Autobiography of a Yogi Part 83

[Ill.u.s.tration: Speakers at a 1945 Interracial Meeting in San Francisco during the convening of the Peace Conference. (Left to right) Dr.

Maneck Anklesaria, John Cohee, myself, Hugh E. MacBeth, Vince M.

Townsend, Jr., Richard B. Moore--see sanfr.jpg]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Self-Realization Church of All Religions in Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., whose leader, Swami Premananda, is here pictured with me--see premananda.jpg]

[Ill.u.s.tration: My venerable father, seated in the tranquil lotus posture, Calcutta, 1936--see father2.jpg]

Far into the night my dear friend-the first KRIYA YOGI in America--discussed with me the need for world colonies founded on a spiritual basis. The ills attributed to an anthropomorphic abstraction called "society" may be laid more realistically at the door of Everyman. Utopia must spring in the private bosom before it can flower in civic virtue. Man is a soul, not an inst.i.tution; his inner reforms alone can lend permanence to outer ones. By stress on spiritual values, self-realization, a colony exemplifying world brotherhood is empowered to send inspiring vibrations far beyond its locale.

August 15, 1945, close of Global War II! End of a world; dawn of an enigmatic Atomic Age! The hermitage residents gathered in the main hall for a prayer of thanksgiving. "Heavenly Father, may never it be again! Thy children go henceforth as brothers!"

Gone was the tension of war years; our spirits purred in the sun of peace. I gazed happily at each of my American comrades.

"Lord," I thought gratefully, "Thou hast given this monk a large family!"

{FN48-1} A small town on Coast Highway 101, Encinitas is 100 miles south of Los Angeles, and 25 miles north of San Diego.

{FN48-2} I translate here the words of Guru Nanak's song:

O G.o.d beautiful! O G.o.d beautiful!

In the forest, Thou art green, In the mountain, Thou art high, In the river, Thou art restless, In the ocean, Thou art grave!

To the serviceful, Thou art service, To the lover, Thou art love, To the sorrowful, Thou art sympathy, To the yogi, Thou art bliss!

O G.o.d beautiful! O G.o.d beautiful!

At Thy feet, O I do bow!