The Garden of Inayat
910 Railroad Ave.,
Novato, Calif. 94947
May 30, 1969
Sri Premanand Trikkannad
1850 No. Cheroke Ave.
Hollywood 28, Calif.
Dear Ram:
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.
It was with great joy Sam received a letter from his other self known as Satchidananda. We are so happy to have a grandson of our Beloved Papa here in California.
We are essentially a group of Sufis and we study Sufism. But what is Sufism? It is the conscious recognition that God is Love and as God is Love, what is needed is this conscious recognition.
Two years ago Sam was on his back in a hospital. He had never really been sick in this whole life which is not a short one and God (Ram) appeared and said, “I make you Spiritual Director of the Hippies.” Living in California you must know something about the Hippies but Sam believes many of them are reincarnated Indians.
For instance we once had a protest meeting and a communist spoke on social philosophies and only five or six applauded. Then Alan Ginsburg started chanting Hari Krishna and the whole audience joined it. Four hundred people, not all students, at the Universal of California became the center of world news, and three thousand students on the campus itself chanted Hari Krishna and it was not news at all. And many, many more chant today. In fact Sam has a dance based on it.
There is a saying of my first Sufi teacher, “Heart Calls to Heart and Soul to Soul.” A few weeks ago we had a Maypole here. We put in a Maypole and also celebrated a Buddhist Wesak and had 150 adults and some children. This The Garden of Inayat has ample room and we are next putting in a children’s playground.
There is a question how to let the children join in with dancing and singing and as Sam has reached a state where Ram is real he is always listening. “And we put on a “Follow my leader” dance. “Follow my leader” is an old European-American game but it is not too different in principle from some Indian customs. All the children joined and now Sam is facing a strange situation, that after dancing and singing RamNam they want to become disciples. He has had no provision for this but “Heart calls to heart’ and soul to soul. So without any effort we do the RamNam along with the Sufi Zikr and many spiritual dances, all in the Name of God.
This week we have put papa’s works in the library of the University of California. We may want more for this is the library of South Asian Studies. The big library is also directed by Leila Chandra whose ancestors came from Delhi. We are having no trouble excepting there are too few of us and too much to do and there are more seekers and few able to attend to their basis spiritual needed.
Some of us must visit Hollywood soon—the actual day and hour is not fixed but it will be toward the middle of June. May we visit you? The hotel where Sam has been stopping is almost within walking distance. This person knows central Hollywood very well indeed.
We are using music and dancing for spiritual attainment. There is now a great revival of interest in Miss Ruth St. Denis who was my spiritual God-mother. She was hostess to Hazrat Inayat Khan a long time ago, in 1911-12 they toured this land with the theme, “Yoga Dances.” We are now bringing the young people nearer to God by singing and dancing. It is very difficult; it is difficult because this person has not only to be Guru-Murshid and Master of Ceremonies, but when the chanting comes he enters the state of spiritual ecstasy and has to depend on Divine Guidance.
When one returned in 1962 everything was gloomy and one had to face every kind of obstacle. It was only by Divine Grace, when one was hopeless on a hospital bed and received the Sign and now the young come and more and more every week—still not too many but as many as one can assimilate for there is no such thing as an “audience,” there is a collectivity of Souls, every one of whom is a Ram, or a Sita, or a Sita Ram.
With all love and blessings and hoping to be able to call on you soon,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
1850 N.Cherokee Ave
Hollywood, Calif. 90028
June 12, 1969
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
Beloved Friend:
Pranams. I was extremely happy to receive and read your interesting epistle of 30th May and regret I could not reply earlier.
Before I proceed further, I also want to thank you for the beautiful book the Rejected Avatar. Again, before I further proceed, I have a problem and wish to have your help. Two days back while I was mailing our office letters, accidentally I dropped in the mail box the envelope that carried the booklet Rejected Avatar. The envelope contained many of my personal papers, including some prayer sheets belonging to the Anandashram of La Crescenta, here and also a copy of The Vision that I had received from our Ashram in India. The envelope has of course my address upon it and has its return address as that of Prophecy Press works. I tried my best to get the envelope but could not succeed. The post office authorities said it would come to me since it had my address but thus far it has not and I cannot afford to lose the prayers sheets that are the only copies belonging to the Ashram.
I am sending a copy of this letter—this first page—to Prophecy Press works to mail back the envelope in case it returns to them. However if you are in direct touch with the Press works, I request you to kindly do me the favour of instructing them to safely mail me the envelope. Thank you very much, Brother.
I shall now start writing in detail about us in next page. Of course I am very sorry for starting our acquaintance with giving you trouble.
I am grateful to Revered Swami Satchidanandji for having sent you our address. We are of course eager to meet all our Ashram friends. It’s the supreme Grace of the Divine Master, our Most Revered Papa that I and my wife are blest in being in touch with all of His devotees this side of the world. Here in Los Angeles, too, we have some dear friends who are wonderful in their deep faith and devotion. You must have of course heard of Anandashram at La Crescenta where the gracious Mother Gayatri Devi showers love and grace on all alike.
I was interested to read about your activities there. You might be surprised to know, but I have met you in Pujya Papa’s Ashram in India. In fact I used to live there when you visited the Ashram. Remember when Papa used to have his noon nap, you expressed the wish to remain seated in the room while as normal all would leave the room. Indeed, Papa was most wonderful in every respect and I have been most blest in having come to His feet—the blessings of which are powerful enough to sustain one through millions of rebirths or lives—though Papa has declared that “He who has seen Ramdas has no rebirth” but at the same time as He put it, “For the fun of it,” it indeed is a privilege to come in human body and enjoy the Leela of the Lord, to bask in the radiance of the grace that His saints pour.
I do hope you will give us the pleasure of your company whenever you are in Los Angeles, Our Telephone Number at home is 469-3207.
I felt great joy and pride to note that you are promoting the works of Beloved Papa through University of California. People follow all kinds of difficult yogas and paths but the straight and simple one of chanting the RamNam. There’s a group here, followers of Krishna Consciousness that sing and Dance the Lord’s Name on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard.
I shall close now and hope that you will be in touch. I have to request once again about the mis-mailed envelope which I hope will come back.
With kindest love and Pranams to Self from Sheela and Prem,
Ever yours,
Premanand
Garden of Inayat
Novato, Calif. 94947
June 20, 1969
Premanand Trikannad
1850 N. Cherokee Ave.
Hollywood, Calif. 90028
Dear Ram,
Returning home we found your letter and also the sheet for Prophecy Press works. The Prophecy Press works is now located on this grounds; the manager, Mr. Hasan Herz, is now away at work, and will be shown the sheet when he returns.
Allow us now to express our joy and gratitude for your loving hospitality. By “your” I mean all of you. Speaking for myself it was like coming into a home, only with the most loving atmosphere. And I only can repeat what was said before, the trip was astounding rather than good. It seems that Papa’s teachings manifest everywhere.
We have made some conclusions such as more visits. There is now a large and growing following here. Not only does Zaynab wish to visit you, but her private affairs warrant periodic trips to Southern California. Besides—and it is indeed marvelous—she has had a grand spiritual background. It is only that there has been some confusion between drug taking and mystical experience. This confusion is quite prevalent in our present culture, and our work is to show the humankind that mystical and love experiences far transcend any change of consciousness due to artificial means.
On our return to Marin County we had a large meeting on Wednesday night. At the present time my policy is to restrict Sufi instructions to adults, but the RamNam to everybody. Thus the children have been drawn in and this may become most important because, alas, these children have often been seduced by psychedelic drugs. One can see the changes in the audience as they chant the RamNam.
Moineddin has also began chanting the RamNam in his classes exactly or as near exactly as you do, and is done in Anandashram.
We are also planning to send Fatima, Moineddin’s wife, to La Crescenta when Mataji returns if not before. Besides there are some business matters, so to speak, which will warrant more social as well as spiritual contacts.
With all love, blessing and thanks,
Sam
P.S. When I return to San Francisco I shall no doubt write to Anandashram, Kanhangad and will send you a copy.
1850 N. Cherokee Ave
Hollywood, Cal. 90028
July 6, 1969
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram jai Jai Ram
Beloved Friend,
The thanks is not due to us but we extend our heartfelt thanks to both, your noble self and Murshid who blest this home with your visit and stay.
It was most thrilling to read that you have introduced the chanting of RamNam—the Holy Name that is beyond the barriers of all religions. It is a most auspicious hour of morn that you have chosen to vibrate the atmosphere with the power of the Name—the hour when perhaps all minds are fresh from peaceful night’s rest and thus easily accessible to grasp the fullness of the name before they delve deep into the hum-drum of every-day life.
We look forward to the visit of your noble partner Fatimaji.
Revered Shri Swami Chidanandji Maharaj of Rishikesh is presently in San Francisco. He is available on phone:386-1990. Do try to meet him whenever convenient or possible. He is a wonderful personality.
We enjoyed a nice weekend at the University Campus of Santa Cruz where we have a good friend of ours. Due to the summer vacation most of the students were away it was a sort of solitude.
We are continuing in the way of life as God has chosen for us and are immensely happy and at peace. We trust its same with you all there. Please convey our “Namaste” to all brothers & sisters of your group.
With our kindest regards and love,
Ever yours,
Premanand
1850 N. Cherokee Ave
Hollywood, Cal. 90028
July 6, 1969
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram jai Jai Ram
Beloved Friend,
Pranams from self and Sheela. It was our great delight to receive your very kind letter of 20th June. I am sorry for the delay in replying the same—we had been busy and also out of Los Angeles during the weekend—we returned only this morning.
I have since received the envelope containing some personal papers which I had by oversight dropped in the box.
It was indeed joy for Sheela and me to have had the joy and privilege of enjoying your company and that of Shri Moineddin. Do please always call on us whenever you and or any of your company visits Los Angeles.
I have also received a beautiful letter from Shri Moineddin to which I am replying today.
Revered Shri Swami Chidanandji Maharaj is now in San Francisco. He would be there till the 18th of this month and I am sure you and your friends would love to meet him a he is such a wonderful person. We most anxiously anticipate his divine presence in this house during his visit to LA on 19th July onwards. You may contact him at the following telephone number 386-1990, at San Francisco.
We are receiving Pujya Mataji Krishnabai’s letters once a month. It is our greatest blessing to have come in Their Holy contact, thus to bathe in the eternal spring of purest joy, and peace. Oh! their very remembrance opens the flood gates to boundless joy. I do remember your visit to our ashram and how Beloved Papa enjoyed your love for the children there and they would gather around you, dancing and playing and no language was a barrier. It gave me immense delight to hear from you that you often send remittances to our Ashram. Every such great institution in India have their representative-institutions here in America except that of ours which has its center and all branches within its four walls in the Anandashram in India - thus it never expects nor anticipates to raise funds through any of branches or sources or representatives—such is its complete surrender and dependence upon the Divine Will and Providence. It is our most ardent yearning that God willing we shall be blest to be in position whereby we may send regular contributions to the Ashram that serves the most needy in a most unassuming manner—in Mother Krishnabai’s own sweet way “Let not your left hand know that your right hand gives.” Indeed, Brother I am glad to have known you are doing so much for the ashram and we hope we all shall keep up this great and noble service. I always feel a contribution to the ashram serves the multitude because Ashram serves the needy to its last penny.
So the Word is awakening: All Glory to Supreme Ram and to His devotees who spread His name. I was thrilled to read in your epistle as also that of Shri Moineddin that he is awakening RamNam in the hearts of the young souls at that auspicious hours of early morn.
We shall be only too happy whenever Shrimati Fatima visits LA and gives us too the joy of her company.
I hope you will continue giving us the joy of your letters.
His Grace all is going well. With our loving Namaskars to Self, Shri Moineddin, Fatima and all the noble members of your group.
Ever yours humbly,
Premanand
July 12, 1969
Premanand Trikanand
1820 No. Chrrokee Ave.,
Hollywood, Calif. 90028
Dear Ram:
Om! Sri Ram! Jai Ram! Jai Jai Ram!
This morning Sam awoke with the words: Prajna, Prema, Purna! This came after hearing and Chidanandaji Maharaj. We thank you and Sheela for your fine letter and immediately telephoned. There is such a difference between the deva-souls in young bodies and the manushas who only too often are caught in the samsara of wealth, fame and loneliness.
After returning we heard as so-called “Sufi” and colleagues and during the question period one of the least of the disciples asked, “I thought Sufism was the religion of Love.” “That question is better than all our speeches” came the honest answer. But then there are some who have to make speeches and it becomes ridiculous when these speeches are called “Yoga,” and the young people know that. They want God and these elders want leadership and the God-worshippers join each other and the leadership-wallahs are each in his own private compartment.
Now Swamiji game a perfect speech explaining real Yoga. The soul longs for God because Atman is Brahman. Much of the talk—and it was very long—was a criticism of manas and ahankara, this is exactly the Gita teaching and is exactly not what is being only too often given to the American people as “Yoga”-complex, subjective philosophies. The young are not going for that any more.
When Swamiji entered the lecture hall a number of us rose and greeted his with RamNam. This set the pace. It made him feel very happy; there were a lot of young people reciting RamNam with love and joy.
Yesterday morning Sam wrote up the RamNam and Ram-Sita dances which the Dervish dances are now destined to go all over the world. This is very different from the lecture-wallahs. They must lead, and we must unite and we do unite. We had not only Christian, Jews, Muslims and Hindus uniting but even Israelis from Palestine! One of them wore a Sari!
Everything is different today.
Sam
December 20, 1969
Beloved Premanand and Sheela:
Om! Sri Ram! Jai Ram! Jai! Jai! Ram!
Thank you for your Christmas greeting. One is too busy here to send out cards. It is evident that the universe has some pressing duties for one to fulfill and in a sense, all of these “commissions” so to speak, are in the name of Divine Love and Understanding.
One has a larger following and with them more problems—also more blessings. For while the world brings problems from within it brings more blessings from within.
Our work in the fields of music, chanting and dancing increases, and the quantity of disciples is well balanced by the quality. Intellectualism yes, but it is always second to love and devotion.
One of the disciples wishes to take up professionally the selling of Papa’s books. And going over the work of all the holy men (and those not so holy) from India, one finds that Papa alone seems to have been immersed in the Divine Consciousness. And this consciousness is not apart from anything. It includes all things and all people.
A crowded schedule does not permit bur visiting Hollywood until sometime in January.
Love and blessings,
Sam
Feb. 20, 1970
Premanand Trikannad
1850 North Cherokee Ave.
Hollywood, Calif. 90028
Dear Ram:
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram!
Secretary Mansur and Sam will be leaving here sometime next week for a very quick trip to Los Angeles and Hollywood. At this writing it is difficult to give details for the time will be determined by events which have not yet transpired.
There are two opposite factors for this sudden journey. One is that Sam has hardly has an hour off much less a half-day, much less a day off, this year, and there are no signs for any spare time unless by such a radical geographical move. So we are going to take this radical geographical move.
However there is no tragedy in it at all. The number of disciples are constantly increasing. When the American Dr. Richard Alpert, now known as Baba Ram Dass, was here, thousands of young people chanted the RamNam. Yes, other Indian sacred phrases were used but not so many, and not so emphasized. Sam has been saying that many young Americans of this area are re-incarnated Hindus. He not only has no reason to change this opinion, but there is a constant growing number of young people who seek information about mantrams. There are even many young Americans who have become what we might say, fanatical, although such fanaticism can hardly produce any ill in the world.
After Sam and Mansur return here they plan to go to Geneva, Switzerland to attend a conference of the world’s great faiths. It is under the auspices of The Temple of Understanding whose headquarters are in the District of Columbia. There seems to be little question that the young people in ever-growing masses are seeking God, brotherhood, and universality, and shun those persons who seek to divide them into rival camps. This may be the whole toner of the day; of the age.
We now also have a very large number of dances, all based on repeating the Names of God, and they are beginning to attract public attention. To us there is no question that much of the present so-called depression is based on the fact that the young people simply will not eat the foods, buy the clothes, or behave as their elders have. As we are connected more or less with a chain of health food stores, there is growing prosperity among us.
Love and Blessings to Sheila and yourself, and assuring you will be getting a telephone call Monday night or later.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis