Vera van Voris
September 17, 1968
Beloved One of God:
One hopes this finds you well. One is not trying to follow each one, for it is in God we live and more and have our being, actually and not ideally.
Unless the Lord buildeth the house, they labour in vain who build.
It is well over forty years since the transmissions were given to Sam by Hazrat Inayat Khan. Nearly all attempts to get these accepted were rejected—ego and power simply do not condescend. Occasionally one has been successful in getting somebody to read Humperdinck’s “The Goose Girl” but it is practically impossible to find theologians and metaphysicians who accept what Christ said, ‘”Whatsoever ye do to the least of these, my creatures, ye do it unto Me.” Theologians and metaphysicians simply do not accept that. God is only, so to speak, in the favored, their selections. And although in a humorous mood one says, “The money of all men was created free and equal,” it is not always do.
It is very evident a New Age has arrived. Gavin Arthur and Dane Rudhyar recently debated on this. The crowd was nearly all young, an excellent debate between an excellent audience. And at last Dane Rudhyar has consented that Sam belongs to the human race. If he could get into that attitude with the audience it would have been wonderful, but he belongs to a class of the “elite” who are always above, and have “humility” which is 90% condescension. Nevertheless he is improving and I hope some of his colleagues will improve and recognize the New Age people; there are lots of them.
In the “Six Interviews with Hazrat Inayat Khan” Sam was told how to raise money for a temple. His report was rejected. This is pretty generally true among those who verbally say they believe in the brotherhood of man . He had to snatch the debacle of the Roerich Museum and a lot of lesser efforts of the same kind, including several in which the aforesaid Dane Rudhyar and others were included. They always fail. Self-same is not the way to raise funds.
A number of years ago Sam joined a group of Chinese Buddhists who “do not believe in God.” But they do believe in humanity, kindness, generosity, consideration and all those assumed virtues of metaphysical and religious people. They were using exactly the methods that Hazrat Inayat Khan taught Sam. They started with a debt of $10,000 and an empty lot. They now have a beautiful $400,000 structure, but try to tell metaphysical and religious people how it was done—you get snubbed.
Now many things go on at once. Raised from a sick-bed last year God Who does exist despite our metaphysical friends, told Sam: “I make you spiritual leader of the Hippies.” Sam now has an immediate following of about 60 initiated disciples, at least half of whom are loving and lovely, the handsomest young men and women you can meet, many most devoted and all being gradually or suddenly taken from drugs. It is a New Age.
Sam had six disciples and wanted 30. He obtained the 30 and then Vilayat Khan arrived. He telephoned Sam, thereby leaving the ranks of the “humble,” He came into this house and found 60 people crowded—no advertising. Join or fight. One look and it was over and Vilayat took the horizontal line of the Gross and traveled around the world, and Sam the vertical line and traveled up and down the planes of consciousness. God said the number of disciples would double, which has taken place and the total following would be about a hundred which has taken place.
While older people pooh-poohed, at least Gavin Arthur and Gina Cerminara investigated. They were curious and now they are happy. Things went bang-bang and Paul Reps came to an overflowing meeting and suggested a school uniting all the mystics and Vilayat dedicated that at Novato and “then the fun began.”
The Gita teaches that if you have Sri Krishna on your side you will win the Kurukshetras. Sam has a friend named Oliver Reiser who has been disseminating the teachings of integration from Western stand points and Sam has been studying Sri Aurobindo who has made a synthesis of Vedic and Yoga teachings based on his own mergence in Sri Krishna. His followers, of course, don’t merge but at least they accept the possibilities. Now they are endeavoring to herald in a New Age and might seek recognition of the whole world. Unfortunately while seeking recognition they do not yet recognize and are striving for a New Civilization without God or assuming God is on their side.
We are trying to help them. Sam’s earlier efforts in studying active social reform movements have been recognized, many years late no doubt, by the universities. The man leading in this is one who has lived among Sufis, which do exist but Sam has an awful time with metaphysical people to accept this. The President of India is a disciple of Sufism and this is ignored and is causing some strange complications. There are far more Sufis than Yogis, Christian mystics and Zen Buddhists combined but it is most difficult to get this accepted outside the universities. But Sam has now the direct recognition of Prof. Huston Smith of M.I.T. and indirect recognition of Cantwell Smith of Harvard.
Sam placed the situation of the followers of Sri Aurobindo before certain rather wealthy Americans here who are interested in establishing commutes. Unlike the Sri Aurobindo people they have the funds; unlike the promoters they believe in the spiritual life and have land. Only they have no organization and plans. So after some time two disciples of Sam are leaving for India and they may be followed by non-disciples who wish to bring East and West together on a brotherhood basis without artificial self-appointed Big brothers—it is not easy.
In the meanwhile with the failure of Sam getting certain forms accepted in India, very necessary according to law, and the anarchy descending on the California communes, some of the disciples got together and decided to have a Khankah, lowering our overhead upkeep. We held a preliminary meeting and decided to meet again in two days to see how funds could be raised.
We did not meet again. Within the allotted time we were oversubscribed without Murshid. Sam putting up one cent! Not only that but we received money for a print-shop! And then more things followed. All of this had been seen in Vision. Intuition is superior to Logic and Vision to Intuition and this demonstrates: unless the Lord buildeth the house, they labour in vain who build. We were not thinking of ourselves, but those groups who think of themselves and do not have the communal heart-sharing always fail.
Sufism is based on Love and nothing but Love. But Sam also has the Yoga of Swami Ramdas, based on Love and nothing but Love. It is life-giving. It is demonstrable. Yesterday Sam met an Indian philosopher. We agreed immediately but the man said he was forty years of age and Sam said, “I have been forty for forty years!” To the metaphysician this is egocentricity, but to one’s oldest friends who have known for more than that time it is as true as it is astonishing.
It is not only true, it is communicable only here we do not try to make people “immortal,” we work on the paths of perfection with spiritual means and they must be succeeding for more and more come all the time. We need a Khankah, and God-Allah has given it to us. It is not in Fairfax, it is in Marin County and in a district where the families of many who used to live in Fairfax are. Sam is going home, God-willing.
For three years Sam had a single disciple. When the work began to grow he disappeared. Now he has returned and this is taken as a sign.
In the meanwhile we have also started spiritual dancing. The Central Core is “Dance of Universal Peace” based on rituals of the four great Faiths accepted by Gandhi. But it has many offshoots. The first is Astrological-Occult walking and breathing. This is communicable and in the New Age it is no longer esoteric. It will be presented soon in the Hippie Section and we will walk in Golden Gate Park.
The next is the Mystical Walk based on knowledge of the Elements. This is more difficult and may be restricted to disciples.
The next is Dervish Dancing. This is the synthesis of living Dervish dancing of many schools. People know only the Mevlevi method. Vilayat talked and said it had “rotation of the spheres.” This is being taught here—no “occult experts” being around. It is very real.
But the highest phase is the Spiritual Dancing based on the names of God and it has brought more Joy than any of the methods used so far, tremendous response and it is difficult also for the teacher because if he goes “high” there is no control.
All of this comes out of the conversation with Ruth St. Denis. “Mother I am going to revolutionize the world.” “How are you going to do it:” “I am going to teach little children how to walk.” She rise suddenly, stood in full majesty and said, You have it ! you have it ! you have it ! But although Mother Ruth St. Denis imparted to Sam how to get dances out of the akasha he has given up trying to present this to older people and the young are absorbing at a tremendous raise. Or as they told Sam, “They are not Sri Aurobindo’s people; we are Sri Aurobindo’s people.”
The question is how Love and Wisdom can be communicated which are from God. Sunday Sam presented “The Reality of Srimatri Sarasvati” and next Sunday will be on “Cosmic Metaphysics.” “In my Father’s house are many abodes, therefore I go to prepare a place for you.” Not studying Hebrew the whole Christian religion has failed here, mistranslating. (Our work in Christian mysticism will be resumed shortly.)
Now the disciples hope to go to Darjeeling where the religious and spiritual leaders of the world are to meet. It is probable some wealthy people will join them, Inshallah.
One of the first things we shall do, watching the undevelopments of Auroville near Pondicherry and the spiritual efforts here will be to get our Symbolism right. We shall use the Sufi Symbol. The Auroville people have mixed the wonderful symbol of Sri Aurobindo with others which do not belong. And this year, in my final semester at the University Sam will take a course on Egyptian symbology. Everything seems in place. Everything predicted by the wise and holy men—lots of them—is coming true now, praise to God.
We still have open house on Sundays and Thursdays although you would be welcome any time excepting when one is out of town. Unless the Lord buildeth the house they labour in vain who build. We are going to demonstrate now for others to follow and we are going seeking external help, only we wish Sri Krishna.
Love and blessings,
Sam
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
May 25, 1969
Beloved One of God:
No doubt the school term is nearing an end. The invitation for you to visit the Khankah is always open but things are happening. What is written in the heavens is bound to happen on earth and the opinions of mankind do not affect the holy inspirations. It is a new day and one faces it half in grandeur and wonder and half knowing that privacy may disappear forever.
The May festival brought 150 people with more dances coming a la Ruth St. Denis. Older people will disdain and younger people will welcome, but any oldest end best friends visiting the two homes said, “Sam, you have proven everything you have ever written.” And one wonders because even Fritzi Armstrong has wished to see me, but not a chance.
Indeed for ever single week this year the total of audiences has increased. While with the closing of schools after summer there may be a let-down we shall soon have Sunday night picnics with dances in Novato and this should draw ample audiences.
The Oracle came out. One does not know what the sales will be but for practical purposes this person is The Oracle. Articles by Paul Reps, Shamcher Beorse, two by my esoteric secretary, Mansur Johnson; one by this person, another about this person and a huge cartoon jibing at what “we” are doing. This by the Begum, Fatima Jablonski.
Last week Fatima’s birthday and eighteen of us at The Khyber Pass in Oakland, perhaps the best party of my whole life. Murshid with 17 ersatz grandchildren. The mutual love is tremendous. We have a big family, none of this factionalisms that beset most. It is hard to realize even when one is in the midst of it. Vilayat at comes soon and some of us may have to visit Hollywood for the legalization of the Sufi Orde., Mrs. Duce made it “Sufism Re-Oriented” but there are still family disputes in Europe, the nature of which is unknown to me.
Everything is changing on the campuses. One get’s “A’s” without having to do term papers. One is gaining more and more friends especially at UC, Berkeley and San Francisco State.
Now I have matters with my two God-daughters. Nancy returned from New York and has to find a new home, preferably in Marin country. Saadia Khawar Khan won another scholarship and may go to Santa Barbara soon Inshallah. David, who lives with me, may have to visit that campus where I also have friends.
Vilayat wants me to go to Hollywood soon to join there, and then Mansur is going to lead an entourage to join him in Colorado for a Summer Camp for the young. I am glad age excludes me because there are too many interviews, and far too much writing.
Daniel, my other chief secretary, has been successful in every direction. Behind these “Hippies” are pearls and diamonds, amethysts and rubies.
We now have the materiel for ceramics—kiln and wheels and are preparing some for costume design too. This is a very big story and Khawar herself has degrees in clothing, fabrics, design etc.
There are also new publications of the young and they are seeking interviews and articles, the late President Zukair Hussein of India belongs to the same Sufi Orders as this person did. There are some unwholesome dramas here because all the “experts” reject this person and in turn the universities are now rejecting all the “experts.” Every one of them. There is a new type of instructor today in Oriental philosophy and I am being welcomed at the University, also New Mexico, Oregon, and if I wish it, Washington.
But Vilayat who formerly wished me to remain here—and this was the best for me anyhow—now wishes me to expand.
On July 15 or thereabouts we shall have a Children’s Party at Novato, with full playground equipment but before that may have some parties for Vilayat. We have completed the “Whirling of the Spheres” in Dervish dancing and have gone far beyond that, we are now doing spiritual chanting. Even the Haight-Ashbury Invasion has been successful. It is a New Age, it is all different in every direction excepting hard, hard work, but the fruits are becoming evident, praise to God.
Love and Blessings,
Sam