[date unknown, probably from Lama to the Khankah in August 1969]
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
Saturday Morning
Beloved Ones of Allah:
The old tricks are following Murshid and it was fortunate that he did find one of his missing pens just before starting writing. Unless otherwise notified Murshid will reach the airport at 10:20 Thursday night, TWA. One leaves here Thursday morning and already has two appointments in Albuquerque with professors, this without looking around much.
One cooks dinner Monday night and will try to make a frittata. Today one picked four kinds of spinach�regular, New Zealand, chards and beet topes. They over-planted here but cannot exchange with other communes with also over-planted.
This afternoon we are supposed to visit two communes and go Apricot picking, so will be adding to this. There is also a copy of letter sent out which Wali Ali is to keep until I return. The follow up will depend on the visitors tomorrow and the interviews as above in Albuquerque.
Just now the weather is wonderful but there are again clouds on the horizon. They have already had one than the expected rainfall and then some. And in between much work on the buildings.
Will have to discuss �vacation� when I return. If Khawar�s aunt comes I cannot get away so easily, but want a real vacation, perhaps with Mansur, perhaps with somebody else. Here they say I work harder than anybody else, for there are two dancing classes a day and a short lesson at night; and a longer one no doubt Saturday and Sunday nights.
This morning I showed them how to use Ya Hayy Ya Hakk! in mountain climbing. It worked. Yet I myself had not applied it previously and have been very tired a/c the altitude but not now.
Over half the people here are from various parts of California and if they show my card or mention �Lama� they are to be welcomed.
The very poor carbon of a letter to Russ Joyner gives some news. This will be followed by a rejoinder to the Muslim students. The few Hadith that I have been able to read are so powerful I cannot read more. Prophet Mohammed reminds us to repeat the name of Allah constantly and still the professors and Idries Shah make mystifications of very simple, hard facts. And while the �Muslims� are complaining and crying about the behaviors of others�and themselves transgressing on their own teachings, the most popular thing here is Subhan Allah, Alhamdu Lillah, Allaho Akbar! And the kaffirs follow Mohammed and the �Muslims� do not!
The visits to the communes show a terrible contrast between the sub-human, including
Morning Star, and New Buffalo. I have explained the ignorance of symbology and that hard fact that Lew Gottlieb is in jail because he is a master of �humility� and closed ears. He is receiving the natural outcome of his own ignorance-egotisms on symbology. And then Murshid went into Kagshandi teachings against both Lew Gottlieb and especially that very �humble� Idries Shah. Apparently everything and everybody is �god� but Allah.
The New Buffalo and other people are to arrive today to learn the spiritual dances. So I am taking it easy? before the afternoon, and may or may not add later because there will be a session�at least one�tonight.
Future plans depend on the arrival (or not) of Bibijan. I sorely and sadly need a vacation. They say Murshid puts in more hours than anybody else. Fortunately health is good, Alhamdulillah. There may or may not be addenda before this goes to post.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
[date unknown, probably from Lama to the Khankah in August 1969]
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
Sunday afternoon
Beloved Ones of God:
The climax of the visit here will soon be reached. There have already been many visitors in morning and early afternoon and many to come. We have to work out a dance program and it is again quite warm.
One lady here wishes to go over �Saladin� but has not called for it.
Please tell Saadia, if she is around, a most important letter will be written to the Muslim students and copies to many parts of the world. One has now nothing to read but a small booklet on Hadith and that is more than sufficient. Already it is noted that there is a foresight which sees through and beyond events, very different from psychic predicting. It never fails though sometimes one is not fully aware either of the vision or its importance.
There are too many book definitions of �Sufi� and too few who have had either the Divine Vision or its most important derivatives. The bases of all of these is in �Saladin� but one�s real great work has not even started. It is possible, inshallah, before Saadia goes, that Wali Ali may help with the most important epic which will live beyond Murshid.
One is more and more aware of the work to be done and it is possible that, �In that day will the sun rise in the West and all men seeing, will believe.� As yet the inspirations are not so great as at Myrtle Beach or Mian Mir or the Garden of Inayat, but they will come when Allah wills. One feels that one will take a typewriter on future visits.
Friday one will first attend to financial matters. The hour of departure for Novato will depend on the completion of business and the whereabouts of both Saadia and Bibijan. But one does not wish visitors Friday unless imperative. Work must be done with each person at Mentorgarten. Of course if some are away, that will facilitate matters there but no pushing.
Tell Wali Ali to open any mail from Washington State, and if he wants, all non-foreign mail. If this is opened it does not matter but it will not get priority.
Evening. Quite eventful day. Must work hard tomorrow so will close here, to get it into the mailbag. Everything does not have to be reported; some things may be told, some never told.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
[date unknown, probably to the Khankah]
Beloved Ones of God:
It is a very awkward thing to have any dualistic relations between disciples and teacher. The situation is complicated because of sound or unsound business relations which, spiritually speaking, should never have taken place. No doubt here Murshid is at fault for not making certain things clear, but according to generally accepted legal and business practices, where disciples take the advantage of their being with the teacher and the teacher is compelled to accept all the business and material, responsibilities a climax must be reached and the atmosphere must be cleared.
The delicate point is that on previous occasions when there were business or other meetings and resolutions were passed, the vary persons who introduced the resolutions did nothing to enforce the resolutions, the Murshid is either forced to break spiritual principles or to have his privacy invaded, and the latter has taken place too many times. There has been a reluctance to stop strangers from entering portions of the house where they do not belong and this reluctance, among other things, resulted in a small robbery recently. The Murshid could have stopped this person as he could have stopped other persons, but if he did this would change this house at once into a Khankah and in the Khankah the Murshid would have absolute rights, to call off meetings, etc, in order to have his person and certain principles preserved. Therefore it is with great reluctance that any kind of meeting be held until it is absolutely agreed that if a resolution is passed it binds everybody.
Once there is one kind of invasion of privacy, the doors to other invasions follow.
Now apart from any personality situations Murshid is now called on to go on two great missions afar. He has the knowledge, the wisdom perhaps, and these are the denouement of a long life of spiritual study, intellectual knowledge and acceptance by people at distant places. But in order to fulfill either of these missions it is absolutely necessary to have certain papers with him and proper paraphernalia and knowledge.
To prepare for this journey there must be the accumulation of a travel fund, etc., etc. For this purpose Murshid has been very careful to reserve some of his own assets and is now having two classes in dancing and two classes for Rev. Blighton. The latter has assured Murshid that he will be compensated therefore. But these extra efforts are consuming an enormous amount of time which is hardly available and the moneys from the Dancing Class, which do not belong to the work of the Sufi Order, is being reserved�it need not be�for the Sufi Order. If this is done then the Sufi Order should be willing to recompense Murshid for the travel expenses.
During the last few years, since starting classes on Clementina etc., his income has increased considerably. The result has been an unconscious leaning on him by the part of several disciples, treating him as a banker, etc. This includes even some of the highest and most devoted disciples who will be named if necessary.
Murshid now has enough money out of his own independent income to pay all his bills and hire either one full time or two part time workers. Or if the persons living in the house paid not promises, the required or quested $l00 a month for room and board, this money would enable him to pay for such portion of current expenses that he then could also pay one or more disciple workers�although there are volunteers to enable him to prepare for the missions.
In the meanwhile there is the whole work of the Sufi Movement which is exceedingly time consuming�teaching, type papers, filling the teacher�s requirements, conducting lectures and classes and the ordinary and extraordinary correspondence.
Therefore what is wanted is not only a journal but a proper bookkeeping system for this house and the full responsibility, financially and otherwise of the persons who are living at 410 Precita Ave., This is not for Mr. Samuel L. Lewis�it is for the Cause of God.
It must therefore be requested that the persons living at 410 Precita accept their full responsibilities financially or move elsewhere: either as a group or individuals which would take this load from Murshid�s shoulders and mind.
No doubt this is a point of view and being such is lopsided. But the alternative of Murshid moving out into his own apartment alone and hiring his help would awaken the disciples to the burdens Murshid is facing and give their full cooperation so he can performed the very important world missions for which God has blessed him. Already today non-Murshids have fully recognized this�the Mureeds ban not be compelled, of course, but if they do not, they should not be living with Murshid.
If they do, he will help them the best he can.
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Avenue
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
March 26, 1969
To Whom It May Concern.
This is to signify that Daniel Dennis Lomax is not only a validated student in Sufism and other spiritual philosophies taught by me but that he is also an accredited Teacher in Sufism and other aspects of Oriental Philosophy and Mysticism.
Daniel Dennis Lomax was so initiated and accredited by the Sufi Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. Pir Vilayat has headquarters in Paris, Frances, but he is recognized and accredited by many Sufi Orders found in various foreign lands, chiefly in Asia.
Daniel Dennis Lomax has passed the tests and examinations which would qualify him as a Teacher and has now been a functional Teacher for about a year. His duties involve not only the teaching of various religious and spiritual philosophies and systems, but also research into a number of deep philosophical systems found either now or in the past in various parts of Asia and not taught in either out religious or educational institutions, save in rare instances.
It is very important that Daniel Dennis Lomax be given every opportunity and encouragement to continue his work which is helping to break down barriers, between Americans and Asians in a number of different directions.
If anyone wishes further information or details on any of the above such information will be furnished, seriatim.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
April 17, 1970
Boston
My dear Daniel [Lomax]:
This letter is being written in triplicate and will probably go to Wali Ali and one to the Khankah. We do not know on which day we will return. We would rather have it done quietly at first, with a big celebration around May Day. This could be in Golden Gate Park or on the lawn at San Francisco or even at the Khankah. I am not immediately asking anything from the Khankah as this might throw a weight on Fatima and I am assuming that Jayanara is getting ready for motherhood. At the same time Zeynab is getting ready for marriage. According to the last news, she and Wali Ali will exchange rooms which will work a hardship on nobody.
If wells Fargo fulfills the interpretation of my father�s will, it will be necessary to incorporate, either incorporation sole as they call it; or else, under the provisions given me in Pakistan which we can discuss with the lawyer, Mr. T. LaShalt. At the present moment I have a 2,000 dollar loan to repay. After that financially speaking, there may be incessant progress, but with it incessant wisdom.
This corporation sole will be separate from the Sufi Order. No doubt there will be interchange of funds and personalities. There are two factors here:
1) the Sufi Order has not yet fully organized on a financial basis. I feel we should give Bibijohn a small monthly remittance. At the present time it is apparently voluntary. It should be put on some firm basis. I have also discussed this with some of our brethren in England. Pir Vilayat is extending this work very rapidly in many directions. Apparently, and one must not be too critical, it has not taken on either a sound financial basis or what his father wished. I don�t wish to carry this to the point of any controversy with anybody.
2) In forming a corporation sole or other group, I do not wish to make the mistake of turning my money over to the degree there is no control over it. At the same time, if Mr. Conner�s interpretation which was just verbal is correct, I shall certainly have at the very least 500 dollars a month for which there would be no need in a direct sense.
I have also been commissioned from Pakistan to organized in such a way there would be no legal complications from, with, or connected to any group using the term Sufi in any sense. This would enable up to do a lot of things to help promote better east/west relations. I have seen too many people being given posts of authority, backed by neither money nor adequate knowledge, and so failure. If I have both the money and the knowledge, I wish to see it used not to promote failure. There may be here a certain degree of wisdom; there is certainly a goodly amount of worldly knowledge which should not be wasted.
I am not proposing to put you on a full-time job, although as I see it you income for working for me and the Sufi Order and the proposed corporation would necessarily be raised considerably. I am not trying to make you into an office worker, but I may need you as an office manager.
We have already made contact with at least one person who will come to California and among other things he has promised to both organize and promote our efforts. The purpose of Sufi training and instruction is to enable man to fulfill his purpose in life. You have already obtained some tools. I see no reason why we cannot continue this program. We will not be able to have a small tool house at the Khankah, but for the purposes of the activities of the Khankah would have to be considered very carefully and by others. If would be very strong to try to override anybody opinions, whether these opinions were spiritual or from the ego. There must be very careful consideration of harmony.
At the moment I do not know if any new plans are afoot a Novato. The kiln and the workshop for writing must be given upmost consideration, and anything now without adequate manpower could result it either overworking or loss.
I have mentioned to you before that I wish you to be with me when a visit was made to any attorney. Mr. T. LaShalt. I am temporary proposing a corporation with 5 persons on a board, but this would be settled later. I have to divide my Mureeds both in spiritual sense and a practical sense between the travelers and meditators. I have blandly assumed that certain persons like Mansur, Fred, and Julie would be travelers. I have assumed that you would remain in, and also Akbar. I have assumed here also that Moineddin, Fatima, and Wali Ali may come between the two. As at the moment all of the spiritual teachers are men, I wish to have at least two women on my board. One of these would be Fatima. Actually everything written here has come out of meditation and vision, the same as the spiritual dances. Although I do not know on which day we shall return, I should prefer stopping off a little bit in San Francisco on the way from the airport, and then going to Novato, and from Novato call on the attorney and do whatever is necessary, including resting.
The house we are staying in in Boston has a very large room, excellent for all our purposes. It was spiritually dedicated by me before writing this letter.
I want you to consider everything carefully so as to enhance the full blossoming of your purposes in life. The same applies to each all. The power and authority of a spiritual teacher should come from his wisdom and insight and not from my material of financial prowess. Our last night in England held so such promise, and if the same occurs here, it means that Murshid may often be traveling in the future. This in a sense is in God�s hands.
There is no reason not to read this to others, especially Edison Avenue. There are certain items here which should be considered for meditation with those who have already validation there insight.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
October 21, 1969
To Akhbar, James
My dear Khalif;
Your very heart-cordial letter of the 15th is before me. We understand perfectly that the Sufi sees life from the standpoint of another as well as of himself. I am certainly not going to throw any burdens on you although I must note in general your program, your seriousness, your acceptance of studies, your outlook, and your endeavors, remarkably parallel those of Khalifa Saadia Khan.
In your case as in hers, compassion and the wide outlook encourage as much freedom as possible so as not to add to restrictions you have placed around yourselves. No doubt these disciples, these self-disciplines, will help each of you reach your goal.
We had a birthday party here on Saturday October 18, given by Murshid. Diane and Doyle were here but not Brian. I am not trying to reach Brian simply because not only the number of disciples but the number of applicants has increased. Also I guess Murshid has spoken to about 2000 persons in the last month, nearly all young. Our various meetings, public and private, are being well attended, increasing in quality and quality, etc.
On Sunday October 19 a marvelous birthday party was given for �us.� Us means Sibly Cogswell and also Joy (Claire Zeynab�s new chum who attends the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design). I guess about 100 people were there. The meeting was characterized by a most beautiful picture drawn by Fatima and the sublime chanting of our choral group. During the meeting another Nancy, a friend of my god-daughter, came. She has just returned from Turkey, and agrees that the form of chant, if properly presented, would do much to promote international understanding.
Murshid himself led in the Hare Krishna Dance, the Krishna dance and the Birthday Dance. I have never experienced such love and veneration, but cannot step to be overcome by any emotions therein. Mansur has gone through some severe trails which are part of his spiritual awaking. The answer is that he and I, Inshallah, shall attend the next parliament of religious scheduled to be held in Istanbul, Turkey next spring. In general our efforts are directed thereto.
We don�t have to look for �excitement.� Fatima is about to become a mother and we are looking upon it as if it were some special spiritual event. Saturday we had the dance of mothers and infants with fathers also. It would appear that within a year this will be a very large group indeed.
From now on I shall spend 5 days in San Francisco and 2 only in Novato. My great problem has been assistance, especially clerical assistance but my friend Bill Hathaway is now living with Howard Mussell and if he joins us, I mean in the office, this problem may be dissolved.
Love and Blessing, Murshid
Lama
June 26, 1970 Morning
My dear James [Akhbar] (copy to Wali Ali):
The last days are full without necessarily being hectic. God does not wish Murshid to overwork.
Tomorrow we dance at Lila to the north and then expect Inshallah a big crowd Sunday. Tuesday we shall have at least two big affairs, one at Santa Fe, and the other at Albuquerque. We are being given full cooperation by Josh and Jessica (who used to be at Olompali). We shall lunch with Dianne who has been most cooperative and may have contacted somebody on a hurried trip to S.F but we should see her Tuesday if not Sunday. Arrangements have been made for Josh to come out as Leslie is staying to see friends in the neighborhood.
Today I hope to complete the fertilizing here. Most of the people are at Taos working with the �Indians.� The general news is mixed, chiefly concerning the efforts of Yoga Bhajan. Fred and Julie gave us a little about the Camp and it would appear we shall have some new adherents.
I am hoping from these to get enough financial support for Daniel. I have my own debts to pay and obligations with are most important. We shall have to have some organization meetings too.
I am asking you keep in touch with S.F. concerning our arrival. We should be leaving Wednesday morning and have to visit Santa Barbara. There is always the possibility of being kept too long so I am keeping all of Saturday, the 4th, open for our arrival. I have to assume that the 5th has been cared for.
After this letter is written there will be a meeting with Fred and Julie. There may have been misunderstandings. On one point Murshid will not relax and that is the inclusion of Tasajara in the films. If that �Roshi� is in, Murshid is out, and I do not look for any trouble. Two Zen people are here and they are doing things which the Roshi absolutely disapproves of. Anyhow Murshid has given the whole gamut of Buddhist meditations, something all the �important� people are very hush-hush about.
On other matters concerning other persons and the raising of funds there can be adjustments. I do not like all the things that have been done but won�t carry the points too far. We have a World Message, not a fund-raising campaign, nor all-inclusive, �compassion,� which is nothing but verbal. I am satisfied with everything Vilayat has done, is doing, excepting concerning his health. My own, praise to Allah, has been remarkably good considering the high altitude.
Marcia wants to move and that is all right. It is probably that Leslie will move in. I have to have somebody who will be around and have so many tasks, that the work is endless: spiritual papers, creative writing, two books, botanical entries for Saul�very big; no conferences the first week excepting on domestic matters. Then bills then mail.
Monday should get a list of dishes they may want and would like them ready for Drew to take. This can be important�they do not have to be high class. But there should be enough for a proper kiln� firing.
Then the question of next year. I do not wish to be at Lama during any period Vilayat may have a camp. This takes took many people away from our locale and also makes it impossible for any�body to attend both sessions. Should prefer coming here later, after all planting is completed.
Alaeddin has a plan for Sunday morning singing. The only problem is Moineddin. This would release Tuesday nights for a dancing class, preferably at Edison, and then Amin and Marcia could take over, with or without Moineddin. It should be for new people, but also a role should be taken, so that from this group they could be �promoted.� The Saturday class must be limited or else one cannot take them ahead.
We shall have something special for July 5th and may start in a �rehearsal� here Sunday and then at Albuquerque. This is for a new form of dance which requires at least 40 people. The pilot effort was most rewarding.
After this is posted, will clear things with Julie and Fred.
Love and blessing to everyone.
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Box 444,
San Cristobal, NM 87564
June 11, 1970
Benefsha Gest
1000A Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94947
Beloved One of God:
Welcome to Novato! I feel you will gain by being there. Steve Durkee, who is the leader here, if you can call anybody a leader, is very much like you. At the meeting the other day I said, �Steve you are always right. Sometimes you are over-right, but you are never wrong.� This may apply to you in many things.
Just before your letter came I was surrounded by a group of children with Selima. I said, �The scene is five years from now. Benefsha will be here and seeing all those children will start her school and get a shock. She will say, �Children I love you all; I am very happy to become your teacher.� Then the children to Benefsha�s amazement will rise in one accord chanting, �Establishment, establishment, establishment.�� You will say, �But I am not establishment; I am a new age teacher, that is all.� They will chant in turn, �establishment, establishment.� You will ask, �How am I establishment?� They will say, �Every teacher is establishment.� So you can�t say I haven�t been thinking of you.
Mohammed said, �Praise God in time of prosperity and surrender to him in times of adversity.� I think you are learning that lesson very well. I don�t feel like dealing with your faults. In the first place all the women mureeds here have been unwell; Saul has been unwell, I am not sure of Bill Mathieu; and half the Lama people themselves no better. So you will excuse me if I do not deal with your shortcomings here. In the religious sense you have confessed your sins. In the practical sense you have done very right.
The other day I wrote the Khankah to please collect some grape leaves for the Gossip restaurant which is on Grant Avenue. I hope to take you there also when, I return. There are many problems, but at the moment money is not one of them. I have heard from Wali Ali that he has cut down the Arizona camp to 100 people. I shall not be surprised if Vilayat promotes him. If he does not, I shall.
There have been many beautiful incidents here and in Albuquerque and in Santa Fe. But life is moving on at a tremendous rate and I have to be very careful not to overwork Mansur. Nathan is doing very well; at least I am satisfied.
The news I get about the film is not too satisfactory. At a time when Mansur and I are contacting world leaders there is a danger of rif-raf and hangers on getting in. This cannot be. Indeed there is some possibility, Inshallah, of Mansur making contacts for a successful film with high ideals which some people, alas, cannot conceive. I am not in the commercial business, but I am in the peace and brotherhood business. My history was written in the heavens and it is coming out just that way and no nonsense. There is much more to write but we have plenty to do here.
Murshid will have two big tasks upon his return: the peace in Palestine projects and the what I call metapsychiatric conferences, spiritual counseling. This is without taking into consideration all that Wali Ali has done, is doing.
Today I have a large beautiful and growing family. I think Allah is preparing me for some grand missions and I surrender to Him. Please read this if you wish to the others.
For Joshua Rama. Samuel Vilayat is here and I am teaching him how to bing�bang musically on plates and dishes; he is doing very well. Shirin the little is here and she is saying, �Samuel Vilayat, I love you very much. Kiss, kiss.� Hold off you scamp and be careful what you are doing! Don�t you know who I am? Well, someday you will.
Love and Blessings to everybody from Mansur and myself,
Murshid Samuel L. Lewis
Benefsha Gest
175 Sixth Avenue
San Francisco, California
October 4, 1970
Dear Benefsha:
Murshid is a-scared. He put a ring on Saadia�s finger and then two more came in the mail, so he has put three rings on her fingers and doesn�t apologize, just advises that unwittingly he is also caught in a three-ring non-circus.
Things are moving so fast and so delightfully that while writing a letter to my best friend, copy enclosed, we found a notice, now enclosed, which we are going to follow up. Like Shlomo and Murshid, we find quite a few plagiarists: namely, we have eaten in a Syrian restaurant, owned and operated by Jews. Although it is impossible to convince �realists� about hard facts, this very institution shows that some human beings would rather make money off of others than kill them. So we go back to the Armenian point of view.
Yesterday afternoon we went to tea at the Prakas family, friends of Ruthie�-Parisa. The Mister is the brother of Mary, the head of the First Zen Institute of New York. We were trapped. They served us pita with cheese about which Sitara knows more than Murshid and mawn strudel, about which Murshid knows more than Sitara. But our confounded host had lived long in Egypt and knew considerably more about Sufism than any �expert� Murshid has met in England or America. We even liked Nasser so much that we over-looked the food and the women�no, we did not approve of his international politics. We approved of his cleaning the streets, getting rid of pollution, getting rid of slums, freeing the women, building hospitals, making education universal, and all those wonderful things, accomplishments of his, and subjects of editorials by all of Agnew�s enemies.
Now with the notice that Arabs and Israelis want to get together, we think we shall start in a little earlier tomorrow. Things are moving so fast, we should like to telephone you, but they are moving so fast that if we did telephone you, something else would have happened before the conversation were over, and the only solution is a Hotline, which is too expensive for private citizens.
In the interlude, we called Boston, and I told them I was Saul�s boss, with the result that a lot of people are coming down here from Boston. After visiting the relatives the other night, at 11:00 we tried to scrounge into Baba Ram Dass� meeting. Not a chance. It was just like visiting the holy places is Egypt. As soon as we crossed the threshold, we were surrounded and escorted. Gosh! yells of Murshid and Sufi Sam. And I delighted Baba Ram Dass by interrupting him, which as a good masochist, he thoroughly enjoyed. Now I think I�ll write some more letters and send you the copies. Not a dull moment, especially when I am alone with Sitara.
Love and blessings, and don�t forget the Three Rings,
Samuel L. Lewis
c/o Lonnie Less 27
W. 71 Street
New York, N.Y. 10023
October 26, 1970
Benefsha Gest
176 Sixth Avenue
San Francisco, California
Beloved one of God:
Murshid is in a very strange mood. His hopes rise, and yet there has been a warning that trouble will come not from opposition but from a blind zeal to do good. There are some things Murshid cannot compromise on. One of these is the prayers, and all the phrases in the prayers. Thus in Khatum, it says, "Open Thou our hearts that we may hear Thy voice which constantly cometh from within." This is Murshid's habit. He cannot say he is always listening to Allah nor that his heart is always open. He cannot insist that disciples accept his guidance, but he can insist and does that he does not want non-disciples to present ideas for peace in the Near East unless they prove they have had inner guidance or wisdom. Not so long ego Murshid went to a so-called peace conference at which the various spiritual leaders and the so-called, all praised meditation and disciplines. Then they rushed suggestions without any meditation or consideration, and anyone opposing them was considered to be a disturbance.
But this peace conference was not originally your Murshid's idea. And the pro�gram for the Near East has been your Murshid's idea. It began with divine visitations in name and form, somewhat similar to those one can read about in The lives of the adepts. It was followed by hard and stiff scientific research�a point which is entirely ignored at the moment by some people who have been invited into the Hallelujah! The Three Rings and Murshid does not believe they belong there. And so Murshid's heavy scientific research is ignored and by--passed for what? By whom? It has been almost impossible to get disciples to come to San Francisco and work on my files, and you are very dangerously near committing fraudulent acts, and I mean that, when you collect monies for disciples or non-disciples to do so-called scientific research where your Murshid has already completed this.
Your Murshid has constantly said, and he's failed in communication, he's failed utterly, that he has five overwhelming projects. The disciple who was selected by Murshid to take over the garden and for whom Murshid is concentrating to col�lect funds is now engaged doing pioneer duplicate nonsense instead of going over the files on Precita Avenue. I don't understand this at all. I have had some beautiful letters recently from the University of California. I know pretty well what to do. I do not know the man who won the Nobel Peace Prize, but have already discussed this subject in detail with some of the top men on various campuses. Now I am in a predicament even more than in a quandary.
I do not see what and where non-mureeds have been called in on a project which originally was revealed to your spiritual teacher. I do not understand it at all. And personally, although not spiritually, I am not very warm about rejecting suggestions of mureeds and accepting suggestions of non-mureeds on any matter whatsoever even remotely connected with our work.
Your spiritual reports are excellent. The work with the students seems wonderful. The programs on the dances are wonderful. Murshid has no pessimism, but does have the fear that superficial goodness can often block our endeavors.
Murshid absolutely approves The Three Ring's bread-breaking ceremony. He hopes that the Unitarian Church will change its adamant get-out attitude towards him. Everything is moving beautifully otherwise. We have to have departments. We need not call in everybody on everything. The dance program alone has become overwhelming. The peace program is overwhelming. We have hardly touched the esoteric sciences. Walter has been crying for Murshid's things, and we will need or additional secretary. He hopes money can be raised and he will support any effort in this direction with his own resources.
It is very often awkward to find fault on anything. It is most unfortunate we do not have the full copies of the earlier constitutions of the Sufi Movement. I have been accepting blindly whatever Pir Vilayat presents and will continue to rely on him in the field of organization. But there are certain limits put on our exoteric operations by Hazrat Inayat Khan himself. You are entirely correct when you say that God is great. Please keep it that way. I have not written on my full program, and I cannot do it with the small amount of help I now have. I shall need one person almost permanently on Precita Avenue for research there.
Murshid is firm but not angry. The divine voice is always in operation. One also sees the wisdom shining in all disciples but not always in all men. This for pragmatic reasons. Please do not spread yourself. Please do not call in everybody on everything that comes to you.
We expect to return about the 10th of November but will take this up first with Vilayat.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
Carol Androsky
September 23, 1969
My dear Carol:
Your letter of the 11th arrived while Mansur and Murshid were away on vacation. We made a tour of the northwest, getting back Sunday.
Your letter of the 11th shows a remarkable stride toward maturity. It may not be helpful that yesterday was spent in dealing with parallel problems. Some of these arise when the �soul� is tested. Indeed that was what prompted this vacation, for Mansur has had a severe test from life, waking some of the others apparently simple by contrast. But God does not try man beyond his capacity and so to compare one test or drama with another is of no particular value.
I have often threatened girls, if they were so over concerned, that they should have to listen to each other�s troubles. That does more than anything else to shut them up; also to develop real sympathy and empathy. And if you look into the backgrounds of the girls coming to Father Blighton and here (he gets lots more) they do not look like very good �material� and yet they are the very best. Love and sorrow are the two greet testers.
The restoration of faith in oneself is of utmost value. Here I do not look upon peoples as �saints� and �sinners.� We have to find values whether in rocks or plants or humans and they are always there. And your letter shows your incipient or real values. Besides you say you are in with gentle and loving people�what more can be asked of life?
I have kidded David saying Carol has a job; she is coming back and will treat us to dinner and maybe more. But our affairs seem to be improving. David has just obtained the kind of paying job he wanted and with a good salary. But next year he may have to leave here to be living near his work, Gwen is now going to art school.
My other God-daughter, Saadia Khawar Khan has been here and she and Nancy got along fine, but not Ralph. He does not know how to deal with strangers and I have refused to join in one of his enterprises. Besides I have some of my own and they may be of utmost importance. Things are changing, praise to God. And Murshid is now back to his �own abnormal self� working hard and having conferences and putting both heart and mind on deep problems, personal and spiritual. At least the �kids� are being drawn.
My next job is to get you on spiritual disciples to help integrate your personality, but when you are ready.
Love,
Sufi Sam
Clark Brown
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94947
December 18, 1968
Dear Clark:
There is so much of what may interest you going on now that I thought a letter would be welcome. We are having a stream of visitors of all sorts. Pir Vilayat Khan will arrive at the end of the year, and the great swami Ranganathananda Maharaj is supposed to be here at the beginning of January. In the meanwhile Paul Reps and Lama Govinda are flittering and fluttering around, not to say various casual visitors. This is all extra to a full program.
The house on Precita Avenue is now Mentorgarten Inn. If the loans made are paid back to me, there will be a temporary place on your return. If not, provision can be had only on the payment of rent. Murshid is caught between desires to help others and others taking advantage of him beyond his means.
We have hat had a fire here at the Khankah in Novato. There proved to have been much more smoke than fire. The, greatest damage was done to Fatima Patricia�s personal effects and personal work. However, this will now give her the opportunity to redecorate her own room and possibly much of the Khankah and so make it spiritually beautiful. Too many intellectual ignoramuses, talk about alchemy and transmutation as if they were strange processes, far away. Like the kingdom of heaven, alchemy and transmutation are within ourselves.
Murshid is expecting a grand climax within the next week. It will begin with the marriage of Matthew, once the chum of Kirk and follower of the so-called Messiah on Page Street in San Francisco. Matthew has gone a long way since then, having had spiritual experiences which would make our old ladies squirm.
On Christmas eve we are expecting a big thing at Corte Madera. This will be exactly one year since Murshid�s first transmutation transformation, It will be followed by a special limited party at the Khankah on December 27th, also celebrating the birthday of a lady disciple who has recently become a mother. The first party will be unlimited; the second party limited only because of lack of available room.
Next year we hope to have our barn ready. It has already been weather stripped and has lighting. It may be heated but most affairs will be in the summer which is quite warm here. Then there will be facilities for people to stay over-night and also work on the place. I can�t say more because the future programs will undoubtedly be affected by the coming of the Pir and Swamiji.
Dara (Buzz), one of the Novato disciples, is bank from India. He was very much amused, to find that he had converted Murshid into wearing longer hair and a beard. The beard should be in fairly good shape for the festivities. It may add dignity. But between his nature behavior and she influence of Papa Ramdas, Murshid would rather be a father or grandfather than a plastic saint.
The visits of Paul Reps have had some effect. Reps gives the audience practices and does not charge for them.
Now we must give the old ladies their chance. Last night we heard Lama Anagarika Govinda. Be has all the �credentials� for an instructor in oriental philosophy in America and perhaps, from the standpoint of the �old ladies� to be a mahatma also. He was born in Germany and has all the intellectual equipment necessary for the �only in America� expert on Asian philosophy.
Asian Philosophy �only in America� style. Scriptures are valid in direct counter position to your having read them. Americans reading scriptures takes away their sacredness. If they haven�t been read�and better, if they have never been heard of, they become very sacred indeed!
We had a chance to find out what infinite compassion is. Finite compassion takes into consideration men women and children, their wants and needs, sorrows and pain. Infinite compassion does nothing of the sort. To illustrate: the Lama took up enough room for twenty people. His chief associate would not permit any of the young to sit on the floor or indeed to approach his ?holiness?, less he be desecrated.
The doors were shut, and apparently infinite compassion permits its advocates to be rude, inconsiderate, and even hostile. As I had no idea of infinite compassion before, it is now clear how it differs from finite compassion.
Although we met in a presumable Buddhist sanctuary and Buddhism and enlightenment were supposed to be the main topics I am now reassured that nothing
of the sort is true. The Lord Buddha had the misfortune not to live in an age when he could study under renowned Englishmen and Germans and various translations of ancient Chinese manuscripts which tell you all about everything that exists only in the archetypal worlds.
I am glad that the Lama and his associates have left to us and others the whole universe of love, consideration, charity, brotherhood, soothing hearts, mercy, and warm love. Inasmuch as infinite compassion has abandoned them, we can go ahead with our program without any trouble.
Unlike Mr. Paul Reps the Lama seemed unable or unwilling to present anything practical which the young could grasp and benefit from.
Fatigue: The Lama is suffering frost constant fatigue. Apparently everything fatigues him and everybody. Murshid, having not reached infinity does not to suffer. Indeed, catching four of his young disciples suffering from fatigue he gave them the works: they all got Sufi mantras, which work, not esoterics which do not. Then Murshid had them all repeat the mantrams in a dance. Then he gave them some Zikr practices in a dance, sometimes holding on to their hands, sometimes not. The fatigue disappeared.
This is one of many examples of how finite compassion differs from infinite compassion as it is called, whatever that means. Murshid does not permit fatigue. But only after giving the heart balm. Murshid has seen men working in Egypt 14 hours a day, singing to God all the while in utter joy and love. Joy and love are real and fatigue non-existent to those in finite compassion. Besides, these working men and Murshid and most of his disciples have not yet learned how to stuff wax in their ears, or develop it so they cannot listen to others.
You know that there are student revolts going on in this area. Some of us came very near staging one ourselves, because infinite compassion was shutting out Dr. Warrick. To us it was amazing and unthinkable. But it happened. Strange are the ways of infinity which we do not know.
However Dr. Warrick is trying to arrange a meeting between Murshid and the Lama, and Murshid will accept this under any finite consideration.
Howard was there too with a group of people, all but one of whom are very close to Murshid. I do not know how they felt, because there were too many people in the audience with whom we are acquainted. We also wished to greet many young people and ignore the important ones when the meeting was over.
Mark has gone to New York with an introduction to a beautiful young girl disciple named Ruth. But Ruth also is expected momentarily here. Mark has benefited very much by yoga and Sufi dances and has the brightness in his eyes which is one of the best signs of spiritual growth.
I shall direct the San Francisco esoteric secretary to mail you the full set of Gathas 3, which will keep you occupied. Questions on them will be welcomed and can be the subject matter for further correspondence.
cc Howard
410 Precita Ave
San Francisco
March 21, 1969
My dear Dara:
It is sometime since I heard from you and unfortunately the letter was misplaced. I am glad to know you are finding some solace in Ohio. My chief fear is that of weather. We have had a very wet, but not too cold winter.
It is very awkward to write negatively and now the negative notes are small compare with the positive ones. You cannot convince older people that the laws of compensation apply to them. I have seen the downfall of so many public heroes, all �superman� and humpty-dumpties.
The ranch is now going through a transition. There is a new owner, sympathetic to communes and conservation but who wishes to keep the number of inhabitants small, and I understand, chiefly those who will work. Our old friends are still making their claims but hardly being listened to. They have had to resort to public fund raising to keep them in bread.
The Khankah at Novato has Moineddin, Fatima, Mansur, Jemila, Hasan and Jayanara. Hussein has gone into the numerology business. He is very good at it�at least all his predictions concerning Murshid have come right and the predictions of the �lady� almost universally, but not quite, wrong. We are having a great party Sunday�five birthdays together, including that of Gavin Arthur. We are also going to Gavin�s tomorrow night and I understand Timothy Leary will be there. Also a lot of VIPs who have made it their business to shun �Murshid.�
All meetings have larger attendances, and now also larger collections because one has put his foot down. Save been teaching spiritual dances, many, many and the public is more advanced that was the class when you were in it. The class is now quite advanced, and about 12 couples but two or three men act as musicians.
I am writing Pondicherry tonight. The Oracle is now almost completely in the hands of Phil Davenport and has Fatima and Mansur working with and for him. I foresee great possibilities.
We have four special �family� parties during the year. The last was for Hasan. Murshida sat opposite Fatima and Shireen. It is very hard to convey how much spiritual power and wisdom there is in these young women, both active and incipient. And each is playing her roll wonderfully.
We shall have a special �family� part later on for Fatima. This will be limited to the Khankah family, the San Francisco family and Shireen, although others can pay their way. However Murshid�s income has gone up, praise to Allah and there are further signs of increases.
Mansur is making a specialty on commune study going on where Whiteman and I left off a whole generation or more ago. He may add a note but will also sign this. I am sure he would like to know about details of your project.
When you wish to continue your spiritual studies please let us know.
Faithfully, with love and blessings,
Murshid
November 12, 1968
Miss Deborah Churney [Devi Rudman]
266 Noe St.
San Francisco 94114
My dear Debbie:
You may be surprised to get a letter from Murshid. Last century there was not much material on Sufism but there was a book, �Letters of a Sufi Teacher.� The advantage of this was that a teacher was instructing disciples and not writing a book. It only be became a book by accident.
New Murshid is concerned with all his disciples but not necessarily in the ways of tradition. Murshid has been concerned because you have not had a settled home an yet Murshid is not telling you to stay here or there. The advantage of settling is that you can build your own atmosphere and be comfortable in it and go to it for refuges. What you do otherwise may be you own concern, perhaps must be you own concern. And if Murshid had any advice or instructions it would be to do your prayers and practices there, perhaps burn a little incense, especially at the beginning. You are not too far from the Candle Shop on 17th St where they have all kinds of incense and a lot of lovely things.
You are now with loving mureeds. It is hard to say how happy Murshid was on Saturday where all the mureeds in the dancing class showed so much love and affection and consideration each of everybody else. Earlier in life Murshid met Hazrat Inayat Khan and a strange almost prophetic like man of Jewish ancestry named Huge Seelig. They talked about the coming age but they never lived to see it really. Hugo lived a long time and everybody loved him but also he did not have a settled home which was most unfortunate for him. I could tell you a lot of stories about him. I feel I am getting all the rewards for what he sowed, but life a like that.
Other than being settled Murshid has not much to say. Murshid has to be your father and mother and grandfather and spiritual guide but not the sheriff or bossman. He has learned to worry and be concerned with his mureeds who are like a great big loving family. He has never seen anything like it. Everybody talks and you can find all kinds of books and hear all kinds of sermons but the manifestation of love you seldom seem.
After the dancing class some of us went to Chinatown to see my longtime friend Chinwah Lee. He is a collector of Chinese art goods, a wonderful collection of a wonderful man. I hope you have time during you Christmas vacation to visit him and also William Cleary who has spiritual art, fine and wonderful. We used to go there when we had the was before the dancing class.
After that Murshid went to visit a Swami, the new Swami for San Francisco whose name is Wahaananda which means �the bless of heaven� or something like that. It was like two lovers meeting. It did not matter what we talked about. Murshid told him tales of his guru, Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj who will be here soon. These stories make fairy tales seem blah. They are all true but older people don�t like to hear them so Murshid stopped talking. He has had a lot of experiences with saints and sages and holy man. They are in the diaries and also in the notes, lots of them. Soon Murshid will get out the Vedanta notes and send it to Swami Swahananda.
The next �love-experience� came on Sunday. We went out to do some Dervish dancing on Golden Gate Park. We had some children. We have a prayer: �Open thou our hearts that we may hear Thy voice which cometh constantly from within.� Hazrat Inayat Khan had a lot of disciples, and they liked to pray and they encouraged others to pray. But they did not believe in their own prayers, they were not very convincing. Most of them�and some still function, do not believe that God is constantly talking form within and from within everybody. If we could listen we should be happy and the whole world could be happier.
So we did the Dervish dancing with more elements and items for the young and they and everybody loved it.
Then we went to hear Paul Reps. He says he will be back on Saturday, November 20. This is most convenient for we had already arranged to have the dancing class at Amin�s in Corte Madera and it will only take a few minutes, for dancing class ends at 3:30 and Reps� session beings at 4 o�clock. This is very easy and shows that the Sufi �Love, Harmony and Beauty� is real, not just noise-words.
After the evening at Sausalito most of us went to Corte Madera and we did the �Hare Krishna� dance and Murshid put on the �RamNam� dance and added the new features to the Dervish dancing. Everybody seems to love these dances. We dance in the Name of God and yet have more joy, more love, more consideration and no speeches other than the dance explanations.
We are going to go over these Saturday here and then begging �The Wheel Ceremony� which is the outcome of the ritual �Sun Dance� and �Moon Dance.� Murshid learned from his friend, Leonard Austin, that he is restoring the ancient mystery dances of course. Both Ruth St. Denis and Hazrat Inayat Khan taught Murshid how to draw right out of the ethers and so Murshid will do that and some day the world will accept it all. As these come from �the heart of God� so to speak, it does not matter how much older people reject�mostly by refusing to examine at all. That is all right. They are not ready for such things. They like to discuss mysteries but are very much afraid of them.
Now, Debbie, you have two very great virtues and perhaps are not even aware of them and this is most wonderful. And if you gain in the self-expression that also will be fine. Do you know Murshid must have 50, maybe more disciples, and he hardly knows the faults. He watches the way they walk, they breathe, they dance. Of course sometime they give Murshid their charts and then he knows about their weaknesses but this is only to correct them, not to analyze them. There is no fun finding people�s faults, and there is a lot of fun in showing them how to breathe correctly.
But in the new forms of Dervish-Zikr-dancing not even that is necessary. They become attuned to Murshid and mostly in love and it is very, very easy.
I can�t promise letters. Murshid never knows that he must do next but he always listens to the voice from within. After the class this Saturday there will be a party for Shirin and Mansur in Oakland. Many may want to come, but they will have to pay for themselves. Murshid is paying just for the �family.� Then Sunday wear going to have a great big work party and all these dances and maybe more. Hope you can come.
Love,
Murshid
410 Precita
San Francisco, Calif.
December 8, 1968
My dear Diane,
On the Application of �Project Krishna�
In the last century some theosophists published �Letters of a Sufi Teacher.� In this century those who have assumed charge of Asian studies and presumable mystical philosophies have precluded all this, presenting instead a mass of intellectual complexities and parades of personalities, some of whom will soon be forgotten if they are not forgotten already.
Project Krishna was the concept of my friend and colleague, Professor Oliver Reiser of Pittsburgh University. It is part of the universal program of the day but is not to be confused with the various particular programs called �universal� which, despite their names, remain particular, personal, and intellectually selective.
The idea here was that under this project all the contributions of the great religions of the world would be harmonized into a grand whole, and lessons of wisdom or non-wisdom would be given to the world. It is not different excepting on its level from what Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan tried to bring. But the Pir-o-Murshid, lacking in what is commonly called �humility� never excluded the effort of his historical predecessors. �Madison Avenue� has stepped in and brilliant advertising and promotional schemes have been substituted for divine wisdom in fields where only divine wisdom can operate.
A number of years back your Murshid participated in the Roerich Museum operations where an attempt was made to bring all the wisdoms, mysticisms and cultures together with plenty of money and very carefully selected leadership, the leadership having no principle excepting that certain people self-delegated themselves for this. It ended in a grand fiasco. Today in various parts of the world, people adopting or plagiarizing Prof. Reiser�s principles have produced the same sort of fiascoes, fire-cracker displays and nothing afterwards because they wanted Project Krishna without Sri Krishna and we are having the Sri Krishna as you must realize.
Let me tell you a story. I re-entered India in 1962 and was given a long questionnaire. �Ask me anything you want, I know all the answers!� �All the Answers?� �Yes, All!� (This was a high state of consciousness of which intellectual �experts� on oriental Philosophy are so ignorant and do not know they are important!) �Such as?� �Tat Tvam Asi.� (This means that you and I, whomsoever �you� an �I� be identical.) �Let him in he knows all the answers.�
When the customs and other officials were through they asked, �Do you know Swami Maharaj Ranganathananda?� �What the heck do you think I am here for?�
When the gods arrive, the half-gods go! The �gods� so to speak are arriving and one may have to meet several of them before the arrival of the great (to me) Swami.
Now the first of the gods to arrive has been Mr. Paul Reps. Mr. Reps is a universal man, vastly different from those who lecture on �universal man� and who are not themselves universal. These are the half-gods, so to speak. We have needed them, we do not need them anymore.
What Mr. Reps has omitted in his lectures on diet is the importance of Love. As the intellectual and �experts� have not had the spiritual realization they omit the study of foods as presented in the Upanishads. And in �The Rejected Avatar� Sri Krishna reveals the three bodies. When we have the karana consciousness we have the Love and it is this element he has failed to emphasize.
This body is now well in its seventies but functions beautifully when there is the love-potion so to speak, in the food as in the garden of Inayat. One does not like to be dictatorial but if one has the wisdom one must use it and it is important to use the Love-Essence. Here one does not drink milk but on the farms in Pennsylvania one drank plenty of raw milk. And in India one consumed endless amounts of milk-products. What is missing? The machinery and modern processes do not �raise us above the denseness of the earth.� Food is for all three bodies; this is a lesson of Upanishads which our �half-gods� do not know. So Murshid has asked for living Yoghurt.
When we lived with his cousins in Massachusetts he got it and it was so wonderful and no Madison Avenue substitute can feed this Karana Sharia, the Causal or Angelic or Deva body. So when you presented this idea it came as a �shock� and now one sees the wonderful value of it, and we want the living Love-Yoghurt and not just a commercial cow-product.
We want the same I other things. It is necessary to meet a great Buddhist leader (Madison Avenue style) soon. His name is Lama Govinda Anagarika. He was born in Germany. He has during the course of his life changed his �Buddhism� he charges money and this makes him look like the so-called �Maharshi� but the �Maharshi� was welcomed in the social circles and your Murshid was not.
While this is going on an effort is made to bring another American, Phillip Kapleau to your Murshid and else Gary Snyder, a very good Madison Avenue �Zennist.� When Roshi Yasutani was in California he came to San Francisco to meet your Murshid, just to meet your Murshid and nobody else. We each took a single glance, the real Sama Drishthi and the Roshi said, �Let us have some yea.� For mystics know each other and half-mystics are often very ignorant and do not know it.
After that the Sufi Vilayat Khan will come and it will be �Tat Tvam Asi� and one hopes this will be true with Philip Kapleau. When Murshid was taken to Mrs. Sasaki, she asked, �What did Sokei-an teach you?� �I cannot tell you. I do not mean to say I may not tell you. I may. Nothing esoteric, nothing secret but if I began telling you and talked on and on without stopping for ten years I would not finish.� (Murshid then gave some illustrative material which the half-gods call egotism.) She ended, �I believe you.� Of course she did. Universal consciousness is Universal consciousness. Now we go back to Sri Krishna.
The teaching of Mahabharata is that when Arjuna was given the choice between money, power, prestige, allies and everything or Sri Krishna he chose Sri Krishna. Today so many projects in the name of Dr. Reiser�s �Project: Krishna� and they want the money, power, prestige, allies and everything and they sometimes get them, sometimes not. But what about Sri Krishna?
When some of us wanted a Khankah we got it without having to meet a second time! This is our Kurukshetra.
When Mahatma Gandhi died there was an international request for papers on the Mahatma�s interpretation of the �Gita.� A lot of people sent in copies. Only a single American had his paper accepted! Finis. Your Murshid was exiled from society. This is the traditional :moral and spiritual� outlook. Words. empty words. But Murshid had a teacher who learned from a great Muni and did not forget.
So there have been two phases. The first came with sound when the Flute-of-Krishna became a reality and later the Flute-of-Krishna. These realities disturb the half-gods who must have lectures, audiences and prestige. So we give the realities to the young; they want Truth, not prestige. Prestige cannot be taken with you afterwards and does not feel the heart.
Hazrat Inayat Khan has said, �Let me heart become Thy Lute, Beloved, and my body Thy Flute-of-Reed.� this body has been sacrificed and first having the Sufi sound and then the Indian sound, next week we shall have the Gong-sounds at Corte Madera.
Now you see the same thing in the Dance. We have the Dervish dancing, the dances quoting the Names of God in Arabic. Next come the Yoga dances. In 1911 Hazrat Inayat Khan and Miss Ruth St. Denis came to this country with a series of performances on �Yoga Dance.� All things are in the Akasha, or if you are a Buddhist, the Alaya. First Hazrat Inayat Khan and then Ruth St. Denis taught Murshid how to draw from the �ether� so to speak. He does. There is no use going to the social and intellectual people any more. Money and leadership do not belong to the Kingdom of God.
You have seen the Sri Krishna Dances and have partake a little in them. There are more. There are many more. All these will be followed, no doubt, by the Rituals and Tantra Yoga performances. These will be offered to Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj because all those to whom they have been offered and offered freely have rejected them. When Murshid came back from the orient he brought endless esoteric literature. In the case of India he got nine rejections, people would not interview him until he met a professor Pande. These teachings are on file and when Daniel saw them he said they were too deep. Maybe. But not in the dance form. So we give them in the dance form. And the future generations will wonder about this passing Age when people in position refuse to grant interviews! There is a whole history of this. But when the great Zen master came from Vietnam, like Roshi Yasutani, he came just to see this person and departed. This is why we are going to turn this place into an Inn for wayfarers.
The great teachings of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is that of Joy. The higher the spiritual development the higher the Joy. It is not only that but when we practice Tat Tvam Asi, identity of �I� and �Thou� we have the real communion in Joy. This is also the lesson of the Christian Beatitudes but in shorter form.
here we commune. That is why Murshid-Guru had Marcia get up and dance. We dance using the Divine Names and so assimilate the Divine Attributes. All moral teaching can come that way and of course, psychic rehabilitation. It is not so quick as the glance of a Yasutani or the atmosphere of a Thien, but it is effective. So the New Age people will participate in the Joy and the older people in words and lectures and philosophies.
We pray: �Allow us to recognize Thee in all Thy Holy Names and Forms, as Rama, as Krishna, as Shiva, as Buddha, as Moses, as Jesus, as Mohammed, and in many other Names and Forms known and unknown to the world.�
The difference between the professor and lecturer on the one hand and the Guru-Murshid on the other is that the former talks, the latter shares. We have to share the Joy, the Life, the Love. We share it in your Yoghurt and in my dance. Your Yoghurt represents the Prakriti and the Dance the Purusha. These are the aspects of God and Reality.
There is nothing here that cannot be shared. Indeed copies are being made.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
PS. This is preparatory to a letter or several to Pondicherry after seeing Dara Rowell.
[from Diane March]
September 7
Dear Murshid,
John and I are getting married on the 3rd of October. We want you to be the one to do it, but know that is not possible for you to come. This being the case, would you please write us some words that we could have someone read for the ceremony?
Thank you and my love,
Diane.
[to Diane March]
Sept. 15, 1970
Beloved One of God,
Murshid gives you and John all love and blessings. This comes at a time also when one�s own god-daughter Saadia Khawar Khan has invited Murshid to Ithaca in New York to bless her forthcoming marriage. While that seems impossible, Allah seems to have interfered, preventing Saadia Khawar from returning immediately to Pakistan, and so Murshid and his new secretary Sitara will soon be off for the East coast.
In lieu of that we are sending a portion of the Universal Worship Rules which deals with marriage, and we trust you can accept these provisions, although at this writing we do not know how they can be presented in a ritual form.
If Josh is around he can read these, or it is possible also that Basira Pickard may also attend as my personal representative. She is leaving for Lama shortly.
Last night 16 more young people took Bayat. The place was packed. Our main Marin meeting has been moved to Sausalito with excellent results. Everything else is fine and crammed, excepting the long illness of Khalif Moineddin.
Debbie is expected back shortly from a visit to the East coast. Not only is our work spreading, but our efforts toward peace (one effort) and toward cultural exchange (another effort) are succeeding, and even on a world scale. Very busy and dizzy.
All love and blessings,
Murshid
Geneva April 4, 1970
Dear Fatima:
This is our last official day here, although we leave Monday morning for London. We have written detail to Wali Ali but have so much correspondence that we cannot keep everybody informed.
Now I am going to give you a koan: 30 blows if you fail; dinner for Moineddin and yourself (at least) if you succeed:
We set a pretty girl in the lobby here; what is her name?
I will give you a hint, I shall be very disappointed if you miss and you shall kick yourself the rest of your life, so be careful. When you get the answer, you will have found it was very easy and neither shall Murshid forgive you nor will you ever forgive yourself.
After associating with the great and near great, you will wonder why we ever come home to associate with commoners. But maybe that is the season. Sometimes the g-r-e-a-t g-r-a-t-e on each other. I am known as the man who writes the longest letters and makes the shortest speeches. I am also known as the sage who always sticks to the point without oratory. Imagine your murshid being called a sage by sages.
Already we are preparing for the next conference. I am hoping we can send at least five people. At the moment it is scheduled for some place in Africa. There was a single American here, a negro, and no Africans. Lots of Asians. Lots of them. Lots of American and Europeans, lots of them. Only one member of African origin, and only three young people. Everybody cries about youth; everybody wants youth, in words. But youth doesn�t want that kind of wanting.
I think Lama has lots to teach the world, but cannot even get myself to write a proper letter to Lama at this time. Mansur will put our Boston mail address here, although we will not reach there presumably until the 16th or possibly later, depending on the condition of air travel and other items. Also our return date will depend on the status of the air lines.
We have lots of diary sheets which we may mail to you, although that is open at the moment. Some of them are carbons of letters to Wali Ali and some to other people. We do not keep carbons of all letters; these can readily become junk and weight.
I will take a status of my affairs after we pay our bill here, but we probably shall not send you any gifts from here. Too much time and attention to other matters. Lots of doors opening for both Mansur and myself, together and apart. I shall want Mansur to give a talk also on his views of these meetings and even the part he has played personally, to me quite well.
It has been cool here and I understand it is cold in England with further cold predicted, but we don�t care. We�re not looking ahead, but taking each day on its own. Love from us both,
Murshid
c/o East-West Center for Self-Exploration 105 Marlborough Street
Boston, Asss. 02116
(tele: 267-8056; proprietor: Richard Harvey)
July 26, 1970
Letter #2
Dear Moineddin and Fatima:
Murshid has been receiving a number of very loving letters expressing fine sentiments to of love and devotion. They are indeed very touching and one does not like to comment.
But the fact is that Murshid has an overwhelming mission and the more clustering of people around him does not help at all. Marcia is leaving San Francisco and I need somebody who will work for and with Murshid. There is at the moment the possibility of Leslie; it is a possibility, not an assurance. I have to have assurance.
It does not good to have persons coming at 10 or later in the morning, stick around for lunch and then take a rest period afterwards, especially when they have infants to look after. I should welcome infants in my absence but this detracts from the work that has to be done. And I should prefer people coming to breakfast and then stopping around all during the heat, and go away. If the present trend continues I shall have to go away for meals�and indeed this is already in the program.
It would appear now that there will be the choral group on Sunday morning and a new dancing class on Tuesday night which can also be combined with the Gatha Class if Amin or Daniel wants it that way. We certainly will have to have an organization meeting.
Have just begun one of my most profound undertakings and two new ones when I return. These undertakings will involve Wali Ali, Mansur and a third person who can learn how to look up references. Then the next project with Further Blighton on Monday afternoons.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
October 5, 1970
Dear Fatima,
Murshid is very glad that time and money are not wasted in writing to him. There is something going on all the time. In fact, this morning we may be going to the Columbia University region because there is a group here also working for friendships between Arabs and Israelis.
There is too much going on to be concerned with the small things. At least three matters for Columbia tomorrow and meeting with Father Haughey�please tell Mansur�and I must keep some of you acquainted with what is going on.
I hope Michael is able to look after the garden. I hope Moineddin is informed of the progress being made. We spent three hours with the Prakas family the other day. He is the brother of Mary Parkas of the Zen Center. It was marvelous. The conversation centered more or less around Moineddin Ibnu-�l Arabi which is mentioned because he is one of the saints from which we derived this name.
I do not know if any letters or recognitions have been received from Marin papers. We are getting constant news from San Francisco and also keep the �hotline� open. You know, if you take the arms of a starfish and throw it in the water there are soon six starfish: one from each of the arms and one from the central body. Murshid feels like that now. This is not too far from the :Three Rings� saga. So it seems that many of the persons so devoted to the Sufi Movement here have, in a sense, become adults.
We not only have a tremendous Tuesday, Murshid is sort of letting down Wednesday awaiting Pir Vilayat and also any decision he may make regarding one�s geography and program other than in these peace efforts.
The other night after going to a cousin�s house for dinner, Peter and Murshid arrived late at the Baba Ram Dass meeting and were immediately surrounded by all sorts of friends, especially many from various parts of Mexico! One has to be careful here of a sort of hero-worship and personality acclamation which is assumed to be spirituality. There is a Christian hymn: �Leaning on Jesus.� The worst aspect was our visit to the Meher Baba Center. This leaning stuff deprives man of all aspects of human consideration. Although we have not the papers, Inayat Khan stressed human consideration as the highest, if not the only, moral virtue. In fact, I shall speak on that subject tonight. Along with this will be the stress on the teachings of Jesus Christ: �A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another.�
Actually, the human side of me is not too relaxed. I have calls from Boston and I can assure you at this writing, there are at least three women in Boston to whom I feel much closer personally and spiritually than to anybody here; also at least three men and others. But I am also waiting for Vilayat. For there is a meeting on the 14th of putative spiritual teachers. I am not too happy over it. Sufism is a great international movement, and it cannot lower itself to accept as spiritual teachers self-proclaimed leaders of new cults. True, I admire Yogi Bhajan, but I�m not always sure of these other swamis. They emanate charm and magnetism and no doubt have advanced subtle bodies.
After I mentioned that the chief distinction between the Sufi approach and the Hindu approach is that Sufism seems to emphasize human Love and Hinduism human Joy. Sitara pointed out that this meant Sufism was positive and Hinduism negative. Personally, I am in full agreement with this, but to prove it does not help very much. The Hindus, with all their spiritual �clat, have tremendous problems I the social and agricultural fields. And I see no efforts being made by any spiritual leaders to stop wars�they blame everything on karma. This reveals a weakness. Spirituality means ability to rise above karma; to find the peace within and without that can overcome all difficulties and shortcomings. this brings us to La Illaha El Il Allah.
Even if God vouches success there is a certain something in the human personality that longs for a home, be it a hut or a palace. So, although Murshid has run into practically no difficulties and seems to be winning the goodwill of many, there is not the same spontaneous joy in traveling as earlier in life. Besides this, with Vilayat running around all over, there ought to be some stations�persons or places�to whom seekers may turn.
Yes, I still have more dances coming. I don�t know how many of them will be documented, and am not wasting time either typing or dictating. The weather has been, on the whole, quite good, so good that despite a rain, we had forty or fifty people dancing in the park. We expect may more tonight, and it looks as if Vilayat will have a huge meeting. The question is, whether this will touch hearts or just enthusiasms.
I miss the animals and children more than the adults. (Carbon of this is going to Basira, who will also understand this point.) I am not reconciled to my looks, but maybe this is my real face and that I was under a mask in earlier years. Fortunately, we have several cars at our disposal. Peter has been most attentive and Sitara most cooperative, etc.
My love to everybody, and if you do not hear from me, it is probably because we shall be too busy.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
May 12, 1970
Mr. Harry Rudloe
3 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass. 02143
Beloved One of God:
The Sufi Invocation reads: �Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, the only being, united with all the Illuminated Souls who form the embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.�
This may be symbolized as a tree with its roots in the heavens, the stem coming down, and then the branches and leaves, fruit and flowers, manifesting in the world of multiplicities. It can be used, and often is, as a theme in meditation and concentration.
It is not easy, even when one is most inspired, to find an eager audience that wishes to listen to us. There is some truth in this. Many people verbalize love and compassion, mottoes and maxims, and then see as if out of a window, and never as if looking into a mirror. This may mean that we have still to learn a little about human consideration.
I tell my students that they should keep diaries. They should write in them inspirations, ideas, dreams, visions, etc. Then after a while they should look at this again, and if they are still of the same mind, then it might be time to go ahead and try to reach others. This means one must become his own audience, his own convert.
If you will watch your breath and think the phrase, �Toward the One� as above with each inhalation and with each exhalation, you will be having your own selective service, so to speak. You will be knowing more about yourself and, Set from knowing more about yourself, you will become better equipped as how to reach others. This is a great achievement. There is no end to its possibilities.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
July 15, 1970
Mr. Harry Rudloe
3 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass. 021113
Beloved One of God:
Your very fine letter of June 2 was not answered sooner because Mansur and Murshid have been traveling. Indeed, one is not too sure of one�s future geography, for the interest in spiritual dancing and occult studies is increasing everywhere.
Do not be too anxious about the Elements. They are hard to understand because of our present culture which is based on entirely different principles. One does get some information about than in Inayat-Khan�s �The Mysticism of Sound,� but that is hardly an elementary work.
The only way to help lessen the world�s pain or your own is not to be disturbed, but advising someone not to be disturbed by itself is of little consequence. Words never solve very much. The general method is to learn how to meditate, and we may enclose some material therefore. But meditation is only of value when it is actually practiced.
Evil spirits. Repeat or think the phrase Allah Ho Akbar. This always gets rid of evil spirits.
Speech and silence. Practice of meditation and I mean practice, helps in this. After you have practiced meditation awhile you will see the difference.
Transmutation of sexual energy. This is very difficult for those who avoid hard physical labor. The men I have known who have been most successful have also worked the hardest. This is particularly true of Zen Masters and Vedantic Swamis whom I have met. Of course people who are involved in various athletic pursuits, and especially in horseback riding, undergo certain processes of transmutation there-from. These are quite apart from any spiritual life. Long devotional walks also help.
We are also sending you some other material which may help you understand what we are trying to do here.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sept. 4, 1970
Mr. Harry Rudloe
3 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass. 021113
Beloved One of God:
This is a partial answer to your welcome letter of 30th of August. It is a sudden harvest time when my chief associate is hospitalized and my secretaries have either received good paying jobs connected with our efforts or are overwhelmed in rather successful efforts to promote real peace among real human beings. Once I had a traveling companion who told me he thought my plans for the Near East were the most sensible he had ever seen, but he was in a woeful minority. His name is Gunnar Jarring, and you can read about him I the papers today. But we are now too busy putting into practice, and are beginning to reach some of the channels of communication. This is overwhelming us.
At the same time all aspects of our program are expanding and at a rate we, undermanned, can hardly keep up with.
But these very forms of expansion make it almost imperative to come East as soon as possible. I can�t give you dates yet but hope to be in New York before the end of the month and travel therefrom.
The spiritual dances have expanded considerably both quantitatively and qualitatively. We also now are beginning to reach universities.
I do not think you can understand the 4 elements without a knowledge of Occultism. We tend to want to explain everything in terms of current knowledge. I do not understand Krishnamurti. Sufism accepts a lot of things which seem to be totally outside his understanding. Such as Divine Love, cosmic Vision, and human brotherhood. Actually, I have a great feeling for this man who was raised in a strangely artificial manner by other than his natural parents. He seems to have been uprooted from Indian Wisdom without benefitting too much from Western culture, though it is quite possible that neither Indian Wisdom nor Western culture have all the answers.
I myself am almost intolerant concerning spiritual leaders who show so little concern with war, poverty, hatred, and inhumanity. But here do not build this as a philosophy, it is our program of life.
All aspects of our Dancing�Dervish, mantric, �Love,� and Astrological�have progressed considerably. But we are lacking a secretary and although we have several well-intentioned volunteers they have not shown up yet at either office. I have had nothing but good news concerning the Sphinx, although it is rather meager.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
Sept. 21, 1970
Mr. Harry Rudloe
3 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass. 02143
Beloved One of God:
It is very difficult to write this letter for a very strange reason: The events of the day are proving more than any words or logic can prove, certain principles. From the worldly standpoint the writer has been overworked. Seven days a week without cease or surcease. And yet everything has been coming along wonderfully in matters which seem almost miraculous, if you are not a so-called realist and hold on to ideas rather than facts.
Our efforts to bring Israelis and Christians and Arabs together have been succeeding beyond our dreams. We were not even properly prepared for the willingness of the souls of men, especially young people, to work for peace and truth. Such a thing as a day off is utterly impossible but I am leaving this week, first for Ithaca, then for New York, and then for Boston. Hours uncertain because now most favorable events are piling up on us.
Two secretaries now have excellent paying jobs growing out of our activities, and while the others are over-worked, there has been such an easement of our financial situation that it looks there will be replacements who will receive proper consideration, not just martyr-volunteer workers. All our meetings are increasing in attendance and collections slowly, but most definitely, going up.
Some time ago I was asked if I would lead a peace movement. I replied I would if somebody could point to me than highest point on a ball. I added I would join any peace movement of the young led by the young if it were satisfactory that the young would accept an older person as follower or colleague under their leadership. I have found such a group.
The highest teaching in Buddhism is what is called Prajna, which is horribly and hopelessly mis-translated as �wisdom.� Prajna is possible when ego is subverted or subliminated. Then the cosmos speaks through one and one knows exactly what to do and is extremely successful without having any ideas about it. The same teaching is found in Sufism in another way.
My first teacher in Sufism had been a Master in Occultism. We are teaching more Occultism here than most public or secret Occult societies. We have advanced in this field, even publically, to demonstrate the Plutonic intrusion into our culture at higher levels. It can be called the Aquarian Age or not; it does not matter. But we believe in God (or Allah or Brahm) who is beyond any and all qualifications, conditions, words, and everything. In Sufism this is The Reality�not thought but reality.
We have been successful in bringing Israelis, Christians, and Arabs together. This week we are joining the real Yogis in a local celebration. No nonsense.
It is today wonderful to be a father, especially if you are siring one of the New Age souls. If you want to help me now please report to Richard Harvey at the Sphinx book store or Sally Schreiber, 4 Speridakas Terrace, Cambridge 02139, who are my representatives in your region.
Love and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
Dec. 4, 1970
H. Rudloe
4 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass.
Beloved One of God:
It is very difficult to explain spiritual processes to minds. In the Bhagavad Gita Sri Krishna says over and over that we must surmount manas and ahankara, which is to say, discursive mind and ego. I do not know any way in which to convince the discursive mind of the transcendental life beyond it, nor do I know any way to explain infinities in discourses for the finite mind. As the Persian Al-Ghazzali said, �Sufism is based upon experiences, and not upon premises.� Nor do I know any way using language akin to that of logic to express on some matters which you have presented.
A mother concerned with her child, or sweethearts concerned for each other, neither think nor discourse in �common sense� manners.
Sufism is based on mysticism. The same words are used as in ordinary language or even by theologians, but the meanings are entirely different. Pythagoras began his discourages by saying that devotees should honor the immortal gods. It is not necessary to dispute convention nor after a certain point can one possible follow them. Spiritual people in all ages have tried to express themselves without destroying languages and common usages, but their meanings are quite different.
Now you are saying you don�t believe in a personal God, and at the same time you want to do the Dances. How do you think those Dances originated? Why are certain phrases used? These phrases all emphasize either a personal God or personal gods. If you believe in a personal God fine. If you don�t believe in a personal God, fine. But if you want to lead presenting Dances, the Dances this person has given to the world, you have to accept the simple fact that all of these Dances, and a lot more, are based on the prayers which disciples in modern Sufism use.
Silent contemplation is excellent. Silent contemplation is above and beyond our Dance work. The Dance work is given to the world to enable human beings to experience aspects of Joy. The Joy is really within all of us, but it does not come out. Even with contemplation, there is some doubt whether it comes out.
I am is the first person in the history of the world who is an accredited teacher in both Zen and Sufism. Zen theoretically is concerned with the wisdom of the silence, and Sufism theoretically is concerned with the wisdom of sound. People who are still involved in dualism, in the manas and ahankara which Sri Krishna said should be overcome, intellectualize. They even intellectualize concerning contemplation. If you wish to be a contemplative you certainly have my blessing, but the Dance programs are in exactly the opposite direction. They proclaim an outer God as well as an inner God, and in some respects, consider this God as personal�in some respects.
People who have had the real God experience, and I mean the real God experience and not a lot of metaphysical hogwash, would have a consciousness which could envelop the whole world. I have had the great honor to have had my paper on Vietnamese Buddhism rejected 33 times. Millions of Americans know exactly how to solve the Vietnamese conflict. They not only know how to solve it, whether that means, they know how to solve it without consulting Vietnamese.
When one has reached a Divine consciousness, or the actual state of mind of the historical Buddha(a very unfashionable proposal), he will feel the pain and sorrow of all unfortunate people. He may be concerned with the Vietnamese presents mostly, but he may be concerned also with the Pakistani peasants, and with those unfortunate Israelis and Palestinians who are being urged that the greatest virtue is to denounce and deny the Sixth Commandment of Moses, whom they all regard as a prophet (????).
But the actual mystic feels the suffering of all humanity and tries to do thing about it. And one thing he tries to do is to elevate the Joy-consciousness of as many people as he can. But this does not come out of his ego; it comes out of states of consciousness beyond what the Hindus call ahankara.
If you are interested in contemplation that is wonderful, but this has nothing to do with the Dances. The Dances are to show God is on the outside and that we can experience Joy and Bliss here and now. Peace is beyond Joy and Bliss, and to me is the absolute goal. So there is no rejection of anybody who seeks contemplation, but if you want Joy and Dancing, you might be willing to learn, unless you are one of the millions of the �humble� who are utterly unable to learn from anybody or anything. You might be willing to learn that there is a Divine Being who is Creator, Preserver and Inspirer, and it is from Him those Dances have been derived.
At the present time I have a very qualified representative in Cambridge whose name is Charlene Morgan. She has a right to do anything she wishes in the Dance field, and I am urging here to go ahead wherever, however, and whenever she chooses. I wish you would get in touch with her. Her address is c/o Sperry, 11 Madison St., Cambridge. Let me hear from you further if you wish. God Bless you,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Dec. 14, 1970
H. Rudloe
4 Wyatt Circle
Somerville, Mass.
Dear Harry,
Thank you for your latter of the 10th. We are very glad that you admire the efforts of Charlene and Sally. Charlene comes from the midst of what might be called the New Age people who are very strong in California and in the West generally. Sally Ann is of the same type, separated geographically but not spiritually, psychically, and socially.
It is very difficult for me to argue for what is known as prayer. Only too often it is a form of self-praise offered in the name of a hypothetical supreme being. Or else it is a false and artificial form of �gimme� which is supposed to establish warmth and worth and does not. No doubt, prayer was needed to bring people together just as an orchestral conductor or bandleader is needed in a particular field. But when prayer becomes self-centered, and mostly it is, to me it has no worth whatever, although I cannot prove that my point of view is necessarily noble, with a single exception:
During the war, I asked God, so to speak, why my prayers were always successful, while, when the Pope prayed, and millions of people with him, nothing happened. The answer came, �They pray to God, you pray with God.� Or, putting it another way, my Guru used to pray: �O God; please do not grant my prayer.� It may be very strange to hear of this. But the karmic law, and also what Emerson called compensation, gives no man any special privilege, and those prayers which are an extension of magic may be superstitions.
Actually, and I may be attacked for this, I find the efficiency of �establishment prayers� so low that any mathematical answer would look ridiculous. On the other hand, whatever the Deity may think of this person, practically every prayer has been granted. But Sufi prayers are mostly aspects of thankfulness, and not beggary. Besides, there may be other ways in which and by which the cosmos offers help to mankind. Besides this, there is no compulsion in Sufism. If we turn to different personalities like the late Henry Ford or H. G. Wells, we can come to realize that what is called history is in a sense a sort of recorded propaganda by persons who carefully select what they think is important in the course of human affairs. I was an eyewitness to the Free Speech dramas on the Western campuses, and the reports are subjective, one-sided, and misinterpretive. I can go further and say that perhaps 80 per cent of the news from Southeast Asia is false.
There is another interpretation which can be attained by a study of cosmic metaphysics and psychology, particularly as offered by the Indian cultures. These are totally different and hardly known in the West. They give a somewhat different point of view. In addition to this there is an outlook which comes through real cosmic consciousness. We find this in Edward Carpenter, in Edna St. Vincent Millay�s �Renascence� and in a few other places. It is, however, very deep and requires so to speak a mystical or cosmic outlook, which is still rare, but which is growing. More and more people are coming to universal, rather than to particularistic, points of view. Not only that, they are growing in understanding, and this is all that might be asked. With the greater point of view there is often greater optimism. We can then appreciate the growth of food supplies and the solution of certain types of problems.
From a Sufi point of view, man is put on earth in order to grow and to experience life in the fullness. It is not easy perhaps. Buddha expresses and explains it much more fully, but while there is a great interest in what is called Buddhism, little attention is paid to the person, history, and work of the actual Gautama Buddha.
Inayat Khan taught: unity not uniformity. It is not necessary to accept any fixed institution. In The Inner life several types of spiritual personalities are presented. The Universe may express itself to the full in any one of these and perhaps other forms. Inayat Khan s first work was The Sufi Message of Spiritual Liberty. It is in this direction we hope to see mankind grow. And I, who was one of his disciples, have rather similar outlooks. It is by growth, and not by argumentation, that we come closer together.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
November 26, 1968
Howard Mussel
My dear Howard:
The other night some disciples returned to the fold. Murshid did not say a word and when they saw what they have been missing they felt very sorry. This was their gesture. There are enough people in the world who know how to scold, to analyze and nobody needs a spiritual teacher to point out his faults. He may need one to point out his potentialities.
We had a real Buddhist Master walk in suddenly last week. It was nothing like your self-righteous Me-Big-shot Roshi, you little nobody insignificant. Lots of people like that and that is what they will get. The Master was the very embodiment of Love and Peace. He did not have to speak on these, he was these and it was obvious to everybody.
As the Master was deficient in humility� he let the �Guru� present the Yoga of Lord Buddha which is shunned by Me Bigshot Buddhists of all of all schools. The Master accepted what is obvious and went on from there. There was complete unity. We did not even have to say �Love, Harmony and Beauty��it was totally obvious.
The Master had one moral teaching�remember everyone you meet may be a Buddha in disguise, and if not, a Buddha in potentiality. This is, of course, totally contrary to prevalent Buddhism or any other religion. That is why the young shun religion, the last refuge of fogies. They want realities, they want real Love, real Joy and real Peace and not empty words. Older people love the words, my how they love the words.
This person therefore declared war on �Infinite Compassion.� We have oodles of that all around. Being Infinite it cannot touch us nor we it. So this one has come out for finite compassion.
This person differs from Advaitians. He sees no differences. He is in the prison with Clark. Today there is a headline of a man being freed on similar charges. He is now a big man in Marin. Murshid knew him when he was a little boy. He was a very good boy. Now you get put in jail, so, to speak, if you �flunk in Botany,� grow the wrong plants. While Clark is in prison his teacher is in prison. That is where Sufism differs from the �good� forms of Oriental philosophy still prevalent but on their way out. There are only two traditional religions: �I am as good as you� and �I am better than you.� Sufism is no different; it is: �I am not different from you.� This is also what the Buddhist Master taught. So we are concerned with Clark.
Being stuck with finite compassion and not with �Infinite Compassion� one gives up one�s spare time for visiting Hospitals tending the sick, etc. Buddhism is a wonderful religion; it enables you to think there is no pain. Buddha was much concerned with pain and how to surmount it. Buddhism teaches it does not exist�not, of course, until it touches you. Then it is a different matter. But Lord Buddha was concerned with pain and its removal.
Once this person was very sick. It was good because he has lived many years with little illness. Dr. Warwick came and repeated some mumbo-jumbo. This person could not understand a word. But one thing he could understand�the next day he was well and has been well ever since. Sometimes maybe too well.
Everybody likes mysteries, the more mysterious the better. Now the Lama Anagarika is coming and has lots of mysteries. People will pay for them and think they are getting something. They did not have to pay, they do not have to pay to meet Master Thich Thien An who gives them Love, Joy and Peace. This is too simple. They like complications and mysteries. So they pay and when they get them it is just like science fiction only with self- satisfaction.
So one told Dr. Warwick that he was coming out for �finite compassion� against the Lama�s �infinite compassion.� This will shock seniors who love infinite compassion so long as they do not have to change themselves or be changed. But this one has finite compassion and visits hospitals and sick people and is concerned with pain and is too old to change even for
infinite compassion. Apparently �infinite compassion� leaves the Vietnam war and poverty programs and poverty and campus brawls.
Next year Mme. Decker-Colonna will have a course on the Ancient Mysteries. Now this person is restoring the Ancient Masteries mostly through dances and rituals which is very wrong because it disturbs all the nice people who want to make everything mysterious and nothing real. We have the Dervish Dances, the Yoga Dances, the Ritual dances and perhaps as soon as my partner returns the Tantrik Dances. This is going to shock seniors but they won�t come anyhow. They want one to charge $10 or $35 and keep the �brats� away.
Paul Reps was here and was amazed at the crowd�just grapevined that is all. He came and went. The only mature people there were friends of Dr. Warwick, all the rest young. No respectable people, not a single one!
Next year a really great sage is coming, a really great one. He is not a transformed European like the Anagarika nor an untransformed European like Jung or Spiegelberg. He is not a European at all. His name is Swami Ranganathananda Maharaj. He won�t charge you $35. It will be wonderful to have a non-commercial Sage instead of a commercial charlatan which is what Americans like.
I shall no doubt continue at Stanley�s on Wednesday nights but am preparing to go to Novato to our Sufi Khankah there. It may be the first rest for years. Am presenting spiritual training through walking and dancing, the heritages of Srimati Ruth St. Denis.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
January 9, 1969
My dear Howard:
I am returning herewith your brother�s horoscope.
The purpose of a Sufi is to awaken the light and life latent in human beings. Occasionally he has to take in some side trips, no doubt, but these are not germane to his purpose.
No doubt there are many people who believe and sincerely believe that the mysteries of the universe are entrusted to mysterious people. That is their right. This is in absolute contradiction to the teaching of Jesus Christ who said: �In the hour ye think least the Son of Man cometh� which is to say that the great wonders of the universe are entrusted to little people or those of no repute.
The other day I put up on the wall a memento of the late Nyogen Senzaki. The fact that I studied with him for years was denied by �experts� and �experts� are always right and locals are always wrong, a position found through the ages and in all parts of the world. Yet Dr. Huston Smith, the chief of all American Orientalists had to admit he had failed and that this person may have succeeded. Evidence is of no value: a big man is a big man and a mysterious persons is a mysterious person and they are the one�s sought after. Good. Let it be.
The Sufis have the keys to all the mysteries and always have had them. I have been to more mystical ceremonies in real Egypt than appears in books, even in Paul Brunton�s �Search in Secret Egypt.� Being born on the wrong side of the tracks no more attempt is being made to give them excepting to the curious young.
Against all the experts and mystery-mongers and important persons, this man agrees with Jesus Christ in the teaching, �I am the vine and ye are the branches thereof� and with Walt Whitman (but not, with the devotees of Whitman): �In all men I see myself.� Therefore Clark�s incarceration is my incarceration�I don�t know whether you will understand that�and when he is released he will be ready for some real initiations from a valid initiator and he can progress at the rate he chooses.
Vilayat was here and is giving out publicly what our hush-hush mystery-mongers either charge for or do not have at all. This is right. This is the new age. But the greater areas of consciousness break down the barriers of self and self. So I leave to all those who want personal messiahs to seek them.
At the moment I am standing pretty much along in presenting Lord Buddha�s Yoga methods. The fact that they work is of no consideration�we prefer the �experts,� the mystery-mongers and those who charge considerably more than this person does. And what is learned? and what is transformed?
Lord Buddha�s teachings were introduced into this land years ago�by an American�and therefore they have been ignored. His very name is almost forgotten. One can and does use his methods and will give out more of them. Why not?
I do not know how long I shall maintain my present program. Too much is expected and not enough returned. Of course one can give and may give, but one does not have to give. Besides Americans like to pay huge sums to people who make secrets out of what is not secret at all.
My first real Zen manuscript has been sent to the publishers. I have others. And gradually will give out Asian teachings which none of are �experts� dare give out because they either do not have them, or this will give their various games away.
There is no compulsion in Sufism and so long as you are satisfied with your present program, please go ahead with it. And when you fell you really want full self-fulfillment you will be welcomed and no questions asked.
God bless you.
Samuel L. Lewis
May 23, 1970
Hussein McGinley
c/o Sierra Campground
Rt. I, Box 18
Taos, NM 87571
Dear Hussein and Gyneth,
Thank you for your letter. We should be leaving here in few days and expect to arrive in Lama on the 31st.
There are so many things happening here�many quite good, that it would take too long t relate.
Banefsha had been suffering from what looked like a form of creeping paralysis. Doctors and chiropractors could not help. But we have found a psychic sage�what I would call a real witch�and also at least ore herb doctor. They brought such a chance about that the other night Banefsha was on the floor dancing! I�ll tell you more when we see you.
Love,
Murshid
[date unknown]
Schultz Field Enterprises
My Dear Jack,
This is a hurried comment on the materials left with me. The remarks here are not well thought out. They are not well thought out because there is no reserve time for anything. And until and unless there is some provision for reserve time I shall have to fold up shop, and I�m not talking nonsense.
On a completely overfilled program, my friend Dr. Thich-Thien-An came here from the University of California in L.A. He has been expecting me to host him. At 7:30 this morning my close friend and associate Paul Reps long distanced me about a change in his program compelling me to change mine. He hung up. Fortunately he is assenting to observe some of my dance program.
While your suggestions are in some respects excellent there are two fallacies: (I)
I am at absolutely the end of ability to sacrifice for others. If there is any more sacrificing it must be others for me. I have enough money to live in absolute comfort at Novato with full secretarial and household help. It is the very gesture of some sacrifice to or for me and not from me which would justify my establishing any kind of residence here.
We cannot equate a fictitious person such as a housekeeper with actual agreements and commitments to and from teacher-pupil. Both as a person and a man I am not, cannot be, and should not be suggested to subvert any of my projects to a disciple, e.g., Melvin. On the contrary the disciple should be willing to subvert some of his projects and aims in life to the teacher. I believe Melvin has assented to this.
Should the questionnaire as to dues and contributions be fulfilled and followed there should be ample moneys to support him or a successor to live in this house in comfort without any sacrifices on the part of the teacher.
We cannot equate a fictitious person�a cook or housekeeper to a real disciple, i.e., David Hoffmaster. David has offered I believe the sum of $100 (or more) to share in this place or an alternative. This amount alone would be very helpful being considerably more than the sub-rent from Mr. Hunt. Neither legally nor spiritually can any agreement between you (or others) and myself either in the capacity of a teacher or resident-householder bind David. Both he and some other disciples feel it is proper to put it considerably more than $100 a month to the organization and projects with which Samuel L. Lewis is associated as teacher or otherwise. If this be so, and if even two persons do this, this would protect Daniel etc., financially and otherwise.
I am more than willing to accept the two bake account ideas as soon as it is evident that even as low a sum as $50 a month be vouchsafed. I am asking the sum of $25 from each person seeking to become a disciple until the and of the year. This amount may be paid by working at Novato or otherwise. The work record is being maintained by Mr. Mansur Johnson, my esoteric secretary. After Jan. 1 the sum will be raised to $50 unless there is some objection by Pir Vilayat Khan. As half of this $50, i.e. $25 would be paid to Pir Vilayat Khan I do not expect any objection.
In all this the direction of sacrifice is much more important than the moneys involved. I do not feel there should be any person permitted in this house for other than spiritual purposes once Melvin and David and or other person or persons is housed here, without unanimous consent.
There can be no housekeeper cook or otherwise here who is not a disciple. We do not demand efficiency. We do demand loyalty, and mutual cooperation. I am sure it will be easier to obtain a part-time, full-time, resident or non-resident cook and or housekeeper from among the disciples, or from David. We must make every precaution not to confuse a fictitious David with the actual David Hoffmaster.
Some items on your purported budget are totally out of place. The matter of periodicals for example has been settled. There will be no need for rent for any theatre; on the contrary this could well become a source of some small revenue. There will be no salaries until there is an assured income either from the questionnaire from members or from other sources. I have repeated and in vain so far that I have marketable manuscripts which I cannot get out so long as there are roadblocks.
I will not even consider another arrangement with the landlord until I get some problems cleared up mentally.
This is of course written rapidly, due to those constant pressures from which I am seeking to be relieved. For your information I have all these projects:
a. Sufi teaching
b. non-Sufi teaching
c. the typing and editorials of works of Hazrat Inayat Khan
d. the typing of my commentaries on these works
e. the integration of Sufi teachings from other sources not found in current books and
periodicals.
f. the editing and possible publication of unpublished works of the late Nyogen Senzaki.
g. the editing and publication of works of great Buddhist masters of the early part of this
century.
h. miscellaneous Asiatica
i. my own poetry
j. my own autobiographical notes
k. my own creative efforts in other lines such as dancing.
All of this apart from my scientific research, exploits, contacts, etc. Besides this, correspondence on many levels and this word many, can also be subdivided as above.
This very quantitative picture has made it difficult for some to understand. I am after all in my seventies with a fairly copious quantitative career. The words �take it easy� never indicate which of the above may or should be dropped!
This gives no time at all for relaxation, entertainment, etc., apart from the above projects themselves or necessary meals and dinners in some way associated with them.
I do not know how much of this is clear. Even now I am refusing to help David out in a very simple matter until I personally am helped out with some of my own affairs.
The above excludes time for conferences, necessary hospital visits, and correspondences at home and abroad connected with any and all of the above.
This is written chiefly for clarification and not in any spirit of division or otherwise.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
August 26, 1969
My dear Jack:
Thanks for your notice. I have just come back from New Mexico State. Dances went over big. Others things succeeded but now I am tired and longing for a vacation I can�t take yet. My Pakistani God-daughter is here. She will give a final dinner on the 6th, at which time there will be a Fair in the Precita Park here and we have been invited to put on dances. But right after that Ralph Silver, Nancy�s husband, has his own thing on this Hill and I have agreed to remain here until then.
Akbar James a Simmons, one of my chief disciples has gone to San Diego. We tried to reach him but I do not know whether he got the message of not.
And this Thursday is Nancy�s birthday and I am planning a lunch either in Sausalito or at Sam�s in Tiburon.
Apparently my paper on �Organic Gardening� has been accepted. And I understand there will be a payment. Things are, on the whole, very well. In fact we had the most peculiar Family Meeting�plenty of money for the first time, but not enough help�all three men are working; one woman has left; another about to become a mother; the replacement left; the second replacement not well, etc. This keeps Sam overworked and people cry about his being overworked, but the help does not come.
One group rented a house and built their own garden instead of helping Sam. Now they have been told to leave because the house was sold and all their work goes to the benefit of the new owners! Fortunately health and vigor up although more time being spent sleeping.
New Dance Class will be organized in October on a different basis, but a very special small group of �teachers.�
Had wonderful people sitting at my feet in New Mexico.
Cordially,
Murshid
May 16, 1969
Dear Jack: Thanks for your suggestions.
It is very wrong to call anybody wrong. My total collections run about $50 a week. The secretaries have assumed a right to excuse people from paying dues for one of a number of reasons into which I do not choose to go.
Mansur now has three part-time jobs and is working out his career to very mutual satisfaction. Daniel is doing even better. He got a part time job, then a full time job as gardener, then a full time job as engineering technician, and promises of really good pay when he completes his apprenticeship in a field which will be of great advantage to me technically in my own researches.
Barbara told me she is not permitted to receive more than $30 a week or off relief she goes. Ruthie has disappeared. Melvin is working full time. He gets room and board and a trip to Colorado soon to join Vilayat Khan.
Etc. I shall not organize until Vilayat comes as there are signs of legal entanglements into which I do not wish to go until they manifest.
I have now nine classes a week, two of which give no compensation but are very important to my future. Nobody is turning me down excepting the old metaphysical types. Can seldom even get a night off but health fine. Cannot even write down dances. Everybody has suggestions, plenty of them, �Why don�t you?�
Also some �ghosts� of the past are turning into angels. This is a long and complex story into which there is no time to go. Thanks for the suggestions.
Faithfully,
Murshid
Dear Jack:
While writing to Marcia it came I must have a Dictaphone of some sort. David has a tape recorder and this might be used, but I shall have to find out. Ordinary dictation is slow and psychically wearing. I am talking this under consideration.
Best regards,
Murshid
Jemila Inayat
September 5, 1969
Jemila, Beloved One of God:
There are two definitions of a Sufi given in the writings of Inayat Khan, viz, (a) one who has God-consciousness; (b) one who sees from the point of view of another as well as of himself.
Murshid is in a peculiar position here. It perhaps has never crossed your mind that what you have done, whether for selfish or unselfish reasons, or for no reason, might be benefiting me personally. There is a whole background of history, frustration, lies, temptations and false zeal, that people have assumed that flesh and blood inherit the kingdom of God; or that a corporation can determine on any basis who is qualified to be or became a spiritual leader.
The rejection of �Six Interviews with Hazrat Inayat Khan� by nearly all and sundry of various Western groups, so-called �Sufis� of America and Europe stands in marked contrast with the acceptances of the Orient and especially of definitely recognized Sufi Orders. And one of my missions was to bring the spiritual brothers of the Arab and Pakistani world closer together, a still uncompleted mission. But any success will put Samuel L. Lewis-Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti in a strange position.
One thing Lois failed in entirely was with regard to my former lives. And Sufis who are theoretically against reincarnation, definitely acknowledged without even asking, what this person�s role is in the aeonic existence. One is not fooling in presenting the walks and tasawwur of Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Mohammed. And in this way demonstrating how the Spirit of Guidance works in both the inner and outer world.
My initiations of 1925�which were not accepted by any of the opposing groups stemming from Hazrat Inayat Khan�has been definitely corroborated by the preserved vitality and the cosmic poetry. I am signing up for a class on this subject at the university and in a sense have �threatened� Vilayat with a copy of �Saladin� which may awaken his eyes to my position anent the Spiritual Hierarchy.
This seems utterly far away from any dualistic situations of any persons and perhaps is. But I certainly have no intention to resume certain relations with those who were close to me in former lives. Yet I can also say that I had been close to Swami Ramdas before, etc. a matter taken up with his successor in detail and quite demonstrable.
In the incomplete or lost �Shiva! Shiva!� there is a canto on �Kama Yoga,� the use of sex-potential on the physical plane as means of God-realization. This is in contrast to certain forms of Tantra which use or sublimate, or when they use, sublimate. Sublimation is not involved, although �transubstantiation� is and sex-relations can take the form of temple-worship.
The substitution for corporation decisions for a spiritual awakening has given �Sufism� a bad name. I am now not only fighting against pseudo-Sufis but have not the goodwill yet of certain operative Sufis who have condemned me for being a disciple of Hazrat Inayat Khan due to the untoward behaviors�some of them pretty low�of his relatives. And although Vilayat is not blamed, he is also caught in his family complex relationship.
A person with the hierarchal initiations does not go around telling people, and anyhow they would seldom believe. The point of view is so different. And there is so much play about �Christ-consciousness� from those who do not have anything of the kind. But I must warn you, my ego is and may benefit from a lot of things you are doing and saying, and I am not going to call you to stop a cancer which directly and indirectly may be of much benefit to me, either as a man, a spiritual teacher, or in the true scenic functioned. It takes a long time to awaken in others meanings of the robes in one�s possession and use.
Now the floods come. The New Mexico mission was entirely successful. The appearance in Mountain View was entirely successful. One is finding the enemies of one�s enemies all over and last night for the third time an Indian spiritual teacher has come to our group. We have a larger and beautiful meeting shaded with Miss Khawar Khan on the one hand and Asoka Fakir on the other. It is too long to relate. Everything is moving ahead.
We have to perform at the Precita Park Annual Fair and next at the Family Dog at the Beach. It is almost too much and I wish to got away with Mansur and Saul and visit the northwest.
I have always been looking for anything that would take Vilayat away from the �legal� wife who has no standing in the heavens at all. I used to call him the man with the albatross around his neck. He has never been free at any time in his life. I do not know how he got so tangled. And the butting in of relatives and near-relatives have made of him an institution, not a person.
I did not favor your going to Europe. Vilayat has so many enemies and they would take advantage of everything. But the next time they cross this person�s path they are going to get it, and how!
Khawar is helping me out here because she has had to take to task those who could not accept one who did not travel the way they have traveled. Often they have traveled and not gotten anywhere at all.
I am not showing your letter to anybody and I am keeping the Vilayat correspondence in my personal files, for no one else to see.
One of the worst things one had to go through was that the first three male disciples one had were homophiles; then Akbar; then three men who claimed they wanted to be celibates. This is what they asked for. They are not celebrates now; it is not part of the Sufi method to be so. Inayat Khan has said that celibacy was a privilege, not a normal path. Now even if the relations between men and women are not the most wholesome, they are far from being the most unwholesome.
You will excuse Murshid if he is not too lucid, for only three days off all year; going away made it even more complex teaching, appointments, consultations. One hopes to go away next week after fashion shows and public demonstrations of dervish and spiritual dancing. One has to train Julie and perhaps Linda. At the moment the life of Marcia is too complex.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
October 22, 1969
My dear Jemila:
The birthday celebrations have come and gone and I must thank you for your kind remembrance. It was significant that for the first time in over fifty years my own brother phoned congratulations and Hussein also remembered. There are lots of rumor about him but we have no time for rumors.
There are times in life when harvests are gathered and while in theory this is for old age, there are also seasonal and perennial harvests. Now, in a certain sense they are coming together. I think there were about a hundred people here all young excepting Bill Hathaway and his lady friend and Mrs. Albanese of San Rafael who has been at our gatherings on and off.
It was hard to realize that it was a personal occasion. It was in such marked contrast to earlier aspects of life when one hardly had an amicable acquaintance, much less a friend. We also had another party Saturday for the dancing class. This is being shifted to the night time because both Hasan and Moineddin work days at weekends and I dare not run short of men.
For instance the Sufi Symbol Pageant needs 9 men and 6 women. The Cross Pageant should have 12 men although we can go down to 8. There should be six women in it, if more we shall have the St. Andrews Cross, with the circle.
It was necessary to �break in� a new Rhada. I think it worked but one was so �high� during most of the time that one could only see great bodies of light. The �Hari Krishna� dance was �easy.� The work on the Bacchus dance starts next week but I am also using Marcia as an understudy. However, Julie, who has taken your place, is a student of the Mysteries and so has the outer and inner together.
Sunday closed the program here excepting for esoteric classes and Murshid will now be spending more time in San Francisco. David is now working and Clare�-Zeynab is going to Rudolph Schaeffer School. She has a new chum named Joy and as Joy�s Birthday was last week I took her as temporary partner for the birthday dance. Fortunately Shible (Sib) who has been unwell was in fine fettle. I only ate Shrimp-Celery Root salad and Apple Strudel (made by Marcia). There were a lot of delicacies but one was too �high� to sea. The weather was marvelous both days.
Now we are waiting for another important event: the presentation of Fatima�s is child�it may come at any moment. I am not considering the Sun-aspect but will contact Gavin as soon as the hour comes. There are many other �exciting� events in tow, too. We never have a dull moment.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
November 19, 1969
My dear Jemila:
Hazrat Inayat Khan has said, in the Gayan, I believe: �Give me heaven or hell, O Lord, but not purgatory.� In purgatory there is agitation and indecision and this keeps the soul from progressing. Pleasure and pain may help toward progress ennui, boredom and indecision are the car in neutral. It gets nowhere.
I am interested in your spiritual reports, but what good are they if the life does not follow? One is constantly having interviews and many of these interviews indicate divine guidance, generally in the direction one should go, is going. Sometimes there is none acceptance even of one�s one blessings.
There is a copy of letter-report. There is no doubt in my mind that Mansur is destined to play a dramatic if not important role in directions which may not have considered. You may not have considered them; even he may not have considered them, but there they are right in front of one in the others.
What you will do is largely in your hands. I shall not try to influence you but he must not be held back, he is not going to be held back. Your reactions, pleasurable or awkward are your own.
It is the work of a teacher to guard the �mysteries� of disciples and also guard the outer life in so far as those are connected with inner development. One even supposes that if you had an analytical and therefore negative report about Mansur you might have risen to his defense but you are not going to get a negative report.
A true Murshid must be an alchemist to distill the virtues and faculties of each disciple. This keeps one very busy, all the time. You have placed your geographical factors in your own hands. The Psalms say that we should pray to God in our goings out and in our comings in.
God bless you,
Murshid
[Kabira/Charlene]
Dec. 4, 1970
My dear Charlene,
You will please excuse if we don�t write in detail. We are exceedingly busy with far more disciples today and may applicants, but less secretarial help. Moineddin Jablonski was released from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving and he soon may be able to do some office work in Novato, and at this writing it would appear that we shall also have some other help when I am over at the Khankah.
This is a very complex situation. The doors are opening for Organic Gardening. The doors are opening for memoires. We are very optimistic of putting on some very large successful programs for Pir Vilayat. There are more dancing classes and more dances. The general attendance at all meetings is up, not up very much but definitely up. One never has a day off or anything like it.
I have to tell you what I have told Benefsha and others. To me action is righteousness. What you do, God is doing through you and with you. To me, non-action is sin and action is virtues but this is a private conclusion.
Of course your spiritual reports are all correct, and the only question is what actually are you going to do and where are you going to do it. Do you remember the time when I called Benefsha before you and said that Benefsha might become a perfect teaching and that you might become a perfect principal and executive?
I don�t see how a theatre can happen here. Not now. Too many projects and too few workers. Hazrat Inayat Khan said, and it is part of the Healing Service, �In Unison with the Will of God we Will to have peace.�
I am soon to write again �Six Interviews with Hazrat Inayat Khan.� In the past all the so-called disciples of love, harmony, and beauty demanded these reports and then waste-basketed them. The hard but simple fact is that wherever I went in the Near East and South Asia all the Sufis accepted all my reports, and some great non-Sufis also accepted them, while in the West the �humble� devotees rejected them. But the hard and simple fact of my presumable longevity and increasing inspirations are substantial proofs of what has come from God.
I have seen you in the field of education but please do not get any idea that I would prefer you in education than in drama. This is not so. I have still all the great home accomplishments from the counseling of Hazrat Inayat Khan. They have hardly been done. �There is no compulsion in Sufism� and I am not going to compel anybody to accept anything, but the great initiations are going to come to the fore. More and more my few friends in Asia are accepting it, but also here more Americans see evidences. After long years, every element of the counseling will come true, inshallah.
After I write these Six Interviews, there will be at least one article on the Robes which were bestowed upon me and this will bring up the question of whether Sufism is from God or from particular individuals. After long years, Sufis Speak is publishing the poetry which come from Moin-ud-din Chisti. This means, sooner or later, some publishers are going to accept greater inspirations which manifested through this person.
Actually, although we seem to be in a world of song and dance, we are most concerned with peace on earth, and also helping the poor victims of tragedies in East Pakistan. There is a long and encouraging story here which I do not want to tell now.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
[Marcia Pavelick]
September 5, 1969
My dear Marcia:
Thank you for your letter of the 2nd, the check and spiritual report. Murshid assumes that you will be retuning here, but we shall have to go very thoroughly into your personality problems. In the letter one man stood foremost and in the dream vision another one. There are spiritual methods for resolving this situation, and you must become clear of yourself.
Of course it is not easy for Murshid because there is a strong feeling of actual unity with disciples as the �theory� proposes but it is there in fact. And we certainly expect to give Krishna Das a great welcome. Before that however, I hope to go on a vacation with Mansur and Saul. Both Mansur and Murshid need vacations badly, for different reasons , no doubt, but the situations are there and we must each get away.
Jemila has left the Khankah, sometimes for noble, sometimes for little girl reasons. This mean I must re-arrange the leading dance work. This is not so easy as it sounds. Two of my young women disciples have passed the initiatory tests and I shall also have to go into meditation, or subject all of us to tests to ascertain because ego-feelings must not interfere. There must be a new Radha for Krishna and also a Sita, and also a partner for
Bacchus-Dionysus. And there are new dances which were �partnership� dances in another sense, all connected with mysteries, ancient and not so ancient. In any case the dancing class will be both severe (free) and open (at a charge).
Tomorrow and Sunday we are dancing here in connection with the Precita �Park-Bernal Heights annual Fair. And Tuesday night a try-out at the family Dog at the Beach. Both also in connection with a Pakistani ladies costume exhibit. After that I hope to leave. But the pressures are overwhelming.
On the other hand all three men at the Khankah are out working and for the first time we have more than enough money coming in, and not enough hands to work. In one sense it is amusing! Then two women disciple are in labor and at least one other soon.
In addition we are preparing a big Pakistani dinner for tomorrow for the dancers and others who come to watch. And a follow up dance and dinner on Sunday.
It may just be that you will be asked to come to the Khankah with Jemila away and Fatima soon to be in labor. The replacements are not available due to other complications. So I�ll take this up soon. Gwen-Zeynab was to have gone to Novato but she is signed up for Art School and remains in San Francisco.
I shall be glad to meet our sister when the comes here. I am glad to meet people spiritually but I must warn I cannot be involved in where or how they live. This is an awful burden on an over-worked elderly person. So while I hope and pray concerning your quarters (other than Novato) and you obtaining a job, etc. I hope in this respect you can become self-reliant.
Nancy will probably be here tomorrow to the first dinner. We await your return.
Love, and blessings,
Murshid
May 24, 1969
My dear Marcia:
This is an acknowledgement rather than an answer to your most cordial letter of the 22nd. Mansur has long left for New Mexico and Daniel not only works full time but has at least three great opportunities and I mean great ones. There is now a legend out that Murshid does not sleep which is not true but working every day and practically every night and in fine fetter, one cannot stop the legend.
More and more dances are coming and I cannot stop to write them down. For the first time in almost a year I had to take time out to get clothes. Money at the moment is not a problem but the plethora of details thrown at me while one is presumably functions as a spiritual teacher, a writer on mystical themes and what not is beyond even my own concepts. I simply do and do contently with change of functions. Thus at Novato I put in six hours in the garden, eight office hours and a little time for meals and interviews. People say �Take it easy� and the same problems. After the most emotional appeal, �Please do not ask me for interviews after the meeting. Ask me before or at recess.� What happened � nothing � until it the end of the meeting and wow!
I have to rearrange a/c free loaders. It may mean printing of tickets, etc. The Saturday dance class has gotten too large but stops next week, presumably for the Summer. But we are going to have Sunday night gatherings in Novato, beginning at 5 P.M, picnic suppers, and dancing until it gets dark.
The repetition of Ya Hayy! Ya Hakk ! helps overcome fatigue. It should be practiced with or without a tasbih often.
I start people with Hara, the walk concentrating on the solar plexus until they feel a difference.
Just to give you what I am doing:
1. Commentary on �Cosmic Language�
2. Commentary on Gathas, Series II
3. Peace program for Vietnam distribution of Encyclopedias on Buddhism
4. Cut down to 7 classes from 9 and soon to be 6 inshallah
5. Interviews
6. Work on an enormous garden with Jemila when she is there.
7. Background work for Oracle, with disciples carrying the load.
8. Correspondence, etc.
9. Meetings with professors on campuses, increasing and how!
Akbar left his two kittens here. Nassim is rather disgusted but still gets special treatment. More kittens at Novato. What shall we do about litter�bugs????
Anyhow plenty of lettuces, some cabbage and other crops free. Peas not doing as well as might and Onions slowly. Strawberries poor but Raspberries and Grapes coming alone fine.
Very glad about Lottie Van Stahl. She sees. We have some girls here also with third Eyes.
Lots of drama all the time and Tuesday night family party with Grandpa Murshid at Khyber Pass in Oakland. We chanted also to the delight of the Muslims there.
You one kitten and teacher! There I envy you but still. believe kittens should have companions. Here and Novato, both, but then Allah is Great.
Getting ready for camp in Colorado, also for business meetings with Vilayat, etc.
This is really a scrawl in between.
Love to kitty and you,*
Murshid
*Jack has his whales.
April 13, 1969
My dear Marcia:
Murshid was very glad to hear from you and also to receive payment of dues. Your spiritual report is very gratifying. One believes that all problems can be solved but one is not always sure of ability to help in this and as Sufis say, �Allah knows.�
No doubt life is beset with problems. The establishment of dues and at least an informal organization brought on the one hand more people and more money, but also came near to producing more laxity. It was necessary to point out that it must be understood whether the Khankah was to be a living entity or merely a sort of cooperative boarding-house. Each one having his own path and supporting it by ego-reasoning resulted in several financial set-backs.
The situation became worse because Murshid was getting outside jobs. Murshid�s outside jobs brought money and the others got promises. But this involved another problem that with the people at the Khankah getting outside jobs with or without pay, there has not been a proper secretariat. And each venture is likely to involve enthusiasm and thus the dropping of other ventures, so there are no teachings available and one is compelled constantly to work on the teachings which are the central corps of our being.
I think this jolted some of them. Daniel is now working for the City of Novato, part time. Hasan may get a full time job. Both Fatima and Mansur are now depending on the Oracle, the publication of which has been constantly delayed. If it brings in money Murshid should have a secretary well equipped to work on the music and dance themes; i.e. Ruthie whose name is now Parisa (fairy-like).
Murshid has had exactly one day off this year and cannot see another at all. The work of getting the teachings for disciples at various grades is enormous, has always been enormous and after years, even when one pulls out files, etc. there is little impression.
The last letter was to the President of India. Debbie has, from Murshid�s point of view, been very unhappy. I did not think a scientific career suited her. But now she has been convinced by Janiki she should go to India and train for a professional career in dancing, at least. And her father is becoming interested enough to at least profit her her fare. We shall have to take this up tomorrow if not before.
There has been a constant fight because of one�s rejections by the �cults� but now there is a near move in the various universities to question all cults and examine the actual cultures of Asia. The last three professors one has met have reacted as warmly and favorably as the �cultists� and poseurs have reacted inimically. But this also adds to our typing work, but at least these things are getting in one university after another, slowly but surely.
Mansur has worked out a career for himself which is very much in line with Murshid�s work at the same age and he may be going to New Mexico next month. And then to Colorado to join Vilayat in June. Murshid now has enough money to help finance these trips.
Our March meeting was so successful and now we are working on the May and Maypole dances. There must be some value in them for I think the totality of audiences has increased every week this year. One is drawing a small number of young women, very beautiful, who seem to resemble each other and who are most favorably impressed. And two types of men: (a) a sort of Hippy far-out type; (b) university men, generally teachers or engineers. There is a slowly mounting number of these man over 30 in age. They respond both to the lectures and to the dance demonstrations.
Fatima�s latest artistic efforts show that either she has the full spirit of Murshid or is getting her inspirations directly from God.
There is one very normal obstacle, too. Women about to become mothers: Benefsha, Fatima, Gypsy, Fiona. (The cats are going the same path. Nessim is now a father. And Purusha Novato has just had a litter.)
In the same mail one had a most loving letter from Karen. She is undoubtedly lonely and would like a husband. But she pell-melled here rather early this morning. She is much more beautiful than she was and quite young looking as if loads had been taken from her.
Some disciples still expect Murshid to be romantic. The fatherly-grandfatherly pulls are strong but the cosmic urges are stronger. This is in the horoscope too. Moineddin now understands my work because he has been functioning as the esoteric secretary at the highest level. We cannot do more than three hours of this a day.
The garden is progressing at Novato and much else. David is going to have a chance of jobs. He is becoming much more masculine and positive. He and this house has been having trouble with the automotive equipment but that seems over.
So far as permission is concerned, nothing but yes. Murshid said: �Whet I teach you should teach others.� It is a question when we can have a proper secretary.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
May 9, 1969
My dear Marcia:
This is a very rapid letter written under very crowded circumstances. My programs are not only more full than ever but there is an absolute dearth of help to the degree that unless a change is made the white flag shall have to be put up. For on the one hand one is receiving larger and greater inspirations, and larger attendance with some increases in income and practically no help excepting from Melvin who lives in here.
All I can say at the moment is �Yea� without having time to review. We had 150 people at a combined Wesak and Maypole celebration with several dances and ceremonies around the pole. These were RamNam or ceremonies�Sun ritual, Moon ritual and Wheel Ritual. The last had eight couples and four of us at the end acting as Hub, Krishna Das being the extra because he goes back and forth from orchestra to dance.
The other night at our regular Wednesday meeting now held in San Anselmo there was a new Bismillah Dervish Dance and a new choral for OM!, my third choral. There were 40 disciples in the �Dance of the Murshid�s Love and Affection� and about 30 non-disciples all of whom had to join in some of the Walks.
I have received the sign to begin on the Walk before the dancing. But have not gone far as we had another crisis at the Khankah. I can only give the Murshid�s point of view which is that the material livelihood comes first and then the spiritual work and out of six disciples living there it is pretty bad that only one has accepted this and only after two failures in the business world taken without Murshid�s blessing and by pressure from outsiders and still has to face these pressures of outsiders who convince disciples that they should do so-and-so, and I have seen endless failures. These are based neither on common sense nor on what Inayat Khan called �supersense� and I have just come from an unfortunate meeting. Even when they see that Murshid is receiving from God, so to speak, it is not yet the determinant.
One must net get any idea that Murshid is not only on the material plane; he may be more there than others. It was a shock to find one is earning, outside of one�s salary which is very good, more money than several disciples; that articles have been accepted, that two writers have interviews coming up with the idea of giving Murshid more publicity and that The Oracle, just cut, gives special attention to Murshid. Nevertheless the article they published was not what one wanted and so one has to leave that in the hands of God.
We have a housekeeper; she has been away throwing burdens on others. She should be back tonight when David will take a short journey. His future is uncertain but one is irked not of this but because his horticultural knowledge has not been given proper consideration and failures have followed.
Mansur has three part-time jobs and is giving almost no help. Daniel who is the Asst. Esoteric Secretary and part time Financial Secretary is also working part time outside and has little time for Murshid. And everybody wants to join Vilayat in Colorado whether they have money or not. Some are quite unequipped for such an endeavor and it will mean either slowing down or severe discipline. It is awkward to find that dear Nancy who is over the age�28�can hardly walk and wants to go mountain climbing in high altitudes with an expert!
God is near and we are dear to Him. Monday afternoons Murshid lectures on �The Gospel of St. Thomas� at the Church of the Children. Wednesday night we meet at the seminary of the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Francisco mostly due to Krishna Das and also Amin. We had a grand party at the opening of the home of Amin and Amina in Corte Madera, also about 70 there. My oldest and best friend, Mrs. Vocha Fiske, is around and she says that my claims have proven themselves in actualities.
I began on Walk and will have Melvin copy it and then have two tremendous dance projects, in addition to all the other loads, not one item of which has been removed. If things do not change I shall have to reorganize or rather organize as a corporation. A warning came from some of Vilayat s closest friends that I should do so but Daniel says Vilayat does not wish it. Actually Vilayat has enemies who want to thwart him and they have called for a conference here in San Francisco to tempt or to challenge S.A.M. The seriousness of this has not reached my dear family.
Shirin built a kiln and we voted to have it at the Khankah. But the Ranch family have refused to permit it to be moved and God says that Shirin is to be told it was a slave camp where she did all the work and no pay and no thanks and there is no proper ownership. Anyhow Jemila is now away at a conference on Raku, early Japanese pottery and I am in favor of their going into the ceramics and pottery business. And of Hasan spending more time with his printing and also another project which promises money�in teaching children and teenagers nature studies. There is no nonsense in this.
I am absolutely in favor of what you are doing and rejoice that you are responding to real Divine Guidance. One rejoices over your meditation room and everything else.
Nessim is fine and is a good father. We have four kit tens; one is almost black and we do not know how to account for it. There are also kittens at the Khankah.
I am very happy over everything else. You will hear from Murshid soon.
Love and blessings to Jack and yourself,
Murshid
May 11, 1969
Dear Marcia:
Here are the first four pages, two lessons on Spiritual Dancing. I am sorry there is so much to do here, and so few to do it.
Yesterday more and more dances came, two new ones which is enough to give out in an afternoon and then at the end the Dance of the Murshid�s Blessing which is an outgrowth of the original Khankah Dances. It is hard to create these dances, see them, feel and them and write them to be entirely intelligible. But Mel is going over them and says they are appreciably here.
Andy is here just now. He came to visit David who is away. David is away on one of Akbar�s cars. The car of Gwen who lives here is at the hospital. This is only the beginning of the mix-up. Hasan and Jayanara are away with Mansur�s car.
A parade is now going on outside. We shall probably be dancing on the lawn this evening. We are adding �Buddhist Dances.� will write them up when I can.
I have to stay home because of out-of-town visitors who say they are coming and so far not a word! What is all right, one laughs at life.
Love,
Murshid
P.S. Sheila showed up Wednesday. Had 70 persons for disciples and 30 non-disciples that
evening!
March 3, 1969
My dear Marcia, Beloved of God:
Your letter of the 1st is being answered immediately for this week we must go to Sonoma to address the State College and one is also preparing to speak at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, Inshallah, soon, besides other invitations. During one�s illness one saw one�s future and it is coming out exactly as in the visions.
In a sense they were more important to me personally than are the dance patterns but the general cosmic psychology is the same, that one has the vision even before the intuition, and the thought-forms come later.
In the dance class we go into lofty areas in profound dances, the profundity of meaning being much greater than the complexity of movements. But we are also going into very simple walks. Learning not only the planetary but also the Bodhisattvic walks and repeating the attributes of God doing this combining psychic and moral law. This builds up the attributes in the person.
Saturday, ten couples, Diane and Doyle absent, and it was hard to realize that one is both Guru and Grandfather functionally. The time passes so rapidly but the increment of love, personal and group, is marvelous. We are planning a number of parties�tonight initiations, Wednesday Amin�s (and little Ruthies)and in two weeks, David, Suzanne, Gypsy and Gavin all plopped, and with several parties too.
Now Gwen lives here and there is a Martha who seems to have broken all conventions. I have threatened that they would have to listen to the talks of all the girls in all my classes and this has shocked them into realizing there is a whole pattern of break-downs and in turn a counter-pattern of resurrections. Last week there was a wedding between resurrected young man and resurrected young woman. These things happen. So I am not concerned with sins and short�comings. There are the clergy, the psychiatrists and the social workers. I am concerned that people do not walk right and do not breathe right so their emotions are awry.
You should repeat 101 times, one in the morning and the other at night:
Allaho Akbar (God is Strength)
Ishk Allah, Mahbood Allah (God is love and beloved)
We use these in our walks and dances too, and evidently very well. Grandpa Murshid has the most wonderful lovelies today and very dependable �young� men.
I cannot compel or impel jack to join meditations. I have put at least one husband and wife on a sort of sex meditation, that they sit opposite and holds hands and even look into each other�s eyes. This has worked. And I also have so many expectant mothers! Fortunately Nancy has been of great help here, really.
The more you control the breath, the more you control the atmosphere here; the more you control the atmosphere the more influence you have on others.
When you come here again I would put both of you on Bodhisattva walks. these are for everybody. I am even pleased�danger of self-conceit�of the girls bringing in your men who fit, even though they have not yet studied and I am getting ready also to increase the dance class, inshallah.
This is the normal type of problem for the teacher. Some come to me regarding jobs, money, where to live, etc. They are psychically enervating, but personal and personality problems are the norm of the Guru-Murshid.
My love and blessings to you both,
Murshid
[date unknown] 1969
Saturday morning.
Dear Marcia:
I am utterly confused, with more and more and more coming and no help excepting Melvin. Both Daniel and Mansur who have been helping have outside jobs or ventures, good for them. Now Daniel has a letter just arrived from Vietnam and there is a possibility of his going there. This comes right after I received one from an old pal, General Edward Lansdale who had been in charge of our ground forces under Westmoreland. It is possible that through combined efforts we may have peace based on some sort of understanding and Communication.
To this was added the long and unexpected interview from Lena last night. She is working for a man collecting materiel on how to get the young off of psychedelics to their benefit. And she happens to be an old friend of Shirin (Marion) Doyle which was very helpful. On top of that Akbar also has some material for Mansur today.
The lessons on Walk have been coming in from the Cosmos and now the Dance Material is arranging itself on its own plane. So many new dances coming and no time for reflection but Divine Inspiration has its own Order. This appears in the lessons on Spiritual Communes which appeared in the Oracle. This was written from a higher stage of consciousness and was given to Phillip Davenport for his inner instructions and without consultation with me he started to publish it. But that does not mean he did not have divine approval. A person may have divine approval without the human side and Murshid is still very human (one hopes).
The first lessons on Dance will appear shortly for you, but the pressures are terrific and even the dance class will arrive later because, because, because and one has to take it. Maybe that is what God wants.
And Monday morning I have to be at San Francisco State and my things are not ready. And then Asia Foundation for my God-daughter, Saadia, is coming to this State and has a long inquiry and I have not touched my regular stuff. People come and say that one should have a mimeograph, a Dictaphone, etc. and there is simply not time for me to go shopping and still too much �faith in God� for money. And besides one has other problems each from different disciples. One has no time for oneself and I know what God will tell me and the first thing will be to stop all resolutions�resolutions consume energy which should go into action. At least Walk and Dance are actions.
One rejoices in your spiritual awakening.
God bless you,
Murshid
Sept. 7, 1970
Dear Marcia,
How are you? Your surprise withdrawal from activities here came, it is true, at a most unfortunate time. Khalif Moineddin has been ill for many weeks. Disciples Paul and Ayesha are sick. Two secretaries now have good remunerative positions, so the problems here are not basically financial. But the new housekeeper, Leslie, is also in the hospital, and there is no time off for any sort of recreation�it is only that the activities are so varied they do not produce monotony or fatigue.
Everyone has a purpose in life, and the work of spiritual study is to help awaken that purpose. A withdrawal in time and place may affect the consciousness of the disciple; it does not affect the consciousness of the teacher.
In dancing alone we now have more classes and more enrolments. Not only that, the demand is great both locally and in other parts of the United States. It is becoming absolutely necessary for Murshid to train teachers, leaving it to them whether they wish to use such opportunities as a means of personal livelihood or otherwise.
Inayat Khan has said, �Give me heaven or hell O Lord, but not purgatory.� There is no such thing as a wrong decision; there is only wrong indecision. Actually a teacher is there to help those who make wrong decisions if anything can be so called, and to bless those who have made right decisions if anything can be so called. But indecision stymies the soul and blocks progress in both the inner and outer aspects of life.
Your social position is of course affected, but your spiritual position is not affected by your apparent non-attendance in our functions.
Faithfully,
Murshid
September 9, 1969
To Krishna Das Duncan Piece:
Dear Ram,
I do not recall a single day in mg whole long life wherein I have dictated or written more letters than this day. Wali Ali Melvin Meyer has been of supreme help and inshallah something will be done for him when the occasion permits.
Having had but three free days this year a vacation has become an imperative necessity, but, Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram, a good mantram can overcome all weaknesses human and otherwise. I am of course planning to be back in sufficient time to greet you here and to put on a proper welcoming party. Please do not be conceited. Any excuse is an excuse for Murshid to put on a party area and in this case Flora-dora vise �It might as well be you.�
Letters have been literally flying to many parts of the road. Fortunately we have plenty of food in the house for the sheckles are being used for postage. But Allah is great and the coffers are not exactly empty, nor are our stomachs. This last week has been particularly dramatic:
Saturday a Pakistani Fashion Show by Saadia Khawar Khan, my goddaughter, followed by a Pakistani dinner. Sunday the first performance of the Dervish Dances in the park here at the annual meeting of the Bernal Heights�Precita Park improvement Club. Both of these to be repeated tonight at the Family Dog at the beach.
A number of representatives of Indian cultures have come to our meetings and participated. They are interested in real integration of the real East and West and I believe we are going to have it: Love, Compassion, and Yoga and the end to platform sermons by the pompous. Our trip to New Mexico which was very successful was followed immediately by a roaring reception from seniors. Mansur, Saul and Murshid are planning to leave tomorrow morning for a trip to the Northwest, we may visit several university and contrary wise a number of representatives of other universities are visiting us. Evidently American Professors are imitating Oriental teachers by beating a pathway to the door of this unmoustrap inventor.
Anyhow, we are planning a glorious ending of the month with our return from a hopeful vacation and a return of the Sufi delegation to Arizona to these parts. It also happens inshallah that our San Diego representative may be back about the same time. This is also the harvest season for new babies; too many to mention and describe, and putting us in dim light with the planned parenthood association. As we have been working already our allotted 8 hours and have at least two more to give tonight at the public performance at the Family Dog please excuse us for you see even our typewriters are protesting against overwork.
Please be sure to be here for your own celebration.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
October 17, 1968
Duncan Pierce (Krishna Das)
Beloved One of God:
While one was very glad to hear from you, the situation is awkward. You are not alone. My very first disciple has to go to Oregon this week, same thing. Laura�s husband in Marin, same thing. We have prayed and meditated.
The first great change has been the dance inspirations coming from Murshid�s heritage from Ruth St. Denis and Hazrat Inayat Khan. We began with the Dervish dancing, greatly expanded. Then the �Hare Krishna� once which was for you, but Murshid now has to act as guru and performer. Later the �Krishna-Radha� dance which has now revolved around Jemila being Radha and Murshid taking the part of Sri Krishna. Last night one realized that many of the young women really love Murshid, certainly in the role of Sri Krishna and perhaps otherwise. When you return Murshid will put this on for you and then one hopes have you take over the role.
The Ramnam dances has the guru as M.C. only taking part if necessary. The Rama dance is only for me and it may become a progressive dance Like the Krishna-Radha one to give several men the opportunity to be next to Murshid.
Sunday is Open House at Novato and we have the �Open House Dance� for Moineddin, Mansur, Jemila, Fatima and Murshid. We also have the Birthday Dance for Jemila and Murshid. We also have the Mandala ritual and the Lord�s Prayer in movement. The inspirations have been tremendous and the help nil�Randiel got married and Moineddin and Mansur had to help in moving.
�The Rejected Avatar� is supposed to be reviewed today and then will be put on the market.
It has been a most trying period�work by days, inspirations by night and no help�three disciples in custody, one in the hospital. But Marcia has come big which may change things entirely.
I�ll show your letter to Moineddin as soon as possible. Joint Birthday party Friday at the Minerva Cafe. We should have Greek dances and may put on some of our own. About 30 people have signed up, birthdays of Sib Cogswell, Jemila and Murshid.
Om Sri Ram! Jai ram! Jai! Jai! Ram!
Murshid
Nov. 20, 1970
Sri Krishna Das
San Anselmo, Calif.
Dear Ram:
There is a process called Kashf by Sufis and Prajna in Sanskrit which, if set in operation, both expands one�s vision and establishes one�s line of duty or Dharma. This does not mean that all persons are restricted by the duty or Dharma of anyone, even if a highly developed spiritual teacher. The Gita says �I come, I go; when Dharma decays I come.�
Every time there has been drama or terror in this world this person has appealed to heaven, and on no single occasion has gone without a reply.
In the year 1911 the Sufi Message was first presented to the West under the joint endeavors of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan and Srimati Ruth St. Denis. This person became a spiritual teacher under the institutions of valid Sufi Masters. This person also became a performer of the dance after receiving spiritual communication from Srimati Ruth St. Denis. But no Bayat or attachment in Sufism requires any disciple to accept the blessing and akashic endowment from Srimati Ruth St. Denis. Earth, eater, fire, and air move. Akasha may radiate, may withdraw, may expand, may contract, but does not necessarily move. Nor is any disciple in Sufism or in any other form of initiatory transmission required in any way to join in or even accept movements. Initiation in akasha is rare, no doubt, but that it is real there is no doubt.
We are now integrating, with Divine inspirations, mythologies, astrologies, legends, folklore, mysticism, and all endeavors toward Divine-realization while in the flesh.
No one has takes a vow to accept all the undertakings of this Murshid. Indeed it is against the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan to push disciples, excepting in spiritual practices, esotericism, and meditation.
God Bless You.
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
P.S. Your expressions of freedom are quite in accord with spiritual growth; God Bless You.
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94917
July 10, 1969
My dear Krishnadas:
This would seem hardly the time to put a problem before you. It may not be a problem at all; it may be a misunderstanding. Or again, I may have misunderstood the agreements by which we could use the hall of the San Francisco Theological seminary.
As I understood it�and after all it was conveyed to me through intermediaries�we would be allowed to charge people who come to meetings but all persons connected in any way with the San Francisco Theological Seminary would be admitted free. In fact, there were some of the students there last night, and they expressed satisfaction.
It is almost comic that when I was �poor� I could go out to dinner 3 times a week, and now that my personal income�and I mean personal income�is up, I can hardly afford to go out once! I am personally carrying the load of gas and transportation expenses; of stamps and stationary and other office expenses and of typing the preparatory materials. I am also having the dance patterns choreographed and written up and understand that copies are being sent you. Besides this, persons who pay monthly dues get their dance lessons free from me, etc.
I do not wish to have any argument or understanding with Mr. Come. I see him as an honest moral and somewhat extroverted executive. I certainly do not wish to have anything done which is contrary either to the principles of the institution or to any actual agreement that may have been made with Mr. Come or any of his associates. He said you were to write him a letter, but had not done this. I am therefore asking that you do so promptly.
I am also putting a copy of this in Amin�s hands and have asked him to act. The success of programs of making young people accept the Living God and the joy that comes from the recognition of the Living God as a transcendent substitute for all psychedelics will, I believe, in the end carry the day. I do not know what Mr. Come would consider of my Christian collaborators who may seem or may not seem as somewhere heterodox. We are certainly studying the Bible very diligently letter by letter and line by line. Any cooperation to clarify this situation will be greatly appreciated by
Your Murshid
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
May 25, 1969
Marc Gold,
124 Forsythe St.,
6 New York, N. Y. 10002
My dear Marc:
Thank you for your letter of the 22nd. One is very happy to receive such reports and one is now receiving such reports also from other persons who were in our groups here and have gone away. Indeed we are sending one near disciple to the Near East and one very faithful disciple, Debbie Devi Chernin, hopes to go to India.
The total attendance has again increased but the amount of assistance has decreased. For people are getting jobs, etc. and the most drop-outs of drop-outs are now working although not necessarily in traditional fashions. Next week will be the last of our Sunday night meetings here. We shall have picnics at Novato instead, taking advantage of the long twilight and the warm weather there.
Next month there will be a meeting of various persons and leaders down in Hollywood and perhaps a geographical roster of the different meetings, leaders, etc. in this country. Vilayat Khan will be in San Francisco shortly and then goes to Colorado for his mountain seminar and then back here. All kinds of things are happening.
I had hoped Ruthie whom you have met would become my dance secretary but she has disappeared, although I understand she is now back. I need a secretary for music and dancing very badly. If we ever get to that I shall keep you informed.
God bless you,
Samuel L. Lewis
P.S. Isn�t �10002� near the Battery?
April 27, 1969
Marc Gold
124 Forsythe St., Apt. 6,
New York, N. Y. 10002
Beloved One of Allah:
There have been programs on the air, �Say the magic word and you will win�.� As a Sufi one is not concerned whether you take up Hatha Yoga or Tai Chi or any one of a number of excellent systems for partial development of the personality. One is in favor of them. But one is even more in favor of complete spiritual training.
Of course it is much better to be under the direct training of a Murshid. One has seen the growth from 6 to 30, from 30 to 60 and now from 60 toward a hundred disciples. This comes under what Sufis call �Kashf.� But it is not necessarily welcome to the ego�if Allah wills that is different, and one more than welcomes the coming of spiritual teachers to this country.
The subject of Haq al iman was received directly from my present Pir--o-�Murshid whom I am not imposing on anyone. Hazrat Inayat Khan was a disciple of the Four School Sufism�Chistia, Naqshibandi, Kadiria and Sohrawardi and it has been my history to have gone through similar processes. But I did not impose this on anybody in order to promote human brotherhood and harmony.
Later on one was inducted or initiated into the Shadhili, Rifa�i, Sabri and Khalandari Orders. Any teachings from anybody connected directly or indirectly from any teacher in these or allied schools or Orders is most welcome. And our teaching is �There is One Truth.�
I am now, indeed, communicating mostly through Walk and Dancing. Although Walking looks much simpler and elementary it is not and it �graduates� into the circumambulation of shrines. But it always requires internal attunement to a teacher at one of three levels, ending in Akhlak Allah, practicing the Divine Presence. You are certainly at liberty to show this to your living teacher, whomsoever he is.
A parallel work is being done by Vilayat Inayat Khan, older son of Hazrat Inayat Khan who is having a camp-school in Colorado this summer. At the moment it is planned for Otis (now Mansur), James Pickard, Marion (now Shirin) and Ruth (now Parisa�whom you have met) to attend and also one of the boys in this house.
A larger work is through Dervish Dancing and choral singing. These dances are derived from the different Schools�Mevlevi and Bedawi which I have observed as an outsider, and Rifa�i. And the singing coalesces that of the Rifa�i, Shadhili and Chisti Orders, based on Zikr and Kalama. These have been most effective.
We had to leave Stanley�s (now Amin) house because he had to move but now have the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo with a much larger attendance. But we are opening Amin�s house as The Garden of Allah, Tuesday with a party. Catherin has received the name of Amina, not to match with Amin, but because that was the name of the Messenger�s mother. But Amin was also a sobriquet of Mohammed because of his moral character.
It is not my wish to function outside of California but now calls have come from New Mexico and Washington States and it may be necessary to visit them, inshallah. But I am hardly set up to cover the country, nor is this the way of the wise.
Our choral singing is based on the background of Allah! with interpositions of Ishk Allah! Mahbood Lillah!
It has not only been easy to convince the young of the reality of God (Allah) but even for them to accept Mohammed�where instead of difficulty one has met only joy and acceptance, or as Inayat Khan said, �Heart speaks to heart and soul to soul.�
Love and blessings,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Marc Gold
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif.
January 21, 1969
Beloved One of God:
Thank you for your note giving address and phone number.
We shall write to the National Secretary ascertaining if there is a center in New York where you might go. There have been a few Indian teachings of some worth but I do not think they give out as much as the Sufis do.
It is always possible for you to pay dues and receive the esoteric instructions by mail from this place although it would be better if you could arrange to join a functioning group near where you live.
Our work is growing, the general attendance slightly higher and we are planning to expand soon. One goes back and forth between the two homes of Novato and San Francisco, sometimes stopping at Corte Madera on the way.
Ruthie has returned and been warmly welcomed here. She hopes to take us more work in Indian music and dancing but the school does not function until the Summer.
Could you tell me what you are doing? Sometimes there are spiritual practices of practical value.
Love and blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
2 Elgin Road,
Lahore Cant.
November 13, 1961
My dear Brother and Mureed S. Mohd. Latif:
I am very sorry that I have not been able to write to you sooner. I have been in great difficulty, so much so that my postage bills alone amount to from 30-50 (thirty to fifty) rupees a week. At the same time my spiritual position is such that I am compelled to pray and intercede for others, not for myself. And Allah, to whom be all praise, has answered such prayers.
Now you are not a beginner on the path to God, neither are you young in years so while complying with your requests, the following Ryazat are offered. Please do not make these disciplines hard on yourself. If you find it hard to reach the Dargah Shams-i-Tabriz, you may stop and especially during the cold weather do not make life hard on yourself.
Fikr. This should be done at night, after prayers.
Hold the head toward the heart and as you breathe out, make the sound HU blowing on the heart. 101 times.
Fikr. This should be done just before Murakkabah. Do not change the Murakkabah. The Murakkabah should be done at the same time every day, and may follow one of the prayers; or it may be at a separate time.
As you breathe out think: La Illaha.
As you breathe in think: El Il Allah
101 times
Walking Fikr: This should be done only when you have time and not in a place where you meet many people. When you start it do not stop to converse, and you should have Tasbih (beads) to indicate you are doing a spiritual practice:
Begin with right foot and breath out: La Illaha
As you breathe in think: El Il Allah
This is not the same as the sitting Fikr. It need not be done excepting when you feel right for it.
Akhlak Allah: This needs no counting. Walk free. It can be done anytime, anywhere. Feel you are in the presence of Allah and that he is with you. Swing the arms freely, but do not walk too fast. However this is faster than the Walking Fikr above. One never walks fast in the Fikr.
Whenever you feel tired breathe in three times: Ya Hayy.
This is for fatigue and refreshment. If you climb to the Dargah you may also use it. Do not make anything but Allah your objective. The Dargah, the walks and all Ryazat are to help one on the Way, but they are not the Way itself.
I hope some time you may meet the Wali and extend him my greetings.
As your Murshid I am with you all the time and think of you but cannot be writing to you much. The people I write to I do not think about excepting when I write.
As-salaam aleikhum and Allah bless you.
Faithfully,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
[to: Moineddin Jablonski]
Lama Foundation
June 12, 1970
My dear Khalif, Beloved One of God:
Apparently Murshid is going through a cleansing and renovating process at this writing Friday morning. There are many negative and positive sins. Of course I do not know the details of the Holy Man�s Jamboree; from a practical level it may bring more people to our doors. How are we going to arrange that? There will have to be several meetings and considerations on several levels.
On the negative level I am cleaning and clearing out once and for all those negative, money and power grubbing, Machiavellians who seek support from the �peasantry� to bring about a verbal world union, world federation, cosmic brotherhood and you name it. I see the success of those communes and communities which are invoking actual spirituality in some form. There is a purported Holy Man�s Jam to be held in this vicinity around the summer solstice. Despite the verbalisms and maybe pomposities I am not sure of my welcome, and then again it may be just the opposite, Inshallah.
Among the things we have to consider will be the classification of disciples. There will be a presumable:
Sangitha class; at the present moment if we get the papers purporting to come from Vilayat, this will be limited to yourself, Akbar, Amin and Wali Ali. After class, some of these papers may be released to Daniel and Mansur.
Sangatha class; this will be mostly on the commentaries. We have just finished those on Series III Metaphysics and am about to start on Breath, Inshallah. Then jump to a few on Concentration. These will be for the above persons and Daniel. Mansur may be excused from any classes he wishes but will have a Murakkabah (concentration) training.
Githas; advanced. The same as the group now in Novato, plus Akbar, and perhaps Wali Ali.
Series I Githas; Selima, Phillip, Basira and such persons as are nominated by Akbar, Amin and yourself.
Gatha; all persons should be in one of these classes, Series 1, 2, or 3.
Gathekas; certain papers and literature shall be discussed later.
Murakkabah-concentration; every person will be assigned a practice and a record kept, presumably in their private esoteric notebooks and in the general esoteric notebook, or sometimes in the teacher�s records.
The next will depend largely on the reports from Daniel and the general meeting in North Hollywood; there are questions rather than problems. For the time being that of papers may not be regarded as particular important. The financial matters must be organized in some way, so we shall await. There will have to be a conference or rather two to make constructive organization, etc.
There will have to be provisions for the spreading of the Message and even establishment of local units in each state. There is no question it will be easy to set up a Gatheka structure. It is not only the meeting but the summer camp that may affect the next steps.
Next week I should be sending Jayanara a check for $100 to cover Mansur�s theoretical rent, but for the future there should be a distinction between the obligation of paying rent, and paying rent with meals. I do not know how this should be handled. You may make any settlement or wait for a family meeting after our return.
Murshid has been a little confused by a letter coming from Michael to come here. I thought it was settled that Michael would do some gardening in Novato, etc. while certain persons are away. I am very glad Wali Ali limited the camp to 100 people. I do not like everybody running away pell-mell and leaving things undone to a theoretical organization which in the end consists of human beings. I see great opportunities for vegetable growing either for families or markets. At this moment, and it could be wrong, the whole Garden of Allah now depends on James. In the future we should arrange properly for the placing of personnel long before there is any kind of exodus to a Pir Vilayat camp, a Lama, or anything else.
Steve Durkee has dictated an excellent letter regarding the coming of personnel here. Other considerations aside I know intuitively that Nancy would have suffered physically and physiological and Ralph psychologically as well. I believe it is possible to have some films which could have world import. But a Sufi Murshid must dissociate from promotional schemes.
One has been very lofty in inspirations. There has been a growing sense of love personally and socially and very little distinction between the Lama people and the Sufi people. This all points to a grand new age!
On the human level there is a Baskin Robbins at Santa Fe; Nathan is going with us, of course. Tomorrow is ice cream day for the children and we also hope to visit another commune about 12 miles north of here. Love and Blessings to all,
Murshid
[to: Moineddin Jablonski]
June 27, 1970
My dear Khalif:
I have had a good deal of encouragement which you can see from the copies of letters enclosed. But there is one problem and it is absolutely annoying�the number of disciples who think they are helping the Cause of God by changing residences. I have said again and again, publically and privately, that the one thing that I did not wish for disciples as to be constantly moving. It is a sign of emotional instability. Emotional instability shows an uncertainty in the opposite direction to Love and Peace. I am not going to oppose anybody moving, not at all, but now I am going to put my foot down.
No disciple is to come to The Garden of Inayat on the days Murshid is there without having signed up and having been accepted beforehand�nobody, excepting Jill, who is connected with housework and not with anything Murshid is doing.
If you wish to have a lot of people for lunch because they are working on the kiln, etc. Murshid will either eat separately or outside. As this cannot be an ex post facto law, those disciples who come to Ramnam in the morning may stay for breakfast and will be considered a part of the household. If they do not come for Ramnam and breakfast, they will have to apply.
I cannot and will not be interrupted any longer in any work I do; it is too much.
This morning I walked out on the meeting. After agreements on schedules, two persons independently made changes and expected Murshid to comply. We can allow for human fallibilities, but we cannot control the passage of time; that is beyond us. I have three dance classes to give today and work in the vegetable fields and interviews and no consideration has been given. What you do on days when Murshid is not around is quite different.
Another exception is James who Murshid has commissioned on several matters. In the first week, if Hussein wishes to see me that is alright. I have to see Michael also about the garden.
I may also have to be more firm about San Francisco. It is compassion to feed disciples; it is not compassion to compel Murshid to sit with a crowd. Spiritual teachers do not do that; they feed, they bless, but also they retire. The picture of the work at hand is beyond me. And I will probably make a new rule soon that if any disciple moves without permission, they will be definitely disciplined.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
The Garden of Inayat
910 Railroad Ave.
Novato, Calif. 94947
My dear Virginia Mumtaz:
I was very, very happy to hear from you but not so happy to learn that you have been invalided. I want to call on you but the cars here are also invalided. If I can get away will do so and hand you this, but otherwise mail it.
Of course you have seen the lights of heavens and even been in them. They are all around us and in us but heaviness keeps us attuned to earth-plane and earth-vibrations. Everything is real: the earth, our fancies, our dreams, the play lands and the heavens, they are all real. If they were not real we could not think of them. The mind can�t think of the unreal; if it thinks that makes it real.
I don�t know why anyone has to drink much. I am trying to get people into higher intoxications by having them sing and dance and evidently they like it. Especially our OM! but mostly it is Sufi chanting and dancing. You have all the capacities but I don�t know if they come out.
As to dying, it would simply mean change of clothes and scenery. You can get rid of some psychic experience. I do not want to say �all� because the good God might not want it that way. We go around saying �Allah� or �Allaho Akbar� and that keeps away the bad psychic experiences, but there are some disciples how can �see,� really, and they are wonderful. Only they have not yet too much self�-assurance.
I have a lot of disciples who are going to be mothers soon, a whole string of them. One is �Gypsy� who lives with Stanley, now Amin, in Corte Madera. And another is Patricia now called Fatima who is house-mother here. There are others. And we are building a playground here and putting in equipment from time to time.
Daddy-Murshid now has a large income, but also large expenses. Still he cannot ignore the young. We have one nine-year old mureed and we have a follow-my-leader dance where we recite: Om! Sri Ram! Jai Ram! Jai! Jai Ram! We use all kinds of steps and movements like children but the grown up folks like it too. Still none of them are very old. Krishna Das is a little older and Sheila, but Sheila has gone to New York. Only I don�t know whether you can join in.
We had Susan who is now Vashti. Her boy-friend is Sib Cogswell. She broke her leg and we had to wait a long, long time. Finally she got better and I even had her lead in the follow-my-leader dance. And then do you know what happened? Sib injured himself and how she has to look after him who looked after her so long.
Yesterday I got a letter from my oldest and best friend (she is nearly 80). She wants me to put on a play with myself as the leader who is a sage. I think we�ll consider it.
We have a fairly big place here for a house and also use the lot next door for vegetables.
I don�t know if I could make love like so-called �grownups� anyhow. It did not work. Now, I am a grandpa excepting for Nancy and I have to be away �Father�s Day� but some of the folks are celebrating it anyhow, and next Thursday when I return there will be a Party. You should see my family.
Did you know I am P.P.? which means Peter Pan, Puddinghead Puck and Pied Piper all in one? Once I went to a numerologist and she said I should use �P�s� in my name and I laughed all over. It was funny.
In my dancing there are three levels of embrace. In the first we touch; in the second we come close, but it is all magnetic. I the third the eyes only are used. I understand the effects are the same. One�s work is to enable others to experience more love and more joy and then more peace.
I am always glad to hear from you. I do wish there was more time but God�s has given me good health.
All love and blessings,
Daddy-Murshid-Sam
[to: ?]
December 13, 1970
Beloved One of God:
No doubt a wise man can learn from everybody, but he does not learn from anybody the way they may want him to be learning. Murshid has failed in a lot of things and one has been to impress certain persons that he is working all day and all night throughout the week and sometimes the month. And he does not care whether people understand that or not excepting one type and that is those who say they understand and by their actions do not.
Years ago one was warned that by war he would bring peace and by peace he would bring war. He does not verbalize and self-price his ego by declaring that he is surrendering to God. Even the Mafia can do that and perhaps do. But where is the actual surrender. The only difference is that the Sufi has a double hot-line to and from the living God. And he used this on Moineddin who is now on the way of health. And he was even more uncompromising to Parish and Armando who had the nerve, before an overworked man, to make three appointments and not show up or phone or anything. When they finally got here he told them if they dared to do that again he would either call in the police or shame them in public and they had better learn just that. He did not care if they ever showed up, but Ruthie-Parisa came last Wednesday seemingly chastened.
Your miscarriage was the physical manifestation of your own psyche. What you are doing inwardly had to be manifested to you outwardly. I told Sitara over and over that the only thing I feared in the Three-Ring effort was �goodness� and being side-tracked and you are certainly a champion. You nave the grandest inspirations, equal to those of anybody and then you desert them. Murshid had assumed it was because you were involved in other paid jobs and he has found he was quite mistaken.
Nancy has had several miscarriages and is now a wonderful mother. There have been billions of women in the world, and quite a few have suffered. And today if you went to Buddha he would have asked if you had a home and clothing and food and then he would have asked you to look at East Pakistan, or tea concentration camps in the Near East. If you cannot appreciate the good things, what then?
The hard but simple fact that I am working seven days a week and would occasionally, just occasionally like to stop at 5 o�clock, especially on nights I have classes or dances, does not touch you and I cannot ask you to change but I am instructing, not asking, the members of this household not to talk to you after 5 o�clock on any day. If you need helm after five either come in person or get somebody to come.
You have demanded, not asked, for ego-privileges, quite contrary to all the traditions of the past. Because this is a New Age, I have not said anything. But if you think I am in the business of getting those guilty of fornication (to which I have no particular objection) married, so they can get a child respectfully and legally and then break up such contracts, you are in the wrong house. Repentance is the first stage in every school of spirit amity. What you have done to Michael is of no concern to me here; it is that you are constantly interfering with the affairs of an overworked old man to tell him off, and you must stop that once and for all.
If you want an appointment you must get in line now, and take your rightful place in a long line of petitioners. You will then be given every consideration, To Thee We (?) give willing surrender????????? Everyone is the beloved one of God, everyone. Of course yourself, but of course, multitudes of others.
God bless you,
Murshid
June 28, 1970, Sunday morning
Lama
My dear Nancy,
I have received several letters from Ralph and it is impossible for me to answer them dualistically. It is a part of the discipline and also behavior pattern of a spiritual teacher to rise above the distinctions and differences that divide men, and also not to expect others to see from this apparently transcendental point of view.
It is not in accord with the functions of a spiritual teacher to indulge in commercial enterprises. Hazrat Inayat Khan spent some time with me on this point. Although I have at times written on �Six Interviews with Hazrat Inayat Khan,� very few items�I repeat, very few items�of these six interviews were accepted. The opposite stand was accepted by Sufis abroad, especially those persons who were close to Hazrat Inayat Khan in his last days. About the only effects of them were first to be dismissed by the European followers and then to be disciplined by the American followers. In the end the various persons selected or elected legally but never mystically to fulfill functions as spiritual teachers marred these functions by defying the prayer, �Raise us above the denseness of earth,� engaging and indulging in financial commercial and dualistic enterprises.
As a Murshid I am not yet freed from these entanglements, although I see a time coming when I may be entirely freed from being the banker to and for disciples, and beyond that, to and for the Sufi Order. I cannot compel a non-disciple to accept my functions (which they certainly do not have to) but I can hold to the instructions from Hazrat Inayat Khan and not confuse my own missions with those others wish to impose on me.
I don�t know where the ideas for televising my dance programs, etc. started. I do know there was a blending of at least two streams of activity which for practical purposes have become one. There are in these endeavors both personal and universal aspects. The universal aspects tend to include a number of different activities of a number of different outlooks. But on the personal side, I have been placed alongside of individuals and movements that are far from universal. Not only are they far from universal, but they include individuals and trends with which I have practically nothing in common; and included those who not only have no respect for me but who are aiming in exactly the opposite directions toward particularity and fixity.
I had here a short but determinate meeting with Fred and Julie. I told them that the films would either center around my person or around the themes of the �Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man.� I cannot and will not associate with groups, however popular, mysterious, exciting or exotic, who do not accept the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man and still added to that, have shown nothing but rudeness and contempt for my person.
Fred has agreed to remove all the films, etc. of those who are not working for the Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man and who have contempt for my person.
In the short few minutes while he was here, we received quite a few letters. This person is held in rather high regard by a number of the real religious leaders of the real world. Association in any form with those who are particularizing and narrowing the outlooks of disciples (besides holding me in contempt) would break close and beautiful bonds Mansur and I now have with persons of real importance both in the material world and in the spiritual universe.
Not only that the doors are open for us obtaining social and financial assistance in the promotion of spirituality through music, dance and the arts. On the day before Fred and Julie arrived, we spent a most glorious two hours with a drama group here in New Mexico who have the same common ideals and common outlooks but in the drama. At least one of their representatives will be in San Francisco in the Spring, Inshallah.
The evidence was so overwhelming, both internal and external, that Fred has agreed to remove all films of movements, who, though contemporary do not belong in the New Age. How come that so few of these so-called masters of Japan were unable to visualize, much less prevent their country from entering into a miserable war to their own destruction?
I am glad Mansur traveled with me to become an eye and ear witness of friendships already established and of heart-attunements made in his own presence. Not only is Murshid a pretty solid basis for world connections, but these harmonize totally and absolutely with what Vilayat Khan is planning. The next steps are both of upmost importance and universal attunement.
Another side which I cannot compel on anybody is that while Sufi films would be welcomed in many lands, some of the associations forced on this person would lead to anti-American riots. I am an old veteran in this field; I know too well the fanaticism and emotionalism of backward peoples. I know furthermore that some groups which have been filmed along with me have only tiny followings in small parts of the world, and no amount of publicity would increase their followings. It is easy to remain in ignorance; it is easy to increase in ignorance by publicity methods based on suppositions and not facts.
I have abandoned in turn all aspects of fund-raising, commercialism, etc. provided that no person or group can be shown in the same series of films where I have personal objections. I can assure you I have no objection to Sufism or Reoriented, the so-called Maharshi, etc. where there have been personality differences, but which accept the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.
My visit to this state bears out all the purposes of my life. I am being welcomed by the young more and more everywhere and I expect more of the same both in California and on the east coast. My own financial position has been greatly benefited both by family deaths and a rising acceptance of my personality endeavors.
I assure you I have no ill-will. Jesus Christ said, �Render unto Caesar those that are Caesar�s and unto God those that are God�s.�
Love and blessings,
Daddy-Murshid
June 27, 1970
My dear Ralph:
If you had been at Lama yesterday you would have seen this person in a different function. One cannot compel others to accept this person as a spiritual teacher�though indeed not so many know what this means. But the difficulty lies not on this point but by others acting as if one had lived in a vacuum and not only lived in a vacuum but had been there a long, long time with nothing happening.
There is a man who has known me for a long, long time. Indeed I once was a pupil of his wife who was once a prominent dancing teacher. He once wrote that if I could send him ten dollars he would introduce me to all him VIPs on earth. I wrote back that a person who had been a guest of honor at the imperial palaces of Japan and Thailand and had teas in the presidential mansions of Pakistan and India did this without sending anybody else ten dollars. He never forgave me.
Fred was supposed to have come here to consult Murshid and instead he avoided him and wasted a lot of time. So I became imperious and demanded he visit me. And after I laid down the law that policies for the film would be determined by me or I was to be cut out entirely and no nonsense. Saul brought in five letters and they confirmed in part or whole everything I had said to him.
Jesus may have said to love one�s enemies but he never said to go into business and share all your profits with enemies. I stand for certain ideas and aims and there are others, quite prominent no doubt, who stand for very different ideals and aims. No doubt they have money and fame and their work is picturesque, but to include them was not only an insult to Murshid but a greater insult to my friends and still more to their enemies who are many and sometimes very important people. So he agreed to cut out those who have no use for me personally and in turn I agreed not to interfere with any fund-raising or business matters.
Actually we have some of the most powerful contacts in the whole world who are not only interested in the projects but ready to put up money. And Mansur and Murshid intend to go East later and contact them on many, many matters. On most of these practically all San Francisco has turned me down and I no longer care. We now have an alliance first with the University of California at Berkeley and if Fred and Vilayat go ahead with their next project, almost immediately with UCLA and Washington U., just to begin with.
My work, after many years, is succeeding and on many levels.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 25, 1970
Mr. Ralph Silver
826 Spring St.
Sausalito, Ca. 94965
Dear Ralph:
In the year 1926 the late Hazrat Inayat Khan sent for me six times. This caused a lot of dismay for which of course I was blamed. This is the human reaction. It followed that none of the contents of these conferences were accepted seriously. One by one I had to witness the dire karma of those who so acted. My hands were tied. One of the subjects was the matter of the preservation of the Sufi teachings. Another was the defense of personality.
Generally speaking, according to the spiritual teachings of the spiritual people�sometimes far out of line with the so-called spiritual teachings of the self-assumed, one is not supposed to apologize or defend one�s ego, but it is absolutely incumbent to speak for one�s brethren and associates. And I feel at this time that it is necessary to present two completely different points of view. In doing this I have with me the members of the spiritual hierarchy who are living on earth, whom I can name, and not some real or fanciful personalities of the empyrium who never seem to be on hand when problems have to be faced.
Even becoming a member of the Sufi Order does not make one a Sufi. There is a certain degree of spirituality in the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan that at a certain grade, after certain development, one may be called a Sufi. Until then it is considered a horrible assumption. Strictly speaking a Sufi is one who is God-conscious, and when he is given this title of Sufi because of evidence accepted by superiors, and I mean superiors, then also there must be witnesses to confirm this. In the various experiences, and I mean experiences, which led to my public ordination as a Sufis every step was checked by others, recognized personalities who can be named.
No Sufi states that Sufism alone brings one to finality. I call to your attention the works of the living Frithjof Schuon, Dr. Titus Burckhardt, Marco Pallis, and others accepted by the intellectuals of the day. They make no over-claim for Sufi perfection.
The camp of Pir Vilayat is, I must assume, a camp for the presentation of Sufism in some form. He wished me to keep my hands off of it and I also wished me to keep my hands off of it, because of too many pressing problems. Therefore I have been bound by just a few words he spoke to me; if he has changed his mind, that is another matters a matter entirely outside of my jurisdiction.
Sufism is based on God-realization not on dialectics, premises, self-evaluations.
I cannot accept that you are working for the benefit of humanity when you start in by a criticism of somebody. No doubt I have been overly prejudiced by the claims of many that they are world-servers, when I have never found any of them serving anybody.
As to Lama. They have certain rules and conventions. It is not an open place. Everybody has to perform meditations and devotions, chant mantrams, and now in this year also accept the teachings which will be directed by me. In their last communication, which can hardly be accepted as final they told me that all accommodations had been asked for, and all quarters filled. In fact, this morning I had to go out and purchase a pup tent and two ponchos and I may have to purchase more�at my own expense.
At this moment the film is not on the Lama program that was presented to me. They have not sent me any program other than their regular work. Already the whole month�s program is filled, and something will have to give way if there is any filming. I personally may have to make the decision for what is to give way.
If I make any decision�and I have no assurance this will be in my hands�it will be that all persons invited to Lama must perform the spiritual obligations of a program laid down by me. If there are any technicians they will have to submit to the same partial exclusions practiced by all esoteric schools from the time of Pythagoras on. Even last night this was done here. We had a lot of strangers who joined the dancing class and paid for the instruction. They were welcomed to our farewell dinner. But they wore not welcomed into the more mystical dances which we put on. They were allowed to observe, and felt it a privilege that they were allowed to observe.
I have seen parts of Fred�s film this morning. The three or four persons who are else given leading parts in it are my closest friends in every and all activities of life. The purpose of these films, I believe, are to promote world peace and understanding and not simply to promote artistry at any level. The four or five persons who are also pictured are to me those who have already realized cosmic consciousness in some form or other. No one has cosmic consciousness by claim, or by any sort of demonstration of differentiation of, to, and from any person whatsoever.
No Sufi in the world would accept that the film comes first. None, not even the bastards. They would all declare in unanimity that Allah comes first. Absolutely, irretrievably, and unconditionally. That is the view of the Sufis who are Sufis. Others making claims might not agree, but no real Sufi would care at all. The love of the Sufi is Allah, but not a conception called Allah, or a projection, but a reality.
I am not selecting the film crew. I am not interfering with the technical part of Fred�s career, but I certainly can, will, and must accept and follow the mystical and esoteric customs of all spiritual movements.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
March 16, 1968
Dear Ralph,
One naturally does not expect a person who has never been under severe disciplinary training to understand a completely comprehensive view. I was not sent into the world to be a gigantic analyst to point out everybody (else�s) faults. This may be your career. If so, you need hardly come to me.
You seem to have forgotten entirely a heart-appeal made just before you met Nancy. This came immediately after an interview with one of your bed-partners who told me a lot�not that it mattered. I thought I saw a real heart-future for you when you brought Nancy. You took up a lot of time as if you were concerned with saving money by going to other than a marriage-counselor. From the mystical standpoint this was good but you have rejected the mystical point of view and with it the heart-point-of-view. This cannot be demanded of everybody.
I have seen you in the Light and you are far from functioning that way. You go to psychics, occultists, mystics, assuming that they have unusual faculties and then immediately assume they have not. You can�t be right both ways. A mystic sees what he sees and when he looks he sees more and you are asking me to look and the same insisting there is no such faculty.
Of course you will get money and a certain power and satisfaction from it. And of course you will not obtain friends. Your opportunity is to become a father; it would be wonderful for you. I cannot make you feel the pains of others. But I am going through the emotional phases of being a father�which I have been in former lives and you can reject that to your ego�s content. As a father I am one-sided and this is my mission. As a spiritual teacher I am not only adviser but also protector of my disciples. They are not perfect, but they are, what at the moment you are not, perfectible and to me the only perfection is perfectibility, not flawlessness.
I see Sheila as perfectible and she is now modeling herself on the most perfect person I have ever met, who is now on this earth. No doubt each has his own model of perfection. If you win all the arguments that is all you will win. As a Zen Teachers and as you phoned me, I have every right to use my stick, but it is only used in the hopes of awakening others. As you do not respond to love, tenderness and compassion, you leave me no alternative. When you respond to love, tenderness and compassion you will get them to the full, as does everybody else.
God bless you and awaken you,
Sam
March 6, 1969
My dear daughter,
Yesterday one had to rush something on paper which was not mailed. Now one writes further and copy of this will go to the Khankah. the amount of burdens thrown on this person have been overwhelming but saying they are overwhelming is not always helpful. Last month on overdrew one�s account and one is so close to it now and yet the very persons who ought to know this have come to Murshid begging. Fortunately the men in this household really realize what one is up against.
One started off with an overwhelming load. To this has been added the personal problems of more and more people, all thrown at Murshid�perhaps rightly. Yesterday, after writing, two of these problems were solved: both of them brought pain and anguish and now solved. These pains, this anguish did not fall on the consciousness of others, each engaged in his or her �thing� and perhaps rightly so. But they do not realize what a Murshid has to undergo.
Tomorrow, instead of facing the present problems, it is necessary to investigate the possibility of a Town House. It has been thrown at one. And perhaps the negative lessons of the Khankah will now be corrected. Such as:
a. A group making rules cannot enforce them against the Teacher and release them against outsiders.
b. No visitors or outsiders when the Teacher is present excepting relatives, without his permission; and no program involving outsiders, when the Teacher is present without previous consultation.
c. When things are on a bulletin board, or in the minutes, no further projects to be indulged in unless they are put on the bulletin board or programmed.
The Teacher is willing to harmonize with programs but not with concepts and under no circumstances with ideas of outsiders, even if they put in time and money. Now needing more secretarial help, the housekeeper is outside on a job, the chief and assistant secretaries are outside on part-time jobs; David here has to change jobs, and the only money is that of collections. Murshid is now earning more money in outside jobs than several disciples earn, but all of this is consumed in office supplies and other necessary expenses, and in the respective households.
There is no room for the spreading of the Message and the very successful Darshan last week is followed by horror because there is no substantial help when Murshid wants or needs it. One has been saying this constantly without much avail. I am hoping to God that the Oracle succeeds. If not we have to change our whole outlook. Nyogen Senzaki cleaned out his Zendo several times. I cannot clean out the Khankah but with the possibility of another place I am more than nervous.
From my point of view the Wednesday Darshan was very successful. And yesterday at the Dance class one introduced the Sun-dance; the Moon-dance; and the beginnings of the Wheel-dance, the dance of the Numbers, and the Shiva-Shakti dances. Also a new principle, or rather the compilation of old principles in Choral singing.
I have the coming here of my closest friend and also my God-daughter Khawar soon. I do not know how I am going to handle it with the Khankah people away, unless I now overrule and override and establish my own staff in their midst who will devote some time and energy to spiritual matters.
All this time I have had legal matters over my head; they are not gone either and very necessary because that is how I get the major portion of my income, and others lean on this. I am not sorry over any outbreak. I have to have Center and if it is now Novato it will be as God directs. God does not stop talking to Samuel and sometimes through him and we have our prayer: �Open Thou our hearts that we may hear Thy Voice which cometh constantly from within.�
One has to be kind, to be compassionate, even gentle, but Sufism is Divine Wisdom and not being indulgent to every person who comes along.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
cc-Khankah
Jan. 13, 1970
My dear Nancy,
The other day I kicked a woman out of the Khankah. I stood up strong, stern, staunch, and adamant, and demanded she get out at once. This of course breaks all the conceptions of compassion by selfish people who haven�t the slightest idea of the pains and sufferings of others, only of themselves. During the week, I rose in class at San Francisco State College with a stern demand for humility, and when one very selfish girl asked for the meaning of humility, I replied, �Ability to listen; and listening.�
I am not a marriage counselor. I am not a professional psychologist. I am a hodge-podge, a spiritual teacher, scholar in several fields, poet, and artist of sorts. The one thing I do not have is time, and I have failed, utterly failed, in impressing many people about this. I have again and again pleaded, warned, lectured, oh please don�t bring me your housing problems, and what problem do you think I have most today among my disciples? Not sex, not employment, not disharmonies from others with others, not money, not, not, not, but where shall I live and with whom shall I live. I have been able, perhaps by grace, to see the light increasing in many of them, but still the interpretation most unfortunately of the spiritual path seems to be: how and where to get a new landlord.
Of course this means nothing; it has nothing to do with my life. I am indeed sorry you have not tried to find out anything about what I am doing, or what I am trying to do. I do not mind taking on pains and problems, but there is a vast difference in taking on pains and problems than saying yes to every selfish or unselfish act on the part of people who came to me. Perhaps if I charged $25 for interviews and telephone calls something might be accomplished. Now I have several disharmonies and dissonances caused by untoward acts on the part of Ralph. He is not my disciple, and I am not a society reformer. I am not going into his mistakes of the past�if indeed they were mistakes�but I shall certainly protect my disciples against him or against anyone else, as I did recently at the Khankah.
The chief reason for this comes from people who consume my time and do not accept my advice. The worst excuse, the positively worst, is to find any parallel in the sets of Jemila and/or Pir Vilayat. Pir Vilayat has done what a man like Ralph is utterly unable to do�he has laid before me all his weaknesses, shortcomings, etc. This takes a great heart, a great soul. But I am equally aware of his visions, his insight, his mission in this world. There are no parallels here, none at all.
In the case of Jemila it is even harder to explain, that is to a non-mystic. People who know nothing about mystical experiences cannot be expected to have any respect for them. And people who do not accept the common law or law�s the traditions and social behaviors can even less be expected or required to accept or understand mystical experiences.
One definition of a Sufi�and this seems to have nothing to do with a lot of persons and groups called Sufi�is that a Sufi is one who sees life from the standpoint of another as well as of himself. But even this has another aspect, that a Sufi is one who sees from the standpoint of God as well as of man.
I am not going into my visions or the hard or simple fact they are coming into objective manifestation, excepting as they involve persons mentioned hero. A spiritual teacher, a murshid, is one who is expected to bring disciples toward God-realization. God, to me, is reality, and although I do not see Him, He permits me to see. So when I have gone to Him, with let us say, the problems of Vilayat, the problems of Daniel, the problems of Fatima, the problems of Jemila, the problems of Mansur, the veils are lifted and one sees. But there is no room for argument here; what is seen is seen and cannot be touched.
This may give you a glimmer or a glimpse of my almost compulsory silence of what I have seen concerning Jemila, her purpose in life, her immediate and not so immediate future. It is not in accord with my personal views. It is not in accord with any traditional or personal or other ethical standards. But it is in accord with vision and with cosmic karma, and purpose in life. Each one of us has his purpose, his own fulfillment, and in our Sufi Thoughts there is a phrase, �Constantly loads his followers toward the Light.� Whatever has happened to Jemila, there has been a marked increase of light. This is also true to a lesser extent with some other women disciples not named here. But in your case this is not so: there is a diminution of light; there is a diminution of magnetism; there is a diminution of flesh, and they all go together.
Above I gave a definition of humility. To adopt it in year case would have meant listening to Rene. It would be marvelous if you could do that; but can you?
I do not mind giving time and attention to people who will accept some advise, but I have to shut the door in your face, if you came just to tell me your troubles and don�t accept anything from me. If you are going to be unfaithful to your father and murshid in this, and you have been unfaithful, how can I help you with regard to Ralph? Or how can I help, if a court case ensues and I am cross questioned by legal counsel for Ralph?
Love devoid of intelligence is silly, and has no vitality. Love combined with wisdom entails some self-surrender. I hope you will take this into consideration. You can never come to this house again, unless you come with a willingness to accept some advice or counsel; we can of course meet even at the Khankah, but not here.
A friend of mind is publishing a book in which I am compared to some of the world�s greatest leaders. Whether this be true or not, the next two years the doors are open to working on a world scale, and I mean a world scale. I am not demanding, I am not seeking appreciation or acceptance, but I am not going to be pulled down or aside with any problems or pseudo-problems wherein my decisions are never accepted as final. You therefore have no choice but stay away or accept.
Love and Blessings,
Daddy-Murshid
February 15, 1970
My dear daughter, Beloved one of God,
This person neither created the world nor did he lay down the moral codes. Some of these codes are most wonderful and some are ancient and some are not so ancient; some may even be in a sense �eternal.� It is very difficult, sometimes, for those who want freedom, who follow freedom or what they call �freedom� to understand those who are attached to codes. To them the term �code� is a word, when actually it is a world. And when a person who is confused by words faces a person who is attached to worlds, there is bound to be some misunderstanding.
Now a code is not only a word and a world, like a world it has what look likes parts. The Jewish spiritual teaching was that when you broke a code you broke a code and they expected respect for some two hundred and forty odd provisions, many quite unimportant no doubt. But many are not so important, many are real, very real.
When somebody acts contrary to a code, he or she then begins to justify the go in all sorts of ways. And those who respect the codes, while they are willing to be sympathetic, they cannot condone the breaking of their codes. So some unreligious people regard some religious people as being narrow and egocentric. They are not narrow and egocentric, they are limited by the codes.
It may be compared with people who go around naked condemn those who are always dressing in blue. They look ugly in blue. So the naked ones condemn the blue clothing but they themselves have no clothing at all. No doubt the blue clothes are ugly. I myself prefer the nude people to the miniskirts. That may be myself.
It is impossible for a Sufi teacher to hinder a disciple from following a code even a code he does not accept. these codes came no doubt from Buddha or Moses or Mohammed or some other great soul. One does not respect these souls by condemning their codes. Yes, the Sufi lives in universality, but universality does not mean dispensing with codes.
I am not worrying about consistency. I don�t think consistency is condemned by any moral code. You should read Emerson. he said somewhere that he had been accused of being inconsistent and he replied, �All right, I am inconsistent.� One wears and overcoat in the cold weather and a sun-suit in the hot weather, but in some places they insist on the same clothing all the year around.
It is a mission of a Murshid to help transform and transmute disciples. It would be no �fun� if they were perfect to begin with. One sees their merits and tries to bring them out. And you would be surprised that when the teacher sees one merit and tries to perfect it, even ten merits begin to manifest in the pupil, merits which are unseen, which were burrowed deep in the personality. But this is not done by wishing, by praying, by the mind�it comes from the depths of being, from the depths of the teacher and the depths o the disciple.
The first and easiest way you can help is to show devotion. It can be by your attending a dancing class. It would be better to attend a Gatha class, either the one Wali Ali has or a new one with drew. Although here I cannot be too insistent, as, praise be to Allah, as I am preparing to go, Khalif Akhbar is preparing to return and he can take over. If you come to a class you will gain the group atmosphere. Now you have the personal atmosphere and persons clash with persons, but within groups the psychologies are different. Beside that there are atmospheres working. If you do not join you cannot know. Already Natasha has come. She behaves very well indeed.
There are types of souls, expressive and responsive, and there are others who are entirely negative. The negative ones are not responsive. They may believe they are responsive when they condemn the expressive ones. this is a teaching, it is not a personal matter. It comes from studying and understanding types.
It is the duty of a teacher to help all disciples toward perfection; to help them with their virtues and good qualities; their hopes and aims and wishes. Whereas the negative types do nothing, the positive types may be seeming to be trying to do too much, but in this trying to do too much they do so; the expressive do not do so much but harmonize. But the negatives, whom the Hindus call, �tamasic,� they do not contribute at all.
To understand you have to come to either the dance classes, or the public gathering�Sunday and Monday here and Wednesday in San Anselmo; or to a Gatha class,.
God bless you,
Daddy-Murshid
Aug. 21, 1970
Miss Patricia Martin
298 Waltham St.
West Newton, Mass.
My dear Patricia:
I was most happy to hear from you and accept the fact that you may have to remain in New England for a while. This is going to be a very funny letter. We are going through rapid changes. They are almost story bookish. At the present time I am down to one and a half secretaries.
Sometime back while Phillip Davenport was looking for a place for a summer camp for Pir Vilayat he encountered one Walter Bowart in Arizona, a man who himself was looking for Sufis. Then like in the cartoon, �then the fun began.� I leave out details. Daniel Lomax is now a Sheikh in Sufi teachings; be has his own center down in Tucson, Arizona. It has started out so rapidly and marvelously, even he has a hard time to keep an equilibrium.
The dance work has progressed so wonderfully we have had pictures taken. The film enterprise has grown tremendously. Fred Cohn has travelled all over, and is now going with Pir Vilayat to the Orient. Mansur is now a paid secretary for this enterprise. Not only that, Phillip Davenport is preparing to go to many parts of Asia and my godson Ralph Silver already has his visa.
The dance work is expanding in every direction. I have not heard directly from Peter, but know his work has also mushroomed. Only at this writing it is possible that Jemila, who is returning, may be willing to become dance secretary. I had hoped originally to train Marcia, but she left this house of her own accord in rather peculiar circumstances, not clear to me. She has jumped into African dancing, but her past escapade with Yoga dancing, Indian dancing, and my work, makes me wonder. In any event, we have to seek both teachers and secretaries.
An appeal for help has partially succeeded for San Francisco, but the need for work is much greater at the moment�three people going to Asia, and I am a veteran in long distance air travel and living in Indian and Pakistan. So this keeps me very very busy, although quite joyously so.
In the meanwhile, my own personal financial affairs have improved. Much more important: many disciples realize that Murshid has not only had to do very heavy work, but to bear heavy financial burdens. They have now come to my help. It may be coincidence, it may be a sign of Allah�s approval, but the New Age food enterprises has expanded so successfully that I think today at least ten disciples are working for Fred Rohe. On top of that Frank, who took over Daniel�s secretary-treasurer work has been offered a restaurant job with them should this take place.
Briefly, the present picture is: more disciples, more applicants, more outside invitations to speak (including Universities), more money, more work, and�.
We are out of copies of the dance material here, and have no one available at the moment. Murshid even had to stay in San Francisco this week�so much to do. Next week we shall check the Khankah files and also seek a dance secretary. It will possibly be Jemila or Amina. It is very important that both you and Richard have copies. The next step may be to have them duplicated or printed in some form. The Sufis at Seattle already have a sort of publication and Hasan at the Khankah has now a real printing establishment.
But new dances keep on coming. We have roughly elementary class Saturday afternoon, intermediate Sunday afternoon, advanced Saturday night. But in addition Murshid has been asked to help with the women�s dancing class on Wednesday mornings. The work of this group has been complicated by first Jemila�s going away and then Julie�s becoming a mother. Susanne is now carrying most of the burden. Beside this, the group is much larger than I had envisioned. To make matters humorously complicated, I cannot go to any meetings or groups without seeing new dances in the ether, and no secretary for them.
However, next week I hope to get Marin help as I have had San Francisco help. Mansur has a fall-time job. Moineddin has been ill for many many weeks. Ayesha has been working wonderfully for me, and now even has her own Gatha class. Vashti, who is young in years but old in membership, may be starting a center in Mill Valley but she is not in the women�s dancing class.
My god-daughter who is at Ithaca (Cornell) has long asked for me to come East. I shall certainly have money late in September if not before�that is if nobody helps me out. We have invitations also from your area, from New York, and from Washington to say the least. Then I asked our new assistant secretary Joan if she could come. Most fortunately, praise to God, Joan has to go to New York to pick up some things, and more fortunately she has her own car there. So as soon as I complete my present obligations, we should be coming East, inshallah. These obligations include a Berkeley lecture and a very special one for astrology teachers. Our astrology dance work has expanded along the more spiritual work.
I also hope you can meet Karma. He has helped me in many ways.
Yes, my next venture next week shall be to see that you and Richard get everything that is necessary. I understand there are several who would like to volunteer but then everybody else has jobs�good outside paying jobs! Fortunately there are many applicants for Bayat and they must either pay us money or work, so inshallah you should be hearing from us fairly soon.
We all send Love and Blessings, and especially my new housekeeper, the mother of Asa, whose name is Leslie.
Murshid
[to: Ruth Wintheil]
September 12, 1968
My dear Ruth:
Once it was seeming that Murshid was talking to God:
�Which is nearer to eternity, a long time or a short time?�
�Neither is a long time nearer to eternity
Nor a short time nearer to eternity,
Love is nearer to eternity, love is eternity.�
�The Bayat is a pledge which comes under the heading of eternity. God alone was the founder of Sufism.� It is a pledge of heart and superself, not of mind and ego-self. Of course we shall help you.
Tonight I have talked to Daniel to send you some papers and tomorrow to Mansur who is esoteric secretary. Also I shall take this up with Amin in case you study further with him.
Murshid does not know any of your faults. You should memorize the Invocations Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, the Only Being. United With All the Illuminated Souls Who Form the Embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.
There may be a Sufi center in New York. I do not know. Unfortunately there is an organizational split and your Murshid is close to Pir Vilayat Khan.
Murshid may take your letter with Phillip Davenport here. He should be in tomorrow. We have a lot of manuscripts but are still far, far short on secretaries. I have all kinds of papers to submit for publication but am terribly short of help. But one must thank you for such opportunities.
The Dervish dancing has expanded. We did it in Mill valley for 30 people in two groups. They have loved it, but also the theme is love. We have a most wonderful loving brotherhood today. We have also purchased a Khankah which is something like a Sufi ashram. It is in Novato which is ten miles north of San Rafael. It may be occupied next month. Things are changing very rapidly and we thank Allah for fit.
Sufi Ahmed Murad-Chisti
Murshid
[Sally Ann Schreiber]
Dec. 18, 1970
Sally Ann, Beloved One of God,
Imam Al-Ghazzali, a most famous Persian, wrote, �Sufism is based on experience, not on premises.� This has not stopped a multitude of writers, and a greater multitude of commentators, from getting their remarks accepted. One of the shortcomings of this culture is that remarks of important people are only too often given precedent over experiences of the unimportant. To say God is love seems trite, but those who have come near to God, have discovered this to be absolutely true. Mankind may be unable to reveal God, but he can a express and emanate warmth and love.
I realize the complexities of male-female relationships. Time, and a surplus of duties, prevents me from going more deeply into them. As a man, I have little use for the so-called Women�s Liberation movement because I respect Prime Minister Gandhi and see little of this respect from the so-called women�s lib pressures. We have a small women�s dancing class, just of the disciples (and not all of them) who live in Novato. We show our reverence and devotion to Mother Krishnabai. But Mother Krishnabai did not have her God-realization until after she consummated her relations with her husband, and then a tragedy followed. So from my point of view, it is silly to describe various aspects of love-in-�operation, and direct anybody to or through them.
There is a half-comic, half-serious situation here. There is no doubt that Yogi Bhajan is drawing multitudes of young people and offering exercises derived in part from the traditions of Kundalini Yoga and in part from his own awakening. As I understand it�and I cannot evaluate this understanding�if one wishes to embark on the Kundalini Yoga path it is to sublimate or transmute sexual energy. So far as I understand�and I cannot say my understanding is correct�in Kundalini Yoga and related methods one tries to elevate the life energies which seem to flow in two opposite directions. Sufism has a different point of view�that any energy manifestation is living, and therefore God-given.
I never completed my Shiva epic, which posits spiritual development with sex, and I see no possibility of this being done while I am so over-worked and so under-assisted�this is a description not a complaint.
This Sunday, December 20, we are having a Bazaar and what might be called show, in the town of Sausalito, which bears roughly the same relation to San Francisco as Charleston does to Boston. Until it is over, it is very difficult to posit any statement. I do know there are around one more and more not only devoted but capable disciples. The newspapers have at long last recognized our existence.
Murshid is very heavily overworked but the chief factor is that he is receiving more and more inspirations and sharing them. Thus we have two women�s dancing classes, both restricted, and one men�s dancing class, also restricted. In this I feel like being Ruth St. Denis and her partner-husband Ted Shawn in one man, and perhaps this is also fulfilling a Divine purpose.
One may even go a step further here and bring these people together, utilizing sex, so to speak, on a very high level, without being over purposeful or persuasive. We have received a nice letter from Charlene which we are not answering because of her travels.
I do not know what so many young people are discussing when they use the word �enlightenment.� It seems that anybody can express anything on mystical experience but mystics. For example, to hold Christ-consciousness is to become consciously aware of the pain and suffering of multitudes of human beings and never to ask any sort of recognition therefor. This seeking of recognition is very objective outward evidence of not having attained.
In my own life, I have met holy men, sages, saints, and transformed individuals, of all sorts of backgrounds, mostly of backgrounds entirely disregarded or ignored by a whole army of new and competing groups who verbalize �enlightenment.� Sufism utilizes love, has utilized love in actuality, in history, more than any other group. The metaphysician and the new movements have to abolish history to substantiate their claims. Human beings are not thought-forms existing in the minds of other human beings. Truth is not verbal; neither is it necessarily non-verbal; it is trans-verbal. The undeveloped, and the underdeveloped, construct all sorts of restrictions and limitations for those who are experiencing the Divine spiritual liberation. I do not know anything about the forms of enlightenment where there is no God, so cannot comment.
I am very glad to hear about Karmu. We shall have more to report no doubt next week, Please excuse me for not writing further. We hope you enjoy Palm Beach.
Love, and Blessings,
Samuel L. Lewis
Dec. 5, 1970
Dear Sally,
We have here a very beautiful and important letter from you. It is in a sense in two parts, what has to do with you personally and our undertakings. And one cannot say that either of these is more or less important than the other.
It is not an easy thing to write on subjects like love, which have many facets, and at the same time be valuable and comforting. From one point of view there is a sort of �pain� when I see many worthy young men, whose love and sex lives have not been satisfied or equilibrated, and where there are also many young women. I remember once hearing a debate on Yoga in which the various disputants praised supreme indifference, but they themselves were not indifferent. Nor were two of them celibates. Sufis do not overlook that aspect of life. But at the same time it is both difficult and delicate to try to push couples to each other. Personally, I would rather push couples to each other, wrongly than separate them rightly.
I am much more disturbed by married couples, or those living together without marriage, coming and complaining about each other, than by practitioners of what has been called free love or even certain forms of promiscuity. I don�t know if I am right. I am just charmed and warned by every aspect of �togetherness,� even if sinful. And I am particularly concerned and sensitive to loneliness. And I do not know if I am right in such attitudes, but that�s the way I am.
I always tell the girls I love them, but if they have boyfriends it helps my pocket book. But from another point of view, and this is also coming out in the Dances, togetherness is not only a motto it is a way of life. And there is every sign here that, God willing, togetherness is going to dominate, and many present aspects of loneliness will disappear.
Of course as to you personally, I feel it very much, and my grandfather aspect, so to speak, comes very much to the fore.
We are now busy in one project after another. The presumable immediate climax being that of a Bazaar on Dec. 20, which has many purposes, and monies are going ahead into our Christmas work. After that we have to prepare for the coming of Pir Vilayat Khan. And this also looks very bright, but involves interminable work by a few people, unless in the meanwhile this barrier is also cleared. Than after that I expect to go down to Arizona for several weeks.
One of the objectives in our Dec. 20 affair is to raise money for the program to produce peace in Palestine. Both Benefsha and Jonathan (Jemaleddin) are not only interested but will try to contact Iona Shamir as soon as possible. Jonathan has just left for New York and he will be seeing Sitara before the day is over. I believe a lot of things will come out of this. There are also a lot of things going on right here.
I am so overworked that traveling is out of the question. The Arizona visit is based on the sound principle that I shall be paid for it and that it may also lead to the publishing of many of my writings.
I have received other letters, particularly from people interested in Dancing. I understand Charlene is in your vicinity. I have written to her separately. Charlene is God�s representative in the world of dancing; anything she does or doesn�t do is all right for me.
Love and Blessings in which Peter and Wali Ali join,
Murshid
Nov. 23, 1970
Dear Sally Ann,
Your letter of the 19th, with the spiritual report, has been received. There are two aspects, thinking and feeling. While your report of vision and dream seem clear, one is not always sure of whether you mean by thinking thinking. This is especially true because you have rightly reported everything as heart experience. There are some items of it comparable to some in Edward Carpenter�s mystical experiences, written as the poem for �Toward Democracy.�
It is not always the body that is dying. It is often the ego that dies, is dying. Symbolically, there may be transference and confusion. In the end, however, it is the manifestation of joy or joys that are the determinates. It is very difficult to write about joy. It is very difficult to verbalize heart functions, heart experiences, heart feelings.
Patricia has returned here and it was necessary to give a great heart communication in a short space of time, but this included our common feelings concerning what could be your loneliness. There are various ways of rising above this loneliness, such as your coming out here, or meeting the right persons where you are, or otherwise. Intellectually, and egocentrically, we have little right to discuss matters which belong to hearts, not to heads. On the other hand we want to see the end of loneliness, of uncertainty, and certain types of problems which may be solved. Personally, I would like to see you grow and your geography in the end may not matter, but if it does matter, we want to do what we can.
This morning I also received a letter from a young disciple here who is returning to Harvard next semester and we shall a least give him your address.
You may understand that one of the hardest things in Murshid�s life is his becoming a tree with many many leaves. Each leaf may draw upon his essence, but one thing remains as a sort of puzzle and that is the time processing of mystical experiences. Out here life has become very beautiful. There is a drawing of more and more young people. There is the manifestation of more brotherly (and sisterly) love and mutual attractions and co-operations at many levels, and in the most beautiful ways, bringing so much satisfaction in what might otherwise look to be the autumn of one�s life, but certainly is not resembling autumn�things are so wonderful now praise to God! I think you have the love and affection of many of us.
God Bless You,
Murshid
November 20, 1970
Dear Sally Ann:
Your most wonderful welcome received. Terribly busy. Nothing �wrong� but too much. Mansur engaged on film. The Khankah house-master, Moineddin, long ill, is expected next week for Thanksgiving and we hope to have an appropriate party.
All classes and meetings larger attendance. Creative work increasing. Peace plan progressing. Opportunities to get work published in front of one. More time�which doesn�t exist�for most needed interviews. But success, thanks to God, in our �New Age� Meta-super-psychology. Getting men away from fear and girls from loneliness and all into the grand cosmos of Love,
Samuel L. Lewis
Nov. 17, 1970
Sally Ann Schreiber
4 Speridakas Terrace
Cambridge, Mass. 02139
My dear Sally Ann,
This is a very difficult letter to write. It reminds me of my first epic poem which was on Zen, that every word and every thought was derived from darkness or shadow. If one were in an artistic mood one could draw better. But the only art suitable would be one where lights and colors would be applied instead of letters and words to communicate. Therefore anything said here can at best be from the shadow-world. The asuras may claim to be on the side of the devas, and perhaps it is an empty claim. I have before me two manuscripts and I shall give some very awkward reactions.
I may take those with me down to New Mexico where we have a publisher. This does not mean I am going to try to get these published. It means I am going to try and get his reactions.
For years I was an exceedingly sober person. Added to that, the people surrounding me demanded I be still more sober. Sufism teaches that the wise try to break their ages, so while I enjoyed my sobriety I knew it could be my ego. So I ran and jumped in opposite directions. In fact I had about four or five revolutions, each transcendental to the one before. Now it has reached the stage where one meets many young and beautiful girls and communicates with them in their language. But their language is not necessarily the language of the wise nor is it necessarily contrary to the language of the wise. It is only when one starts to use adjectives and emotions that one wonders whether they really communicate.
Sufism was presented as the religion of love, harmony, and beauty, Now the word love can mean almost anything. Editors use it to mean animal-lust, passion, compassion, infatuation, consideration, inconsideration, almost everything and nothing. So the heart is slightly at a loss when it wants to express itself. If you look up my early poetry it was largely efforts to communicate to young ladies, which is only natural. At least this means there is some background. But if I were to use the same terms again I would feel as if I were cheating myself, even though you had never heard them before. And if I return to you your own words, you might appreciate that they may have exactly the same meaning you have had with them.
Patricia has returned and she placed a manuscript in my hands which I really want to take down to Arizona for possible publication. It is something like my dances. I can�t comment on my dances. I do not even have time to laugh or cry, but maybe you understand what I am trying to communicate. Maybe you can understand that the Sufi really means what he says about God being the perfection of love, harmony, and beauty�that love is a perfect reality, that harmony is a perfect reality, that beauty is a perfect reality, that the whole Universe is nothing but perfect perfection.
I don t want to say more, but to extend love and the appreciation of love, and the feeling of love, and the sense of nearness and oneness.
With all love and blessing,
Murshid
c/o Lonnie Less
27 West 71 St.
New York, N.Y.
October 29, 1970
Sally Ann Schreiber
4 Speridakas Terrace
Cambridge, Mass.
Dear Sally:
We are elated with your reports. That is the purpose of the dancing�to promote joy and elation. I can�t say to you �Don�t overdo�; I can say to myself �Don�t overdo.� I mean by this there is a limit to the capacity, not for work; there is a limit to the capacity for the absorption of joy and elation.
Today we caught one minnow and two whales. Peter was with me on each of the second occasions. In fact, we got so high we had to visit the Guggenheim Museum for letdown. In other words, we were so high that when we reached the 10,000 foot level that was a low�for us.
TWA ticket has arrived for our return to California November 9. In the meanwhile, we have to go to Washington. Thumbs aren�t working well excepting at the typewriter, so we�ll probably go by car ourselves.
Phoned my godson last night and riddled him. He is interested in all those who believe Negroes are supreme, so I let him have it about Ron and Karmu. He sang, �I surrender dear Papa,� so he may come up sometime. He�s a very handsome mulatto but slightly older in years and has plenty of girlfriends, God bless him and them.
Love (from Murshid)
Love (from Sitara)
Love (from Peter)
Love from, the God of love,
Murshid
August 31, 1970
Peter Kahn
68-25 Fleet Street
Forest Hills, New York 11375
Beloved One of God:
Asalaam Aleikhum! Murshid has nothing but beautiful and fine feelings about you, and also about a lot of other young people here. In fact, we have two Joans, one taking dictation now and the other helping at the Khankah. And I have such a growing number of brilliant young men, that they are saving my life; Khalif Moineddin has been ill for some time, and Mansur has a full-time job with Fred Cohn. Fred will soon be off to join Vilayat. There is not a dull moment; indeed, there is not a moment. Murshid not only has no days off, but can hardly even get to a dinner invitation.
The Wednesday night class is soon going to move to Sausalito to a larger hall with admission charges. The profits, inshallah, will go to the secretaries. Now Murshid is waiting for new appointments with applicants who are growing in number. All classes are larger in attendance, and we are starting new Gatha and Gatheka classes, both. At this writing, it would seem we shall have centers in Novato, San Anselmo, Corte-Madera, and Mill Valley; and with Khalif Akbar in Oakland possibly on the East Bay. Anyhow, Murshid is giving a lecture tonight at Shambala in Berkeley. And Mansur has already gone to San Jose!
It has been very hard excepting financially. Moineddin in the hospital, Mansur no longer at the Khankah, Michael Gest who took after our garden back in San Francisco, but the young people, led by Banefsha, have been very successful, praise to Allah, in promoting peace dinners.
While all the very important people were snubbing me, a Swedish gentleman said my plan for the Near East was the best he had over encountered. His name: Gunnar Jarring. Now we are planning to come east after my next paycheck, which will be about September 21. Joan and I expect, inshallah, to come direct to New York City and fan out from there. I still have the problem of contacting my god-daughter, who is at Cornell.
Everything you have done is most pleasing. Everything that has been reported is marvelous to me.
I have heard this G. Van Essen. A Sufi is one who sees from the point of view of another as well as of himself, but in hierarchical matters, there are definite standards. These are laid down specifically in the first book of Volume X of the Sufi Message. Claims, lectures, talks mean nothing in the hierarchal proceedings. Nevertheless, I certainly shall not ban or bar the teachings of the dances before the followers of Fazal or anybody. I am even willing to meet them; they publicly insulted me here in San Francisco�I was then sitting with Jill-Jasmin and Zeynab. It will never happen again, but I have chosen to accept whatever Vilayat says, fully. From a practical point of view, my mind is overworked, and I am very willing, both selfishly and unselfishly, to let matters on which Vilayat wishes to express himself to be fully in his hands. Besides, Vilayat is now going on a world mission, along with some disciples and it helps me in my personal career if he is successful, quite outside any Sufi or spiritual aspects.
Your pictures almost make me cry. Your reports are so wonderful that God himself told me they would be.
Please let me know at once if you will remain in New York until my visit.
Love and blessings from all of us,
Murshid
Sept. 12, 1970
Dear Peter-Beloved One of Allah:
As-Salaam-Aleikhum!
One hour later. Murshid has returned and is off to the bakery. Then a morning lecture at the Church of Mans, an afternoon beginner�s dance class, and the Saturday night class.
In answer to your question�Murshid said he could be available for the hall all the nights you mentioned (27-30) . A dollar donation should be asked rather than just leaving it open. It is for this reason the Wednesday night meetings are now being held at the Art Center in Sausalito (to larger crowds) and admission is being charged, because too many people don�t mate voluntary donations.
They are not stopping first in Ithaca.
Murshid said he tentatively accepts the plan of driving with you and Sitara (formerly Joan) to Cambridge; this morning Murshid walks into the house with one Sally Schrieber who says she knows you. She is returning to Boston on about the 22nd. She said Murshid could stay at her place but she has not too much room (people extra can crash on floor), and she is working and has no time to be hostess. But I don�t think that matters. She said if you want to find Dan Goleman you might do so through Jane Poston, 52 Salem St. Boston tel. 742-9582. Also might check through Jake, listed under Doug Knott, on Harvard St.
Be sure and call Lonnie Less and let him know about the arrangements for the hall because he may know some people who are interested. If you feel that four nights are too many for the hall, use your judgment.
The schedule on timing is still indefinite. Murshid said that length of time in New York largely depends on what you arrange for him. He is interested also in what Bob Kaufman has to report and said he would be interested in meeting people at Columbia.
Now Murshid is calling for me to do something else. Everything is going right but the pace here is terrific.
All love and blessings,
Wali Ali
May 26, 1970
My dear Sheila:
Thank you for your letter written yesterday.
I should understand it better if Ciranjiva had done some dancing. Lord Shiva did the cosmic dance. Some of his devotees also. Lord Shiva did not fill the net�works with words. He filled them with song and dance, blessings and ecstasy.
One could think that the Siva Kalpa would be dated from the last manifestation of Lord Siva and not from anyone else.
Everybody is going around with words. This person is going around with dances, He leaves soon to present his dances and then some of the disciples are offering the dances for Pir Vilayat Khan.
I should accept and respect anyone who permits others to call him �Lord� or �Avatar� or Sadguru if he would stop, the war in Vietnam. Why the devil doesn�t one of these Supermasters do that? Why? and Why not? What the heck is �truth� if he permits mass murder. I don�t get it; I don�t get it at all.
Love,
Sam
May 6, 1970
Sheila
614 5th Ave.
San Francisco
Beloved One of God:
It is rather difficult for those of us so concerned with God Allah to communicate with those so concerned with the Absolute. God Allah seems so warm, so soothing, so loving, so considerate, and the absolute seems like the two sides of the moon, one so dark and cold and the other so glaring and heated with nothing in between. Of course this is not fair. We do not know about the absolute, but from what we have heard from so many advocates of the absolute is that they make a great distinction between the Absolute which they seem to believe and God Allah who is of so little concern to them.
Of course there is no compulsion in Sufism. A Sufi is one who believes in respecting the views of others. Most Absolutists whom we have met leave no scope for others at all; they seem so unimportant. Thus our view�and we are quite ignorant on the subject�is that the Absolute is not concerned with the particulars while God Allah to whom we offer incessant praise is concerned with everything and everybody.
Of course we were given more consideration in Geneva than we over previously received in this area but do not care. On this point next God Allah and the Absolute seem to differ. God Allah seems to be extending many invitations to us, especially from the young, while the Absolute seems to have certain personalities as vicegerents on the earth. Not knowing about the Absolute we cannot say anything about the vicegerents. One might become nasty and remark that with each new chase of the moon there seems to be a new Vicegerent. Like the moon, these vicegerents seem to shine brightly but offer no warmth.
We zealots of God Allah note the warmth of the sun, its healing power, and the hard but simple fact that the sun does not ask anything from anybody. To us it is very simple and it is very true.
Our complete lack of time makes it very difficult for us to make any inquiries about the Absolute and its representatives. For instance, an infant was born here recently with a very Taurus Taurus complex. This means a very earthy earth sign. There seem to be a lot of illnesses In the world, and some of us believe these illnesses can be diminished by a happy blending of heart food and health food. Now this outlook seems to be growing everywhere, and those who are concerned with heart food and health food are now prospering; prospering beyond even their wildest dreams.
Now I do not know but it is apparent that God Allah is interested in heart and health, while the Absolute is interested in certain personalities.
We are not going to speak much about Geneva: this Friday night at 420 Sutter Street; next Monday afternoon at 4:00 at the Church of Mans on Steiner Street�that is all. Everywhere confusion is spreading, and if one is not confused he is presumed to be out of step. We haven�t seen the Absolutists do anything; they seem to be so unconcerned. If they would do something, we should become interested.
Love and blessings,
Murshid
[to: Sheila?]
April 2, 1969
Beloved One of God:
Sometimes it is almost unwise to write and yet one never gives up hope. It is a good thing for the humanity of a person when he has before him a problem or a person seemingly too big or too complex to solve.
The Bayat or pledge between a devotee and a teacher, in the Name of the All- Pervading God may be accepted loosely by the devotee but never by the teacher. In one of one�s early poems appeared these words,
�And once heart enters into heart
Heart dwells in heart forever.�
It was not understood at the time and indeed it came into one�s consciousness without involving the personal will.
Frank was certainly welcomed at the meeting the other night. He had a hard look on and did not join in the dancing or otherwise. But he was not unwelcome. And there is one mureed who has ceased to attend that was in extreme difficulties and then turned to Murshid in spirit and was saved from a tragedy. It is not that Murshid performs miracles or anything like it. It is that the direction of heart, consciousness and will can often perform wonders.
Once when Rabia Martin who had been a Murshida in the Sufi Order was asked what love was she answered �Obedience.� It is not that, it is much more than that. But it sometimes includes it. It may not always mean obedience to a person but it should mean Obedience to the Teachings.
Many problems are saved by concentration, especially holy concentration. One feels at the moment that the Ranch may be saved, inshallah, but not certain persons. Each person has his or her own karma and dharma to work out. But when we pass from common-sense or logic to love and grandeur we enter a sphere of existence where the individual does not operate as an individual. Nor may a Murshid function without full consideration of both mureeds as persons and the whole body of them, as a Khankah, as a Sangha, an what is called an Anjuman.
The hard fact that some persons are now cooperatively busy may save the situation. And as a person and also as a Murshid one has been approached to establish a spiritual community in San Francisco and one may have to do this as an enterprise, inshallah, feeling the Presence of God in each and every undertaking. To feel the Presence of God means to become more and more aware of Love, Beneficence, Intelligence, and ultimately and factually Grace, Glory, Wisdom, Joy and Peace.
One has been questioning others about their visions and one has been withholding one�s own. In the photos the favorite one is that taken on top of Mount Takao, the most sacred peak of Japan. No non-Asian had ever been there before and one sat in contemplation of universal brotherhood and world peace. One could do that here but unless there were respect and consideration one would not even attempt it.
The attempts for The Temple of Understanding may have been abortive but there is a long history of the real world which ignorant people cannot digest. And those who see themselves only look into darkness. There may be another effort in the group which Vilayat shall lead, for they will be going to mountain tops and those who wish to learn the Contemplation will be taught by Murshid. But it is very serious and yet perhaps the first lessons will be presented soon.
Or one will introduce Kashf Al Mahjub into the Tuesday proceedings; or on Thursday nights. One feels only too often like Alice at the end of her books when the kings and queens turn out to be make-believe figures and one often feels that the many self-esteemed Masters and Messiahs and Saviors of the day are no different. The way to correct that is to function cosmically and no one can success in functioning cosmically without God�s help.
The proper building of the Garden here may be most noteworthy. Now without Murshid a field has been dug, but it cannot be said that it has not dug without God�s permission which is the really important thing. And if, practicing the Presence of God it proves to be a boon this will also help the ranch and ultimately the world.
Too much attention to little people playing big is like promotion a �Mrs. Measeley,� a doll, to a position of importance. Dolls do not control human affairs and cannot. Beautiful dolls have been used as themes in dramas; they have not added much to life and its luster.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
Box 444,
San Cristobal, NM 87564
June 5, 1970
My dear Shirin and Jelal-ed-din:
The dancing class ended today with the first presentation of Akhlak Allah. It was surprisingly well-done. Murshid started out with a rather wild joyful dance. Then Basira and Murshid went to the mail pouch. I am reminded of the time my own cousin, Marion, got married. No one was around. I did a wild topsy-turvy dance perfectly in harmony with Bacchic madness. I had felt like that today and even spoke about putting on a Bacchic dance tomorrow with Leslie in the role that Marcia usually takes.
Now what is the first order of business for the month of July? It is the celebration of Hazrat Inayat Khan�s birthday on the 5th. And what is the second most important thing in July? You bet it is and you certainly have my blessing. I am slightly thankful we did not open the mail until after the dancing class. Then they would have seen a corroboree. In the words of the composer: �Could you ask for anything more? Could you ask for anything more.� In other words I have a lot of answers and they are all contained in the word �yes.� I am sure Allah will bless you. I am over delighted. Also, Basira sends her blessing and love.
I was in a merry mood today myself. Both Basira and I were in the vegetable garden and I was in my Mother Goose mood: first rhyme:
When you see a girl leaning on a spade
You must not rush over to her aid;
But when you see her on a shovel,
You�d better hurry on the double.
I not only said that I did it. Or,
How we remember old Olompali!
There the times were always jolly.
But it only lead to direful folly,
Good old Olompali.
That�s the place I met Shirin,
That�s the place my good friend Saul
There�s where I met dear Mary Sue,
And that isn�t all.
We do not get news here, but Josh is working hard for me and we have things coming up in Albuquerque. Tomorrow we should see Hussein, and Gwene again. If Diane does not come we expect to stop at her place Tuesday in Santa Fe. No outside news but.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
[to: Susan Miller]
March 29, 1969
My dear Susan:
It has been a beautiful season and today one received also a beautiful letter from a beautiful girl.
I do not know about Teachers asking for money or not. The so-called Maharshi charged far more than I should request and people paid it willingly. One has found out that if person does not get money another will.
When Sufism was introduced in the western world there was a request for funds. Jesus said, �Freely give, freely receive.� There are great teachers who ask for nothing but also they take few disciples. One has to get out literature. Pay secretaries when one can and has loads of expenses. In turn something should be given: besides one is giving instruction in dancing and acting as a sort of psychiatrist.
I am very glad you have heard from Paul Reps. I do not have pictures of Hazrat Inayat Khan but will turn this inquiry over to somebody. As for this Murshid, well he has run out of pictures with a smooth face and encloses instead, �the man in the grass mask.� As one has on Arab clothing this picture will no doubt be accepted in time far and wide. There will also be other pictures in various guises or disguises.
Somebody will order copy of the first volume of The Sufi Message but in time we shall have typed copies of several of the teachings for those who cannot afford to pay the full price. Daniel has somebody working on this now.
We had an enormously successful work-party Sunday. Murshid cooked for about a hundred people, curries of all sorts had three helpers too. The rest of the meal was supplied by others, Fatima making a potato salad; Bob Cogswell brought a lot of ice cream. Many things were accomplished. We did a lot of Dervish and ceremonial dancing, too and there will be more of these later one.
As you are interested in Organic Gardening. We have been using only organic preparations. We have a number of composts and in May will uncover the first ones to see in what condition they are. Lots of rain this year, and when we dig deep we meet water everywhere.
We put in Pyracanthus, Fuchsias, several ferns, Australian Tea plant, Primroses, vegetables and lots of Strawberries. The Strawberries are already in bloom, after only a few days. I think the man who planted them is to be thanked. Murshid also put in vine Grapes. We want the leaves as we all like stuffed grape-leaves. And the night before Jemila cooked shish-kabob�it was wonderful.
The occasion was five birthdays: Ginger-Jayanara, Suzanne, David (who lives with me), Gypsy and Gavin Arthur. Gypsy was made queen and Gavin king.
The other Susan, now Vashti, is out of the hospital and also attended although she had to watch. But she enjoyed it very much.
We do not know how long we can use Amin�s but Amin and Krishna Das are trying to get the San Francisco Theological Seminary hall at San Anselmo.
We are having lessons also on Mental Purification with emphasis on Exaltation and trying to make this an experience which everybody can share. Some people must be finding it true as the meetings are well attended now.
I am holding you letter till tomorrow when the dancing class meets here, so that Amin and others can read it.
Love from us all,
Murshid
410 Precita
San Francisco 94110
March 6, 1969
P.O. Box 658
Captain Cook, Hawaii
My dear Susan,
Your letter mailed on the 20th made we very happy indeed. From the calendar standpoint I am an old man, but once these words came to me:
Which is nearer to eternity: a long time or a short time?
Neither is a long time nearer to eternity,
Nor is a short time nearer to eternity.
Love is near to eternity; love is eternity.
The deeper one goes into heart, the more one finds this is true. Sometimes it is so easy to look into somebody else�s heart and to see a universe. That universe is always beautiful. It has two aspects: one is pain and struggling, one is joy and delight. But in the heart phase of life, they are both beautiful, and perhaps, as Baba Ramdas has said, �They are identical.�
It is very strange now the name Suzanne has crossed my path. We had a big party in Larkspur last week�lots of disciples, lots of our friends, and the whole of the Committee, the acting group from San Francisco. Especially in the early part of the evening, there were some very serious discussions. A young girl asked me what I thought of Jesus Christ. This is hardly the kind of question that should be asked at a party. A Sufi does not try to think of Jesus Christ, he tries to reflect him. The reflection seems to have been successful�praise to God! The reason I am telling you this is because you name is also Susan.
Susan-Vashti is now able to go around in a wheel-chair. She cannot yet use her foot, but she does wear the Persian dress that Murshid bought here. Here is an example of long pain and suffering bringing out the most marvelous beauty. She finds so much love and beauty, often amid the greatest pain, but one does find it.
Besides the Susans, there is Suzane. We are having a great party lasting four days soon. I am not sure whether there will be four of five birthdays. Murshid will cook a gigantic curry. Katherine is going to help him. It will be given in Novato and we are planning for 100-150 guests. Things are changing rapidly, I hope to bring some of my surplus boys from San Francisco to meet some of my surplus girls here in Marin.
Yesterday was very wonderful. Mansur and Murshid went to Sonoma State College along with Moineddin. The audience was wonderful. Both the students and professors represent the future.
At 6:00 we celebrated Amin�s birthday with a wonderful dinner, mostly cooked by Gypsy. Katherine made the cakes. Mansur and Murshid skipped lunch and were certainly happy we did. The only reason I am not in ecstasy now is because many ecstasies followed.
We combined the usual Sufi gathering, the dervish and Ramdas dances, and Amin�s birthday. We put on the birthday dance with Amin in the male role and Ruthie Parisa in the female role. Amin�s birthday was on the 5th, Ruthie�s on the both. We shall celebrate that further at the dance class. Katherine made Amin a very beautiful shirt which I am sure you will admire�we all did.
There must have been at least 70 people there. To my surprise there was a whole delegation from Sonoma State College. They had just heard me in the morning, and they traveled all the way to Corte Madera in the evening. The two talks, one long spiritual meditation and six types of dances, Murshid got so high, he turned the meeting over to Moineddin. By that time Moineddin and everybody got high.
Now we are having springtime, and I am very happy about your interest in organic gardening. We are doing something of the same kind here. With this beautiful dry weather at last to are all.
Paul Reps lives at Paauilo which is on the other side of the island, about halfway between Hilo and the northernmost point. His address is simply Paauilo. I understand he is coming to California soon. I am so busy I may even miss him�never a day off, never a dull moment.
I am also rewriting my �Book of the Heart.� Your condition is very real. You can carry it on into the after-life. It makes me very happy.
We are slightly changing out organization. Daniel, my financial and assistant esoteric secretary, is now also moving to Novato. We shall both split our time between San Francisco, Corte Madera the halfway point, and Novato. It is very easy for Murshid to visualize you. I also received a wonderful letter from my Pakistani God-daughter. She is also calling me Daddy Murshid. When the girls came to my house recently, I warned them all if they did not get boy-friends, I would introduce them to my cousin. I brought out a picture of myself when I was 26. Shirin guessed it right away, the others did not. Sometimes it is funny to feel like falling in love every day and even every minute, but it is always one at time only. Or else it is everybody and everybody, as in the group dance.
It is very easy of Murshid to see, right in front of him all the time. Your body is in Hawaii and I am glad you are enjoying life there. We will all cherish your heart until you return. There is lots more to write, but let us keep it this heart way.
All love and blessing,
Murshid
[to: Phil Davenport]
Feb. 23, 1969
Beloved Ones of God,
I am wondering about the future of the Oracle. I understand there will be a delay in the next publication. I hope it will not be for lack of material. I have oodles of material; I am not going to impose this on you or anybody. I am just wondering why you seem perplexed when I don�t think you should be perplexed. At the present time I have been reading from my poetry all the predictions of which have come into objective manifestation. All of this poetry has been rejected alike by the establishment and those who inveigh against it. I should think this sort of material would be welcomed by a publication with the name Oracle.
It is a little ironic that one is being accepted in faraway places. I am now being asked to write Zen material for �Gandalf�s Garden.� I am subscribing to this magazine both for you and for myself. I have a tremendous accumulation of real Zen material. Some has been sent to Tuttle end Co., and not being returned presumably is to be published by them. I wish to call to your attention that even the word Zen was used in Korea before in Japan. Next week I am going to the Berkeley campus in behalf of the Korean Zen Grand Master Seo Kyung Bo.
I have also been sent by the Vietnamese to lecture on this subject. Our views on Zen being identical.
I wish at this time to call to your attention that Sen. Church will be speaking at the College of Marin Friday night on American Foreign policy. I believe you should cover this meeting. I am planning to be there myself. My own belief is that we can never have world peace and understanding until we listen, even if on rare occasions, to exotic persons and exotic ideas�. So much for Zen.
I call to your attention my being mentioned in Playboy for the month of March. I definitely recommend this article to you for all the background material. But why should it take a representative of a distant publication to uncover such valid information?
I am also writing Sufi s stories which may be published through the kind intercession of my colleague Mr. Paul Reps. I have a tremendous pile of such stories direct experience with full data so far no American takers.
I also call to your attention that in the month of April there will be a Seminar on Mystical Experience under the auspices of the Extension Division University of California. In the past I have not been permitted to attend such sessions. On two occasions my checks were returned, but this time no.
I also call to your attention that I am scheduled to speak at Sonoma College shortly before the Society for Mystical and Occult Studies. They have sent for me. We may make a tape recording of it if you cannot cover the event.
I also call to your attention that I have been invited variously and that I am also now speaking in the Haight-Ashbury district (Brother Juniper�s Cafe). Those meetings are lively and will attended (Friday afternoons). So far no one is covering them. There are quite a number of far out publications. I believe any one of them would at least accept a notice concerning the meetings.
My next step in the Haight-Ashbury district would be to give instructions in Dervish Dancing and free. Mr. Paul Reps thinks I should write them up but at the moment there is no secretary available�full program all the time. Might this not be a marvelous opportunity for you to publish articles on this dancing? This may be one of the many ways to increase living joy and wisdom for the heart-hungry young?
Love and blessings,
Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti
Samuel L. Lewis
December 16, 1964
My dear Catherine:
The year is drawing to an end, a year illustrating beyond doubt the teachings that appear in the writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan. And the only shadow on the horizon at this time is the comparatively large number of personal friends and acquaintances who are confined to their homes or to beds from illnesses, incapacity or accident. This is a strange and awkward situation, and the only one marring the private life.
As I am told, you are leaving Cleveland, I hope you will pardon that in the writings and teachings. And one of my young mureeds have now seen with the outer sense what appears in the literature, especially in "The Unity of Religious Ideals" and above all in the section on "The Spiritual Hierarchy." All my life I have heard about Hierarchy but mostly those persons who talk about it , who preach it, mystify everything by confining the hierarchies in their subjective, etherealized prisons. Whereas those who are higher in spiritual evolution conform to Pir-o-Murshid's first book, "The Sufi Message of Spiritual Liberty." Here one finds oneself up against all those influenced by Gurdjieff who either falsifies geography or places the Holy men where he presumes you have never been, like Bokhara and Samarkand�but whatever else is said, far more in Himalayan regions by which I have seen Himalayan regions, and not necessarily India, for the Himalayas extend beyond India.
I remember once a man adamantly insisting: "I don't care what you say. The highest spiritual Masters are found in central Asia and nowhere else." I entered the room and said; "Yes, you are right. I have just returned from there and I met them." The man grabbed his hat and ran away although it was a big social party.
And it took an attack on the US Embassy for me to be able to relate for the first time actual meetings with actual representatives of actual hierarchy in this actual world. This series of events has a most happy ending. I went to a meeting of Columbia University Alumni. My teachers in Philosophy and Mathematics came from this University and I had met some of its most famous professors. A big man with a larger hand came up to meet me; Wel�come. My name is Badeau." I nearly hit the floor. This man had been our Ambassador at Cairo.
Then he introduced me to Prof. George Rents of Stanford University not far from here. I knew Rents. Then without paying the slightest attention to me, they began discussing of all things, Sufism. I said "Pardon me, Ambassador, but did you look at my card? I am one of the few perhaps only validated Sufi teachers in the country." Then we agreed to correspond.
Actually, this is a long and beautiful series if stories and last week, I received a request to address Claremont College in Southern California next fall on Sufism. I had applied and been rejected�for one of my two collaborators had already been signed up to come.
Now while this was going on it was witnessed by Mrs. Ivy Duce of all people. Mrs. Duce and one Prof. Landau each claimed to be the spokesman for Sufism, each was successful in having me blacklisted and each hated the other so much that they had a long battle each immobilizing the other. Thus the Moral Law.
Accompanying Badeau was Hon. Roger Hillman, formerly Under Secretary of State for the Far East. All Ambassadorial functions are the same the world over. Everybody rushes in, grabs drinks and talks to friends. Nobody pays much attention to Ambassadors. God was with me. I not only saw Hillman but got from him in five minutes what the whole culture has not granted in years.
I then went to UCLA, the University of California in Los Angeles, and was sent to the Dean of Studies. Without looking up, he said, "Do you know Princess Poon Diskul?" "Who do you think sent me here? No, my dear, we look at our teachings intellectually and we think we know them but we never come down to recognizing that these things do happen here."
Princess Poon Diskul is a granddaughter of King Mongkut (Anna and the King of Siam); we are very, very close and very much alike. She is the top lay Buddhist in the whole world. She has summoned a conference in India to prevent the takeover of the Buddhist organizations by the communists�this does not concern us, we know next to nothing about Buddhism. We do not realize that when we break the Moral Law the Moral Law breaks us.
The Dean knows all the spiritual leaders of the Orient, he knows all the teachers and pretended teachers in the United States; the real ones , the charlatans, the charmers. As the American public is interested in the outside of the cup, they have gone in droves to affable orators and accepted whatever they said as representing Oriental Philosophies and these men have no contacts in the Orient, have either never been there or been received superficially and we are fighting in Vietnam, a country about which we not only know too little but will not even consider the points of view of the actual people.
The struggle against all sorts of personalized and personal philosophies which dominate America and to some extent Great Britain has confirmed all of Asia that we are insincere, dominating monsters. The intelligence, especially the Army Intelligence, has been demobilized by a public which is either indifferent or has accepted entertainment for serious study. And there has been no gain in popularity by not only being requested by the World Buddhist Federation to report, but having these reports accepted.
The meetings with Hillman and the Dean were followed by one with Admiral Felt who has been in charge of all operations in the South Pacific. In five minutes I received from him that which has been denied by everybody in fifteen years�a paper on Buddhism in Vietnam. No matter which way one has gone it has been denied, Army Intelligence accepted. But during the War, I did some intelligence work for a man who is now General Lansdale, a close friend of the Admiral and in charge of Vietnam. So despite fifteen years of rebuffs, especially from all the non-Americans, non-Asian "professors of Oriental Philosophy" all the obstacles have been removed. The gradual replacement of Europeans by Americans in the Universities has step by step changed the whole picture and the year ends very, very satisfactory.
Socially the most dramatic event took place two weeks ago. I brought a mureed along. "I cannot afford to be stepped over by these charlatans who dominate Asian studies here. It is more than my life and career that is at stake. I am taking the Upanishads with me and shall challenge anybody and everybody to explain them."
There was a special speaker, Sri Surendra Chose, Deputy Leader of India's Congress Party and representative also of the Aurobindo Ashram. It was even with difficulty that I got the Consul General of India to attend. After a wonder�ful address the meeting was thrown open. I arose and never even got to ask a question "Why, you are the man I came to San Francisco to meet. I traveled five thousand miles just to meet you." There was tremendous silence. Not a word from the audience of pretenders and metaphysical people.
This was true. When one is on the spiritual path it is as Pir-o-Murshid has said, "He whom the world holds is smaller than the world and he who holds the world is greater than the world." There are now in India two gigantic organizations which are the cosmic outlook. The one led by the Sri Surendra Ghose covers all intellectual and artistic endeavor of man. The other comes from the Ashram of the late Ramana Maharshi.
There is a magazine called "The Mountain Path" and it has won the good-will of all the real spiritual movements I have heard of: The Zen Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, the Yogis, the Vedantists, the Sufis and even our brother Pir Zade Vilayat Khan�all working together. It excludes all movements of pre�tense where the self-imposing leaders have not had cosmic experiences. And it happens that so far as California is concerned more and more people of this religion are going back and forth.
These are only highlights demonstrating the truth of the Moral Laws, the manifestation of Divine Grace and the re-utterance of that Biblical �admonition which the world has always defied: "The stone that is rejected is become the corner stone."
Among those that have rejected are some professors of the University of California in Berkeley. The University has a law that political parties cannot collect or even solicit funds on the campus. After being rejected by the Institute of International Studies, I crossed the campus to see Norman who lives on the other side. "Norman, something very filthy is going on. There is a law prohibiting the soliciting of funds. They have permitted the Goldwaterites and the regular Republicans, all the Democrats, the Socialist Labor Party, the Trotskyites and even the Independent Marxists (meaning the communists) to solicit funds and have arrested the leaders of the only group, not a political party, CORE. I don't know what it is but I expect trouble."
This never got in the papers. I have not only witnessed events, but heard the taping by an independent radio station. The public reports on the press and broadcasting statements are miserable concoctions. No wonder the faculty backed the students. It is not free speech that is at stake, it is the despotical assumption of power by an administration that befuddled and misled the public in so many directions. It may mean the dismissal or resignation of so "important" persons.
Norman is now teaching school and is quite sober. This is in part due to his belief that the causes in which he is interested are serious.
Down at UCLA I found a group of African students who have their own sales library and I have purchased two books from him for Christians. It shows how little we know of African culture and history. Actually the same is true of Jews. But the Jews have suppressed their histories in order to attain certain ends. For instance, it is regrettable that we have had campaigns on "Justice for the Jews" but never hear "Justice from the Jews." Many Jewish Kingdoms have been destroyed because of this.
In working with General Lansdale as above in GI work, I resurrected the history of several Jewish countries. But even then I knew of African Negro countries whose histories are closed books.
Actually, all the above are less than scientific ventures which go on. When one feels one works for God, sometimes he seems to feel he is working with God also. And that Hierarchy mentioned is true. What we must face today is that the objectivity of it is actually rejected by theosophists, metaphysicians and others and accepted by many in our foreign services who have had to face realities when they are in strange countries.
The final struggle up to this moment has been to try to present real Buddhism to people. We have all kinds of so-called Buddhist movements, each extracting what it wishes. We have two prominent Americans, Richard Robinson of Wisconsin and Richard Gard of USIA who have written fair books; the latter honest but superficial, the former honest and profound. But the hardest thing to do is to get Americans to accept Americans as having knowledge of Asia; the only thing harder is to get people to study the actual literature and teachings of Asian wisdom. Only now it is coming out, but it is coming out. At the risk of social ostracism I finally convinced a few people they ought to read, if not accept, the actual words of Lord Buddha, as these appear in print. The whole audience did a "repentance" act at the risk of discarding "brand names"; a few people are now studying Buddhist literature.
During this period there was in San Francisco one Korean Master P. Soo. He is now at Colombia University occupying the post once held by Prof. Daisetz Suzuki. Unlike Suzuki he has had the Spiritual realization and he is one of the most profound and lovable persons I have ever met. If you ever stop in New York, try to visit the University or the Japanese center on West 9th street and see him. It would be worth it.
May God bless and help you in everything.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
S. A. M.
Sufi- Ahmed- Murad- Chisti
November 4, 1970
Van Beasley
c/o Gest
176 Sixth Avenue
San Francisco, California
Beloved one of God:
This is acknowledging your letter of October 31, advising of your poor health. As a Murshid and as a man I am not in a position to help anybody out financially. But as a seer, let us say, it is very important to put into operation those visions which come to one as if by divine grace.
I do not know my financial status, and I have much greater obligations than some people realize. At the same time it was distinctly told me some time back when my income went up, if there was a surplus, it should be used in organic gardening. This was very strange, of course, getting financial and economic advice, so to speak, from Heaven. Later I discussed with Halim the potentialities of all our garden in Novato to grow vegetables and foods in general. Later I definitely saw inwardly the need to have a person working full time on them. Therefor, and it is more for my health than anything else, I am hoping to work on each of the four plots in Novato and definitely need someone to take over, so to speak. The main expense on my part would be for seed and tools, and I wish to take this up as soon as possible after returning. I am especially concerned with the growing of lettuce, but also must take into consideration the soils.
I do not know what has happened in the garden we started in Novato. I feel it should be continued, or rather the land utilized. As I see it, there should be a meeting between Amin,, Halim, Hussein, and yourself and myself to work out a program. I think this can and will be done. Indeed, it would also be a preparatory movement toward the establishment of further Khankahs, communes, or colonies.
As matters stand I think my next paycheck will largely wipe out the most pressing of obligations and also leave a little over to help you, not for charity, but for either rent or work. Allah does not wish me to be involved in housing problems, but constant repetitions of this have as yet failed to make proper impression. On the other hand, when it comes to matters of food, etc., it is the opposite�disciples must not be permitted to go hungry.
There are a few other complications, such as the housing of Michael now at the Khankah, etcetera. I do know there have been dreams and visions as to the future and equally there are accumulations of funds for the future. But my job as Murshid is concerned with spiritual matters, and I must not permit these to weigh upon me. In fact, the hardest problem I have is neither personal nor financial nor material, but finding time, ways, and means to get out spiritual and literary materials.
There are some papers in files which can be used to help promote and maintain good health of all disciples. If Wali Ali can find the healing practices from Pir Dewwal Shereef they certainly will be available to you.
Love and Blessings,
Murshid
June 21, 1970
James Pickard
Beloved One of God:
The month is 2/3's gone and in about 10 days we shall be on our way. There will be a change in personnel as Lesles wishes to remain in this region with some personal friends. This will give us the opportunity to take Josh with us. It means Basira will have 2 male drivers and there will be only one infant, Samuel Vilayat�. I must say as a baby farm this has been rather a successful place.
You will find a copy of a letter to Anandashram which gives you some of the news.
I am writing for quite another reason. We had a big crowd here last night and the place is rather short of cups and plates; so I am asking them to give me a list of what they may need, and this may become a professional undertaking for Shirin and yourself, or, if you wish to do it alone this also may be tried. I don't think there will be any problem about the quantity to be put in the kiln. Anyhow I hope to have this list sometime before we leave.
They are fairly agreed now about building a kiln next year and having you and Basira both come here. This does not mean that other disciples may not be invited. As matters stand it would appear that Murshid will remain next year in the S.F. bay region should Pir Vilayat have a camp in the western United States. There are several advantages for Murshid's coming here a little later, but that can be considered later.
Even now they have too many undertakings here. Still there is a wonderful spirit of love, brotherhood, cordiality, and mutual respect.
We want to be back in San Francisco on July 4th and I have written to see that there be supplies in the house. Personally I should like to be back on Friday evening July 3rd, but that is merely because we could have then a shrimp dinner. But I suspect we shall be arriving on Saturday. I am also assuming that all details will be handled for the July 5th celebration. I am also assuming that Shirin will already be at the Guerneville school and merely taking time off for the wedding.
This is not a vacation, believe me, but at the same time it has been a glorious adventure. Love and blessings,
Murshid