The Spirit Club

We were driving in the bobtail truck, making a road trip to pick up food in Bakersfield, California. Jeff was driving, Kevin was in the middle, and I was riding shotgun. The drive from Tucson had been uneventful and we were looking forward to loading the truck.

“John, how many people are going to be at Bud’s tonight?” Kevin asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “Usually, there are fifteen or twenty. Why?”

“Since we’re getting close, I was thinking about it. I like sitting around and talking at Bud’s. I always meet new people and learn new things.”

I smiled at Kevin and nodded, to acknowledge that I understood. Kevin was only nineteen. He and his dad, Jeff, were inseparable. Jeff and I were close friends, and we had been making this road trip for the last two years. We came late spring and then twice in the summer.

Kevin was an old soul, like Jeff and myself. He had been exposed to New Age knowledge and was comfortable talking about it. On our trips, the three of us talked quite a bit about spirituality. I respected Kevin and treated him as a close friend.

We pulled into Bud’s parking lot. He lived on his farm near Arvin, a small town twenty miles east of Bakersfield. Bud farmed potatoes, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and honeydew. He had 1500 acres and sold all of his food directly to people, at reasonable prices.

Bud was well known in the New Age community. He fed us. I came all the way from Tucson, but that wasn’t unusual. People came from all over the state of California, as well as the northwest and southwest. There was only one requirement to be able to buy from Bud: you had to be a New Ager.

Jeff parked in the dirt parking lot along with the other cars and trucks. Bud had a large house with eight bedrooms. It didn’t matter how many people showed up for the night. Everyone was welcome. If he ran out of beds, there were always sleeping bags.

Maria met me at the door. She spoke to us with her heavy Hispanic accent. “Mr. John, hi. How was your trip?”

I smiled, “No problems, Maria. Is Bud here?” Maria was Bud’s helper. She was always cleaning or cooking. I had never seen her not working.

“Yes, Mr. John. He is in the den.”

“Thank you, Maria. Do you know Jeff and Kevin?”

“Oh, sure. If you are hungry, there is vegetable soup and it is very good. Eat as much as you want.”

We walked back to the den. It was a large room, approximately twenty feet by forty feet. This was where everyone gathered. There was a large-screen TV and people were camped in front of it watching the news. Chairs and tables were everywhere; this was also where we ate. Fifty people easily could fit in the room.

As I walked into the den, several people turned. Those who knew us rose in unison and came to give us hugs and welcomes. Everyone at Bud’s house was a friend. We were like a big family.

I hugged Bud, smiled, and looked him in the eye. “It’s good to see you. How’s everything?”

He smiled. He was always emotional when we met again. “We’re fine here. How is your wife and daughter?”

“Julie and Kate are fine. I’ve been working on another book and it’s almost finished. Life has been good.”

“Come,” He pointed the way. “I have some new friends who want to talk with you . . .” Jeff and Kevin followed us.

We approached a group of people seated around a table. A man rose to greet us.

“You must be John? My name is Adam. I’ve read one of your books. I sure would like to talk with you about it.” He was tall, about six-feet-four, and wore a beard. He demeanor was gentle.

I shook his hand. “Sure, let me pull up a chair.” I introduced Jeff and Kevin, and the three of us found a place to sit. Bud excused himself and left us alone. Adam was with friends who had driven down from Sacramento in two trucks.

“So, which book did you read?” I asked.

“New Thinking for the New Age.”

“Ah, you went right to the deep stuff. I take it you enjoyed it?”

He nodded. “Very much. I really like the way you write about the power of love. I never really thought about it like that. Could you explain it for my friends?”

“Yeah, sure. But let’s let Kevin have a go at it first. Then I’ll fill in what he leaves out.”

“All right,” Adam said.

“All right?” Kevin asked with dismay. “As if I know where to start?”

“Come on, Kevin,” I said. “You can do it. Just let it flow.”

Kevin contemplated, then began. “Love is much more powerful than people realize,” he said to Adam’s friends. “Love is powerful because it is our connection to God. When we love someone or when we love ourselves, we are on the same wavelength as God. This is why in Corinthians, Jesus said, ‘and the greatest of these is love.’

“What we are doing here--the meaning of life--is remembering that we are God. And the best way to remember is to get as close to God as possible. When we love ourselves and others, we are connecting to God. We need to fall in love with ourselves and others, and that’s how we get close to God. Then love will flow in our lives and allow harmony and joy to manifest. The grace of God will become apparent.” Kevin paused and looked at me. “That’s all I can think of.”

I smiled. “Okay, but I know you can say more. You did a good job, Kevin. So let’s see,” I said to Adam and his friends. “Love is the key to spirituality. Love is the key to everything. Why? Because love is the energy of God. It’s the divine spirit of our souls. Love is us, our core. When we take everything else away: our personalities, our intelligence, our experiences, and so on, we’re left with divine spirit, which is love. This is why when we love someone or love ourselves, it is the best feeling we can possibly have. Love is the ultimate. It is the Holy Grail. It is what leads us back to God.

“For this reason, nothing is really important except the recognition of love. All we need to do is be in love. Love yourself and love humanity. That is enough.
Although it is helpful to recognize that love is the divine spirit of our soul. Thus, everyone is divine and everyone is a perfect manifestation of God. And because everyone is perfect, there’s nothing to achieve or do. Consequently, if there is nothing to do, then all that’s left is to be in love.” I paused.

Adam contemplated. “You’re saying that life is about being, not about doing.”

I nodded. “You can’t do something to create love. And since love is the doorway to God, it doesn’t matter what you do in life. What is important is being in love. Does that make sense?”

Adam grimaced. “I think so. You’re saying that if we want to find God, we have to be in love. And that without love we’ll never find God.”

I nodded. “Love is the starting point. In the past we always considered achievement as the starting point. We wanted to create the American dream, so we did things to achieve it--education, hard work, dedication, loyalty. Many people gave more to their jobs than their families. Consequently, spirituality languished. Now we are trying something different. Now we are trying to be closer to our soul’s desire.”

“In other words,” Adam said, “I can do whatever I choose? It’s no longer important to achieve social status and material wealth?”

I nodded. “I allow you to do whatever you want. That’s unconditional love--to allow. I allow you, and I honor and respect you. You are an advanced soul who is very much in control of your own life. I hope that you follow your soul’s desire and that it leads you to harmony and joy in your life.”

Adam looked surprised. “You respect me even though you’ve never met me before?”

“Indeed. We’re equals, my friend. How can one piece of God be more valuable than another? How can one of your toes be more valuable than one of mine?”

We all smiled.

“Indeed,” Adam replied.

I rose. “I’m heading for the soup. We can talk later,” I said to my new friends. Adam nodded.

Kevin, Jeff, and I walked to the kitchen. We found a huge pot, bowls, and spoons on the stove. We also found bread and water to have with the soup. We served ourselves and walked to a table to eat. There were about fifteen other people in the den. Soon the crowd would form a group and talk. This is what Kevin had been waiting for. This had become a custom, because so many people had begun living in groups during the last few years. When people left their homes and headed for safer areas, inevitably they ended up living in small groups. Survival was much easier in groups than alone.

Bud came to our table after we finished eating. “John, when are things going to get better? Everyday, I get calls from people who need food. It’s amazing how much desperation is out there. It’s getting harder and harder.”

“Well, it’s all relative,” I said. “Yes, we’re going through hardships, but we are also making major advances spiritually. It’s just a matter of time before love begins to flourish. Don’t worry, it will get better soon. Perhaps as soon as next year, as so many have forecasted. Bud, you and I are pillars. We provide the support people need. It’s people like you and I who will make sure that love conquers fear. As difficult as it will get, we must persevere. We must have courage.”

“I’m a pillar, huh?” Bud said. “Sure doesn’t feel that way.” Bud was a farmer, not a New Ager.

“Bud, why do you support us?” I asked. “I’ve often wondered.”   

“My daughter, Kelly,” he mused. “After she died in 2008, I lost something. I felt a pain inside that wouldn’t go away. Then a friend of hers came to me asking for food. 

I said, ‘Yes.’ That started it. Her friend was Joe Bishop.”

“Joe Bishop? How much food did he ask for?” Joe Bishop had a huge New Age community with over 1,000 people north of San Francisco.

“Well, he knew I had a big farm. When I said he could have whatever he could pay for, he asked for five truckloads. He still sends a truck once a month.

“Hey,” Kevin interrupted, “people have begun to form a group across the room. Let’s join them.”

We got up and moved closer to the group that was forming. As usual, the first topic discussed was politics, or something to do with local government.

A man in his early twenties we speaking. “Something has to be done. I don’t even like to drive across Bakersfield anymore.”

“We can’t live in fear,” I said. “What’s happening isn’t the wrath of God. It’s a blessing of God. When we believe in our personal divinity, there’s nothing to fear and nothing to worry about. All we need to do is follow our own path and shine our own light, thereby sharing our internal love with the rest of the world.

“Kirael said that the most important person to love is yourself, because if you love yourself enough you can share it with others. That is wisdom we should all embrace. If you have enough self love, you will love others too. And this love will smother any fears that enter you mind.”

“Is it really that easy?” asked a lady with long, light brown curly hair.

“No, it’s not easy,” I replied. “But if you have enough trust in God’s plan, then you can live in a state of love instead of in a state of fear. Also, if you want to help speed the transition, the best way is to shine your light and share your love. We don’t need to form citizen groups or political groups. We need to love each other, that’s all.

“Doesn’t everyone see that fear is simply the lack of love? If we begin to decide the fate of others--using politics--we’re deciding out of fear. In essence, we’re denying our faith in God. Our beliefs are implying that we don’t trust God. We’re implying that we need to create rules and laws to determine how people should live.

“The only reason we need laws is because we’re afraid of what people will do. But we’re entering a new era now, a new civilization. We no longer need to decide how people should live. Everyone is free to do as they wish. This is possible, because love will flourish. And people who aren’t of love will no longer incarnate on this planet . . .”

“How do you know this?” a man in a bolo tie and cowboy hat asked.

“My name is John Randall,” I answered. “I am a New Age writer. I’ve been doing research since the 1980s. Love will flourish on this planet--sooner than we expect. Soon fifth dimensional consciousness will envelop this planet. A new civilization will arise. Look around at the changes that have occurred in the last five years. Anyone can see something new is going to arise from the economic and social chaos. Do you really think we can go back to anything resembling the past?”

“No,” he replied. “But I think we need to have laws and courtrooms.”

“Why?” I asked.

He hesitated. “I don’t know. It just seems we need to have some kind of law and order.”

“Watch what happens in the next few years,” I said. “The consciousness on this planet will continue to increase. Love will spread from town to town, person to person. In the not too distant future, crime will be rare. What will happen is revolutionary, beyond our imaginations. When love replaces fear--which is still dominant today--we as a people will no longer require written laws or courts of law. Instead, we will have agreements. We will agree to love each other and trust each other.”

“And in the interim?” he asked. “We just allow lawlessness? We just love?”

“I know it sounds strange, but yes, that’s my suggestion. The reason for this is that we transmute fear with love. People who inflict their will on others do it out of fear. If we react to their fear with our fear, we only compound the problem . . . if it is a problem.”

A lady wearing a bright orange sweater asked, “What do you mean? You think the lawlessness is okay?”

“Everything is a perfect manifestation of God. Everything happens because it’s supposed to happen.” I gestured with my hands. “Let me clarify. This is kind of complicated, so bear with me. There are no accidents and there are no victims. Nothing happens to anyone unless they create it or co-create it. If we are a victim of lawlessness, we co-created the experience with the perpetrator. Thus we are as responsible as the perpetrator.

“That may sound a bit bizarre,” I continued, “but we are much more powerful than we perceive ourselves to be. The reason is we are aspects of God. In essence, we are God. The ramifications of this fact are little understood in society today.”

“I am an old soul,” I added, “and I have done a lot of research about God and who we are. I write books about it. There are some universal truths. For instance, all is perfection and all is God. Once you recognized this truth you will be true to yourself by loving yourself. This will then extend to others. Eventually you will no longer abuse yourself or others. Instead all you will feel is love.”

The group was silent. Kevin smiled. He was always amazed when people heard the truth for the first time. “Makes your head spin, doesn’t it,” Kevin said to the group.

“Yeah, a lot of information to absorb,” one of them responded.

A man from the Sacramento group asked me, “Could you leave one of your books with Bud?” He was short and stocky, and it looked like they brought him along to drive the truck.

I smiled. “Sure, we’ll be back this summer. I’ll bring a few copies on the next trip.” I got up.

“No, don’t go,” he said, raising his hand. “Can we talk a little bit more?”

I sat back down. “Sure.”

“I’ve heard before we are God,” he continued, “and that we are all one, but I’ve never been able to understand how it affects my life.”

I contemplated. “When you were a child, you were likely told you were not God and that only God decided who was worthy. Thus, from childhood you held the fear that you were potentially unworthy. The result was a huge hole in your heart, a chasm. You were uncertain of God’s love. This chasm caused you to judge yourself to be lacking--unworthy. When you judged yourself, you created a separation between your true self and who you perceived yourself to be. This judgment of yourself was the basis of your identity. You separated yourself from God, which is your true self.

“You have been conditioned to forget who you are, and you have forgotten. When you begin to remember, you will begin to heal the chasm, your broken heart. You will begin to love yourself. Once you love yourself completely, you will love everything completely. When you learn not to judge yourself, you can learn not to judge others, because they are reflections of your true self. Ultimately, everything is one, and this recognition or awareness, is enlightenment. This is what we all aspire to attain.

“If you want to create change,” I continued, “the best way is to embrace everything in your reality. Embrace everything with the understanding that you are co-creating the events in your life. Embrace life, and allow it. Why? Because what we resist, persists. What we attempt to control with our judgments, we empower. There is no reason to try and make things better. In fact, that is counter-productive. The key is to be. Not to do, but to be.”

“Are you implying we don’t need to rebuild society?” asked the short stocky man. 

“That all we have to do is live in love and let what happens happen?”

“Exactly,” I said. “Look around. Look at what we’ve wrought. It’s time to let God show us the way. We don’t need to solve any problems, if there are any problems. God can manage. Trust me, the world is good hands. Our role is to get out of the way and let God show us what love can provide. If we love each other God will manifest a harmonious civilization.”

“All we need is love? Is that what you’re saying?” asked the short stocky man.

I nodded. “And trust, lot’s of trust.”

“If there is nothing to do, why do you write?” asked someone in the group.

“That’s a good question,” I said. “I write because that is what my heart tells me to do. We are all here to play a role of some kind. The key is figure out what your role is. When I say there is nothing to do only to be, I am talking about following our hearts.

“In the old paradigm we were always trying to achieve or sustain a certain standard of living. This to me, was a form of doing. We were always doing things to attain something. I didn’t write for an income. I wrote because that is what I felt compelled to do. I was being who I came to be. Do you see the difference?

“When we do what others expect of us, that is different than doing what we feel compelled to do. Following our hearts and doing what we most want to do, that is being. That is playing the role that we came to play. That is how we enjoy life.”

The next morning, Jeff, Kevin, and I loaded the truck and headed back to Tucson. We arrived without incident in the late afternoon. Julie, my wife, and Samantha, Jeff’s wife, greeted us.

We lived with a group of approximately one hundred people. I say approximate, because the number changed week to week. People came and went. It was not unusual to meet a new face or say goodbye to someone who was moving on.

The majority of the group lived in twenty houses next to a park. We also used a section of the park as an additional place to live: tents, showers, restrooms, and an area where people gathered to cook and eat. In the park, we also had a large garden, a garage to fix our cars, and a healing center.

All members of the group were New Agers, which was our criteria for membership. People who wandered into the park didn’t mind moving on when they found out we were all New Agers. Most people didn’t want to live with us; we were considered crazy by some and a cult by others. Some people asked if they could stay and learn about our beliefs. We were delighted to have them stay.

Nearly a third of the group had regular jobs in Tucson or another town nearby. I worked as manager/owner of a family-style restaurant that served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I went from being a computer programmer to a restaurant owner. I figured people will always need to eat. I liked the new job. It was easy and I got to interact with the public. I also had the opportunity to provide jobs for people in the group.

The two-thirds of the group who didn’t have jobs either worked for the group or searched for employment. Everyone was productive, and there was plenty to do. For example, people worked in the garden, made clothes, scavenged for necessities, cleaned, fixed problems in the homes. There was always work to be done.

Our group was not that unusual. People had been living in groups since 2008, when the economy forced more than a million families to default on their mortgages. In the Tucson area, hundreds of small groups lived together. This was common throughout the country.

We got out of the truck and hugged Julie and Samantha. Kate, my seven-year-old daughter, was also there to greet us. I picked her up and hugged her. “How are you today?”

“Fine. Mom and I are making leather belts for the swap meet. Do you want to see them?” Kate was mature beyond her years. She talked as if she were a young adult. I no longer was amazed at the things she said.

“Yeah, let’s go look at them.”

The six of us wandered over to the tent area. We had lived side by side for nearly a year now and had become close friends; more than friends, an extended family. Julie and Samantha loved to make crafts they could sell at swap meets. They taught and inspired each other and made an array of creative things.

“Your agent called,” Julie said. “He expects you to speak at the Expo in Portland next month, then Denver in August.”

I nodded. Stan Davidson was my lifeline for my other job--writing and speaking. He got the books published and distributed. In return, I promoted them and shared the profits.

Julie didn’t like for me to travel. I didn’t blame her. In these difficult times, she didn’t want to be separated from me for long periods. But she accepted it. She knew how important it was to me. She didn’t travel with me for several reasons. First, it was expensive. Also, when Kate was younger, it was better she not travel. Last, I wanted Julie to keep our tent occupied and maintain a strong commitment to the group--I wanted our presence felt there.

The belts Kate and Julie had made were beautiful. Handcrafted out of leather, with intricate designs chiseled with a hammer and stamping tools. I wanted one for myself, but didn’t say anything. Julie and Samantha worked hard to sell their crafts, not to give them away. I bit my tongue and replied how beautiful the belts were.

Tomorrow was Sunday and the swap meet. Kate would go with Julie and Samantha. I rarely went along. I either worked at the restaurant or with the group. “Kate,” I asked, “are you looking forward to getting a new book tomorrow?”

“Yes, I want another Harry Potter.”

Julie always bought Kate a used book at the swap meet. They were only a dollar and Kate loved to read them. She usually read every day. She got that from me. I read every night. From the time Kate was born, she would always see me sitting in my chair reading.

We weren’t going to send Kate to a public or private school. We would teach her ourselves. This was becoming more and more common. Society was changing so rapidly that organized schools were losing their significance. In fact, many public schools had closed due to lack of funds. Those that remained were perversely crowded.

Today, home schooling was becoming the norm. For instance, not one child from the group attended a school. In many respects, the schools that existed were an anachronism. They taught students the curriculum of the past, which had little significance to the future where we were headed. Schools were antiquated and had not changed along with society. I foresaw schools soon disappearing in their present form. Education would go through revolutionary change, like the rest of society.

“Okay, time to unload the truck,” I said to Jeff and Kevin.

The three of us went to find a few helpers. People were expecting us with a load, so it would be easy to find volunteers. We walked among the tents that were disbursed in small groups throughout a section of the park. Most of the tents were located near trees. It was early summer and hot. As we walked through, most people were sitting in the shade beneath trees. We stopped occasionally and chatted. We always said hello to anyone we encountered. As we made the rounds, about ten people volunteered to unload the truck.

We emptied the truck at three locations: a garage at one of the houses, a storage tent near where we cooked and ate as a group, and the restaurant. I charged the restaurant a huge delivery fee that included the gasoline cost. It was so expensive the restaurant barely made a profit. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could afford to make the trip.

After we finished unloading the truck at the restaurant, we headed back to the park to eat. Everyone ate at the same place--we called it “the galley.” Throughout the day, people would be sitting at the tables where we ate. Usually, we could get something to eat, no matter the time.

Charlie would usually be around to help us find something to eat. Everyone called him “Captain” because he had once worked as a merchant marine and he liked to wear a sailor’s cap. He was in charge of the galley. He was head cook and head organizer. He had helpers, but Charlie was in charge.    

At the three main meals of the day, people gathered at the galley. We ate in waves; there was no specific time when we had to eat. If we needed to talk to or find someone, the best time was eight a.m., noon, or five p.m. At these times, there was always someone eating the captain’s grub.

Jeff, Kevin, and I approached the food line with the guys who had helped unload the truck. Since it was Saturday night, we were in for a treat. Charlie always baked bread and made a salad on Saturdays. Occasionally there was even dessert.

As the line moved forward, I looked around at the people already seated. I waved and said hello to many friends. Julie and Samantha were seated nearby. I was content, actually happier and more satisfied with life than before the changes began. The spiritual aspect of my life had become more tangible. I felt more love today. Not only that, I felt that this new flow of love would lead to something positive. I was extremely optimistic about the future. Something good was about to happen, maybe even as soon as December 21st. Who knows what will happen on that momentous day? If not then, it will be soon, or at least by the time Kate was an adult. All we had to do was allow the future to unfold. Not do, but allow. Not strive or organize, but be gentle and nurturing. Embrace today as perfection, rather than judge today as lacking or trying to do something about it.

It was not yet time to begin reorganizing society. It still had a way to fall. In fact, it would be counter-productive to begin reorganizing. Structures had fallen, but beliefs were still in the process of transforming. Until the process was completed, society couldn’t be rebuilt. In essence, it was a period when people were learning new beliefs, not an easy thing to do.

Jeff and I went and sat with our wives.

“Are you guys all done?” Samantha asked.

“Yeah,” I said, “everything has been unloaded. It was a good trip.”

“Speaking of trips,” Samantha said, “before you leave for Portland, there’s going to be a political rally downtown next week. I think it would be great if you went and spoke there.”

I grimaced. “You know I don’t want to.” The political rallies were monthly gatherings in downtown Tucson. People got together and anyone could speak at the microphone. It was like talk radio; anyone could voice their politics. Samantha usually attended.

“I know,” she said, “but you have something to say. I get tired of listening to fools.”

“They are not fools,” I said. “Everyone has his or her own point of view--and that view is just as valid as yours or mine. Go and enjoy what the people have to say, embrace it. I didn’t say accept it, I said embrace it. If you want to accept it, that’s fine too. But you don’t have to accept anyone’s truth. My point is, try to embrace their point of view as valid. Calling someone a fool invalidates them.”

Samantha gave me a cool stare. “John, you don’t need to give me a lecture.”

“I’m sorry, Sam. I have a habit of saying too much. Anyway, I don’t speak at the political rallies because I’m a spiritual teacher. Those gatherings are about politics, not spirituality.”

“You’re right,” Samantha replied. “But I still want you to spread your message so more people will wake up. I find it troubling that you don’t speak in Tucson, except at the Holistic Expo. How can someone with your knowledge keep it to himself?”

I hesitated. “Am I keeping my knowledge to myself? I’m teaching you and all of the people in our community. I’m constantly teaching. I write books and travel and do seminars. I’m quite satisfied with my service. I have thought of opening a school. But if I do that, I’d have to give up the restaurant, and I don’t want to do that. I like being a common man and interacting with the public. I like sharing experiences with others and staying in touch with people.”

“I’m sorry,” Samantha said, “I get caught up with my own selfishness from time to time.” She laughed. “I like to tell people how to live their lives. Sorry.”

“No problem,” I said. “Remember, don’t think with your mind, but with your heart. Forget about logic. Think in terms of love. Remember, the core of love is allowing. In other words, allow me to live my life as I choose. Conversely, I will allow you to live as you choose.” I looked at Samantha with a plea for forgiveness. “Did I say too much?”

“No, that was a good lecture. I’ll try to stop bossing people around.”

We laughed.