of Pakistanis (and sometimes all Muslims) from conferences on “Asia” held in many parts of this country. This is particularly true of this region and Hawaii.
I have been a great admirer of the Khalif Omar and in this sense a supporter of “Islamic Socialism,” but also made deep studies in the Moguls. I have also been a guest of “Basic Democracies” and had the usual brush-off, especially by “foundations” which collect funds for such purposes.
I came, being the speaker for one of the conferences going on this week on the east coast. My goddaughter, Miss Khawar Khan is now enrolled at Cornell. She won first prize in an international philosophical conference. She read a paper. The paper was written by an “ineligible” American!
Last Sunday I cooked a big curry dinner for a hundred people. We followed this by dervish dancing which I taught myself. I have lived among various dervishes—I am not a European newspaperman making false reports and thereby accepted—I have lived with these people and studied the spiritual Islamics and also the histories. But I am not a sociologist.
As a side issue, I seem to be one of the few who read carefully, Rose’s “Research into the Castes and Tribes of the Punjab and N. W. India.” After sixty years I did not find as many fundamental changes as would be surmised and I have had conversations with many peoples of the region. Now in the last issue of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, I notice another book written on this subject.
As a representative of the University of Islamabad, I hope to go back soon. My financial situation has increased to a much better level with every sign of improvement. Moneys I should like to have given as endowments are therefore being saved until such time as one can find groups of any kind who will accept in situ reports.
This is, of course, very rapidly written and not annotated. My final paper should have names, dates and events drawn from diaries and also from other sources (mostly correspondence). I greatly enjoyed your two sessions.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
(Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco 94110
April 2, 1969
Miss Margaret Leach
330 E. Liberty Dr.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Beloved One of God!
This is an acknowledgment of your circular regarding the Youth Seminar to be conducted by Pir Vilayat Khan.
I am very anxious to cooperate with Pir Vilayat in all the objectives. Until the last two weeks, a good 90% or more of the personnel in the audiences has been under 28. It is only in the last two weeks that a new type of people, chiefly educators and engineers in their early 30’s have been coming to my meetings. I understand Pir Vilayat wishes a maximum age to be 28, but I am not sure of the minimum age requirements.
This letter will be read at our various meetings. There is an uncertainty about the number who will come. This is partly due to the fact that several disciples heretofore on relief or “dropouts” are now working or will be employed shortly. On the other hand, praise to Allah, my own income has now become sufficient to guarantee at least one station wagon. We shall, of course, keep you informed.
We recently had a work party here with about 100 people in attendance. We expect a gigantic May celebration, perhaps combining the Buddhist Wesak celebration with our own dances—dervish, yoga, ceremonial, and initiatory. These dances can easily be presented to the seminar. This also means the probability, inshallah, of disciples coming who play musical instruments.
With all love and blessings and assurance of full cooperation,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Samuel L. Lewis
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif.
April 17, 1969
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith:
I hope this finds you well. And perhaps the main reason for writing is that we may be running across each other.
Life has been a continual battle in which one has never given up and instead of “old age deteriorating” one is full of vigor and activity. There may be conceit and there may be truth in classifying oneself as an “American- American,” for with all my interest in matters Asian, I still pattern myself after many of our forebears and cannot understand the rise of interest in European philosophies and psychologies, any and all types. There is no empathy whatsoever. I understand spirituality, I understand pragmatics, I understand commerce.
I knew when I was rejected from Fairfax that my destiny was in this county. Now one is a joint owner with three couples in a sort of family “commune” here in Novato. I lived here a little years ago, too. I guess I have lived all over Marin County.
Successful efforts, with success in legal complications have resulted in my now having a very comfortable income, especially for an “old bachelor” and this income is being increased all the time. The American I have been compelled to pattern after was Samuel Morse, inventor of the electric telegraph. Once he mounted the stairs he was engaged in fourteen lawsuits and won every one of them. but having a sense of humor, one has preferred to work constructively.
Thus there is an article in March “Playboy,” which begins by exposing “Sam Lewis” and then finds others more worth exposing and so half apologies. Here in this country I shall be given quite a different review for the forthcoming The Oracle which is a sort of “New Age” production. This “New Age” is rather interesting and despite the press and TV, is as far, even further, from the Marxist “subversion” movements than our so-called “left” and “right” are from each other.
They have accepted my American-American heritage which includes Emerson, Whitman, the James family and the cultures of Harvard, Columbia and New York universities as its core. Even now at the University of California I find myself battling for the “James boys,” a different set of brothers, it is true, but a family as much if not more ignored by the groups in revolt as by the “establishment.”
My biggest efforts come from the heritage of Ruth St. Denis. “Mother, I am going to cause a world revolution.” “What are you going to do?” “I shall teach little children how to walk.” “You have it! You have it! You have it!” But more than that was received from Mother Ruth and now I am teaching first Dervish, then Mantric, then ceremonial dancing, and in this restoring a lot of forgotten folkways.
But I am writing because next week the doors of the San Francisco Theological Seminary open for the groups. There has not been enough room and through outside kind and cooperation they are giving me space. (Years ago I taught Sunday school there.)
In 1965 when the Psychedelic Conference met, the theme, “Joy without Drugs” was passed unnoticed. Groups are odds with each other do not listen. Everybody wants to lead, few wish to solve anything. But as time has passed, the young not only listen but join and the effectiveness of “Joy without Drugs” reaches chiefly the young. All “establishment” including all the groups of so- called “students’ revolts” (mostly by non-students) ignore this possibility.
But there is a trend and one has colleagues who also have been quite effective in taking the young away from sex and psychedelics and established sound character-building and self-understanding. One cooperates with them in teaching the real religions and real philosophies of the real world. (Not the existentialism and dialectics born in Europe and charming the unthinking and impractical people.)
I also expect to join the Marin Art and Garden Center. Time, not money has been the obstacle here. One has, however, joined certain conservation groups establishing refuges for animals and plants in this general vicinity.
One has dissociated oneself from all groups purporting to study international affairs. Interviews with them were impossible; never granted. Nor was one allowed the floor and during a debate on Vietnam one broke up the meeting by the simple expedient of passing around pictures of Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul, with His Holiness, Pope Paul. One lets the “doves” and “hawks” contend about peoples with whom they have never associated. And one does not become popular by acclaiming that “some of one’s best friends are Vietnamese” which happens to be true but such statements are quite unwelcome before all contending parties.
It was rather curious, too, that not a single “expert” on oriental culture attended the Indian students’ picnic and the American and Asian professors are now becoming very friendly. Doors are open right and left.
A certain prominent San Franciscan asked me for ten dollars so I could join an organization and meet the big people of the world. I wrote back, “You are asking money from a man who has been a guest of honor at the Royal Palace of Japan and Thailand and had tea served in the Presidential mansions of India and Pakistan!” One has never been forgiven for that.
But one kept one’s diaries and now two new publications are accepting anecdotes, real ones. And the relations in the classrooms are marvelous both with instructors and students. Unlike the “establishment” and the “protest groups” they accept that the experience of the little man who was there is at least of equal importance to the opinions of the big people who were not, or who were fly-by-night visitors.
My paper on Pakistan will be accepted by one of our new professors. I have lived in many places of historical events and I certainly know those close to Ayub Khan. And the same applies to a lot more peoples and nations.
The next step forward will be at a University of California study on modern poetry as affected by Asian studies. One of my poems has been published and the others are being taken out of mothballs.
All this is written so that if we meet it will not be necessary to do more than nod.
Cordially,
Samuel L. Lewis
P.S. You may be interested to know that I am, in many respects, a client of the Bank of America. I never see most of my money and do not have to. The Bank has pulled me through innumerable small crises and the present systems are very much to my liking.
Garden of Inayat
April 23, 1969
Dear Ram:
With all the verbalizations about God very few seem to make Him a reality, and yet all the greatest saints and sages say that God is the Only Reality. One sometimes despairs of convincing certain types of intellectual people that this is true but now there is another kind of humanity manifesting here which may well be the type that Sri Aurobindo predicted, but which followers of Sri Aurobindo do not accept, sometimes cannot accept, so great is the desire for leadership among some types and they cannot see that “leader is he who is leader of himself.”
Last week ended a seminar on mystical experience and this was different from former seminars. In former seminars only intellectuals and professors are permitted to speak and their ideas and opinions were given serious consideration. This time the leader, who is also a professor of philosophy, began with insistence on the reality of mystical experience and he stuck to it.
The reason is that in the end he not only accepted Sam’s history but wants more. And this was followed almost immediately by Sam meeting a new type of professor of Indian culture, Americans who have studied in India under Indians and not Europeans and Englishmen and their pupils. These last do not know the mystical experience and have had the audacity to make themselves the authorities on it.
Then follows a negative and a positive achievement. The negative achievement is that more and more universities are refusing to accept mere intellectuality as a sign of any knowledge of Asian cultures especially those dealing with mysticism and spiritual attainment. It is something one has longed for years and now it is being attained, praise to God. No more dialecticians and self-important professors.
The other is that two universities will accept the writings of Papa Ramdas. Sam is very glad that we have kept on asking for and getting the literature and now we can give some of the extra copies.
It is noteworthy that 150 students of the University of California went to India because of Meher Baba. Now this man is gone and whatever his claims were and are, it looks like a ship without helmsman and rudder. But what is important is that this is a sign of hunger on the part of youth for spiritual attainment and no more lectures and monologues. It is a wonderful sign.
Sam does not know how many weeks have passed this year but the total attendance at his lectures and meetings have increased every single week. The house in Marin County has been filled to overflowing and also his house. But in both districts, San Francisco and Marin, a seminary, that is, religious school, has offered the facilities free. Even the orthodox realize that religion cannot be maintained without the God-reality.
Sam’s work is with the dance and now a new sort of chant derived from Sufi sources. One no longer cares that the intellectuals have turned their backs on the existence of Sufis; Sufis could equally turn their backs on the existence of intellectuals but they realize that God is in everything and everyone, is everything and everyone, actually, not in theory.
We have been doing Ramnam dances and on May 4 we are giving a form of folk-dance based on Ramnam around the May pole. It will be a combination of Maypole dancing and Wesak celebration and we are also making arrangements for the proper Pujas. We expect more people than we have ever had, for it is not only the young, but now professors and older serious people who wants realities and not mere lectures.
Paul Reps has published a brochure on “ back-breathing.” Sam has been using a sort of “Kundalini” approach but with reverence. And Sunday night he said, “People say Sat Chit Ananda with serious faces. If you are going to say O Ananda, O let your face light up with joy.” Why, Ram, it is not only the young who constituted nearly the entire audience, but now, the few older people who attend light up, and the recitation and dancing and walks of Ramnam have brought such joy and light to people one is sure that this is making Papa happy. It has become so real and is in contrast to the somber letters of a few years back.
For there is no question that the world seeks God or Ram and the young lovingly say “Ram” and more people are repeating Ramnam all over than could be anticipated.
This week we expect to join the Hindu students in their activities. The doors are opening, all over are they opening, and the Joy is manifesting. Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram!
S. A. M.
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
June 1, 1969
General Edward Lansdale
1917 Wakefield St.
Alexandria, Va. 22308
My dear Edward:
You have no idea of how happy I have been to hear from you. Twice I tried to reach you during the intervening years and the letters were returned. And “touché” has it that my home in Novato is considerably less than a mile from where your son lives and he has recognized the handwriting at once.
I have had the impertinence to be where history is made and God help any American who gets in the way. It is not very pleasant to travel in Asia and have the foreign offices of both the Russians and Americana against you at the same time and the situation is worse, because I know Americans who have been in worse positions.
For instance, I met a Rev. Samuel Brown who operated a hospital in the Pathan country. He was also engaged in translating the Bible into unknown languages. For instance, there is a myth that no tongue is related to that of the Humzas and he, climbing mountains and going into unknown canyons, found them. But that is not all; he found Russians spies. So he went to the foreign office and they asked him to leave Pakistan as a trouble-maker. Within two months after he told me his story, I found myself in the midst of the very communist agents about whom he had warned and it is only by Grace of God and the fact that I am a dervish that I am alive at all. For this country and this culture has refused, adamantly refused, to accept the existence of the dervishes. (Vide Nicol Smith.)
And I was saved, also, in India by the fact that the “Edgar Hoover” of that land is also my spiritual brother, not recognized in this land and could I tell stories! Anyhow, they are annotated.
I must begin by telling you my heir is a chair! I am not fooling in the least. Neither shall I relate the tragedies of early life. But after reconciliation with my brother, I am not only in a fair position for an old bachelor but every sign of increase. And there are no near relations excepting wealthy ones or those with whom we are not on good terms.
This chair was sat in years ago by Robert Clifton (Phra Sumangalo.) He was my closest friend for thirty-five years and a noted Buddhist leader. In 1928 I was asked by the late leaders of the World Church Peace Union to do research on what might be done to bring about better understanding through religions with special attention on the lesser known ones. I did. I succeeded—abroad. Here, the rejections all over, but not as bad as Robert.
I think Robert was the first person in history to have become a “prelate” or monk in Pure Land Buddhism, in Zen, in Chinese Mahayana, in Tantra and in traditional Theravada. He came to this country twice with warnings of what was going on within the Buddhist lands. He was excluded everywhere and a very top U.S. official issued a warning that anybody who gave him an interview would be summarily dismissed.
So we have Vietnam. It was this incident which caused Dr. G. Malalasekera to denounce the United States by saying: “How can you trust a Nation which does not trust its own citizens?”—unfortunately very true. I had a teacher in Buddhism in common with Dr. Malalasekera. His name was M. T. Kirby. He lived in the Hawaiian Islands and could speak Japanese. He found out their plots on the Islands. For this he was rejected. We got Pearl Harbor. Don’t you think these have not weighed deeply on my consciousness and then I followed in the same ways. God help the American who knows Asians and is anti-communist or noncommunist.
Years ago there was started a so-called “American Academy of Asian Studies” here—one American teacher and she was dismissed as soon as it got on its feet. We had the very much accepted (“only in America”) Alan Watts, the Expert, and Her Serene Highness, Princess Poon Diskul Pismai, my “fellow leprechaun” and wonderful friend. Later, I was her guest in Thailand. She used to salute me every day and invite me to her land. I had no money, but … she was not the least surprised.
But before reaching Thailand, some more “unpardonable” exploits—visiting the real Holy Mountain of Japan, Takao; and guest of honor at the Imperial Grounds in Tokyo. When I left Japan, I literally pinched my legs and asked, “Were they playing with me?” You would hardly believe it, the same treatment in every country visited, and, of course, not news!
The worst was being sent on a peace-feeler between Pakistan and India. Fine with the Pakistanis, fine with the Indians. Period. After the Foreign office got through with me, the two countries called in Kosygin and why not?
When Master Seo Kyung Bo, from Korea came here, another unpardonable. Won first prize in a Buddhist contest.
Now I am taking fascicules of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism to the University of California. I am finding honest, objective teachers today in the colleges and universities. They have the same honesty, objectivity and willingness to understand that one finds generally among the scientists. This goes hard with all the dialecticians, so called “right” and so-called “left” who swallow Marxisms and act accordingly.
One cannot be objective in the political field. Totally opposed to everything the Hawks stand for, at least I understand them. I do not know what the Doves are for, only what they are against. They know exactly how exotic people should “govern” their lands and anybody that does not agree with them is a “traitor.”
The simplest stand taken was that there are more Vietnamese Buddhists than there are Jews in the world. This is a hard fact we do not face. It does not mean that the Buddhists are noble or wonderful, although one does find a kind of peacefulness in them and perhaps a large amount of ineptness. One cannot help feeling for them every time one strikes a gong or cymbals or other brass instruments. We know little of their background.
But, being neither an economist nor sociologist, one does not wish to dictate anything for any peoples, including my own. The TV programs such as “Counterspy,” “Secret Agent,” etc. are so far from realities. And I have my diaries which will go up in value as time passes by. When we wish to get out of “realism” into Reality they will be read.
So I am very anxious to hear from you and your points of view.
Although I am close to many WBF leaders, I see little hope in a restricting religion. Having not only worshipped with all peoples, having spoken from so many pulpits, and in mosques and temples and what not, one becomes universal and perhaps really tolerant.
I am sending a copy of this to Dean Parrish of UCLA who also has been in Vietnam and Thailand, to say the least. This house is called Mentorgarten. It was started by Roshi Shaku Soyen who introduced Japanese Zen in this country first in 1893 and in San Francisco in 1906. From him the name is inherited. The idea was to have Asians and Americans sit down together and talk things over. The ideal is still being practiced. And today many young people are responding. I think I am the first Murshid-Roshi-Guru in the history of the world.
Faithfully,
Samuel
June 17, 1969
Beloved One of God:
As-salaam aleikhum. Thus, the most proper greeting and I am availing myself of the opportunity to get back to writing a diary entry, to write to you, and the letter should be long and newsy. Moineddin, Claire-Zeynab (our housekeeper) and Murshid returned from a few days to L.A., Pasadena and Santa Monica and we found your letter, and also the checks. We are going to have a new system—or a “system.” As my income is up, all the contributions will now go into another fund and ultimately be properly banked. This is very easy to say, but almost impossible.
Pir Vilayat was here and we went South to join in a business meeting. There was nothing but cordiality, harmony and hope. Vilayat does favor Mansur and Daniel having official positions, and Moineddin will be vice president and my proxy. Both he and Akbar shall be promoted when Vilayat returns on the end. But Daniel now has two outside jobs and Mansur one and we have not yet proper help. Melvin, who is now Wali Ali, leaves Thursday for Colorado to join Vilayat in his summer camp. Jemila, Shirin and James are going and possibly Ruth (Parisa) and Barbara (Ayesha) too. And Barbara is supposed to be taking Daniel’s place excepting for the financial job. Both Vilayat and Murshid want him for that and I think he wants it also.
This leaves Murshid with an ever-growing following and no office help! But this week another girl will be given Bayat to take up the work on Dancing and Walk. This is tremendous and I do not know how I shall do it but it will come. There are many more dances. Last week we started the Bacchus dance but this will have to be discontinued in the absence of Jemila. She is taking Mansur’s place in Colorado because he has a part-time job. And by this time Hasan is working for the New Age (formerly Sunset) Health Food Co. Thus there is no trouble about adequate finances but at least until the return of the folks from Colorado it is hit or miss.
I am glad you are learning about physical coldness. This problem has struck some, of my dearest disciples. And the other day at Pasadena or rather La Crescenta we were hosted by a lady, recently divorced with a large family of beautiful children. We faced the same problem that Banefsha has, only this lady was older and more intelligent. So in unconsciousness some disciples are “guinea pigs” or rather, archetypes (a much better word) which enables Murshid to help strangers.
We went first to Camarillo where some spiritual colleagues live—five children and a whole orchard of avocados (yum-yum.) Then we called on Ramdas’ grandson in Hollywood and “then the fun began.” We went to so many places and generally ran into friends of Gwen (now Zeynab) our housekeeper. It was just like a series of stories. We also met at least one Bengali musician and friends, etc., etc. His name is Allah Raka. In all places we danced our Subhan Allah; Alhamdulillah; Allaho Akbar.
We did an awful lot of jumping. Now the story of “love” is out. I learned my name has been given over the air as a sort of mysterious San Francisco who is using a “love-cure” for Hippies. Anyhow one feels more assured and more tender.
It is very difficult for me to handle a “love” problem of a non-mureed. I did this with Ralph and was uncompromising on one point. Not only did Murshid win the point but began winning Ralph’s friendship which is something, because he has not been very outgoing. It is certain that one is reaching deeper into other people.
Last Saturday night Murshid went to a discussion group and could have won all debates by pointing out the loneliness of those who were most argumentative. This would have been unfair. One would have won the debates and lost potential friends. But the point will be kept. The warm heart is not only not lonely but empathetic enough to grasp the points of view of others.
In a recent issue of Planet News, an interview is published. “I can explain Tantra Yoga in one sentence.” “How?” “When a man loves a woman he treats her as a goddess; and when a woman loves a man she treats him as a god.” “We do that already.” … That was a wonderful interview and we got along fine. I think you could treat Jack as a god but he has to learn to treat you as a goddess … or else.
If you stay around you will be working with Linda, the new dance secretary, and also in the classes, both public and private. You will, off hand, have three classes a week—Saturday, which will be closed and esoteric, while Shirin and James and Jemila are away; Wednesday night at San Anselmo and one night, presumably Thursday, at the Khankah. When Jemila returns there may, then, be extra sessions.
Amin’s address is 112 Edison, Corte Madera. He has a much better house and we shall be there Saturday. But we also have three hours Sunday at Novato, for the public and this is besides the above, so you will be with Murshid and Sol pretty often, inshallah. There is, however, a problem; former Susan Miller may be back with a husband, looking for another home. There is also a search for a sub-Khankah. Murshid went to a real estate agent with an inquiry and two hours later Sol, a mureed, went with the same inquiry and had two potential answers…. David says you could have his room and he could stay with friends. Anyhow, this will be given further attention.
Later: There are other possibilities just discussed with David.
The morning (Wednesday) is wiser than the evening—and so! The work in life to be a Spiritual teacher and a “loving father” has made one sometimes cynical and sarcastic with what passes for religion and morality. In the spiritual life one should become what one says. Inayat Khan definitely laid down that the teacher who says should regard the pupil that does as greater than himself. And Murshid has come out strongly for Vilayat who does, and the hard fact that he does is more important to me than whether he does what some consider “right” or “wrong.”
One may be serious or unserious about it but one of the greatest blessings that has come in this life has been the Godchildren. Khawar is trying to come here and has been rushing and finding her own family problems making it wise to go slow. But now she is needed because of the great interest in clothing and costumes and the pointing of all sorts of things in that direction, beginning with the proper costumes for the dancing—and this leaves a wide field open. Remarkably there is a great rapport with the men who are neither conservative nor cautious but whose “progressiveness” is in a line of harmony and, attunement. And I also may bring Zeynab to Siddhartha shop today when I go into that district.
Nancy is beautiful. Sometimes Murshid is near crying. At the Board meeting I said it was strange and one had to take it that one had much finer disciples than Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan ever dreamed of obtaining, and Secretary Suzanne is especially fond of Mansur. Nancy is giving a delayed “Father’s Day” dinner on Thursday night. Jemila will not be there but we have her substitute, a refugee from the Olompali Ranch, and Melvin (Wali Ali,) David and Zeynab Gwen from here.
The two visits at Camarillo indicate closer rapport. Jelila (mother of five) wishes to give instructions and advice to expectant mothers (at least four) and this will include Nancy and Selima-Claire. The subject has reached a very high level and I look for loving response. Indeed, expectant Fatima, who will arrive in a few hours, may go south, as she wishes.
Nancy, herself, has been away, and some of her problems turned out to be mirages. But I think all of us are looking to this dinner with great spiritual anticipation. And we have all learned that love is a strong factor in the diet.
We shall have to have the exact date of your arrival. Yes, there will be cars and perhaps at your service, but not haphazard.
Murshid gave the seven rhythms of the planets for Vilayat, etc.
By the time you get here many things may have changed, so I do not wish to anticipate spiritual matters.
One of the next things to be considered is another spiritual commune and there are many possibilities. The Ranch has been having chaos, but money and it persists with a strange absence of leadership.
The form of meditation which you describe may be a very true one. I went through such phrases prior to the later ones where the Holy Spirit did descend; and has reached a high phase (comparatively) in the inspirations of the dance and ceremonials. And does not Khatum say: “Open Thou our hearts, that we may hear Thy Voice which cometh constantly from within.”
Naseem comes more often with the other cats gone, but does not always stay.
One is not surprised about Roberta.
The problem of Karen is one that is met often, but with the “inward” inspirations it is most difficult to go into such matters excepting with mureeds. The mureeds are my family—and it is no longer a small one.
With all my love and anticipating your arrival, Murshid
Garden of Inayat
July 5, 1969
Beloved One of Allah:
Love and greetings on this which to us is both a holy day and a holiday. In fact some of us intend to visit the Rock blessed by Hazrat Inayat Khan. While he named it Pir Dahan, which he said meant the voice of the prophet. Viewed from a short distance, it looks very much like the head of a holy man with a turban, lying prostrate.
It was not surprising that in a talk recently a grandson of Hazrat Inayat Khan hardly mentioned him and no attention was paid whatsoever to this, to us, sacred day. But as we now have so many groups calling themselves “Sufis” who never mention Allah or God, it is not too surprising that a great Pir-o-Murshid should not be mentioned either.
Yesterday two infants were born: one has the last name of Lewis and the other has been given the sobriquet of Samuel Vilayat. The father of this child was among those attending the Colorado camp. I personally believe, Inshallah, that these camps will become famous all over the earth. There is a vast difference between “one single brotherhood in the Fatherhood of God” and exclusive and excluding corporations and legal entities bearing any name whatsoever.
One of my private definitions is that humility consists in listening to others. This listening has been more than rewarded. I think you will agree that Allah-God and not private corporations or churches determine who his representatives are. To quote from the life of William Pitt, the younger—it was said of him, “He is not a Chip of the Old Block—He is the Old Block Himself.” Read, really read the section on “The Spirit of Prophecy” in The Way of Illumination. The Messenger and His son are mentioned. It is remarkable how, taken even literally, this is coming true. Before God-Allah it is coming true, and the world, certainly a multitude of real Sufis, have already accepted this. As I have been initiated into 8 different Sufi orders, and also have been raised to be a teacher in several, before God-Allah I swear this to be true.
With all love prayers and blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis (Murshid)
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
cc Fazal Inayat Khan
July 19, 1969
Dear Ram:
Om! Shri Ram! Jai Ram! Jai Jai Ram!
The other night we tried to catch your eye at the meeting for Sami Chitananda Maharaj. We have a growing number of disciples and quite a few want to take up various types of dancing. To me it was simply a matter of timing, for while Shivaram has the requirements, his schedule does not fit in with ours.
In fact, we are taking the first steps toward sending a team to the Orient especially India. It seems that God differs profoundly from the “experts.” The “experts” are always crying for money, never satisfied, but they will not accept anything but money. And the groups that verbally proclaim cultural integration are very selective excepting taking your money. They are not selective there. They want to integrate your bank account, not your wisdom.
One often wonders what would happen to a Sri Ramakrishna if he came this way. Certainly he would not appear on the podium; he would not have the credentials. It was fortunate at the Chicago Parliament of Religions in 1893 each group was permitted to send its own representative. We have long done away with that; today you have to have “credentials.”
My Goddaughter has been here and may return in a few weeks. She won first prize at an All-Asian philosophical Conference, for Asian-Asians (something we do not have here.) This person wrote her paper. He did not have “credentials” but his paper was the best.
Now we are putting on Dervish dances and Mantric dances and moon mystery dances. God does not ask for “credentials.” He wants the open heart so He can enter. And last week a Guru suddenly came here, unexpected, so we stopped the Dervish dances and put on one Mantric Dance after another—Ramnam and Ram-Sita and Om Namo Shivaya. Of course “Sufis” would not do that but you don’t see the “cultural integrationists” doing it either. The Guru was very satisfied. We let him speak; the cultural-integrationists don’t let us speak and we don’t know if they would let him speak either, but we let him speak. He wants a parliament of religion where each religion could send its own delegates, not some special intellectuals send for the occasion. That was what we did in 1893 and that is what Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj does, but not here in America. Here you have to have “credentials.”
The transcendental art forms were derived from Dane Rudyar on the one hand and the late Ruth St. Denis on the other. Of course we can demonstrate them; of course we are going to demonstrate them. But we do not know whether we can demonstrate them in “democratic” America where you have to have “credentials.”
But there is a new type of University professor and they think that experience is more important than anything else. They want experience, not lectures and they accept experience. Those men are American or Asian educated; they do not come out of the “credential”-universities of England and Europe. So Sam is busy all the time with a growing number of disciples, with a growing number of followers and with growing acceptance from universities, more and more and more. They want honesty, not personalities.
We are also planning to show Indian films. Our first plan failed because it was connected with Rancho Olompali above here, which has been dismembered. But the interest in Indian music is going up and up and up. One of my disciples took me to the tabla-player, partner of Ravi Shankar, living in Venice. We now have excellent relations with these people. They did not ask for “credentials.” Of course, I cheated because they found we love curry dishes.
Have had only two days off all year but the hours are so varied that they balance off fine. We have dancing every Sunday 5 to 8. This is a new approach where the group takes the place of the individual, excepting for special dances for a “Krishna” or “Rama’, or where a Murshid or Guru is needed. But they are all transcendental, and no egocentricity, just God-centricity. The young love them and we have reasons to believe by this means we shall conquer the world.
Mehta,
Sam
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
September 24, 1969
Hussain Al-Sharistani
P.O. Box 727, Station F,
Toronto, 5, Ontario
Beloved One of Allah:
As-Salaam Aleikhum. Your letter of September 19 is before me. I have just returned from a vacation, sorely needed, to the Northeastern part of the United States as far as Vancouver, B.C. and saw some of the most beautiful country. The “news” on my return, has been most favorable. And I am reminded what I told an Afghan friend. He said. “Muslims will not approve of what you are doing.” I said, “No doubt, but the question is whether Allah approves and if Allah approves, what does it matter if Muslims do not approve.” He assented. And the life would indicate that Allah does approve, Praise to him ever and always.
The Near East. 1. I have written a very strong letter to the American Friends of the Middle East. They always ask for money and so far they have refused every idea and suggestion. Why, when living in UAR I even had a complex program to bring the Israelis and Arabs closer together. All the Arabs (to my amazement) accepted it; the Israelis accepted it. The UN officials were enthusiastic; the AFME people were non-committal. The Foreign Office of the United States and the “peace societies” were not non-committal; they were either cold or hostile.
I must repeat I was sent on a peace feeler Mission later from Pakistan to India and was berated no end by our foreign office. So they joined Kosygin at Tashkent and I should not be surprised if Russia rather than the UN or the U.S. may play a hand in bringing about peace with justice.
I called attention to the hard-hard fact that “only in America” Islamics is taught by non-American, non-Muslims. I resigned from the San Francisco Mosque years ago when they, almost without examination, supported a non- American, Non Muslim—nothing came of it but they supported him. He never prayed with them but he was given charge of Qur’anic studies. This is “ only in America”-Islam. And the chief professors of Islamics have invariably been non-American—non-Muslims. And the Peace Corps people are constantly finding out that what they have been “taught” simply is not so.
Or again. Islam is given no place at East-West seminars. And I should expect that either AFME or some Muslim group would look into this.
Islamic Art. 2. The class started today. Other than myself and disciples there are no “Muslims” in the class. They are not interested, at least not here. But to my surprise the “Kaffir-Feringhi” who teaches has accepted my epic poem, “Saladin.”
My epic poem “Salad in” will be offered to the class next week. It deals well with the problem of the day and with universal Islam. It follows in general trends from Jelal-ed-din Rumi and Amir Khusrau with a touch of Iqbal. It was read in Pakistan years ago. Someday, no doubt, it will be published. But at least the intellectuals are interested.
Before leaving for vacation, My God-daughter, Miss Saadia Khawar Khan, put on a Pakistani fashion show. It was attended by over 150 young people, all verbally non-Muslims. Soon they joined in the dervish dances and all were crying “Allah,” etc. The day before we danced in a public park. I find no difficulty in getting young people to repeat “Allah” and very little to “Mohammedar Rassoul-lillah. It is only bigoted, so-called “Muslims” who do not try to reach the American public that report rebuffs. There are rebuffs, but in high places, not among the masses. Why, we even perform those dances in a Christian seminary, but not in a mosque!
Friday I am to start another class at a private school in the Dervish dances for young people. Soon, inshallah, They will be repeating “Allah” and “Alhamdulillah” and “Mohammedar Rassoul-lillah.
On my “vacation” I taught “Irfan” to several “kaffir-feringhis.” Muslims” (so-called) will have none of it. It is the acceptance of Allah and the identification with Allah of every part of the human personality, body and heart. People trying it for the first time found it removed pain, physical and mental. I am not going to try to convince “Muslims.”
Press Release. This is wonderful, wonderful and inshallah I may use it next year. There is scheduled a parliament of the World’s Religions under the auspices of The Temple of Understanding at Washington. Alhamdulillah, I now have ample means to attend and have been promised financial aid, if necessary.
During Miss Saadia Khawar Khan’s stay we did much study of Hadith and it is my intention, inshallah, to use the actual Hadith as the basis for a program to be subject to the aforesaid Temple of Understanding, next year. Neither Muslims nor non-Muslims use this very available material in studying the life and character and mission of the Seal of the Prophets. Everybody adds or subtracts what he wishes. This may be “Islam” but it is not the Islam of Holy Qur’an, nor of the messengers who preceded Mohammed, whom he called “Muslims.” He called Abraham, Solomon, Moses, Jesus Muslims, and we call ourselves “Muslims.” Allah knows best, I believe.
All love and blessings,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
October 31, 1969
Beloved One of God:
Murshid was all set to answer your letter of the 27th when your spiritual report of the 29th arrived. This takes precedence over all else. This person has been placed between two situations: the one which is aeonic which places him in a certain high position and which has been recognized by so many of the real holy men of the real world; the other which is social and one finds a blundering, placed and misplaced person who has a lot of intellectual gatherings called “impedimenta” in Latin which meant “possessions,” but in our language it means “obstacles” and perhaps both reasons are correct, though seemingly mutually contradictory.
The dance program is way out of hand. It seems that the attendance has gone up and the place is already so full that one is thinking of having two classes. It is certain that people are willing to pay for these lessons which now have taken on many aspects. It has been awkward to “break in” persons to take leading parts and none of the replacements are leading a soothed social or economic life. Still, as they also have had spiritual experiences, one cannot overlook them.
Tomorrow night the “Hare Krishna” dance is going to expand into a circular formation with either alternating men and women or without regard to sex, but the last impression is that it will be that way with the “extras” dancing with “Krishna” or rather Krishna-Rama. The Sufi Symbol pageant is progressing with a substitute. There will be both Ramnam and Ram cycles and perhaps a Krishna cycle also. And we have begun the Cross pageant.
Yes, inshallah, this person will be functioning as a Murshid on a grander scale. It means breaking up of “family” ties. Wall Ali (Melvin) is moving and Zeynab-Claire comes upstairs. Downstairs is being refurbished, anyhow, and will be for transients or….
The heart can be greater than anything and everything. Having had the grand Experiences of the Hearts of Christ and Mohammed, one can understand but hardly communicate to those who have not yet touched that grandeur.
May God bless and inspire your heart, and with all love,
Murshid
Novato, Calif.
November 13, 1969
Lou Welch
Camino del Canyon
Mill Valley, Calif.
My dear Lou:
I am seizing the opportunity of using your condition as a Buddha ko-an—and I mean a problem such as the historical Lord Buddha would have faced. This has nothing to do with 90% of what passes for “Buddhism” in this land, and in many other lands. The local Bishop has said, “Americans do not make good Buddhists, they will not face the problem of evil and suffering.” This is what Gautama Buddha Sakya Muni did, but this must not be mentioned in good or bad “Buddhist” circles.
There are three approaches to the ego-problem, all of which have been assiduously avoided in our form of Aryan culture: of Lord Buddha, of the Sufism and of the Neo-realists of New York University. Actually, they come very close to each other, and are also close to each other in being avoided [by] all prevailing cultures, strictly White-Aryan and arising from Hegelian dialectics or various forms of Existentialism which are united in their absolute iron wall against deep thinking, scientific or non-scientific.
It is only now that Asian-Asian culture is being introduced into our educational institutions—in Europe by Germans who willingly submitted to the deep disciplines and studies under real Asian masters and in America by Americans who willingly submitted to deep disciplines and studies under Japanese and Chinese. But, as a whole, the dominances are under those who think: “Anything you can do, we can do better.” This is unconscious, of course, but it is real and that is why we have so much confusion, division and chaos. There is no official and very little unofficial study of the ego-problems.
The actual experiences of the historical Lord Buddha were much more paralleled, if not equal, by reports in the poetry of Walt Whitman and Edward Carpenter, and also in Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Renascence.” We don’t want them. The dialecticians of the establishments and the dialecticians and existentialists of the oppositions agree in bypassing them. This is not only unfortunate morally and socially, but even practically. We do not study the poetry of deliverance of America, Buddhist India or of the Sufis. Or, as one important poetry critic of another generation said, “ We don’t need no Oriental Poetry.” I only mention Oriental poetries because they lead to true bliss and joy and this experience is now being transferred, apparently, to many young people who do not start in with a priori rejections.
The hard-hard fact-fact that I studied and perhaps learned the essence of Zen from actual Roshis was rejected until I met Professor Huston Smith of M.I.T. and later Lancasters on the Berkeley campus. It is a joke, a huge joke and this is not it. Now I am imparting both my external experiences and some of the internal, but the former have been more rejected than the latter. It is a huge joke. And a horrible tragedy.
When I left you the other night, it was to meet the Chassid, Rabbi Schlomo from Jerusalem. Now the Sufis, being followers of Mohammed, and the Chassids, belonging to synagogues, must be enemies because the press says so and all the dialecticians and existentialists agree. Actually, Schlomo and Sam are in deep love with each other. Only the same has happened, and publicly, with Asoka Fakir and Swamis Maharaj Ranganathananda and Chitananda and the Buddhist President, Princess Poon Diskul. This could not happen—it breaks all the rules of existentialism and dialectics and newspaperisms of all sorts. Or, as a friend says: “Facts should never becloud the issues.” We want the issues.
So whether it is the problem of the suffering of humanity as faced by Lord Buddha and avoided by “Buddhists” or the problems of Lou Welch, these can be faced by rising above the sway of ego—not destroying the ego, but finding the “universal mind” which we all live and move and have our being.
I have shown you the introductions to cosmic epics. One can, by a combination of two items, look into the future:
1. The rhythms of “Locksley Hall.” What was good enough for Tennyson has been good enough for Sam and maybe others. I don’t know why it works. Only, I know no better way of arousing antagonisms than to be able to peer into the future. The last time it happened, and it did happen, I discussed with one Rev. Father Blighton. We both saw the same things at the same time and they happened exactly that way to details, but one has learned enough to keep mouth shut.
2. The other is far more relevant, being non-egotist. Dr. Daisetz Suzuki said that real Zen was Prajna and not Dhyana. At my meetings we recite the Prajna-Paramita Sutra in Sanskrit and English, not in a questionable bastardry of Chinese, Japanese and Sanskrit, sadly warped. But this tells us nothing of the nature of Prajna, which is cosmic insight and no nonsense. But those who haven’t it—and being strictly minded, we have lost the knack, can only be led astray. If we had the Enlightenment of Lord Buddha we should have grand cosmic optimism without losing sight of any detail, however awkward and negative of everyday life. (I am in pain as this is being written and it has nothing to do with any dualistic pain.)
I have two kinds of “scientific” poems, one based on the Nature of the birds, bees, forests and mountains and about as far from the “nature” of the existentialists as anything could possibly be. The other based on the beauty from the results of laboratory experimentation. It would take some time to copy these, or even to send copies of those which are available. But these are also based on actual Prajna.
As “Oriental” Philosophy remains in the hands of Western White-Aryans and dialecticians we can know little of Operative Prajna. But if we awakened this Prajna, we should see from the standpoint of cosmic light. This would not remove a single iota of “realism,” but would see with it, above it and beyond it.
Therefore without looking askance one can have optimism.
Now, it happens that a friend of mine lived fifteen years in Vietnam and used to report to me. He came to this country and said he would be a national hero because he was saving the world from communism. And all he got was insults, and shut doors from our newspapers, our “elite” and above all the State Department. I got exactly the same story from the State Department itself. But what is the use? Our mottoes have been: “Liberty, democracy, humanity and peasants, shut up.” The young are not going to be satisfied here. I am still hoping to put on a Vietnam day when the Speakers will be Vietnamese—rather odd, isn’t it?
Well, your move darling,
Sam
410 Precita Ave.
November 27, 1969
Mrs. Henry F. Grady
850 Powell
San Francisco, Calif.
My dear Mrs. Grady:
Happy Thanksgiving: I hope you are well and am sure you are interested as ever in what is going on. I have been lecturing on “Reality vs. Realism’, and now my attention is going to Facts vs. Factions.
The immediate spark has been a letter from the private secretary of our good friend, Dr. Radhakrishnan, who has retired and is living in Madras. In more than one sense we stand for the same things, the same principles, the same outlook. But the divided world, or rather the dividers of the world, seem more interested in personalisms and in personalities than either in events themselves or the solutions of our problems. I am having, today, an amusing time, sadly, in pointing out that there are very few problems indeed that cannot be solved, sometimes easily solved. But the question, always, is not, what is the solution, but who is going to permitted to solve it. This has divided our culture into two groups, as a Ford Snow contends: the scientists, who tend to agree on facts; and literary-humanists who delight in combating each others’ personalities. (The outstanding example is now the fracas between the vice- president and the dominant commentators.)
The last two weeks have manifested what ought to be regarded as a miracle—the young people are accepting it as a miracle, their elders are either impossible or inconsequential. I have met in turn, in the most loving manner, a Hebrew Rabbi from Jerusalem, a Vietnamese Chan Master, a teacher of Indian spiritual dancing, and an English lady who has been ordained as a Zen Roshi. This, at a time when I am having classes on both Christian mysticism and Sufi methodologies.
In this city, with so many “World Groups” (mostly not recognizing each other,) I have withdrawn from all participation since presenting in public a picture of Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul and His Holiness Pope Paul. I do not know which was the most annoying, the picture itself or the fact that it was presented by this person. Nor does it matter.
For, in the last year, I seem to be prospering more and more financially: to have an ever-growing entourage of most loving disciples; to have magnificently augmented goodwill in the universities and colleges, through the new type of instructors, mostly American, no longer Englishman and Europeans, who, along with Asians, are now presenting the cultures of Asia, The history, etc., to growing classes of eager young Americans who want facts and not factions.
The last time we met was at a benefit dinner for Tibetans. I am pleased to say that Tibetan teachings are now being presented locally. I have met the representative of this great culture at the University of Washington in Seattle, and now have sent an emissary to the Rimpoche who has established a center in Berkeley. I have long been of the opinion that it was proper to learn, even if only on rare occasions, something about the culture of a country from its own people. I am, with two exceptions, the last of the groups who used to meet in the home of the late Mrs. Leila Havens in Piedmont. This remarkable lady has not only been interested in Asia, but originally was among those who had formed the first study-group concerning Tibet in this country, long before the founding of the Roerich Museum. But now there is a revival of this interest, and it may not be too late, either.
All these items are integrated today in two movements which are very closely allied: the Sufi movement and The Temple of Understanding. It is strange, but it is also significant that the study of Sufism has been barred from, and at times, it almost seems, by our culture. I would not be writing this but for the fact that I represent basically the same School, methodologies, and philosophies as exemplified by the late Pir-o-Murshid Hasan Nizami of New Delhi. The rejection of any reference to this man and his work by all and sundry is only going to bring forth ridicule, is producing ridicule, among the young. Who suppresses facts? Who suppresses history? Who hides teachings?
In any event, the Sufi teachings are now spreading slowly. Also, slowly, references to the greatest of Sufi monarchs, Suleiman the Magnificent of Turkey and Padishah Akbar of India. And along with that, the refusal of many leading groups to accept the personality, outlooks, and work of the late President Hussein of India. But I am no longer worried, I am no longer concerned. The universities and colleges and the young in general are accepting historicity, and will join in the condemnation of power-hungry individuals and groups who seek self-leadership rather than the solution of problems.
All of this goes into the Temple of Understanding. It is notable that an American, and a woman at that, could propose and is promoting that which the Bible predicted, which all religion, more or less, accepts and which the Israelis, pretending to represent Biblical tradition, have adamantly refused to consider: a temple which shall be a house of prayer for all peoples. Of course, there are many who verbally support the idea, but not so many who are willing to bow and worship in devotion with those who have not the same theological outlooks. But I think the day is over. We have proclaimed “The family that prays together, stays together.” I would personally go further and say “the world that prays together stays together.” But I am no more seeking a universal religion than I would limit my phonograph to a single record.
Some time ago a very close friend said I should revive Browning’s poem “Rabbi Ben Ezra.” Well, theoretically aging, believing that the “best is yet to be,” there are a few signs of it. Most of my arguments, privately and publicly are against prevailing pessimism. One does not have to Pollyanna “God is in his Heaven, all is right with the world,” but if we look deeply we find that it is surface tension and not the depths of the oceans which produce all the commotions.
The simple fact is that the so-called generation gap is largely a division between those that want opinions and those that want knowledge, a division which goes back to ancient Greece. My present program provides for going to Istanbul, Turkey, next year with my private secretary. He is a very good friend and was a student of Dr. Huston Smith who is now regarded as the best academic authority on Asian religions and culture. One has the great advantage of having met leaders of the various Asian faiths; even more of having studied these faiths; and much more of having worshipped with devotees of all kinds (as well as having been called on to address audiences in synagogues, churches, mosques, temples, and ashrams.)
I suppose, one would say one was trying, on the one hand to proclaim the American mission of Walt Whitman and others of that type; and on the other hand to restore Fatehpur Sikri in India. Now, with the help of an Indian dancing teacher, and my own inheritances from the late Srimati Ruth St. Denis, the Dances of Universal Peace are making great progress among the young, and also are infiltrating into other parts of the nation. We will let the pulpiteers, each to his own, proclaim divisive rituals and philosophies. We will dance and venerate all the great faiths and their teachings, to venerate the wisdom of the past in actuality and have communions of chanting, dancing, and all arts.
Most sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
December 6, 1969
Equals One
Pondicherry 2, India
Beloved Ones of God:
It is very interesting to get material from you. It is very interesting that you believe you have taken over the prerogatives of Divinity; to establish (with external financial help, of course) a new civilization. I tell you, beloved ones of God, that when the ultimate consciousness is achieved, whether by evolution or revolution, it is nothing compared with the universal consciousness achieved by Grace, which is omniscient, omnipotent and overwhelming.
Next month will appear, “Jesus Christ, Yes! Santa Claus, No!” One can admire Sri Aurobindo. One believes wholeheartedly that the Upanishads were written by those with universal consciousness, but as Sri Aurobindo himself wrote to Dilip Koomar Roy: “We are the Last of The Rishis,” one wonders where and how this Maharishi consciousness descended, a consciousness which seems utterly effete in facing some rather apparent problems of a rather apparent world.
We are now planning a Christmas based on Love, not on gifts. The young people of this region seek love and are indifferent to gifts and more and more and more. They are chanting mantrams and apparently you have replaced the mantrams with something quite unclear.
May you learn that consciousness common to Christ and Buddha; to Rama and Krishna; to Mohammed and Lao-Tsu and to many who did not find religions but gave us great poetry, like Rumi and Kabir and Kailasa; and great monuments of Art, Like the Alhambra and Taj and Ankor Wat.
Many in a super-state of consciousness may achieve them. But the proof is simple: those in the superconsciousness see their own reflections in everybody else and therefore cannot demand or take or even appeal. If you have God, if you have the superconsciousness, it is for you to demonstrate, not appeal.
God Bless You,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Christi
Unless ye be as little children yours is not the Kingdom of Heaven.
December 14, 1969
Beloved One of God:
As Christmas nears we are more unified in concern, plus the simple fact that the season is more than pock-marked with birthdays. We had a triple celebration in November at a Chinese restaurant in another part of town, which serves North Chinese dishes. But there has been little free time and life is a constant struggle to find time.
Now there is help in the garden at Novato apart from the people who come and work on and for the kiln. There is a possibility of the Davenports moving near us and this means the transferring of the heavy equipment, but not the toys. Mansur will take care of the latter.
The Dances continue to grow in inspiration and attention. We now have a Dervish Square and last night introduced the Ramnam Quadrille—only eight could go in one Square and there is only room for two squares here, but for one only in Novato. We also went through the Sufi Symbol pageant with a different girl, but almost all the same others—six girls and eight men.
We now have a large number of infants who seen quite aware of each other and have the most lovely smiles—I have never seen anything like it.
I have not heard from Peter Dunne and may have to telephone. Everything is going right in that direction. But there are also so many “world cults,” each more narrow than the others and all shouting “universality,” shouting, but not practicing it. However, this has enabled one to write some strong letters about the exclusion of Sufism from our culture. And, at the same time, the classes in the colleges and universities are going in the “right” directions, all of them.
One suffers from lack of help—more and more disciples and more strangers in the audiences and less help to look after them. Wali Ali moved out of here without consultation and I understand he regrets it. But it is Murshid who has had to bear the burden. Now the financial side of life is being readjusted. I understand Ayesha is taking up shorthand and training to be secretary. But, money or no money, I have to have help where I have to have it. There is no particular financial burden at the moment.
Plans are to go to Los Angeles and Hollywood in January, the details to be worked out.
I cannot tell about appointments. My present schedule ends today, but with parties and the season there have to be errands. We shall have Christmas Eve here and New Years Eve at Amin’s. Christmas day at Nancy’s and New Year’s Day at the Khankah; also Moineddin’s birthday and several other birthdays in between.
The college classes closed on high notes and one feels much encouraged. But it has taken a long time and may take a longer time before people will accept what Hazrat Inayat Khan told me long ago. One waits in patience; one has to have almost infinite patience and
Infinite Love,
Samuel L. Lewis
Muradhi
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
December 15,1969
Dear Ram:
Peace on Earth; Universal will.
Toward real cultural integration of real people and real cultures in the objective world.
I am purposely omitting your name as several carbons are being made of this. You can get some idea of my diurnal life from the piling up of events and news that goes on in an individual’s career. Part of this is subtly concealed in the poem “The Rejected Avatar” which is based in part on my own rejections and in part on the actual historical records concern in the Negro, Sri Krishna, although he may not have been a Negro so much as one of the dark-skinned peasants of India. And it was for centuries that he was not on the list of Avatars, but many people having had spiritual realizations found out what is true in the inner worlds must have also a foundation in the outer world.
There are two entirely different kinds of integrational movements going on today, one being based on operations similar to, exactly corresponding to, or operationally parallel to the “integration” of Newton and Leibniz; the other being even more carefully selective than ordinary analysis. The vocabularies may be similar, but there the parallel ends. And the fact that this subject was not even brought up in class is significant.
My last call was to H.C. Wells, who in some ways was an internationalist in the western tradition. He certainly imbibed a good deal of Mathematical Philosopher, much more in practice than has that grand old man, Lord Russell, who is a sort of scriptural character, announcing one set of values and living another. But Russell was not only a master of mathematical integration, he also applied it in Logic and Philosophy until his dialectical tendencies drowned this aspect of his life out.
Early in life I became a pupil, then a disciple of the late Prof. Cassius Keyser of Columbia who propagated “Integrational Philosophy” based on theorems drawn first from mathematics and then applied in Physics, but not in his day, in Psychology. He was a grand old man whom I last visited just before his death. I had noticed the parallels between him and Lord Russell, and my quondam collaborator, the late Luther Whiteman, asked if the same principles would applied elsewhere. But Luther and I, though collaborators and partners (and I guess “brothers”) quite independently were struck by the wisdom of the Upanishads and became radical upholders of Schopenhauer and just as radical “enemies” of our private devil, Hegel, and all his works.
(The General Semanticists have never forgiven me for this. Keyser was also the teacher and friend of the late count Korzybski whose The Manhood of Humanity I had read and studied long, long before … and for this, no forgiveness.)
But the real study of the real Upanishads and real sacred literature of real India brought one to realize that there were deep parallels between certain intellectual and psychological processes in man, whether of the East or West, and this landed me in the camp of the Sufis without retreating one inch from anything from real and historical India-without the careful anthological selections of the just passing generation.
On my sixtieth birthday I was given a special tea by Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj who was then stationed in New Delhi and also present were the then Vedantist leader of Bengal and with him Prof. S. C. Chatterji, then head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Calcutta. Without waiting for an introduction, Prof. Chatterji broke into a hostile diatribe against this land and its selection of Germans as the spokesmen for their philosophy, Germans of high social and institutional repute and very, very high up in “Cultural Integration.” Swamiji said, “Why don’t you listen to him before you attack him?” (Chatterji had attacked the long list of what I have called EPOOPS—there used to be a lot them, a few still around: i.e. European Professors of Oriental Philosophy.)
I turned to Chatterji and asked: “Which would you rather—hear the Flute-of-Krishna or have me discourse on the Chandogya Upanishad, right off, no preparation.” Swamiji, said, “He seems exactly what he says.” Professor Chatterji apologized before noted witnesses. But you could never hear me present the Flute-of-Krishna nor discourse on the Chandogya or any other Upanishad before his pupil who “heads” “Cultural Integration” in these parts—not on your life, nor his! “Cultural Integration” has to be very selective indeed, and the more Ph.D. Degrees the better!!!!
In the course of my life I cross-trailed one Julie Medlock, a remarkable Californian newspaperwoman who had the gross audacity to be where historical events happened and although she has given more eyewitness reports than anybody I know, her facts were not challenged; what was challenged was “What were you doing there.?” Anyhow, (a very long story,) she has returned to Pondicherry and is one of the leaders in the Auroville movement.
Like most Americans, Julie eschews anything that savors of Spengler, who applied mathematical philosophy to art and culture, generally. And she has as colleagues those who put out very infantile, one-dimensional or flat-land art as representing the new culture. And as we simply will not accept Spengler (while we absorb Marx and Hegel and even their vocabularies) she cannot and her colleagues cannot understand what Havelock Ellis gave us elsewhere in his now forgotten “The Dance of Life.”
This school for “Integrationists” is more selective and censorious than almost any school I know of. They simply will not accept history. I am preparing to present materiel on great Sufi rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent and Mogul Akbar on a world scale—the “cultural Integrationalists” will have nothing of that—only they attack the personality. But we have already sent you some material from Dabistan, the first book on comparative religion written by Sufis at the Mogul Court and we can give you more. Indeed, Dabistan is full of practices which the hush-hush “esotericists” of the day try to hide!
The above is in contrast with the just-received materials from Dr. Oliver Reiser of Pittsburgh University, professor emeritus of Philosophy, who independently came to the same or similar conclusions—mathematics and philosophy on the one hand; Vedanta, etc. on the other. And his projects show art based on the principles of Integration as used in Mathematics, very parallel and similar, showing an inclusiveness not found in the Auroville projects.
In the same mail as the material from Reiser, a manuscript was received from my colleague on a zillion fronts, Shamcher Bryn Beorse. Biographically Bryn is sui generis Julie Medlock but we are less than a year apart in age. I consider these two persons the greatest “adventurers” of the day. I was surprised to have a good portion of a whole chapter dedicated to this ego with comparisons to the late Dag Hammarskjöld, quondam secretary of the U.N. ! Well, I am not going to argue.
I have mentioned previously meeting Rahul who gave me, almost verbatim, the same criticisms as Dr. Chatterji concerning “Epoops.” But when I was in Kamakura, the interpreter-guide utterly floored me by saying; “You are already two grades in Zen above Daisetz Suzuki.” (I won’t write, but can point out collaborating details in the late Adams Beck and in the Sokei-An writings of the “Fist Zen Institute of America.”
My position has been simply—and impossible (French pronunciation and interpretation.) I have believed that to be a scientist, you have to have some laboratory training and experience. And the same has held, so far as this ego is concerned, for adventurers into the other worlds which all scriptures uphold and most religions ignore, not to say deny. I was trained from the beginning in Sufism, never discuss what you have not experienced, and the same standard and integrity used in discourses on the sciences is applied by me equally in the historical and mystical fields.
This last excludes me from many of the “integrational” movements who bypass both history and mysticism whenever it serves their purpose. And I see them all going the way of the Roerich Museum in New York, the same strong organizations, collections of funds and fame and collapse, because for them it is not true, “The church’s firm foundation is “Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Sri Aurobindo claimed—and I accept—to be under the tutelage of Sri Krishna. But I do not see this in his disciples, excepting, no doubt, Sri Dilip Koomar Roy who has his own quite successful and wonderful, but unadvertised, movement.
Knowing from experience the descent of baraka in Sufism; and the Dharma-transmission on both Hinduism and Buddhism—based by documents on my walks, too—I no longer deplore exclusive, selective “integrational” movements but am glad they were not even programmed. They are not programmed at Berkeley either, excepting in an offhand way. And the sound contributions which we have given and will continue to give from Dabistan and elsewhere will support our contention.
Almost all other Indian groups, other than “Cultural Integration,” accept the historicity and wonderful efforts of Emperor Akbar and also the existence (if nothing more) of his descendent Prince Dara Shikoh in whose footsteps I have been walking all my life.
The totality of all this comes in The Temple of Understanding, the inspiration not of a European PhD., but of a “common” American housewife! I notice that the late Meher Baba (but not his “good” followers) have accepted The Temple of Understanding and so does my friend-colleague, Bryn Beorse as above. This did not come out of India, but of Bethlehem-Ephrata-Greenwich, Connecticut. But having gone on their merry way of rejecting their own history, the “cultural integrationists” cannot fully come clear her.
My “Dances of Universal Peace” heritage, from the late Ruth St. Denis, were first offered to the Sri Aurobindo movement, but declined, just as they declined my cosmic poetry, and for that matter any suggestion, even, of the historicity of Akbar. You need not be surprised that the majority of the Indian movements themselves are not so selective and analytical as the “cultural Integrationalists.”
These dances, also “plagiarized” from the Israeli Rabbi Shlomo, have gotten out of hand—which is just what I want and feel the world needs. They are increasing in number and outlooks and have won the goodwill of at least one Indian dancing teacher here who is not limited by “cultural Integrationalists.”
But the same source that has brought Sufi-Sam with Rev-Shlomo is promising the arrival here of a Sufi teacher who remained where he was in Palestine and so became a legal citizen of Israel. I understand he may be on his way here and if there is any sign of his coming we shall notify you immediately.
I shall keep on repeating the American Edna St. Vincent Millay’s:
“The world stands out on every side
No wider than the heart is wide.”
Not being “Integrationalists” we have celebrated Chanukah with Jews, Ramadan with Muslims and soon Christmas Eve with Christians, with Indian mantram thrown in.
My studies in Integration in Mathematics were followed by some in Biology and in several of the biological sciences, etc. and by deep practices alluded to in the Upanishads. But then, this was also true of my “predecessor” the Mogul Prince Dara Shikoh so shunned by “cultural Integrationalists.” Sri Aurobindo began with God, continued with Krishna and his legal, but not spiritual, successors and with the U.N. and manmade efforts.
But the operations of the deep spiritual teachings of India go on unabated, uncontrolled by any of us and the whole world is coming together in what I have proclaimed: Youth of the World Unite, You Have Nothing to Lose.
No apology for braggadocio. I have danced publicly on hearing the name of Phillip Kapleau. We are going to be as objective in considering the “other world” as in considering this.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
[undated, likely 1970]
Beloved One of Allah:
Murshid now has been blessed with a large following of both mureeds and non-mureeds. This has created a problem in that there has been virtually no organization in San Francisco to handle the increased work which this necessarily entails. The house at 410 Precita Ave not adequate for meetings and we may shortly have a new meeting place. More importantly, the work burden on Murshid is amazingly large, and this work is verily often of the kind that others could conveniently handle—e.g., everyday types of things like laundry, paying bills, filing letters, preparing meals etc. etc. etc. Ideally, Murshid should be freed to devote his time to spiritual counseling, public instruction, various esoteric classes for mureeds, creative writing, writings of esoteric practices, and the completion of the various legacies he has received from his spiritual teachers. Needless to say much of this important work is currently being neglected under existing circumstances because of lack of organization.
In order to solve these problems two things are needed: money and a work. The purpose of this letter is to find out who is willing to contribute what and how much.
Possible questions:
Your income?
Would you feel capable of paying monthly dues of $l0 $5? (for mureeds)
How much time per week could you work? when? what skills do you have that you think might prove useful?
Previous jobs?
What is your feeling about the work party just held? would you participate in future work parties?
Would you feel capable of paying $1.00 per meeting you attend (exclusive of dancing class on Sunday at 437 Cole?) (for non-mureeds).
Do you have any comments or suggestions on the situation outlined in this letter?
What are your feelings about the instruction you are getting? Darshan? Dervish Dancing? Breathing practices? etc?
What sign are you? rising sign? moon?
Brainstorms?
Do you anticipate that you might want to live on a commune either in the city or the country in the next few years?
If you are incapable of contributing money or work what projects are you involved in toward enhancing love, harmony, beauty?
Murshid
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif
January 18, 1970
Dr. Lloyd D. Luckmann
3806 Clay St.,
San Francisco, Calif.
Peace in Palestine
Dear Dr. Luckmann:
You will find here a copy of letter to Art Hoppe of the San Francisco Chronicle, half whimsical, half more than dead serious and I mean dead serious.
You will find in the text reference to an interview with the late Dr. Henry Atkinson of the world Church Peace Union. My own view of this country is that the lamb and lion may lie down together but we are not going to let a little child lead them. Have you ever tried to get a real Vietnamese point of view over to any group of dialecticians, from extreme hawk to extreme dove, from “left” to “right” and gotten anywhere?
The only difference between the efforts to get any kind of interview for a Vietnamese and an Arab who is a citizen of Israel is that this time I shall go around with at least one secretary and we are going to take notes and write down all the reasons or unreasons why the “peace(?)” people and the press and the clerics who adhere to different aspects of “Judeo-Christian ethic” (whatever that is) turn us down. Or maybe, just maybe, seeing that all the “peace” people and “experts” and all the “proper” persons will not listen to any plans but their own, there may be a concession that there are other approaches than dialectical planning by outsiders—which is our wont.
In a few minutes I shall be leaving this house and will listen to this Arab who in some respects is a spiritual brother. Never mind the last words of the Prophet Malachi, nor the first words of “The Messiah.” Our ideas are important and exotic peoples are not important ????? As a Whitmanian I very much dissent and have had to pay the price.
But there is a new age, and the young want facts and truths and not the opinions just of important persons.
I am making no appeal. It would appear I shall be on the agenda now of the next parliaments of religion. I have the great American credential—$$$. But my Arab friend only has knowledge and perhaps heart so I am going to listen to him.
Not a single Rabbi has answered a single letter since the beginning of 1967 and the Muslims are even worse. And we, safe on the sidelines are insisting they get together! When it pays, the great powers have stopped wars; we seem to prefer “Biafras” and sob appeals. Regrettably.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
January 19, 1970
Mr. and Mrs. Russell
Smith Box 258
Ross, Calif.
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith:
Two weeks ago a visiting friend said, O You have not only started the new year right, you have started the new decade right.” This incident took place almost in your back yard, so to speak, at Scott Hall in the San Francisco Theological Seminary. In any event, even with certain ironical situations, I have nothing but good news, good news on many fronts, and hope you can at least relish it. It is certain this week that I shall increase my allotment to the Ross Art and Garden Center, and perhaps to the California Academy of Sciences, and conservation groups. As for others, I am either maintaining the same dues or withdrawing.
I believe profoundly in Lord Snow’s “The Two Cultures,” and find it almost impossible to establish communications on any level with the literary-humanist people; as for the scientists, recognition and communication is easy and instantaneous. I therefore do not fit in with the American adaptation of Marxism, of dividing the mob into leftists, rightists, and center, or any other adaptations from Karl Marx on any level. I am thoroughly at war with a pseudo-culture which overlooks the grand accomplishments of Mangla Dam in Pakistan and hyperbolizes the non-accomplishment of the Aswan Dam in Egypt. I have lived in both countries, but hardly a person belonging to the literary-humanist—dialectical tribe—will accept even that, whereas all the scientists without question at least accept a man’s geography.
For unreasons impossible to communicate, though I was number one student at Lowell High School years ago, and came from a fairly well-to-do family, I was given neither education nor trade. My father apologized on his death bed, leaving me in slightly comfortable circumstances for a bachelor, A reconciliation with my brother greatly increased my monthly allotments, and now my brother who may be dying, has avowed that I shall be indeed on “easy street.”
All this time I have worked like an ambitious young man. I have, at the moment, three Bank of America accounts, and am on excellent terms with your erstwhile colleagues and their successors.
My brother and I had an awful time seeking for a suitable heir. In 1928, the late Dr. Henry Atkinson who was working on a world peace plan thru religion said to me, “Mr. Lewis, I have been around the world three times, I have met every king, prime minister, diplomat and potentate on the face of the earth, and you are the first man to bring me what I want.” He then asked me to study the lesser known religions. I have. I have even spoken from the platforms of at least 5 of the world’s great religions and from various branches of them, and am now prepared at least to attend a convocation of all the world’s faiths, presumably at Geneva soon. I am excellently prepared.
Very fortunately, there is a new breed of professors of Orientalia in this country, Americans who have lived in Asia, not Englishmen and Europeans and a few Americans, highly trained in British and European Universities, and skilled dialecticians. The new type of instructor is objective, factual, and without gimmick. I believe that through this type of man we may become world leaders even in “spiritual matters” and that the Orient may be looking to the future American philosophers, as well as to the present American scientists and technicians.
The Near East. I tell people there is too much drama in my life to have room for “excitement.” Tomorrow morning we are scheduled to breakfast with an Arab who is a citizen of Israel. Like myself, he is a member of Dervish Orders. This whole culture of ours, or rather that portion of our culture dominated by Englishmen in particular, and some Europeans, has rejected even the existence of these orders. Local, to me fraudulent, organizations, pretending to instruct the public in Asian philosophies, absolutely refused to permit a talk on the late President Zukair Hussein of India who was, in at least one instance, my spiritual brother. We are excluded from most convocations pretending to study the religions of the world, but thank God a single exception is sufficient. The doors will open, inshallah.
I do not understand the dramatic diatribes against the word “communism” which find people guilty by association while encouraging actual communism in another land. I do not understand this, but cannot condemn it, for I myself am involved in an American form of communal living. But this American social outlook is based to some extent on Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman, and has nothing to do with either Marxism or even Mosaic collectivism. I am not an economist; I do not even understand this science or pseudoscience.
What I do know is our propensity to evaluate plans in the social field by the worthiness of the author, whereas in the scientific field and generally in the pragmatic world, events, not personalities, are the determinants.
At this writing I do not know my new contacts program. We intend to visit a number of the so-called peace groups, religious groups, etc., etc. But having had certain experiences in life, this time we are going to take notes of what is not said, what is not permitted to be said, and if we cannot get interviews, intend to write and publish an article exposing what, in the end, looks very close to pretension. So we feel safe either way.
I have a pile of material here on desert reclamation, arid land culture, salt-water conversion, soil and crop adaptations, etc., etc. Almost without exception, these have been of interest to all scientists in all fields, and have been snubbed or ignored by practically all socially minded groups and institutions; but this is a New Age and I look for new outlooks.
Professor Kozicki, South Asian Department, University of California. This man has annotated everything I have long wished for on the general subject of “How California Can Help Asia.” I am not going into past history. I am sitting at his feet in a class studying Southeast Asia, the Southeast Asia of geography, human beings, and history. Sometimes the agreement with the interpretations of the term “Southeast Asia” as used by editors, commentators, and “experts” is incidental; very rarely the coincidences are real. Like myself and other Ugly Americans, Prof. Kozicki has lived with the humanity of Asia, and like myself he is an extreme pragmatist and anti-dialectician.
Southeast Asia. By the end of February, we shall be studying Vietnam objectively. The greatest pain in my life was the total refusal of the foreign office and the press to interview my late friend Robert Clifton. We have preferred an almost interminable war. This led, later, to the remark of Dr. Malalasekera of Ceylon, who was a friend of Clifton, “How can you trust a nation which does not trust its own citizens?”
I am not proposing any “solution” to Vietnam. Occasionally, I listen to Vietnamese. But in one of those many bizarre exploits which characterized my life, occasions arose for making one Edward Lansdale my war hero. This man, later to become a Lieutenant General, now retired, had his mother living in Larkspur, and now his son lives in Novato, not far from my own residence there. He is writing a work, and I trust him enough to keep my mind free, at least. I expect to go to Washington as soon as word is heard from The Temple of Understanding and have quite a few persons and institutions to visit there.
I am a devotee of Mark Twain, and for years have been writing that the script for Vietnam is found in the last pages of “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” We will try anything if it is not new. We adore George Washington, but adhere 100% to Braddock’s military philosophy.
How California Can Help Asia. The University Scene. I have found in the personnel, the researchers, and programs of this one grand institution alone, solutions to nearly all the problems of Rand-McNally’s Asia, not to be confused with the Asia of the press and publications. This involves such a long series of men (and women), and hard, hard, hard facts that it encourages an almost chauvinistic alma mater patriotism.
I do not wish to infer that this is an odd institution. I can name at least six campuses of well-known universities which I have visited in person, and from which I could report marvelously optimistic potentialities. It takes two years for a brochure; it does not take ten minutes for an ersatz riot to become “important” news.
South Asia. At this writing, I am on excellent terms with the consulates of India, Pakistan and Indonesia. The snubs of my previous efforts were followed historically by the Tashkent Conference which Russia managed. I don’t know what we are afraid of, but in practice it has become objectivity and humanity. I absolutely refuse to concede to the Communist dialectical game.
This is one of the strongest items in the so-called generation gap. The youth, characterized as anti-social, is even more anti-dialectical, anti-Marx, anti-Hegel than the elders. The Hallinan family has even less influence than the most conservative of establishments. Indeed, a lot of the young are scions of the families who are most closely connected with the so-called establishment. The revolution which I see is American, transcendent—even to say transcendental, in the New England sense, and incomprehensible to dialecticians whether they are communists or newspaper reporters. Our new art, our new music, etc. evidences.
Miss Ruth St. Denis. My main work today is as a spiritual son of this grand lady. I am not going into it. I had at least 150 young people dancing with me at your neighboring Scott Hall last week. Every week more young people come to my various meetings. My main theme is “Dances of Universal Peace”.
Temple of Understanding. It has been an American housewife, an American, thank God, who has proposed this, to me, marvelous institution that “My House shall be a House of Prayer for all Peoples.” The dances, my lectures, and much of my life is dedicated to this end. Thus, the beginning of a happy and propitious, even auspicious new year and new decade.
Faithfully and cordially,
Samuel L. Lewis
January 20, 1970
Lloyd D. Luckmann
3806 Clay St.
San Francisco
Dear Dr. Luckmann:
The other day, I believe I sent you a carbon of a letter concerning affairs in my private life.
Today, some hours were spent with Azam, an Arab who is a citizen of Israel, and whose whole aim at the present time is to strive to bring peace in the Middle East. He has left this city to return to his college in the state of Texas. But during his stay here he was successful in registering for a Fall term at City College. He expects to return to San Francisco in June and settle here. I hope you will show some interest in this man and his projects.
In the meanwhile, I may be leaving here to attend a conference of all the world’s religions, which also may strive to promote better relations between the conflicting parties involved, and others.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
January 31, 170
Donna Pervier
35 Ridge Lane
Mill Valley, CA
My Dear Donna:
It was very nice to see you at the gathering the other night. It was not so nice to realize your present condition. You must be aware that, today, one has a goodly number of followers and of young people who are, at least, curious in ways their predecessors were not curious.
So far as the evening was concerned, it will have to speak for itself, and you may make any decision you desire regarding the present activities of the Sufi Movement.
Two weeks ago, we made some attempt to come to Sausalito where, I understand, you have a school, but the highways were blocked. We had a most difficult time to accomplish a single errand in Mill Valley (The Greenwood Tree). We could not get through in any direction, whatever, and had to return. So, this week we tried to reach you by phone and had only this Mill Valley address and the number: 388-1674, which we were told had been disconnected at the subscriber’s request.
At this writing, I do not know how or when to reach you. I, personally, am busy seven days a week, and have private as well as public obligations which are utterly time consuming. I shall, however, be very glad to see you at any Wednesday night meeting or you may call me at either phone number:
San Francisco number: 285-5208
Novato Number: 897-5426
Love and Blessing,
Sam
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94947
February 19, 1970
My dear Rudi:
How are you? I am so busy I have had practically no time to get downtown at all. Seven days a week, in and out. Fortunately, one’s health had been maintained, and one is not running around squawking: “With your money and my brains, we can save the world.” But this does not mean that others around one are well. Several of my friends have been hit by the flu or worse. My brother has been in the hospital for some time; the old family enmity is gone. In fact, nearly all enmities are gone. The top real representative, if you can say that, of the Meher Baba movement, has given me his blessing. No more lies advising that whatever Sam plans, Baba is against. I wonder how such people will face their karma in the afterlife, if not now.
Anyhow, we are planning to go to a conference of the world’s religions in Geneva, and I may be speaking on this subject in public after my return; but one no longer needs the public. I have written, humorously, that plans to become a pied piper have failed miserably—only the young show up. The mere fact, the empty fact, that their elders never would permit me to speak my peace has made me a folk hero among the young, of course.
The exception is the “ugly Americans.” A lot of us have gotten together to discuss Southeast Asia. All of us have lived there. The teachers even more so. And I think on Sunday week I am going to permit the impossible: having a Vietnamese speak on Vietnamese culture—very odd isn’t it?
I do not believe in one set of standards for the Vietnamese, another for the Israelis, and another for the Nigerians. But one thing I am holding firm to: let the kids meet each other. It isn’t the lamb and lion that are going to lie
down together; it is the damned and the dying [that] are going to have to let the little children lead them, whether they like it or not.
Besides these adventures or plans, our next project is a Spring festival,
based on occult principles most of our so-called occultists would not accept.
It started simply enough: my colleague Sir Vilayat Khan spoke about the
whirling of the spheres. When he returned we demonstrated the whirling of the
seven planets. We demonstrated; we did not hyperbolize that which cannot be
factualized.
We are planning a grand Spring festival, which, God-willing, will take place near Lake Nicasio, in the center of Marin County, on the afternoon of March the 21st. We shall demonstrate the whirling of the spheres and so, beyond the ancients, by integrating Uranus and Neptune at least, maybe more. We shall have a throne for Gavin Arthur, whose birthday it is. We shall be showing in the dance form what the “good old occultists” would not permit this person ever to speak on. That day is gone. We are expecting at least 250 people, but as this will be a public affair and cannot exclude anybody; and no admission charge.
Ever since the British dame was here and spoke superficially about occultism, very superficially, we have seen the need to resurrect actual knowledge instead of hogwash, hyperbolics and obtuse metaphysics. Last year we put on the Sun dance, the Moon dance and the Wheel dance. This year much more, no doubt.
We shall also have spiritual dances and spiritual dancers. The news of this is out. Practically all organizations dominated by people over 40 have spurned these efforts. Practically all organization dominated by people under 35 are welcoming them.
Well, one of my disciples who is a numerologist tells me this is my hardest year. Maybe so; but so or otherwise the moral law is displacing the slogans, the shibboleths, the affectations of those who thought their career was to be leaders whether they could lead or not. As leaders divide, but followers unite, I can shout: Youth of the World Unite. You Have Nothing to Lose.
With best wishes, cordially
Samuel L. Lewis
[undated, likely late February 1970]
As-salaam-aleikhum!
This is written under rather cheerful circumstances. When we come to accept Allah as living, as near, as present, within and without, there can also be a release from terror, from weakness, even from hardship. At the moment plans are being arranged to go not to Istanbul but to Geneva. One’s whole heart and life work is going to be presented to leaders of the world in the hope that there can be peace, understanding, and reverence. There is one thing also before one that is to understand the wisdoms of all peoples, and not to be beguiled by endless verbalisms which benefit no one. This has been the way of the past. The heart of man is full of wonder. The heart of man contains the throne of Allah. And with man there are infinite possibilities.
A letter has been written to our good friend P. K. Gupta. The present program is for us to go to Geneva, then to England, and then on return to this land, at least to visit the area around Boston in the state of Massachusetts. We have other items of business in that general area, including family matters. The hazard of the moment is my brother’s health; although slightly younger, it has never been very good. But in the long run that does not matter.
One appreciates anything and everything you do regarding spiritual dancing. All efforts at the moment are beyond personal capacities, but it seems to be the will of Allah to bring peace and understanding, not by politics, not by sociology, and not by compulsory listening to important persons.
The greatest cause for optimism here is the evident growth in spiritual evolution, and most especially in this general region. You do not read about that. Revolutionaries and conservatives alike are afraid of spiritual breakthroughs. Revolutionaries and conservatives alike adhere to nufs. Work has begun on Rassoul Gita, which inshallah may become the epic poem of the age. The reception one receives from the young today stands out boldly against the rejections which older people preferred in the periods just past.
With all love and blessings,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
March 17, 1970
My dear Grace and Le:
This is a sort of farewell greeting. It is on the eve of the potential realization of dreams, dreams imbedded in the consciousness by two woman: Harriet Wilson of the International Center; and the late Ruth St. Denis. It is much more an inheritance of the latter.
This life is full of complexes and one is fortunate to stand up amid them. In a sense, this is for poor Leonora. I am trying to get the copy to her. It has been impossible to visit her. One not only has no time free, but since the first of the year, my now reconciled brother has been lying between life and death. A move in either direction would be of benefit, but as it is, one is compelled to wait and watch.
In the case of his death I should be in a most fortunate financial condition, but that is only one small part of it. Most of my life has been filled with dreams and hopes and most of these have been thwarted. But like a Billikin, one bounces back and up. The dream that peace might come; the even stronger dream that friendships can be established by eating, dancing and praying with people is coming to realization, though politicians will ignore and so-called social scientists sneer.
On Saturday the 21st I am presenting a Spring Festival with dances and ceremonies all choreographed by this person and generally emceed by him, too. One no longer cares whether older people accept them or not. As one has written Art Hoppe, the efforts to become a pied piper failed miserably—only the young showed up. And the young do show up and one lives the questionable or merry life of an ersatz grandfather, never lonely within or without.
Now KQED has discovered or uncovered [me], and for the last week I have been
continually under the lights or sound. The Spring Festival will be held on a
peninsula jutting into Lake
Nicasio, in the center of Marin County. Even if only my entourage and their
friends come, there will be a goodly audience. The basic theme has been
“Dances of Universal Religion.” They are basically Dervish (Islamic)
Dances, with many Indian themes and a few others. In the Fall, I shall begin
with Christian spiritual dances. I am now beholden to nobody. The young will
probably come and they are, and there is every sign of increase. This is a long
and perhaps too egocentric story to relate.
Anyhow, I am thereafter going to attend a presumably Peace Conference at Geneva, Switzerland and will be gone one for a month. And, until the last moment, must also be concerned with and for my brother, and related matters. I certainly appreciate all you have shown me in the past. The body is lithe and quite healthy for a person almost in the middle of his seventies.
Love,
Sam
March 17, 1970
Mr. Martin S. Rosenblatt
Vice-President of Gumps
250 Post St.
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
My dear Martin:
This is a sort of bon voyage letter and is hardly a request at least not for my ego-self. In a few days I shall be leaving for Geneva to attend a peace conference of the religions of the world. I do not know whether anything will come of it, but at least I shall be permitted to present a program or policy. In addition to that, I already know the worthies of the important Asian faiths. I not only know the worthies, I have worshipped with them, I have worshipped alongside them, I have worshipped under, and and behind them. And for some strange and unaccountable reason, a person who does so is in far more disgrace then if he has become a communist or traitor.
For equally unaccountable reasons, my late father, Jacob E. Lewis of Levi- Strauss and Company, taught me neither trade, nor gave me an education, apologized on his death bed, and his estate has been so handled by the executors, Wells-Fargo and Company, that I am in no material need. In addition to that, my brother appears to be near to dying, and if and when he leaves, I shall be in excellent financial circumstances.
But I am mentioning this for quite a different reason. Due to private and other circumstances we found ourselves without suitable heirs, those closest to us either being financially successful or on bad personal terms. Looking around for an heir hasn’t been easy. When my father died, I turned to the head of the Asian Studies on the Berkeley campus, because there is a clause in the will that could have made this institution a grand beneficiary. I was summarily dismissed, but after being personally insulted (this professor was soon denoted, very much so, for presumably parallel reasons) I went to Asia anyhow. I was admitted at once to Zen Buddhist temples; I mean immediately. I got inside at Nara. I was the first Western man to be admitted to the Royal Cemetery. To see the stupa over the ashes of Lord Buddha, etc., and to be a guest of honor at the imperial gardens. All my reports to the press and publications were rejected, but this has been my history in each of the lands visited: Thailand, Pakistan, India, and UAR, especially.
I then turned to Richard Erickson, head of the Alumni Association of the University of California, I told him I had two grand visions, one was to bring friendship between America and Asia; the other was to help integrate and especially publicize the grand projects of the multiversity. Skipping details, I have finally met one Dr Richard Kozicki of the South- and Southeast Asia Departments on the Berkeley campus.
I have just completed a short course, the main purpose actually being to make a small contribution to his efforts, and to the institution in general. During this short course I was constantly reminded of you. To me the Thais, the Burmese, the Hmongs and Khmers, the Chams, the Indo-Chinese of all sorts are realities, and to quote the great Daniel Webster, “Teucere duche,” you having been the person who most instilled me with the realities and cultures of the peoples of that part of the world.
I have a chair in this house which is either going to Dr. Kozicki or to Dean Carroll Parrish of UCLA, in which my very close friend, the late Dr. Robert Clifton, sat, telling me of the tragedies covering that period before military intervention. He was not believed. In a short sentence, there are no heroes only various kinds at villains, but this is also a short view.
The bizarre story of Robert Clifton summarily refused and dismissed, has been corroborated by men in very high office at Washington whose names I must not mention. I do not know whether you recall short stories called “Fools for Luck” of one E. Phillip Oppenheim, published in British magazines, years ago. But much of my life, and also incidents and people who have been very close, are so much like those stories as to have become unbelievable. But I am not writing anything about Southeast Asia because there is a close friendship with one General Edward Lansdale, now retired, with whom I was very close in Intelligence during World War II.
There is another bizarre circumstance, very normal for me. The great art museum at Lahore is under obligation to me, personally, both for missions I have accomplished and for my knowledge of Buddhist art. I am hoping, someday, to obtain Gandharva Buddhas, either for the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design or for some other museum or even for you. I do not wish to relate my Pakistani adventures here. When I did so for the Brundage people they rejected that in toto. So there are masses of Gandharva Buddhas in storage in Pakistan, and I know of many places, not properly explored, where they can be found, and I have no intention of further batting my head against egocentrics and fame-seekers.
One of the missions not accomplished was a friendship tender I carried from Pakistan to India, and was verbally thrashed by our foreign office. Soon after that India and Pakistan met at Tashkent. This is what I have been fearing all along. The communists have converted us from pragmatics to dialectics, and so long as they keep us there, and apparently we want to stay there, we can win no cold war. I don’t see how we can fight communism and Asian religions at the same time.
More serious has been my intrusion into the Near East. A number of years ago when the Jewish people were being persecuted or pogromed, one heard about Boccaccio’s story of The Three Rings, and “Nathan the Wise”. That was then. But I am carrying the program of Boccaccio and “Nathan the Wise” with me to Geneva. Not only that, but as soon as this letter is written I shall be sitting in conference to arrange a meeting not of Zionists, so much as actual persons, who have lived in Israel; and Arabs who are Israeli citizens; and perhaps some displaced Palestinians. Just as we listen to everybody but the Vietnamese, themselves, we also listen to everybody but the common people who have to serve as battlegrounds. I cannot portend success, but believe spiritually the mere effort to implement both the Three Rings, and “Nathan the Wise” is sufficient for the minute. I do not expect politicians, Rabbis, Imams, and even Christian prelates, to respond, Now! But peace does not come out of oratory, applause from audiences, or any form of subjective dialectics, Marxist or otherwise. I carry with me, inside, some forms of American pragmatics, and being, in this sense, a pragmatist, must prove by my own actions and not by emotional appeals to others, to promote a program. So, nothing particular is requested, other than to take note, if you have not already, that there are now professors on the Berkeley campus and elsewhere, of which the aforesaid Richard Kozicki is an example, who can and will do more for the causes of peace and understanding then all the columnists, editors, “experts” and diplomats paraded before the public.
Sincerely,
Sam
March 25, 1970
Mr. Paul Wingate
Mill Valley, Calif.
Dear Paul,
This is a sort of goodbye letter. I am off again, but presumably not for a long time. The first destination Is Geneva, Switzerland. I am scheduled to attend a peace conference, which it is hoped will become a peace conference and not another yakkety-yak session permeated with applause (or its opposite,) determining little or nothing. While I am not over-optimistic, every opportunity will be given to the younger people to participate fully, and it just may be that some of them will have something to contribute.
After that I am going to London to meet what may well be called the hippies of that great city. We have been in communication, and it is hard to realize that people of that great city could have outlooks so Californiesque as to amaze one. Yes, I did run into the beatnik movement in New York and found them almost identical in habits and mannerisms to our own young. So one ought not be surprised if the Californian metapsychologies should permeate to other parts of the world.
But while these things are going on there is another item in the revolution which should interest you: the movements toward organic gardening and health foods. My own small efforts last year, and I mean small efforts, were crowned with most unusual results: larger harvests than expected, better qualities, better sizes, better everything. We placed some of our surpluses in the New Age Food Store on 9th Avenue in San Francisco. This store started on a shoestring by a very good friend, is now employing many of my closest associates.
There are, of course, other stories along the same line, and they are banding together. It is a sort of cooperative effort.
While in England I hope to investigate another phase of organic gardening arising from the use of seaweed products. But this is only a small phase of the giant outlook of a whole new philosophy of life; one very close to your own views; one which seems to be getting a foothold everywhere. In fact, I am very optimistic about my own efforts in this field, and even more optimistic about the efforts of others whom I am constantly meeting.
This is a very great subject and I am only introducing it here. I may try to contact you on my return.
On March 21 we had a joint Spring Festival and Gavin Arthur’s birthday, given on a meadow on the shores of Lake Nicasio. We certainly had more than 200 people there, almost all young. The affair was televised for possible future presentation. Indeed, many of my present efforts have become publicized, and now I am drawing criticism, which is certainly an excellent sign. As you might surmise, this criticism comes chiefly from the so-called fourth estate.
Best regards to you and each of your parents,
Sam
410 Precita
San Francisco 94110
April 22, 1970
John L. Rockwell
1330 Lincoln Ave. San Rafael, California
My dear John:
This is written under the most favorable circumstances of my whole life. To put it briefly, I have been to Geneva to participate in a real summit peace conference. So far as I know there has been little American coverage. But there was a heavy coverage by the European and by particularly the Swiss, press. I have also had my picture taken innumerable times but do not know where it appeared.
Just before leaving, we put on a Spring Festival near Lake Nicasio. We had about 200 people participating in the dances alone, and the whole thing was televised. This is written in Boston and also a request has been made to televise my endeavors. These are based chiefly on the dances which I call “Dances of Universal Peace.” They are far from being complete or completed, but I can assure you, John, that they have been effective enough to warrant a return to England in 1972, and to this region just as soon as affairs will warrant it.
In addition to these two items, there is the matter of my brother Elliot’s death. At least we were on good speaking terms at a time when he seems to have deserted the world and the world seems to have deserted him. And already I have received an additional payment from Wells Fargo which indicates
I shall be having a very substantial monthly allotment from that source at a time when my own personal efforts are also bringing me a small, but gradually increasing, income.
I am, therefore, going to place all matters in the hands of Ted LaShalt just as soon as possible. I think I need, and I am sure I shall, better be protected by sound legal advice. It will be an insurance and safety matter to lay all cards on the table before him before doing anything else, and I shall certainly be in a position to pay whatever is necessary.
I believe you have a duplicate key #110 to my Fairfax safe deposit box. I wish to transfer this to Novato. I shall thus maintain Bank of America accounts in San Francisco and Novato wherefrom it is easier to reach Ted, etc.
Cordially,
Sam
April 26, 1970
Mrs. Henry F. Grady
850 Powell St.
San Francisco 94108
My dear Mrs. Grady:
I hope this finds you well and also willing to accept a letter which sounds like a fairy story.
Circumstances in my private life have made it possible to attend, with my secretary, a conference of the world’s spiritual and ecclesiastical leaders in Geneva, Switzerland. It was a real meeting of the actual representatives of living and historical faiths and emphatically not an ersatz gathering of selectees purporting to represent those faiths.
The dominant business has been the construction of an edifice, presumably near Washington in the District of Columbia, where people of all faiths could worship at some time or other, within the same structure. It was emphatically not an effort to present a modern substitution for the living and historical religions, under verbal brotherhood and universality, mostly verbal and not real.
It was my dream to be able to present some sort of program, which might alleviate the complexities of the Near East. Evidently, the living God was more in favor of this than many of our prominent diplomats and commentators. For on the very first day I met fathers Fallon and Masson, the representatives of His Holiness Pope Paul. Not only were personal friendships established, but I think what followed was something that few Roman Catholics have ever succeeded in doing since the Reformation—real peace and good will, transverbal and effective.
We had the prayers of 14 faiths given at one afternoon at the Geneva Cathedral, which is historically the center of Calvinism! This person was indeed fortunate to in knowing something of all these 14 faiths and being able to communicate and converse, and to pray, if necessary, with each and all. This is the first occasion in which this person has even been permitted to attend such a gathering; it proved to be personally and impersonally an occasion wherein doors were opened and one could speak and be heard, though one’s speeches were deliberately kept short.
One of the dominant figures on this occasion was my very good friend Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj, who fulfilled almost the same role as his predecessor, Swami Vivekananda, performed at Chicago in 1893. It was also so refreshing to hear the actual leaders of the living faiths, and not their substitutes, as has been so common in the past.
Our good friend, Princess Poon Diskul of Thailand, was also there. She was only one of the Buddhist leaders, as the Dalai Lama also had his representative and there was a Count Otani from Japan, etc.
I see nothing but hope in such an undertaking. After the convention we were approached by at least two important persons, not themselves religeuses who were impressed by my personal efforts, and who have joined in our common plans to bring about some sort of peace and understanding in the unhappy Holy Land.
The doors have been opened in case I should wish to visit His Holiness Pope Paul. On arriving in London there was a cable notifying me of my brother’s death and apparently this will make me so financially independent that henceforth I can do and go wherever necessary without asking or begging.
In the meanwhile, my Dances of Universal Peace, the heritage from the late Miss Ruth St. Denis, are receiving an ever-increasing reception from the young. The first effort was a Spring Festival just before my departure, which was televised and will be reviewed tomorrow. But in Boston, also, my work was televised. As the late Henri Clemenceau said, “Peace and war are two things too serious to entrust to diplomats and generals.” It may just be that it is possible to reach some sort of peace and understanding in the real world without constantly repeating the same foolish mistake of calling in just diplomats and generals and commentators. It is possible that the rest of humanity has something to say, and more than having something to say, will do something to promote real peace and understanding among mankind.
Also, on the first day, I presented a gift to the senior member of the famous Birla family of India, and he responded almost immediately. It may be that a person is not without effect excepting in his own city, but I am not worrying about that anymore. Wherever I go, the youth respond to pleas for love and understanding and brotherhood, and I believe this can be accomplished without senseless destruction.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
P.S. On May 8 at 7:30 I will be speaking in depth on the subject of the conference etc. at the Metaphysical Library, 420 Sutter St. in San Francisco.
April 30, 1970
My dear Gale:
I telephoned you the other day and you were not home. Perhaps it is just as well. Perhaps it is just as well to have things on record. I haven’t the slightest doubt that future generations will look at life objectively and even democratically. I haven’t the slightest doubt that sooner or later the world is going to demand the morality of the law court and scientific laboratory. I haven’t the slightest doubt but that there will be real standards of mutual human appreciation.
My secretary, Mansur, and I have returned from a trip abroad. The nexus of this journey was our attendance at a real summit conference of the real religions of the real world. These religions were represented by their own people, often their own leaders. A carefully chosen “expert” might be the ideal of the press, or the foreign office or the socially elite, but such a one would have no place in an assemblage of actual leaders, many of whom are the most spiritually advanced people on earth, and no nonsense.
We were most fortunate from the very beginning. We arrived one day before the conference and in a few minutes were fortunate enough to greet Father Masson, the personal emissary of His Holiness Pope Paul. Not only was there conversation and communication, but one was quite successful in presenting a program for Palestine. There was nothing new, nothing original in it at all.
We are just emerging from a very dark age, in which ersatz-experts were given plenty of publicity, have been writing many books, and by their books
and social acceptance Americans, especially, have been insulting all the cultures and even the history of Asia, from one end to the other.
It was long ago. It was in 1928 that one met Dr. Henry Atkinson of the World Church Peace Union. He was not an expert. The experts pooh-pooh anything that comes from an unknown, and then go out and lecture on humility! He said to me, “Mr. Lewis, I have been around the world three times; I have met every king and prime minister on earth, and you are the first man who has brought me what I wanted.”
He then commissioned me to do certain studies and just before his death I was able to long distance him and say: “Mission accomplished.” He died in peace. He died in peace, but no religious organization in the United States, excepting the Friends (Quakers) would even look at these reports. They all had humility.
A few years ago we had the most dastardly fantasy you can think of. The world leader, the pride of politicians and the press and the experts, said, “What the world needs is a moral and spiritual revolution.” The cardinals, the metropolitans, the chief rabbis, the grand prelates applauded. Our quondam friend, Dr. Chaudhuri said, “Wasn’t that wonderful.” All this person could see was bloodshed and confusion. What this person saw, what this person has been seeing, what the young are seeing will prove to have been correct.
At the conference, there was a representative of a minor faith. He was constantly speaking on the need for “love and compassion,” constantly. Blinded, he could not see that the audience included the most compassionate and grand persons on earth. He could not see that, and Sam’s last words to him were, “Devotion is the sign of spirituality; oratory is the sign of the devil. I repeat, oratory is the sign of the devil.”
I am not confident of convincing the orators, the emotionalists, or the experts of the previous generation. It is not necessary. They must face their own karma, and they will prove to be near cowards, most unfortunately. I wish it were otherwise. I wish it were possible to have had an honest school of Asian studies. But we are getting one, and I am going to find out more about it—an honest school to present the real teachings, the real history, the real philosophies of actual Asia.
On the second day we met the head of the celebrated Birla family, one of the wealthiest groups in the world. The senior Birla had financed a delegation including many minorities, perhaps all the Indians excepting the Christian and my wonderful friend, Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj. They were mostly from Bombay and I personally find easy empathy and communications with the people of that region. They are very different from both the Madrasis and Bengalis. I have been totally at home with them and this was mutually true.
I gave the senior Birla a copy of my, “The rejected Avatar.” The next day he sent his son to me and expressed high appreciation for it. My relation with nearly all the Indians was excellent, but there were not present the new movements.
All the new movements were excluded; generally they declare that the day of the old religions is over. Perhaps they are correct. But they immediately posit some personality, generally one who has not proved himself historically and sometimes not spiritually, either. The results have been quandaries and even brawls over personalities. No people are more capable of entering into brawls than the proclaimers of love, compassion, humanity and Mr. Personality, whomsoever he be. So they were excluded.
The Vivekananda of the conference was Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj. While he was praising Vivekananda, he was performing the same functions. You can find people praising Sri Aurobindo, Meher Baba, Bahaullah, Anandamai, Ramana Maharshi, etc. etc. who cannot perform the same functions, who cannot step into the shoes of their ideals. It was on this point that the Vedantists and Sufis proved their prowess, functioning on very high levels.
Sam did not have to make any grand speeches. Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr of Tehran gave the Sufic point of view. This has been a point of view excluded from the various schools attempting to introduce private versions of Asian culture. The audience listened to Dr. Nasr and accepted his presentation. Dr. Nasr put a crimp in all the dualists, including all those dualists who verbally appraise Advaita. Although basically a Muslim, he gave such high praise to Vedanta and to Swami Ranganathananda in particular, that it precluded any nonsense oratory masquerading either as Vedanta or advaita. There were no brawls.
Fourteen different prayers were given in a joint session at the Geneva cathedral, the fountainhead of Calvinism. Devotion, not pompous oratory, dominated the proceedings. And I had the satisfaction of seeing selected for the Board of Directors the very persons to whom I either have been or became closely personally attuned to—not an exception. A summit gathering is a summit gathering—no pretense, no pseudo-philosophy, and no sham personalities.
One received the most profound and abject apologies from both the leading Rabbis and leading Protestants. The Rabbis of this land have, without exception, refused to answer any letter whatsoever dealing with Palestine. The Protestants, as above, with the exception of the Friends, have refused to accept any reports on my work for the World Church Peace Union. Thus, the so-called Judeo-Christian ethic.
I went around telling everybody I was the incarnation of “Nathan the wise.” Toward the end, this was actually accepted. Real people, real leaders, have none of this sham-humility; they listen. Indeed, such a huge program has already been started, that I do not wish to mention it further here. But I am speaking on Friday, May 8th, at 420 Sutter Street, giving detailed reports. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. and there is a charge of $1.
I can assure you, Gale, that the young will accept such reports. I am not concerned that the older people, especially those who have set up such pretenders as Dr. Zitko, Christopher Hills, Leland Stewart, and others of that type as harbingers of a new age. They have collected a lot of money for their spurious endeavors, and where is it? What has happened to them and their efforts?
It is not only the young, but it is the universities that are accepting this person, the new age professors of Asiatics. We met some of the grandest men in the world, such as Marco Pallis, and Dr. Lings in London. We had such welcomes we hope to return to London in 1972 and to Boston later this year. And our summer school, where we shall present the real teachings of real Asia has long since been over-subscribed, and there is a waiting list. The young recognize the difference between sham and integrity.
Evidentially God-Allah-Brahm is in favor of us. The recent death of my brother has made me heir to a much larger sum than I have been accustomed to, or that I need. It will more than fulfill travel requirements. It is even going to make it possible for me to establish scholarships. Those persons and groups which have refused to recognize my backgrounds are, of course, excluded. Those who talk incessantly about moral and spiritual leadership by their very prating evince inability. But it is fortunate, as I said above, there will be a real school for the real teachings of real Asia in our vicinity very soon.
Secretary Mansur and Sam were the only ones in a huge audience who could communicate with every group and did. It was surprising that Dr. Tsao, the leading Chinese philosopher, also wants us to join him. We do not claim any Chinese wisdom, but did carry with us copy of Tao Te Ching. We do not interpret or misinterpret this as the “only in America experts” do. It is notable for a long period that the Chinese, themselves, say Sam understands their culture. But you can be pretty sure that no expert or, until recently, no professor would have agreed with them.
This is a new age, Gale. It is also a time when one sees the demonstration of karmic law.
It was curious that certain orthodox people, with their narrow views were upset by Sam. Princess Poon, in particular was concerned that Sam was not particularly happy. He was given a bon voyage by a large group of young people with smiling, happy faces. He was welcomed by a number of his disciples with smiling, happy faces. Everywhere, the young are drawn to honestly, integrity, knowledge, and, if you will, spiritual awakening. We have a great work to do
and may be able to do it with others, not over them.
Most cordially and faithfully,
Sam
May 16, 1970
Mr. Brent Maupin
46 Middle St.
San Francisco, Calif.
Bodhisattva:
I am very glad that you feel that you are on the spiritual path. This can become very important. I give lectures here on Monday nights concerning Sufism. I also give lectures on Sunday nights concerning the Dharma. I am busy 7 days a week, without surcease. I am ready to help those who feel they are ready for the spiritual path, but in turn they have to prove their readiness. There is no time at my disposal, without some consideration of the value of my time. The cheaper the interview, the cheaper one becomes in the eyes of others.
Sometimes I think the local Swamis are right. They do not answer private enquiries until and unless the person involved has been to a certain number of their meetings. I cannot answer questions for everybody, or for the world.
If you went to a Doctor for an interview concerning your health, you would pay him. If you went to an attorney for legal advice, you would pay him. People who come for spiritual counsel, or even for worldly information, do not have to pay me; they have accepted my spiritual prowess; that is sufficient.
In regard to others, they prove they are spiritual aspirants by coming to my meetings and asking questions. They do not have to pay if they ask questions at my meetings. It is not necessary. But to answer your inquiries as it stands, would be professional service. I would have to ask you to contribute, and contribute financially to my work, or else to attend my meetings and to show respect by the fact you do attend these. I would much rather you paid me in kind than in money. I would much rather you paid the fee of respect than the fee of coin, but I cannot compel this.
I can hardly accept verbal claims to respect which are not borne out by the facts of life. Your Roshi has had ample opportunity to show respect; he does not have to. I do not know where this idea of one-way traffic came—that a person has to pay respect to others and in their turn they do not have to respect him. Therefore, I give you a choice: either attend three meetings at the Mentorgarten, and you will get free reply to your inquiries, or send me the sum of $20 for professional services. The choice is yours, and I had much rather you would attend the meetings.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 17, 1970
Paul and Angel Richardson
344 Richmond St. #2
London, Ontario,
Canada
Beloved Ones of God:
We shall be very glad to greet you whenever you come to San Francisco. You did not give any specific dates. The writer will probably be away between May 28 and July 4. During that time also Wali Ali may be away part of the time, but there will always be somebody here, and if not here, at the Sufi Khankah, 910 Railroad Avenue, Novato, Calif. 94947.
It seems that, for a little while at least, we are concerned with summer camps. The details for these have already been arranged. But after our return we should be in much better position to welcome strangers and also to reorganize our work here on a much larger scale. The writer has received investiture from a number of actual Sufi orders. One does not get much information about them in the writings of Idries Shah. Sufism is based on the existence of an omniscient, all-compassionate, essence, Deity, to Whom the Name Allah is ascribed. It is not concerned with philological abstraction, or complications. It is concerned with the infinite possibilities latent in man, bringing him to conscious recognition of the All-Pervading Deity. Thence with moral and spiritual codes which enable the devotee to integrate his personality and fulfill his purpose in life.
I do not know any new physiology; I do know of western discoveries of both Chinese and Indian ancient systems, new to us, old to others. I also am now studying a recent book on Indian psychology, by Swami Akhilananda of the Ramakrishna order. His writings may seem new to us, but some of the teachings are most ancient.
I think you understand that this part of the world, in particular, is concerned with a psychological and quasi-spiritual revolution, reevaluating almost everything that we have considered precious in our lives.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 19, 1970
Mr. G. John Champoux, and
Mr. Hieronymus Golgotha
392 Cherry St.
Holyoke, Mass. 01040
Dear Sir:
I have never before received a letter that could be answered, figuratively, that the correspondent was 100% right and 100% wrong at the same time. This is because we have been under the influence of Aristotle and have ignored the criticisms and suggestions of the great modern philosopher Bertrand Russell and others in this regard. For, from the standpoint of the Sufism of Sufis, much must be cleared up, whereas, from the standpoint of contemporary cosmic astrology, one has nothing but elation.
Sufism is the science and art of man’s becoming aware of the omniscience, omnipresence, compassion and glory of the One Being Who alone exists. And this is proved through the demonstration of the awakening of man’s own inner spirit which has been an uncommon and can become a common experience. Idries Shah, it is true, has written about the existence of Sufi Orders, and especially about Orders to which he does not, himself, belong. This is nonsense. What is more, he has indicated and sometimes averred denials of other personalities who might be spokesmen for Sufism because of their representing these very Orders.
You will please excuse me if I cannot write at length on this subject being an extremely busy person. I must refer you to the Sphinx Book Store in Harvard Square, Cambridge, where you can buy the works of Hazrat Inayat Khan who has been somewhat successful in introducing some forms of Sufism into the West. Later on this year, no doubt, Dr. Richard Alpert, sometimes known as Baba Ram Dass, after the training in another form of Sufism. Although I, personally, have had the disciplines of many of the Sufi Orders, it is only now that there is any recognition of simple, but hard, facts. Indeed, if you went to certain universities, you would probably end in confusion, receiving interpretations out of line with the interpretations from other sources. The ultimate teaching is that God alone exists. However, if you wish to know more about this we can help you, up to a point.
My present plans are to come again to the East-West Center in Boston as soon as suitable arrangements can be made.
On the other hand, Holy Qur’an distinctly states “God is the Light of the Heavens and of the Earth.” Contemporary scientists do not usually study the works of Kepler and Newton, but merely extract such items as pleases their vanity. Even at this time I believe only about 25% of Newton’s writings have been translated from his Latin into English. The astrological writings of Kepler have been largely ignored; those of Newton almost totally ignored until this time.
I am turning the two natal horoscopes over to one of my disciples to have him re-copy them onto a color-wheel chart form which will facilitate an interpretation. In Sufism, there is the development of the intuitive faculty and forms of sight and insight which are not yet part of our knowledge. The rise of metaphysics and the psychic sciences opened doors, but opened them only up to a certain point. When the inner eyes are opened one is not limited by either the known or presumably known sciences of the laboratory technicians, the metaphysician, or the psychics. None of them are wrong, but there are gaps and exclusions from each and all of them, and this leaves a grand universe to be explored.
Now, from another point of view, everything is beautiful and wonderful. We have a spiritual dancing class here. Basically, this class was established for what is known as spiritual development, and basically, this spiritual development was along lines more or less traditional of Sufis. But we also have a prayer and it is more than a prayer, “Open our hearts that we may hear thy Voice which cometh constantly from within,” Unlike the metaphysician, the mystic must actually hear the Voice of the Universe and also make himself the instrument thereof. It is a cosmic, not a personal game. No doubt the Voice of the Universe know a good deal more than personality. There have been a number of personalities who have been playing games, nothing but shallow egotistical games, and Alice Bailey has been one among others very astute at this. Her prophecies were invariably wrong, which has never precluded her being included from the lists of the presumably great. This has caused, will cause, endless confusion. The Jewish Bible regarded those as criminals who made wrong predictions. We regard than as heroes who make any effort at prediction whatever, even when these are 100% wrong. There are higher faculties in man, of man, and with man, awakening direct sight and insight to the extent and degree that “the Heavens declare the Glory of God” in, with, and through human personality. I shall make no effort to prove this, logically or otherwise, here. One of the disciples is rather astute in Hatha Yoga and has, seemingly, discovered that there is a center above and beyond the physical body which is operative. The same week, I came to a conclusion that this center also was connected with Plutonic forces.
We operate here—disciples only—giving every initiated pupil first a walk consummate with his ego, and then one related to his spiritual development. But our operations indicate that the Plutonic consciousness is group rather than individual, is of the sangha, rather than of the person. When we tested it, this also proved to be correct, although we have no doubt that our test might not be accepted by a number of teachers and organizations acclaiming spiritual development which they do not have. We are not concerned with this. We are concerned with the fact that the Heavens in certain respects are opening up, are so acclaiming the glory of God, and manifesting in, with and through dedicated individuals.
But the group consciousness is now becoming evident and effective thru a new type of commune, and I should say that the Plutonic influences are communal influences rather than individual ones. I am therefore turning your letter and charts over to one of my disciples who is an astrologer and you should be hearing from us as soon as convenient.
God bless you,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
May 26, 1970
Mr. G. John Champoux
392 Cherry St.
Holyoke, Mass. 01040
Beloved One of God:
While efforts to explain horoscopes is not in my line, there are some other factors involved here. My first efforts to present an esoteric astrology, which is truly esoteric, involved the use of synthesis and integration as well as of analysis. I felt that every person should have a secondary natal chart, especially from the standpoint of his ruling planet. Then, today, I am making use of the Neptunian aspects to promote esoteric disciplines. And more recently, I just started the group harmonies and harmonics of Plutonic outlook. I think these have very much to do with the events of the day. These are things commentators and dialecticians and sociologists and vice-presidents do not understand.
In going over your chart, there are many things to consider. Your Venus trine Pluto is perhaps a dominant in your life. It shows a grand cosmic outlook and vision. But it does not indicate, always, an outer satisfaction. Perhaps the best aspect is your Uranus trine Neptune.
This brings up two things, quite different. One is the usual interpretation from the chart. The other is, rather, to face your enquiry and I cannot assure you of any especial wisdom, but still this might well be. If you want further confirmations from this point I do not mind, but I am far more concerned with the subject of your enquiry. Or, at looking at the Plutonic extracts, it clearly shows that while your karmic chart is not filled with too much joy or ease, your Plutonic extract is marvelous. It is enclosed herewith, showing proper trines and sextiles plus also trines from the sun. This means in practice you should operate from your Sun aspects, rather than from your Venus, ruler aspects.
I do not know, here, how far your interests or developments are from either the standpoints of personality or from cosmic consciousness. They are both very great. You will excuse me now if I cannot write further. The program in my life is over-full and on top of that there is an ever-growing number of applicants who want to see me.
Please give our love to Sally and others I have met.
Faithfully,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
June 24, 1970
Renee Sager
664 Cole St.
San Francisco California 94117
My dear Renee:
At the time I received your most gracious gift a Voice told me not to write at that time. I knew you might think I was overlooking something or even that I was ungrateful. But the Voice was correct as it always is.
On Saturday night a dramatic group called “Theatre of Infinite Possibilities” came here and presented a drama. I shall not describe the drama here except it was compiled from the actual history of a number of fraudulent “gurus” who have appeared from time to time, especially in California.
When the show was over someone yelled out: “Why should we be concerned with a false guru when we have a true guru in our midst?” They began dancing and kept on dancing until I got on the floor and emceed—a very large gathering.
Yesterday we visited their commune which is near the eastern or scenic road between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We found many of them are spiritual seekers but they have no guru. I was told that originally they were disciples of disciples of Gurdjieff. We found very little evidence for that but it does not matter.
What does matter is that they are planning some excellent cosmic dramas and also the plays of Moliere, the ancient Greeks, and parallels to the passion play, drawn from the Indian epics, and Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I think this will be an excellent opportunity for us to cement some very sound alliances with exponents of New Age drama. This Murshid has been shut out by a number of groups claiming to be supporting world union, world federation, world brotherhood, world neighbors, etc. and what have you. All of them are concerned with leadership and not with either aesthetic or spiritual culture.
I know pretty well what to do and hope to do it. But I want you to be on hand next spring, if that is possible, when either leaders or representatives or a troupe comes to San Francisco. I am exceedingly satisfied with the projects and plans of this group. Love and Blessings,
Murshid
PS. Fred and Julie are not yet here, but another group is expected tomorrow who wish to film Murshid, I don’t know the outcome of this, but should soon.
June 27, 1970
Bodhisattva:
This is a sort of final report and with my penchant for puns I expect, on my return, to write to Marco Pallis, “Peaks and Lama.” I feel this country will ultimately be a place of pilgrimages. We have already had one “world saviour” pass by. He is very important man. He has a splendidly worked out scheme for world government and the settlement of all non-existing problems.
It is remarkable how many “world organizations” there are today, most blithely ignoring the existence of others. If you want to hurt them—and they are easily hurt, either mention the name of another group in the same field, or tell them some history. That is the worst insult. The more expansive they are, the more paralyzed they are to anything at all. Each has its own board of directors, carefully selected. And if you put them all down, and country them all, the total memberships of these boards of over 90% Englishmen, Americans and Hindus—in the name of “universal brotherhood,” of course.
I did not got to the Holy Men’s Jam in S.F. but the young laughed off the latest Avatar who can demonstrate wealth (for the wealthy). No Avatar, Sadguru, Maharshi, Superdupter, etc. is the least interested in Vietnam. They all yell “karma,” thus defying the teachings of Lord Buddha Sakya Muni. But after all, he merely gave us the “low scriptures” and “Hinayana” is a dirty word.
Although I dabble in soils and never use the word “dirt” I did something absolutely unforgivable both to the “World Buddhists” and to all the “world” federations howsoever you call them or miscall them: I gave, in turn, the four Jhanas of Lord Buddha (the rankest heresy); they, the first Mahayana meditations and on to the Bodhisattvic meditation and now the Mahamudra. I shall never be forgiven by the world Buddhists (steen different sects, all separated) by the World Federalists, or World Union or World Brotherhoods or World Worlds, or Whirled Worlds.
The self-saviour above referred to will soon have a “scientific yoga” conference, neatly packaged and all the officials carefully selected, and not a leading Yogi or leading scientist in the bunch. Boy, where have I heard that before? And then they will have a plebiscite. Well, Jesus had a plebiscite too! So did Mansur Hallaj. This makes things so ducky.
In the meanwhile I got an awful unshock. A report came to my secretary what many of the real leaders of the real religions of this world think of this author of “The Rejected Avatar.” What is worse, I have been undone: I have always said that this country would permit the lamb and lion to lie down together but never, never let a little child lead them.
The youngest and most beautiful delegate to the summit conference of the actual religions of this real world is off on a world tour. Did she do things! None of this “World Supermovement” (me, Leader, of course). This is the first time in history and I believe it is going to happen. Of course, all those self-styled “humble” persons who have, by a common consensus of their egos, put themselves in top positions will froth. But they are destined to fail anyhow. I am sick and tired of this defiance of “Unless the Lord buildeth the house, they labor in vain who build.”
Who cares for “God” anyhow! Haven’t we “World Union” and “World Federation” and “World Brotherhood” and “Cosmic Humanity” and Me-super-big and to Hell with God, all over! But praise ye Jehovah, a young woman, an alma to quote the Bible is going out and if I ever saw a Bodhisattva, she is one.
Not only is the grapevine excellent but it came at a time when I compelled the dissociation from my work of all those “Sadgurus” and “Maharishis” and “Roshis” who have no use for me. I don’t mind them having no use, but I simply will not have them on my bandwagon where I do the heavy work and they swing on my coattails.
A single Buddhist group has been picked out, the one that has no use for me. Well, I have won that. But when I was asked about Maharishi Mahesh I said, “That man respects me. How can I keep him out!” I simply will not carry those who derided me. That is all.
Well, everything looks beautiful. All over the Upper Rio Grande I am being accepted by the New Age young. It is tremendous and they have some nuggets that anybody not associated with World Union and World Federation and World Brotherhood and Cosmic Humanity can accept. And my last hours nothing but spiritual dance classes and parties and one on July 5th to which anybody not a top flight official of the World Brotherhood and World Union and World Federation and World World and Whirled World can accept. Let him who would be greatest among you be the servant of all the rest. Amen.
Love and blessings,
Sam
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
July 14, 1970
Dr. Lloyd D. Luckmann
3806 Clay
San Francisco, Calif.
Dear Dr. Luckmann:
In re “The possibilities for peace in the Holy Land”
I am not going to ask you to take this letter seriously. In the current issue of “Coronet,” 10 Congressmen are quoted, offering various ways to prevent another Vietnam. How a bunch of well-fed gentlemen in Washington, D.C. can prevent intrigue, chicanery and genocide among peoples with whom they have not lived as equals is outside my conscious understanding.
A great deal of the turmoil on our campuses is due to the fact that a very large proportion of our agitators and counter-agitators simply do not want honesty and objectivity. I have no intention to argue for honesty and objectivity. The other night we had a Korean Buddhist Master here telling us something about Korean Buddhism. This bears no relation to the various rival forms of establishment-“Buddhism” in this area, but it is the religion of 10 million people in Korea, and is not very different from the religion of 10 million more people in Southeast Asia.
My paper on Vietnamese Buddhism was rejected 33 times. I gave it up. But now I am on excellent terms with the departments of South Asia and Southeast Asia on the Berkeley campus, etc. I must say that I have found more honesty and objectivity on the U.C. campuses than in all other places in the State of California combined.
Circumstances, partly out of my control, and partly in my control, have resulted in more than a substantial increase in my monthly income. To this I must add a growing increment from my efforts to bring real Asia and the real West together through the dance. I have no intention to detail this. But, like Emerson’s better mousetrap inventor, while I was living in the woods in the
State of New Mexico, hundreds of young people came to my doors, and many hundreds more since then.
In fact, a life of objective honesty cum sapientia is now paying off. Indeed, I am trying to put aside $1000 of my own money for the Berkeley campus before the end of the year, and perhaps before the end of the semester. But, at this writing, there is also a possibility of this sum being increased because more and more people are beginning to accept that sometimes the little men who have been there should not be entirely neglected while we accept without demur the opinions and dialectics of important persons who have not.
I understand that a wealthy publisher wants my diary. He will get it, no doubt. But I had to make a quick decision whether to work for peace in the Near East or in Vietnam. I have chosen the Near East because of the almost totally neglected successful research work on the various multiversity campuses which can be applied to the problems of the Levant, and perhaps elsewhere, especially when facts become more important than excitement- mongering.
Favorable circumstances in my private life made it possible for me to attend a conference of the real leaders of the real religions of the world, which took place in March and April in Geneva, Switzerland. When I was asked who I was, I said wryly “The incarnation of Nathan the Wise.” Believe me, the last few days, this was taken very seriously. The real leaders of the real religions of the world want world peace or they see the destruction of all faiths. The first few days found the Rabbis and Protestant Ministers tumbling over each other with apologies. I am not going to name them here, and I don’t feel too happy because this alone in a negative accomplishment. But in the end nobody laughed when I said I was the incarnation of Nathan the Wise. Besides, my secretary and myself were the only ones in the conference who could sit and talk to or listen to all the leaders of the various faiths with understanding.
I do not want to deal more on this particular point here, except to say that a droll Lebanese suggested we have at least one Communist at the next conference. Then the American press, publications, and channels of communication will give us publicity and this is not nonsense.
Here in this city I have met both “loyal” and “dissident” Israelis; Palestinian refugees who did not take sides; Palestinian Arabs who are citizens of Israel, and others. We have long considered bringing these people together and the first steps have already been taken, right in this city. Or, as I told a mob of young people once, “Youth of the world unite, you have nothing to lose.”
We are going ahead with our peace plans and will listen to the “peasants” who do not hate each other, sometimes love each other.
In 1962 I was sent on a peace mission from Pakistan to India. I saw Sikhs and Muslims and Hindus embrace each other in the presence of some 40 newspapermen and not a one wrote this fact up. Then I was severely taken to task by our foreign office. The usual procedure. So India and Pakistan called in Russia to intervene at Tashkent. And I do not believe that all the Congressmen in Washington nor all the editors and experts can prevent Asians either from fighting or agreeing by their ivory tower hypocrisy.
But I have found on the Berkeley campus (and to some extent on the other UC campuses,) men of integrity, knowledge and universal good will. My income from private sources received a boost after I left Geneva. My income from public sources has been going slowly but steadily up, and now it would seem there is a further increment of possible income at the doors.
Between now and tomorrow night I expect to have personal contact with the ignored “little people” who don’t want any more fighting to please powerful emotionalists. I am not asking you to answer this letter, but the failure of pious peace-mongers, who have done nothing whatever in either Southeast Asia or the Near East makes it imperative for some of us to step into the breach, and I hope to do this, God willing, soon, with and through departments of the University on the Berkeley campus.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
July 25, 1970
Teresa Rodgers
Box 353
San Pablo,
Colorado 81153
Beloved One of God:
I wish to thank you for your lovely letter of July 13.
I am sorry I could not accept any invitations to come to Colorado. Since my return here I have been utterly overwhelmed by duties, responsibilities, regular meetings, irregular meetings, and a slow but constant increase in practically all aspects of the Sufi Message.
In the meanwhile, colleagues have gone to Denver and Boulder to take part in various spiritual activities there. I also understand that the combination of rock concerts and holy men’s jamboree may well become an American institution. If so, I am involved because that is the trend of the day.
I cannot help but appreciate your remarks. I cannot help but feel there is a whole New Age coming upon this country, and perhaps the world, where we can spend time and energy in doing something more than murdering each other, or imaginary causes.
God Bless You.
Samuel L. Lewis
Garden of Inayat
910 Railroad Ave
Novato, California 94947
July 29, 1970
Miss Elsa Gidlow
685 Camino Del Canon
Mill Valley, Calif.
My dear Elsa:
This is something like a strange story. I am in Marin County a good deal of the time, but never on weekends. Have been working steadily on Saturdays and Sundays, and have hesitated to phone during the week, especially as a call might take much of your valuable time. So I am pounding some things off and if you want us to call on you during the week, that can easily be arranged, excepting on Mondays. I have at least three classes on Saturdays, two on Sundays and one on Mondays plus interviews that day.
In one sense, I am at war, and the press will not accept anything from me. I had thirty-three rejections of a paper on Vietnamese Buddhism (evincing the Judeo-Christian “ethic.”) Then I met some top Vietnamese, and found a very top General who was an old colleague, etc. so gave up on this subject. We Americans all know what to do in Vietnam with about as much consideration for the living people as we have with trees interfering with freeways.
Then I met a professor who was specializing on Vietnam. He had the most awful background—he lived for years in S.E. Asia! You never find his name among the “experts.” I fact, we had a class on S.E. Asia and nearly all of us had lived there, in one land or another. It was “impossible.” Everybody in the class had lived in S.E. Asia and all but one had had papers and correspondence ignored by the press—call it “liberal,” “conservative,” “hawk” or “dove,” we had all the same treatment.
Then I had to make a decision, whether to work for what used to be called “peace” in either the Near East or S.E. Asia and decided on the former. We do terrible, unprintable things like getting Jews, both Zionists and Anti- Zionists; and Arabs and Palestinians that are citizens of Israel to commingle. This is “unthinkable,” “impossible,” etc. But we are doing it.
Well, I had a terrible family who fought me in everything but objected to Mrs. Duce fighting me. My father became reconciled on his death bed. My brother, facing a court-suit, jumped and I now have a fair income from the estate, although obligations are still greater. Peace does not come by prayer or wishing. But sometimes prayers come in manners quite offensive to both the religious and irreligion. But they come.
Well, after winning a lawsuit with my brother, out of court, we became reconciled, joined forces and our incomes went up. He approved of my going abroad to attend a conference of the great religions of the world. I made good and then he died and left me better off. Evidently God, Allah, Brahm and my brother favored my meeting with the top real leaders of real religions where there were no “experts” standing in the way or top commentators.
Secretary Mansur and I were the only ones who had two-way communications. The meetings started off with a kiss, from a top Greek Orthodox priest and ended with a kiss from the lady who organized everything. We wanted to meet the papal delegate and when we had registered we turned around and there he was. Then things hummed and with no European “experts” blocking the ways it was wonderful—for us.
Then we went to London and had a reception from the Royal Asiatic Society and also from real Orientalists like Marco Pallis who, to us, is a living Bodhisattva and so on. No European professors standing in the way. And then we went to Gandalf’s Garden to meet the New Age young and this has been going on and on. We went to Boston, then returned and then went to New Mexico and things are happening.
I had long discussed with Ruth St. Denis about “Dances of Universal Peace” and began them, before she died, with her blessing. They are taking on. We have many classes and as we are teaching also the Oriental philosophy of Orientals we are busy all the time. In act last night we had a big party at Khyber Pass Restaurant in Oakland, owned and operated by descendants of Sufis who don’t exist according to our “ex-ex-experts.” And we chanted and sang, mostly in Arabic, but with some English, to everybody’s delight.
But, in the meanwhile, God and Allah and Brahm seem to have approved of our “Reality, Yes! Realism, No!” Our contacts with the real leaders of the real religions is going on at a rapid rate and our efforts to have peace in the Near East through human reconciliations and infiltration is going on at a most rapid rate, but this, of course, is not news. Wrong people doing it. Fortunately, I have Congressman Phillip Burton with me. He actually accepts in situ reports.
Meanwhile, the efforts of my disciple, Phillip Davenport had failed. The “Oracle” failed under his leadership, and he knows why. And he went around and ran into a wealthy editor who was looking for Sufis despite the “American Academy of Asian Studies” and “California Academy of Asian Studies” and San Jose State, and the University of the Pacific and UCLA and others. And he met Walter.
Walter is a rather wealthy publisher and editor who is distinctly New Age. He believes in Reality, not in “realism.” He wanted to go to certain places in England and we just happened to have the right introductions. And he has taken my best secretary and put him on a good substantial wage to begin with. And he has sent for me to visit him later in the year.
In the meanwhile, Pir Vilayat Khan, who is accepted as Sufi by Sufis (of which there are millions but not in this land (?),) and Baba Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) and Paul Reps, have all flitted and told the American people that Sam Lewis is best equipped—quite contrary to the “experts” and press, so the young are coming and writing and sending.
In the meanwhile, Fred Rohe has opened the New Age Food Stores and is employing several disciples and the place is crowded. And the real scientists and even the Federal Government is now agreeing with Paul Reps and his “crazee” natural diets. Right or wrong, there is money in truth and this is something new, so many of my disciples are prospering.
Then, I took some books to Geneva, a translation, the last work of the late Evans-Wentz and my own “The Rejected Avatar.” Friendship at once established with the wealthiest of Hindus who seem to prefer Sam Lewis to the “experts” we have running around San Francisco and the Bay Region, and California in general keeping us in ignorance of the actual spiritual teachings.
In the meanwhile, the pieces of my life have come together. The Sam Lewis who worked with the late Luther Whitman years ago is taken out of mothballs and the new age young who want both spirituality and communes send for him. This is, of course, quite contrary to “science” and its supreme goddess, Margaret Meade, who says there are no real mystics and that communes can’t succeed. The fact they are, and are prospering, is “impossible,” (French pronunciation) but it is. Even this place is a successful commune so nobody writes it up. it is more “fun” to expose Gottlieb and Wheeler and others. But we see a new age of a totally different kind based on integration (in the Mathematical, not in the Chaudhurian sense).
So, Elsa, one lives and is surrounded by more and more young and his dances are being taped; his lectures are being taped and he is being called for by many parts of the country, doing things the “experts” refused ever to consider.
In the meanwhile, the University of California has been teaching Asian- Asian philosophies and we get along fine—I mean the Berkeley campus and I am hoping also to establish a real Peace Scholarship.
While I am working for peace in the Near East, if peace is established it won’t affect the scholarship. For I was sent on a mission from Pakistan to India some years back and the foreign office gave me the usual, it always does. So the Hindus and Pakistanis not at Tashkent at Kosygin’s invitation. And if our foreign office and CIA can’t work for human relations, one has enough contacts—despite the press and “experts” to do something about it.
At Geneva they said I looked and acted like Walt Whitman. Maybe so. While I went around saying I was the incarnation of “Nathan the Wise” in my conceit, I believe I may be an incarnation of Whitman’s “The Answerer” which no “good Whitmanian” can possibly accept. But now this is functioning, and there is a series of stories too dramatic to relate but going on at a very rapid rate.
For Instance, I said I met the papal delegate. I want a “Nathan the Wise” peace in Palestine. The late Thomas Merton died while planning to meet me. Now his friends have written asking what I am doing. The rabbis and ministers fell all over each other apologizing to me at Geneva and when I called on a local rabbi he ran into two things he never excepted—-knowledge and humor. There is more to come, Elsa. And there is a race as to whether enough funds will be provided for extended journeys later this year.
In the meanwhile, Walter wants all my writings and autobiography. We have a system of jurisprudence which wants the eyewitness reports and we have foreign policies which don’t. While the “experts” all know better I think I am the only man on earth accepted as a spiritual leader by people of totally different outlooks and now the young want me at the holy men’s jamborees. Maybe. I do know the sacred literature of five of the world’s top faiths and the only Chinese at Geneva welcomed Mansur and myself while he hardly talked to others. He was not an English or American “expert,” he was Chinese and we were carrying only Mohammed Hadith and the Tao Te Ching, and practicing them, and perhaps successfully. The story of our “madventures” is too long but it will become public either later in life or after I have gone. The young want truth, the old want “nice opinions.” We shall see.
In the meanwhile have been totally successful in organic gardening and in the real alchemy of the alchemies (nothing like Jung, of course.)
Love,
Samuel
August 17, 1970
Daniel E. Koshland
119 Reserve Road
Hillsborough, Calif.
Dear Mr. Koshland:
In re Peace in the Near East
The writer is the older son of your late friend Mr. Jacob E. Lewis. He was behind you a little at Lowell High School, but was not permitted to have a university education for a long, long time. My father called me to his deathbed and apologized and said he would make it good. And he has made it good. This is a report, not an appeal.
I have been around the world twice and have been the guest of the highest of dignitaries and holy men. Thus, when I went to Japan, I was an especially honored visitor to the Imperial Grounds, to the Holy Mountain, to the Imperial Cemetery, etc., etc. My reports were brushed aside, ignored. But I received the same treatment in every Asian land visited and can support this by all the objective evidence of the same type we would require in the American judiciary system but hardly anywhere else in or culture excepting among scientists. But this is a report, not a complaint.
Earlier this year I went, as an unknown, to a conference of the top religious dignitaries of all faiths; real persons and I can name them. There was an immediate greeting with the Chief representative of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy, followed by a string of almost abject apologies from the top Jewish and Protestant delegates, whom I can name. I went around telling people I was an incarnation of “Nathan the Wise” (my rejected poetry could easily substantiate that.)
The relations with these real people were so different from that extended me by local groups that I began calling myself “Timon of San Francisco, but in reverse.” The death of my brother left me with money and I felt it was in order to establish a scholarship for the department of Near East Languages at the University of California. During the last twenty years, while all the local groups verbally concerned with international problems refused even to give me interviews, I received a real human welcome from the various professors, Asian and Americans who had studied with Asians, not English and European “Experts” who had elsewhere successfully barred me.
For many years I have been writing to Richard Erickson on the theme of “How California Can Help Asia,” by which I mean, in particular, the University of California. Some of the most glorious hours of my life have been spent on the various campuses. I find myself totally out of sympathy with the “New Left,” the Regents, and most of all, the communication media. I can tell you problem after problem that has been solved bypassed professors on the various campuses. Now I am very glad Dick is writing on this subject.
When I was in the Near East, a single person told me “Your plan is by far the most sensible one I have seen for Palestine.” His name was Gunnar Jarring. You can now read about him. We are going ahead. We are going ahead despite the refusal of the press, the TV, the clergy of all faiths, etc. While I was writing out plans recently, a long-distance telephone call came from a Rabbi in New
York. Why? Why not from a Rabbi locally? or, for that matter, from any of the local clergy? I did volunteer research for forty years for the World Church Peace Union at the request of the late Dr. Henry Atkinson, and not a church except the Quakers would even look at my reports, but that does not matter. That does not matter, for my young disciples have already arranged a dinner given by a local Jewish community for Arabs and Muslims, and another given by the local Arab community for Jews and Christians.
I also call myself the godson of the late Miss Ruth St. Denis. Taught and inspired by her, I am offering young people “Dances of Universal Peace.” These are being dedicated to The Temple of Understanding in Washington, D.C. They are spreading rapidly. Not only locally, but the young in several parts of the country are learning them. The theme, “Joy Without Drugs” was presented at the Psychedelic Conference also held under the auspices of the University of California, a few years back. “Joy Without Drugs” is manifestable, and last week the philosophical departments at both the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Southern California have invited me to speak.
These are only parts of my life, but I am interested in promoting real peace among real people. I do not think this can be done until we can get out of “realism” and all forms of dialectics and deal directly with humanity. I am neither a sociologist nor economist. My education and functions have been in the worlds of horticulture and related sciences.
I am not asking for anything from you, not even and acknowledgment, other than your recognition that the University of California, and perhaps the multiversity of California, can do and are doing much to make this a better world.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
August 17, 1970
Beloved One of God:
We greatly appreciate your earnestness and endeavors and hope you are finding yourself at home. Murshid has been compelled, so to speak, to regard no place as his home anymore though this body may be attached to either residence. This was further confirmed in reading Ram Das, but when Murshid asked God, so to speak, if his present method of living was pleasing, the answer came it was pleasing for Murshid has not been beguiled by austerities which imply self-praise, but was working in the midst of humanity which pleased God more than anything else.
Too many holy men throughout the ages have fled society instead of facing difficulties or helping their fellowman. Sam is me doing what God wished him to do without giving a thought to it, and certainly without expecting particular rewards or commendations.
In the last few weeks, there have been rather complicated relations with a number of movements, either caused by or affected by Indian teachings. The Maharishi’s people are starting a Shangri-la and act as if they were the only people so doing. They are also making their male disciples trim their hair which pleases ego no end, no doubt makes the devil very happy, for neither Lord Krishna nor Lord Shiva dressed that way. But I agree with Ram Das: we need shaved minds.
Lots of activity is going on in New Mexico. Joshua is doing everything we could have wished. Jessica is here from Albuquerque. Steve Durkee has just been here from Lama. We have had occasional visits from Tucson.
I wish to call your attention to the book Heaven Knows What by Grant Lewi. It has an introduction by one Carl Payne Tobey who had been living in Tucson. You might check on that and on him. Saturday night we rather successfully introduced the Pluto walks. But also dances and walks are coming in more rapidly than we can report.
Financially, we are easily in the best position we have been. Mansur has an outside job. Frank has what seems to be a temporary one, but at this writing, inshallah, plans are progressing for the opening of a restaurant here in San Francisco, which will keep him busy. If this is so, I shall compel, so to speak, the members of this house to go there on occasion. I fear that people who came here and live here tend also to overwork just as I do and need rest from time to time.
I think four disciples, at least, are now working at Fred Rohe’s new store in Palo Alto. We are also having new disciples and some Bayat money has been paid. Our next job is to get some people to volunteer both for this house and especially for the Khankah. Michael (and Banefsha) have returned to San Francisco.
The big things are the great projects now going on, and the best way to keep you informed is to see you get occasional carbons like the ones enclosed. The Message of God is spreading far and wide. All meetings are better attended. Phillip, Fred, and Ralph Silver are all planning to go to parts of Asia very soon. My chief trouble is being tired and if overworked, overworked for the cause of God, but otherwise, the health is very good.
Love and Blessing,
Murshid
August 17, 1970
Beloved One of God:
As-salaam aleikhum!
At this writing we feel very close. Walter Bowart will be returning the first week of September, inshallah, and this is going to open up doors for us at a time many other doors are being opened.
There is an enclosed copy of a letter to Australia. It seems there are many parts of the world in which people are establishing “universal” and “world” organizations, all ignoring all the others and all assuming that their particular endeavor is the one which will save humanity!
In a telephone conversation this morning I was told there is an African now enrolled at McGill, who has contacted an Arab in Paris who has many valuable Sufi manuscripts and who would let him translate them if he could come to France. Personally, I need a few hundred dollars myself for visiting the East Coast of the United States, but at this writing the outlook is so excellent we may be able to do more.
Our most “exciting” prospect of the moment includes the dinners where Jews, including Israelis, have invited Arabs and my young Sufi disciples as guests; and another one where Arabs have invited my Sufi disciples and Jews as guests. Newspapers generally do not report such events and I expect Walter Bowart will have a field day informing the world of those persons and organizations operating on the basis of peace, good will to men.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
August 24, 1970
Mrs. Henry P. Grady
850 Powell St.
San Francisco, Calif.
My dear Mrs. Grady:
I am writing hoping this finds you well and also willing to take seriously what is being written. I am not asking for help of any kind, but have serious reasons to believe that what is being written here will be included in future history regardless of what appears in the papers today. There are two classes of people who take me seriously: the young and the University professors.
I have been going around saying that the greatest achievements of my life were being invited as a guest of honor to the imperial Gardens in Tokyo and getting a free meal from Armenians. But more recently I have added to that the fact that my paper on Vietnamese Buddhism was rejected 33 times. Today I no longer consider that a rebuff, but an honor. While the paper was never published, it was deposited with some literature from Vietnamese Buddhists in the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California.
Today I am becoming a hero, reaching the multitudes of young people who also consider my greatest merit that I have been refused interviews by so many presumably important groups, verbally dedicated to peace, justice, and the study of international problems. I have long given up trying to reach any of them, no matter how important they may seem to seem.
There was a great improvement financially in my private life a number of years ago and I felt it a duty to God and humanity to devote myself to working for world peace, by which I mean the reality of world peace and not a useless phrase so often repeated without affecting the course of events. I met an old friend who had long lived in Vietnam—in fact he is a historical character and will be writing on the affairs of that part of the world. And I keep on cross- trailing our good friend Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul. Thereupon I began devoting all my efforts toward peace in the Near East. By “peace” I do not mean the popular term which has no background. I am daring to accept the scared phrase “Peace, Goodwill to Men” and no nonsense. I have taken the Via Dolorosa and it is a Via Dolorosa by putting into practice the late President Kennedy’s statement, “It is not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” What happened would be in my memories, and there is some possibility of their being published soon.
Well, I have lived in the Near East, which is about the worst background to get an article published by anybody. I had worked forty years for the World Church Peace Union, which threw out all my reports (this is not a sad story at all.) My plans for the Near East were rejected by every single peace organization and every church but the Quakers. One man told me it was the most sensible report he had ever seen. That man was Gunnar Jarring.
I think I have written you that early this year I went to a conference of the world’s religions at Geneva. It is totally different when you have to face real people. There are only two things that help: knowledge and heart; by which I mean knowledge and heart. Everything is improved in my affairs since then, in my relations to important people at a time also when my personal finances are going up.
We have been very successful in getting the young people of all faiths to meet with each other. A Jewish group here is preparing a dinner for Muslims and Arabs. And Arab group here is preparing a dinner for Jews and Christians and Palestinians and Israelis. Riots, property destruction, violence. These things are news, but anything that is in the direction of Jesus Christ in actuality!…. But my young friends don’t care. Like Strephan, in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Iolanthe,” they may have government, opposition, and cross-bench all against them, but believe they will win.
If we were working with any Leftist group this would be news. We are working for and with the Temple of Understanding in Washington. The young want to pray together. The young want love and brotherhood.
We are also sending a team to India to film Holy places and devotees. They are meeting at the Dirgah Nizam-ud-din Auliya with Pir-o-Murshid Hasan Sani Nizami, son of your old friend, Saint, if I may call him so, Hasan Nizami. I believe we are going to accomplish things. We have given up trying to reach the press and publications because we have our own outlets and we believe the world will become interested.
I am trying, now, to establish a small peace scholarship at the University of California under the Dept. of Near East Languages. At least they never threw me out, which has been my common experience with almost everybody else in this vicinity. I believe in the New age reality will triumph and all our subjective “realisms” will have to give way. I believe in the American system of justice but also believe foreign policies might occasionally be affected by eyewitnesses, which is certainly not the case at this writing.
Recently, I met our old friend Althea Youngman and told her what I am doing with spiritual dancing. It has become most effective, but is “news” only in the underground press. Newspapers, radio and television stations, and popular journals cannot be reached. Nor will we make any effort any more to try it. We believe we can have a better world. We believe we can have a world based on justice, humanity, and morality, but not on empty phrases which in the end are never effective.
I expect to go to Washington in the not distant future and to be received by persons in high places who, unlike the common practice here, have listened and then having listened, are satisfied. I believe there are enough young people who can save us alike from all the threatened ills of the day. I have utmost confidence in young America. Some day San Francisco will at least recognize my existence, but that is not the point. The point is whether problems are only enigmas to be faced by certain types of people, or whether we can extend our system of justice to all affairs of life and occasionally listen to eyewitnesses.
I hope you do not mind this report. In a certain sense, God is with me. The young are with me. The Universities are opening their doors. It is only the press, the radio, TV, and the foreign office, and all organizations verbally interested in these subjects that remain blind to reality. With kindest personal regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
August 30, 1970
Mrs. Henry F. Grady
850 Powell
San Francisco
My dear Mrs. Grady:
Since writing you last, things have been happening. The only person outside the state of California who ever listened to my program for the Near East was Gunnar Jarring, now in the headlines. He gave me four hours and said my approach was the most sensible and complete he had ever heard of. Now it is going to be a matter of history that too many groups verbally organized for peace and international studies, are either centers of entertainment or presumably, revolutionary activity. Both adhere almost theologically to some sort of dialectics and are not always interested in factual representations. But this is not a protest.
This is not a protest because we have already put on a joint Israeli-Arab dinner, and very shortly the Arabs will put on a dinner for Jews, including Israelis and Christians. We have the young people of each of “Nathan-the Wise’s” divine inheritors working together. We have even been successful in getting one of the national broadcasting companies to recognize facts and accomplishments and more radio and TV stations have indicated their willingness to report facts and achievements. This is a new day, Mrs. Grady. The young are going to get together without either Marxist dialectics or news-media-dialectics. And these accomplishments are going to be published soon, either by our own colleagues or by a national magazine whose editor I shall not name here, but who may be well known to you. I am expecting to leave for New York and Washington very shortly and help make the Holy Land a Holy Land for Jew, Christian, and Muslim alike.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
September 5, 1970
Hon. Lim Lee,
Postmaster,
San Francisco, 94101
My dear Lim:
Toward Peace in the Near East and Everywhere (We Hope)
A very fine letter was received from a disciple who is an instructor at the University of California, detailing and commenting on an interview with you. I am more than interested today because many of my young followers and disciples are being received by all sorts of people, and in particular the many groups dedicated to “Liberty, Democracy, Humanity, and peasants, shut up.”
Today I am far more astute in “American Wisdom” because of mounting incomes, and fortunately, along with that, but not because of that, larger and larger audiences, mostly young people. I used to say what that my two greatest achievements were having been a guest of honor at the Imperial Gardens in Japan (Whither our “great” Vice-Presidents were not invited) and a free meal from Armenians. Then I added the thirty-three rejections of a paper on Vietnamese Buddhism and now I add a long, real conversation with a Swedish gentleman, who was then already the top U.N. official in the Near East, his name, Gunnar Jarring. No local “peace” speaker has ever done anything like that. Anyhow a copy of this letter is going to a friend who is an editor. The name of the gentleman, Gunnar Jarring.
After persecution and oppression, first from my own family, my father, very well known here, apologized on his death bed. A lawsuit against my brother, totally unexpected, led to further increase in income and also reconciliation. And he died, almost alone, in my absence. And although the “great” locals in all other matters have simply refused interviews, one can and does talk with bankers! Some acts cannot just be thrown out. Besides, I once worked for the aged, retired, Russell G. Smith of the Bank of America, and he knows a lot about Asian-Asia.
With increased income I decided to devote myself to peace efforts. It was a question, whether Southeast Asia or the Near East. I had letters from Vietnam as far back as 1947. My closest friend lived there. He came twice to this country hoping to “save” Vietnam for us. He had a single enemy who was more important than all the facts in existence, i.e. the then Secretary of State, and his long story was corroborated later by the personal secretary of that Secretary. Sam Lewis is always assumed not to have met anybody and so, kicked out. It is going to make a beautiful story and this letter, also, is going to an editor who wants everything.
Trained in Zen Buddhism by Zen Buddhists, my “ko-ans” have been: “Every valley shall be exalted and every hill laid low;” and, “The stone which is rejected is become the cornerstone.” And there was no difference in the embraces received from a top Vietnamese Buddhist, a Jerusalem Rabbi and several leading Indian devotees. This, of courses, is not news because those things just cannot be. I, as the only outsider at the Papa Tara Singh dinner where he and Nehru embraced, but all the rest of the event was eliminated—the real peace factors shut out by unanimous consent of the press!
I did not have more than thirty-three rejections of my paper on Vietnamese Buddhism because I was given a lot of documents by Vietnamese Buddhists, themselves. But before these were rejected, two things happened: (a) the return to my private life of one of the very top officials who served in Vietnam and who is writing on the subject. I did some OII reports for him during the war, but this could not be because “experts” are unanimous in rejecting it. Then, (b) I met two professors at the University of California who seemed to have quite different ideas. One accepted my total Zen background and the other, Richard Kozicki, my total Southeast Asian background. Indeed, I was enrolled in a class on Southeast Asia; most of the enrollees having lived in one or another country of that region and all unanimously having been refused interviews or had their things rejected by the “Liberty, Democracy, Humanity and peasants shut up dialectic “realists.”
So I turned to the Near East. For forty years I did volunteer research and travel for the World Church Peace Union and they did what every other “good” group has done—wastebasketed my stuff. But that is over. I still had the knowledge and carried it with me to the conference of the real religions of the real world this year, which met in Geneva. I became known as the man who wrote the longest letters and made the shortest speeches. How come?
Let me tell you a story: I tried to get a bit of research accepted by the questionable “American Academy of Asian Studies” here, in San Francisco. They ridiculed the whole thing. They had changes in administration but never changes in ridiculing this person. I took it to a department at the University of California in Berkeley. They offered me a Ph. D. degree for exactly the same material. So you should not be surprised that I am starting, I hope, a peace scholarship at that Department.
Now, let us go back. How did we meet? I am, perhaps, the last American who was a Sun Yat Sen devotee, living in these parts. So I had a “Li” dinner invitation and at that dinner Brother Choy took me in a closet and gave me instructions in Chinese Wisdom which no “only in America” non-Chinese “expert” could possibly accept. I’ll skip here, but in going to Geneva, my secretary and I restricted ourselves to two books: “The Sayings of Mohammed” and “Tao Te Ching.” Oh, we got discovered, alright—by the only Chinese delegate there.
Some of the top leaders in the objective world asked why they had not met me at certain conferences. “Oh, Prof. Von Plotz, the ‘only in America’ expert on Oriental Wisdom saw to that.” This is true, Lim. I have been rejected and ejected by more conferences on Asian problems by non-American, non- Asian experts, but that day is over, over.
What happened at Geneva I may leave to others, besides, it will be published. But I’ll relate one or two things. When the great “untouchable” Sir Zafrullah Khan was asked what he had to offer for world peace besides oratory and emotion, he sat down. He could not deliver. He was not facing emotional audiences. He could not deliver a thing. And believe me, a lot of things were delivered, but not “newsworthy.” We had no communists present, so nothing was newsworthy, but “only in America.” But then we began to work, and how.
In the meanwhile, my “Dances of Universal Peace,” my inheritance from the late Ruth St. Denis, whom I actually met many times, is going over and more and more and more, based on themes of the real religions of the real world (I hope.)
I returned here only to go to New Mexico where I became the “guru” of a commune. Horrible, and impossible, but I don’t need to go to any more editors and “experts” and be thrown out. The recent issue of the rather respectable National Geographic has a two-page picture of that “commune.” Some of my really best friends are in that picture, too. “Realism” cannot always efface Reality. But the story will not be told here.
So, we began to follow my peace theme: “eat, dance and pray” with people. Why, I was sent on a peace-feeler mission from Pakistan to India and was welcomed by the Chief of Protocol, President (Dr. Radhakrishnan), chief holy man of the Muslims and chief holy man of the Hindus at a time when others could not get interviews. I again toured India and returned to New Delhi and the Americans were unanimous: in excoriating this person. So, India and Pakistan sat down with the Russians at Tashkent. This is history. Amen.
But the more I met the “peasants, shut up” and I mean the peasants and they would not shut up, the more the idea came of bringing them together. But too late, they were already getting together. They are now, and more and more. And we are making this a world thing and no nonsense, no nonsense despite the dominant, but now disappearing, “Liberty, humanity, democracy and peasants, shut up people of “right,” “center,” and “left.” Lim, I have been too long under real Asian pressures to fit into any system based on French politics.
The conference at Geneva started off with “impossibles.” The Greek Orthodox Patriarch kissed me. The papal delegate listed to me. The Protestant and Jewish clergy began apologizing all over the place and they have since been giving total cooperation. Impossible, but true.
You may or may not have heard of Phillip Davenport. He was an “underground” editor and he was writing my “things” with or without permission. He is off on a real American-Asian cultural exchange tour and his report from Jerusalem is marvelous. Oh, I did get into the office of one rabbi here, but he is one to whom I have never written. Clergymen who follow the “Judeo-Christian” ethic never answer letters, especially on Palestine. But the wonderful respect from those whom we have met. One is actually connected with one of the top Senators and I may be living in his house soon, in Washington! So I am sending a copy of this to your Phil. (There are so many “Phillips” in my life today, all heroes.)
One could add more, but I got the name of being the man who wrote the longest letters and made the shortest speeches. After the receptions we had from the Royal Asiatic Society and the World Congress of Faiths we could not let anything stand in the way. But something has! Two of my secretaries have been involved in the projects related to above and are receiving good salaries. The other is overworked and successful in all the “impossible” endeavors.
The only time I was permitted to speak—sociologists, economists, and diplomats may be unanimous—but the University of San Francisco let me speak at a conference on the water-problem of the Near East and when I finished, the chair declared the meeting over; that the problem had been solved. And know something, Lim? I had mentioned the actual accomplishments of the actual graduates of the University of California in the regions involved. Not-News, but I still believe Reality will win over “realism.” I repeat, nearly all my things came from graduates of the University of California.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
910 Railroad Ave.,
Novato, Calif.
September 11, 1970
Mr. F. Healion
176 Fairhills Drive,
San Rafael, Calif. 94901
Dear Frank:
It is many years since we have seen each other, but finding your name in the telephone book I am writing, because you were about the first man in Fairfax that I can remember meeting. It was a long time ago, when I was a member of the California Alpine Club and used to stop on rare occasions at your store for refreshments. Later I lived, a little in San Anselmo and much longer basically at Fairfax with spells in other parts of the world.
I left that city under questionable compulsion in 1949 when, for the first time, my father helped me and since then my affairs, beginning again from the bottom, have slowly but steadily bettered. I am not asking for anything, excepting, perhaps, a statement that you have known me.
My father apologized on his death bed, making it possible for me to travel in Asia and some of the stories were then published in the San Rafael Journal-Independent. But they were not accepted elsewhere at all. Another trip to many parts of Asia was more dramatic and more rejected. But one first thing stands out, that a man gave me hours on the plan for the Holy Land. His name was Gunnar Jarring, but his opinion was not accepted by any of the “grant” peace (?) and religious groups—but this is not a sad story, it is the way things are done.
I was very successful in many parts of Asia and slowly the departments at the University of California and since then other universities are accepting that.
Then, from Ruth St. Denis I began “Dances of Universal Peace.” With a good income from my own efforts and family inheritance I am still working with these dances which have been quite successful—among the young. Also at Lama Foundation in New Mexico. The latest issue of [National] Geographic Magazine gave a two-page picture and there were many snaps on Channel 5 Tuesday night movie. A constant stream of Marin-ites have been going there, one still to go, but this is not news. Murder, “dope,” immortality—these things are news.
The death of relatives left me with more money than I needed and I decided to work for peace. Contact with an old friend, a retired general from Marin County, who is working on Vietnam, turned attention to Palestine. The general, of course, is not news in the county papers, but his family is still here and his mother long lived in this county!
“Dances of Universal Peace” are the inheritance, so to speak, from the late, once famous Ruth St. Denis of Hollywood. They have taken on marvelously. This results in filming by my secretary from Novato, formerly from Bolinas; and the director from Lagunitas. They are now helping me out. The director has been very successful abroad and expects to go to India soon.
My godson from Sausalito has been most successful at Geneva, You see, my secretary and I went to that city early this year and met representatives of all the religions of the world in an effort to establish peace—not-news in this land, no communists present. One man suggested we have a communist next time, then we shall be news. Why, the first man I met was the personal emissary of his Holiness Pope Paul. That is easy. Getting a publisher to accept facts—that is different. But don’t worry, Frank, I now have a publisher.
I once had to research on the history of Marin County when working for the Golden Gate Bridge. Backgrounds are fine, but they don’t make “news.” Now I expect more from abroad.
The “Underground” editor, Phillip Davenport of Larkspur, has reported successful Sufi-Israeli meetings in Jerusalem. I have two excellent rabbi contacts there but not yet here! We shall be having films, tapes, and everything, all from efforts of people of this county. I am hoping, just hoping that some newspaper will accept some real news about the successful efforts of people from this county.
A copy of this goes to Hilda Galbraith, my travel agent, and how! And to John Rockwell, my attorney although I have not needed his services much until lately. Everything is succeeding in all directions, excepting this…. It is not funny, it is ridiculous. And all I might want from you is to testify you have known me, that is all.
Best regards,
Samuel L. Lewis
September 14, 1970
410 Precita St.,
San Francisco, Calif.
Lou Welch
Sausalito, Calif.
Dear Lou:
I am writing this from San Francisco, but will mail it from Marin County, where I can find your name in a phone book, etc.
A lot has been made in life of “Angry Young Men” but this is from an “Angry Old Man.” It is not temper, so much as a sort of anger which became of literary importance. I woke up thoroughly angry about the present tendencies and this was more than confirmed by the stories in the press about the Near East and also by Timothy Leary’s escape.
Some time ago I happened upon Alan Watts and we “had a fight” and everybody will react and say…. This shows how ignorant we are, and how much we fall under the samskaras of the Hindu teaching. The difference was simple: I believe that the higher plants have higher psychedelic properties and “virtues” in that sense that alchemists used the word “virtue.” He believes, more or less, in certain specifies. I do not deny his statements.
I am engaged at the present time in a series of talks, “The Three Body Constitution of Man According to Saint Paul.” It will be accepted. This is a different person from the concept that was so popular or unpopular some time back. It has “room” and “scope” for all psychic and spiritual faculties and possibilities. It makes everything and nearly everybody “sane.”
I studied mathematical philosophy and became involved. The life can be reported briefly: all mathematicians and scientists approve, and nearly all nonscientists and non-mathematicians reject, the points of view held by this person. This does not prove “truth” but does substantiate Lord Snow. Absolutely refuse to be classified by any relations to where and how French politicians sat after their revolution. My basic philosophies are “Asian-Oriental,” not just “Oriental,” but “Oriental in a way that satisfies Asians.”
While in England, it came out that 700 times as much crime was caused by alcohol as by all “psychedelics” including heroin. The local papers themselves indicated that the proportion of crime from alcohol was so many times greater than all “drugs” as to be out of sight—excepting in the hands of the editors. Their culture is to swat flies and wink at camels. But, to find everybody sane in a fourth or multi-dimensional world, is different and it may be necessary to do a “Samuel Morse,” by pointing out the basic errors my critics and the masses of groups that agree solemnly on one principle: “Liberty, Democracy, Humanity and peasants, shut up! Or, to be more serious, recognize Hardy’s “Jude the Obscure” in many places.
One man, once, gave me four hours on the program for the Near East. Editors, religionists, anti-religionists, writers, sociologists and economists are practically unanimous in being too busy; but four hours by one man: Gunnar Jarring. I am going to New York soon and may try to re-contact him.
Now, Krishna consciousness. One begins where we left off. Just as in “The Rejected Avatar” the subtle and causal bodies are discussed, so these operate in the daily life. There is one sort of thing functionalized, but still not explicable in western terms, any western terms, especially those of Marx, Stra, Nietzsche, Lenin, and all editors and commentators: there is a stage of consciousness, which is demonstrable, which seems to bring out light and beauty in young women and also attraction which is almost miraculous. One cannot explain it, one cannot rationalize it, but one can demonstrate it. And it was especially demonstrated yesterday, as one becomes more confident.
But this is not a dualistic attraction. One attracts the girls and in so doing, attracts many men. One attracts the girls and this increases the mutual attraction between men and women, actually.
Now we are not going to philosophize. The dance group which met at San Anselmo now meets at the Sausalito Art Center and therefore near you, and on Wednesday nights. I shall be there but one more night, but if you mention your name the financial secretary, Frank Halim Welch, will gladly let you in.
But the Krishna consciousness is also universal. We have put on a series of successful Israeli-Christian-Arab joint sessions and not only in San Francisco, but in Jerusalem! Man bites dog may be news, dog bites man may be news; but kissing! I was once at the dinner where Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus embraced each other all over the place; forty newsmen there—for the free dinner. Nobody paid any attention to that! Only when they fight, it is news.
We are not only putting on these joint affairs but the result of our presence at a real, top, unreported peace conference in Geneva early this year has brought us amazing cooperation by more and more real leaders of the real world whom I can name! At Geneva, Swami Ranganathananda, the #1 Vedantist, gave this person an oration and ovation. It Can’t Happen Here! but next week we are joining the real Yogis in Golden Gate Park. Thus the Krishna-operation and all of this will be reported to and accepted by Dr. Oliver Reiser of Pittsburgh, whose Project: Prometheus and Project: Krishna are making world headway—but not with the editors, “realists,” Marxists, Freudians, existentialists and “experts.”
This is enough drivel. I am showing this to Frank so you can ooze into the Art Center.
Not much time for poetry. But the top of the Birla fancily of India was so pleased with “The Rejected Avatar” we are now working on “Shiva! Shiva!” which is concerned with many actual Yoga-systems, first of which is Kama Yoga, the spiritual aspects of sex! But it won’t be finished until I return. Work every day, drawing slowly more people, have more and more disciples, and more and more allies in the worlds of Reality but not, most certainly not, of “realism.”
Cordially,
Sam
September 21, 1970
Mrs. Della Goertz
125 Lake St.
San Francisco, Ca. 94118
My dear Della,
A few years age you were kind enough to attend my lectures on the real masters of the real Orient. These were not believed, nor were the reports of my then-living friend, Robert Clifton, about Vietnam believed. For a thing to be true, it has to come out of the mouth of some very acceptable person. This is our passing culture, and all of us are to blame, because we simply will not accept the teaching of Jesus Christ—“Whatsoever ye do to the least of these my creatures, ye do it unto me.” Nonsense. This is quite unacceptable. So we are having wars and are going to continue to have wars because those in power not only will not, but cannot accept this teaching of Jesus Christ. They actually cannot accept it, and all the crying isn’t going to stop war, until we make peace with ourselves and with our neighbors, and no nonsense.
I am sending you a copy of a letter to Florie, whom I know will be welcomed at dinners given right near your home, but you must excuse me for not inviting you, because the most acceptable persons are people of Jewish or partly-Jewish descent, who are interested in Islam.
Since writing the letter, my disciples have been on the telephone calling up the press and telling them what we are doing. The “good” people never accept anything form “the unworthy,” and believe me I am a champion among the unworthy. Only Gunner Jarring, the UN mediator, said I had the best plan he had ever heard for the Near East. This plan was utterly rejected by all the peace groups and all the good people, excepting professors at the University of California, who have done more to make this a better world than all the lectures you have ever heard, or for that matter, than I have ever heard.
We are getting the Karma of our morality, which is to accept reports only if they come from the nice people, and I certainly am not nice.
I am leaving, shortly, for New York and other places where the prevailing Judeo-Christian ethic is not so dominant and therefore some doors will be opened which may do something to promote peace and understanding among humankind.
My godson, with letters of introduction from me, has been so welcomed in foreign lands, he has been in total amazement. Well, the good people here have their ways; we are going to have war. We cannot afford to listen to little people who were accidentally there. We cannot afford not to listen to liars, cheats, and drunkards who control our press and media of exchange. But I tell you, Della, the young people have had enough of this stupid nonsense which passed for knowledge, and they are doing things about peace, I can assure you, and not even trying to convert their elders. They consider it a waste of time.
I hope someday you will realize that the purposes for which this household was established have been achieved. Not local news of course, but now, with the events of the day, some people will accept facts. God bless them.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel
September 21, 1970
Mrs. Florence A. Leonard
1725 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
My dear Florie,
I do not know how interested you are in real peace. I am presuming it here. But there is such a difference between the “peace” of the emotionalists and nice society people and left-wingers and left-lungers, and what is the ending of war, that I don’t blame you or anybody else from being skeptical.
Circumstances in my private and public lives made it possible to attend a conference of the real religions of the real world held in Geneva this year. This was no San Francisco. When the great diplomat Sir Zafrullah Khan arose to speak he was challenged from the floor—what did he have to offer beside emotion and oratory? The critics kept on asking this until he sat down, chagrined. This could never happen in nice places where the importance of personality is all that matters, and we are having more and more wars because we adhere, absolutely, to the importance of certain personalities. What happened at Geneva could never have happened in San Francisco. We don’t do things that way; not on you life. Anyhow, the first days were marked by leading Rabbis and Ministers apologizing to this unknown.
He dared to go around declaring he was an incarnation of Nathan-theWise. Evidently, the real leaders of the real religions of the real world are in agreement with the real masters, the real saints, and the real sages of the real Orient.
What happened after that was impossible in San Francisco and thoroughly contrary to the so-called “Judeo-Christian Ethic.” Love and brotherhood were practiced, not preached, definitely not preached. My secretary Mansur and I dined with representatives of every one of the religions of the world and we were the only ones so invited. God-Allah must have approved, for on the last day my brother died, leaving me with good increase in a good income.
Tomorrow I am giving the first check to a peace scholarship at the Dept. of Near East Languages, University of California.
In the meanwhile, my “Dances of Universal Peace,” inspired by the late Ruth St. Denis are drawing more and more young people, so many I am leaving this week for New York and the East coast.
Am writing you for another reason. My young followers have been very successful in promoting Arab-Christian-Israeli parties, and although we are not generally inviting older people, you are one of the few exceptions who may be distinctly interested in promoting friendships where the dominant groups see only hatred and war and encourage them.
In the meanwhile, I now have a disciple, a very wealthy publisher, who is quite willing to accept everything our “good” news media and magazines reject. Indeed, the fact that they have been rejected is, for him, a recommendation.
When I was in the Near East, one man declared I had the best plan he had ever heard of. His name was Gunnar Jarring. My plan was based on two things: A. My knowledge of the real religions of the real world, though ignored by the so-called American Academy of Asian studies and its successors. This knowledge is now respected at many top levels—elsewhere.
B. The rest of my plans are based on the actual accomplishments of professors of the University of California, who I can name, but which is of no interest to the so-called peace groups or the news-media, excepting the University of San Francisco which is a Roman Catholic institution.
I am not asking you, or anybody else, to change their attitudes toward me, but I am inviting you to meet some of the young people who are working for peace, who have the audacity to pray; who have the audacity to meditate; who have the effrontery to do all those things which prominent lecturers talk about.
This is a new age, Florie, and you may be interested in what young people are doing, in these joint meeting of young Arabs and Israelis and Christians. Love and Blessings,
Samuel
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
November 21, 1970
Dr. Framroze A. Bode
2650 Fulton St.
San Francisco, Calif. 94118
Beloved One of Allah:
As-salaam aleikhum. Praise be to Allah, who has inspired you to speak on “Sufism as a Living Spiritual Force.” It is wonderful when non-Sufis so recognize it. It is wonderful when Sufis and non-Sufis alike, rise to praise Allah, this being the heart-center of Sufism.
I am glad you recognize “Sufism … as a Living … Force.” I know of no less than five (there may be more) competing “world unions” with headquarters in India, none recognizing each other and so far none accepting the historicity of great Emperor Akbar, who was a devotee, principally, in Sufism itself.
The American public has been kept in ignorance of “Sufism as a Living Spiritual Force.” Fortunately, the universities are awakening to this very objective, elementary fact. There are even several nations in the world, the majority of whose citizens are initiates in one or another of the many Sufi Orders.
Generally, the Sufi Orders recognize each other, while the devotees of other schools do not recognize each other, although we certainly do not have any monopoly on “love” as a cosmic force or cosmic reality.
One of the great marvels in my life has been the success of “Dances of Universal Peace,” the first stage of which was inspired to the late Ruth St. Denis at Fatehpur Sikri. I, also, have danced at Fatehpur Sikri, a simple, elementary fact which the universities of this country are now accepting, but the many competing “World Unions” (there are many “world unions” in lands other than India) have ignored.
Fortunately, alhamdulillah, the Temple of Understanding and the many high-ranking members of all living world faiths connected therewith, are also accepting the facts of history and of life.
Allah Mubarak.
Faithfully, with thanks,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
December 13, 1970
General and Mrs. Lansdale
My dear friends:
This is the strangest sort of letter. I have not visited you or tried to reach you because of success. It is a very strange world in which we live, in which eyewitnesses have not counted. But, sooner or later, honesty and objectivity win.
I have felt it would be expedient, if not wise, to bend efforts toward the establishment of peace in the Near East and wait for your work on Vietnam. I have been drawing a large number of young Americans who see eye to eye on the program I have for the Holy Land. I got immediate encouragement in New York from former Ambassador Badeau, and the nearer we got to the UN, the more people and the more movements we found working in the same general direction. I am totally opposed to any operative motive that any peoples are the chosen ones of God. I find more and more so-called peace groups, based largely on self-leadership and ignoring of their rivals. Seldom endowed with any knowledge of history or feeling for humanity. Anyhow, we received such favorable response in the New York and Boston areas, I have had to send other representatives to carry on my work because I am very, very busy here.
Next Sunday, December 20, we are putting on a Bazaar in Sausalito, partly to promote our program toward peace in the Near East and partly to raise funds to help the poor people of East Pakistan. It is really marvelous—and I don’t care how sarcastic I become—how most of the proclaimers of peace and compassion fade out when it comes to actually helping actual sufferers. I am not an authority because I have lived in both East and West Pakistan. But now the Universities are catching up, especially Columbia and California. Why, even the newspapers are giving us favorable publicity.
Barred from some of our Universities for years by that strange American institution, the European professor of Oriental Philosophies, I am now getting in, because one of the bases for my programs is the awareness of the achievements of Americans, especially those connected with the various campuses of the University of California. I told my audiences there are two things on which I am an idiot: dialectics and sociology.
One of the most dramatic days of my life was the day on which the first campus revolt took place at Berkeley. I was there because I had gone to a lecture on “Tropical Ecology”. The audience was huge and the professors, all scientists, or what I call scientific scientists were unprepared for such numbers. There were about 300 people there and even the administration knew nothing about it. But about 400 people, and nobody knows how many of them were students, produced “world news.” That is our passing culture, and I am totally in revolt against it. The press from one wing to another looks for excitement not achievement; and I am concerned with achievement.
Fortunately, an editor-publisher has discovered me, and he wants all my things. Before going east, I had completed my manuscript on “The Three Bodies of Man According to St. Paul.” I am not expecting religionists to accept their scriptures and I do not know which religionists abrogate their scriptures the most. My sermon for Christmas Eve is “The Sermon on the Mount.” But Jesus was not a namby-pamby, not a watered down Galahad, and to me, absolutely fearless, wise, and loving.
“The Dances of Universal Peace” which come from and through me are the heritage of the late Ruth St. Denis. I now have six classes a week for dancing alone, and the newspapers are beginning to accept some hard, but simple, facts. As said above, I am neither a sociologist or a dialectician, but there are ways to the hearts of human beings which the good people who follow these assumptions can never understand. The young are flocking to teachers, real, pretending, or fantastic, from the Orient. And they will continue to grow in their influences until we get down to honesty. One often thinks Nader is right.
I shall be very much interested in learning about the progress of your efforts. Lately I have become very optimistic about the future of this country. I find most of the students at the Universities of excellent caliber, and see a great future. But the vast majority of them are never noticed by the gentleman of the press or the excitement-mongers of the day. My general program of “Peace without Drugs,” which was laughed at at the psychedelic conference, is now making tremendous headway and more and more young people are responding to my efforts. But I am not trying to reach individual fame; I am trying to promote honesty and objectivity. I believe if Christ were on earth he would be doing the same.
Season’s Greetings,
Samuel L. Lewis