410 Precita Ave.
Jan. 28, 1969
Mrs. Fritzy Armstrong
Metaphysical Town Hall 435 Powell St.
San Francisco, Ca.
Dear Mrs. Armstrong,
I am writing to you in behalf my Murshid Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti better known perhaps as S.A.M. For your information, Murshid is now the local head of a large growing real brotherhood chiefly of young people of the New Age. He is of course willing and more than willing to speak before and group of people of any age provided he is recognized in some respects as a spiritual teacher. This is certainly true in the Orient but has not been true here.
It must be understood that spiritual teachers are not permitted to enter directly into commercial transactions. Any direct negotiations by himself would simply mean be is not recognized as a spiritual teacher and this would defeat the very purport of his life�s mission. We greatly appreciate your kind offer and are quite willing to respond to it. But it is impossible for a very busy spiritual teacher to devote any of his time to business matters. No doubt there is a growing interest in America in the real teachings of the real Orient. No doubt much is to be gained by valid study and presentation of these very real teachings. The one thing not available is time nor is any business operated on the basis that if the executive does not enter into a negotiation there is no such negotiation.
At the present time there is no need for halls or audiences owing to a full program. We will under no circumstances repeat what happened in San Francisco when Murshid presented a subject while the renter of the hall took in all the proceeds. While you are not involved in this we simply cannot afford to let it happen again. There is a great gap between Oriental philosophy of Asia and what passes for Oriental philosophy in this part of the world. We do not hold that it is necessary for the West to study Oriental philosophy. Even now Murshid is lecturing to a very large audience on Christian Mysticism. This audience consists entirely of young people who want to learn, not of senior people who wish to see their views confirmed. The great difference between the young and the old is that the young wish certain experiences and their seniors wish only words about these experiences.
Sufis at the present time are now presenting to the world directly a number of teachings, methods, and practices hitherto regarded as esoteric (restricted) and occult. We have no intention of hiding these from anybody or arguing about their validity. We shall be glad to cooperate if a mutually acceptable basis can be provided.
Very truly yours,
Melvin Meyer
Secretary, Sufi Movement Northern California
April 6, 1970
Dear Murshid:
This is to let you know what has been done here with regard to questions pertaining to the trust, etc.:
Daniel spoke to Mr. Garner and was informed that there is nothing pressing with regard to the trust. That they are aware you are out of the country, and that when you return in the normal course of affairs will be ample time to discuss the new situation. In the meanwhile things will continue as before.
I called Mr. Lachelt and informed him of Elliot�s death and asked him to take up the matter of the trust with Mr. Garner which he was quite willing to do. Naturally he intends to push for your getting the total amount you and Elliot were getting separately before, as opposed to merely getting the income from the principal. I told him we expected you back about the 24th or 25th and he said he thought that would be ample time, and that nothing malefic would happen to your financial affairs here in the interim. As regards Elliot�s personal estate, Mr. Lachelt could not tell me anything about it nor could Mr. Garner. Though Mr. Lachelt suggested that he didn�t anticipate anything about it could necessitate your cutting your trip short on that account. Naturally, I will continue to investigate this matter and will let you know when I learn something.
Elliot had requested a closed funeral which will take place. Mary Lou�s mother is trying to come from Houston, but with the uncertainty due to waiting for an autopsy and the airline strike no date has yet been set. No one expects you to be there. Mary Lou is handling matters here smoothly. I have spoken to her several times, and of course she is aware of your situation.
I spoke to Mr. White at the Metaphysical Book Store and they are setting up a date in May for your report.
Joe Miller was quite elated with the news about �The Diamond Sutra� transmission. He said to tell you, �Mila says, thanks Marp, thanks a million.�
Swami Swahananda has been notified of the �summit� meeting. And I told him you would undoubtedly want to speak with him about the conference and future plans upon your return.
Otherwise, all here is also going well. We are accepting the events in this world, here and abroad, as Allah�s Will and drama.
Love,
Wali Ali
April 7, 1970
Dear Wali Ali:
You will find copy of letter to Dr. Syed Hussein which you will please copy, several copies. Hold them for at the moment I do not know their disposition excepting one to Dr. Needleman. You may phone him also and report anything you like from what has come to our attention.
We shall go either to Gandalf�s Garden this morning or to the Royal Asiatic Society and then British Museum. We shall also inquire about a Pakistani restaurant, but of course, anything can happen.
It should take some time for the immediate past events to sink in. We visited the Buddhist Society and gave them copy of the Sutra book by Evans-Wentz and Joe Miller and this is also in our immediate programming. Please tell Joe and Ted Reich.
Initiated Mansur in a British breakfast this morning. God Save the Queen plus prunes and kippers. And relay good coffee!
Of course there is much more but we have work to do.
Love,
P.S. You should see Mansur�s autograph album.
St. Ermins Hotel
Caxton Street, London, S.W.1
telephone: 01-222 7888
night April 8, 1970
Beloved Ones of God:
This confines the telephone call. We had a wire from Wali Ali asking permission for an autopsy. Apparently this has been done. As my cousin, Mary Lou Foster, did not give permission, and as it was done perhaps before you had any news from me, this must mean that the expense belongs to the hospital. I do not know who was my brother�s last attorney, nor what general provisions he had in his will, if he did have a will�that is one remaining in force.
There is no question that Mary Lou has had to bear a lot of burdens. It is impossible to help much from afar.
We are staying at St. Ermins Hotel as marked above, and the telephone is also there. Our room number is 422. Today we booked to return on the morning of the 16th, which is Thursday week. We shall next look up American Airlines, concerning the possibility of flying first to Boston and then to San Francisco. This may mean our stay in Boston is cut short.
Tomorrow we have appoints at the Royal Asiatic Society and then Gandalf�s Garden. We have written to the Rev. Eugene Wagner about having met Jack Austin.
The weather has been cool here with slight tinges of rain and snow, cool but not cold. We visited the Mosque today, whose imam is also a Sufi.
Last night we not a Russian orthodox metropolitan at the World Congress of Faiths.
Have purchased two books on Great Russell Street and may show them later to Ruth Cook. If possible please phone her (Fields). Am writing Bill Hataway next.
Love to you all.
Murshid
Hotel Intercontinental�Gen�ve
April 12, 1970
Dear Wali Ali,
It is Sunday. It is dreary. It rains some times. It changes weather all the times. We have written Gavin, copy enclosed. We have written to Pakistan, copy to Saadia. No diary entry today.
Papers keep writing that the young want mini-skirts, and it is they who get around in the very long skirts, coats, overcoats, everything. In the house it might be different. Everybody speaks about the young. The young do not speak.
Murshid finds the New Age young normal. He does not find others very normal. Unhappiness and drawn faces and separatisms. Both sides won the election. Labour gained but not enough, or enough, according to one�s interpretations.
Nixon is soon going to find manhood�not in the superficial way he has presumed. It is not only �Portia� that faces life. America is not too popular with its billions for wars and the moon. But you probably know much more on the local scene.
My friends, Jack Austin comes this p.m. to take us to various Buddhist centers. If we lunch we may try to find a Chinese or Indian restaurant. There are plenty but not too near here. It would even pay to taxi.
It is very hard to decide between hurrying home and seizing opportunities. I think it best to settle the Lama dates first and then either fill in or follow up. First few days will be either in the office or just �celebration.� Not interviews unless the press discovers us. However this does not apply to Fred and Julie; or to Benafsha and Michael. Today there is a report of some young Israelis rising in protest.
Will probably telephone from Boston.
Love,
Murshid
Please send Gandalf�s Garden copy of the Dance material. I also expect to add some things before mailing.
April 15, 1970
St. Ermins Hotel
Caxton Street, London, S. W. 1
Telephone: 01-222 7888
Beloved One of God,
Thank you for your airmail of the 12th which we have just received, although you say there will be a carbon to Boston. Our immediate errands and missions have been successful. Mansur�s greatest achievement�an autograph album. Swendiful. Our next achievement: Pakistani meals, although we have had some gourmet dinners.
My chief question will be what my own income becomes? I should be telephoning Saturday night, but this is uncertain. It also depends on other news received in Boston. Our stay also will depend on what kind of program has been laid out for us and also the locating of relatives if any are left. There is also the matter of the Seder. You should arrange with Mary Lou Foster proper appointment or invitation. It would be well to get much of this out of my mind. If the check received this month is large, it may settle everything. If not, we�ll see Ted, my lawyer.
Naturally a lot of people will want to see me with complaints and requests. I must leave it to you to arrange this. I suppose Gary will be moving in shortly. If he stays downstairs, it will not disturb me one way or the other.
I shall regard the date fixed for the lecture on Sutter Street as absolute. We have to call on them however regarding Clive-Ross. There may be business to our mutual satisfaction, although I do not want anything more for myself.
I have made the first steps about our return here say in 1972 but look for a very full progress henceforth. If I criticize Pir Vilayat I may be doing some of the same thing.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
April 16, 1970
Dear Murshid:
This is the first entry in a diary dealing with my functioning in the spiritual hierarchy. Report of events follows:
Basira had a dream. Several days ago this occurred, but she did not remember it until later in the day when she and James were driving along in their car and a plane buzzed them. Then the whole dream came back in a flash, and with great power. The overriding symbol of the dream was an airplane crash. It was a night flight and Murshid was on the plane. She came home after remembering the dream and spoke to Amina about it. They both agreed to ignore it unless they received a sign. At that the Sufi Symbol clearly appeared on the wall in front of them and both saw it remain there for some time. Basira reports that an overpowering amount of magnetism was going through here at the time, so much so that Amin coming home later noticed it a great deal.
It then began to dawn on them that they should meet with this person. I was not at Mentorgarten and couldn�t be reached by them for a day. During this time the feeling got stronger and stronger that they should come to me for a solution to this problem. They found me at Krishna Das� meditation room in San Anselmo late Wednesday night. It was about four hours before your scheduled departure from London.
They were concerned and anxious when they came in. I told Basira to focus on the dream, and I attuned to her. They didn�t know why they came to see me. I told them you had initiated me on the path of the Spiritual Hierarch in the Walk of Qutb Abdul Kadir Jilani. I had them join me in this Walk, and Darshan was given. There is no doubt that through Allah�s trace we evoked the presence of Hazrat Ghaus-i-Azam. Basira reported seeing a figure in blue which she has seen before with you in Chain and thought he was Mohammed � but now she saw him with Mohammed and felt in him the seed of the Chistis.
After this presence was evoked and the atmosphere immediately cleared � I became like a baby who was with his two mothers. I lay there while the Mother fondled me. Truly we are the ever-Blissful child of that One! (Parenthetically, Caesar, who came with the girls, became quite tranquil and loving and fell sleep with his head in my hands, something the girls said they had never seen him to do with anyone before except once or twice with Amin.)
Basira and Amina then left. We were all in a state of great joy and peace. Basira said, laughing, �It wasn�t necessary to do anything more after than Darshan.�
After they left, Charlene came into the meditation room. She felt impelled to tell me of a dream she had had several nights before. In the dream Murshid SAM was dead. His body was on a bier. Five people of the disciples had been chosen to perform a service of some sort, which they did in an underground cave temple similar to that of the Hopis. After the service Charlene said that she saw you alive, in body, but others in the room (now a general room full of people) could not see you. She had been very troubled by the dream, especially as it had been very clear in relation to other dreams, and she woke up immediately thereafter with a feeling that there was something of great import there.
I explained the dream to her in the follow ding way: that as Murshid had passed through the phases of Fana-fi-Rassoul and even Fana-fi-Lillah, he had passed through crucifixion and resurrection. And that only those with an open Eye could see his body of resurrection. This satisfied her. She was very much aroused however by the magnetic presence which was still lingering in the room.
I also told her that we all see reflected the being of the higher planes in our consciousnesses. And that without question she was reflecting some significant state of affairs which others were reporting in different ways.
This concludes the diary entry�.
Re other matters:
Enclosed is the petition for probate of your brother�s estate. As you can see it is scheduled for April 27 at 10a.m. You have received my report of Mary Lou�s verbal account of the will.
Other matters mentioned in your letters are being attended to.
Zeynab and I plan to swap places this week end, so all should be settled in by your return, inshallah.
Michael and Banefsha are having a Seder supper for 20 (and Elijah if he shows up) on the evening of Friday, April 24 and their home. Much of the �family� will be in attendance.
Love and blessings from your child,
Wali Ali
April 17, 1970
Dear Murshid:
This is a diary entry.
After writing you yesterday I began to get a strong feeling that Pir Vilayat�s health was intimately connected with the whole complex of the time spoken of in yesterday�s letter. I telephoned Jemila and we agreed it was important that she come over.
(This is now quite confidential � because Pir Vilayat does not want it out.) His physician (actually a German professor whom he has great confidence in) has diagnosed his condition as cancer. It was Vilayat�s understanding before the camp in Colorado last year that the hierarchy had decided to remove him from earth. His physical condition at that time was quite poor. After the camp, however, he was made to understand that this decision had been reversed. And his condition began to improve. He has been following his physician�s treatment for cancer of injections of live organic cells into the affected area. Lately, however, his health has begun to deteriorate again, even worse from before�so I am told.
This is what was done: I had Jemila read the previous diary entry. Then we both did the Hierarchal walk�I functioning as the Sun and she as the Moon�holding a picture of Vilayat in our hearts. It was our prayer that, as it is his feeling that it is the spiritual hierarchy who had to decide whether or not he should re-main on earth, we should call on Ghaus-i-Azam to interfere on behalf of his health. After this practice Jemila reported she had a vision of a mountain top�which had stayed with her the whole time and which she had felt was the Ghaus.
However, there was no feeling of resolution of the difficulty as there had been the previous night. There was just the feeling that action had been taken and that the fruits of action were in His hands.
I had Jemila feel the afflicted area in her own body�stomach, solar plexus�and massaged it. Saul also has been called into this matter.
Jemila also spoke with Dr. Warwick whose recommendation is that the Pir come to San Francisco as soon as possible for complete diagnostic tests and treatment. He said that San Francisco has the best cancer research center in the world. He also said that he knew of the treatment that Vilayat was under and that it had not been found effective in a large number of cases. There is no guarantee that it is cancer, as his German adviser is not even a licensed M.D. Jemila spoke with Vilayat lust night in a hurried conversation before he left this country for London. He said he would think about coming here as above.
This concludes the diary entry.
Now the whole matter of the camp has been laid in my hands, since others who were supposedly responsible have failed to produce any results. The first thing that has to be done is that a place must be found, and we have started working on that.
I hope your health is better now. All my love,
Wali Ali
Sunday, April 19
Dear Wall Ali and Saul:
May the Message of God Reach Far and Wide. Your words over the telephone have greater significance now. While we had a comparative y small meeting last night it was totally successful from our point of view. It was a pilot gathering and almost the same sort of reactions as at Gandalf�s Garden. And it may mean much more travelling in the future. Of course there are legal matters but the �inner sky� remains clear and undisturbed, unless you call a slightly greater brightness a change. Hussein said that there would be a big financial jump in the month of May. So far as Murshid is concerned he has not missed yet and one hesitates to mention his further predictions now. But one will take them most seriously and also any other reports which reach here before our return.
We are booked for TWA, to leave here Saturday morning at 10 A.M., arriving at S.F. at 1 P.M., having lunch on the plane. So do not prepare any noon meal for us. I wish to see Wali Ali alone first excepting that Akbar may be there in his capacity as Khalif. No one else at first.
Then Marcia on a somewhat different matter, and if Fred Mathews is around on a matter of a coordinate nature. But I first wish to get the esoteric reports. The matter of marriages should not be taken up immediately because that brings in new items.
This is Sunday afternoon and Murshid is alone but interviews begin right after dinner and much of tomorrow is already booked. We also have appointments for both Harvard and Brandeis Universities. I have seen some cousins and we have still just two open nights.
But the big thing has been our meeting with Karmu who lives near Harvard Square. He is a prophetic man, quite aware of his abilities and mission on earth. He is functioning both as an automobile mechanic and as an herbalist. He has some knowledge from both African and Amerindian traditions especially from the Caribbean area. We were treated to herbs as foods and medicines and also carry a concoction for the eyes which is to be used with olive oil. As the �diary� sheets go to the Khankah, both Moineddin and Hassan will become aware of this and we hope to get him in touch with the New Age people and others.
The whole meeting was most astounding. He �tread� or prophesied for Richard, Mansur anal Murshid and one feels that the predictions, and the great �truth� upon which these predictions were made are basically correct. Murshid clearly saw the initiatory process for Mansur when Jemila left him and these visions have now come out clearly in manifestation. But Karmu extended the processes and he seems to have a divine, spiritual clairvoyance, and inshallah, he is laying out or �seeing� out what is to follow. Much of what he said for Mansur has been seen or felt. It was better that it come from other sources. It corroborates what several have seen and about which Murshid has joked�as cover up.
It is one thing to quote: �I am the Vine an ye are the branches thereof� and it is another thing to function actually.
At the moment my body has been given an upward jolt, presumably because of the �food� and medicine given. It requires a degree of calmness, even solitude, which must be followed by proper acts. One must warn there that any tragedy or suffering which comes to any mureed may be a sign of higher inner initiation, and the Hierophant, so to speak, stands forth.
Zeynab�we may still go on an errand for the Schaeffer School. This will follow the next two nights. It may be a sort of surprise.
The weather is very fine here, no �pollution� in the atmosphere, quite clear and embracing.
Monday morning. Nothing revolutionary the rest of Sunday. Unless you call what Murshid did revolutionary! He rested.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
[to: Jemila and Wali Ali]
April 20, 1970
Beloved ones of God:
We have received the very serious letter concerning Pir Vilayat about which we shall discuss more below. We expect to be home Saturday and if Daniel has not made out checks by that time we may increase the payments. Our outlay in Boston is very little. And we may even have surprise surplus about which we do not care. On the other hand we expect to make both art and book purchases. In fact we expect to continue to have several sorts of relations with our host Richard Harvey. If to date we have not had so large an audience as he expected, the qualities of our relations with him and others is excellent.
This morning we had a rather surprising incident: a girl named Sally Schreiber was here and pulled out her horoscope. The progressions showed a near conjunct between sun and moon and Murshid�s sun right in between them, all within a degree. This was a sign of excellent harmony, and we have concluded she should be at least a candidate. Please see if you have a copy of �Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,� or if the Khankah has, so it can be sent to her; later, of course, after we have returned. Do not mail it until then, for we may wish to include other items.
The first impression concerning Vilayat is that the matter may be referred to Karmu. What you have done, of course, is entirely right, but being right alone is not necessarily effective. Someday, of course, there will be more curiosity about the interviews which Hazrat Inayat Khan asked for from Samuel. From the beginning they were grossly misinterpreted that Samuel sought such interviews. Even in 1923, Pir-o-Murshid gave Samuel the longest interview he gave to anybody. Instead of asking what transpired, most of the disciples became envious and jealous. The two main items then were that it was almost obvious that Samuel would outlive the other direct disciples of Hazrat Inayat Khan. Even then it was clear. The other items covered the building of the temple and the writing of commentaries.
It was assumed that the subject of the temple was discussed with many disciples, but in 1926 when Hazrat Inayat Khan returned Samuel appeared to be one of the few if not the only person who was properly continuing the concentrations. And the very last letter which Hazrat Inayat Khan wrote just before his death was with regard to the commentaries. The last is in the Esoteric Constitution, but for practical purposes has become a dead letter.
Hazrat Inayat Khan left many papers which have either disappeared, been seized by private individuals or lay dormant in files. It should be the work of Vilayat to fulfill the Esoteric Constitution exactly as he has preserved or amended it. It is before God and Hierarchy the fundamental skeleton of the Cause of God. It becomes a delicate matter having done this to appeal either to Allah or Ghaus-i-Azam when one is not functioning as Allah or Ghaus-i-Azam needs. One does not like to be critical in anything, but the Cause of God is the Cause of God.
Any disaster to Pir Vilayat could now overwhelm both the Message and Murshid Samuel personally. There has to be teachings for all grades. There has to be a fulfillment of the Esoteric Constitution. There is a gap between verbal surrender and functional surrender. I say before God that Rabia Martin was appointed to be the successor of Hazrat Inayat Khan, and she functionally refused to hold to the position. In her case, she died rather than surrender, almost as if in defiance.
It is not proper in most cases to tell of one�s place (makam) and initiations. But several Sufi Pirs in Pakistan and at least one in India know very well where Murshid Samuel stands with regard to Ghaus-i-Azam and the spiritual Hierarchy. He was appointed Protector and Preserver of the Message. He was not designated esoterically by Hazrat Inayat Khan. He was designated exoterically by Hazrat Inayat Khan, and not a single leader has accepted. We cannot both surrender to God and not surrender. Surrender means surrender. It means the fulfillment of functions. One does not wish to be arbitrary, but Pir Vilayat�s place is in Sureness. Until the terms of the Constitutions exactly as he has formulated or amended them are put into practice. There is no suggestion here for the changing of these documents even in a most minor respect. They are there to be fulfilled or not fulfilled. One feels positively before the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, United with all the illuminated Souls who form the embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance, that Pir Vilayat has his life in his own hands to fulfill or not to fulfill the documents, legal, exoteric and esoteric which he has offered, and perhaps very rightly offered, to the world.
Even an illness on his part makes life very difficult for your Murshid. In a previous letter Murshid asked for a separate meeting with Akbar and with Wall Ali on his return. This was actually a presage of this letter. We are either serving Allah or we are not; we are either united with all the illuminated souls or we are not. I can assure you that the Hierarchy wishes at least the Esoteric Constitution to be fulfilled; to appeal to Ghaus-i-Azam will be ineffective for the Will of Ghaus-i-Azam is known; it is known to Sufi Ahmad Murad Chisti, to his Pirs, and to Khalifa Saadia Khawar Khan. We stop at this point to see whether Karmu will be coming here shortly. If he does we shall consult him and his teacher. If he does not, we shall practice a form of Hierarchal surrender: not pious platitudes, not verbal humility, but the actual surrender of the personality by esoteric means known to those who have hierarchal initiations.
It is Tuesday morning. We had the great privilege and pleasure of having dinner with Karmu who is presenting himself as a divine representative born chiefly of mixtures of African races. He has with him and in himself much of the wisdom of the so-called dark continent. We have not yet met his guru, so to speak, but much of Karmu�s healing is in the respective fields of herbal medicines and psychosomatic treatments. He left a little early, so he would have the medicines available this morning. He will also give Mansur the proper prescriptions. He thinks it would be best for Vilayat to come and stay in San Francisco. He did not make this clear, but it would certainly be true that from this vantage point Vilayat could be given the medicines and also receive the proper massage treatments. Karmu has already described these to us and in particular to Mansur. He had no pessimism.
An added advantage of Vilayat being in San Francisco or even in Los Angeles would be that from such vantage points he might also arrange his own summer school. We have accepted a Constitution of the Sufi Order without demure. We have not accepted officially any private or even any spiritual ventures of Pir Vilayat not directly called for in and by that document. We are always saying and praying: �To Thee we give willing surrender. If we gave the God the willing surrender, He would and could pour on us his light and his life and give sustenance to our bodies, hearts and souls.� Why wouldn�t this be so? What is preventing us from receiving the divine sustenance from Allah and having the healings to our bodies, hearts, and soul?
Sufis and other devotees repeat La Il La Ha El Il Allah. Why should we venture then on something, to something, and in something which may be other than Allah? If we had the Allah; if we listened to Thy voice which cometh constantly from within, we may not have to face dramatic climaxes. What loss is there to surrender a summer school if it restores Pir Vilayat�s health and enables him to continue and complete the missions which his father started?
The Esoteric Constitution calls for the dissemination of Gathas, Githas, Sangathas and Sangithas. This should be the primal effort of the supreme heads of the Order, to see that the teachings are properly placed in the hands of worthy or even unworthy devotees, for the Cause of God and the promotion of His Message, that it may spread far and wide.
You are undoubtedly right in appealing to Ghaus-i-Azam Abdal Khadiri Jilini. But in this appeal you have overlooked the simplest fact: that his Khalifa is in your midst, that you have ready access to him on the physical plane and there is no need to seek guidance through prayer, meditation, or austerity. If it pleases you to try the prayer, meditation, or austerity, you will not get any other answer than that which is available by the direct material appeal. Besides that, it would take time and energy away which can, and perhaps should be used in other efforts.
What is more to the point, if you do contact Ghaus-i-Azam and he manifests to you, will you then accept his guidance? If you do not, and you become obstinate and insist on a summer school or any other activity or endeavor, you may be bringing a curse on yourself and the world. But if he does manifest to you, if he does give you answers from the inner plane, it might also mean great blessing, baraka, and success. These are not things to be trifled with lightly.
We shall of course take this up further with Karmu. This is advice, blessing and warning together. It is given with all love and wisdom. It is not given that you use it as a play toy to determine what you want to do with or without divine blessing. Sufism is Sufism which means that nothing but God exists. We have had too much Sufism and too little Allah.
Love and Blessings
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
June 4, 1970
Dear Murshid and beloved Lama family,
As-salaam-aleikhum!
Have received your first letter here. No comment is necessary. The New Age is coming, ready or not, as they say in hide-and-go-seek.
Several wonderful pieces of news here. I met Pir Vilayat and Jemila at the air port today. They are now resting here and he will leave for LA in the morning. He brought with him his only copies of the papers you are interested in! He said there is a lady in Los Angeles who has access to a duplicating machine and will be able to make two copies of them while he is in LA (one copy for Bibijan). He says that his health is much better and feels that he has been helped by us here in this respect.
The Holy Man get-together�now being called The One Festival�is being held at The Family Dog. Phillip has set everything up quite beautifully, and the outlook is bright.
Camp preparations also are going very well. Cars and buses are being found and it looks like we shall have enough transportation. Gary and Zeynab also may be staying here during our absence.
Of course the letter from Peter Dunne speaks for itself. Re the remarks about the filming, I called the Cohn�s and read them to Julie who wondered whether they meant they might be interested in helping sponsor financially the filming or only in using the films they might be given. Also, whether it would be necessary to go to Washington to show the films to them? Fred is still at Tassajara (Ralph and Nancy are with him) where he has been filming for a few days.
Bill Hathaway called from Ojai the other night with some news. Edward Connaughton died last week. He asked me to communicate to you as he was too busy to write. (He said it would be good for you to hear the latter.)
The way events are flowing; it feels rather like one is water skiing, and I don�t want to look back too much; anyway, I think the above is the important news.
Jemila is concerned about Nathan, quite concerned. She sent a telegram to Mansur asking him to call her collect in San Rafael.
All my love,
Wali Ali
June 6, 1970
Dear Murshid and everybody, Allaho Akbar:
The papers which Pir Vilayat brought from the archives of Fazal Manzil have now been duplicated and we have a full set. While they have not yet been catalogued, they appear to include a full set of Githas, and Sangithas. No Sangathas. I had the papers duplicated here at my own expense since there seems to be a shortage of money these days, and Daniel and I feel that rather than presenting Bibijan with a bill for her set, we will present it to her as a gift.
Pir Vilayat asked me several times to please convey his love to you when I wrote. He will also be staying in this house the night of the One Festival. He said that he sensed very strongly the presence of his father in the house and in this person.
The evening the Pir was here we received a call first from Father Blighton and then from a Peter Rowley who is writing a book for MacKay publishers in New York on the spiritual movements of the day in this country. He had been conferring with Father Blighton and wanted to see you. Father Blighton was unaware you had left already. Anyway he said he wanted to talk to me, and as the timing seemed to indicate it Pir Vilayat also spoke with him despite his fatigue. He promises to send us a draft of his statements on the Sufis when they are written. He said to me, �What do you believe in Sufism?� �We don�t believe what we believe; all traditional religions are based on credos, mysticism is based on the experience that nothing exists except God.� Naturally I spoke to him of the Dances. He seemed a very sharp fellow but didn�t take any notes, to speak of. (He said he had been at Lama a few weeks before.)
Registration based on $$ received for the camp is now at 65 persons. The Pir and I agreed to be very strict in enforcing the age limitation, except in very special cases, e.g. the Yoga teacher from LA who is Vilayat�s representative in that city. Also we are to be firm on requiring those to pay up by the 10th who will be accepted from this area. It appears now all but certain there will be at least 100 people. Transportation problems seem to be being solved. Drew and I are leaving very early Tuesday morning to begin work.
The Sufi Dancing will be the first thing on the program for The One Festival while there is still some space in the hall. Frank is organizing the concession stand for the affair. The profits from this as well as the admission charges, if any profits, will go toward the film I believe.
Re health. The night before Pir Vilayat arrived I had a dream in which we embraced, kissed, and afterwards I spoke to him (even as I later did during wakefulness) �We are one; therefore you must draw the strength and youthful vitality from me as if it were yourself; it is there for you to receive if you will accept it.� He said that he would accept it. At the point where we surrender to our seeming limitations there Allah reminds us that He expresses through us His unlimitedness.
God bless your efforts at Lama. May the Message of God reach far and wide, illuminating and making the whole humanity as one single brotherhood in the Father-hood of God.
All my love to the family there,
Wali Ali
P.S. I just talked with Banefsha. Things in her drama are going well. She had an interview with Willie Brown, and everything went perfect. He is going to bat for her with some big-wigs. She and Michael will be moving into Mary Sue�s next week.
P.P.S. I just talked with Fred Cohn (twice). He said that he planned to bring his crew to Lama around the 25th. A few days after the Arizona camp. I expressed to him your reservations about Ralph coming. First he reacted that if he was not allowed to come then they could not come at all. He called back a few minutes later to say that was not his position. He said that I should write that he was planning on coming with his crew on around the 25th. His crew consists of himself, two young people who you don�t know (Bill Wynan and David McMillan), Julie, Phillip, and Ralph (who is planning on bringing Nancy but not Natasya, though Fred said she could not be considered as part of the crew as such). Fred said that if Lama had any objection to a member of the craw coming�namely the Silvers�they should be communicated with directly and not through intermediaries. If a member of the crew is rejected then he would have to meditate on what to do and not jump to conclusions. Ralph�s address is 826 Spring St., Sausalito.
More: I have now catalogued the papers, so you can see exactly what we received. Some of my earlier remarks were not quite accurate in this regard. Sheet enclosed.
Darn it, I�m going to get this in the mail before something else happens.
June 7, 1970
Beloved One of God:
This is a sort of personal letter but in an official sense. While you are having the Holy Men�s Jamboree, this will be marking t he next stage, from 100 disciples on to becoming in some sense a social character. Today marks the first pilgrimage to see �Sufi Sam� and there is every indication of further expansion at least Tuesday and Saturday, inshallah.
I knew this was coming and it was discussed in Geneva. I may have Mansur write the party later.
Now we have the work which will open also when, inshallah, Pir Vilayat sends the papers. We are nearly through the Commentaries on Series III, Tasawwuf. But despite the more involved program from now on, there will be less wasted. There are always introductions aid acclimatization, etc.
There is some further increase in my monthly stipend, but this must be used to pay the bank for the loan, and for travel and one other alterative which will be take up later. Allah does not wish Murshid to be a banker and at the same time disciples must be protected.
In any event an esoteric and perhaps organizational meeting after return.
Bill Mathieu has done sore wonderful work here. It is this and not any Tassajara claptrap which will help the world and accomplish human brotherhood. We cannot either spiritually or materially bring in cults and Murshid�s enemies. Ralph has no more idea as to who my friends, allies and colleagues are than he has of the nature of Sufism. Some of this will come in the letters to be written soon, inshallah, but I cannot assure their completion before the Monday mail.
It is impossible now to write to individuals no matter how nice it should be. In a few minutes the first interview of the day. Have letters and had one interview last night. May add to this, but only inshallah.
Murshid
June 8, 1970
Beloved One of God:
We are sending this letter to the camp in Arizona. I am very sorry if you have done any work on the sacred papers. This is contrary both to the letter and spirit of what Hazrat Inayat Khan wanted. It has used up time, money and energy which are needed for other things.
Second negative thing I fear is what is happening to the dance program in connection with television work. Anything and everything Vilayat and you do with the dances is absolutely ok with me until non-disciples are involved. If my dance work is to include the work of coordinate spiritual teachers, excellent, most excellent. But when it starts to include persons who have shown by their behavior they have no respect for Sufism or this person or love as a way toward spiritual perfection, where are we going to stop? I cannot be writing to Fred, but his inclusion of outsiders and not only outsiders but accepting this at the suggestion of other outsiders is shunting our work at a time when love, harmony and beauty are needed. And not Madison Avenue tactics for any promoter, especially those who are non-disciples.
I must say emphatically, unless Fred cuts out all that Tassajara nonsense I shall veto his coming here and I don�t mean maybe. I am filled to the full with projects and works, most of them apparently succeeding. Yesterday was the first time when Americans made a pilgrimage to meet Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti (or Sufi Sam) . We have to go tomorrow to Santa Fe�meeting already arranged; then to Albuquerque�meeting already arranged.
Turning your page over I find you have written about Fred Cohn bringing Ralph here. We just had a meeting here, and there is a lot of work to be done. Most of the men are leaving this place between June 21st and June 25. Much of the ordinary work will be discontinued. They just have vetoed two extra people coming here. What are they going to say about five? Fred cannot say anything about me as a spiritual teacher and as his spiritual teacher. As a spiritual teacher I have absolute right to forbid non-mureeds from coming to any of my meetings. I am therefore going to take this matter up immediately and will write further if necessary.
The letter from the diocese of the Episcopalian Church shows that it may be possible for us to get the cooperation of this huge organization. A letter was just sent to the Presbyterian cathedral in Washington. I am going through spiritual transformations fulfilling the very purpose of my life and the robes that I wear. I am stopping at this point in order to see the people here.
I have just spoken to Steve Durkee and some others here. He will probably dictate a letter to Mansur as soon as he is free. It will be presumably addressed to Fred Cohn but I am asking Mansur to send a copy to you. They feel they have been bitten. They feel they have been sold a bill of goods. They have accepted the film in good faith as being a spiritual endeavor. They were warned by Baba Ram Dass and others about the dangers of promotional schemes. Still I am told they helped raise funds in good faith to promote Vilayat Khan and Sam Lewis but not for any promoters, professional or otherwise, and not for cults or religions which are opposed to the above spiritual teachers or to the universal approach which is characteristic of the new age.
They have already their own ideas about quota and visitors. They were ready to accept, despite a pretty firm view on this, any persons that I would be glad to have hero.
I think you will accept when I say that these dances are going to become worldwide. They are new age things. Tassajara is strictly establishment and old-age. The remarkable thing I find here is the marvelous unconscious vision of everyone here.
I shall be glad to review anything from Peter Rowley but I must warn that any phoniness will lead to anti-American riots. I mean especially about Sufism. This happened already in Egypt when I was there. A little touch of my fingers and it would happen in Pakistan. Then instead of having a film with a world outlook which would touch the hearts of masses, you would have another one of those provoking promotional schemes which anger and terrify so many foreigners.
I am not going to write anybody any letters. I stand 100% for my secretaries when they act on their own, even if it means re�adjusting my policies or work. I hope I don�t have to write any more now. This should be mailed Tuesday from Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
I am sorry I can�t write any more to individual disciples except when there is a purpose.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
June 8, 1970
Dear Murshid,
Sometime before dawn tomorrow we will be leaving for Paradise, Arizona. The camp registration has been cut off at 100 people. We could have easily had many many more.
The One Festival was a success. Monetarily they were able to do a little better than break even, which was Phillip�s goal. There was a great feeling of at-oneness among all present. While many of the speakers did not go much past the mental sphere there was good natured tolerance on the part of the audience. The Dajjalists did not make much of an impression.
As Moineddin had to work, I led about 1000 people in the Dervish dances.
They were successful far beyond the hopes of any of us. Everyone harmonized beautifully and got very very high, praise to God! Others can testify to this much better than I, as I was gone much of the time.
Steve Gaskin came up to me after the dances. We embraced, and he said, �Now I�m beginning to understand Sam a little bit.� He was scheduled to talk next, but he was so gone he sat a good while trying to find his mind again.
Unfortunately for them, the film crew got there too late to take any pictures of the dances. But they got a bunch of boring lectures. The last three speakers on the program were Yogi Bhajan, Swami Satchidananda, and Pir Vilayat. These gentlemen were a far cry from advocates of an Avatar who has the grace to perform miracles and materialize Shiva lingams, but whose spokesman answered a question about the suffering humanity in India by the phrase �karma.�
Yogi Bhajan in particular is very active in the peace movement in this country. Apparently one poor young �hippie� came to him and laid a quarter of a million dollars on him to organize in this regard. I believe he is having a large festival in Santa Fe in the not distant future and has invited all spiritual leaders to come and help. In this case you�re in from either side, if you want to be of course. Either, �I am Pir Vilayat Khan�s colleague,� or, and this might even be better, �I am Phillip Davenport�s Murshid.�
I sent a number of your letters to Fred to read which mentioned things about the film, Lama, etc. One doesn�t know what will come of all this. In my opinion, the film, which is now being called �God, Get Me High,� has become too scattered and has lost some of its over-riding vision. But I shall not criticize it to Fred in any way unless asked for my opinion.
I just wanted to make this brief report to you, as you expressed interest in the Holy Man Jamb. Your reports from Lama are very encouraging. Please express my love to the family there,
Wali Ali
P.S. As usual, after sealing this letter and preparing to mail, something came up. I called Rene for an odd reason only to learn that she had just that minute sent David to the mailbox to send you a check for $200 from one of the members of her household. Just a gift; no strings attached. Alhamdulillah! I have told Michael to send it on when it arrives.
June 13, 1970
Wali Ali c/o Peggy & Walter Bowart
Omen Press, P.O. 12457
Tucson, Arizona 85711
Beloved One of God:
One has to assume here that you can get mail even though there may be a delay. You will get some sort of news from the copy enclosed. At this writing I do not know if anything; will come of the magazine interview. There is a danger of lowering Sufism to the level of the new age cults which rise and fall, and over-association can make us the dupes of superlative movements, working, in the opposite direction of �One single brotherhood in the fatherhood of God.�
The first thing noticeable here is that inspirations occur spontaneously and slightly more often now than before. There must be an accommodation for God Himself and for the actualization, let us say, of the words of Khatum.
I must first discuss films. You may read this to Pir Vilayat or Fred or anybody as you wish. The Cause of God is the Cause of God. It is not the cause of each new or old reparative movements. Nor of those who think that by using the word �yoga� they are vastly superior to their fellow men. There is not, never was, and never will be any substitute for God-realization or enlightenment.
There is going to be a sort of Holy Man�s Jamboree next Sunday in Santa Fe. There is supposed to be a summer camp of the Kundalini yoga people and it may be going on now. They have off-hand invited spiritual leaders to join them. There is a strong inference here. I myself at this writing have no desire to join Satchidananda or to use my name or the term �Sufi� to support even real representatives of certain faiths. I have no desire to displace Jesus Christ by every conniving pretender that comes this way. I have written very strongly against Auroville. I shall not only protest against the rise of God�less yoga, but have no Inspiration to support mechanical pseudo-esoteric practices as leading to salvation.
There may be filming of this affair. I understand there is lots of money in it.
Separate from this are one or two other matters�I do not know whether they are one or two. A group interested in spiritual drama visits this place next Saturday night. There has also been a long distance call from a man who has financial backing to come here and I think partly in connection with this drama group but partly to film the activities of Lama. Now I cannot and I will not stand before groups of cameras, have my dances and songs recorded to bolster the coffers of private citizens. Evidentially, seeing the trend of the times many feel there is a golden opportunity for them.
�2
For besides all these there is a possibility of getting social, financial and prestige support for a real holy film which could be called be called God in Action. I have not demanded financial support for myself, but now I demand financial support for myself if the films based principally on my own inspirations are used also to picturise and advertise cults, persons, and religions who would exploit me for their ends but never otherwise recognize me. Putting on exotic practices, using phrases not intelligible to American people, etc. has not evinced any God-realization. Well meaning ignoramuses ignore alike the �Frogs� of Aristophanes and the words of Jesus Christ just before the �Lord�s Prayer.� Any egocentric can support his selfishness by pseudo-logic. The excitement, the confusion, the dilemma of the day are no more clarified by the abstruse from India than by Silly Graham.
Murshid has within him three monster projects. I will relate just one now and that is the tape recording of commentaries on St. Paul�s First Epistle to the Corinthians. One can, with dignity, with intelligence, with worldly knowledge and with divine inspiration produce a literary form that will help toward Peace, brotherhood, and understanding.
I believe in the �Unity of Religions Ideals� there is a passage, which says that the Sufi Movement was to bring together the prophetic heritage of the Beni Israel with the cosmic dharma of India and the Orient. Personally there is no need to lower my sights. Money will influence me, spirituality will influence me, love will interest me, but sentiment, pseudo-logic, fanning superficiality, and above all compound emotionalism offend me and, I believe this is the way Allah wants me to act.
There is every sign that both love and spiritual growth here are increasing. I shall stop at this point. If there is mail to answer before we leave there will be an addition. Otherwise love and blessing to everybody.
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
June 24, 1970
Dear Wali Ali:
Things are moving so fast that you will get some of the news in the copies of letters to Art Hopper and W. D. Begg.
We met some friends of Marcia at Albuquerque and they send love. Jessica has been very cooperative, is very lonely and we took her to dinner last night. We may go to that place again, inshallah, if we are not overfed forehand. All our meetings have received the finest responses.
We ran into Ralph and Nancy at Santa Fe. I have no intention to go into details. We are working for Allah and on a world bias. Our meetings with the drama troupe will invoke another letter, this time to Renee and you will receive a copy.
We cannot, of courses, tell when we shall return. I am hoping that Moineddin and Hassan Will come to the house on the evening of July 4th, from work, if they work that day.
Alaed-din (Bill Mathieu) has some bigger and better inspirations for the choral group and today I got the first sign of a new dance pageant which we should put on July 5th combining song and dance. It may even be put on this Sunday have. It requires 24 disciples and if possible and equal number of non disciples. It needs space.
I have not been able to do all the commentary work desired and interruptions with people Murshid sends for. The exceptions are the �family.� Tomorrow we should be seeing the people from Long Island and find out about a �party� on the 13th before the meeting. Dancing will resume on July 11th provided the wedding celebration does not take up too much time, and then on the 12th. There will have to be another dancing class and instructions for those who will teach. There will be more dances for the book.
I have not answered some important letters received and do not know when these can be done.
Josh will be coming back with us and is to stay with us if he cannot find another place. He will become official representative for Albuquerque. Dianne has made a sudden trip to S.F. but will be back next Tuesday, inshallah when we are to see her. Had a very good visit yesterday and she has danced both at Santa Fe and here. We all are to lunch with her Tuesday, inshallah.
Love,
Murshid
June 26, 1970
My dear Wali Ali:
Asalaam aleikhum. This is a surprise letter. Evidentially Murshid with all his faults or maybe with all his merits has been engaged in doing what Allah wishes. A climax, perhaps necessary, was reached with Fred this morning. After Murshid presented his case, Saul came in unexpectedly with a packet of letters, one for Mansur, the rest for Murshid. These letters subjectively and objectively supported positions Murshid has been taking with regard to the films, The Temple of Understanding, and the use of music of dancing in spiritual development. The support was complete down to the finest details.
I have not yet digested all the materials sent to Mansur, but what I have read is thoroughly astonishing; there cannot be two divine wills. I am sure there are not. It would certainly seem that all our plans to go east later in the year are being corroborated, again down to details. We shall bring this material back with us.
I do not know how much Mansur can do with me before he returns to Novato. Whatever business he has to do with and for Fred may now receive a blessing. But there are still family matters and this may affect his movements. But I see no obstacles when we adhere to �Toward the One� and �United with All.�
The case is against Tassajara but I have assented to watching a film of a small portion of it. Personally I should much rather have Fred film Master Seo�s future undertaking. If we can raise funds for him�not necessarily through him�this may be done. On account of the shortness of time I dare not ask Mansur to copy anything anymore, but I will have this put in an envelope before we see any of Fred�s film. He has not come at an opportune time, due to the absence of most of the staff on outside projects.
But so many things have been cleared up. I hope we do not have to go into any more unnecessary dualism.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
Sept. 25, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitara,
Welcome to New York! In the mail today was the transcript Xeroxed of a section of a book written by Peter Rowley. You may remember he was commissioned to write a book for one of the big NY publishers. He came here when you were at Lama and Pir Vilayat was here and talked to the Pir and myself. The section was quite positive; none of this Playboy stuff, though somewhat vague and quite incomplete. I wrote him back immediately making corrections and giving him information on yourself and the Dances which he had omitted. I also told him your speaking dates in NY and gave him your phone number. Anyhow, the book section is quite positive.
Leonard phoned and gave me the following names of key people to contact with information about each to pass on to you. He sends you much love.
New York City� key person Richard Hawky�Area Code 201; 327-5307. Leonard�s business partner; spiritual brother. Connection with the Duke family; rich; former ambassador to Spain who gave $300,000 to Maharishi and lived to regret it. Richard can give many connections to people. Important person to ask about:
Larry Richards�definitely worth meeting; many many connections. Travels a lot.
Also ask Richard to get in touch with the Sat Nam Barge. Stopping off point and visiting place of many holy men. Baba Ram Dass stays there in NY. Connected with Yogi Bhajan. Woman in charge is Ronnie Keith; in phone book, Port Richmond, Staten Island.
Washington�key person Lou Mobley. Area Code 301; 531-5593. Executive director for staff affairs at IBM; may be leaving this post. Involved in working spiritual training into corporate life. Key thing to mention��Youth leadership development emphasizing spiritual consciousness�. This is his trip. Arranging conferences of young leaders; also conferences with corporate leaders, and the two together.
William Moore�friend of Lou�s. Attorney. Head of International Development Commission; one of founders of World Futures Society; Society for Cybernetics. Interested in New Age communities; New Age cities. Area Code 202; 293-1455
Three H. O. Ashram. One of Yogi Bhajan�s places. May be possible to stay here; check with Yogi about place to stay. Area Code 202; 483-6660.
Mildred Ferguson�friend of Moores. Has a spiritual center; link with spiritual movements and teachers. Area Code 202; 386-5184.
Fred Dutton�Head of Robert Kennedy foundation; or former head. Interesting in finding and developing programs with New Age young. Area Code 202; 296-2529.
Mrs. Rat Reise�Head of Coalition for New National Priorities and Military Policies. A front and link for many spiritual organizations trying to become politically active. United Council of Churches? Sen. Fulbright involved. Near Supreme Ct. Would be interested in Middle East plans. tel. 543-1151.
The Koinonia Foundation-Jeff Koits, director. Friend of Lou Mobley who can get you in touch; he also is on the board. 1 hour outside Washington in Howard County. Leonard feels this is the place to have a gathering of spiritual leaders if this is in the offing; his �channels� say that it is.
That�s about it. He said these were the most important people to contact. All love and blessings,
Wali Ali
Sept. 27, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitara,
This is Pir Vilayat�s Program which I just received from Jemila:
October
7 Arrive N.Y. evening public lecture
8 Cleveland
through
15 Indianapolis
through 19
20-22 Chicago
23-25 Washington D.C.
26-27 New York
28 Leave
November
5 Arrive NY
6 Houston
through
11 New Orleans
12 Baton Rouge
13 New Orleans
14-15 New Jersey Seminar
16-18 N.Y. Seminar
19 N.Y. Congress
20-22 Unity Convention�Kansas, Mo.
23-24 Kansas
25 N.Y. leave
Received a phone call from L.A. yesterday from a representative of The Institute of Ability, headed by Charles Berner. They are friends of Yogi Bhajan. They have heard of you and your willingness to co-operate with spiritual movements. There is going to be a meeting of leaders�Bhajan, Satchidananda, et al in Rye, N.Y. Oct. 20-21 at Wainwright House. They were also trying to arrange a meeting on West Coast for �exchange of spiritual technology.� They didn�t realize you would be in the East. You should receive a letter from Mr. Berner. Naturally, I didn�t make any commitments.
All send love and blessings,
Wali Ali
Sept. 29, 1970
My dear sister-and lover-and friend-Sally Ann Schreiber-al Jamil-Beloved One of Allah! ! !
Am forwarding your letter post haste to Murshid and Sitara in New York City: c/o Lonnie Less, 27 West 71st St., New York, N.Y. telephone Area Code (212) 787-7576.
Can�t tell you anything definite about dates. I heard from Murshid in the same mail today from Ithaca and he is leaving things indefinite until he sees what develops in NYC with Peter, Bob Kaufman, at al. I know a full program has been arranged for him.
A disciple of Murshid in the Boston area who studied with us here is Patricia Martin, 298 Waltham St., West Newton Mass. Don�t know if she has a phone. She�s staying with her family. It would be good if you could contact her. She said she had been attending Richard Harvey�s Yoga classes. What of him?
Everything you propose and Harry sounds excellent; especially the dancing on the Cambridge Common now.
Contact them in NY quickly.
Loving you this very instant�
Wali Ali
Sept. 29, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitara,
As-Salaam-Aleikhum!
Enclosed are two pieces of mail which I thought you would want to see. I wrote Sally back immediately giving her the addresses she requested and approving her plans�especially the idea of dancing on the Commons. Please contact her as soon as the dates become clear on travelling to Cambridge.
Your letters are received here with much love. We have just received the first one from Ithaca to Mansur.
I am working on the lectures from First Corinthians when I have any spare time. I expect to get some of them to Rev. Ditzen within a week�the first four or five and number 10. Inshallah. No letter from him.
The classes are progressing in fine fashion. Marcia helped me on Sunday afternoon, and Akbar taught the Monday night class. Attendance is cut about 1/2. The drama class began auspiciously with five persons Saturday night; we have taken the policy of the women�s dancing class�no new persons except by unanimous consent; this way we hope to avoid disputes such as broke up the class in the past. We are working on the play �The Living Dead� by Hazrat I. Khan. George is not a part of the class by his own choice.
I was able to drop in on Moineddin at the hospital yesterday. I just gave him a whirl-wind report on everything that was going on. He was quite interested � and is determined to get better.
Jessica moves into the Khankah today; Michael moved in a few days ago.
Sitara�I think you can get 6 of the onionskin sheets overseas for regular airmail rates. England and the continent 20c, elsewhere 25c; except air letters.
I love you very much and miss your presence � but don�t talk about it. Jemal-ud-�din talks about it all the time�.�She�s a pain in the ass, but I miss her� and other tender loving words. Will write you later.
That�s about all to report for now.
Love,
Wali Ali
October 1, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitara,
Sholem Aleikum! Happy New Year. May you be inscribed with Blessing in the Book of Life.
I am in a great state of elation. God, so to speak, just came to our front door, in the person of one Amy bin Israel. He has a friend who has a brother in the Church of Mans. This person mentioned Murshid to him casually as a Sufi teacher living in the city. Ali immediately had a very strong vision. He said, �I must see this man.� When I invited him into the front room he pointed to Murshid�s picture on the mantel piece �That is the man!� Amy, while born in America, has spent the last 14 years in the Middle East. He was six years in Israel and present during the last two wars. Lived on kibbutzim. Has toured and lived in many other countries in the middle east � looking for Sufis. But he said many people will tell you they are Sufis; but real Sufis are not easy to find. He is a teacher of Hebrew.
We fell in love with each other immediately. He is coming, inshallah, to our group meeting tomorrow evening.
What can one say. The mind plots and schemes and works and perhaps is able to budge the great stone an inch. And then Reality intercedes�. Allaho Akbar!
The Wednesday meeting was very fine. About the same size as before.
Jemal-ud-din continues to get dances. He came in this morning to breakfast��What does Bhagavan mean? Does it have a meaning?� When he was told it was a name the Hindus use for God, he was slightly astonished. �I got this dance where everyone keeps repeating �Bhagavan Er Raheem.�
No new mail for Murshid. Got a letter from Bette asking for a loan of $1000, among other things. When one announces one has money some people apparently think in big terms, i.e. Kennett Roshi, etc.
The address list was not from Tony Austin. I said Leonard in the letter, but it was Parisa�s friend Leonard Hoolihan(?) (Baba Ram Dass).
Tonight Michael and I are meeting with our course instructor in the Kabbalah course before class to talk with him about things. I am giving him a copy of �The Day of the Lord Cometh.�
Am enclosing apparently negative letter for Sitara.
Some people here are bored and a little let down with your absence. On the other hand as indicated above God is still filling the sails of our ship.
Love, Love, and Love,
Wali Ali
Oct. 5, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitara,
No time for a long letter. Enclosed you will find copy of a letter from Begg in Ajmer. Also you will find a copy of a letter I wrote Rev. Ditzen. I sent the lectures to him and suggested the possibility of his hosting you in Washington.
Today Jemal-ud-din and I called on Mr. Becker of the Unitarian Church�Franklin and Geary. They have agreed to give us their large meeting room for a program by Hallelujah the Three Rings on the 27th. They are asking a small charge for maintenance costs, but he even indicated he would back off of that if necessary. They were quite receptive. One envisions a program of cultural exchange and dervish dancing. He might even make some money on the affair.
Ram Dass will be speaking there with Swami Muktananda on the 15th and 22nd.
The classes yesterday (Sunday) were the highest yet. All felt very exalted and commented thereon. I used in the evening Vilayat�s meditation on Light which apparently proved effective.
That�s all the news I can think of right off the cuff. I�m very glad to hear my sister has made contact with you.
Love,
Wali Ali
October 12, 1970
Dear Murshid and Sitars, and all,
We have received your many letters in the mail today and they have resulted in much inspiration and activity at this end, especially for Jemal-ud-din and myself.
The address of the Tucson center, for either Walter and Peggy Bowart or Daniel and Messina is Route 2, Box 257, Tucson, Arizona 85715. Omen Press can also be written at another address: Box 12457, Tucson 85711. I have been in communication with Walter on several matters, dealing with the publication of the book of the camp 1970, and Vilayat�s projected newsletter. I sent him copies of the lectures, numbers 1-5 and no. 10, which I have finished, for his and Daniel�s perusal. Work there is reported progressing well. We chanted Daniel�s most newly revised version of the Heart Sutra last night at our meeting for the first time.
The instructor of the course in Kabbalah at the University, on his own initiative, has asked me to take a class period to give a lecture on Sufi Mysticism. He has been receptive to what Michael and I have had to say. His major theme seems to be to hammer home the reality of psychic experiences, which he continually points out in the scripture. My only criticism would be that he oftentimes reduces spiritual experiences to this level. Nevertheless the result of the course has been and is being to involve me deeply in study of the Jewish holy writings.
All correspondence is being forwarded to NY. Now you must give Sally a big kiss from me.
Jessica has fit in very well at the Khankah from all I hear, and has eased the pressure there greatly. I think Michele also.
Just wanted to write you this to give you the addresses you wanted. Will make a fuller report later and send to NY.
All my love,
Wali Ali
Oct. 21, 1970
Dear Murshid, Sitara, Peter, and all,
We celebrated your birthday here by reading some of your poetry. From The Rejected Avatar, from Purna Vedanta Yoga Gita, from the Crescent and Heart series on Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, and others. Many of those present were quite moved by the poetry and there is much desire for more of it to be read. I sent the short poems in the Crescent and Heart series to Atiya in Seattle for use in Sufis Speak, at her discretion. They feel to me to be the right length and tone for that publication.
I have purchased a car for myself, a 1963 Ford Galaxie in very good condition, from Bob Cogswell. This is giving me a much greater mobility and it is quite useful as I am being drawn more and more into the community. There is no obstacle to our acceptance in San Francisco and Berkeley. No obstacle. All energy directed toward acceptance by the community and additional participation in our work has had success. One does not know how much of this you want? We could become a large movement in numbers here with little effort.
Renee is giving the Sufi Order, in particular yourself, a car, also. Bob Cogswell is going to put it in good running condition in lieu of dues or something like that. This car has a super-psychedelic paint job on the outside. Perhaps you remember it. Others might remember it as the car in the movie �I Love You Alice B. Toklas.�
There is some possibility that Pir Vilayat may come here for a couple of days in the range of November 12-14. Julie and Fred are arranging details. They are trying to pull him off his circuit of talking to older people and get him more involved with the young. He needs money to come but I don�t think this will be a problem at all. With any push on publicity we could have hundreds at Sausalito, and we might even get the Unitarian Church for a lecture also.
We are very glad to hear that Sitara and Patty are driving back together! Their friends and lovers here rejoice that they are returning.
The film is very much in debt at this point, but Fred now feels it is simply a matter of putting footage together. He is totally absorbed in the film. It has become himself. This is true to such an extent one can hardly speak of it. I asked him �How was your trip?� and he answered, �I won�t know until I see the last rushes.� Mansur is trying to raise money to make a film of his own, on successful marijuana smuggling � a smuggler with an ideal being the theme. He has cast Paul Rognlie as the lead.
Rev. Wagner has been very cooperative with Hallelujah the Three Rings. Until we get our tax-exempt status, which is being worked on, we need a sponsoring organization which has such status and which will turn donations intended for us over to us through themselves. Rev. Wagner has agreed to do this through The American Buddhist Order, and this may prove useful. Jemal-ud-�din has an interview with a promising fund Friday which may give him money ($500) to continue working full-time in the capacity he is now working. Banefsha has applied for the trip to the Holy Land which you sent along.
Your are all inside my heart being bathed in love,
Wali Ali
October 24, 1970
Dear Murshid,
The letters received from you today hit me with a jolt. One can see all the work before us, and one has to dedicate oneself anew to utilizing time to the utmost. I am not always positive and have done my share of daytime sleeping.
I spoke with Mr. Kovash from Social Security this morning. They have decided that you are eligible to receive some social security benefits. But before they can do anything they need a proof of age from you. He suggested that if you were baptized in a church in San Francisco they might have a certificate. What church, if any, were you baptized in? Family Bible might also be useful.
Everything in Tucson for Omen is ready to go for this issue except they need a brief biographical sketch. If you would like to write some biographical notes to them that would be fine. If you do not wish to do so notify me and I�ll take care of it from what I know.
Received a very nice letter from Peter Rowley who is publishing a book in New York on spiritual movements of the day, and photographed you and Pir Vilayat there. He needed permission to publish the photographs, which was given by me.
The course in Kabbalah has been useful in many ways. The instructor is concerned to point out the reality of psychic experiences and visionary experiences (some of which may not be psychic at all). He was very interested in the bands of men who lived in the high places, made music, did ecstatic dance, and prophesied when Ruach Yahuvah was in them. This from Samuel. He has made it a class assignment to go to the celebration Hallelujah the Three Rings is putting on Tuesday night.
There is no doubt that Banefsha is going through a spiritual awakening or re�birth of some kind. I think she has written you about it. This manifests at times by her going �high� and not having ready-power on the earth plane. She is becoming more womanly and this surprises here and sometimes disturbs her. It is a beautiful trans-formation to watch. And she is succeeding brilliantly, nonetheless, getting in with people, even establishment people and media. She says she could teach you a thing or two about this and she is probably right.
Richard Tillinghast is also succeeding very well at Berkeley. I will enclose a copy of a letter he wrote to Chancellor Heyns. His classes are getting many others on the campus involved in the Dances.
Pir Vilayat will be here, inshallah, November 11-13. He will speak the 11th at the Sausalito center, it being a Wednesday night. Plans are to have a general admission of $1.50 to all. Tentatively it is planned that Thursday he will hold an all-day seminar at a large home in Oakland which belongs to friends of Baba Ram Dass and has been made available to us. And Friday perhaps at the Unitarian Church.
Sometimes I get to the place where I feel so many things to be done I can�t do anything. Today, happily, after receiving your letters I feel a flow of new energy and, inshallah, everything which you suggest and much more will be underway by your return. All my love and blessings to you and Sitara and Peter. Kiss the one in the middle for me. I�m doing my �duty� here with Leslie and Asa.
Wali Ali
October 30, 1970
Dear Murshid, Sitara, Peter,
As-Salaam-Aleikhum!
Today we found in the files your materials on salinity programs, adobe building, articles by Keim, etc. These materials have been pulled together and await the next step, whatever you say that is.
I sent a copy of lecture 9 to Huston Smith (just completed it and the series yesterday). This lecture, of all of them, deals most directly with things which overlap his fields of interest. I invited his comments.
Also wrote Finley Dunne�copy enclosed.
I�m working my head off, but�right now�loving it.
Sent some material for Walter to pick some biographical data from.
This will be the last batch of letters I enclose. Everything else will wait for your arrival here.
Frank says there are no bills that cannot wait for your arrival. He has taken care of a number of small matters. Financially, the Sufi Order is not doing exceptionally well. Much resistance by mureeds to the paying of dues. So salaries were only paid in part this month.
The most beautiful and impressive thing about the bread breaking celebration was the co-operation which was exhibited by Mureeds, plus some exceptional old friends of Banefsha�s. It served as a unification for many people. And when it went off smoothly, everyone seemed to feel a buildup of confidence for doing additional a projects.
My only prayer is that disciples here will lose some of the fear they have of you, and take a chance on exhibiting their great potential for creativity. The time when disciples, especially older disciples, can just sit back and be receptive is slipping away. More and more people have to take on responsibility. But this means impressing people with what our real work entails�something we have not yet been successful in doing.
Will visit Shlomo and Shabbats tonight. Tomorrow I�ve called off the Saturday afternoon class, which is quite small, and will attend Shlomo�s talk on Berashith. I have to take a break from my seven class a week schedule some time.
The drama class has been somewhat successful, but one does not feel the great power of God behind it as in the other endeavors. Even though Pir Vilayat expressly directed me to lead this work, I am going to call it finished after we present a very rough version of Inayat Khan�s �The Living Dead� shortly after your return, inshallah. There is something inside of me in relation to drama, but it will not come out at this time. One has felt the Inayat Khan Play almost as a duty. It certainly is not New Age Drama (about which I do have visions), but it is spiritual drama of a sort, and there is something in the sphere which seems to demand it be done, even as a sort of token thing.
Ever, your loving disciple,
Wali Ali
October 17, 1970
Beloved Murshid,
Sent copies of you correspondence with Fazal to Tucson as Walter & Daniel were very interested in seeing it.
The Wednesday night classes have now more people than at any time before. We couldn�t even make a circle in the gymnasium this past week.
I wrote Dr. Winston King who I knew casually at Vanderbilt and sent a copy to Rev. Wagner.
Going to surprise birthday celebration for Shibli tonight.
Tomorrow we will celebrate your birthday & the class will be given over to your poetry, etc.
All my love and kisses to Sitara.
Wali Ali
PS. Got your monthly notice from Wells Fargo today.
? October 1970
Dear Murshid,
Jemal-ud-din is working like a jinn contacting foundations, etc. etc.
More and more people moving into the city.
Nessim is now hanging out in my room.
Thought your letters to Fazal were good solid punches. One feels sympathy for him, used as he has been by those interested in power and prestige and not in Allah. One couldn�t help feeling, reading his letter, Jesus� maxim that by the standard with which you judge you will be judged.
All love to you and Peter and Lonnie and Sitara et al
Wali Ali
? October 1970
Dear Murshid,
Walter Bowart phoned this morning from Tucson. And this report will augment in detail that conversation, which had several important points. You will see from the enclosed letter the major item of news. As the next issue of Omen is soon to be produced he wanted permission before setting the lectures into print. I gave him permission to publish the first lecture as an article in this issue, as an introduction of your person. He wishes some brief biographical notes. I can prepare these if you wish but would like to know what you might want excluded or included, and there are periods about which I know nothing. I will definitely take care of a few paragraphs on your �unique, original and great style!�
The regular column as Walter envisions it would consist of the remaining nine lectures published one per issue. We did not talk about whether it would or could include other things. My feeling is that this might be a good place to take up with him the publishing of letters, or other topical reports from your person. Many of your views of the events of the day are contained in the lectures. My �editing� consisted almost solely in de-ciphering what you actually said, and completing or omitting partial sentences. It is quite likely that some of the terms you use from Greek, Hebrew particularly may not be completely accurate, and when you have time will be soon enough to look this over. The first one we�re just going ahead on.
Walter also asked me to write an objective article on The Dervish Dance integrating its use in contemporary America with historical aspects of Dervish Dance in traditional Sufi Orders and other places. I would deeply appreciate any remarks you have to make on this subject, as they would be quoted generously in such an article.
They are very receptive to your coming there for a spell. Walter assured me that money for your travelling expense, etc., would be forthcoming.
Walter has received material from Idres Shah, unpublished in this country, for use in Omen. Walter personally feels that he has learned much from Idres Shah. He took a complimentary copy of the first Omen by his office and left a very stiff letter about people being Sufis on paper and not manifesting any recognition or generosity in the world. The response was that he got a reply from Shah saying that he could not write at that time anything specifically for Omen but that the book of Dervish tales entitled �The Wisdom of the Idiots� published in England had stories not in the edition published in the U.S. and that he gave him the right to print these, and sent him the book. Walter is disgusted with the spiritual politics of the Sufi Movement and particularly that organization in Geneva that claims to have an iron-copyright on the works of Hazrat Inayat Khan. He was very pleased to receive your letters interchange with Fazal. Walter feels that through his agency Shah will recognize you; and Walter would love to see the two of you get together.
Walter expressed that he feels a close spiritual bond with you, even though Vilayat personally initiated him. He was not pleased with the way Vilayat functioned in Europe. He is not in agreement with some of the ways Daniel is functioning in Tucson. Nothing like that, but just a not-relating to the Gathas of Hazrat Inayat Khan. He feels the living spiritual word from living masters is more useful to them. He wonders how far back his allegiance should go. If he feels allegiance with you and with Pir Vilayat does he still have to feel allegiance for your teacher? Naturally this all lends weight to the need of your travelling to Tucson. Your presence could be very helpful to them.
(One feels such a sense of identification between your work and that of St. Paul at this time, that one can only praise God.)
I spoke with Daniel. He was in very good spirits. Nasima is expecting any moment and Daniel has made a study of practical midwifery, has all the requisite equipment, etc. A disciple there has made contact with a man teaching at the University and claiming to be a Sufi and he is cordially inviting Daniel to the University. They celebrated your birthday. I think you will hear from him in New York.
While I was not personally overwhelmed by Swami Muktananda. One has received now reports of personal experiences of disciples and of Freita, Some of these are very very positive. The Swami was constantly caressing Freita and mussing her hair. Ram Dass was overcome at her feet. He pressed lollypops on her as if she were a child. He is a positive being � there being no doubt from the reports. Full of love. His lecture was given entirely in some other language and was translated at the same time by another person.
Some of the new disciples here and others who have come since you left have plunged themselves into the work here. It is very gratifying and is helping to build a new atmosphere of love in the city disciples. Our Gatha classes have taken on more and more the note of some of the techniques and atmosphere of Pir Vilayat�s camp. These are having real results.
Amin�s presence in the community is very strongly felt. I look up to him, and so does everybody else.
There is talk and consideration now of either getting a larger house in the city for you, where you could have privacy and a study. On the order of a Khankah or not as you preferred, or at least getting a hall where we could do our classes, which will soon be much too large for our garage. We expect several hundred people or more at the Unitarian Church program which will feature the Dervish Dances. The Dances are being accepted more and more in the community and with a little push and with the proper place we could have classes in the hundreds if you desired.
God bless you.
All my love,
Wali Ali
[undated]
Dear Ram,
All so far has been quite successful from all points of view. Details can of course wait, however, there is news which I will certainly interest all in San Francisco.
We presented the various methods which one used in San Francisco; the walks of the Messengers, the Wazifas, the planetary rhythms, and the Dervish and other dances. All met the most enthusiastic reception (as indeed has the Oracle). Pir Vilayat spoke to me of wishing to do the dances and Wazifa movements in his European youth camps. Also he spoke of arranging a motion picture to be made of the dances to be shown around the country. I am demonstrating some of the dances and walks to 2 young people here, who will be going to the European camp. There is a new development in Europe�Pir Vilayat would like to merge the American Youth spirit with that of the young Europe and has spoken of arranging a charter flight for young people from the US to inexpensively go to the European camp.
I believe he is arriving on the 2nd at 2pm and he is looking forward to visiting the Garden of Inayat.
Shirin and I spoke briefly with him about the ranch and his intentions toward it. he does not seem very inclined to make any large investment of that type at this time.
One has restricted this not to news, the wonderful experiences of us all, one can hardly speak of.
You are all in our hearts.
Looking toward to making with renewed vigor.
All love & blessings,
Wali Ali