But suddenly the idea of starting a Chinmoy Centre in a distant city
seemed less of a dream than a necessity. He wrote Guru a letter
asking if he could move to San Diego.
Chinmoy consented.
Weeks later, the phone rang. It was Atmananda.
I offered to find my brother.
"No," he said, "I want to speak with you. Why don't you come over?"
He lived about a quarter of a mile from my apartment in Stony Brook.
I jogged down Cedar Street and knocked on his door.
"Hi, kid. Make yourself at home." He offered me a yogurt.
I accepted.
He told me that he was starting a Centre for Guru in La Jolla, California.
Then, in an enchantingly anesthetizing voice, he explained that southern
California rested upon a mystical power spot around which had congregated
the nation's largest population of spiritual seekers. "Would you like to go?"
I realized that San Diego--San Diego!--was driving distance
to the Sonoran Desert and to UCLA--Castaneda's frequent haunts!
I remembered Atmananda telling me that California boasted many lovely,
friendly women! I realized that such a move would distance me
from my parents, who continued to worry that I was in a cult!
I also realized that such a move would distance me from Guru.
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